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I hate winter evenings.  I'm not an expert photographer.  I don't even aspire to be one.  But I at least like to TRY to get a good looking photo of the recipes that I post.  The winter evenings leave me with no natural light to speak of and so most photos come out looking slightly unappealing with a yellowish-orange tint to them.  I suppose that means I'll just have to talk this recipe up because you seriously have to try it and I promise you will LOVE it.  I questioned it slightly when I pulled out the recipe. I've never actually cooked bulgur before.  But the recipe was part of a "try new whole grains in your diet" article and I figured... "sure, why not?"

When I called the kids to the table for dinner I wished I had been able to record their reactions.  Brendan (who rarely complains about dinner) sat down and looked at his plate skeptically saying "what IS this?" as Aubrey said "I don't WANT this... I don't LIKE it!" throwing herself to the ground.  I reeled them back in saying "you haven't even tasted it yet... if you take a few bites then I'll get out some tortilla chips and you can eat it with those."  The word "chips" got their attention and they took their first tentative bites.

Brendan's eyes lit up "Mommy, it's so GOOD!" and Aubrey exclaimed "I like it!" and though they momentarily forgot about the promise of chips, I brought them out anyway... I like to keep my word.  The tastes were amazing (and a tortilla chip or two to clean the plate adds a nice touch.)  So don't be turned off by the name or the look because as Brendan has told me time and time again "even if it doesn't look good... it doesn't mean it won't TASTE good!"

Turkey Bulgar Skillet

8 oz lean ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup frozen corn (I used a whole can, drained, since I didn't have any frozen)
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup uncooked bulgur (I found this in the whole foods/bulk section of Fred Meyer for cheap!)

Topping: 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream mixed with 1 Tbsp chopped green onion and 1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro

In a large nonstick skillet coated in cooking spray, cook turkey and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

Stir in the beans, tomatoes, water, corn chili powder, cumin, pepper and salt.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in bulgur. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 13-18 minutes or until bulgur is tender.

Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.  Serve on plates or in bowls with a spoonful of "topping" and some tortilla chips.

Original recipe courtesy of taste of home healthy cooking

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My Christmas dinner was a disaster.

I may be exaggerating.  Maybe not quite a disaster.  But it did leave me crying into my hands at the table, quietly sobbing "I'm sorry, it's so bad" to my family.  My poor husband knew just how to respond and patted my shoulder lovingly with a "it's really not that bad honey..." But when it all came down to it, when asked if he'd eat any leftovers he hesitated for a long while before saying sweetly, "no... I don't think so." And that's when I knew it had been a huge flop.  A 9 lb ham in the trash... Not for my lack of skill or trying.  I cooked all afternoon!  But I'll spare you the details of the slimy ham I purchased from Albertson's and get down to the fact that dessert saved the day.

Not the prettiest looking pie, I couldn't get the crust to come together like a pastry crust should.  It was crumbly and hard to handle and I ended up just smashing the edges together in an effort to "seal" the two crusts.  No decorative crimping here... sorry folks.  And for this reason alone I figured the dessert would likely follow in the footsteps of the disastrous dinner.  But no, this thing was amazing... and even better on days 2 and 3!

Walnut Crusted Apple Pie

1 lb fuji apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 lb golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
6.75 ounces all purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold butter cut into pieces
3 tablespoons ice cold vodka (or water)
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon milk
1 egg yolk

Combine first 8 ingredients (through cinnamon).  Toss to coat.

Place nuts in a food processor; process until finely ground.  Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Add flour, 3 T brown sugar and 1/4 t salt to food processor; pulse 5 times.  Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal (about 6-8 times.) Turn processor on and slowly add vodka through food chute processing just until combined (do not form a ball.)  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 3-4 times.  Divide into 2 equal portions.  Flatten each portion into a 4 inch circle on plastic wrap.  Chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425.

Unwrap and place 1 dough piece onto plastic wrap.  Cover with 2 overlapping pieces of plastic wrap.  Roll dough, still covered, into a 10-inch circle.  Place into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Spoon apple mixture into crust.  Follow same rolling instructions for second dough piece, rolling into a 12-inch circle.  Place over apple mixture and press edges of crusts together.  Fold under and flute.  Cut slits in top of dough to allow steam to escape.

Combine milk and egg yolk, stirring with a whisk.  Gently brush top of dough with egg mixture.  Place pie plate on a foil lined baking sheet (or on one of these amazing pie drip catchers from Williams Sonoma that my step mom bought me!) Bake at 425 in lower third of the oven for 20 minutes.  Shield edges of pie crust with foil.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 (do not remove pie from oven) and bake an additional 30 minutes or until browned.  Cool on a wire rack.

Original recipe courtesy of Cooking Light

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I find it extremely difficult to take "good" or pretty photos of casseroles, especially once they're dished onto the plate.  Of course, my food photography is novice at best anyway... but I always want the presentation to at least look appealing!  Rest assured that while this looks like a pile of goop, it was incredibly delicious and so convenient to pull out of the freezer on a busy weeknight. A flavorful "comfort food" kind of meal. I promise to try and get a better photo next time I make it...

I used an entire rotisserie chicken, pulled from the carcass and shredded (I love how appealing that sounds... sorry...) and I divided the whole thing between 2 large square foil pans to freeze for later (this was on a "freezer meal" prep day.)  The recipe makes 10-12 servings itself so, unless you plan to feed a crowd, I would divide it.  It was plenty for us to have for 2 nights worth of dinner.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole 
1 (2.25-oz) package sliced almonds
2 (6.2-oz) boxes fast cooking long grain and wild rice mix (I used 3 boxes of Rice-a-Roni brand)
2 tablespoons butter
4 celery ribs, chopped
5 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
2 (8 oz) cans water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt (could be omitted, there is plenty of flavor without)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided (I think I used about 3, total)
2 cups soft fresh breadcrumbs

Prepare rice mixes according to package directions.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onions.  Saute 10 minutes or until tender.  In a large bowl mix together celery/onion mixture, chicken, next 6 ingredients and 3 cups of the cheese.  Spoon mixture into a lightly greased large baking dish or 2 smaller (11x7) baking dishes. Top with breadcrumbs.

To make tonight: Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.  Top with remaining cheese and almonds and bake an additional 5 minutes.

To freeze and make later: cover with plastic wrap, place cheese and almonds in a resealable freezer bag, place on top of plastic wrap and cover dish with foil.  Label, date and freeze.  Thaw and cook as directed above. OR Remove from freezer and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.  Bake, COVERED, at 350 for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 55-75 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Top with cheese and almonds and heat 5 minutes longer.

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My husband never complains about what I make for dinner (except on the rare occasion that I've made soup... he's not a big "soup for dinner" kind of guy.)  So I occasionally have to ask him what he thinks of my new recipes and can usually gauge how much he really likes them by his genuine responses.  One of the ways I know I've found a good recipe is when he tells me, without prompting,  "this is great honey!" as he finishes every last bite.

The flavors in this recipe prompted just such a response and I couldn't have agreed more.  A quick and easy weeknight meal, I paired it with a baked potato and steamed veggies.

Walnut and Rosemary Oven-Fried Chicken
1/4 cup low fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 chicken cutlets (or 4 small 6 oz breasts pounded slightly)
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Combine buttermilk and mustard in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk.  Add chicken to buttermilk mixture, turning to coat.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add panko to pan; cook 3 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently.  Combine panko, nuts and next 4 ingredients in a shallow dish.  Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture; discard buttermilk mixture.  Dredge chicken in panko mixture.

Arrange a wire rack on a large baking sheet; coat rack with cooking spray.  Arrange chicken on rack; coat chicken with cooking spray (or spray lightly with olive oil.)  Bake at 425 for 13 minutes or until chicken is done.

Calories: 292, Fat: 9.6g, Sat: 1.6g, Protein: 42.7g, Carb: 6.8g, Fiber: 0.9g

*Courtesy of Cooking Light*

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I can't say enough good things about this recipe.  Absolutely amazing.  I took a double batch to work the first time I made it and it was gone rather quickly with compliments all around.  I decided to make a few big batches to give out as Christmas gifts this year and it was a big success.  And to think, it's so relatively light too!  Note: don't get ahead of yourself and add the peanut butter until AFTER the sugar/syrup/butter mixture has cooked.  I did this once.  It turned out OK but tasted a little like slightly burnt peanut butter.  Not nearly as good as its intended flavor...

I air popped the popcorn omitting the 2 tablespoons of oil and left out the almonds. I also doubled the recipe and baked it in a large foil roasting pan.  The high sides made it easier to stir while baking.

Peanut Butter Caramel Corn
cooking spray
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup light colored corn syrup
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, coat paper with cooking spray.

Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add popcorn; cover and cook 4 minutes, shaking pan frequently.  When popping slows, remove pan from heat.  Let stand until popping stops. Uncover and add almonds.

Combine sugar, syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat; add peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until smooth.  Drizzle over popcorn, toss well.  Spread mixture onto prepared pan.  Bake at 250 for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Cool completely.

*Courtesy of Cooking Light*

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Don't let the name fool you... these don't hold much maple flavor although I suppose if you use a dark amber or grade B maple syrup, you might get a little more out of it.  Regardless, these muffins are still hearty and tasty... not too sweet, just perfect for pairing with a smoothie on "smoothie day." :) Toss extras in a sealed freezer bag.  Pull one out and microwave for 20-30 seconds or until thawed and warm.

Maple Spice Muffins 
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
6 oz. low-fat lemon yogurt
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
1 large egg
1 large carrot, grated
1 small apple, cored and grated
1/2 cup raisins (or dried blueberries)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Coat a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray or line with baking cups.

In a large bowl, stir together butter, syrup, yogurt, sour cream, egg, carrot, apple, and raisins.   Sprinkle dry ingredients over butter mixture.  Stir until just combined - batter will be lumpy.

Divide batter among muffin cups.  Bake until tops are lightly browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean 20-25 minutes.  Remove to a rack to cool.

*Courtesy of Jessica Seinfeld's Double Delicious*

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As far as I can remember, though this recipe said it would make 6 large burgers, I was able to get only 4.  That being said, they were definitely LARGE burgers with exceptional taste.  A little difficult and messy in the initial preparation steps but worth the effort to be able to pull them out of the freezer, thaw for an hour or two and toss into a skillet to cook on a busy weekday evening.  Use the toppings of your choice.  I think next time I'd do a tartar sauce or asian sauce and lettuce instead of the sprouts.

Gourmet Salmon Burgers

1 lb fresh salmon
1 egg white
3 T chopped onion
3 T soy sauce
1 T sugar
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 t garlic powder
1 1/2 t sesame oil
1 1/2 t sesame seeds
6 T plain breadcrumbs

Chop salmon into very small pieces (or place in a food processor and process lightly.)  Place in bowl and add remaining ingredients.  Form into patties, wrapping each individually in plastic wrap.  Place in labeled freezer bag.

Note: I found the mixture a little difficult to handle and so I formed patties directly on the plastic wrap and made sure to freeze them flat to maintain their shape before placing them in the freezer bag together.  When I took them out for dinner I let them thaw only an hour or so before cooking which also made them easier to handle.

To cook: Heat 2 tsp oil in skillet and cook burgers until browned on both sides.  Serve on buns or with rice and veggies.

Nutrition info per burger assuming 6 burgers:
Cal: 195, Fat: 8.7g, Chol: 89mg, Carb: 6.4g, Fiber: 4g
*Courtesy of Don't Panic More Dinner's in the Freezer by Martinez, Howell and Garcia*

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