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Spicy Turkey Burgers

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Spicy Turkey BurgerYou know you think it when you hear “turkey burger”…just a hint of disappointment knowing that you’ll have to slather on some extra condiments to make up for the otherwise dry and bland burger itself. You don’t have to pretend that you love the taste turkey burgers *so* much more than beef burgers. I’ve been there. I know. BUT, luckily these turkey burgers are by no means bland and DEFINITELY not dry. I would even venture to say that I would pick this turkey burger over a beef burger. It’s THAT good. You will be in shock. And awe. And wonder why you’ve suffered through so many bad turkey burgers pretending to like them because they’re supposed to be “healthy.” Trust me here.

Spicy Turkey BurgerNow, on the flip side, don’t let the word “spicy” scare you. These turkey burgers do have a couple of spicy ingredients but are by no means 5-alarm, call the fire department spicy. The spice just perks up the otherwise kind of bland turkey. The green chiles also add some much needed moisture to the turkey. As does the cheese. Plus, it’s hard to go wrong with cheese.

Spicy Turkey BurgerI kind of got this recipe from my mom. I say “kind of” because when I asked her what was in it she replied, “ground turkey, cheese, green chiles, and hot sauce.” Thanks, mom. That’s real helpful. Just kidding…I love my mom and I’m sure she would figure out the exact amounts for me if I wanted but she just knows how much goes in. It’s like her secret. Well, I’m outing her secret. Because it’s too good not to share. I also added a little fresh cilantro because we have an enormous amount in our garden. Totally optional. Totally delicious.

Spicy Turkey BurgerWhat did I put on my turkey burgers? A little extra cheese (there’s never enough), guacamole, and lettuce. Um, YUM! I think we even added pickles to the mix when we had leftovers. You can also use your traditional burger toppings and it would be delicious. Basically, you can’t go wrong with these burgers.

Spicy Turkey Burgers
Serves 4
Juicy and flavorful turkey burgers
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
12 min
Total Time
17 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
12 min
Total Time
17 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 pound ground turkey
  2. 1/2-3/4 can chopped green chiles (4 ounce can)
  3. 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  4. 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  5. 1 teaspoon hot sauce or Sriracha
Instructions
  1. Gently blend ingredients together until just combined.
  2. Form into 4 patties.
  3. Grill over medium heat for 5-6 minutes per side, until golden brown and the inside temperature reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Since these are turkey burgers, make sure they are cooked all the way through.
Notes
  1. I topped my burgers with lettuce, a little more cheese, and guacamole. You can also use your favorite traditional burger toppings!
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Shepard’s Pot Pie

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Shepards Pot PieShepard’s pot pie. What exactly is that? Well that’s a good question since it’s kind of something made up from mixing other recipes together. Think chicken pot pie with a mashed potato (like Shepard’s pie) topping. Usually in my chicken pot pie recipe I use an exorbitant amount of potatoes for the chicken to potato to other vegetable ratio. So, why not just make potatoes a star with a mashed potato topping?? Genius, I know. It was bound to happen someday.

Shepards Pot PieChicken pot pie/Shepard’s pie/Shepard’s pot pie are recipes that usually go well on a cold winter night since they tend to warm your belly and your soul. Well, folks, here it is April 8th in southern Michigan and there is snow on the ground and there’s more snow in the forecast. So let’s forget the whole “it’s good in the winter” thing and say that this would be a perfect April dish when the snow is coming down in parts of the country where there should be no more snow for the season. It’s okay, next week will probably be 80 degrees and sunny based on the weather patterns here.

Shepards Pot PieEnough about the crazy weather and back to the Shepard’s pot pie. Everyone has preferences for what they like in their pot pie recipes. Please, add whatever you like. I’m not a fan of mushrooms and onions aren’t huge on my list of favorites (so I only added a little onion). Some people love those so add mushrooms and more onion if that’s you’re pleasure. You can add frozen corn…that would be delicious. You could even make this with ground beef instead of chicken if you wanted to really go the Shepard’s pie route! Hmmm, I didn’t think of that before but that would have been good. Whoever tries it with ground beef, let me know how it goes.
Shepards Pot Pie

Shepard's Pot Pie
Serves 6
Chicken Pot Pie...with a mashed potato twist!
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Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
1 hr 35 min
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
1 hr 35 min
Ingredients for the Mashed Potatoes
  1. 3-4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
  2. 2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon to top the potatoes before baking
  3. 1/2 cup milk
  4. salt and pepper, to taste
Ingredients for the Pot Pie
  1. 1/3 cup butter
  2. 1/3 cup flour
  3. 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  4. 2 carrots, diced
  5. 2 stalks of celery, diced
  6. salt and pepper, to taste
  7. 2/3 cup milk
  8. 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
  9. 1 pound chicken, cooked and cubed
  10. 3/4 cup frozen peas
  11. 1 refrigerated pie crust
Directions for the Mashed Potatoes
  1. Add diced potatoes into a pot of cold water. Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
  2. Drain the potatoes and set aside.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, milk, and salt and pepper into the same pot. Once melted, add the potatoes back into the pot and mash.
  4. Set aside.
Directions for the Pot Pie
  1. While the potatoes are cooking, heat 1/3 cup of butter in a large saute pan over medium heat until melted. Add in the flour, onion, carrots, celery, and salt and pepper. Stir constantly while cooking for 8-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are just getting tender.
  2. Remove from heat and add in the milk and chicken stock.
  3. Heat over medium to medium-high heat until mixture comes to a simmer, stirring constantly. Let simmer for 1 minute, until the mixture thickens.
  4. Add in the cooked chicken and peas and simmer until heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.
  5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  6. Press the pie crust into an 8x8 pan (on the bottom and up the sides of the pan). This might take some finagling to fit but luckily pie crust is forgiving in this case.
  7. Pour the chicken pot pie mixture into the uncooked pie crust. Top with a layer of mashed potatoes, making sure to press the potatoes all the way to the edges. Top with 1 tablespoon of butter (cut into smaller pieces to spread over entire top).
  8. Place pan on a foil-lined baking sheet (in case it spills over) and bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
  9. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
  1. If you don't let the pot pie sit after baking, the chicken and veggie mixture will be thin and tend to run everywhere. Letting it sit for a bit helps the mixture to stay together a bit more while serving.
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Chicken Parmesan

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Chicken ParmesanEvery once in awhile I get a hankering for a classic and simple dish like Chicken Parmesan. I mean, you can’t go wrong with a classic. It just so happens that this is a fairly classic recipe made oh-so-delicious with a panko breadcrumb and Parmesan coating. If you aren’t familiar with panko breadcrumbs, think breadcrumbs but lighter and crispier. You can find them in basically every grocery store, if not every one, so don’t worry that they’ll be hard to find. It’s worth it. For real.

Chicken ParmesanI’ve only ever actually made Chicken Parmesan maybe a couple times in my life. This is a dish that’s so easy to order at a Italian restaurant and it’s pretty much always delicious. Where can you really go wrong with breaded chicken, cheese, and pasta? It’s like you’d have to *try* to make those ingredients taste bad. Even though I’ve made it before, I for some reason was convinced that it would be hard to make and would be a disaster. False. Totally false. This recipe is not hard to make at all. And it totally was not a disaster. Note to future Steph thinking Chicken Parmesan is hard to make…IT IS SO EASY!

Chicken ParmesanThe main advice I have for anything breaded is just to prep well. As you may or may not know, I am a very experienced cook so you should all listen to any and all advice that I have. That’s a joke…my experience is limited. However, you can be assured that any advice I post is from personal experience. So that’s a win for you! Once you have the 3 pans (flour mixture, egg mixture, and breading) ready to go, you’re basically golden. The rest is just a little cooking on the stove top and in the oven. Easy peasy.

Chicken ParmesanThe moral of the story is that no matter how delicious Chicken Parmesan can be at a restaurant, you can easily make it just as (if not more) delicious in your own home. Your own home, folks.

Chicken Parmesan
Serves 4
Simple and delicious Chicken Parmesan with a light and crispy breading
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
  2. 1/2 cup flour
  3. salt and pepper, to taste
  4. 2 eggs, whisked
  5. 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
  6. 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  7. 1/2 cup olive oil
  8. 2 tablespoons butter
  9. 1 cup pasta sauce
  10. 4 slices mozzarella cheese
  11. basil, optional, to garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place chicken (1-2 breasts at a time) in a plastic zip top bag. Use a rolling pin to pound each chicken breast to about 1/2" thick. Set aside.
  3. Mix together the flour and salt and pepper, to taste. Pour mixture onto on a plate or large flat pan and set aside. Have another pan (with edges) ready with the whisked egg and salt and pepper, to taste. In a 3rd pan, mix the panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dredge the pounded chicken in the flour mixture, coat with the egg mixture (let extra slightly drain off), and finally coat in the breadcrumb mixture.
  4. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium to medium high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the dredged chicken into the pan and cook 2-3 minutes per side, until just golden brown.
  5. Place the chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover each piece of chicken with about 1/4 cup of pasta sauce, mozzarella slices, and basil.
  6. Bake in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and the cheese is melted.
  7. Serve over pasta.
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

General Tso’s Chicken

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General Tso's ChickenToday is a snow day! I didn’t even have to wear my pajamas inside out or put ice cubes in the toilet like all my students told me I had to. I have to admit I thought about it though. Yes, I swear I am a grown up. BUT, I love that I can have a grown up job at a school and still get to feel the excitement of a snow day. Best. Thing. Ever! It’s like a bonus weekend in the middle of the week! Plus, we found out last night, which makes it even more amazing because I knew I could sleep in from the moment my head hit the pillow.

General Tso's ChickenAnywho, snow days when I’m stuck inside are also perfect days for cooking and blogging (luckily for you!). On a cold and snowy day like today, a sweet and spicy general tso’s chicken will surely warm you up! This recipe is kind of a hodgepodge of a bunch of different recipes I’ve tried mixed together to my own taste. Plus, it’s made from ingredients I usually have at my house so major bonus points for not needing to go to the store for most of this!

General Tso's ChickenThere’s a light coating on the chicken, which is wonderful to give it an extra little crunch without the frying. I’ve done the frying thing and oh-my-goodness is it delicious. You can certainly use the same sauce with a fried version of the chicken. However, in an attempt to cut down on the fat, I try to stick with the less oil version of this recipe, which also is *AMAZING*. It’s a happy mix between plain chicken (which would also work) and the fatty stuff that makes my mouth drool. I’ll save the fried stuff for only very special occasions.

General Tso's ChickenI love to have general tso’s chicken with steamed broccoli. You can also saute in a bunch of veggies…sugar snap peas, carrots, onions, bell peppers to name a few delicious choices. I bet that you can even use the sauce with only veggies to make a general tso’s veggie stir fry. SHOCK AND AWE! I know…mind blown. I’m just that good. It’s okay to admit it.

General Tso's Chicken
Serves 3
A sweet and spicy chicken
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Chicken Ingredients
  1. 1/4 cup corn starch
  2. 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  3. salt and pepper, to taste
  4. 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  5. 1 pound uncooked chicken, cubed
  6. 1 head broccoli, cut into florets and steamed (optional)
Sauce Ingredients
  1. 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  2. 3 tablespoons honey
  3. 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  4. 2 teaspoons corn starch
  5. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  6. 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
  7. 1/2 cup water or chicken stock
Instructions
  1. Mix together the chicken coating: 1/4 cup corn starch, baking soda, and salt and pepper. Coat the chicken by tossing it with corn starch mixture.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add coated chicken and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
  3. While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, honey, soy sauce, corn starch, garlic, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of the water or chicken stock sauce. Add sauce mixture to the skillet once the chicken is cooked. Bring to a simmer and simmer until thickened. If the sauce is too sticky or thick, you can add the remaining 1/4 cup of water or chicken stock to slightly thin it.
  4. Add the steamed broccoli, optional.
  5. Serve over rice.
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Green Lentil Dal

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Lentil DalWhen I made naan recently, I told you all that I ate it with some green lentil dal. That probably didn’t mean much to some of you. If I were reading this about a month ago I would be just as lost as you most likely are. Here’s just a little background I learned through some major internet researching (Google, anyone?). “Dal” can actually mean a split lentil, pea, or bean. You might be thinking that I’m talking in circles because now all you know is that I made green lentil…split lentils. So helpful for you all. You’re welcome!

Lentil DalTo be fair, “dal” can also mean a stew-like dish prepared with, well, dal. So turns out I’m not completely losing it! This means that in the simplest terms, this dish is a green lentil stew. Often served with rice and bread (hence, the naan), this dish is oh-so-much-more than just a stew. It’s full of flavor and spices that will make your mouth wonder why it has never tasted something so delicious before. Want. more. now!

*Side note: I’m not a pro at Indian cuisine, or any cuisine for that matter. This is seriously delicious stuff but don’t look at me for the traditional recipe that your great aunt twice removed from India used to make. I probably don’t have it here.

Lentil DalThis is a vegetarian dish, which is cool. I’m not vegetarian and my husband is most definitely not a vegetarian. Every so often I try some tasty vegetarian dishes but if Travis had it his way we would probably be eating steak and chicken every day. Mostly steak. BUT, I must say that it’s big news that Travis actually told me this dish is a keeper and not a bit of meat was to be found. Must mean it’s pretty darn good without it. Just saying.

If you love this recipe, check out my Spinach Dal! YUM YUM!

**Update: After some feedback about this recipe, I made the 2 cups of water optional. If you add the water, you end up with more of a soup than a stew. Without the water, you end up with something like the pictures show. Both delicious!

Green Lentil Dal
Serves 4
A delicious, vegetarian Indian green lentil stew served with rice and naan.
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
55 min
Total Time
1 hr 15 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
55 min
Total Time
1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cups dried green lentils
  2. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  3. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  4. 1 small onion, finely chopped
  5. 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  6. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  7. 2 teaspoons chili powder
  8. 1 teaspoon turmeric
  9. 1 teaspoon cumin
  10. 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
  11. 1 can diced tomatoes, with liquid (14.5 ounce can)
  12. 4 cups vegetable stock
  13. 2 cups water, optional
  14. small jalapeño, finely chopped
  15. cilantro, to garnish
Instructions
  1. Place lentils in a colander or sieve and rinse with cold water. Let drain.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add cinnamon, onion, ginger, and garlic. Saute approximately 5 minutes, or until onions start to become translucent.
  3. Add in lentils, chili powder, turmeric, cumin, salt, and tomatoes. Stir and bring to simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes.
  4. Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and reduce heat. If you would like to end up with more of a soup than a stew, add up to 2 cups of water along with the vegetable stock (optional). Cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender but not mushy.
  5. Garnish with jalapeño and cilantro.
  6. Serve with rice and naan.
Notes
  1. While you are rinsing your lentils, just sift through them to make sure there are no bad ones or even little rocks/pebbles. I've never had it happen, but better safe than sorry!
Adapted from Neil's Healthy Meals
Adapted from Neil's Healthy Meals
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/
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