Ground Turkey Stroganoff

We've tried this recipe twice, and it's great. The first time, we had it with egg noodles; and then we tried it with white rice. Both ways are delicious!

Ground Turkey Stroganoff

Adapted from Cooks.com and shallwecook.blogspot.com

Confabulation in the Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 - 1.5 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion (or 1/2-1 tsp onion powder)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup milk
1 - 1.25 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Saute onions in oil for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add ground turkey to onion, and heat over medium-high heat until ground turkey is browned.
4. Drain off fat (if needed).
5. Add soup and milk.
6. Cook uncovered over medium heat about 16-18 minutes (may take up to 20 minutes, if using only 1 pound of meat), stirring frequently.
7. Add sour cream and heat through.
8. Serve over egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes... OR, add fennel seed to the seasonings step, then serve over biscuits (for quick Biscuits & Gravy).

Fruit Smoothies

We have the magic bullet, and we're having a great time making different smoothies in it.

Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients:

Frozen fruit (we tend to use strawberries, cherries)
Fruit juice (we like pineapple, or orange-pineapple)
* Almond milk can be used in place of some or all of the fruit juice

Directions:

1. Place frozen fruit in blender (we use a magic bullet).
2. Pour fruit juice over the frozen fruit (start by filling it up about three-quarters of the amount of space the frozen fruit takes up).
3. Blend well. (if you open it and it seems too thick and/or it doesn't move at all when you tilt it, add more fruit juice and blend more)

Baked Rosemary Chicken With Tomatoes & Simmered Italian Rice

We've tried these recipes twice now, and they're delicious. The combination of the different seasonings was great. The dishes complimented each other very well. We actually didn't have any cheese, the first time, so we made the simmered Italian rice without any cheese... it was still great... We tried it with mozzerella cheese, the second time, and it was also good.

Baked Rosemary Chicken With Tomatoes
Adapted from Cooks.com

Ingredients:
2-3 pounds skinned chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
4 tablespoon oil
3 large onions (or onion powder)
1 teaspoon rosemary
2 medium minced garlic cloves
1 cup chicken broth
28 ounce can tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes)

- OR -

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced onions (we used frozen, and we might add even more next time - especially after the chicken has been taken out of the skillet)
1/2 tsp rosemary
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 to 2/3 cup chicken broth
14.5 ounce can tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Dust chicken pieces with flour and set aside.
3. Heat oil in large skillet.
4. Saute half of the onions, garlic, and rosemary.
5. Add chicken pieces to skillet.
6. Cook chicken pieces 4 minutes on each side, and then put in baking dish.
7. Saute the remaining onions, garlic, and rosemary.
8. Add tomatoes and broth to onions in skillet; cook 2 minutes.
9. Pour liquid over chicken and bake 45 minutes, covered.

Simmered Italian Rice

Adapted from campbellskitchen.com

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups (14 ounces) chicken broth (can use any type of broth)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice

1-1/2 cups chopped (fresh or frozen) spinach

1/2 cup grated cheese (optional - parmesan, mozzerella)

Directions:

1. Heat the broth and Italian seasoning in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil.\
2. (If using frozen spinach, rinse first)
3. Stir in spinach and rice.
4. Reduce the heat to low.
5. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender.
6. Stir in cheese. (we actually made it without any cheese, and it was great)
7. Serve with additional cheese, if desired.

Flatbread Pizza

Jeremy and I love pizza! We enjoy trying different kinds of pizza crust, and combinations of toppings. We've recently been enjoying flatbread pizzas. Below is one of our favorite recipes.

Flatbread Pizza

© 2011 Jamie V.

Ingredients:
flatbread pizza (we've enjoyed Flatout flatbread and Toufayan Bakeries whole-wheat flatbread)
pizza sauce (we use Boboli)
fresh spinach
fresh tomatoes (we like Campari tomatoes)
mozzerella cheese
olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Lightly brush oil onto both sides of the flatbread. Place on cookie sheet or stone, and bake for 4 minutes.
3. Spread desired amount of pizza sauce. Top with spinach, tomatoes, and cheese.
4. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown.
5. Slice, serve, and enjoy.

Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia & Oven-Roasted Red Potatoes

My husband and I enjoy going grocery shopping and cooking together. The problem is, though, that I often have trouble finding the energy to be able to do these things. But, we've been trying to eat better (partially because eating fresh foods limits the preservatives and potential for additives to be contributing to my pain) and try new recipes, so I thought maybe I'd share some of them here on my blog. We had parmesan-crusted tilapia with oven-roasted red potatoes and steamed (fresh) green beans. It was simply amazing! We'll definitely be repeating this meal!

Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia
Adapted from Food.com


Ingredients:
3-4 tilapia fillets
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt, pepper, garlic powder
olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. Thaw and wash tilapia fillets, if frozen. Pat dry on paper towels.
3. Combine crumbs, parmesan, Italian seasoning and garlic powder on a plate, mixing well.
4. On a different plate, pour 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
5. Working 1 at a time, place a fillet on the plate in the lemon juice, sprinkle with desired amount of salt (be careful about how much salt is in your parmesan, crumbs, and other seasonings), black pepper, and garlic powder (we actually just sprinkled garlic pepper salt seasoning on the fillets). Turn the fillet over in the lemon juice and sprinkle seasoning on the other side.
6. Dredge fillet in the parmesan mixture, patting it all over to coat.
7. Place in an oiled baking dish, repeat with remaining fillets.
8. Sprinkle a little lemon juice over the fillets, and drizzle or spray them lightly with olive oil.
9. Bake at 425ºF for 15-20 minutes (or until they easily flake with a fork and edges are browning - you can sprinkle some more parmesan on top, if desired.

Oven-Roasted Red Potatoes

Adapted from Allrecipes.com


Ingredients:

1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix

2 pounds red potatoes, halved

1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. In a large plastic bag, combine the soup mix, red potatoes, and olive oil. Close bag, and shake until potatoes are fully covered.
3. Pour potatoes into a medium baking dish (we used an 8"x11.5" dish). Bake 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Unfailing Love by Chris Tomlin

God's unfailing love is such a beautiful gift. I'm so grateful that we have such a graceful Lord.

http://youtu.be/k_MyC6kJzPg

Unfailing Love by Chris Tomlin

You have my heart
And I am Yours forever
You are my strength
God of grace and power

[Chorus]

And everything You hold in Your hand
Still You make time for me
I can't understand
Praise You God of Earth and sky
How beautiful is Your unfailing love
Unfailing love

And You never change God You remain
The Holy One
My unfailing love
Unfailing love

You are my rock
The one I hold on to
You are my song
And I sing for You

[Chorus] (repeat)

I will praise You
Praise you God of earth and sky
How beautiful is your unfailing love
Unfailing love

And You never change God You remain
The Holy One
My Unfailing love

Unfailing love (repeat)

Holding On and Letting Go by Ross Copperman

So, I heard this song on CSI NY, and it definitely affected me. It's a powerful song and message. I keep listening to it... it's just one of those songs that touches your soul in ways you never expected.

It's everything you wanted, it's everything you don't It's one door swinging open and one door swinging closed Some prayers find the answer, some prayers never know We're holding on, and letting go. 

http://youtu.be/ebNDJF-LhUI

Holding On And Letting Go by Ross Copperman

Is anybody out there?
Is anybody listening?
Does anybody really know,
If it's the end or the beginning?

The quiet rush from one breath,
Is all we're waiting for
Sometimes the one we're taking
Changes everyone before

[Chorus]

It's everything you wanted, it's everything you don't
It's one door swinging open and one door swinging closed
Some prayers find the answer, some prayers never know
We're holding on, and letting go.

Sometimes we're holding angels,
And we never even know
Don't know if we'll make it,
Or we know, we just can't let it show 

[Chorus]

Yeah, letting go, oho

[Chorus]

Woa, woa......Woa......
Woa, woa......Woa......

[Chorus]