Turkey Meatloaf

I wanted something homey and comforting for Sunday dinner a few weeks back so I turned to an old favorite, Ina Garten's Turkey Meatloaf.

I've made this recipe a bunch of times so I can't believe I never blogged about it. Baby Girl ate a ton of this, more than me actually. We'd cut some up for her and she'd inhale it then ask for more. I made the full 5lbs for 5 adults and 1 child and we had just enough leftover for lunches for four adults, plus a little extra for late-night sandwiches.

Turkey Meatloaf
Recipe from Ina Garten

3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
5 pounds ground turkey breast
1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs
3 extra-large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold in a sandwich.

Chipotle Turkey Sandwich

Sometimes I feel silly posting recipes for things like a sandwich, but then I realize that if it hadn't been for the post about these Chipotle Turkey Sandwiches, I wouldn't have thought to make them. So, I'm sharing my knowledge with you.

I wasn't always a fan of chipotle in adobo but I recently discovered that I like it in moderation. And really, if you mix it with mayo the chances are good I'll eat it. These were delicious sandwiches - easy to prepare with great flavor. I added sliced tomato to my sandwich and really enjoyed it.

Chipotle Turkey Sandwich
As seen on My Life as a Mrs

For the Chipotle Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo, finely diced

For the Chipotle Turkey Sliders:
4 burger buns
3/4 pound shaved turkey breast (ask the deli person to shave the turkey)
2 cups mixed greens
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
Chipotle mayo (above)

For the Chipotle Mayonnaise:
Mix ingredients together in a bowl and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes (may also puree in food processor or blender). Set aside until ready to use.

For the Chipotle Turkey Sliders:
Toast the buns. To each roll, add chipotle mayo, shaved turkey, a sprinkle of mixed greens and a few slices of red onion.

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

Just like last year I opted to make a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey. I decided to use Ina's Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast recipe, mainly because I love her perfect roast chicken recipe and because I saw her make this the week before Thanksgiving and loved the sound of marinating the meat the night before.

I'm still trying to decide if I prefer roasting a whole turkey or doing a turkey breast. The breast is certainly easier but I kind of like having a whole bird. Something to think about for next year. This year I added in two turkey legs for SP and my stepdad since they prefer dark meat. I upped the amount of the herb marinade so I'd have enough to go around. You could really taste the flavors in the meat so definitely plan to marinate overnight. Delicious!

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
Ina Garten

1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Marinate overnight in a pan covered with plastic wrap.

When ready to cook, place the turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.

Make Ahead - The meat needs to marinate overnight so plan to mix together the marinade the day before.

Asian Turkey Burgers with Spicy Lime Mayo

I can't remember the last time I made a burger. It must have been sometime over the summer. And as much as I love a good beef burger, I've come to realize that I'm a big fan of chicken or turkey burgers. The mild flavor of poultry makes it so much easier to add whatever flavors you like. This is a new phenomenon for me but I'm embracing it in these days of attempted weight loss.

I recently discovered How Sweet It Is and boy am I glad I did. She's got some truly delicious-sounding recipes that I'm dying to make. When I saw her post about these Asian Turkey Burgers with Spicy Lime Mayo I had to take her advice and add them to my weekly menu.


Head over to Jessica's blog for some drool-inducing photos. Mine are ehh, as usual. But don't let that deter you from making these immediately. I prepped the burgers in the morning before work and the smell alone was intoxicating. As far as I'm concerned you really can't go wrong with garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce and sesame. Add the delicious Spicy Limo Mayo and you've got one hell of a burger. Try these soon. You won't be disappointed.

Asian Turkey Burgers
How Sweet It Is

1 pound ground turkey breast
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
3 green onions, thinly chopped
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
4 burger buns
Lettuce and sliced tomato for serving

Combine all ingredients (except buns) in a large bowl and mix gently with your hands until just combined � do not overmix. Form turkey into 4 patties about 1/2 inch thick. Heat a skillet (in my case � a cast iron grill pan) over medium-high heat (or preheat your grill) and once hot, add burgers. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side.

Toast buns if desired, then top burgers with mayo and serve.

Spicy Lime Mayo

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or more if desired)
Zest of half of a lime
Juice of half a lime

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth and combined.

Southwestern Ranch Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches

I had planned to make these Southwestern Ranch Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, but between sandwiches and soup we used it all up. I didn't want to miss out on these sandwiches so I bought deli turkey, which was just fine.


These are definitely a knife-and-fork sandwich, which disappointed SP. He was hoping for a traditional sandwich. Next time I'll use less ingredients per sandwich and maybe cook them panini-style. I'm also thinking about adding bacon (thanks for the idea, Cassie) and switching the avocado slices to guacamole or an avocado spread for easier eating. No matter how you assemble them, these are truly delicious.

Southwestern Ranch Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches
Cassie Craves

6 slices sandwich bread
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
3/4 to 1 pound turkey, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded pepper jack or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 ripe avocados, sliced
Juice of 1 lime

Toast bread in toaster or under the broiler. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, combine ranch dressing mix, chili powder, and cumin. Stir in mayonnaise and sour cream.

Cover a baking sheet with tinfoil. Place bread on baking sheet and spread 1 tablespoon of the sauce on each slice. Top with sliced turkey and 1 more tablespoon of the sauce. Top with cheese and tomatoes.

Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted. Top each sandwich with sliced avocado and a spritz of lime juice.