Turkey Chili

A great way to use up leftover turkey. For this recipe I actually roasted a turkey breast and then used that meat for sandwiches and this chili.

Turkey Chili
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 2 cans (35 oz) stewed tomatoes
- 2 cans (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 cup stock
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp dried hot red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper
- 3 cups shredded, cooked turkey meat

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Cook the onion and green pepper over medium high heat, stirring for about 5 minutes, or until onion is golden. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring for a minute or two.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, beans, oregano, salt, pepper and turkey. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered for an hour. Salt to taste, adding sugar if desired to take some of the acidity of the tomatoes.

Enjoy topped with shredded cheese and your favourite toast. Freezes really well!

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Stuffing chicken breasts is a great way to create a special meal any day of the week. The possibilities are endless, from creating a simple Chicken Cordon Bleu to adding any cheese or herbs that you like. A really easy thing to do is to slice a chicken breast open and add mustard on one side, some herbs on the other and a few finely chopped veggies. This recipe I came up with on the way home from work, just kind of walking around the grocery store trying to decide what I felt like eating today.

Chicken Breasts with Goat Cheese Filling
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup of herbed goat cheese, crumbled or chopped
- 1/2 red pepper, chopped
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- salt and pepper
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup bread crumbs

In a bowl, mix goat cheese, red pepper and shallot. With a filet knife, slice into the chicken breasts and open like a book. Season inside of chicken with salt and pepper. Spoon half of the filling (or as much so the chicken will still close) onto each of the chicken breasts.

Fold chicken over filling. Dip chicken breast in egg, turning to coat. Follow by dipping in bread crumbs, pressing to stick.

Place on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake in 350F oven for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with rice and vegetables.

Chickpea Burgers

A very hearty alternative to beef burgers. We often take these to bbq's and are asked whether we are vegetarian, our answer is always 'no, but we love these burgers'. Believe me, you will too!

Neecole's Chickpea Burgers
- 1 can drained, rinsed chickpeas
- 2 chopped green onions
- 2 slices whole grain bread
- 1/3 cup unsalted peanuts or almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
- salt and pepper
- large egg

Throw everything but the egg into a food processor. Pulse until chopped.

Remove half the mixture to a bowl; add egg to food processor. Process until smooth; add to reserved mixture in bowl, and mix well. Form the mixture into patties.

Brush each side generously with olive oil; grill until charred, 305 minutes per side. These burgers also freeze really well, thaw in refrigerator before grilling.

Gnocchi

We all have those days where we look in the fridge and notice there's a half of this, a chunk of that, and you don't want it to go to waste. This is what came out of one of those days, and it is definitely a keeper.

Gnocchi with Fridge findings
- 1 package gnocchi, any kind
- 1/2 tomato, chopped
- 3 mushrooms, sliced
- small chunk of mozzarella, grated
- 1/4 cup parmesan, grated
- big bunch of kale, rinsed and chopped

Fill a pot with water to boil for gnocchi. Meanwhile, saute mushrooms in a little bit of olive oil, for about 5 - 7 minutes, or until nice and browned. Add kale, stirring lightly and letting the kale steam. If needed, add a bit of water to help the process. Once kale has wilted, add salt, tomatoes and stir in cheeses slowly, allowing to melt. Add some warm water if needed.

Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and add to pan, tossing everything to coat. Add more cheese if you like it cheesier. Serve immediately.

Lasagna

I love lasagna, and I think I'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't. I love making lasagna too, experimenting with different kinds of lasagna, different sauces, and fillings. A couple of my favourites include the Death to Dieters and Seafood Lasagna from Best of Bridge . I've also had a great deal of success with lasagna's from Canadian Living , from my most recent Spinach and Eggplant Lasagna, a great Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagna, to one from years ago that I've never been able to find the recipe for, it had a Bechamel sauce, a red sauce, pancetta, roasted squash. Now each of these lasagna's I've made once or twice, and have loved, but each time I make them I find myself exhausted going through all the stages to make the masterpiece. The more complicated the recipe, the more I'm drawn to it, even considering making my own lasagna noodles. And while I've thoroughly enjoyed each of these lasagna's, there is also something so satisfying about a cheese and meat sauce lasagna that is so simple, and takes so much less time, and frankly, is just as good.

Reebs' Lasagna

14 Lasagna Noodles
2 each, carrots, stalk celery, red or green peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bottle spaghetti sauce (or about 3 cups of homemade)
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups mozarella cheese, shredded
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 lb gr. beef or turkey

Saute beef and garlic over medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink. Add carrots, celery and peppers, saute for 3-5 minutes. Add spaghetti sauce and 1 cup of water, simmer. Meanwhile mix ricotta cheese and eggs with 1/2 cup of mozarella cheese. Add salt and pepper. Cook lasagna noodles, 8-10 minutes in boiling water. Rinse in cold water and lay out on damp towels in single layer so they don't stick before you assemble the lasagne.

Assembly:
Layer lasagna starting with 1/2 cup of sauce. Place a single layer of noodles on sauce. Add another cup of sauce. Layer with 1/3 of the cheese mixture, 1 cup of mozarella and then noodles.

Repeat layer twice, finishing with mozarella cheese. Sprinkle with parmesan.

Bake, loosely covered, in 350F oven for 35 minutes. Bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes or until heated through and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Even better the next day!