Prairie Fire Turkey Cherry Chili
1 cup cherries
1-3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1-2 dried whole chipotle chilies & 1 cup boiling water
1 can 14 oz. diced tomatoes
½ cup chicken broth
1 ½ tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1 can 19 oz. white beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Prepare dried chipotle chilies by removing the stem and seeds (wearing rubber gloves), in a small bowl let them soak in the boiling-hot water for 20 minutes, puree the mixture in a blender.
In a large pot, heat oil, add cinnamon and cloves, then add the onions and minced garlic, stir until the onions are softened. Add the turkey and cook until turkey is no longer pink. Add the chipotle puree, all the tomatoes, broth, oregano and salt. Simmer the mixture for 1 hour. Stir in the white beans and cherries and heat thoroughly.
Southwestern Turkey Burger/Meatloaf/Meatballs
3 small jalapenos (minced)
¼ cup garlic (minced)
¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
½ cup kernel corn (fine chop)
½ cup chickpeas (fine chop)
1 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp chili powder
1 lime (zest and juice)
1tsp worcestershire
1 cup taco chip crumbs (sub for bread crumbs)
salt and pepper to taste
Gently mix it up and cook using medium heat.
Mexican Turkey Bake
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp taco seasoning
6-8 oz. refried beans
Salt & pepper
6-8 oz. tomato sauce
1 cup shredded Cheddar or Mozzarella cheese
Saute onion in oil until soft, add ground turkey and seasoning, stir and cook until meat is no longer pink. Spread refried beans in the bottom of a 9” x 9” baking dish. Top with turkey mixture. Pour tomato sauce over mixture, sprinkle on cheese, and bake 20 minutes.
Can be served with: Nacho chips, sour cream, guacamole, shredded lettuce and/or chopped tomatoes.
Three Cheese Pasta Bake
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
2 cups diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 cupfresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cuplow fat ricotta cheese
1 cupfontina cheese, grated
¼ cup Parmesean cheese, grated
1 cupmozzarella cheese, diced
½ cup panko Japanese bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly oil a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. In a large skillet, on medium, heat oil. Add onions and sauté until soft. Add garlic and seasoning and sauté a few minutes more. Add ground turkey. Sauté until meat is cooked and starts to brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add stock, tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini. Bring mixture to a boil and cook covered for 5 minutes. In a bowl, blend ricotta cheese, ½ cup fontina cheese and mozzarella cheese. Set aside. Cook ziti in salted boiling water until al dente*. Drain pasta but do not rinse. Toss warm pasta with cheese mixture. Add turkey mixture and toss again. Pour pasta into baking dish and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup fontina cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and golden. Makes 6-8 servings.
*Al dente means “to the tooth” or slightly undercooked/slightly firm to the bite.
Turkey Burrito Casserole
1 sweet green pepper, chopped
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 14oz. can refried beans
3 cupsMonterrey Jack cheese, shredded, divided
1/3 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook turkey, onion and green pepper;
breaking up turkey. Cook until turkey is no longer pink. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water; bring to a boil; simmer 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced.
Spread ¼ cup refried beans in each tortilla; top with ¾ cup turkey mixture and 1/3 cup cheese. Roll each tortilla and place, side by side in greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 30 minutes. Spread sour cream over top of casserole, top with salsa, lettuce, tomato and black olives. Makes 6 servings.
Wild Rice and Turkey Cabbage Rolls
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 egg yolks (save the whites)
salt and pepper to taste
SAUCE:
3 tbsp oil
1 48 oz. can tomato juice
1 ½ cups V-8 juice (optional)
4 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbspWorcestershire sauce
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine rice and stock. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook covered until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare cabbage by immersing cabbage in salted boiling water for 10 minutes or until the leaves start to fall away. Remove from water and rinse with cold water. Carefully cut the core our of the cabbage and remove the large outer leaves. Thin the spine of each leaf. Set aside. It will be used as a bed for the rolls.
In a large bowl combine rice, turkey, onion, red pepper, garlic and egg yolks. Mix well. Set aside.
To make the rolls, place approximately 3 tbsp of filling in the centre of each leaf, fold the bottom up, turn the sides in and roll up in a tight parcel. Seal with a brush of egg white and repeat until you have used up all the filling and cabbage leaves.
Grease a large, deep, ovenproof dish with oil. Layer the chopped cabbage in first then add the rolls seam side
down side by side. A second layer can be made if needed. Combine the remaining ingredients together and pour over the cabbage rolls. Cook in a 350°F (180°C) oven for two hours or until meat is cooked and rice is tender, adding water as needed. Makes 6 servings.
*White long grain rice may be substituted for brown basmati rice.
Turkey Pesto Parmesean Meatballs
1/3 cup grated Parmesean cheese
2 cans28 oz. diced tomatoes
1 can 5.5 oz. tomato paste
In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, 4 tbsp of pesto, hot pepper flakes, Parmesean cheese, chopped onion and salt. Shape mixture into 30-1 ½ inch balls. In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil. Place meatballs in skillet; cook 1-2 minutes per side until lightly browned.
Place browned meatballs in slow cooker. Add diced tomatoes, remaining 1 tbsp of pesto, tomato paste, sugar and red wine, stir carefully to combine. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or until meatballs are cooked through. Serve over hot cooked pasta. Makes 6 servings.
Summer-Simmer Cherry Turkey Meatballs
¼ cup cherries, finely chopped and drained
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
¼ cup bread or cracker crumbs
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp celery salt
Mix all ingredients then gently mix it into the ground turkey (do not over mix the turkey).
In a fry pan, place 2 cups of cherry or cranberry juice and bring to a simmer. Make meatballs using a melon-baller which you can occasionally dip into oil to prevent sticking. Drop meatball directly into the simmering juice, let cook on one side, then turn as required, approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove from juice.
SAUCE:
1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
Optional: fresh ginger, orange liqueur or juice
Reserve cherries and add all other ingredients to simmering juice. Thicken and then and the cherries, simmer five more minutes. Serve over meatballs.
Grilled Turkey Scallopini with Dijon Sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except turkey. Brush on turkey scallopini. Grill over medium heat 2-4 minutes each side or until no longer pink in center. As an alternative, the turkey can be pan-fried in 1 tbsp vegetable oil for approximately 2 minutes each side. Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 323 calories, 27 g protein, 16 g fat, 19 g carbohydrates
Note: If turkey scallopini is not available in your store, slice partially frozen turkey breast into slices and pound to ¼ inch thickness.
Cherry Pesto Turkey Pasta
PESTO SAUCE:
fresh pepper to taste
Reserve cherries, put all ingredients into a food processor and puree, add the cherries and process to a course texture. This mixture can now be heated and used with any of the following turkey cuts and served over your favorite pasta:
Sautéd ground turkey, turkey meatballs, turkey filet, turkey breast, etc.
Italian Stuffed Turkey Manicotti
12 manicotti shells, or 6 sheets of fresh pasta
¼ cupParmesean cheese, grated
½ cuproasted red peppers, sliced
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
½ cupblack olives, pitted and chopped
4 cups marinara sauce*
Cook shells according to package directions. In a skillet, heat oil over medium. Add turkey and oregano and sauté until turkey is cooked through and slightly browned. Remove from heat and add Parmesean cheese, roasted red peppers, artichokes, pesto and olives. Stuff each shell with filling. If using fresh pasta shells, cut sheet in half and dip in hot water to soften so they can be rolled. Spoon filling down the center of each sheet on one edge and roll up.
Layer the onions and zucchini in the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the shells in a single layer over the veggies (if using fresh pasta, seams are placed down) and apoon marinara sauce over each shell. Bake covered in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 25-30 minutes or until veggies are tender and shells heated through. Makes 6 servings.
Tip: Marinara sauce should be a fairly liquid sauce, as it will thicken in the oven with baking.
This recipe can be prepared ahead of time and baked just before serving.
Turkey Quesadillas
12 oz. cooked turkey strips or small cubes
2 cupsshredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped green onions
¼ cup canned mild jalapeño chili slices, chopped (optional)
Stir-fry turkey in oil until pinkness disappears. Sprinkle 4 tortillas with turkey, cheese, green onions and chilies. Drizzle salsa over top. Cover each tortilla with remaining tortillas. Place on microwaveable plates and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted and turkey is heated through. Cut each tortilla into wedges.
Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole. Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 653 calories, 42 g protein, 30 g fat, 53 g carbohydrates.
Crunchy Turkey Cutlets
4 turkey cutlets, steaks or boneless turkey breast slices
Pound turkey to ¼ inch thickness. In a shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, thyme, tarragon and salt and pepper to taste. Brush both sides of cutlets with mayonnaise, then coat with crumb mixture. Cook cutlets in a frying-pan with 1 tbsp vegetable oil for 4-5 minutes on each side over medium-high heat.
You can substitute low-fat yogourt for mayonnaise to further reduce fat. Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 218 calories, 24 g protein, 8 g fat, 12 g carbohydrates.
Turkey-Satay Sqewers
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
4 tbsp fresh grated ginger
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp crushed red chilies
1 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp ground cumin
Cube or slice turkey thigh and place on skewers. Combine remaining ingredients in blender, mix and pour over skewered turkey. Cover and let marinate for 8-24 hours in the refrigerator.
SAUCE:
4 tbspfresh grated ginger
½ tspcrushed hot chili peppers
Mix all ingredients together in saucepan, over low heat. Serve with cooked, marinated turkey skewers.
Turkey A-la-King
1 lb cooked, boneless turkey, cut into small pieces
½green pepper, finely chopped
2 oz butter
2 oz flour
2 tbspcold milk
12 oz warm milk
2 tsp sherry
grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
Melt butter in saucepan, gently fry onion and green pepper until transparent. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon, then add cold milk. Gradually add warm milk. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add turkey and sherry and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve with rice or noodles and garnish with fresh pepper slices.
Curried Turkey
2 boneless, skinless turkey breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
½ tsp dried thyme, crushed
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
To make the sauce, stir together cornstarch, curry powder, bouillon, thyme and 1 ¼ cups cold water.
Pre-heat a wok or skillet over high heat and add oil. Stir-fry garlic for 15 seconds. Add celery and onions and stir-fry 3 minutes. Remove vegetables from wok. Stir-fry half of the turkey for about 3 minutes, then repeat with remaining turkey. Return all turkey to the wok. Add sauce. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Continue for an additional 2 minutes. Stir in vegetables. Add tomatoes. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Stir in peanuts and raisins. Serve immediately over hot rice.
Red Thai Turkey Curry
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp chili flakes
juice of one lime
1 cup chicken stock
shake of cinnamon
shake of nutmeg
½ cup cilantro (chopped)
¼ can sweetened condensed milk
Combine to make a paste
1 russet potato (diced small)
Sauté until meat is brown. Add paste and simmer until potatoes are cooked. You may need more stock.
Fruity Turkey Stir-Fry
2 boneless, skinless turkey breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
1 8 oz can pineapple chunks
1 8 oz can mandarin oranges
1 ½ tbsp canola oil
1 ½ tsp grated ginger root
2 medium apples, coarsely chopped
To make the sauce, drain pineapple and reserve juice. Add enough water to juice to make ¾ cup liquid. Stir together this liquid, soy sauce and cornstarch.
Pre-heat wok or skillet, add oil. Stir-fry the ginger for 15 seconds. Add and cook half of the turkey, then repeat with remaining half. Return all turkey to the wok. Add sauce. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Continue for an additional 2 minutes. Add pineapple and apple. Stir ingredients together. Cover and cook 2 more minutes. Gently stir in mandarin oranges. Cover and cook 1 minute. Serve immediately over hot rice.
Turkey Aloha
2 boneless, skinless turkey breasts
1 21 oz can pineapple or apple pie filling
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 6 oz pkg frozen pea pods
Cut turkey into 1 inch pieces. For sauce, stir together pie filling, vinegar, soy sauce, bouillon and 2 tbsp water. Set aside. Preheat a Wok or large skillet over high heat and add cooking oil. (Add more oil if necessary during cooking). Stir-fry the carrots for 3 minutes. Add pea pods and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from the wok. Add half of the turkey to the hot wok. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes or until done. Repeat with the remaining half. Return all of the turkey to the wok. Stir sauce into turkey. Add vegetables and stir to coat all ingredients with sauce. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Serve immediately over warm chow-mein noodles.
Nutty Pesto Personal Pizza
½ cupred onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp coarse salt
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large skillet on medium, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add onions and sauté for five minutes. Add garlic and sauté two minutes more. Add ground turkey and sauté until completely cooked and starting to brown, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Brush each pita with remaining olive oil. Season each pita with salt and oregano. Spread each pita with 1 tbsp of pesto. Divide turkey mixture evenly between the six pitas. Repeat with pine nuts and cheese.
Transfer pizzas to a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Makes 6 servings.
*Use leftover cooked turkey instead of ground.
Thai Stir-Fry Turkey Pizza
CRUST:
1 lbregular or whole-wheat pizza dough
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp white or brown sesame seeds
SAUCE:
¾ cup turkey broth
3 tbsp creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 ½ tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tspground ginger or grated ginger root
½ tsp hot pepper sauce or crushed chili peppers
TOPPING:
½ lb boneless turkey meat, cut into strips
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 leek, sliced (white and pale green part only)
1 small green or red pepper, sliced into narrow strips
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup cilantro leaves
Pull and stretch dough to fit a greased 15 x 10 in (40 x 25 cm) baking pan or pizza pan. Brush sesame oil over dough and sprinkle sesame seeds around outside edges. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 8-10 minutes or until crust is light brown.
Meanwhile, mix in broth, lemon juice, peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, hot pepper sauce and cornstarch together in a saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Set aside. Stir-fry garlic and turkey in hot oil for 3-4 minutes, then stir in leeks and peppers. Cook until vegetables are tender-crisp. Spread thickened sauce on partially baked crust to within 1 inch of edges. Spread turkey mixture over sauce; sprinkle cheeses on top. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted. Garnish with cilantro. Cut into squares or wedges. Serve with Boston lettuce or tropical fruit, if desired.
Per serving: 328 calories, 15 g protein, 16 g fat, 30 g carbohydrates.
Warm Turkey and Spinach Salad
DRESSING:
¼ cupeach, cider vinegar and sugar
½ tsp each, ginger and dry mustard
SALAD:
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
¼ cupchopped fresh parsley
1 lb skinless, boneless turkey breast, cut into ½ inch strips
¼ cupdiagonally sliced green onions
In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; set aside. On large serving platter or individual plates, layer spinach, mushrooms, tomato and parsley.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey strips; stir-fry until turkey is lightly browned and no longer pink. Stir in onions and cook 1 minute. Arrange turkey and onions on top of tomatoes and parsley. In same skillet over very low heat, heat dressing until warm, stirring constantly. Serve warm dressing with salad. Makes 6 servings.
Per serving: 357 calories, 22 g protein, 25 g fat, 11 carbohydrates.
Smoked Turkey and Potato Salad
1 ½ lbsmall red potatoes, washed
¾ lb smoked turkey slices (1/4 inch thick)
½ cupgreen pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, diagonally sliced
2/3 cup cottage cheese
1/3 cup yogurt
½ cupfresh dill leaves, snipped (or 1 ¼ tsp dried dill)
sliced black olives (optional)
Cut potatoes in eighths, forming wedges and cook just until tender. Drain and cool in a large bowl. Cut turkey into ½ inch wide short strips and add with peppers, onions and celery to the potatoes. In a blender or food processor, purée cottage cheese, yogurt, mustard, garlic, salt, sugar and pepper. Pour the dressing over ingredients and toss to combine. Stir most of dill into salad and garnish with remainder and olives, if desired. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or overnight) to blend flavours.
Note: If dressing is too thick, thin with a little skim milk. If smoked turkey is not available, substitute with ham-flavoured turkey.
Per serving: 382 calories, 28 g protein, 7 g fat, 53 g carbohydrates.
Southwest Turkey Salad
SALAD:
1 lb cubed cooked turkey breast or roast
1 cup cooked black or kidney beans
1 cup cooked corn kernels
¼ cup Spanish or red onion, slivered
¼ cup green pepper, coarsely chopped
DRESSING:
½ - 1 tsp cumin
2/3 cup mild or medium salsa
GARNISHES:
tortilla chips, tomato wedges, parsley or cilantro
Combine all salad ingredients except lettuce; toss and chill. Mix yogurt, mayonnaise and cumin; chill. At serving time, line plates with lettuce or coarsely shredded lettuce and divide among four plates. Spoon turkey mixture onto lettuce; garnish with tortilla chips, tomato, parsley or cilantro. Mix dressing and salsa together and serve on side or spoon dressing and salsa separately on top of turkey salad. Makes 4 servings.
Note: Dry beans more than double in quantity after cooking. To cook dried beans: to ½ cup dried beans add 1 ½ cups cold water. Cover and bring to boil; boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let soak 20 minutes. Cook 1-1 ½ hours until tender. Drain.
Per serving: 466 calories, 44 g protein, 17 g fat, 34 g carbohydrates.
Fruited Turkey Salad
1 lb cubed cooked turkey breast
2 stalks celery, diagonally sliced
1 cuppeach, nectarine or pineapple chunks
1 cupstrawberries, blueberries or seedless grapes, halved
½ cup raisins
DRESSING:
¾ cup yogurt
½- 1 tsp curry powder
2 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
GARNISHES:
lettuce, melon slices or toasted slivered almonds
Combine salad ingredients. Mix dressing ingredients together; stir into turkey mixture. Chill. At serving time, serve on lettuce if desired and garnish with melon and almonds.
Per serving: 422 calories, 41 g protein, 16 g fat, 30 g carbohydrates.
Warm Turkey Salad
SALAD:
3 cups mixed torn salad greens
½ lbfresh turkey breast slices
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 small zucchini, sliced (about 1 cup)
8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
freshly ground pepper
DRESSING:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp water
¼ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp pepper
Mix dressing ingredients and set aside. Arrange salad greens on two plates. Cut turkey into thin strips. Heat oil in small skillet; stir-fry turkey 1-2 minutes or until no longer pink. Add onion and zucchini; stir-fry 1-2 minutes. Add dressing and tomatoes. Heat until hot; spoon over greens. Serve immediately with pepper to taste.
Per serving: 394 calories, 34 g protein, 20 g fat, 24 g carbohydrates.
Cosmopolitan Turkeytini
1 turkey breast, cooked and diced
½ cupsundried cranberries, soaked in lemon vodka
juice and zest of one lime
salt, pepper and sugar to taste
Cook lentils in 3 cups of water until just about cooked all the way, they will still have a little bite left to them, drain all liquid from the lentils. Add remaining ingredients and let marinate for 1-3 hours. Serve chilled.
Really Dirty Turkeytini
1 smoked turkey breast, sliced and skewered
12 sliced green stuffed olives
2 cups crushed tomatoes
½ cansliced, canned artichoke hearts
1 cupgreen and red peppers, diced
3 cloves of sliced garlic
1 tbsp good olive oil
splash of gin
salt and pepper to taste
Add all ingredients except turkey to sauté pan and cook until they all come together as a sauce, add turkey breast and cook until turkey is heated through and serve.
Use the following sauces for stir-fry or grilling with turkey thigh, breast or wings.
Basic Sauce
3 tbspWorcestershire sauce
2 tbspdried, minced onion
Combine all ingredients and let stand for at least 10 minutes. Use as is or combine with one of the following variations.
Fruity Sauce
½ cuporange juice or unsweetened pineapple juice
½ tsp fresh ginger root, minced
Combine orange juice, honey, fresh minced ginger and basic barbeque sauce in small saucepan. Blend limejuice and cornstarch until smooth and add to sauce. Cook and stir over moderate heat to thicken, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
New Orleans Sauce
Blend cornstarch and bourbon until smooth. Combine with all remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over moderate heat until sauce boils. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Teriyaki Glaze
2/3 cup maple flavoured syrup or honey
Simmer all in saucepan for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Chili-whiskey BBQ sauce
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped celery
½ tsp cayenne pepper or chili flakes
¼ cup favorite whisky or bourbon
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
Heat vegetable oil in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, paprika, and cayenne and stir 1 minute. Add ketchup, whisky or bourbon, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until flavors blend and sauce is slightly reduced, stirring occasionally about 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead; cover and refrigerate) Serve with hot roasted turkey on a bun or bannock.
Makes 1 ½ cups.
Nuts About Cherries
¼ cuphazelnuts, lightly chopped
1 tbspAmaretto or Frangelico liqueur
1 tbspeach, fresh basil, thyme, finely chopped
fresh pepper
Flatten a turkey breast or thigh, place stuffing mixture onto meat and roll; secure with string. Roast in 325°F oven for approximately 1 hour; test for doneness by using a meat thermometer (meat should read 175°F in thickest part). Remove from oven, cover with foil and let stand for at least 15 minutes.
For use in whole roast turkey, double the recipe.
