Spicy Chili Chicken Stew

26 days and counting to Super Bowl and another spicy dish to add to your party buffet.  

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breasts (approx. 4 breasts)
8 oz can diced green chilies
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2-3 finely chopped garlic cloves
3 cups peeled potatoes diced into 1-inch cubes 
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
2/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup cooking oil
2 cups red Colorado chili sauce (I like Las Palmas)
1 & 1/2 cup water or vegetable both

Directions:
Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Mix salt and pepper into flour, then dredge chicken pieces in flour.  Heat oil in large skillet, then add chicken and potatoes and saute' turning until chicken browns on all sides. Add onions and garlic and saute' for 1 minute.  Add chili sauce, green chilies, tomatoes, and water or vegetable broth.  Bring mixture to a boil, add more broth if needed, then cover skillet and simmer on low for about 45 minutes.  As a buffet dish, serve in a crock pot with heat set to low.

Turkey Mushroom Meatballs in Cocktail Sauce

28 days and counting until Super Bowl!  Here's a great recipe...a healthy alternative to meatballs in cocktail sauce!

One of my goals is to make dishes low in cholesterol and fat that mimic the meat dishes we used to enjoy.  In this recipe, I used 99% fat-free ground turkey, and then, using mushrooms and veggies as filler, created meatballs with half the meat content. It tastes as good or even better than the sausage/hamburger version of this recipe and although I love Costco, if you cook this, it's all homemade and much healthier than the store bought version. I have found that mushrooms take on a meat flavor when cooked and zucchini can act as a binder, as well as adding fiber.

My version of meatballs in cocktail sauce isn't low calorie, because of the sauce, but they are low in cholesterol and high in fiber.  If you follow this blog, you know we like spicy and after I made this, we decided it would taste great to add some hot pepper sauce (Chalupa or Tabasco) to the sauce.  We did and we loved it but if your taste buds don't prefer the heat, leave it out.

Ingredients for turkey-mushroom meatballs:

I lb extra lean ground turkey

1 small zucchini

2 cloves garlic

1 carrot

8 oz pkg sliced mushrooms

2 tbsp parsley

½ large onion

2 egg whites

2 tsp salt

2 tsp pepper

½ coarsely chopped poblano chili, optional- we like the heat!

1 tbsp canola oil (or any other healthy cooking oil)
Bread crumbs, optional

Directions:

Coarsely chop all ingredients.  Place all ingredients except oil and ground turkey in food processor and pulse until ingredients are rice-sized.  Remove and mix with ground turkey. Depending on how much moisture is in the veggie mixture, bread crumbs may be needed to thicken.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cover cookie sheet with foil.  Smear cooking oil over foil.  Shape meatballs into 1 inch to 1-1/2 inch balls then place on cookie sheet.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Ingredients for sauce:

1 tbsp cooking oil

1 small shallot, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

½ cup ketchup

½ cup brown sugar
½ cup red chili sauce- I prefer canned red Colorado chili sauce.  Bottled brands contain high fructose corn syrup.

¼ cup orange marmalade

1-½ tbsps cider vinegar

2 tsps Worcestershire saue

Salt/pepper to taste
Optional- 2 tsps. hot pepper sauce

Directions for sauce:

Sauté shallots and garlic in 1 tbsp oil for 2 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients, stir until well blended.  Remove from heat.

Place meatballs on large platter, liberally drizzle with sauce, stick toothpicks in meatballs. 

White Chili for Christmas

Robust flavor, a bit on the spicy side, perfect for cold winter nights! Well...cool winter nights as in the Arizona desert!  This recipe is even better on the second or third day of left-overs.

Ingredients:

1 cup diced cooked chicken breast

15 oz. can Cannellini beans

15 oz. can black-eyed peas

½ diced medium onion

1 poblano chili, diced

1 tbsp oil

6 oz. can diced green chilies

2-3 cloves garlic, finely diced

28 oz. chicken or vegetable broth

2 cups sliced cherry or grape tomatoes

Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions:

Saute’ diced onions, diced poblano chili in oil.  Add cooked chicken breast, garlic, beans, peas, green chilies, and tomatoes and stir.  Add all ingredients to stew pot, and then stir in chicken broth.  Simmer for 20 minutes until flavors blend.  Serves about 6.

Ground Turkey Mushroom Burgers

Courtesy of Steve and Kathy...our new neighbors and friends!  Steve is a mushroom aficionado and he is my inspiration for this amazing burger!  Extremely low in cholesterol, this hearty burger is delicious and tastes like meat!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground turkey breast
1 pkg mushrooms or 2 large Portobello mushrooms, rinsed thoroughly
2-3 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
1/2 cup  fresh chopped basil
1 medium zucchini
2 tsps salt
2 tsps pepper
4 tbsps oil

Directions:

Place all ingredients in food processor except for turkey meat until ingredients are a bit smaller than peas.  

Thoroughly mix with ground turkey breast.














Shape into burgers, then saute' in oil on medium high for 4 minutes per side.  If there is moisture in the pan, remove burgers, then cook on high until moisture is reduced to a thin layer in the bottom of pan.  Replace burgers, cover pan, and simmer on low for an additional 5 minutes. This recipe makes approximately 8-10 burgers.

We served it with shaved, lime tarragon corn and cabbage apple slaw.

Heart-Healthy Baked Ziti

Today it occurred to me that not everyone is like me-some epiphany, right?  Cooking for me is one of my escapes.  The aromas, the beautiful colors of the food, the feel of the ingredients in my hands as I prepare a meal is a source of enjoyment to me which is one reason why I continue this blog.  But what I do takes time and if cooking is your "thing," you get me!

Ingredients:
1/2 large eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large zucchini, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1/2 lb. 99% fat-free ground turkey breast
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped onions
Several coarsely torn basil leaves
25 oz. jar low fat organic pasta or marinara sauce
8 oz. vegetable organic vegan cheese shreds
4 cups prepared whole wheat tubular pasta
1/2 cup canola oil





Directions:
Lightly oil cookie sheet and place zucchini and eggplant slices in oven on broil until the slices are softened- about 8 minutes depending on how hot your oven cooks.  Cook pasta according to package instructions.

Saute' onions, garlic, turkey breast, and mushrooms in 1/4 cup canola oil.  When meat is cooked through, add pasta sauce.  Remove from stove.

Lightly oil the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish, then spread a thin layer of the pasta meat sauce onto the bottom of the dish. Add 2 cups prepared pasta, some of the basil, 2 oz. of the vegan cheese and press into bottom of the dish, then layer 1/2 remaining sauce. Layer zucchini and eggplant, basil leaves, then more pasta, remaining cheese over the pasta, and finally the remaining sauce.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

Serves 8-10.