Meatloaf Stuffed with Apple Goat Cheese and Rosemary Roasted Baby Potatoes!

It's fall and creeping closer to the holidays and there are some fun new ingredients in the stores which inspired this new version of meatloaf. I hope you enjoy! :)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 2 eggs
• 1 small roll of apple crusted goat cheese (mine was from Trader Joe's or choose your preferred cheese stuffing)
• 4 tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette (2 for the meatloaf, 2 for the sauce)
• 1 cup ketchup (for sauce)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (for sauce)
• 2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
• 8 large jalapeno stuffed olives, chopped
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/2 pound of small baby potatoes
• 2 tbsp. EVOO (I used black truffle oil for the potatoes)
• 2 sprigs of rosemary, chopped to top the potatoes
• 1/2 onion, diced for the potatoes

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the turkey, eggs, 2 tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette, 2 sprigs of chopped rosemary, olives, and 1/2 onion together.
3. In a bread loaf pan/meatloaf pan, spray with Pam or put in foil. Then put a small layer of the meat mixture on the bottom. Next put in some small chunks of the cheese. Top with the rest of the meat mixture, making a loaf shape.
4. Meanwhile, mix together your sauce (ketchup, brown sugar, and balsamic vinaigrette) and pour over the top.
5. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until done.
6. Meanwhile, in a small baking pan, place your potatoes and top with the chopped onion, rosemary, and glaze with the EVOO or truffle oil. Bake also for 30 minutes or until tender.

Enjoy!

Spicy Seared Ahi Tuna w/Green Beans!

This one is super easy, quick, and a nice fancy fake out! During the week if you have a busy schedule, this is great for a week night.

Ingredients:

• 2 small Tuna Steak fillets, sliced into long bite size pieces
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Tabasco sauce
• 1 tbsp paprika, smoked
• 2 bunches of green beans, chopped
• 1 tbsp EVOO
• Wasabi sauce/spread

What to do:

1. Briefly soak the sliced tuna fillets in the soy sauce and Tabasco sauce mixture. 
2. Heat EVOO in a medium skillet and cook sear the tuna on both sides, about 1 minute each, topping with paprika evenly. Set aside and cover in foil. 
3. In the same pan, add the green beans. Top with the remaining soy sauce and Tabasco sauce mixture. Add a little paprika. Cook until done. Set aside.
4. Serve the tuna and green beans and top with a drop of Wasabi on each tuna slice depending on how much spice you desire. 

Enjoy!

Savory Mediterranean Lamb Shanks!

This one is super easy to make and it's tasty and great for the season. Modify with your favorite veggies and spices as you have them in stock.

Ingredients:

• 2-4 lamb shanks
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine
• 2 cups vegetable broth (organic, low sodium)
• 4 heirloom tomatoes, diced
• 2 sticks of rosemary (one diced, one whole)
• 5 Chinese spice, 1 tbsp
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 4 celery sticks, chopped
• Pepper
• EVOO

What to do:

1. Saute the onion, garlic, and red pepper in EVOO. Set aside. 
2. Heat some EVOO in a medium skillet pan. Brown the lamb shanks on both sides-about 3 minutes per side (season with half the paprika and a little pepper). Set aside.
3. In your slow cooker, add the tomatoes, rosemary, vegetable broth, sauted veggies, celery, the remaining paprika, the 5 Chinese spice, and Marsala wine. Stir well.
4. Add the lamb shanks, and cover in juice and veggies. Set the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Enjoy!

Super Savory Quiche w/Sausage!

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs
• Pepper
• 1/2 cup milk or water
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• EVOO
• 1 handful of spinach
• 1 sausage, bite size pieces (hot Italian sausage or sweet or chorizo)
• Feta cheese or your favorite cheese

What to do:

1. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, pepper, and milk. Mix together well.
2. Saute the spinach in EVOO and set aside. 
3. Saute the onion, garlic, and red pepper. Set aside. 
4. Cook the sausage until done. De-grease by setting on a paper towel. Set aside. 
5. In a round oven safe bowl, spray with Pam and pour in half the egg mixture.
6. Layer in some spinach and then some onion and pepper mixture and then some sausage. 
7. Slowly pour in the second half of the egg mixture.
8. Repeat the layers (spinach, onion mixture, and sausage). 
9. Top with your favorite cheese. 
10. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes...until golden brown on the edges and solid in the center. 

Serve it up with the extra sausage on the side. Enjoy!

Spicy Tortilla Soup Loaded w/Veggies and Chicken!

It's that time of year...time to cure a cold or just enjoy wholesome warm goodness. Soup is calling as the season turns to fall. This one certainly helped me get over the hump with my cold...enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 chicken breasts, sliced into bite size pieces (brown and saute in EVOO, pepper, green onions, and garlic)
• 2 handfuls of brussel sprouts, diced and seasoned with lemon and pepper (brown and saute)
• 3 small potatoes, diced (cook in EVOO with garlic, brown and cook until tender)
• 1 cup of corn 
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 bunch green onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 4 celery sticks, chopped
• 1 quart Tortilla soup base (I got the one from Trader Joe's, organic and low sodium)
• 2 cups of water
• 1-2 peppers (jalapeno or something else spicy)
• 3 flour or corn tortillas, chopped into small slivers
• Sour cream as a topper
• Avocado, chopped up (drizzle in lemon juice to keep fresh)

What to do:

1. After browning and sauteing the chicken, the brussel sprouts, and the potatoes as stated in the ingredients list, combine all the ingredients.
2. Cook in a large soup bowl on the stove for at least one hour, start with a boil and then cook on medium-low for the duration. If you have time, instead of cooking the brussel sprouts and potatoes, cook in a slow cooker (only cook the chicken before adding). Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
3. For the tortillas, spray with Pam. Place on a Pam and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. 
4. Serve soup in bowls. Top with Tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream, and chopped avocado. 

Tis the Season for Gifts: Vodka Infused with Citron, Orange, and Blackberries!

After discovering the amazing ingredient Citron (or Buddha's hand), I decided to try lot's of different meals and then thought.....gee, why not make some vodka infused with citron for extra flavor?! And since the holiday season is coming up, this might make a great gift depending on how it turns out.

So here's what you do.....

Ingredients:

• Choose some favorite fruits or ingredients to infuse with your vodka 
• I chose citron (I did one jar with zest and one jar with the inside peel)
• I also did one jar with the zest and thin slices of a fresh orange
• One jar with blackberries and thin slices of oranges
• You could also do cinnammon or rosemary or any other fruits or vegetables of interest
• Choose your vodka
• I went with a potato based vodka so that it's gluten free 
• Get some mason jars or containers to seal the ingredients in

What to do:

1. Put your zest and/or fruit ingredients thinly sliced into the jars. Don't be afraid to mix and match and make sure to put plenty in there so you get the flavor.
2. Pour over with vodka to the top. 
3. Seal the jar. 
4. 3 times a day be sure to mix the ingredients so the flavors spread. 
5. For the citron and orange jars...leave the fruits in the vodka for 3-5 days. Then strain into a fresh jar. 
6. For the blackberry jar...leave for 7-10 days. Then strain into a fresh jar.
7. Enjoy alone or in mixed drinks that compliment your flavors. These make great gifts!

Citron Infused Chicken and Tomatoes Over Portabella Stuffed Ravioli!

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken breast, diced into bite size pieces
• 1/4 Citron (buddha's hand) or lemons if you need a substitute, zested
• 2 fresh heirloom tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 pint cherry heirloom tomatoes (variety), chopped in half
• Pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 green onions chopped
• EVOO
• 1 package of organic portabella stuffed mushrooms or substitute for another noodle or spaghetti squash to make it gluten free

My prepared ingredients--Cooking tip: sometimes it's best if you chop and place in bowls in advance-makes the cooking experience much more enjoyable and less stressful). :)

What to do:

1. Place the chicken in a bowl with 1/2 the zest and some citron juice and some pepper. Let sit for 15-20 minutes. 
2. In a medium skillet, saute the onion, green onion, the other half of the citron zest, and garlic in 2 tbsp EVOO. Brown slightly. Then add the tomatoes. Place a lid on the skillet and continue cooking until tomatoes are tender. 
3. Meanwhile, in another medium skillet, cook the chicken in 2 tbsp EVOO and brown the outside slightly. Cook until done. Set aside. 
4. Boil some water and cook the noodles. Strain and set aside.
5. On a plate, place the noodles, then top with the tomatoes combination, then top with some chicken. Serve it while it's hot. 

This is what Citron looks like:

Enjoy!