Ranch Burgers

I make these all the time. I'm not really sure why it never occurred to me to blog about them.

I got this recipe from my friend Lauren. Many of you know her as StarryBugg. It's a Hidden Valley recipe.



Ranch Burgers
2 lbs ground beef or turkey
1 to 2 Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing & Seasoning Packets
2 C shredded cheddar cheese
8 hamburger buns
Your favorite burger toppings

This time I used beef, but these are equally delicious with turkey!


Add dressing mix.


Add shredded cheese.


Mix it up.


Make patties


It's grillin' time!




Even though these are stuffed with cheese... we add more!


Top with your favorite burger toppings.

You can change up the shredded cheese to whatever kind you like.

I LOVE these made with ground turkey.

Perfect for tailgating & cookouts!

If you haven't tried them yet, you're missing out!

Turkey a la King

Turkey a la King is something I had never tried until I moved in with Jon. While wading through Thanksgiving leftovers one year, Jon suggested I make Turkey a la King. His mother used to make it with turkey leftovers. And he really didn't want to look at another turkey sandwich or turkey enchilada.

Ok then! Turkey a la King it is! (or was... I made this right after Christmas)



Turkey a la King
1 1/2 - 2 C cooked turkey, diced or shredded
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/2 small shallot, diced
1/2 C peas
small jar pimento, diced
Other leftover veggies?
3 TBLS butter
3 TBLS flour
1 1/2 C turkey stock
1/4 C dry white wine
1/4 C heavy cream
1 tsp poultry seasoning
salt & pepper
Puff Pastry

Cut Puff Pastry into squares and cook according to directions on box.
Saute mushrooms and shallots in butter until golden.
Sprinkle in flour and cook until flour is starting to brown.
Whisk in turkey stock, wine and cream. Cook a few minutes until mixture starts to thicken.
Add turkey, poultry seasoning, peas, pimento and whatever other leftover veggies you might want to throw in.
Cook until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over puff pastry and top with more puff pastry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bake puff pastry according to directions.


Grab your leftovers.


Turkey and fresh spinach were the only leftovers I was working with this time.

Saute mushrooms & shallots in butter.


Sprinkle in flour.


Continue cooking until it just starts to brown.


Whisk in stock, wine and cream.


Add leftover turkey.


Poultry seasoning.


Handful of spinach.


Some frozen peas.


A little pimento.


Add salt and pepper to taste and that's it!

Serve over puff pastry.


You don't need to wait for the holidays to make this. It's also another fast easy meal you can make with a rotisserie chicken!

This comes together wicked fast and it's so easy and tasty!

It's perfect for a satisfying dinner on a busy week night.

Hmmm... typing this up made me want to make it again!

Baked Rice with Chicken and Kielbasa

A lighter, more family friendly meal. Bobby is my pickiest eater. But this only has stuff he likes in it. He couldn't really identify the leeks and didn't find them offensive!

This was cool because in addition to eating better, I'm also trying to exercise regularly.

Prep time on this might be 15 - 20 minutes at most. Then it's into the oven for 45 minutes. Enough time to go downstairs and workout while it's baking.



Baked Rice with Chicken and Kielbasa
1 1/2 C jasmine rice, uncooked
3 1/4 C chicken broth, fat free
1 tsp thyme
pinch of saffron, crushed
1 pound chicken breast, skinless
14 oz turkey kielbasa, extra lean
1 leek, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C frozen peas
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400F.
Heat chicken broth, thyme and saffron until very hot.
Cut chicken and kielbasa into bite-sized pieces and put in large casserole dish. Add sliced leeks, minced garlic, peas and uncooked rice. Toss until well mixed.
Pour hot broth over mixture.
Bake uncovered, 45 minutes, or until rice is tender and broth is absorbed.
This makes 8 hearty one cup servings.

Nutritional Info per Serving
Calories: 276.6
Fat: 3.1g
Carbohydrates: 37.5g
Protein: 22.1g

Heat chicken broth, thyme and saffron until very hot.


Cut chicken and kielbasa into bite-sized pieces and put in large casserole dish.


Add sliced leeks, minced garlic, peas and uncooked rice.




Pour hot broth over mixture.


Bake uncovered, 45 minutes, or until rice is tender and broth is absorbed.


Now you have 45 minutes... you can workout if you want... paint your nails... or maybe take your queue from Donna over at My Tasty Treasures and work up more of an appetite!

.... 45 minutes later...

It's dinner time!

Lighter Nacho Cups

Like everyone else, I'm trying to lighten up. (I was especially off track this holiday season!)

This month's BakeSpace Challenge was to lighten up a favorite "oh so bad for you" recipe.

I knew right away I'd be using this recipe. Because I toggle back and forth between the naughty version and the healthy version, depending on my mood!

So here are the Lighter Nacho Cups!



Lighter Nacho Cups

This just builds one hearty portion

1 oz Baked Tostitos Scoops (approx 14 chips)
4 oz extra lean ground turkey
your favorite taco seasonings
1/4 C Refried Beans
(green chilies & lime juice)
1/4 C Sargento Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
2 TBLS Salsa
1 TBLS light sour cream
5 or 6 Jalapeno Slices
a few good shakes Chipotle Tabasco

Cook turkey w/taco seasonings. Heat beans with green chilies & lime juice.
Place chips on a plate (for microwave) or pan (for oven). Fill chip cups with 4 oz seasoned ground turkey.
Add beans to each chip cup.
Sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese.
Pop into the microwave or oven until cheese is melty.
Top with salsa, jalapenos, light sour cream and some Chipotle Tabasco!

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Cook turkey w/taco seasonings.






Heat beans with green chilies & lime juice.
mmmmm.... so creamy!!


Place chips on a plate.


Fill chip cups with 4 oz seasoned ground turkey.


Add beans to each chip cup.


Sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese.


Pop into the microwave or oven until cheese is melty.


They don't get gooey melty, like full fat cheese. They totally will melt and stick together though!

Top with salsa, jalapenos, and some Chipotle Tabasco!




Mmmmm..... Smoky Chipotle Tabasco!! I LOVE this stuff!!!!


YUM! Ready to eat!!! (yeah... I got half way through them before I realized I forgot the light sour cream... not to worry, I added it! There's just not pic)




You can also add whatever nacho veggies you like... would you prefer fresh diced tomato & onion & lettuce... maybe some black olives? A tablespoon or two of guacamole (hey... that's good fat)

Ok.... so.... if I had made these with lean ground beef (instead of XL ground turkey), full fat cheese & sour cream they would have come in at:
707 calories
44 g fat
19 g saturated fat
39 g carbs
37 g protein

My super yummy still super satisfying version comes in at:
400 calories
12 g fat
5 g saturated fat
34 g carbs
40 g protein

Savings?
307 calories
32 g fat
14 g saturated fat
5 g carbs
PLUS 3 g protein

I could have gone FF on the refried beans... but they don't have much fat per serving anyway... and the FF refried beans have more carbs... so I'll take a smidgey of fat over extra carbs =)

I saved enough calories to have a margarita!!!!

Teriyaki Turkey Sliders w/Ponzu Sauce

I've been playing around with ground turkey to come up with healthier meals that my family will still love. Usually my husband wrinkles his nose when I say 'turkey burger'. But he's loved both of my new creations!!! (check out my Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers too!) A serving of two Teriyaki Turkey Sliders comes in at 354 Calories, 6.7g fat, 39.2 carbs, 34.6g protein.

Teriyaki Turkey Sliders
40 oz extra lean ground turkey
1/3 C onion, grated
2 cloves of garlic, grated
2 inches ginger root, grated
2 TBLS fresh chives, snipped
1/2 C plain bread crumbs
1/3 C Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce
1/4 C Egg Beaters
21 King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
1/2 C thinly sliced pineapple

1. Combine all ingredients except pineapple & King's Hawaiian Rolls
2. Mix well
3. Form into 2 oz meatballs
4. Gently flatten meatballs into patties
5. Fry or grill until no longer pink
6. Meanwhile, slice open King's Hawaiian Rolls.
7. Serve Teriyaki Turkey sliders in King's Hawiian Rolls.
8. Top with thinly sliced pineapple.
9. I served these with a Ponzu dipping sauce.



Ponzu Sauce
4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 tablespoon very finely snipped fresh chives

Combine all ingredients. It's also great with sushi or as a fondue dipper!

Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers

I'm trying to eat healthier and this is what I came up with today! This makes 8 hearty burgers. I served them with homemade Tzitziki Sauce on Whole Wheat Buns. Jon usually doesn't like turkey burgers, but really enjoyed these.

183 Calories per serving
3.1g Fat
1.3g Carbs
30.7g Protein
Servings: 8

Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers
32 oz Extra Lean Ground Turkey
10 oz box Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed with liquid squeezed out
1/2 C Feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 C onion, grate
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 Tbls Plain Fat Free Yogurt
1/2 C plain bread crumbs
1/4 C Egg Beater
1 heaping TBLS Greek Seasoning

1. Combine all ingredients
2. Form 8 equal sized patties
3. Cook over medium heat, until no longer pink
4. Serve with Tzitziki on Whole Wheat Bun