Turkey With Warm Barley Salad

@foodnetwork #FNMag  A quick and easy recipe from Food Network Magazine (Jan/Feb 2013 issue), we decided to give this unique recipe for Turkey with Warm Barley Salad a try.  Admittedly, turkey cutlets are not one of our 'go-to' ingredients, but this recipe helped to transform a rather flavorless cut into a great dish.  The simple combination of tomatoes, lemon juice, and butter added a fresh flavor to the turkey.  (Note that we did leave the almonds out of the dish as we are not huge fans.)  We also chopped the cutlets after they finished cooking. 

We would certainly recommend the turkey, however, we strongly suggest the warm barley salad with brussel sprouts.  A quick and easy side with a hint of lemon, this would compliment any meat dish.  It was also Bill's first time having barley (yes!) and he loved it! 

Super Bowl Snacks

BBQ Turkey Sliders

@FoodNetwork @clairerobinson5 @inagarten In celebration of the Super Bowl, we decided to make several appetizers for dinner.  We made Claire's BBQ Turkey Sliders.  These are a tasty twist on the typical bbq slider.  We halved the recipe and ended up with like 9 small turkey burgers.  The bbq sauce and onions caramelized and provide the turkey burger with a tangy kick.  The sliders were the "healthy highlight" of our meal, but it can't be the Super Bowl without a bit of indulgence...

We made Ina's Pan-Fried Onion Dip.  This is one of our favorite appetizers, much better than any store bought onion dip.  It is a creamy onion concoction that is a perfect dip.  We paired it with plain pita chips, but any chips would work with this fun recipe.  We followed the recipe's method of slicing the onions, but the onions seemed long and stringy for a dip.  We'd recommend dicing the onions or chopping then in half before cooking.  Lastly, we made Six Layers and a Chip Dip.  This is a healthy take on the typical Six Layer Dip.  It substitutes Greek yogurt for sour cream.  1/2 of our duo (Mark) is not a fan of avocados and thus guacamole, so we did not include this in our version.  It is yummy with tortilla chips.




Layered Dip

Pan Fried Onion Dip and Pita Chips

Greek Dinner

Tonight we tried a new recipe from @FoodNetwork #FNMag -- Turkey and Rice Stuffed Peppers and Big Greek Salad.  Featured in the Jan/Feb 2013 edition in the Weekend Cooking section, this is certainly a meal that requires some time, but is well worth the effort.  A twist on the traditional stuffed peppers, this recipe combines a lean, heart healthy meal that combines the traditional flavors with a Greek twist.  We are huge fans of feta, which plays a critical and tasteful role in the recipe.  Complimented by some fresh dill and parsley, the otherwise bland turkey takes on an amazing flavor.  The peppers absorb the tomato based sauce - a simple mix of tomato puree, water, and brown sugar - both during cooking and in the pool that the finished peppers rest in.

The Big Greek Salad is a take on the traditional with a nice homemade dressing that combines red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, and EVOO.  We chose to add some feta and beets to add to the traditional Greek classic. 

Get ready for a continuous cycle of dishes during the 2+ hour cooking period.  Also, we might suggest a bottle of wine to make this time fly (for us a bottle of Childress Barrel Select 2008 Merlot).  We certainly recommend giving these dishes a try if you are looking for a colorful twist on the traditional salad and stuffed peppers.  


Pepping the peppers - pretty colors!!

The peppers simmering in their tomato-based sauce (about 50 minutes) 

Our Greek dinner - stuffed peppers, Greek salad, and a nice glass of wine!

Spanish Turkey Meatball Stew

From #foodnetworkmagazine last year, tonight we cooked Spanish Turkey Meatball Stew.  A quick and easy recipe for a cold and rainy (now snowy) evening in NC.  Very easy to make and the meatballs were delicious. 

The soup is a simple mix of onions, roasted tomatoes, chickpeas, carrots and the meatballs (a quick fix of onion and ground turkey breast).  We were very skeptical that the meatballs would be bland, but as they cook in the savory stew they soak up all the delicious flavors. 

Less than 500 calories a serving - quick and simple - a definite hit!

Click here if you want to give it a shot!

Stew prep

 

Meatball prep (they are a bit sticky to prepare but worry not!)

Simmering the meatballs to cook them through -- notice we had to transfer to a larger cast iron skillet.  The recipe doesn't exactly convey how large the skillet needs to be, so go large from the start!

Dinner is ready!