Peppery Turkey Stew

Adapted from The Healthy Slow Cooker by Judith Finlayson.

This was my first experience with quinoa, and it was pretty much delicious. A side note, I used peppers I froze from over the summer and did not have roasted reds, and this came out excellent, even with the omission.

Its not necessary to cook the onions and everything up before making this, but it seems to make the onions more flavorful.

1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
9 cloves garlic (or less to taste)
2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
3 cups chicken or turkey stock
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
salt to taste (I find this isn't necessary if you use canned stock)
1 lb turkey breast, cubed
2 tsp paprika
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 green bell peppers (I used a combo of red and yellow 'cause that's what I had)
1 roasted red bell pepper, optional
3 c water
1 1/2 c quinoa

In a skillet heat oil. Add onions and saute until soft, about three minutes.

Add garlic, peppercorns (I crushed my own with the side of a knife to make them 'cracked') and oregano and cook another minute.

Add the stock and the tomatoes (with juice). Cook until boiling and transfer to slow cooker.

At this point, you can put this in the fridge, if you are prepping the night before.

Add the turkey to the crockpot and stir well. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3, until turkey is cooked through and tender.

Dissolve the paprika in 2 tbsp cold water. Add to the crock along with the bell peppers, jalapeno peppers and roasted reds (if using). Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes, or until peppers are tender (this took me about 45 mins).

While this is cooking, put the water on to boil. Add the quinoa in a steady stream (to prevent clumping) and return to a boil. Boil about 15 minutes, or until liquid is dissolved.

When the peppers are tender, add quinoa to the crockpot and stir well. Serve immediately.

This recipe made about 12 1 cup servings and freezes well.

Two-fer: Stuffed Peppers and Tomato Soup

I had 5 peppers and about 20 tomatoes laying around the house so I decided to get a-cookin! The beauty here is that both recipes call for onion and garlic, so I just carmelized a bunch and split it between the two recipes. I got the soup "method" from my Aunt Celia. I used a food processor to make the soup, but a blender will work fine too.

To start:
9 onions (mine were small), coarsely chopped
9 cloves garlic (or to taste), coarsely chopped

For the peppers:
1lb ground turkey
5 bell peppers (any color)
1 red frying pepper, chopped
seasoning of your choice (I used italian seasonings)
1.5c. cooked rice
1 tomato, chopped
salt
pepper
1/2c. ketchup
1/2c. beef stock
tabasco or hot pepper (minced)

For the soup:
as many tomatoes as you have ( I realize not everyone has 20!)
basil
italian seasoning
4c. chicken stock

So, to start, lets get those onions cooking! Heat skillet and add a little but of olive oil.

Once oil is heated, throw in onions and garlic, cooking until tender, about 20 mins (longer if you're patient. I am not).

Remove from heat and set aside.

Stuffed Peppers
Remove the tops from the peppers and clean the seeds out from the inside. Wash, and set in baking pan.

In a bowl, combine turkey, pepper, tomato, seasonings, 1/4 of the onion/garlic mix and rice. Mix well.

Stuff into peppers.

In a bowl, mix the ketchup and stock together until blended. Add tabasco or hot pepper mince to taste.

Spoon topping over peppers. Bake at 350 for 45 mins.

Notes: Alternately, you could cook the turkey before stuffing it into the pepper. I like it uncooked because then the pepper is filled with a little turkey meatloaf :) Pasta/spaghetti sauce could be used as a topping, but I prefer the sweetness of the ketchup. These freeze well. In fact, I made them for dinner but then the husband wanted grilled cheese, so they cooled on the counter and went right into the freezer. Freeze in baking pan, then bag them once they're frozen. This makes it easier to only have one or two at a time for dinner.

Tomato Soup
Get some water boiling in a large stock pot.

While you're waiting for it to come to a boil, turn all your tomatoes upside down and cut a tiny 'X' on the bottom of each one. This is useful, trust me.

When the water boils, throw the tomatoes (a few at a time, you don't want to overcook them here) into the pot. Retrieve after a minute.

This is where those X'es come in handy. Start there and remove the skin from the tomato. Place the tomato aside. Remove the skin from all tomatoes.

Discard the water and rinse your stock pot.

Remove the cores from the tomatoes and place in a food processor a few at a time. Process until smooth and all chunks are gone. Pour the puree into a stock pot.

Puree the onion/garlic mixture and pour into the stock pot.

Add your seasonings and the chicken stock. Simmer for an hour, letting all of the flavors blend.

Note: You could use veggie stock or omit the stock entirely.

Karen's "Famous" Taco Meat

My taco meat is one of my most requested dishes, whether in nachos, tacos, or crumbled on salad. And now! The secret can be yours!!!

1lb ground turkey (you could use beef too, we just don't eat much of it)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped fine (optional)
chili powder
cumin
Ortega Taco Sauce
2c water or chicken broth (for more flavor)
olive oil

Spray a large skillet with olive oil and heat. When oil is hot, add onions, jalapeno and garlic and saute about 3 minutes.

Add turkey and cook til *just* brown.

Throw on some chili powder and cumin (to taste), the water (all of it! it looks weird, but trust me on this) and half of the bottle or Ortega (less if you like your tacos more mild). Stir well.

Turn heat to Med-Low and let simmer for at least 20 minutes.

VOILA. This was really good on nachos with sharp cheddar and the pico from the other day.

Bonus!

If you have some fresh bell pepper, try this:

Cut the top off a fresh bell pepper and clean seeds out from inside. Add layers of cheese, taco meat, and pico to fill the pepper. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 mins. Bring for lunch the next day and make all your coworkers DROOL.