No-Fry Chimichangas

Serves:4-6

1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 can (regular can is 4 oz., use 2 oz.) diced green chilies, drained
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
4-6 large flour tortillas
No-stick spray
Salsa & sour cream

In a large skillet, brown turkey, onions, garlic and chili powder. Cook until turkey is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the cheese, chilies and cilantro. To assemble, spoon 1/4-1/2 cup of turkey mixture into each tortilla. Fold in ends, then roll tortilla and secure with wooden toothpicks. Spray both sides of rolled tortilla with no-stick spray. In a large skillet or griddle, cook filled tortillas over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from skillet and keep warm until all tortillas are finished. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

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Tips: This is a fun Mexican dinner with a twist that jazzes up plain ol' burritos. I used my Pampered Chef Kitchen Spritzer in place of no-stick spray because I like the idea of using regular oil. Make sure to watch the tortillas as you are cooking them or they can easily become very brown. It was challenging to push the toothpicks through to the other side once you are ready to turn the tortilla but tongs can help. I also shared this recipe at We are THAT Family's Works-For-Me Wednesday.

Recipe adapted from Healthy Homestyle Cooking

Stuffy Turkey

Serves: 4-5

1 can (10 oz.) cream of chicken soup
2 celery ribs, sliced
1/4 c. butter, melted
3 c. cooked cubed turkey
1 pkg. frozen broccoli, cauliflower, corn & bell pepper *See tips
1 box (8 oz.) cornbread stuffing mix
2/3 c. water

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until well combined. Transfer to a greased crock pot. Cover and cook on low 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

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Tips: This was a great recipe to use leftover holiday turkey with. For the frozen vegetables, I used the Kroger brand "Mexican mix" and I think it was about 12-14 ounces. Any mix of approximately that size and with most of the vegetables listed will go fine. Toward the end, make sure to watch the moisture in your crock pot and add water if it seems to be getting dry. I also shared this recipe at MomTrends' Food Friday & Designs by Gollum's Foodie Friday.

Recipe adapted from 365 Easy Chicken Recipes

Turkey Stuffing Roll-Ups

Serves: 6

1 package (6 oz.) stuffing mix
1 can (10.75 oz.) cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3/4 c. milk
1 lb. sliced deli smoked turkey

Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together soup and milk; set aside. Spoon about 1/4 cup stuffing mix onto each turkey slice. Roll up and place in a greased 13 x 9 pan. Pour soup mixture over roll-ups. Bake, covered at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Updated (4/2020) - These days I prefer to use less processed ingredients so I choose to make my own gravy/sauce. You can make a basic white sauce with butter, flour, milk and your choose of seasonings.

Tips: This is one of my husband's favorite easy dinners. It is great to fix if you're a fan of Thanksgiving dinner at other times of the year but don't want to fix a huge turkey. Make sure you use thick-sliced deli turkey or your roll-ups won't stay together. I actually used an 8 ounce package of turkey and just put a lot of stuffing inside each one. I also shared this recipe at Life as MOM's Recipe Swap & All the Small Stuff's Tuesdays at the Table.

Recipe from Taste of Home's 2001 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

Chili Noodle Bake

Serves: 4-6

1 lb. ground turkey
1 can (15 oz.) turkey chili
1 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained
1 c. egg noodles

Cook noodles according to package directions until just tender. Meanwhile, brown turkey until no longer pink; drain. Mix turkey, chili, 3/4 cup of cheese, tomatoes, corn and noodles together in a large bowl. Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 5-10 minutes more or until heated through.

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Tips: This was an easy chili casserole that everyone in my family enjoyed. I adapted it to use ground turkey and low-fat turkey chili to cut down on the fat. Feel free to use ground beef and any variety of chili your family enjoys. I also shared this recipe at Ann Kroeker's Food on Friday.

Recipe adapted from Cheap & Easy Recipes Cookbook (Gooseberry Patch)

Easy Chili

Serves: 6-8

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2/3 c. green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 c. water
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, rinsed & drained
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 oz.) chili beans, undrained
1 envelope chili seasoning mix
1/4 t. garlic salt
1/2 t. chili powder
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream

In a skillet, brown meat in skillet until cooked; drain. Puree chili beans with liquid in can. Add all ingredients to crock pot excluding cheese and sour cream. Stir until mixed well. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Top with cheese and sour cream.


Tips: This is my chili recipe that I modified from a few other recipes I found. It is one of our family favorites. The flavor is a medium spiciness. If your family doesn't like spicy, try using a mild chili seasoning mix and cut out the chili powder. If you like it hot, use a hot chili seasoning mix and add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Try this with Easy Corn Bread or Yogurt Cornbread. I also shared this recipe at Our Krazy Kitchen & Somewhat Simple's Strut Your Stuff Thursday.

Recipe from Stacy.

Southwest Turkey Stew

Serves: 6

1 lb. turkey, cooked & cubed
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3/4 c. onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15.5 oz.) chili beans, undrained
1 can (14.4 oz.) Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
3/4 c. salsa

Place turkey in crock pot. Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin and salt; toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

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Tips: This recipe is great if you're trying to find a way to use up leftover holiday turkey. You can also use uncooked turkey, just make sure you cook it longer or on high. I also chose to chop up the stewed tomatoes a bit because my family is not a big fan of large chunks of tomatoes in our stew. I made Easy Corn Bread to go with this and it was quite a hardy meal! I also shared this recipe at Ann Kroeker's Food on Fridays & Simply Sugar & Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

Recipe adapted from 365 Favorite Brand Name Slow Cooker Recipes & More

Au Gratin Turkey Bake

Serves: 4-6

1 lb. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
1 package (4.9 oz) au gratin potatoes
1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 3/4 c. water
2/3 c. milk

In a large skillet, cook the turkey, onion, celery and green pepper until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain if necessary. In a greased 2-quart baking dish, combine turkey mixture, potatoes with contents of sauce mix, soup and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the water and milk. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

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Tips: This turkey/potato casserole had a very nice favor! I like meals like this that I can put a little work into to put together but then have time to clean up and get salad or side dishes ready while it bakes. You can also substitute ground beef for the ground turkey.

Recipe adapted from 2004 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

Turkey Cabbage Stew

Serves: 6

1 lb. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 c. chopped cabbage
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 c. water
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. white vinegar
1 t. salt
1 t. oregano
1/4 t. thyme
1/4 t. pepper

In a large saucepan, cook turkey, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover and summer for 8-10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

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Tips: It might seem like there are a lot of ingredient in this stew but it is really very easy to put together. Since it made a good amount of leftovers for my family, I froze what was left. I was afraid that the cabbage wouldn't defrost well but it did just fine so don't worry about freezing the extras for another dinner. I also shared this recipe at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

Recipe from Taste of Home's 2003 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

Hearty Healthy Soup

Serves: 6-8

This recipe is very changeable to accommodate whatever you may have in your pantry or garden. I have written as I made it the first time but check the tips at the bottom to see how you can customize it to meet your needs.

1 lb. ground turkey
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes & green chilies
1 small jar salsa
2 c. vegetable broth
1 can green beans w/liquid
1/2 c. frozen corn
1/2 c. carrots, sliced
3/4 c. butternut squash, diced
1/4 t. cumin
Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream

Brown ground turkey on the stove and drain grease. Add all ingredients to a large crock pot and cook on high for 6-8 hours. Garnish with cheese & sour cream.

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Tips: The base for this soup is the diced tomatoes & green chilies, salsa and vegetable broth with the added cumin. The rest of this recipe can be changed to accommodate whatever you might have at home or whatever meat, beans and vegetables your family prefers. You could substitute ground beef or shredded pork or chicken for the ground turkey. Any variety of vegetables can be used. If you choose to use all canned or frozen vegetables, then the soup can cook for less time or on low. If you are using fresh vegetables that take time to cook, such as carrots, celery, winter squash or potatoes, make sure it has enough time to cook. Experiment with other beans as well, such as great northern beans or pinto beans. Make Easy Corn Bread at dinner time since you let the crock pot do the work during the day. I also shared this recipe at Life As Mom's Recipe Swap and Simply Sugar & Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

Recipe from Stacy

Onion Turkey Meatballs

Serves: 4-6

1 cup bread crumbs
1 envelope dry onion soup mix, divided
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
3 c. water, divided
3 T. flour
Hot cooked noodles or rice

In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, half of the soup mix and the turkey; mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls. In a large skillet, brown meatballs in batches over medium heat, turning frequently. Stir in 2 1/2 cups water and remaining soup mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the flour and remaining water until smooth; add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook for 5 minutes or until thickened. Serve over noodles or rice.

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Tips: If you tend to have ground meat frozen in 1 lb. increments, adapt this receipt by using 3/4 c. bread crumbs and slightly less than half the dry soup mix in the meatballs. I went ahead and made the sauce as the receipt said had extra. A little dash of pepper would be good in the sauce as well. Also, in order to get the water and flour smooth, put them both in a small plastic container with a lid and shake well. I would assume this recipe could probably be made with ground beef as well but I don't know how it might turn out differently. I also shared this recipe at Tales From the Fairy Blogmother's What's Cooking Wednesday.

Recipe from Taste of Home's 2004 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes