Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf

Serves 5

Ingredients
 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 (20 ounce) package ground turkey
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon water

Directions
Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute; remove from heat to cool.
Stir the turkey, cooked quinoa, onions, tomato paste, hot sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. The mixture will be very moist. Shape into a loaf on a foil lined baking sheet. Combine the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Rub the paste over the top of the meatloaf.
Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Let the meatloaf cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tomato and Spinach Strata

6 servings

Ingredients
 olive oil spray
1/2 medium onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 Cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 Cup low fat cottage cheese
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, or 1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach, cooked, squeezed dry and chopped
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups prepared marinara or spaghetti sauce, divided
8 slices whole-grain  bread,  (80 cal each) Cut off crusts. Baked 5 minutes to dry out like day-old
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 Cup Egg Beaters
1 cup low-fat milk
3 Tbls  freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)


Nutritional Info for 1/6  of pan

Calories 281, Fat 8g, Sat. Fat 1.1g, Cholesterol 17 mg, Sodium 761g, Carbs 35.9g, Fiber 8.9g, Sugars 10.5, Protein 22.5g, Vitamin A 80%, Vitamin C 23%, Calcium 32%, Iron 20%

Preparation

Coat a 7-by-11-inch (or similar-size) baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat olive oil  spray in a small  nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms,  cook, stirring often, until the moisture has evaporated. Add 1/4 teaspoon pepper and salt and stir to combine.

In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, spinach, nutmeg and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper .

Spoon 1/2  cup marinara sauce into the prepared baking dish.
  Spread spinach ricotta mixture on 4 of the 8  pieces of bread and arrange these on the sauce (the bread doesn’t have to completely cover the sauce).
Arrange the remaining bread over the spinach ricotta mixture. Scatter the mushroom mixture over the bread. Top with mozzarella. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the top. The pan will be very full.
Whisk egg substitute and milk in a small bowl. Pour the mixture slowly over the casserole, poking the filling gently with the tip of a knife until the egg mixture is evenly distributed and the bread is saturated. Coat a piece of foil with cooking spray on one side and cover the casserole, sprayed-side down. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake the strata, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake until puffed and golden brown, 10 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers

 Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
•   1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces (or any combo of red, green, yellow peppers)
• 1/2 onion, cut into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions

1. If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
3. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.
4. In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.
5. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.
6. If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side. 

Before baking

After baking

      
 
 

Steve & Sue's EWW Tofu? Yummy Stir Fry

My first thought when Steve gave me a helping of this was Eww, Tofu?  Hence the name.  But I gave it a try, and it was Yummy!  It took some begging and pleading and chasing but I dragged the ingredient list, kind of, out of Steve and examined the dish and believe I came up with something that is close to the original.  So here it is:

12 oz Firm Tofu , cubed (I had a 16 oz. package and used it all)
1 Eggplant, diced into 1/2" cubes
1/2 Onion, diced
about 1 T.bls of any of these:  Butter, Margarine, Olive Oil*
some Soy Sauce
about 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
some Mrs. Dash (I don't know what kind, I just used what I had in my cupboard)

6 Eggs

Make some Brown Rice

Melt butter in large skillet. Add Onion, then Eggplant.  Do not overcook or eggplant will get mushy. (It will still taste great, though).  Remove from skillet and keep warm.  Add diced tofu to skillet and brown. Add back in the onion/eggplant  mixture. At some point, either with the Onion/eggplant or when you are cooking the Tofu, you can add the  Mrs. Dash and Red Pepper flakes.  I didn't know when, but I don't think it matters too much because it all gets mixed together in the end.

In a separate skillet, make scrambled eggs.  Add  scrambled eggs to tofu mixture, sprinkle with soy sauce to suit your taste, heat, and serve over the brown rice.

 *I sprinkled Sesame oil on the tofu before I browned it so it got a different taste but I liked it.  You might want to do that too if you have some.

Traditional Lasagna

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Traditional-Lasagna

Potato & Ham Bake

1 pkg Betty Crocker Hash Brown mix (6 ounces)
4 C. hot water
1 tsp Salt
1 can corn, drained
chopped green pepper
chopped onion
1 C. cooked ham, diced or shredded in food processor
1 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 Cup warm milk
1/4 C. melted margarine
1 egg
1/3 C. Bisquick
1 Tbls. Sugar
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Curry Powder

Heat oven to 350.  Cover potatoes with water.  Stir in salt.  Let stand uncovered 15 minutes.  Drain.  Combine potatoes, corn, peppers, onion, ham and cheese in baking dish.  Mix milk, margarine and egg.  Beat in baking mix, sugar, pepper and curry powder with  whisk until smooth.  Pour over mixture in pan.  Bake 50-60 minutes or until top is golden brown and center is set.

Cashew Chicken Stir fry

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Cashew-Chicken-Stir-Fry

Saucy Stir Fried Pork

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/saucy-stir-fried-pork-104510.aspx

Mexican Stuffed Shells

about 20 pasta stuffing shells, cooked , drained and rinsed
1 pound of ground beef
1 24 ounce jar salsa or picante sauce, mild or medium
1/2 C. water
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained
1 cup or more shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
1 large can Durkee French Fried Onions

Brown ground beef, drain.  Combine salsa, water and tomato sauce, stir 3/4 Cup into ground beef along with chilies, 1/2 Cup or more cheese and 1 cup fried onions.  Mix well.  Pour half of remaining sauce mixture on bottom of 9 x 12 baking dish.  Stuff cooked shells with ground beef mixture.  Arrange shells in baking dish.  Pour remaining sauce over shells.  Bake, covered, at 350 for 30 minutes.  Top with 1 cup or more remaining cheese and onions.  Baked, uncovered, 5 minutes longer.  

Cheddar Macaroni Beef Casserole

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cheddar-macaroni-beef-casserole-105219.aspx

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Creamy-Chicken-Enchiladas-3

Lemon Chicken with Pasta

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Lemon-Chicken-with-Pasta

Creamy Celery Beef Stroganoff

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Creamy-Celery-Beef-Stroganoff