Jalapeno Turkey Burgers

About two years ago I found a recipe on www.foodnetwork.com from Aaron McCargo Jr. for Jalapeno Sliders...This is my twist on it - A healthier, full size version...I guarantee after you eat these, you will never look at turkey burgers the same! Enjoy!

Ingredients Needed for Burgers:
One Shallot Chopped Finely
1lb. of Ground Lean Turkey
1 Seeded Jalapeno Chopped Finely
1/4 C of 1% Milk
1/3 C of Panko Bread Crumbs (you can use regular ones if you have them)
1/4 C of Salsa Verde (for those of you from MD - I think Safeways' is the best)
1 Tsp of Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp of Pepper
Pinch of Salt
1 C of Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese (appx 4 ounces)

Ingredients for Special Sauce:
1 Cup of Sour Cream
1/2 Cup of Salsa Verde

Kaiser Rolls

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees

Mix all ingredients together. Make four baseball size meatballs, then make your patties.

Place in oven on a non stick cookie sheet for 30 minutes. The juices from the burgers will run a little bit, so don't worry!

Mix Salsa Verde and Sour Cream together and serve with burger on Kaiser Roll...

Enjoy!!!!

Shrimp and Broccoli Linguini in a Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

So, I have a thing for cream sauces...not so great for the waist but oh so good. Every once in a while I will whip up a hearty creamy pasta - everything in moderation right?

1 Crown of Broccoli Chopped
12 oz. of Linguini pasta (about 3/4 of a box)
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
5 Garlic Cloves Minced
1 Shallot Finely Chopped
1lb. Fresh Peeled and Deveined Shrimp (lightly season with salt and pepper)
1/2 C of White Wine
Half a Bag of Sun-dried Tomatoes (not in oil) Chopped
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1/2 C of Skim Milk
1 Tbsp. Sherry
1/2 C of Parmesan Cheese
1 tbsp Sour Cream
2 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Pepper
1 Tbsp. Salt
1/3 C of Pasta Water

Start off by boiling some water for the pasta and broccoli, make sure you salt the water and add a little bit of olive oil. Cook pasta al dente and broccoli to your liking. Once pasta and broccoli are cook, reserve 1/3 C of Pasta Water and set pasta and veggies aside in colander.

Heat olive oil, garlic and shallot in a deep sauce pan over medium heat until lightly browned.
Add Tomatoes and Shrimp and sautee for about 2-3 mins. Deglaze with wine and scrap up any brown bits on bottom of pan.
Lower heat to Medium Low.
Add all remaining ingredients and pasta water Stir and cover, simmer on medium low for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
Serve immediately.
Sorry for the lame picture - my camera didn't have a charge...So phone camera it is!

Easy Breakfast Granola

Apologies first - I apologize I haven't posted in a while - Been crazy busy...but I promise I have been writing down my recipes as I go, so I will have more to post soon.

So, my mother-in-law has been making this awesome granola, so I thought I would try to make my own. I really don't love store-bought granola. I am very picky about what's in it. So here is the easiest/greatest granola you can make:

6 cups of REGULAR Old Fashion Oats
2 cups of Craisins
1.5 Cups of Shaved Coconut
1.5 Cups of Sliced Almonds
Honey or Agave Nectar
3 TBSP Grapeseed Oil
2 TBSP Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toss Oats with in the oil and spread onto a baking sheet. On a separate baking sheet spread out shaved Coconut. Place both sheets in oven. Remove once both are golden brown. BEWARE the Coconut will only take a few minutes. Once Oats are lightly "toasted" combine all ingredients in a bowl exept for the honey.
I squeeze honey over the bowl of ingredients and toss with a large spoon until i get clumps. Usually about takes about a 1/2 Cup. But if you like more honey---- add more!
Place in a tupperware or covered pyrex.
Serve with milk or over Vanilla Yogurt!!!

Cucumber Tomato Salad

I told you I loved cucumbers - But I also enjoy fresh easy salads in the summer. Here is a quick simple recipe for great side salad for dinner or even just this for lunch!

4 Mini Cucumbers Sliced
(I prefer to use them cause they tend to not have a lot of seeds) If you use 1 big cucumber, slice in half and remove seeds with spoon.
3 Tomatoes Chopped (I used the Tomatoes on a vine)
1/2 Small Red Onion diced
1 Cup of Crumbled Feta (the fresher the better)
1 Whole Lemon Juiced
2 TBSP of Olive Oil
1 TBSP of Red Wine Vinegar
Few chopped Kalamata Olives *Optional
Salt and Pepper to taste

So Good, So Easy, So Fresh

Ceviche

You know when a recipe reminds you of a memory? It is amazing how a bite of food can bring you way back to a moment and it feels so "current." So today I am going to share a recipe from my Tia (Aunt in Spanish) Liz that I make every summer. It takes me straight back to Guatemala. It takes me straight to my Dad and how much I miss him. So I have attached a picture of him...and the fish we made ceviche with that day. This post is dedicated to the greatest father anyone could ask for.

Mahi Mahi Ceviche
1 1/2 lbs of Mahi Mahi diced into small cubes
10-12 limes
5 Roma Tomatoes chopped
1 Cup of Cilantro chopped
1 Large Yellow Onion diced
3 Tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce
2-3 Tbsp of Salt (depending on your taste buds)
2 Tbsp of Pepper

Dice the raw fish into small cubes in a shallow dish. Squeeze all the lime juice over the fish until almost covered. Salt the fish, cover, and place in refrigerator for 1 hour. After letting it sit for 30 minutes, stir fish and return to the fridge for the last 30 minutes. Once fish has "cooked" in the lime juice (fish will turn opaque), add remaining ingredients and serve cold.

Summer & Cucumbers

I love cucumbers...Any way you can make them. Usually I just squeeze some lime and put salt on them (which you must try - trust me)...but today I am making them creamy.
I thought of the idea...well my husband thought of the idea...to turn these mini cucumber sandwiches that our friend Katrina makes into a "salad." And so I did....changing a few things up to make it a little healthier.

3 Cucumbers, peeled and sliced thinly
1/3 Cup of Light Mayo
1 Cup of Greek Plain Yogurt
1 Tbsp. of White Vinegar (red wine is fine if you have it)
1 Clove Minced Garlic
1/2 Tsp. of Paprika
1 Tbsp of Lawreys Season Salt
2-3 Tbsp. of FRESH Dill finely chopped
1 Tbsp of Lemon Zest (optional)

Whisk all ingredients together then add Cucumbers...I always add the Cucumbers last because, depending on the size of the cucumbers, you will know that the "sauce" will evenly coat the cucumbers.

Toss and Serve!

Giving you a little insight...

...I am a 29 year old not far from 30 living happily with my husband, J.T. aka my loyal taste tester and our little Lab Mix, Cabo. I work for a small homebuilder as the Director of Sales & Marketing and in my spare time I like to workout, chill with my husband and cook. Colita was my Dad's nickname for me - means Little Tail in Spanish (I am the youngest of four). I learned my father's way of cooking....cook and taste, taste some more, edit and improve.
So that is my theory with this blog...Going to edit and improve and change along the way. Hope to share what I learn in the kitchen with you!