5 Ingredient Turkey Chilli: Perfect for a Weeknight Dinner

Stumped for weeknight dinner ideas. This was such a comfort food this weekend with the temperatures dropping. The cool weather and the warm chilli was a perfect end to this weekend. This never fails and puts a smile on everyone's face in our house. You can have this with corn bread, dinner rolls or even some baked tortilla chips and a salad on the side. Can't beat the quick 5 ingredients meal. You can thank me later :)

This is just an idea for a quick meal on days when you are running from one activity to the other or need to take a quick dish for a potluck. If you have the time please go for the fresh ingredients whenever possible. Season and steam the beans and chop/cook the tomatoes from scratch but then there are times that you have absolutely no time to do all the above and this has saved the day many a times.

5 Ingredient Turkey Chilli

RECIPE: 5 Ingredient Turkey Chilli: Perfect for a Weeknight Dinner

Ingredients

1 TBSP Sunflower Oil
1 Pkg Ground Turkey
3 (15 oz) Cans diced tomatoes or fresh (I like to use fresh on most nights but tomato cartons work in a pinch)
2 (15 oz) can Beans (again I like to soak and pressure cook mine. You can use Black beans, kidney beans or a combo of any beans you have)
1 small Onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings: Shredded cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream, cilantro etc.

Method

1. Heat a TBSP of oil in a cast iron skillet and cook the onions on medium heat till soft and a little browned. Add turkey meat and cook till it is browned, stirring frequently. Add the remaining ingredients and stir it well. 
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the onion and tomatoes are soft and fully cooked.
3. Serve warm with toppings, dinner rolls (recipe here) or corn bread.

Hope you enjoy it! Please don't forget to like and comment.

Antipasto for Dinner

On days that I don't feel like cooking much (apart from grilling a few Zucchini and Yellow Squash slices) this is a fairly simple but lavish spread. All my boys love this for a change from our usual dinner and we kick off the weekend on a happy, fun and exciting note.

This feast consists of the following goodies. Best thing is there are no rules and there are no recipes so go all out and pair with whatever your heart desires.

FRUITS: Fresh Brown Figs and Sweet Babydoll Grapes (you can use regular, i found them fresh so they went well with my off-beat theme :)

MEATS: Prosciutto (dry cured ham), Sopressata, Dry Coppa (rubbed with black pepper and wine)

CHEESES: Bucheron (soft ripened goat cheese) and Brie (I love it with a little drizzle of fresh honey)

OLIVES: Stuffed Green and Pitted Black ones cured in oil.

VEGGIES: Grilled Zucchini (on a cast iron grill pan) and a medley of pickled veggies and banana peppers (carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower to name a few)

BREAD: A Crusty Roasted Garlic Bread

SALAD: Caprese (tomato, basil, mozarella medallions with a drizzle of honey balsamic vinaigrette) 

Hope you enjoy this with your friends and family. 

Savory Bruschetta

I have not known anyone who does not appreciate a well made Bruschetta. A traditional Bruschetta is made with chopped fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar, served on toasted slices of French or Italian bread. I was flipping through the Costco magazine and came across this savory version from Delano Farms and had to absolutely try it. It looked absolutely amazing and refreshing with grapes being in abundance right now.

Savory Bruschetta

RECIPE: Savory Bruschetta

Ingredients

11/2 Cups seedless Grapes (red, green or black)
1/4 Cup dried Cherries
dash of Cinnamon powder
dash of Nutmeg powder
dash of Clove powder
1 Cup part-skim Ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp finely chopped Candied Ginger
1 Tbsp chopped walnuts
French Baguette or Italian bread
Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Method

1. Chop the grapes and drain any liquid. Add the cherries and sprinkle with cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. set aside.
2. In another bowl blend together ricotta cheese, chopped candied ginger and chopped walnuts.
3. Toast the bread slices, spread the ricotta mixture, top with a spoonful of the grape mix. Garnish with some mint leaves.

Here you have a perfect and healthy snack that is quick and easy to make. Serve it for an after school snack or serve it as an appetizer. It will surely be a huge success. Hope you enjoy it with your family and friends. Post your own pictures and comments when you do try it. Hope you all have a great day.

Sizzling Shrimp with Fenugreek Leaves

RECIPE: Sizzling Shrimp with Fenugreek Leaves
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Onion, finely sliced
5-6 Curry leaves, fresh or dry
1 tsp Onion seeds
1 -2 dry red chillies, broken to piecces
2 lbs large shrimp, with tail on
1 large piee Ginger, Julliened (cut into thin strips)
Sea salt to taste
1 Tbsp dry Kasoori methi (Fenugreek leaves)
1 lemon, juiced
handful of coriander, chopped


Method

1. Heat the oil in a wok and add the julliened ginger. Saute for a minute or till it turns light brown and has released all its flavor.
2. Add sliced onions, curry leaves and onion seeds to it. Stir fry for a 4-5 minutes.
3. Add the chilli pieces, shrimp and fry till they turn light pink. Do not overcook. They should cook in about 5 minutes.
4. Finally add the the kasoori methi, lemon juice and coriander leaves. Toss it well and serve with bread.

Step-by-step process,

Fenugreek leaves, Curry leaves and Onion seeds

Heat the oil in a wok and add the julliened ginger. Saute for a minute or till it turns light brown and has released all its flavor.

Add sliced onions, curry leaves and onion seeds to it. Stir fry for a 4-5 minutes.

Onion Seeds

Add the chilli pieces, shrimp and fry till they turn light pink. Do not overcook. They should cook in about 5 minutes.

Finally add the the kasoori methi, lemon juice and coriander leaves. Toss it well and serve with bread.

Enjoy making it, it is super quick and yummalicious!!!

Endive with Garlic-herb Boursin and Smoked Salmon

RECIPE: Endive with Garlic-herb Boursin and Smoked Salmon
Ingredients
8 Oz Cream Cheese, softened

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1 Garlic clove, pressed or minced

2 Tbsp dried parsley

salt and pepper to tatse

dash hot sauce
3-4 heads California endive
8 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
Fresh parsley for garnish


Method

1. In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese and olive oil. Add garlic, dried parsley, salt, pepper and hot sauce and stir until thoroughly combined.
2. Trim the base of the endive and remove outer leaves. Pull inner leaves apart. Spread the base of each leaf with one or two teaspoons of boursin and top with smoked salmon.
3. Arrange Endive leaves on a platter, garnish with fresh parsley.
























Enjoy!!

Minced Turkey Kebobs

RECIPE: Minced Turkey Kebobs with Peanut Salad
Ingredients
1 1/2 " piece Ginger, minced
5 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Onion, very finely chopped
1-2 green chilli, very finely chopped
handful coriander leaves, finely chopped
3-4 Tbsp besan (chickpea flour), lightly toasted
1/4 Cup Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp Cumin seeds, roasted and ground
1 Tbsp Coriander seeds, roasted and ground
fruit salt, coriander sprigs, lemon wedges and cucumber slices for garnish.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Dry roast the whole cumin and coriander and grind them to a fine powder.
3. Now lightly roast the besan (chickpea flour).
4. Chop the Onion, green chilli and coriander leaves. Also mince the ginger and garlic and set it aside.
5. Take a big bowl and put the minced turkey in it. Add the onion, ginger/garlic paste, green chilli, coriander leaves, toasted and ground cumin and coriander powders, paprika, greek yogurt and the toasted besan. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Take walnut size mixture and make it into a ball and flatten a little between the palms of your hands.
7. Set them on a baking sheet lined with foil. Make sure you spray the foil with a little olive oil.
8. Bake the kebobs for about 15 minutes turing them midway.
9. Garnish with lemon wedges, cucumber slices and sprinkle a little fruit salt on top.
10. Serve them with a Spicy Peanut Kachumber Salad.

Step-by-step process,
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Dry roast the whole cumin and coriander and grid them to a fine powder.

Now lightly roast the besan (chickpea flour).

Chop the Onion, green chilli and coriander leaves. Also mince the ginger and garlic and set it aside.

Take a big bowl and put the minced turkey in it. Add the onion, ginger/garlic paste, green chilli, coriander leaves, toasted and ground cumin and coriander powders, paprika, greek yogurt and the toasted besan. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Take walnut size mixture and make it into a ball and flatten a little between the palms of your hands. Set them on a baking sheet lined with foil. Make sure you spray the foil with a little olive oil.

Bake the kebobs for about 15 minutes turing them midway. Garnish with lemon wedges, cucumber slices and sprinkle a little fruit salt on top. Serve them with a Spicy Peanut Kachumber Salad. (recipe will be posted soon).

 Enjoy!!!