Cheese-Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

Created this recipe using this and this as guidelines

INGREDIENTS:  (makes 15-16 big meatballs)
2 lb ground turkey
italian-style bread crumbs (I eyeballed it, prob used a cup)
1 med onion, sliced thin & chopped (I used half a big onion)
minced garlic (big wad of it)
dried parsley (fresh would prob be better)
dash of salt/pepper
1 egg, beaten
grated parmesan (I prob used about a cup)

chunk mozzarella and/or cheddar (or whatever desired cheese), cut into cubes.
pasta sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Combine everything in a bowl (except the cubed cheese & pasta sauce).
Shape meatballs around each piece of cubed cheese. I used pretty big cubes & made large meatballs.
Place meatballs in slow cooker (I used a 7qt slow cooker). Pour some pasta sauce over them.
Cook ~8 hrs on low.
note: I made the meatballs the night before & put the slow cooker in the fridge overnight. About an hour before I left in the morning I put the slow cooker in the freezer (bc I was worried about it overcooking since I wouldn't be home till late). I set slow cooker on a timer for 8hrs and they turned out great!
If you cook them from room temp I would cook less than 8 hrs, just keep an eye on them.

I served over pasta with homemade alfredo
I have baked these, with pasta sauce poured over the meatballs instead of slow cooking, to save time.

I have also made these into meatball subs. I made garlic bread, sliced it in half, then put the meatballs & some pasta sauce on there with some sliced provel cheese. Then put under oven broiler for a minute

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Taco Burgers

Used our previous burger triumphs to create this awesome burger recipe!

INGREDIENTS: (makes 4 big burgers)
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground sausage
1 packet taco seasoning (I used like 3/4 of the packet)
4-6oz shredded "mexican cheese blend"
3oz real bacon bits

bacon strips, cooked (or turkey bacon)
bean dip (I used tostitos brand)
salsa con queso
onion buns

DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl combine the beef, sausage, shredded cheese, taco seasoning, bacon bits.
Shape into 4 patties, make a divet in the middle (helps to cook the burgers evenly).
In a large skillet, cook the burgers on med-hi heat. Flip only once.
When burgers are done, top with some salsa con queso and cover the skillet till the cheese melts.
Assemble burger patties, bean dip, & bacon on buns.

These can be cooked on a grill, we just like the juiciness that we seem to achieve from cooking on the stove. Plus its super ass cold outside to be grilling.

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Eggplant Parmesan

Used this recipe as reference, we liked this. good alternative to chicken parm.

INGREDIENTS:
1 eggplant
sea salt

2 eggs, beaten (for coating)
bread crumbs (for coating the eggplant)
grated parmesan (for coating)

pasta sauce
8oz shredded mozzarella
grated (or shredded) parmesan
minced garlic
basil (and any other desired seasonings)

DIRECTIONS:
Peel & slice eggplant into 1/4" or thinner slices.
Coat the eggplant slices with sea salt, and place them on paper towels (or in a strainer) for 30min. (I read online that this drains out some of the water which keeps the eggplant from absorbing oil & reducing bitterness, preventing it from tasting like balls).
Rinse the salt off & dry the eggplant.
Heat oven to 400F.
Beat the eggs in a bowl.
Combine the bread crumbs & some grated parm in a 2nd bowl.
Dip each eggplant slice in egg, then coat with the bread crumb/parm mixture. Place on baking sheet.
Bake in the 400F oven for 5 min, then flip the slices over & bake another 5min.
Lower oven temp to 350F.
In an 8x8" or 9x9" baking dish layer the following:
     layer of pasta sauce
     layer of half the eggplant slices
     sprinkle of minced garlic
     layer of mozzarella / parmesan
     basil/seasoning
     -repeat-
( I added a bonus top layer of sliced white cheese)
Cover with foil & bake ~30min. Can remove foil for the last few min of baking time.
Serve warm, over pasta etc.

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Adult Cheeseburger Helper

Found this recipe idea here! modded it a lil bit

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground beef
10oz beef chorizo (can use extra ground beef instead)
16oz shell pasta
3 oz real bacon bits
1 onion, sliced thin
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
4c beef broth
big glob of minced garlic
8oz onion/chive cream cheese spread
16oz 2% velveeta
shredded cheddar (as needed, I used prob 1/2 - 1c)
burger seasoning (I used Weber burgundy beef)
salt/pepper (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:
In a big skillet, cook/crumble ground beef & chorizo. Drain out the juice.
Add in the onion and minced garlic.
Stir in the beef broth, diced tomatoes, cream cheese, bacon, pasta, seasonings.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer till pasta is cooked.
Remove from heat & stir in the velveeta & shredded cheddar till melted.

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Short Rib White Lasagna

I based this recipe on "Short Rib Lasagna" from BHG Feb 2014 issue pg 116.

INGREDIENTS:
2.5 lb beef ribs (I used country style boneless rib meat). Pork works too.
16oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
some fresh spinach
1 onion, sliced
1c red wine
1c beef broth
minced garlic
garlic/herb seasoning (I like Weber brand)
sauce (used provel cheese instead of cream cheese)
1 jar alfredo (or double the sauce)
~15 lasagna noodles
8oz deli mozzarella
8oz shredded provel (or provelone)
8oz shredded cheddar
6oz real bacon bits

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the ribs ahead of time:
in slow cooker add: ribs, sliced onion, mushrooms, wine, broth.
Cook 3-4hrs on high.
Remove the ribs from the slow cooker and slice/shred.
I separated the ribs into one bowl and the mushrooms/onion into another. Doesn't really matter tho it's all gonna be layered in the lasagna.

Make the sauce.
Boil the lasagna noodles till theyre soft. Drain and set aside on paper towels or whatever.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Layer in a minumin size 9x13" pan:
     sauce
     lasagna
     shredded cheese
     rib meat
     mushrooms
     parmesan
    -repeat-
     add in a layer of bacon bits & spinach in there somewhere. Finish it off with sliced deli mozzarella on top.
Cover with foil & bake about 45min, remove foil for the last ~15min of baking.
Let stand a few min before cutting.

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Chicken Teriyaki Footlongs (Penn Station Style)

My attempt at recreating Penn Station's teriyaki chicken sandwich

INGREDIENTS: (makes 2)
2 french bread baguettes
2 boneless chicken breasts (or 3-4 thin sliced breasts)
6-8oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
sliced onion
minced garlic
teriyaki sauce
mushroom steak sauce
sliced provelone

DIRECTIONS:
Make the bread dough ahead of time (can refrigerate if needed after it rises).
Bake 2 bread baguettes while you prepare the sandwich filling on the stovetop.
Cut the chicken into thin strips. Add a little olive oil to a skillet and cook the chicken. Add in a little teriyaki sauce.
In a separate, larger skillet, cook the mushroom & onion with some garlic. Add in teriyaki and mushroom steak sauce.
After the chicken is cooked add it in with the mushrooms/onion.
When the bread is done, remove it from oven & set the oven to broil mode.
Slice the bread, add in the chicken/mushroom/onion filling, and top with sliced provelone.
Place under broiler for a couple min, till cheese melted.
Serve warm, with some fries maybe.

note: these were good, but freakin messy. Next time I might try using flatbread or something that would make it easier to pick up.

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Cheeseburger Soup

found recipe here it was very good! Great for a cold ass winter night

INGREDIENTS: (7qt slow cooker)
1.45 lb ground beef, cooked/crumbled/drained
30oz frozen shredded hash browns
9oz real bacon bits (3 packages)
32oz Velveeta (I used the 2% one)
32 oz chicken broth
seasonings (to taste):
several dashes onion flakes (or can use some chopped yellow onion)
few dashes of pepper
few dashes of Worcestershire
bunch of minced garlic
burger seasoning (I added this in after the soup was cooked)

(optional)
hamburger buns
minced garlic
sliced cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Cook/crumble/drain the beef. (I did this the night before to save time).
Add the frozen hash browns into the slow cooker.
Top with crumbled beef, bacon, all the seasonings.
Cut the velveeta into cubes and place on the top.
Pour broth over everything.
Cook for 8 hrs on low.
Stir everything together, add in any additional seasoning if desired.

I served with leftover hamburger onion buns I had. Baked them @275F for 8min. then topped them with minced garlic & sliced/shredded cheeses. Put under broiler for 2min.

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