Stuffed Peppers

INGREDIENTS:

• Six large green bell peppers - tops and seeds removed.
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 jar marinara sauce (I like Barilla brand)
• 1 1/4 cups instant brown rice
• 1/4 cups finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 4-5 button mushrooms, finely chooped
• 1 Italian sausage link, casing removed
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook bell peppers in the boiling water until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse peppers with cold water.
3. Stir eggs, marinary sauce, instant rice, onion, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper together in a bowl. Crumble ground turkey, sausage link, and mushrooms into the mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
4. Stand peppers in a large baking dish and fill each pepper with the mixture. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until peppers are tender, the filling is set, and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the middle of a pepper reads at least 160 degrees, 55-60 minutes. Uncover and top each pepper with Cheddar cheese. Bake until cheese is melted (about 2-3 more minutes).  

Makes six large servings.

Squash and Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 thick cut slices of applewood-smoked bacon
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 stalks celery (diced)
• 2 small yellow crookneck squash (seeds removed and diced)
• 2 small zucchini squash (diced)
• 2 small potatoes (diced)
• 1 small package frozen corn 
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4  cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook bacon in large soup pot until crisp.  Remove from pan and put on paper towels to dry.  Add potatoes to drippings in pan and saute for 5 minutes.  Add remaining vegetables except corn and saute 8 more minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Season vegetables with garlic salt and pepper.

2.  Add water, bouillon cube, and corn and bring to boil.  Cook 5 minutes until corn is warmed. Add Parmesan cheese and milk and cook until heated through.

3. Ladle soup into bowls.  Top with cheddar cheese and bacon crumbles and serve.  Makes about 6 servings.

Turkey Cranberry Paninis

INGREDIENTS:

• Whole Wheat Bread (it's better if it's a hearty bread)
• Deli Turkey (thick slices) or leftover Thanksgiving turkey
• Cranberry sauce
• Cream Cheese
• Avocado
• Gouda Cheese (can also use a different cheese, whatever you like)
• Butter

DIRECTIONS:

 Butter the outsides of the slices of bread.  Spread cream cheese and cranberry sauce on the inside of one slice.  On the other slice with the buttered side facing down, pile gouda, avocado slices and turkey.  Top with the cream cheese/cranberry sauced slice.  Use panini press or cook in a skillet pan like you're cooking a grilled cheese.  Repeat for each panini.  Enjoy!

Garden Chowder Soup

INGREDIENTS:

2 Medium Zucchinis
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
2 T Fresh Parsley, Minced
1 tsp Dried Basil
1/3 c Butter
1/3 c Flour
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
3 c Vegetable Broth
1 tsp lemon juice
2-3 Tomatoes, Diced
1 12oz can Evaporated Milk
1 can Corn
1/3 c Parmesan Cheese, grated
2 c Cheddar Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Over medium heat saute the onion, zucchini, parsley, and basil in butter until vegetables are tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in vegetable broth. Add lemon juice; mix well. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for two minutes. Add tomatoes, milk, and corn; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for five minutes or until corn is tender. Just before serving, stir in cheese just until melted. Serve.

Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chicken or 1.5-2 cups diced, cooked chicken
• 2 thick cut (or 4 thinner cut) bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1 cup halved grapes
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 2 tablespoons finely minced onion
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine ingredients and toss until well mixed. Chill until serving. I like to serve it on toasted wheat bread with crisp romaine lettuce.

Broccoli Salad

INGREDIENTS:

Salad:

2 branches broccoli florets

1/2 medium red onion, chopped fine

8 slices of bacon, fried & crumbled

2/3 cup raisins or halved grapes or craisins

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (or almonds, or mixed nuts, or whatever nut you like)

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise or oil (I usually use canola oil)

1/4 cup sugar (I usually use a little less than 1/4 cup because I don't like it too sweet)

2 tablespoons vinegar

Directions:

Whisk dressing ingredients separately until smooth, then toss with salad ingredients. Enjoy! I really take liberties with the recipe. If you don't have everything on hand, you can leave out an ingredient and it will still taste good!

Greek Barley Salad

INGREDIENTS
Salad:
* 1 large chicken breast
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 4 cups chicken broth (or 4 cups water plus 4 bullion cubes)
* 1 cup uncooked pearl barley
* 1 large cucumber, seeded and cubed
* 1 cup diced tomato or halved grape tomatoes
* 1 cubed yellow bell pepper
* 1/3 cup reduced-fat feta cheese
* 1/2 cup black olives

Dressing:
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
* 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 garlic cloves, minced

DIRECTIONS
1. Bring 3 cups broth to a boil in a large saucepan; add barley. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Cool.

2. Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Add 1 cup broth; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until done. Cool; shred chicken. Discard broth. Combine chicken, barley, cucumber, and next 4 ingredients (through olives) in a large bowl.

3. To prepare dressing, combine 3 tablespoons oil, rind, and remaining ingredients; stir well. Add to barley mixture; toss well. Cover and chill.

YIELD: 8 servings of 1 cup each.