Turkey Lettuce Wraps

It seems that we have found ourselves on yet another diet at our house. I think sometimes that I have been hungry for half my life. I remember in Notting Hill when Julia Roberts character says she's "been hungry for the better part of a decade". I can relate.

So in my quest to find foods that fit the narrow criteria of acceptable and also palatable I decided to do some lettuce wraps. I loved Chili's version of lettuce wraps and was so sad when they were removed from the menu. These are surprisingly not a bad substitute.

I did use Splenda in place of all the sugar and cut the oil way back. The next time I make these I am going to add carrots for some color but overall these were a definite do again. Don't let the long list of ingredients and instructions intimidate you...these are really very easy and not too bad timewise.

The NI is figured using sugar instead of Splenda as that is what I will use more frequently.

Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 cup water chestnut
2/3 cup mushroom
3 Tbs chopped onions
1 tsp minced garlic
4-5 leaves iceberg lettuce

Special Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs ketchup
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbs hot mustard
2 tsp water
1-2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste

Stir Fry Sauce
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
2. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
3. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.
4. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
5. Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
6. Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
7. Brown turkey and break up into pea sized chunks
8. Remove turkey from pan and drain well
9. As turkey cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
10. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
11. With the pan still on high heat, 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil.
12. Add turkey, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
13. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce "cups".
14. Top with"Special Sauce".

Servings: 4

Calories 272.71; Total Fat 4.49g; Total Carbohydrates 39.58g; Fiber 2.45g; Protein 23.97g

So Cute!

I just had to share my cute apron. I made it from one of the many dishtowels that I have picked up with the intention of doing something wonderful. So far I haven't done very many wonderful things and some have made it into the drawer and are now looking kind of sad. :)

Any way, 1 dishtowel, 1/4 yd fabric and 3 yards of ribbon later voila' an apron!

Bri didn't want to pose for me but I think she's cuter than the apron!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

It just felt like fall today so I pulled out the pumpkin. I despise making cookies because I hate standing there and changing cookie sheets etc and I wasn't really in the mood for cake (astonishing I know) so I decided to make muffins instead.

I burned the first pan because I forgot to set the timer but the second pan came out perfect. Just the right combo of spices, pumpkin and chocolate. Yum.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

4 egg
2 cups sugar
16 oz pure pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup canola oil
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
12 oz chocolate chips

1. In large mixing bowl beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and oil until smooth

2. Mix dry ingredients together and mix into pumpkin

3. Fold in chocolate chips

4. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 3/4 full

5. Bake at 400 for 16-17 minutes

Servings: 30

Cooking Times
Cooking Time: 17 minutes

Oven Temperature: 400°F

Calories 219.35; Total Fat 11.62g; Total Carbohydrates 27.74g; Fiber 0.94g;Protein 2.52g

Banana Bars

I've had a couple of bunches of bananas hanging around on my countertop for over a week. It's become pretty obvious that no one here is going to eat them as they are now soft and brown and kind of scary looking so I needed a new plan. I made banana bread with some of them but I still had 3 that I didn't have the heart to throw away.

So, since we were asked to take a dessert to Grandma's today I made banana bars with cream cheese frosting. Ok, in all honesty putting them in "bar" form is an excuse to get a larger frosting to cake ratio in every bite, but they are yummy all the same.

Banana Bars

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup banana
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

1. Grease and lightly flour two 8x1-1/2-inch or 9x1-1/2-inch round baking pans or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan or jelly roll pan. set pan(s) aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add bananas, buttermilk or sour milk, shortening, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Add eggs; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into the prepared pan(s).

3. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes for round pans or about 35 minutes for 13x9-inch pan, or 28 min for jelly roll pan or till a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool layer cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove layer cakes from pans. Cool thoroughly on racks (see tip, page 000). Or, place 13x9-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with desired frosting. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Servings: 24

Nutrition Facts:
Calories 144.7; Total Fat 4.89g; Total Carbohydrates 23.37g; Fiber 0.48g; Protein 2.06g

*Note: If you don't have buttermilk on hand, substitute sour milk in the same amount. For the 3/4 cup of sour milk needed, place 2-1/4 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 3/4 cup total liquid; stir. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using it in a recipe.