Stir-Fried Chicken with Toasted Sesame Seeds

• 2 Tbsp hot water
• 3 Tbsp dry mustard
• 1/2 C soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 Tbsp canola or peanut oil
• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• pepper to taste

1. Place sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat and cook briefly until nicely brown and fragrant. Place seeds in a small bowl.
2. Whisk the water, dry mustard, soy sauce, 2 Tbsp sesame seeds and garlic in a small bowl.
3. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken cubes and stir-fry 5-8 minutes until lightly brown and opaque. Sprinkle with pepper, lemon juice and remaining sesame seeds. Cook for 2-3 more minutes until heated through. Serve with mustard sauce as a dipping sauce.

Robyn's notes: this was seriously painful to eat. It has potential, but would need some changes. For me it was especially difficult because I'm not allowed to eat sesame seeds, but I felt that the toasted flavor they'd impart was probably necessary to make the recipe "go", so I didn't leave them out, which meant lots of scraping my food before I could eat it. For me, if I were to make it again, I'd strain part of the sauce and set it aside for my own use. In addition, I'd definitely reduce the amount of mustard and probably be more sparing with the lemon juice. Every time I put a piece of chicken in my mouth, my tongue seized up. I served this with white rice and glazed carrots.

** 2 Stars: Acceptable. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, if I make changes

I did not take the below picture, forgive the poor angle

Lazy Meaty Lasagna

This is based on the recipe for Lazy Lasagna, which was vegetarian. I was cooking this for people who prefer to have meat with every meal, so I added the ground turkey. Follow the above link for the meatless version.

• 1 1/2 C wide noodles
• 1/2 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 C spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 C cottage cheese
• 3/4 C shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, crumble turkey into a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, cottage cheese and mozzarella. Fold in the noodles. Pour into two greased 2-cup casserole dishes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
2. Bake, uncovered, at 375°F for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Robyn's notes: very simple recipe. I had shredded Parmesan in the house, so used that instead of the grated and I think it was better. As far as "greasing" the casserole dishes, I sprayed them with Pam cooking spray. I've made the meatless version in the past using lasagna noodles that I broke in half before cooking. Made this again, for my sister, June 14, 2011, using ground beef instead of turkey. Came out very well.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Oven Ranch Chicken

• 1/3 C bread crumbs
• 1 (0.4 oz) package buttermilk ranch salad dressing mix
• 1/3 C light sour cream
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In shallow dish or pie pan, combine bread crumbs and salad dressing mix; mix well. Place sour cream in another shallow dish or pie pan.
3. Dip chicken in sour cream, coating well. Roll coated chicken in bread crumb mixture. Place chicken on sprayed cookie sheet. If desired, spray chicken with nonstick cooking spray. Discard any remaining bread crumb mixture and sour cream.
4. Bake at 375°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear.

Robyn's notes: I used Progresso bread crumbs. This recipe keeps the chicken nicely juicy, and it's very quick to make. Not visually exciting, but quite good.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Mini Cottage Pies

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 1/4 C chopped onion
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 C beef stock
• 1/2 C frozen peas and carrots
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 C leftover mashed potatoes
• 1 1/2 tsp granulated garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp granulated onion powder
• 1 C shredded Cheddar

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground turkey and brown.
3. Stir in the onions, salt, pepper and garlic and allow to cook together for a couple of minutes.
4. Mix flour into the meat mixture and stir until a paste consistency is reached. Add beef stock to pan and stir in vegetables and herbs, the last few minutes, until combined.
5. Reheat mashed potatoes in a microwave for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in granulated garlic and onion powder.
6. Spoon equal amounts of turkey mixture into two ramekins. Top with equal amounts of warm potatoes. Finally top with equal amounts of cheese. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until cheese is melted and browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Robyn's notes: I was using four-cheese mashed potatoes, so didn't add the garlic powder or onion powder to them. Because I can't have onions, garlic, peas, or carrots, I made half this recipe twice. First the version I could eat, omitting those steps, then as written above for my sweetheart. The photo below isn't the best, but he was hungry so I had to take it quickly.

Madras Chicken and Broccoli Salad

• 8oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat
• 1/3 C nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 Tbsp prepared mango chutney
• 1 tsp hot Madras curry powder
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 C finely chopped broccoli
• 1/4 C finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 C chopped cashews

1. Place chicken in a small skillet or saucepan and add enough water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and cool to room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, whisk yogurt, chutney, curry and cilantro in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Add broccoli, onion, cashews and the cooked chicken; toss to coat.

Robyn's notes: I used regular curry powder. GFers: doublecheck the chutney when you buy it, most brands are GF. To use up leftover mango chutney, whisk with yogurt for a quick dressing, dip or marinade; serve alongside grilled meat, fish or chicken; blend with reduced-fat cream cheese for a spread. This was easy and quick to make.

Turkey Florentine

• 8oz boneless turkey breast cutlets (1/4inch thick)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp butter or margarine
• 4 tsp minced shallots or onions
• 1/4 C dry white wine or apple juice
• 8 C spinach, loosely packed
• 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg (optional)

1. Dry the turkey pieces with a paper towel, then sprinkle them with the salt and pepper.
2. Place a heavy, 8" nonstick skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Swirl in the butter or margarine and add the turkey. Cook, turning as necessary, for 3 minutes, or until the turkey is browned and firm to the touch, with no trace of pink in the center. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
3. To the skillet, add the shallots or onions, wine or apple juice and spinach. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 minute, or until the spinach is barely wilted. Sprinkle with the nutmeg (if using). Place the spinach on a serving plate, top with the turkey and serve.

Robyn's notes: used onion not shallot and apple juice not wine. This recipe went over very well taste-wise, but it was kind of a pain for me. It was difficult to find a store that had turkey breast cutlets in stock (several normally carried them but didn't have any when I was there, don't know why), and I always have minor issues with "transfer to a plate and keep warm". No matter where I put the item on the plate (inside microwave often, to keep it off the counter and out of my way) or how I cover it (often covered with a second plate upside down), the meat never stays as warm as I'd like it to.

Spiced Turkey with Avocado-Grapefruit Relish

Avocado-Grapefruit Relish:

• 1 large seedless grapefruit
• 1/2 small avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp red-wine vinegar
• 1 tsp honey

Spiced Turkey

• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp five-spice powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 turkey cutlets (8 ounces)
• 1 Tbsp canola oil

1. To prepare relish: Remove the peel and white pith from grapefruit with a sharp knife and discard. Cut the grapefruit segments from the surrounding membrane, letting them drop into a small bowl. Squeeze out remaining juice into the bowl and discard membrane. Add avocado, shallot, cilantro, vinegar and honey. Toss well to combine.
2. To prepare turkey: Combine chili powder, five-spice powder and salt on a plate. Dredge turkey in the spice mixture.
3. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook until no longer pink in the middle, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve the turkey with the avocado-grapefruit relish.

Robyn's notes: Served with Herbed Whole-Wheat Couscous and a side of salad greens. This was a slightly more complex meal than usual because it was his birthday, but it still wasn't too complicated and didn't take long, just about a half hour. Was quite good, and was nice to be able to use grapefruit from our own tree.

Thai Chicken Wrap

Note: received this recipe in a Ravelry group recipe swap, and the yield is not given. Definitely more than 2, but I cannot remember if I halved the recipe or what. Use best judgment based on given amount of chicken.

• 3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4-1/2 tsp pepper
• 6 (8-10inch) flour tortillas
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 4 C packaged shredded broccoli (broccoli slaw mix)
• 1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

For Thai Peanut Sauce:

• 3 Tbsp white or brown sugar
• 1/4 C creamy peanut butter
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• dash Tabasco sauce

1. Slice the chicken into thin strips for stir-frying. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the seasoned chicken over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until no longer pink. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Add the shredded broccoli, onion, and ginger to the hot skillet. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
2. Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave on high power for 30 seconds to soften. OR wrap tortillas in foil and heat in a 350degree oven for 10 minutes.
3. To make sauce, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently.
4. To assemble, spread each tortilla with about 1 Tbsp Thai Peanut Sauce. Divide the chicken strips and vegetable mixture among the tortillas and roll them up, securing with toothpicks. Serve remaining peanut sauce on the side.

Robyn's notes: this was good, we both enjoyed it very much and he was sopping up the remaining peanut sauce with every scrap of tortilla he had. But it was seriously messy. We both had peanut sauce all over our hands and had to eat with our heads jutted forward to keep from wearing it.

Flavorful Chicken Pasta

• 3/4 C uncooked spiral pasta
• 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 1/8 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/4 C sliced ripe olives, drained
• 2 Tbsp sour cream
• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with garlic salt. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken in oil for 5 minutes or until no longer pink.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, basil and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Stir in vinegar. Reduce heat; cover and season for 5 minutes.
3. Add olives; heat through. Stir in sour cream until blended (do not boil). Drain pasta; stir into chicken mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Robyn's notes: this was good and he noted just how tasty it was. I served it with Carrots with Rosemary Butter.

Creamy Rice Chicken and Spinach Dinner

• 2 Tbsp roasted red pepper Italian Parmesan dressing
• 8oz boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 3/4 C chicken broth
• 1 C minute brown rice, uncooked
• 2oz Neufchatel cheese, cubed
• 4oz baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat dressing in a large, deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook for 3 minutes. Add broth, bring to a boil.
2. Stir in rice, return to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium; simmer 5 minutes. Stir neufchatel cheese into rice mixture until melted. Add spinach; cover, and cook until spinach is wilted. Stir mixture gently to mix in spinach, cover.
3. Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Robyn's notes: I used cream cheese instead of Neufchatel. Easy and quick, he liked it.

Chicken Fried Rice

• 1/4 C chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 1/2 C cold cooked long grain rice
• 3/4 C cubed cooked chicken
• 2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 green onion, sliced

1. In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry mushrooms in oil until tender. Stir in the rice, chicken and soy sauce. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add egg and onion; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until egg is set.

Robyn's notes: very easy and quick, he liked it a lot.  I made this a second time November 4, 2012.  I had to turn the heat up to get the egg to set properly, and my chicken got a bit dry, but it was still good.  The rice was especially tasty.  Although we don't have leftovers to deal with very often, this is a good way to deal with leftover rice and chicken when needed.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Vegetable Turkey Soup

Note: Check the Yield before making!

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1/3 C chopped onion
• 1/3 C chopped green pepper
• 29 oz beef broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 C cubed potatoes
• 3/4 C green beans
• 1/2 C chopped carrot
• 1/2 C water
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/8 tsp pepper

1. Cook turkey, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Serve immediately or transfer to freezer containers. May be frozen for up to 3 months. To use frozen soup: thaw in fridge overnight. Transfer to a saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until heated through.

Yield: 6 servings

Robyn's notes: easy, takes about an hour total. He liked it.  We didn't ever get around to eating the rest of the leftovers, though.  I found them in the freezer much later, forgotten.  Basically the last time we tried making a large soup and storing most for future consumption.

Tarragon Crusted Chicken with Garden Salad

• 1/4 C dry bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh tarragon
• 1 tsp grated lemon peel
• 1/4 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1. In a shallow bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine lemon juice and oil. Dip the chicken in lemon juice mixture, then crumb mixture.
2. In a small skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

Fresh Garden Salad

• 1/2 small zucchini, sliced
• 1/2 small summer squash, sliced
• 1/2 sweet red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 thin slice sweet onion, quartered
• 1/4 cup poppy seed salad dressing

1. In a small bowl, combine the zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper and onion. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.

Robyn's notes: salad was fine, but the chicken just wasn't good. Very little flavor and I had to burn them to get them to cook through, even though I used thin sliced chicken breasts. He was not impressed.

* 1 Star: Not Too Good. Neither of us liked this enough for me to bother making it again without complete overhaul

Rosemary Turkey and Vegetables

• 1 pkg uncooked Parmesan couscous
• 1/4 C chicken broth
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 lb fresh turkey breast slices, cut into 1/4 inch thick strips
• 1/2 tsp salt
• dash pepper
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium zucchini, julienne cut
• 2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 3/4 tsp dried rosemary leaves

1. Cook couscous as directed on package, cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine broth and cornstarch; blend well. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds. Add turkey, salt and pepper; cook and stir 5 to 7 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink in center.
4. Add bell pepper and zucchini; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender.
5. Stir broth mixture until smooth. Add broth mixture, tomatoes, and rosemary to skillet; cook and stir until sauce is bubbly and thickened. Serve with couscous.

Robyn's notes: good but I didn't think it was worth all the steps in preparing.

Spicy Chinese Chicken Tacos

• 6 taco shells
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite sized strips
• 1 tsp grated gingerroot
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 large green onion, sliced
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 C shredded lettuce

1. Spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken, gingerroot and garlic; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
2. Reduce heat to low. Add soy sauce, honey, onion, and crushed red pepper flakes; stir to coat. Cover; cook 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center, stirring occasionally.
3. Place about 1/4 C chicken mixture in each taco shell. Top each with lettuce. 

Robyn's notes: I substituted cabbage for lettuce and flour tortillas for taco shells. He liked it, ate it all very quickly.

Turkey Burgers with Avocado Mayonnaise

• 1/2 pound lean ground turkey
• 2 Tbsp dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut up
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 2 whole grain burger buns, split
• 2 slices tomato

1. In medium bowl, combine ground turkey, bread crumbs, chili powder and garlic salt; mix well. Shape mixture into two 4-inch patties.
2. Place patties in medium skillet and cook until no longer pink in the center, turning once.
3. Meanwhile, in blender container, combine mayonnaise, avocado, lemon juice and garlic powder. Cover; blend until smooth.
4. Spread bottom halves of buns with mayonnaise mixture. Top with turkey patties and tomato slices. Cover with top halves of buns.

Robyn's notes: the recipe instructed for these to be grilled, but the grill isn't ready yet, and I didn't want to broil them for fear of making them too dry (if broiling is preferred, these are the instructions: To broil turkey patties, place on broiler pan; broil 4 to 6 inches from heat using times above as a guide, turning once.). I used safflower mayonnaise and the heels from a loaf of whole wheat bread (why buy a whole package of buns?).

Pecan Chicken w/ Creamy Honey-Mustard Sauce

Chicken

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/3 C purchased honey mustard salad dressing
• 1/2 C finely chopped pecans
• 2 Tbsp butter

Sauce

• 2 Tbsp purchased honey mustard salad dressing
• 1/3 C sour cream
• 1 tsp sliced green onions

1. Pound each chicken breast half to a thickness of approximately 1/4 inch.
2. Place flour, 1/3 C dressing, and pecans in 3 separate small flat dishes. Coat each chicken breast half with flour. Dip in dressing to coat well. Dip in pecans, coating both sides.
3. Melt butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add chicken; cook 4 to 6 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear, turning once. Remove chicken from skillet; place on serving platter. Cover to keep warm.
4. To drippings in skillet, add 2 Tbsp dressing and sour cream; cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with onions.

Robyn's notes: I felt that there wasn't enough dressing or pecans for both chicken breast halves, and since I can't eat pecans, I made a different breaded chicken dish for myself and only gave this to him. He said it was one of the best chicken dishes he had ever had.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Turkey Chow Mein

• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 7oz beef broth
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 3/4 C sliced celery
• 1 (8oz) can bean sprouts, drained
• 1 (4oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 1 (4oz) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 Tbsp water
• 2 C chow mein noodles

1. Brown turkey in large skillet over medium heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.
2. Add broth, soy sauce, ginger, celery, bean sprouts, water chestnuts and mushrooms; mix well. Cover; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine cornstarch and water; blend until smooth.
4. Stir cornstarch mixture into turkey mixture. Cook until mixture boils and thickens. Serve over chow mein noodles. If desired, serve with additional soy sauce.


Robyn's notes: had to be careful not to make the turkey dry. But was an easy recipe.

Chicken 'n' Pepper Subs

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into strips
• 1/8 tsp salt
• dash pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 C sliced sweet red pepper
• 1/2 C sliced green pepper
• 1/2 C sliced onion
• 3/4 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
• 2 slices provolone cheese (1oz each)
• 2 submarine or hoagie buns, split

1. In a large skillet, saute the chicken, salt and pepper in oil until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm. In the same pan, saute the peppers, onion, vinegar and garlic until the vegetables are tender. Stir in hot sauce and chicken.
2. Place cheese on bun bottoms; top with chicken mixture. Broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Replace bun tops.


Robyn's notes: This was so easy and the chicken had a lot of flavour.

Crunchy Turkey Salad

• 1 C cubed cooked turkey breast
• 1/4 C seedless red grapes, halved
• 3 Tbsp chopped celery
• 4 tsp chopped pecans
• 4 tsp chopped water chestnuts

Dressing

• 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tsp dried minced onion
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• dash curry powder

1. In a small bowl, combine the turkey, grapes, celery, pecans and water chestnuts. In another small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Pour over turkey mixture; toss to coat. Chill until serving.

Robyn's notes: easy, quick. I almost always use safflower mayonnaise instead of regular mayo and did this time as well.