Turkey Pesto Meatloaf with Balsamic Tomato Sauce

I tried two meatloaf recipes recently. One was a traditional meatloaf made with ground beef and a balsamic glaze on top. It wasn’t all that great. You won’t see it here. The other is a healthier version made with ground turkey and pesto with a balsamic tomato glaze. This one is blog-worthy. It’s been a hit both times I’ve made it. The leftovers are fantastic whether they’re cold in a sandwich or reheated for another dinner.

Oh yes, I do have a third meatloaf recipe. It was a sensation when I made it for Halloween a few years ago. Have you seen my Meatloaf Hand?

Wait! I have a fourth meatloaf recipe, deep in the archives. I remember it now. It’s also a tasty one using both beef and turkey. And dark beer.

Like all meatloaf recipes, this turkey pesto meatloaf is pretty straightforward. Taking the turkey out of the refrigerator ahead of time will prevent your hands from freezing when you combine the ingredients. Also, don’t keep mixing the ingredients beyond the point of just being combined. I don’t have any experience (that I’m aware of) doing this but I’ve read that over-handling will compress the meat and toughen the meatloaf.

Turkey Pesto Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce

You’ll need a roasting or broiler pan, small skillet, large bowl, small bowl or ramekin for sauce, pastry brush and meat thermometer.

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1-1/2 pounds lean ground turkey – This is a pain when ground turkey at your market only comes in 1# packages. I used 2# and increased the garlic, pesto, cheese and breadcrumbs.
• 1/4 cup basil pesto
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs – Make in the food processor from whole wheat bread, 1 or 2 slices will do it.
• 1/4 cup marinara sauce, preferably low-sugar like Classico (per Kalyn) — I used Barilla, I have no idea of its sugar content.
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Let the ground turkey come to room temperature while you prep the other ingredients, so you don’t freeze your hands. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a roasting pan with olive oil or nonstick spray. I like to use the broiler pan so the fat drips into the moat along the edges.

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion over medium-high heat until it’s starting to slightly brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic, lower heat slightly, and sauté about 2 minutes more.

Using a bowl that’s large enough to get both hands into it, combine the ground turkey, sautéed onion and garlic, pesto, Parmesan cheese, salt and breadcrumbs. Mix the ingredients just until they’re combined.

Form the mixture into a loaf shape and place on the roasting pan. Bake meatloaf for 40 minutes. While it bakes, stir together the marinara sauce and balsamic vinegar.

After 40 minutes, brush the sauce onto the meatloaf, until it’s completely covered with sauce. Continue to bake, and if you have any sauce left over, brush the meatloaf a few more times. Bake until a meat thermometer shows a temperature of 160F. I cooked my meatloaf for a total time of one hour before it got to that temperature. Kalyn’s took one hour and 20 minutes.

Original recipe: Turkey Pesto Meatloaf, Kalyn’s Kitchen

Salmon with Citrus Pesto

Last weekend I added basil to my herb “garden” on the deck, as well as sage, dill and thyme. Last year’s rosemary, oregano, mint and lemon thyme survived the mild winter and already have new growth. I’m still on the hunt for tarragon. My local Lowe’s and Ace Hardware didn’t have any. I’ll probably have to visit the State Farmers Market for that.

Luckily I still have 2011 pesto in the freezer, so I made this delicious Giada recipe using salmon instead of swordfish. I never thought of adding citrus to my pesto – it’s amazingly good!

I included two variations of the recipe in case you have to make pesto from scratch. Since I already had pesto, all I had to do was thaw it out and add the lemon and orange zest and juice to it. I also added Parmesan cheese since I don’t include cheese in my pesto before freezing it.

It’s worth growing a few basil plants so you can always grab a few leaves for whatever you’re cooking (or for your salad) or make your own pesto. Just keep trimming off the growth so they don’t start flowering. Once they start flowering, the leaves become more bitter. My father’s green thumb doesn’t extend to me – my brother got that gene – so if I can grow basil, you can grow basil.

Yeah, we really piled on the pesto.

I served the salmon with my favorite Broccoli Rabe with Onions and Sun-Dried Tomatoes and a brown/wild rice mix.

Salmon with Citrus Pesto

You’ll need a food processor (if you’re making pesto from scratch), small bowl, and a skillet or grill pan.

Pesto from scratch ingredients:

•  2 cups of fresh basil leaves — I usually fill up the processor with leaves.
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts, toasted
• 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 1/2 cup olive oil — eyeball in batches
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Pesto on hand ingredients:

• 1/2 cup prepared pesto
• 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced – some of the juice, probably won’t need it all
• 1/2 orange, zested and juiced – some of the juice, probably won’t need it all
• Optional: 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (because my pesto didn’t have any cheese in it, I had to add cheese, you probably won’t)

Additional ingredients:

• 2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blend the basil, nuts, garlic, salt, zests and juices in a food processor until the mixture is finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan.

Place a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the fish fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook the fish about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for a 1-inch thick fillet.

Transfer the fish to serving plates, top with the citrus pesto, and serve.

Original recipe: Swordfish with Citrus Pesto, Giada de Laurentiis, Food Network

Flounder with Spiced Breadcrumb Topping

When I saw a recipe on The Communal Skillet blog for broiled flounder that only took 15 minutes to prep and cook, I knew what was for dinner that night. Then I saw mayonnaise in the ingredients.

Jim hates mayonnaise. I mean hate. He put a skull and crossbones on the mayonnaise jar in the refrigerator. But when I reviewed the recipe, it said the mayonnaise would transform during broiling to a golden glaze. Hmm, he’d never know it was there and I could have my 15-minute flounder.

Or would he know? What if he got suspicious about that glaze? I’m not out to deceive him, I just want quick fish, and I was intrigued by the mayonnaise. What if I added some type of topping to absorb the mayonnaise?

I searched online for other recipes using mayonnaise on broiled fish. I found a good-looking one on Epicurious with an onion, green bell pepper and breadcrumb topping. I took ingredients from both recipes, added a little parmesan, et voilà, dinner.

The flounder was delicious. I served it with spinach sautéed with garlic and hot pepper, and sweet potatoes with caramelized onions. Could you make it without mayo? I supposed, but the mayo helps the topping adhere to the fish and a little of it goes a long way.

Flounder with Spiced Breadcrumb Topping

You’ll need a skillet, baking pan large enough for fish and pastry brush.

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon parmesan
• Salt and pepper
• Paprika
• Ground cayenne pepper
• Cooking spray
• 4 flounder fillets
• 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise, use just enough for a thin coat

In a skillet, cook the onion, bell pepper and garlic in oil over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the bread crumbs and parmesan. Add salt, pepper, cayenne and paprika according to your taste.
Preheat oven to 400. Coat a pan with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange fillets on the pan and coat evenly with mayonnaise using a pastry brush. Pat the bread crumb mixture onto each fillet.

Place under the broiler about 6 inches from the heat and bake or broil 6-8 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and the mayonnaise transforms to a golden glaze, although you may not be able to see the actual transformation, bummer, I know. Tent with foil if the topping browns too much before the fish is cooked.

Original recipes:

• Broiled Flounder, The Communal Skillet
• Broiled Flounder with Bread Crumb Topping, Epicurious

Cheddar and Cracker Chicken

As Saturday afternoon came to an end, I still didn’t know what to make for dinner. The problem: I have too many choices. Between computer files, food blogs, cookbooks and magazines, I’m overwhelmed with menu ideas.

My recipe choice usually depends on:

• what level of effort and time I want to put into dinner
• what we’ve had for dinner recently
• what flavors I’m in the mood for
• what’s in season
• what’s in the refrigerator already
• what’s on sale

This time, instead of consulting my recipe files and other resources, I decided to narrow it down by looking at the Lowes Foods circular to see what was on sale – value packs of boneless skinless chicken breasts. One decision made, we would have chicken for dinner. But what kind of chicken? I went to my latest fun source of recipe ideas, Pinterest, and searched for “chicken.” I opened four pins – one of them would be dinner.

Winner winner, chicken dinner – Cheddar and Cracker Chicken from the What’s Cookin, Chicago? blog. It had enough comfort food appeal for a weekend dinner, and would be quick and easy to make.

Of course, I made a few adjustments.

• Added pickled jalapeno – isn’t a little kick always welcome?
• After grating 6 ounces of cheddar (per the original recipe) and seeing what that looked like — too much — I reduced the amount of cheese.
• Increased the garlic.
• Added flour to the dredging ingredients and substituted a beaten egg instead of butter.

I served the chicken with broccoli sautéed with red bell pepper and garlic, and roasted sweet potato fries (leftover from Thursday night).

Cheddar and Cracker Chicken

You’ll need three shallow bowls, meat pounder (mallet) and a foil-lined baking sheet.

• 16 Ritz crackers, crushed, about 3⁄4 cup
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 whole pickled jalapeno, minced, about 1 tablespoon
• 1 or 2 stalks of scallions, green part only, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper
• 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts — I used 2 large breasts, each sliced in two pieces after pounding
• 1/4 cup or so flour
• 1 egg, beaten — or you could follow the original recipe and use butter

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, combine the crackers, cheese, garlic, jalapenos, scallions, salt and pepper.

Pound the chicken to about 1/4-1/2” thickness with a meat mallet. Slice large breasts into two pieces. Dip each piece in the flour, then egg, then the cracker mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Sprinkle any remaining cracker mixture on the chicken. Bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 20-25 minutes.

Original recipe: Cheddar & Cracker Chicken, What’s Cookin, Chicago?

Bacon and Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Oh my, this is good. I made it only once but enjoyed it on two different nights. I bought two tenderloins instead of one, but since they were on the small size, I put one — stuffed, dusted and ready for the oven – in the freezer. We had that one last night. It was a “damn, this is good” moment.

The original recipe on Food52 called for pancetta but I already had bacon in the refrigerator so I made that change. It’s worth buying a bottle of Marsala wine to have in the cabinet for moments like these. You really can’t find a substitute for Marsala and have that same flavor. And you’ll have an excuse to make Chicken Marsala.

Now about that porcini powder, yes, it’s worth it. The porcini powder has an earthy deep flavor – a fantastic complement to the stuffing. You should be able to find a small cellophane package of dried porcini mushrooms at your supermarket, maybe not at Food Lion or other low-budget stores, but definitely at Lowes Foods, Harris Teeter and Whole Foods. Safeway should have them too.

I used an extra coffee grinder to turn the dried mushrooms into powder. An extra coffee grinder is also handy for grinding spices, like fennel seeds, if you don’t have any ground fennel. Fennel (seed or ground) is an MVP spice that’s not always found in the normal person’s spice collection. It adds a flavor to dishes that’s hard to replicate.

This dish requires more work than a normal weekday dish, but the steps are easy in themselves, although I always forget how to tie up the tenderloin. I try to channel Jacques Pepin and that helps, but I think I need another lesson on that from the master.

Bacon and Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

You’ll need a large skillet, meat pounder, coffee grinder, butcher string, a roasting pan large enough for the tenderloin and a meat thermometer.

For the stuffing:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 ounces sliced bacon (or pancetta) cut into a fine dice
• 2 cups diced mushrooms
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• 10 fresh basil leaves sliced thin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup Marsala wine

In a large skillet, cook the bacon in oil until almost crisp. Add the mushrooms and garlic and continue to cook until the mushrooms brown a bit.

Stir in the bread crumbs, parsley, basil, salt and pepper until all is combined. Stir in the Marsala and set aside while you prep the tenderloin.

Putting it together:

• 1 pork tenderloin, about 1 1/2 pounds, butterflied lengthwise and then pounded with a meat mallet to form a rectangle about 6 by 12 inches
• 1/2 teaspoon porcini powder (ground from dried porcini mushrooms)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Olive oil for rubbing the roast
• Stuffing (from above)
  

Preheat oven to 350. Put the empty roasting pan in the oven to preheat. Spread the stuffing mixture lengthwise down the center of the butterflied tenderloin and then roll the roast and tie with butcher string to secure.

Rub the entire roll with olive oil and then combine the porcini powder, ground fennel, salt and pepper and rub that over the roast.

Clean out the skillet, spray or smear it with cooking spray or oil, sear the roast on all sides until well browned. Put it in the preheated roasting pan.

Roast uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, or until cooked to an internal temperature of 145. Let rest about 10 minutes before removing the string and slicing.

Original recipe: Pancetta and Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, Food52

Jalapeño Popper Chicken

I live with a pickled jalapeño fiend. He eats them alongside dinner, like a relish tray. I love them too, but only in combination with other things, like cheeseballs, mac ‘n’ cheese, cheese and crackers, and deli sandwiches (with cheese). Sensing a theme here?

I found this recipe in a Rachael Ray magazine and knew it would be a hit with my jalapeño guy. But I wasn’t thrilled with bone-in skin-on chicken breasts. Maybe I can stuff boneless skinless breasts instead? That was my plan until I got to the market. They were completely out of boneless skinless breasts. How does that happen? They did have skinless boneless breast pieces. They were too skinny to stuff, but big enough to top with filling and roll up.

The Rachael recipe continued to change. I added a little cheddar because we had a huge block in the refrigerator and I didn’t think the cream cheese would provide enough flavor. The red onion was another last-minute idea — more color and flavor. I wasn’t just going to pop skinless breasts in the oven so I rolled them in my usual flour-egg-breadcrumbs bowls. Once done with the dredging, I thought they’d be better off with a browning on the stove before finishing in the oven.

I’m pretty sure my jalapeño popper chicken is a heck of a lot more delicious than Rachael’s because mine has a lot more going for it. I’ve made it twice now and even my cream cheese hating guy loves it. It definitely has some heat, so it’s not for chile-phobes. I served it last night with Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes and a sautéed zucchini concoction I made with some leftover lemon zest and breadcrumbs, garlic and fresh oregano. Tasty!

Jalapeño Popper Chicken

You’ll need a meat pounder, small bowl, toothpicks, and oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven.

• 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeño chiles
• 4 ounces room temperature cream cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  Optional, if time – about 2 tablespoons sautéed red onion
• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 to 1/3” thickness
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup panko (or regular) bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• Salt, pepper, herbs to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Stir together the jalapeños, cream cheese and cheddar cheese (and sautéed red onions, if you have time). Spread cheese mixture onto each piece of chicken. Roll up and secure with toothpick(s).

Dredge in flour. Then roll in egg. And finally roll in breadcrumb mixture. Sauté on all sides until brown. Bake for 10 minutes or until cooked through.

Adapted from: Jalapeno Popper Chicken Breasts, Rachael Ray

Yankee Cod Cakes with Red Pepper and Tarragon Remoulade

Friday is a good day for cod, especially for those of you observing Lent and eating only fish on Fridays. Me, I prefer pizza or pasta on Fridays, but usually eat leftovers instead.

Yes, this is the second cod recipe this week. I’m definitely true to my Massachusetts heritage with my loyalty to cod, the Sacred Cod of Massachusetts: fish and chips, baked cod, stuffed cod, scrod, Cape Cod, Cape Codders, I love them all.

If you’re tired of eating fish in fillet form, give fish cakes a try. You might even inspire the fish-averse crowd to indulge. I found this recipe on The Perfect Pantry blog. Lydia’s a Rhode Islander so she gets the whole cod thing, and her blog always has interesting (and I mean that in the good way) recipes. She adapted this one from a salmon cake recipe she found in Yankee magazine, so I gave the Yankee moniker to her recipe.

I made these cod cakes for a main course with roasted parmesan broccoli and brown and wild rice on the side. I love the idea of using Greek yogurt for the remoulade. If you’re pressed for time, you could just use tartar sauce or mix together some mayonnaise and relish, but the remoulade is so much better. You can see how the remoulade looks on The Perfect Pantry blog, I was too distracted by dinner to take a photo.

Yankee Cod Cakes with Red Pepper and Tarragon Remoulade

You’ll need a large skillet, food processor, shallow bowl for dredging, wire rack, small bowl and a paper towel-lined plate.

For the cod cakes:

• 1/2 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon diced onion
• 1 tablespoon diced celery
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 cups dry plain bread crumbs, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Dash of hot sauce
• 3/4 pound cod, skin removed, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons cup finely diced red bell pepper
• Canola oil for frying

 For the remoulade:

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1/4 large roasted red bell pepper (fresh or from a jar), minced

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil, the chopped onion, celery and garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

To the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add the cooled onion mixture, 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, parsley, tarragon, mustard, salt, Worcestershire, hot sauce, cod, and bell pepper; pulse 5-6 times to chop the fish and incorporate the ingredients. Form the mixture into 5 large patties.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs in a bowl, and gently turn each cod cake in the crumbs to coat. Set the patties on a wire rack and let dry 15-20 minutes.

While the cod cakes are drying, combine all of the remoulade ingredients in a bowl. Stir together and refrigerate until ready to use.

In a skillet, heat 1/4 inch of canola oil over medium-high heat. Carefully add cod cakes, not too close together and in batches if necessary, and fry until browned and crisp, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. Serve warm, with remoulade sauce.

Original recipe: Cod Cakes with Red Pepper, Tarragon and Yogurt Remoulade, The Perfect Pantry

Cod with Olive and Sundried Tomato Crust

Whenever I see Jacques Pépin on TV, I get a warm feeling inside. He is such a good teacher, a gifted chef, and a damn good artist too – find some of his handwritten menus to see what I mean.

I’ve watched him for so many years that I can sometimes hear his voice when I’m cooking. What I especially love about him is that he cooks for the home cook. His meals are simple and fast, but oh so good, and healthy too.

Here’s a recipe from one of his PBS series, More Fast Food My Way. This is a perfect meal when you have no time. Get the topping going in your food processor. Or chop the dickens out of it if you don’t want to pull out the processor. Spread it on the fish. Pop it in the oven or broiler, et voilà!

Jacques says, “If your fillets are about 1 inch thick, they will need 5 to 6 minutes under the broiler. Adjust the timing if your fillets are thinner or thicker.” Sorry Jacques, I know the fish will continue to cook after it’s removed from the oven, but I tend to cook it longer than you’d like. Except with salmon, I don’t mind that a bit underdone, so I stick to the cooking rules then.

I always end up with more topping than I need, but I pile it all on anyways. This dish is full of bold flavor, so it’s not for those with bland tastes. Happy cooking!

Cod with Olive and Sundried Tomato Crust

You’ll need a food processor (or blender or a good sharp knife) and a foil-lined baking pan.

• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (if oil-packed, drain them first)
• 1/4 cup pitted black olives, I like Kalamata
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 2 cod fillets, about 6 oz each, or you could use any meaty fish, like halibut or mahi mahi
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with foil. Put tomatoes, olives, green onions, Parmesan, rosemary, thyme and garlic in a food processor. Process until you have a rough purée that holds together.

Rub the fillets with the 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Cover the fillets with the tomato-olive mixture and slide them under the broiler, so the fish is about 4 inches from the heat source. Broil for about 5 minutes, until the fillets are just tender. Jacques cooks them until they are still slightly undercooked inside since they will continue to cook once you remove them from the oven. You do whatever you like.

Original recipe: Cod in Olive-Tomato Crust, Jacques Pépin, More Fast Food My Way

 

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

I’ve had this recipe for a while but kept forgetting to take a photo. But, finally I did and now I can share it with you. 

A few months ago Jim and I went over a friend’s house for dinner. He made Salisbury steak in a crockpot. My last memories of Salisbury steak were from the high school cafeteria so my expectations, sorry to say, were low. They shouldn’t have been. It was a delicious comfort food meal, the kind where seconds are a given.

Weeks later I’m browsing through a new (to me) blog, Skinny Taste. What do I see? A “skinny” recipe for Salisbury with mushroom gravy! I can have my comfort with less guilt on the side.

I made it that weekend with Skinny Garlic Mashed Potatoes, another yummy Skinny recipe. Last weekend I made it with my Cheesy Broccoli Potato Mash and Zucchini al Pesto. With a yummy glass (or two) of red wine on the side, I was in heaven. You will be too.

Skinny Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

You’ll need a large deep skillet with lid, large bowl, small bowl and whisk.

• 1-1/2 teaspoon canola oil
• 3/4 cup onions, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound lean ground beef (take meat out of the refrigerator ahead of time or you’ll freeze your hands)
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/4 cup water
• Chopped parsley for garnish, optional

In a skillet, sauté onions and garlic in oil over medium heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine half of the sautéed onions, beef, turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, egg white, 1/4 cup of the beef broth, thyme, salt and pepper. Shape into 8 oval patties.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown both sides of patties. Set aside on a dish. Add mushrooms to the skillet, season with salt and pepper and sauté 2-3 minutes. Return patties to the skillet with the mushrooms.

In a small bowl, whisk flour and remaining 1-3/4 cup broth until smooth. Mix in remaining sautéed onions, tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder and water. Pour over meat and mushrooms in skillet.

Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’s best when served over mashed potatoes.

Original recipe: Skinny Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Italian Sausage with Roasted Grapes and Polenta

I know this might sound weird. And it’s not that pretty. But it’s delicious. I first spotted this recipe on The Bitten Word blog. They found it on the Bon Appétit site. The Bitten Word guys made some changes to the original Bon Appétit recipe, but they still weren’t that impressed. I was convinced there must be some way to save the recipe, it seemed full of potential.

I checked out the comments to the Bitten Word and Bon Appétit recipes and googled the three ingredients and got some ideas. I decided to add red onion (instead of shallot), garlic and fennel seeds to the pot, and use chicken broth and balsamic vinegar instead of white wine for the finishing touch. It was a success. I wasn’t sure what Jim would think because, like many men, he’s not a fan of meat and fruit combos, but he enjoyed it too.

If you avoid making polenta because you don’t want to be tied to the stove, stirring a big pot, you’ll be happy to know this polenta recipe is quick and carefree. Maybe it won’t measure up to authentic polenta, but I’m no judge. All I know is since I discovered this method of making polenta in another recipe, I’ve been making polenta a lot more often.

Italian Sausage with Roasted Grapes and Polenta

You’ll need a medium microwave-safe bowl, whisk, plate and large ovenproof skillet.

• 3/4 cup medium-grind polenta or cornmeal (not instant polenta – my cornmeal was quite finely ground, but still worked well)
• 3 large sprigs thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Butter
• Grated parmesan cheese
• 1 pound fresh hot or sweet Italian sausages (turkey, chicken or pork – confession, I used pork. Maybe that explains why it was so good?)
• 1/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 1 pound seedless red grapes, off the stems
• 1 red onion, thickly sliced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
• 1-1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chicken broth
• Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
• Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 450. Put cornmeal and 2-1/2 cups water in a medium microwave-safe bowl and whisk to combine. Add 1 thyme sprig and season with salt and pepper. Cover the bowl with a plate and microwave for 4 minutes. Carefully remove the plate and whisk polenta. Cover and microwave for 4 minutes longer. Repeat until the polenta is soft and aromatic, adding more water by 1/4-cupfuls if gets too thick. I usually only do it once or twice more. Stir in the butter and parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausages and fry until browned, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add broth, remaining 2 thyme sprigs, grapes, red onion, garlic and fennel seeds. Transfer the skillet to the oven.

Roast, turning grapes and sausages halfway through cooking time, until grapes begin to caramelize and sausages are cooked through and begin to burst, 12–15 minutes.

Spoon polenta into wide, shallow bowls. If it’s too thick, whisk in a little water, cover and reheat for a few minutes in the microwave. Remove sausages from the skillet and cut them into diagonal pieces. Arrange sausages over the polenta.

Add balsamic and chicken broth to the skillet. Stir over high heat, scraping up browned bits. Drizzle grape pan sauce over sausages. Sprinkle with parsley, if you wish.

Original recipes: Creamy Polenta with Sausages and Roasted Grapes, Bon Appétit and The Bitten Word