GROW SOME (MEAT) BALLS IN YOUR NEW RELATIONSHIP

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY VEY!

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Okay, so, you just started seeing a new guy a few months ago. And you like him. A lot. When is he going to (finally) refer to you by the term "girlfriend?"

How are you going to take it to the next level?

With this dish, of course.

After all, the way to a man's heart IS through his stomach.

**

• 2 pound of ground turkey or beef
• 3 tablespoons of garlic powder
• salt to taste
• Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 3 tablespoons of dried basil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped (or the pre-minced in a jar equivalent works just as well)
• Jar of great tomato marinara sauce

First things first. You should ALWAYS have a jar of your favorite marinara sauce on hand. It's great to add to almost any meal (except dessert).

Heat the oven to 395. Line an oven tray with tin foil and spray with olive oil.

In a large bowl, mix the ground meat, dash of salt, chopped garlic, basil, garlic powder and pepper flakes well with your hands. You don't need breadcrumbs or egg for this dish to shine.

Once thoroughly mixed, create large balls, and place them evenly on your tray. My "go to" rule with balls-- the bigger, the better. Toss them in the oven for 25 minutes.

Warm up that marinara in your trusty microwave or on the stove top. I tend to rev up my marinara sauce with a dash of extra garlic and red pepper.

If you want to add some pasta, be my guest. They are great addition to some angel hair.

How to Plate: On a crisp platter, organize the meatballs in a row, spooning the sauce over them (like I did in the picture above).

Leftovers: These are FANTASTIC in a sub sandwich!

IN-N-OUT (MY WAY) - PROTEIN STYLE AND THE GOOD OLE WAY

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY!

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I am human. And sometimes, I crave a double double.

But the guilt always seems to creep up on me-- especially on a Sunday morning after having a late night burger!

Below, kick the guilt and find a great alternative to the Double Double (made with Turkey)

**

• 1 lb turkey ground (4-5 patties)
  
• gourmet deli cheese - gouda, munster, your pick
• whole wheat buns OR romaine hearts (for protein style)
  
• seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika
• ketchup
• onion slices (optional)
  

Mix the meat with seasoning and mix before putting on the stove top. A good amount of salt is KEY,

Make into patties and cook, about 6-9 minutes on medium heat per side. Make sure the burger is fully cooked through before adding your cheese!

Parve: Leave out the cheese and use Empire Kosher Turkey (always my meat of choice!).

Treif: Heck, ADD bacon!

I CAME, I SLAW, I CONQUERED

DIFFICULTY: OY!

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Sometimes, things don't go your way and you need to make a change.

Let's face it, you only have one option: go into the thick of things, get in there, and make it happen.

Give it all you got... while looking like a million bucks.

And if that doesn't work, retail therapy. Or food. (Sounds like my life.)

This slaw is a wonderful side dish for anything really: chicken, ribs, or my Teriyaki Turkey Burger-- a flavorful collection of julienned veggies that contains no mayo or cream!

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• Packaged Broccoli slaw (OR you can julienne broccoli, carrots and zucchini yourself -- take off your heels if so)
• 1/2 cup honey or duck sauce
• 3 tablespoons of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Simple enough?

How to Plate: As a side, or in a burger, this is a great looking option to add some color to your dish!

Parve: This is a wonderful Kosher addition to any meat!

SUPERBOWL (OF CHILI) SUNDAY

You've seen the shoes for your respective team, so here's the food:

RIBS

http://cookinginheelstv.blogspot.com/2010/02/sweet-and-spicy-superbowl-ribs.html

COBB TACOS

http://cookinginheelstv.blogspot.com/2009/07/pick-em-up-cobb-tacos.html

HOLY GUACAMOLE

http://cookinginheelstv.blogspot.com/2009/06/holy-guacamole.html

CHILI

http://cookinginheelstv.blogspot.com/2009/01/turkey-chili.html

BURGERS

http://cookinginheelstv.blogspot.com/2009/01/teriyaki-turkey-burger.html

THE TASTE OF THANKSGIVING (BEFORE THURSDAY)

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY!

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Ahhh. What a wonderful time of the year.

Holiday decor is going up. The smell of peppermint and mocha fills the air. Your seasonal favorites fill the grocery shelves. Black Friday. I can't forget Black Friday!

And turkey. LOTS of turkey.

The following sandwich is so delicious and will put you in the "giving" mood any time of the year!

Also, you can use your leftovers on Friday to make this delicious dish!

**

- 2 slices of wheat toast
- 1/4 pound of low sodium turkey breast (I prefer Boars Head, thinly sliced)
- 1 teaspoon of cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon of cranberry jam
- 5-10 leaves of spinach

Toast your bread.

On one side, shmear the cream cheese. On the other, the cranberry jam.

Fill with turkey and spinach and cut in half.

This is truly something to savor.

CONCEPT MEAL - 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION

THE SHOE

Now THIS is the heel you want to celebrate our independence in, isn't it? These Louboutins will look stunning with a little red dress.

Forget the Statue of Liberty. You'll be the Statue of Gorgeousness.

THE MEAL

This is what you should serve:

Start out with a salad-- make my Hickory BBQ Potato Chip Crusted Chicken and chop it up, toss with some lettuce, tomato, corn, black beans and use BBQ sauce as the dressing!

For the main course, nothing says America like a burger. Make my BBQ Turkey Burgers with some fresh whole wheat burger buns and a side of freezer sweet potato fries you can easily pop in the oven.

Instead of Beer... why not serve some Beer Margaritas?

THE TABLE

Family style is always the way to go for a dinner like this. Set your table with a gorgeous huge salad bowl for the Potato Chip Crusted Chicken Salad and a large platter for your Turkey Burgers.

I always love the idea of a "Burger Bar."

All you need to do is set aside an area (or the center of your table) with all possible toppings in little ramekins. Think: Ketchup, mustard, mayo, tomato, onion, sliced pickles, grilled onions, BBQ sauce. This allows your guests to really customize their burger and truly make it their own.


THE MUSIC

Serve this posh Patriotic meal with the sounds of Bruce Springsteen and John Cougar Mellencamp.


HAVE A WONDERFUL FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY WEEKEND!

X

Sara

CARB-FREE LOW FAT BBQ TURKEY BURGERS

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY!

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If I had it my way, I would go to Baby Blues BBQ every night.

But I just don't think my figure could handle that.

So, I created an alternative. I wanted a great low fat meal.

While I made this with no bun (trying to get into wedding shape!) YOU can and should have it on a whole wheat bun slathered in BBQ sauce.

**

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 3/4 cup of corn (cooked, not frozen)
• Some good ole BBQ sauce
• Buns (optional)

In a bowl, mix the turkey with the drained, cooked corn (you can microwave the frozen stuff in water for about 3 minutes).

Add a bit of BBQ sauce to the bowl and mix well. Just don't over-do it-- the burgers will be slop if you add too much!

In a heated pan, spray with cooking oil and toss in the burgers. Cook evenly, about 5-7 minutes per side.

Enjoy!

TERIYAKI MINI MEATBALLS

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY!

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Who said meatballs have to be Italian and over pasta? Here is a fabulous recipe for a main course OR appetizer! (I prefer serving as an appetizer pricked with toothpicks)

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• 1 lb of ground beef or turkey
  
• 1/2 cup of (Soy Vey) Teriyaki sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon of Crushed (jar) Ginger

Easy Peasy.

Preheat the oven to 395.

Mix a 1/2 cup sauce and the teaspoon of ginger into the ground meat. Really work it into a thorough consistency.

On a tin foiled baking tray, roll the meat into cute little meatballs.

After 15-ish minutes, depending on your oven, take out.

How to Plate:

Be Modern- On a crisp platter, arrange in a straight line and puncture with toothpicks.

Be Cozy- In a bowl, fill with mini meatballs. On the side, display a container of toothpicks.

HOW TO CURE "MEN BLOCKERS" (WITH TURKEY LETTUCE CUPS)

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY! / OY VEY!

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Men Blockers.

You know, the female version of cock blockers. Women who block the hot guys from chatting with you on a night out on the town.

With friends like that, who needs enemies?

What will prevent these (dare I say) bitches from stepping on your toes when meeting guys?

I'm more concerned with how they could even THINK about stepping on your feet in those gorgeous pumps!

My inclination is to say they are envious of you.

The following recipe will make them even more envious! (It's also a great dish to shove in their mouths to shut them up.)

**

• Head of lettuce
• 1 lb of ground turkey
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• Handful of carrots, chopped
• Either olive/canola/ sesame oil
• Soy sauce
• Teriyaki sauce
• Hoisin sauce
  

In a pre-heated pan on medium, spray your oil of choice. Cook the onions and carrots until soft and the onions are starting to brown. Take them out.

Re-spray your pan and cook your ground turkey. As it browns, break it up into small pieces with your spatula.

When the turkey is almost done, on the stove top, add equal dashes of Soy and Teriyaki sauces. Put a small teaspoon of Hoisin in there. Add the onions and carrots in and mix well. Give it a taste and add a dash of soy sauce if need-be.

Rinse your lettuce, spoon the mixture into the leaf, and enjoy! This is a great appetizer or main dish.

TERIYAKI TURKEY BURGER

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY!

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The annual dance recital.

This was a big production. Schmaltzy costumes, stage moms... the whole shpilkes.

Morning of my big tap routine, I couldn't find my shoes.

In a complete craze, my mom grabbed my patent leather dress shoes and we headed out the door.

On stage, while I was tapping away in my faux tap shoes, my shoe fell off.... and flew a few feet away.

With a moment of panic, I kept on tapping my little shoe-less foot.

As the dance number proceeded, I found a moment to move over and shuffle back into my shoe.

The crowd went wild (well, maybe just in my head)... and I realized that sometimes you just can't plan everything, and improvisation leads to improvement!

Skip the ketchup and go gourmet by improvising on the simple burger. A scrumptious dish and a perfect alternative for the BBQ!

**

• 1 lb. lean ground Turkey
• “Soy Vey” teriyaki sauce (the best!)
• ½ cup of chopped onions
• ½ cup of chopped broccoli
• ½ cup of chopped carrots

In a bowl, mix all veggies into the turkey meat. Fold in about ¼ cup of teriyaki sauce. Feel free to use your hands to mix everything together—get dirty… it feels good! Pam your pan or use the good ole George Foreman to cook these yummy burgers up.

How to Plate: Serve with or without buns, drizzle a dash of extra teriyaki sauce on top! If this is for a party, make mini burgers and stack on a large platter!

THE 9-AM BURRITO

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY!

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After a night of shtupping, I always wake up really, really hungry.

I’m not talking about a slice-of-toast hungry. Or even a yogurt-with-fruit hungry. I need something that will give me that extra boost, a breakfast that will continue my “flying high” zone.

And this is the breakfast of all breakfasts—the type of morning fare that can do the job.

This is a great and relatively mess-free breakfast in bed!

**

• 2 Tortillas, low carb or whole wheat
• 4 eggs
• 2 handfuls of shredded cheese– whatever you like (it’s completely up to you)
• Turkey bacon OR bacon, 4 slices

Add the bacon to a medium heat already hot pan (no oil needed – these have enough in them to cook). If you like your bacon uber-crunchy, wrap them in paper towels and throw them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Timing depends on your microwave. In a bowl, crack and whisk (with a fork) the eggs.

If you are scared of eggshell in your eggs, hit the bowl’s edge twice with minimal force to ensure a clean break. When the bacon is done, take them out of the pan or microwave with a fork and set aside on a paper towel to blot excess oil. Lightly oil or butter your pan (depending on desired caloric intake) and cook your eggs.

Some girls do not know how to cook eggs – so here is a rule of thumb: As the eggs cook, push the cooked egg towards the center of the pan with a spatula. This allows the raw egg to spill over and cook onto the open areas of the pan.

When the eggs are done, divide into 2 portions and set aside. Re-oil or butter your hot pan, and put one tortilla flat. Spread one handful of cheese onto the tortilla and watch it begin to melt. Before the tortilla burns and before the cheese is fully melted, add one portion of egg and 2 pieces of turkey bacon. Wrap up and dig in! Repeat with the other tortilla.

How to Plate: To hold the wrapped burritos together, use a toothpick!

I know you are capable of making this delicious breakfast. Mazel Tov! Let’s see what kind of macher you really are…

Parve: Leave out the bacon. Period.

TURKEY CHILI

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY!

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On a cold winter ski day in Park City, I was flying down the mountain enjoying the fresh snow.

Although not very experienced, I was able to keep up (for the most part) with my pro-level ski friends.

On the last run of the day, after a few beers, I decided to take another route.

Unfortunately, the path I chose was a double black diamond with MOGULS.

After a rough ride down, and a long day on the slopes, I make this to warm our bellies:

**

• Garlic, minced, 1 tablespoon
• 1lb ground turkey
• Chili powder
• 1 can of black and / or white beans, drained (I use one of each)
• Picante sauce (glass jar), mild or spicy
• 1 can of stewed tomatoes (with liquid)
• 1 medium onion
• Blue corn tortilla chips for dippin!

Chop and cook the onions and garlic in pan with a bit of olive oil. Let them soften and add turkey and cook through (break it up in little pieces... not patties.) Add (5-7) dashes of chili powder to meat and onions as it cooks.

In a big pot, add: Picante, 1 can of stewed tomatoes with juice, beans (drained) and cooked turkey/onions/garlic mixture. Mix all together and add 4 tablespoons of chili powder... or more to taste! Put top on pot and keep at medium-low heat, stir every 5 minutes for 20 minutes. Let pot sit on low or off... keep stirring and enjoy!

How to Plate: Spoon into bowl. Add a dollop of sour cream or guacamole and insert one tortilla chip to stand upright in center of bowl.

Trief: Add cheese or sour cream! Goy it up!