Cuban Burgers with Mojo Sauce

1 lb ground turkey
1 clove garlic crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 slices provalone cheese

Combine ingredients except cheese and form into 4 burgers. Cook in heavy skillet. Meanwhile, in another skillet cook mojo sauce.

Mojo Sauce
Cook 6 cloves of minced garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat until just starting to brown. Remove from heat and add 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Put back on heat and simmer until slightly reduced. Place cooked burgers into sauce and place 1 slice of cheese on each burger. cover and remove from heat. Let sit 3-4 minutes so cheese melts. Drizzle with sauce before serving on toasted buns.

Sausage and Corn Chowder

1 Tablespoon butter
2 green onions diced
1 celery rib chopped
3 medium potatoes peeled and cut into bite size chunks
2 cans chicken broth
1 can cream style corn
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 lb. kielbasa sausage cut into 1/4" thick slices

In large Dutch oven melt butter. Add onion and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 4-7 minutes. Add potatoes and chicken broth, you may add a little water to cover potatoes if needed. Cover and simmer until potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in corn, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook until potatoes are very tender.
Meanwhile, in heavy skillet, cook sausage over medium heat stirring constantly, until edges brown. Stir sausage into soup just before serving.

One Dish Meatloaf Meal

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
3/4 cup saltine cracker crumbs
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

4-5 medium potatoes peeled and cut into 1/8" slices
1 can corn, drained

Preheat oven to 375
In large bowl, combine ground meat, cracker crumbs, 1/2 of the onion, 2/3 of the soup, the egg and 1/2 of the salt and pepper.
Lightly grease a 9x9 baking dish and layer the potatoes, the rest of the onion, and remaining salt and pepper. Spoon corn over potatoes. Spread meat mixture over top. Spread remaining soup on top of meat. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with a salad and fruit.
This recipe is modified from a recipe in Family Circle magazine. You may also use french style green beans and cream of mushroom soup instead of corn and tomato soup.

Fruit Pizza

1 package refrigerator sugar cookies in the tube
1 package Jello pudding, Cheescake flavor prepared per package directions
1 cup strawberry halves
1/2 cup kiwi slices
1 cup blueberries
1 cup banana slices

Preheat oven to 350
Grease pizza pan or spray with non stick oil. Slice sugar cookies into 1/4" slices and press together in pizza pan. Bake until lightly browned. Allow to cool. When cooled spread pudding on cookie crust. Arrange fruit in layers on top of pudding. Slice and serve. May top with whipped topping.

Turkey Joes with Healthy Fries

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1/2 cup catsup
2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar


In heavy skillet, brown turkey with onions and garlic. Add remaining ingredients and simmer till thickened, you may need to add a little more catsup to make it sloppy enough. Serve on sandwich buns with a salad and healthy fries.

Healthy Fries
3 medium potatoes cut into 1/4" fries
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Preheat oven to 425
Put oil and spices in 13"x9" plastic tupperware type container and stir. Add potatoes, seal and shake to distribute oil and spices. Place in single layer on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until browned. Test with fork in thickest one, should be soft. Salt as needed.

Orange Pretzel Salad

2-1/2 cups crushed bowtie pretzels
3/4 cup margarine
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
8 oz. low fat cream cheese, softened
3/4 Cup Sugar (or Splenda)
8 oz. Cool Whip (can use the low cal. version)
6 oz box Orange Jello (can use sugar free)
1 large can mandarin oranges, drained

Preheat oven to 350
In microwave, melt butter and brown sugar, stirring every 45 seconds until melted. Stir in crushed pretzels. Spread mixture in 9"x13" pyrex pan. Allow to cool.
Cream together cream cheese and sugar then fold in Cool Whip and beat until smooth. Spread over cooled pretzel layer.
Using speed set recipe on Jello box, prepare Jello. Allow to set 5 minutes in refrigerator, then stir in mandarine oranges. Pour over cream cheese layer. Chill until set, then cut into squares.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Truffles

3-1/2 Cups powdered sugar
8 oz. softened cream cheese
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 Cup cocoa powder, for rolling

Pour the cocoa powder into a shallow pie pan and set aside.
Chop the chocolate into small pieces and microwave it until melted, stirring after every 45 seconds to prevent burning.
In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Beat at medium speed for 1-2 minutes until well blended. Add the melted chocolate. Beat until combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes
When chilled, scoop candy into small balls using a teaspoon. Roll the balls in the cocoa and place on a plate or into an airtight container. When stored properly in the refrigerator, will keep for a week. For best taste and texture, serve at room temperature. Makes approx. 2 dozen.

Hamburger Stew

1 lb. ground chuck or ground turkey
1/2 medium onion, chopped
5-6 medium potatoes cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup carrots sliced into bite size pieces
1 large can chopped tomatoes
1 can french style green beans, drained

In large saucepan or dutch oven, saute onions then add ground meat, cooking until browned. While meat is cooking, pour tomatoes into blender and pulse until smooth. When meat is browned, add potatoes and carrots and tomatoes. Add water to cover potatoes. Salt and pepper to taste and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender. Stir in green beans. Serve with a salad and bread and butter.

Brownie Surprise Cookies

1 Box brownie mix (13x9 pan size)
1/4 Cup Butter, melted
4 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 egg
1 Cup Powdered Suger
1 Cup peanut butter
1 container chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350
In medium bowl, beat brownie mix, butter, cream cheese and egg 50 strokes, or until well blended. You may need to add a tablespoon or so of water. Dough will be sticky.
On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart, smoothing edges to form round cookie. Make 24 cookies.
In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and peanut butter. With hands form into 24 balls approximately 1" diameter. Lightly press 1 ball into center of each cookie.
Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until edges are set. Cool cookies in freezer or refrigerator until completely cooled and then remove from cookie sheet. Place on cooling rack. Spread frosting on peanut butter portion of each cookie. Store in single layer, tightly covered.

Mmmm Dog Cookies

2 Cups whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Cup Peanut Butter (smooth or crunchy)
1 Cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 375
In small bowl mix flour and baking powder and set aside. In large bowl, mix peanut butter and milk until well blended. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Roll out on floured surface to about 1/4" thick and cut out with small cookie cutter or shot glass. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Store up to one week in tightly covered container, or freeze and pull out small quantity as needed.