Giant Pot-luck Sized Turkey Taco Pasta

 

This recipe makes a monster pot of super-tasty turkey taco pasta – perfect for pot-lucks, parties, sleepovers with lots of hungry children, or just a big meal with leftovers. There are no salt-laden seasoning packet or processed foods involved – just real meat, vegetables, and cheese. And it’s really, really good.

A trick I learned for getting beautiful, glossy melted cheese – don’t buy the pre-shredded cheese. Buy a block of cheese and grate the cheese right before baking, this is how I got the cheese to look like a sauce. You can use any variety of cheese for this of course. You can also half the recipe if you are not cooking for a crew.

Giant Pot-luck Sized Turkey Taco Pasta

Recipe Type: Entree

Author: Q&DK

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 16 oz. pasta (short varieties work best, like macaroni, shells, or rotini)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit this if making for kids that don’t like spice)
• 8 teaspoons chili powder
• 3 lbs. ground turkey
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 (4 oz.) can mild diced green chiles, drained
• 2 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (7 oz.) can mexicorn (or regular corn), drained
• Jalapenos, optional
• 4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
• Scallions to top, optional

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve a 2 tbsp. pasta water before draining. Drain and set aside; toss with the reserved pasta water to prevent sticking.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
3. In a large oven-proof pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, cayenne (if using), and chili powder. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the turkey and salt/pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 12 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
5. Stir in the green chiles, tomatoes, and corn. Carefully stir in the pasta, mixing to combine. Top with jalapenos if desired. Top with the shredded cheddar cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Notes

A trick I learned for getting beautiful, glossy melted cheese – don’t buy the pre-shredded cheese. Buy a block of cheese and grate the cheese right before baking, this is how I got the cheese to look like a sauce. You can use any variety of cheese for this of course. You can also half the recipe if you are not cooking for a crew.

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15-minute Coconut Salmon Soft Tacos

Hello! Meet your new favorite, quick and easy weeknight meal. You might be tired and busy, but with only a handful of ingredients and 15 minutes and you have a bright and tasty dinner on the table. Serve with some rice and beans on the side and dinner.is.served!

This recipe doesn’t contain any actual coconut – you simply cook the salmon with coconut oil and you end up with a nice coconut-infused crust. If you don’t dig coconut (oh no!), simply cook with olive or canola oil. I use Earth Balance’s coconut oil blend, but any variety should work fine.

Also, tricks for getting the nice seared crust on a fillet of fish – first, once you plop the fillet in a hot skillet don’t mess with the it until you are ready to flip and don’t use a nonstick skillet if you want a good crust (I always use my cast iron for fish).

15-minute Coconut Salmon Soft Tacos

 

Recipe Type: Entree

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Q&DK

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 4 salmon fillets (about 5-6 oz. each), skinless
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil (I use an Earth Balance coconut oil blend)
• Soft taco tortillas
• Suggested toppings: cilantro, lettuce, scallions, tomatoes, sour cream, lime or lemon for squeezing

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet on high heat and add 2 tbsp. coconut oil/coconut oil blend. Once the oil is hot, swirl it around the pan and add the salmon fillets. Lower the heat to medium-high. Cook for about four minutes until nicely seared – don’t move or mess with the salmon if you want a nice crust – then flip and cook another 4 minutes on that side. Remove from the heat and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
2. Using a fork, flake the salmon into bite-size pieces and fill tortillas with salmon and your desired toppings.

 

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Molletes with Pico de Gallo

Yesterday we got snow here in Atlanta! Having spent most my life in Florida, I consider myself a “Florida girl” and seeing snow every few years is perfectly fine. I get really excited, go outside and enjoy it, and then look forward to the warmth returning.

As a teacher it is really wonderful to see our students’ anticipation and excitement grow as the flurries begin – I remember how excited I was when I saw snow for the first time. Unfortunately, the snow turned our highways into skating rinks (we are not equipped to handle the weather like our friends to the North) and traffic congestion was horrible because most people had gone to school or work. As a result we had some major traffic issues and I’ve heard stories of literally being in the car for 12+ hours stranded on the highway! Some students and teachers were stuck in schools overnight. I can’t imagine, and I have to admit I felt a bit guilty having arrived home early with no problems. As another days begins, I hope everyone is home safe and warm. 🙂

This is an easy-peasy recipe that I absolutely love – maybe something you can put on the table after a rough start to the week. I usually serve these with a big green salad or hot soup. When I studied in Mexico, Molletes were certainly one of my favorite meals – simple Mexican comfort food gets me every time. You can easily customize these by adding toppings like ham, chorizo, tuna, or vegetables.

Molletes with Pico de Gallo

 

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Pati Jinich, Pati’s Mexican Table

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 4-8

Ingredients

• 4 teleras, bolillos, or baguettes, sliced in half length-wise and cut into 5 to 6-inche pieces
• 2 cups refried beans (I love Bush’s Cocina Latina brand)
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I prefer Monterrey Jack or a white cheddar)
• Pico de Gallo (making it yourself is totally worth it, but you can also use regular store-bought salsa) –>
• 3 large tomatoes, cored and chopped
• 1 jalapeno (optional)
• 1/2 cup cilantro, rinsed and lower stems removed
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• Splash of olive oil
• Dash of salt/pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread each piece of bread with refried beans and top with cheese. Arrange on a baking sheet or directly on the oven racks.
3. While they bake make the pico de gallo by combining all ingredients (tomatoes through S/P) in a food processor until finely chopped. Alternatively, chop by hand and mix well.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and there is a nice toasted crust on the bread. Remove from oven and spread with pico de gallo. Eat hot.
5. Store any leftover pico de gallo in the fridge, up to 7 days.

 

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Skinny Taco Salad with Spicy Ranch Dressing

Taco salad is one of my favorite dishes and I’ve adapted the traditional recipe to make it a bit more “skinny.” Swap ground beef and sodium-laden spice packets with ground turkey and real spices and add a low-fat Greek yogurt based dressing … yum! Of course, you can also make this recipe with ground beef or buffalo if you prefer (just remember to drain excess fat after browning meat).

Recipe notes: You may be tempted to buy ground turkey breast, but I highly recommend regular ground turkey for better flavor and texture (it’s still low-fat). Also, I love Bush’s Cocina Latina beans, but have only found 30 oz. cans so I use half and store the rest in the fridge.

Skinny Taco Salad with Spicy Ranch Dressing

 

Author: Q&DK

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 3 tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 (4 oz.) can tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can beans (any variety – undrained if not refried)
• Salad fixings – lettuce, tomato, scallions, cucumber, washed and chopped
• 1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1 tbsp. Ranch dressing mix
• Hot sauce, optional, to taste
• Fresh cilantro to top, optional

Instructions

1. Brown the ground turkey until cooked through. Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, tomato paste, salt, and beans. Stir to combine and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened and seasoned throughout. If the mixture looks too thick, add a tbsp. or so of water at a time to reach the consistency you desire. Taste and add salt if needed.
2. Meanwhile, wash and prep the salad and arrange on plates. Make the dressing by combining the yogurt, salsa, and ranch dressing mix. Add hot sauce to taste.
3. Spoon the taco meat on to the salads and top with dressing.

 

Notes

You may be tempted to buy ground turkey breast, but I highly recommend regular ground turkey for better flavor and texture (it’s still low-fat). Also, I love Bush’s Cocina Latina beans and use them in this recipe but have only found 30 oz. cans so I use half and store the rest in the fridge.

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Southwestern Sausage Bread Pudding {Very best make-ahead breakfast casserole!}

Merry (almost) Christmas! I spent the last day in bed fighting some weird cold/sinus infection while it rained, rained, rained, rained here in Atlanta. Luckily, I had this beautiful breakfast casserole ready to go so my husband had something to stick in the oven. We ate almost half this dish straight out of the oven! This is the perfect make-ahead breakfast dish and great for when you have company and don’t want to spend the morning cooking.

I’ve always been a fan of breakfast casseroles, but this definitely has taken its place as the best one I’ve ever tried. This dish is bursting with flavor and goes great with fresh sliced fruit to make a complete breakfast.

Recipe notes: Although most bread puddings call for day-old bread, I used fresh bread and it was great. I also don’t remove the crust, but that is up to you. I recommend Publix’s White Mountain bread if you have access to a Publix grocer. I didn’t specify cheese type, but cheddar, Mexican blend, Monterey Jack would all be good. Lastly, I used red and orange mini sweet peppers and they were great, plus they look pretty when you slice them thinly.

Southwestern Sausage Bread Pudding {Very best make-ahead breakfast casserole!}

 

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Author: from The Splendid Spoonful by Barbara Lauterbach

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 (12 ounce) roll spicy sausage meat
• 6 cups bread cubes (about 12 slices from a country-style loaf)
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 1 cup fresh, frozen, or canned corn (drained and patted dry)
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• S/P

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and pour it into a 9 x 13 baking dish, swirling it around to coat the dish with butter. You may want to use a pastry brush to brush the sides of the dish.
2. Cook the sausage, crumbling and browning, until no longer pink. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
3. Layer half of the cubed bread in the buttered dish and sprinkle with half the jalapeno, corn, and bell pepper. Sprinkle with all of the sausage and layer half of the cheese on top. Repeat with the remaining bread, jalapeno, corn, and bell pepper. Top with the remaining cheese.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until thickened, then whisk in the milk. Season the mixture with S/P. Pour the mixture over the contents of the baking dish. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. Remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking. While the dish is coming to room temperature, place the oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350 degrees.
6. Remove the covering and bake about 45-50 minutes or until puffed and golden, and a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean. Let it rest 10 minutes before serving.

 

Notes

Although most bread puddings call for day-old bread, I used fresh bread and it was great. I also don’t remove the crust, but that is up to you. I recommend Publix’s White Mountain bread if you have access to a Publix grocer. I didn’t specify cheese type, but cheddar, Mexican blend, Monterey Jack would all be good. Lastly, I used red and orange mini sweet peppers and they were great, plus they look pretty when you slice them thinly.

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