Apples, sweet potato and chicken thighs simmer away with fall rosemary and apple cider tea for a healthy, flavorful fall dinner.
This post is sponsored on behalf of #AppleWeek. Our generous sponsors Envy Apples, Bob’s Red Mill, Republic of Tea, Flahavan’s Irish Oats, Nairn’s, Taylor & College, Zyliss, Chocoley, and Torani have provided us with products for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. As always, all opinions are my own.
Sweet slow cooker Honey Sesame Chicken can be prepped in just 10 minutes. Serve with rice and a veggie for a complete, quick meal.
There are some weeks were I’m feeling super organized. Really on my game. Ahead of schedule. I feel good those weeks.
And then there are times like the past few weeks where I feel like I’m floundering. Like every time I try to do something, it’s three times as difficult and time consuming as I imagine. I run errands only to find stores are closed or out of what I need. An easy online task turns into 15 minutes of online frustration, followed by a phone call to customer service to get something resolved.
It doesn’t help that we’ve started birthday season – so lots of planning and entertaining – that we’ve had multiple weeks of lousy winter weather, and a week with two sick kiddos.
Yeah, you can say my plate has been full for the past few weeks. And it’s only going to get worse, as birthday season continues, we have a bit of work done in the house, and my husband and I alternate travel pretty much every other week for the next few months.
My mom is coming to the rescue for my next month, but for now, I’m trying to buckle down, tackle my To Do and spend some much needed time blogging. I know that a few days of FOCUS will help me be more efficient and make me feel better. So that’s what I’m attempting to do… despite everything being much more time consuming and difficult than it should be.
This Honey Sesame Chicken is one of the recipes we’ve made during all of the Crazy recently. It’s a recipe we’ve been making for several years now – from Prevention RD, who hasn’t steered us wrong yet. It’s bright and flavorful, sweet – which my husband particularly loves. And the best part? It only takes about 10 minutes of hands on time – 5 minutes of prep, and 5 minutes of finish, making it ideal for those busy periods in your life.
I served this with quick minute rice and microwaved green beans and almonds for a complete (and easy) dinner. Enjoy!
In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, olive oil, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken breasts. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, or on high for 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours.
When chicken is cooked through and tender, transfer chicken breasts to a plate.
Whisk cornstarch into the sauce and continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes, for sauce to thicken.
While sauce continues to cook, use to forks or a set of bear claws to shred chicken. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir to coat chicken in sauce.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice.
This recipe was rewritten but barely adapted from Prevention RD.
Quinoa, leftover turkey (or chicken), fall Brussels sprouts, and dried cranberries are tossed in a fresh orange vinaigrette creating a dish to enjoy for lunch, a light dinner, or even a side dish.
Today kicks off one of my favorite foodie weeks of fall – Cranberry Week! Hosted by Caroline from Caroline’s Cooking, it’s a week of recipes featuring fresh and dried cranberries, cranberry juice, and any other cranberry product you can think of. This week, I have two new recipes for you – a savory dish that you could enjoy for lunch, a light dinner, or bright side dish and a fall twist on a classic dessert.
What are you plans for Thanksgiving? Can you believe it’s less than a month away?
My husband and I usually crash a friend’s house for the holiday, but this year, we’re hosting. My parents will be in town helping with childcare that week (lots of days off and early dismissals!) so I expect my mom to be doing a lot of prep. Our current count is 16 for Thanksgiving dinner (with at least 8 house guests spending the night for a night or two), but I anticipate adding at least 4 more before the big day. Not going to lie, I’m a little tired just thinking about it!
But seriously, while it’s a bit overwhelming to think about with a bit of travel and a bit of single-momming it before then, I’m looking forward to it. No clue what I’m going to make yet, but that’s ok. It’ll work out.
Funny enough, even though I haven’t really done much planning for the big meal, I already know what I’m going to do with the leftover turkey. I’m going to have my mom make me Turkey Noodle Soup (it always tastes better when she makes it!) and then I’m going to steal a bit to make this Quinoa with Turkey, Brussels Sprouts & Cranberries. It just screams fall, or more specifically, Thanksgiving leftovers. Toss leftover turkey (or chicken) with fall Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, and quinoa and then dress it with a light, citrus vinaigrette. Yum!
Recipe Notes:
While this recipe calls for turkey, you can totally use leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken. Or even buy turkey or chicken breast from from the deli counter at your local grocery store.
Feel free to up the protein in this recipe with up to 1 lb. of chicken or turkey or omit all together for a bright and flavorful side dish.
Quinoa with Turkey, Brussels Sprouts & Cranberries
Quinoa, leftover turkey (or chicken), fall Brussels sprouts, and dried cranberries are tossed in a fresh orange vinaigrette creating a dish to enjoy for lunch, a light dinner, or even a side dish.
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American
Total Time10minutes
Servings4
AuthorLiz
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Vinaigrette:
1Tbs.olive oil
1shallotminced
1tsp.orange zest
1/4c.fresh orange juicefrom about 1/2 a orange
1tsp.balsamic vinegarwhite balsamic vinegar, if you have it
1/2tsp.kosher salt
1/4tsp.freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients for the Quinoa:
3c.cooked quinoa
1/2lb.turkey breastdiced
1/2lb.uncooked shredded Brussels sprouts
1/2c.coarsely chopped dried cranberries
Instructions
Whisk together all ingredients for the vinaigrette and set aside.
In a medium bowl, toss together all ingredients for the quinoa.
Top with vinaigrette and toss to coat.
Recipe Notes
May be served hot, warm/room temperature or cold.
Today’s #CranberryWeek Recipes
I’m excited to be sharing this recipe as part of Cranberry Week – now in it’s third year! See all the tasty cranberry recipes being shared today below and follow #cranberryweek on social media for more ideas all week long.
Tender turkey breast is stuffed with a sweet apple, cornbread and sausage stuffing for a satisfying, filling fall Sunday night dinner.
This post is sponsored on behalf of #AppleWeek. Our generous sponsors, Swiss Diamond, Envy Apples, Imperial Sugar, Nordic Ware, Rodelle Vanilla, Flahavan’s Irish Oatmeal, Nairn’s and The Spice House have provided us with products for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. As always, all opinions are my own.
I have a confession to make. I’m not a huge fan of turkey. With almost 10 years of blogging, this is the first turkey recipe on my blog. No traditional Thanksgiving turkey recipes here – not just because I’m not a huge fan but also because we tend to crash a friend’s house for the holiday. Much less work for me that way. 😉
Today’s recipe is much more my speed. If I could choose, I’d skip the big Thanksgiving dinner and go for something like the dish I am sharing with you today. Boneless, skinless turkey breast stuffed with deliciousness. This dish is wonderful for a small Thanksgiving meal or for a cozy fall Sunday night dinner at home. It takes a little time to prep, but then it gets thrown in the oven to bake, leaving you with almost an hour to watch Sunday football (if you’re into that sort of thing), play with the kiddos, or perhaps indulge in a pre-dinner glass of wine.
This turkey breast is stuffed with fall flavors – apples, rosemary, sausage and cornbread. It’s surprisingly sweet… the stuffing actually tastes a little bit like candy. My husband pretty quickly declared that this recipe needed to be added into the regular dinner rotation.
I think the sweet Envy apples really make this dish – so I’m incredibly lucky they sponsored this post, as well as #AppleWeek. For those that don’t know, Envy apples are grown in New Zealand (as well as in Washington state) and are a cross between a Braeburn and Royal Gala apple. They’re absolutely delicious. (I had to put my box of apples on lock-down, to prevent my husband and daughter devouring them before I had a chance to get cooking!).
Tips:
Whether you bought rosemary just for this recipe or picked it fresh from your garden, remember that fresh rosemary can be minced and frozen to use later. Mince, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet, and freeze for at least 1 hour. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container for long-term storage. I use this freshly frozen rosemary in place of fresh rosemary all of the time, to reduce waste and get the most out of my summer crop.
I found my boneless, skinless turkey breast at Wegman’s grocery store – in case you have trouble finding it outside of Thanksgiving. I don’t think I’ve seen it sold anywhere else.
Don’t Forget!
Be sure to scroll down and take a look under the recipe and check out the other #AppleWeek recipes that went live today. You can also search #AppleWeek on social media or follow the #AppleWeek Pinterest board to see all of the great recipes going live this week.
Check our Envy Apples on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest). They have some recipes that look simply wonderful. It’ll give you the motivation you need to go apple picking this year, as well as some great inspiration for fall baking (and cooking!).
Finally, be sure to enter the #AppleWeek giveaway – for several great prizes – at the Rafflecopter below. There are multiple ways to enter and multiple prizes (description of each prize is listed here) so be sure to throw your name in the ring!
Turkey Breast Roulade with Apple, Cornbread & Sausage Stuffing
Tender turkey breast is stuffed with a sweet apple, cornbread and sausage stuffing for a satisfying, filling fall Sunday night dinner.
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American
Servings8
AuthorLiz
Ingredients
1Tbs.extra-virgin olive oil
1medium apple (I used Envy)finely chopped
1rib of celeryfinely chopped
1/2c.finely chopped yellow onions
kosher saltdivided
5oz.mild Italian sausagecasings removed (1-2 links)
1c.crumbled cornbread
1Tbs.finely chopped fresh rosemary
2Tbs.finely chopped fresh parsley
2Tbs.pure maple syrup
freshly ground black pepper
1lbs.boneless skinless turkey breast
Instructions
In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 tsp. olive oil over medium heat. Saute chopped apple, celery, onion, and a large pinch of kosher salt until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add sausage (casings removed) and rosemary. Continue to cook until sausage is browned, breaking it up into little pieces as it cooks.
Remove apple-sausage mixture from heat. Transfer to a large bowl and mix with cornbread, parsley and maple syrup. Set aside to cool.
While the stuffing is cooling, butterfly turkey breast and flatten to 1/2-inch thickness by placing the butterflied breast between two slices of plastic wrap and pounding with a meat mallet (or if you're like me and don't own one, a rolling pin).
When stuffing has cooled enough to handle, spread on top of turkey breast, leaving a 1/2-inch area around the edges. Start at the
Disclaimer: Thank youAppleWeek Sponsors: Swiss Diamond, Nordic Ware, Envy Apples, Imperial Sugar, The Spice House, Rodelle Vanilla, Flahavan’s Irish Oats and Nairn’s for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for AppleWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. TheAppleWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Seven (7) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. TheAppleWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the AppleWeek posts or entry.
Highly adaptable, these lean Turkey Burgers take minutes to make, only 15 minutes to cook and make enough to stock your freezer.
There’s nothing better than an easy recipe that comes together quickly and makes enough to stock the freezer. (Can you tell that I’m doing everything possible to make busy weeknights easier for myself this school year?) This recipe is it.
My mom and I have been eating these Turkey Burgers for years. The recipe can certainly be halved, but honestly, the ease of scaling it is one of the best parts. In just 15 minutes, you can have the turkey burgers made and assembled – enough for a meal to serve immediately with at least a meal leftover to stock in the freezer. Mom used to store them in individual baggies, so that she could pull one out whenever she wanted and cook to order. I freeze in baggies of 3-4, enough for my husband and I for a meal, with a little leftover.
Serving Suggestions & Deviations:
Serve on a toasted English muffin as a sandwich, or on top of a salad for a low-carb lunch.
Mom likes to top hers with a little honey mustard salad dressing. I like a little sliced or smashed avocado.
Like spicy? I’ve been known to add a hefty pinch of Emeril’s Creole Seasoning to the mixture or on top of the burger patty before cooking for a little extra kick.
Highly adaptable, these lean Turkey Burgers take minutes to make, only 15 minutes to cook and make enough to stock your freezer.
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American
Prep Time15minutes
Cook Time15minutes
Total Time30minutes
Servings154-oz. burgers
AuthorLiz
Ingredients
1/2red onionfinely chopped
1bell pepperany color, finely chopped
4Tbs.minced fresh parsley
2Tbs.minced fresh thyme
2garlic clovesminced
3Tbs.low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/4c.plain breadcrumbs
40oz.ground turkey
cooking spray
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, using clean hands to gently mix until ingredients are evenly combined.
Shape into 4-oz. patties, indenting the center with your thumb just slightly.
Spray a skillet (preferably non-stick) with cooking spray. When hot, add turkey burgers so that there's an inch or so in between each (you'll probably need to cook in batches). Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Flip. Cover skillet and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until cooked throughout.
Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Freezing Instructions: Uncooked turkey burgers may be frozen in an airtight container of freezer bag to be used later. Simply add a piece of parchment or wax paper in between layers before freezing.
Cooking from Freezer: Turkey burgers can be defrosted and cooked as directed or cooked straight from freezer. To cook frozen burgers, cover immediately. Allow to cook for 10 minutes before flipping, recovering, and cooking until cooked throughout, another 10-15 minutes.
This recipe was adapted from a super old issue of Prevention magazine.
