TURKEY MEAT LOAF & GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

i've been trying to be healthier in my food choices. so, one day, on a whim, while doing some grocery shopping, i picked up some ground turkey. oh, the possibilities...turkey burgers, um, that was all i got. totally lame! so, i thought of trying something outside of my normal ways and found a recipe for turkey meat loaf. i haven't had meat loaf for almost 5 years and didn't really remember how it tasted, so i thought, why not? i bought the ingredients and was ready for my new challenge...but, when the husband was informed of the dinner plans, he wasn't exactly thrilled. but, it turned out pretty good.

TURKEY MEAT LOAF WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

by michele sbrana (oakland, ca) from bon appetit (april 1991) on epicurious

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 c fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten to blend
• 1/2 c toasted pine nuts (i forgot to toast them, but they turned out fine)
• 12 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil, drained, chopped
• 1/3 c milk
• 2 t chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 t dried, crumbled
• 2 t chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 t dried, crumbled

preheat oven to 375°F. combine all ingredients in large bowl. season with salt & pepper and mix well.

transfer mix to 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. bake until loaf pulls away from sides of pan and top is golden brown, about 50 minutes.

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

from island cottage restaurant (hare island, ireland) from bon appetit (may 1996) on epicurious

• 1 1/4 pound russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 c milk
• 6 large garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
• 1/4 c whipping cream
• 1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature

place potatoes in medium saucepan. add enough cold water to cover potatoes. add milk and garlic. bring to boil. reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes.

drain potatoes and garlic, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. return potatoes and garlic to same saucepan. add cream (i actually didn't have whipping cream, so i used sour cream, which worked fine) and butter and mash until smooth. thin with reserved liquid, if desired. season to taste with salt & pepper.

serve and add ketchup for meat loaf, if desired.

BREAKFAST SANDWICH

one of my favorite things in the food world are breakfast sandwiches. the melted cheese, crispy bacon, and finished with a delicious runny egg on top of a toasted english muffins. i figured, these ingredients are pretty basic, how hard can it be? well, it isn't at all.

BREAKFAST SANDWICH

• 1 english muffin
• 1 egg
• 1 slice of cheese
• 1 slice of bacon
• salt & pepper to taste

preheat oven to 350°F. place split english muffin on top rack and heat for 2 mins. place cheese on one side of the english muffin and let melt in the oven for 1-2 mins.

fry the egg and add salt & pepper to your liking while the english muffin is toasting, prior to adding the cheese.

place egg on top of cheesy side of english muffin. remove from oven in 1 min.

fry bacon and add to sandwich. top and enjoy!

FILIPINO CHICKEN ADOBO

after moving out of the nest, there are a few things one misses...and mostly, it pertains to the perfect comfort food you can't find in any five-star restaurant. so, when i saw that filipino chicken adobo was available at my company's cafe, my curiosity was piqued. i have to say that it wasn't too shabby. what i found fascinating was that none of the ladies who prepared it were filipino, so i felt like i should at least know how to make one signature filipino dish.

FILIPINO CHICKEN ADOBO

adapted from food network, recipe by corinne domingo

• 10 chicken drumsticks
• 1 c white vinegar
• 1 c soy sauce
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 t whole black peppercorns
• 1/4 t bay leaves (or 6 whole leaves)

combine all ingredients in a large pot.

cover and marinate chicken for 12-24 hours.

bring to a boil, then lower heat. cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

uncover and simmer until sauce is reduced and thickened, and chicken is tender, about 20 more minutes.

serve with steamed rice.

my yummy tip: the original recipe had less sauce and i always remember having enough to add to my rice (the husband also doesn't appreciate the simplicity of steamed rice).