Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

The very moment I stumbled upon this recipe I knew it was a keeper and in fact I went out and bought the ingredients that same day. I love casseroles, and the cheesy crunchy top that reveals itself after baking so nicely in the hot oven! MMMMMMM I am a cheese & crispy bits  lover! I changed the recipe up some to suit my taste.  To see the original click here. For my edited version…READ ON!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tbs olive oil, divided
• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 tsp Paprika, I like hungarian but any will do even the hot stuff
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 head green cabbage, coarsely chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes with juice
• 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 2 cups cooked brown rice (I cooked in chicken stock instead of water to add more flavor)
• 2 cups low-fat mozzarella cheese

(Love this shot)

DIRECTIONS – Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Spray a large glass casserole dish with non-stick spray. I used a 10×13″ pan and it was full!
2. Cook rice and when it is finished set aside (use chicken stock instead of water for more flavor!)
3. Heat a large frying pan on medium heat; add 1 tbs olive oil, and garlic. Cook until just fragrant (about 1 minute or less) Add salt, pepper, paprika thyme and finally ground turkey. Cook until browned.
4. To the pan add the diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce and chicken stock.
5. Simmer until thickened, around 15 minutes give or take.
6. While meat mixture is thickening, cut up cabbage and make sure to cut out the core, and chop coarsely.
7. Heat remaining olive oil in a large frying pan, add the cabbage and cook over medium heat until the cabbage is wilted (I added a lid to help the process along). You want the cabbage about half-cooked, turning it over several times so it all wilts and cooks. Season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.
8. Add your cooked rice to your meat mixture and stir to combine well.
9. Take 1/2 of your wilted cabbage and place in your casserole dish, then 1/2 of your meat mixture and repeat until all is in pan. Mix together gently with large spoon.
10. Add cheese to top and bake for 40 minutes uncovered.
11. Let casserole sit for a few minutes before cutting, the cheese will stay in place better this way and you get nice even squares for everyone to enjoy, serve hot.
12. This dish is freezer friendly if you have leftovers. (which I did) I stored in a Tupperware container, air tight.

Fresh Vodka Spritzer Recipe:

1 oz Pinnacle Cake Vodka
1 oz Pinnacle Whip Cream Vodka
2 oz Seltzer Water
Juice of 1/2 lime
Basil & lime slice for garnish

Blend first 4 ingredients together and garnish with basil and lime slice. Light and refreshing!

 

If you liked this recipe, check out more from Sweet Heat Chefs and tell a friend!

• Cornbread Casserole
• Baked Pretzel Crusted Chicken
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac-N-Cheese

 

Zucchini Lasagna

Well here we are several years later and the weight I feverishly fought so hard to get rid of (and did get rid of) is back on this bod like white on rice! When I found out I was preggers in 2009, I swore I would still go to the gym….that did not happen. I always saw this woman at my gym super cute, tiny, and a baby belly bump. I thought well that will be me soon, but it wasn’t and it never was.

Now my son is 2 1/2 and I have yet to return to the gym, don’t you know how easy it is to get away with an infant, then a toddler? Not to mention my 4 other kids. So they gym was not in the cards for me and I guess in my own mind I gave up. Sad really. I worked so hard to get rid of years of weight that I had gained for no real reason. Then in the blink of an eye I am close to being back to “that” person again, I vowed I would never let that happen. Before my clothes don’t fit and before I lose any more self respect, I am back in the game folks!

I have signed up to be in a 5K run that is so popular around here I found my MOJO. I gave myself enough time to train and get in shape before hand, so as not to feel like a dweeb when that day comes. In honor of my new goal I have made lasagna…I know lasagna is not low fat or low cals, but this one is 😀 The very thought of taking away food one loves, is the very reason people don’t stick with eating healthy. Here you can have your good stuff and eat it too! No carb, no noodles, gluten free, low fat, low cal lasagna

~YOUR WELCOME~

By the way…VEGETARIAN? Lose the chicken 😀

INGREDIENTS

1 cooked chicken breast, cooled and diced
1 sweet yellow onion, diced
3 medium Zucchini or Squash, sliced ( I used 2 green 1 yellow)
1 garlic clove, minced (I used the microplane)
2 cups of your favorite red pasta sauce
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, grated
2 tablespoons whole wheat bread crumbs
2/3 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS

1. Over medium heat, saute onion, garlic, and 1/2 of the salt/pepper until golden.
2. Add zucchini and remaining salt/pepper and saute until fork tender.
3. Pull off stove and set aside.
4. In a 9″ x 9″ glass Pyrex dish begin layering zucchini in rows until the bottom is covered.
5. Next add a layer of sauce, then diced chicken, then mozzarella cheese and repeat until all zucchini is used. Leave enough mozzarella cheese for the top.
6. Top with remaining mozzarella, parmesan, and bread crumbs.
7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Serves 6

I decided to include the nutritional information for the dish. It will change slightly based on what type of red sauce you choose. I am not a dietitian or a Doctor, but this is one yummy dish! I used Calorie Count to find the nutritional information for the dish.

Tomato & Red Quinoa Bread

The only commentary I am going to try to make up for this recipe is, be sure to make both loafs, as this first one will not last long. Oh and don’t let the title fool you…There were 5 of us for dinner last night and we devoured 1 loaf in its entirety. (finger licking good is not just for chicken!)

Apparently we are carb loving fiends!! All is good, I am happy being one. This bread is good next morning for toast and then for lunch as an open faced sammy! It is not just about the bread and butter here.

INGREDIENTS #1

• 1/2 cup Red Quinoa
• 1 cup V8 juice

DIRECTIONS #1

Rinse quinoa in a strainer and add to pot with V8 juice. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Set aside with lid off to cool. You need it cool for the next step.

INGREDIENTS #2

• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 cups warm V8 juice
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tbs dried basil
• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour

DIRECTIONS #2

To the bread machine, add the yeast to the warm water and stir, let sit for 5 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients plus the cooled quinoa and mix thoroughly.  Let run through the dough cycle and sit for 1 hour.

INGREDIENTS #3

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 to 4 cups white bread flour

DIRECTIONS #3

Add the dough that has been sitting for one hour into an oiled bowl and mix the above ingredients into the dough, start with 2 cups of flour first. Place dough on a clean surface, along with 1 more cup of flour and knead that into the bread. Continue to knead bread for about 5-10 minutes or until  smooth consistency.  Dough is relatively sticky, but if it is too sticky, add more flour 1/4 cup at a time.  Once ready, place back into the oiled bowl, cover and let sit for another 1.5 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. After the 1.5 hours punch dough down and re-cover while oven is heating up.

When oven is ready, take 2 loaf pans, buttered and divide dough in half and place in pans

INGREDIENTS #4

• 3 tbs butter, melted
• 2 tsp flax seeds

DIRECTIONS #4

Slice down the middle of the dough and drizzle half of the butter over the top of loaf. Sprinkle with half flax seeds, continue with second loaf.

Bake for about 50 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes (if you can stand it) and then repeat after me:

SLICE BUTTER SCARF, REPEAT! 

 

Loaded Bake Potato Soup Crock Pot Style

INGREDIENTS

6 large baking potatoes, peeled, cut in 1/2″size
1 large onion, chopped
1 quart chicken broth
3 garlic cloves, minced 
1/4 cup butter (REAL butter)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cream or 1 cup half-and-half cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 cup sour cream (optional)
8 slices bacon, fried & crumbled
cheese, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

Combine first seven ingredients in a large crock pot; cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours (potato should be tender).

Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is slightly thick. If you want it thicker, add 1/4 cup instant mashed potatoes.

Stir in cream, cheese and chives.

Top with sour cream (if used), sprinkle with bacon and more cheese.

Related articles

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BBQ Beef Cups

This is a quick and easy dinner or appetizer for the family or the family get together, it would be great for a party too. You could halve the biscuits and use mini muffin tins!!

My kids are always helping in the kitchen, and this is a great way to get them in there where they can do little damage if something goes wrong. I have 1 kid roll the biscuits and 1 scoop the meat mixture in the muffin tins. They are happy as clams!

This dish comes out as a nice savory dense biscuit, when you bite into it you get a sweet tangy bite on the tongue. After 2 biscuits, the kids have full bellies!

In about 30-40 minutes you are done with the entire meal (except clean up) but the kids can do that while you put your feet up and relax with a glass of wine! After all, all you had was a itty bitty muffin for dinner 😀

Can you believe my grandma sent me this recipe??!! LOVE YOU GRANDMA!!!

INGREDIENTS:

2 tubes (10 oz.) Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits 
1.5 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
1/2 lb thin lean cut bacon
3/4 cup ketchup
5 tbsp brown sugar pressed firmly into spoon
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp chili powder
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese + 1 tsp per cup

DIRECTIONS:

Roll each biscuit into a flat circle twice its normal size and place in greased muffin tins and set aside.

In a skillet brown ground beef or turkey. When done set aside.

Cook bacon until crispy. Drain on paper towels and cut into bite sized pieces. Combine with reserved meat.

In a medium-sized bowl combine; ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and chili powder. Stir until well combined.

Add meat mixture to BBQ sauce mixture and stir well.

Add 2-3 tbsp of mixture to each biscuit and top with 1 tsp cheese.

Bake in 375 degree F. oven for 15-18 minutes.

You might also like:

Rosemary & Garlic Infused Oil (sweetheatchefs)

Browned Butter Strawberry Eggnog Pancakes (sweetheatchefs)

Stuffed Poblano Pepper (sweetheatchefs)

Gingerbread Pancakes with Molasses Butter

gingerbread pancakes (Photo credit: emdot)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups pancake mix
1.25 cups (10-oz bottle) sparkling apple cider
1/4 cup dark molasses
2 tsp Gingerbread Spice Mix

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl Pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake into a lightly buttered skillet.
2. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, flip and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
3. Serve warm with Molasses Butter.

Molasses Butter

• 6 tbsp softened butter
• 1 tbsp dark molasses
• 1/4 tsp Gingerbread Spice Mix

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl until well combined and dollop on top of pancakes.

Related articles

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Candy Brandy Pecans

INGREDIENTS:

6 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
5 tbs brandy
2 tbsp Gingerbread Spice Mix
10 oz-bag whole shelled pecans

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 

Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with non stick spray.

Melt butter in sauce pot on medium heat.

Add brown sugar, brandy and Gingerbread Spice Mix, cook for 1 minute until bubbly stirring constantly.

Add pecans and stir until all coated.

Spread out in an even layer on cookie sheet with rubber spatula and bake for 20-25 minutes stirring several times throughout.

Remove from oven to cool and in medium bowl combine:

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp Gingerbread Spice Mix

Pour pecans in bowl and stir until all coated with sugar mixture. 

Let cool completely and store in airtight container. I put mine in decorative mason jars for Christmas gifts. This would also be good for birthday gifts, hostess gifts, parties, baby showers, Thanksgiving snacks, mother’s day gifts, and father’s day gifts

 

 

This recipe is being shared at Foodie Friends Friday

 

Gingerbread Spice Mix

This is the beginning of so many things you can create. This Gingerbread Spice Mix is versatile for gift giving and for making different recipes out of it, some of which I have in this post for you. 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup ground ginger
6 tbsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container  until ready to use.

Bag up and give as gifts for Christmas or any event that calls for one! This does not have to be a holiday only gift!  

I gave mine as Christmas gifts, added tags with the recipes below and tied on to the bag with a decorative ribbon. This gives the recipient an idea of what to use it with and get creative in the kitchen!

You can add this mix to the following recipes: (more coming soon)

• Candy Brandy Pecans

• Gingerbread Pancakes with Molasses Butter

Crispy Gingerbread Treats

3 tbsp butter, melted
1 bag (10 oz) mini marshmallows
1 tbsp Gingerbread Spice Mix
6 cups crispy rice cereal

Melt and mini marshmallows in a large sauce pot over medium heat stirring occasionally. Stir in Gingerbread Spice Mix and crispy rice cereal. Press into a greased 13 x 9″ baking dish. let cool and cut into squares.

Do you have a recipe to make with this? I’d love to share it and see what you come up with. Leave me a comment below with the deets and you could be featured on SHC in the near future!

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Browned Butter Strawberry Eggnog Pancakes

That ah-ha moment when you serve this at the breakfast table will be all the redemption you need. Once they taste the fluffy, sweet & tartness of these pancakes they will not know there is a hidden secret ingredient PACKED full of nutrients, Chia Seeds. 

1. Chia seeds carry the omega-3 fats our bodies need.
2. Chia seeds have more omega-3’s than salmon and they also contain a fat called omega-6. Both of these “good” fats help regenerate cells in our bodies and regulate processes of our bodies. Our bodies themselves do not make these fats and that is why it is essential to eat them daily.
3. They have 11 grams of fiber per ounce! That is 42% of your recommended daily allotment in just 1 ounce. 
4. Chia seeds are full of calcium too, 3 times MORE than skim milk!

I could go on about all the benefits, but I think you get the idea. Eggnog is one of my favorite drinks this time of year, I have yet to make my own, but I try to put it into everything during the season it is around. My husband absolutely HATES the stuff, so I am limited somewhat. BUT since he is at work, I am playing in the kitchen, shakin’ my groove thang to Dominic the Donkey (no I’m not Italian) and drinking my coffee! There is nothing better today…

These pancakes and nutritious, sweet, tart and beautiful to look at. They are easy to make ahead and refrigerate for Christmas morning. All you have to do is get up and cook them while listening to some relaxing Christmas Music or some soothing jazz!

This recipe yields approximately 16-18 pancakes give or take. 

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all-purpose flour
7 teaspoons baking powder
1.5 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1.5 cups eggnog
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten & room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon
2 tablespoons strawberry jam (I use my homemade jam, use a good quality one for this recipe)
3 teaspoons Chia Seeds
Butter for cooking with

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; then sift again into another bowl. The second sifting creates a fluffier pancake.
2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, beat the eggs and add vanilla and pinch of cinnamon to it.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the eggnog, milk, egg mixture; mix until combined (no need to over do it)
4. Add strawberry jam and Chia seeds and stir until just combined.
5. Heat 1-2 teaspoons of butter in skillet and brown it, if you want the method for browned butter click here.
6. Once browned and ready to go add 1/4 cup of batter to skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides. Wipe out pan after each batch with a paper towel adding fresh butter to the pan for the new batch. Repeat until desired number of pancakes are reached.
7. Drench or drizzle your strawberry jam over the top. I heat mine up for about 30 seconds in the microwave prior to the pancakes being completed.
8. Garnish with some cranberries or blueberries or strawberries.

Nutritional information cited from Dr. Oz

This recipe was shared at Wicked Good Wednesday & Manic Monday.

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Cranberry Rosemary Dip – EASY & QUICK

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• 10 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 6 tablespoons dried sweetened cranberries ( I course chop them, but you could leave them whole)
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary ( I used the spice grinder)
• fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt (to taste)

Place all ingredients in bowl and using a spoon smooth, smash and stir together all ingredients until well combined. Taste it with a cracker and see if you want to add more of any of the ingredients! Place back in refrigerator covered for about 1 hour before serving with crackers. Garnish with a few whole cranberries and a sprig of Rosemary. Super easy, beautiful in color and a HUGE hit! Enjoy 😀