Stuffed Mini Meatloafs w/ Veggies and Goat Cheese

These were so good and perfect little portion size.  Serve it up with this easy brown rice because they basically cook for the same amount of time.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds of lean ground turkey
• 2 tbs of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of red pepper flakes
• 2 small grated carrots
• 1/2 onion, 1/4 grated and 1/4 sliced or chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 handfuls of parsley, one for the meat, one for the rice
• 1 small zucchini, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 roasted red pepper
• 4 handfuls of arugula
• about 2 oz of goat cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
2. In a bowl combine the first 9 ingredients (use the grated 1/4 of the onion).   
3. In a small skillet cook the zucchini and sliced 1/4 onion until soft. Set aside and let cool.
4. Roast your own red pepper on the stove top or used jarred. Slice into thin strips. 



From start to beginning

5. The meat should make about 4 baseball sized portions.  On a cutting board shape the meat flat and top with the cheese (reserving about a tab or small spoonful if making the rice as well), arugula, zucchini, onions and roasted red pepper.
6. Roll up the meat and then seal the edges.  Don't be afraid to get a handle on it and smoosh it around, just reshape into a small oval.
7. Place on a baking sheet coated with non stick spray and then spray the meat loaves as well.  
8. Cook for 45 mins to an hour or until cooked through and browned.

Brown Rice

Cook off the brown rice as directed, when done add the other handful of parsley and last tab of goat cheese. Stir until combined.

Turkey Stock

So after you have stripped that turkey for all its got- why not get some more out of it?  This couldn't be simplier and you can use it for my leftover turkey chili recipe. 

Ingredients

• Full turkey carcas- bones, skin, etc
• 1 large onion
• 1 large carrot
• 2 ribs of celery
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 3 bay leaves
• a couple springs of thyme and rosemary
• about 10 whole peppercorns
• water
• salt

Directions

1. Get a large soup/stock pot.  Break the turkey up so it will fit in the pot.
2. Add all other ingredients.
3. Fill the pot up with water.
4. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
5. Simmer for at least an hour skimming the fat off the top as you go.
6. Let cool and see if you need to skim any more fat.
7. Strain out into another large vessel (if you have cheese cloth I would use it here) then store accordingly.  You could even freeze it if you wanted.

Winter Squash- Butternut Squash

Butternut squash has the same benefits as the Spaghetti Squash.  It is sweet and versatile.  I prefer to roast it and then use it for whatever I might be making.  You can eat just as is as a side dish, or add it into other things (like this risotto); you can also puree it and stir into things for a lovely color and texture or probably an all around favorite making it into a soup. 

 

This recipe will be incorporating my Classic Risotto recipe and making it into a fall favorite of mine.  Sweet, salty, cheesy, filling- so good, seriously. And don’t forget to save the seeds and roast them like we did with the spaghetti squash!

 

For my Butternut Squash Risotto we just change a small amount of things to make this dish all it's own.  I actually have to credit Giada De Laurentiis for the idea of this.  The addition of the vanilla is definitely odd, and you can always leave it out, but the taste makes it so warm and comforting- it pairs perfect with the squash.  Don't knock it until you try it- I was skeptical at first too.

 

Ingredients

•  2-3 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced into bite size pieces
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean seeds scraped plus the hull)
• Plus all the regular ingredients for classic risotto:
• 1 cup of rice (shorter the grain the better)
• about 5-6 cups of chicken stock (you might not use it all- it varies each time)
• 1 onion, diced
• ½ cup of dry white wine
• ½ cup of parmesan cheese
• Butter

Directions

Honestly an easy way to prepare this is go to my risotto link because everything is exactly the same except for two things:

1. In the pot with the stock add the vanilla
2. For the squash: preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  Toss the squash with salt, pepper and oil and roast for 15-20 minutes until soft (will vary on how small you cut the squash pieces).  When that's done- add to the risotto at the very end and mix until everything is fully incorporated.
3. Add don't forget to reserve about 1-2 cups of squash for the next recipe of leftover butternut squash soup



Super Easy Leftover Butternut Squash Soup/Puree

Ingredients

(Serves about 2-4 people depending on how thick/thin you make it)

• 1-2 cups of leftover butternut squash from risotto recipe
• One small onion, diced
• 2 ribs of celery, diced
• 2 small sized carrots, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2  cups of chicken stock
• 1 tsp thyme
• salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper

Directions

1. In a skillet sweat the onion, celery, carrot and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remember: Sweating is cooking over medium heat and not browning the veggies.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until soft.
2. Then add the leftover squash and spices.  I mashed the squash a bit in the pan to make it easier for blending later.
3. Now when everything is heated through- you can do this in either a food processor, blender or you can use your immersion stick blender .  I used a regular blender- so I put about half the veggie/squash mixture in the blender with about ½ - 1 cup of stock- and gave it a buzz until blended.  Then I emptied the blender and did the second batch.
4. Now the consistency is completely up to you- I like thick soups (almost a puree really) and used less stock- if you want it thinner- just use more stock.  
5. When all batches are done I put the soup/puree back into the skillet and heated it up- just to make sure it was hot throughout. (because I used leftover cold stock)
6. When its hot- dish out into bowls and top with whatever you like.  Some suggestions: roasted squash seeds, sour cream, crème fraiche, bacon, extra virgin olive oil etc.

If you leave it thick, like a puree, then you could also serve underneath some baked chicken as a side dish application.

Also to make this soup vegetarian- just use veggie stock instead of chicken!

Saavy Shopping vs. Scary Supermarkets

So before you even get to cooking you need to obviously have something to cook.  This is dedicated to my sister who has just moved out on her own.  I always looked at my mother and wondered- "How did she know what was a good sale price?"- and unfortunately there is no magic way- it's just experience.  It also has to do with where you shop and what you are shopping for.  I actually shop at a couple different places- some have better deals than others. So this is a compilation to help first timers get started.

Here are some tips off the top of my head that I have accumulated throughout the years:

• Just because you're at a wholesale place (e.g. BJ's or Costco) you are not always getting a good deal (Best example for me is for boneless skinless chicken breasts: BJ's $2.99lb, on sale at Waldbaums or Western Beef can be as low as $1.79lb)
• Look at the flyer before you go and have a list ready, otherwise you wind up being there forever and buying stuff you didn't originally need.
• Check the supermarket's website- most of them you can see the flyer online (and some you can even make a list and print out! I love this feature on http://www.waldbaums.com/)
• Ask yourself- Do you really need this- or can you substitute something cheaper or don't need it at all
• Ask yourself- Will I use this before it goes bad? Can I freeze it if I don't?
• When on sale-buy things in bulk if you have the room- I always do this with chicken, pasta, canned tomatoes, mayo, and flour.
• Meat is probably going to be the most expensive item you buy. (Don't forgot eggs and tofu are really cheap and also a very good source of protein as a meat replacement)
• Even if you're not shopping try and glance at the flyers to try and get a feel for how much things cost.
• If they don't have it- get a RAINCHECK!
• Clip coupons and definitely get the saver shopper card thing for that particular supermarket
• Always check the reduced produce section (not all stores have this, but I've been seeing it more frequently now) sometimes you will find awesomeeeee deals- other times it's not worth it.
• Compare prices and ingredients of the name brands and store brands
• Check the nutritional facts- read what you're buying- might not be as healthy or low fat as you think
• Problem solving: Yup you are going to use math!
• In BJ's where things come in bulk- say a 36 pack of Poland Spring water- take price of it ($4.99) and divide it by the total amount of the product (36): that means each bottle of water is costing you about 14¢ a bottle. Now that's a deal- you pay over a dollar for a bottle of water in the machine or at the deli. (BJ's is also a really good deal for cold cuts- but BJ's has a $52 annual membership FYI)
• Also you can use this info to help compare prices at other stores.  (a personal example is face lotion for me- at BJ's 2 creams cost $21- but it's a deal because in the drug store they are close to $15 each!)
• Technology can be a life saver! Use you phone to compare prices, or check what you need for recipes while shopping!
• Family packs (larger packages, usually of meat) will save you money by the pound
• Do your math and compare the fresh veggies that are on sale that week to the frozen ones- sometimes the fresh are a way better deal.
• Always bag your meat products separate from anything else- we don't want any cross contamination.

What to actually buy?
Well I try and buy nutritional food for cheap.  Here is a list of some things I think would be essential for a first start kitchen:

• extra virgin olive oil (this is gunna be a lil pricey, if too expensive go for regular olive oil), onions, garlic, canned beans, eggs, rice (or lentils), canned crushed tomatoes, pasta, kosher salt, pepper, a couple other spices (crushed red pepper flakes, thyme (whole not ground), rosemary, bay leaf, adobo, basil, cumin, oregano), chicken bouillon cubes, mac and cheese-yes in the box, flour, non-stick cooking spray, italian dressing, hot sauce, milk, butter (I don't use real butter-ya know the butter substitutes), cereal, mustard, ketchup, canned chicken/tuna

This list is a minimal list to get you started if you didn't have one single thing in your kitchen.  You can create a lot of simple yummy dishes with these ingredients.  As you learn to cook more things you will see other ingredients start to reappear- my fridge door is just out of control with different things lol.  Also feel free to add things you eat on the regular.

When You Get Home
Especially if you are living by yourself, you are not going to eat that full family package of chicken in one night- or even in that week- chicken will be good in the fridge for a couple days, but you want to take it out of the package, trim it up more if you want/prefer, and put each meal portion in a separate ziplock bag.  Then stack up and freeze- when you know you are going to want chicken for dinner take out before work and put on your counter for a few hours or the night before in your fridge to defrost (on the counter is obviously faster- but just make sure you don't keep it out too long).  Also take the time to cut and clean all your fresh produce so it's ready for you when you need it.  It is a time saver.  The only thing you do not want to wash until you are ready to eat are strawberries.  The moisture from when you rinse them will cause them to get moldy faster.

Brief Rundown
This is only from my knowledge and personal experience (I live in Queens, NYC and shop at about 4 to 5 different places- Waldbaums, Western Beef, BJ's, H-Mart, sometimes Stop and Shop, Keyfood and Associated Supermarket- obviously not all at once or in one week, but I bounce around)

• The Deli
• If you buy cold cuts (deli meats) at a supermarket they are usually going to cost around $9.99lb (except BJ's- they usually are $6.99lb).  I know it's expensive, and I don't always make the trip to BJ's to save at the Deli- because I waste it in gas, but think about how much you are saving versus if you bought a sandwich for only one meal- even Subway is $5.49 for a footlong after tax-and that's not even quality deli meat.  My favorites at the deli are pepper turkey, honey turkey, and buffalo chicken- going to a good deli provides you with a nice array of choices so you can always try something new.  If you don't know what something tastes like- just ask! Most deli's will be happy to let you try something.
• Produce Dept
• Stock up on what's on sale.  I usually don't like to go to Waldbaums for produce because the Asian markets (like H-Mart) have the best produce for low prices- if you have some sort of Asian market by you I suggest you take full advantage.  The quality and price you just cant beat.  Also, trust your gut- you might be intimidated to go into a place like this- but you know what broccoli and zucchini and carrots look like right? Right! so go be adventurous, it might be not as scary as you think- and if it's too much for you to handle- you can always just walk out.
• Again, check the reduce produce section if they have one- if you don't know you can ask
• Organic vs Non-organic: this is something you're gunna have to research yourself- I really don't care too much about organic- I care about price and organic is always more expensive.
• Onions and garlic are always one of the best deals in the produce dept- they are cheap and you use them a lot!
• Farmer's Markets: I have never been to one yet- but I plan on going at the end of this month and I'll let you know how that works out. 

Prices

• Fruit- I don't buy too much fruit but:
• Bananas should definitely be under a $1 a pound.
• Strawberries should be $2 (1lb container) or less.
• Apples can vary- I would say $1.40/lb is a median price. 
• Oranges and grapefruits are usually sold each-not by the pound- grapefruits for $1 each are the usual sale price.  I don't buy oranges often. 
• Grapes should be under $2/lb
• Lemons: 3 for $1 is pretty good (usually on sale for this price)
• Limes: 5 for $1 is a usual sale price 
• Veggies: everything under $1/lb I say!
• If it's $1/lb or less it's a good deal- for broccoli, string beans, and zucchini
• Peppers: Rarely you will find colored peppers that cheap.  Green peppers supposedly have the least flavor and are usually the cheapest- so if you find other colors under $2/lb you're doing pretty good. Green for $1.88/lb or less is good.
• Mushrooms can be tricky, because there are a lot of different types- 10oz is the usual package size and for cremini (baby portabellos-little brown ones) $1.60 or under for 10oz package is acceptable. 
• Lettuce: a package of 3 romaine hearts shouldn't cost you more than $2.99 for the package of 3.  You can get a loose green leaf or red leaf lettuce for about $1/lb- loose romaine can go by the pound or by each- 99¢/lb is good.  And if you buy Iceberg lettuce (ugh, which I wouldn't except for tacos) I wouldn't pay more than $1.25 a head, if that.
• Celery: Buy the full celery-not just the hearts because hearts only cost more and it's really the same thing. 
• Carrots run relatively cheap- about $1/lb (the small cello package carrots- carrots in a bag- are usually a pound each)
• Onions: At BJ's I get a 10lb bag of onions for $5 or $6 bucks I think which is a pretty good price- make sure the onions are not soft and not moldy or have bugs on them- gross.
• Garlic: buy tight heads- if they have a purple tint or hue- don't worry it's fine- don't buy garlic with the green shoot/root growing out of it
• Potatoes: price varies depending on the potato- I buy potatoes by the bag so I'm pretty sure a 5lb bag of Russet Idaho potatoes should be around $2.99

Also buy in season.  I have a widget on my page to help with that.  Usually when produce is in season it goes on sale.  I can't list everything, but check out the widget or just Google it- didn't I say technology is a wonderful thing!

I would say this post is long enough already- so if you have any other questions you can always email me: cookeatlove4@gmail.com

And remember- it's just a supermarket- I actually love food shopping, sometimes I need to remind myself I have other things to do.  I love the colors, smells, knowledge of different products available, and ideas that pop into my head for cooking.  Embrace the fact that you have endless possibilities and choices, don't be frightened or turned off by it. Happy shopping!