Taco Bake

• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1 pkg Taco Seasoning
• 1 pkg Ortega Tortillas
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 8 Oz Taco Sauce or Enchilada Sauce
• Diced Tomatoes
• Jalapenos

1. Layer Tortilla on bottom of 13 x 9 baking dish.
2. Prepare taco meat by using directions on back of seasoning package.
3. Layer 1/2 the Taco Meat over tortillas.
4. Add 1/2 the tomatos and 1/2 the peppers, taco sauce then cheese.
5. Repeat the above step until pan is chock full.
6. Layer cheese on top and cover with reynolds wrap.
7. 400 degrees 25 Min Covered.
8. 400 degrees uncovered to "crunch" cheese.

Turtle's Christmas Dinner

This year for Christmas the following menu will be served.

• 3 Pound Boneless Rib Roast - Garlic infused into the meat and black pepper coated on outside.
• Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potato
• Asparagus with Hollaindaise Sauce
• Endive Salad with a lemon-EVOO dressing
• Home Baked Itailian Bread - Pillsbury!
• Death by Chocolate Cake made with mostly no sugar or little sugar
• Chocolate Pie with Free Cool Whip!

Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potato

• 3 1/2 pounds idaohan potatoes
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 16 fluid ounces (2 cups) 1%
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 ounces grated Parmesan

1. Peel and dice potatoes, making sure all are relatively the same size.
2. Place in a large saucepan, add the salt, and cover with water.
3. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to maintain a rolling boil.
4. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork.
5. Heat the half-and-half and the garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.
6. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain off the water. Mash and add the garlic-cream mixture and Parmesan; stir to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes so that mixture thickens and then serve

Chocolate Pudding Pie

• 2 Boxes Sugar Free Instant Chocolate Pudding
• Reduced Fat Graham Cracker Crust
• Cool Whip Free

1. Using directions on crust, bake crust before filling.
2. Make pudding per directions.
3. Pour pudding into crust shell.
4. Let pudding set.
5. Add a generous amount of cool whip on top.

Death by Chocolate Cake

• Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake Mix
• Smuckers Sugar Free Rasberry Preserves
• Canned Low Sugar Frosting - Chocolate
• Smuckers Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup

1. Prepare cake mix to instructions on box.
2. After cakes are out of oven and cooled you can prepare the cake
3. Place 1st layer onto a serving plate.
4. Spoon preserves on top of 1st layer.
5. Place 2nd layer on top of first layer.
6. Frost the cake, on sides and top.
7. Drizzle Syrup on top of frosting.

Peppercorn Crusted Rib Roast

• Crushed Peppercorns
• Garlic Cloves
• Olive Oil
• 3 to 7 lb Boneless Rib Roast

1. Preheat oven to 500 Degrees
2. Coat roast with a little olive oil
3. Make cuts into the meat and insert garlic cloves. This can be done the night before.
4. Coat peppercorns over rib roast.
5. Insert the probe of a oven proof digital thermometer in center of roast
6. Sear roast in oven at 500 degrees for:
1. 5-10 lb Roast               10 Minutes
2. 10-15 lb Roast             13 Minutes
3. 15 lb and up                 15 Minutes      
7. Cook at 325 degrees for 20 minutes per pound.
1. 125-130 Degrees         Medium Rare
2. 130-165 Degrees         Medium
3. 165-170 Degrees         Well Done

Endive Salad

• 2 Cups Belgum Endive Sliced
• 1 Granny Smith Apple, cored, skinned, and chopped
• 1/4 cup Dried Cranberrys or Craisens
• Gruyere Cheese in small cubes, as many as you wish
• Calamata Olives, pitted amd sliced.
• Juice from 2 lemons
• Olive Oil
• Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb

1. Dressing - Mix lemon juice with oil and Mrs. Dash, let chill before dressing salad.
2. Place all ingredients in a serving bowl, drizzle dressing and toss.
3. Chill before serving.

Baked Rigatoni, Eggplant and Italian Sausage

Ingredients


Kosher Salt

Extra-virgin olive oil

• 6 links Hot Italian Sausage (about 3/4 pound)
• 1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large can (28 ounces) peeled whole tomatoes
• Leaves from 1 small bunch basil
• 1 pound rigatoni
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat for the pasta.
2. Get yourself a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.
3. Heat a 2 count of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the sausages and toss in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes, you want them nicely browned on the outside but still rare on the inside. Put the sausages in the baking dish.
5. Turn the heat down to medium. Add a generous 1/3 cup of oil to the skillet and get it hot.
6. Add as many eggplant pieces as you can comfortably fit in a single layer and sprinkle well with salt. Cook, turning, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the eggplant is nice and browned, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Use a spatula to put the eggplant into the baking dish with the sausage. Cook the rest of the eggplant pieces, adding more oil to the pan, as needed, and putting the finished eggplant into the baking dish.
7. Add another 2 count of oil to the skillet, then your onion and garlic, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent. Dump the whole can of tomatoes and their juices into a bowl and crush the tomatoes with your hands to break them up; add that to the pan with the basil and cook it down until pulpy and relatively thick. This will take about 15 minutes.
8. By this time your pasta water will be boiling. Add the rigatoni, give it a stir, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, it should be slightly firm as it will cook further in the oven. Ladle out 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and reserve; the drain the rigatoni.
9. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
10. Chop the sausages into nice big, bite-size chunky pieces and return the pieces to the baking dish.
11. Add the tomato sauce, rigatoni, and the reserved pasta water.
12. Break up half the mozzarella over the mixture, season with salt and pepper, and gently mix with your hands or a spatula.
13. Dust with the Parmigiano and drizzle with more olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.
14. Spread the remaining mozzarella in an even layer over the top and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
    
    
    
    

Greens with Pecans, Berries, and Cheese

You can adapt this recipe to your own taste buds.

Pecans - Replace Pecans with Almonds, Peanuts, Sunflower Seeds, or Pumpkin Seeds
Berries - Replace Berries with Raisens, Craisens, or Cranberry
Cheese - Gorgonzola, Bleu Cheese, Goat Cheese, Cheddar, or anything you want

• 2 Heads of Romaine, cut or torn and washed
• 1/2 Bag of Craisens
• 1 Cup crumbled Gorgonzola
• 1 Cup Chopped Pecans

1. Cut and wash Romaine and add to serving bowl.
2. Sprinkle Craisens on top of Romaine
3. Sprinkle Gorgonzola
4. Sprinkle Pecans

You can make your own Salad Dressing, or use Rice Vinegar only, or use my Parmesan Italian Salad Dressing

Parmesan Italian Salad Dressing

• 1 3/4 Cups Rice Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Packet of Good Seasons Italian Dressing Seasonings
• 3 Tbsp Agave Nectar
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1. Pour rice vinegar into a blender.
2. Add packet of seasonings.
3. Add Cheese
4. Add Agave Nectar
5. Blend on low, while blending slowly drizzle olive oil into the mix.
6. Blend for a few seconds.
7. Pour into a close container, you can use a water bottle if you wish.

Eggplant Bake

• 1 pound 93% lean ground beef
• 1 cup minced onion
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2.5 pounds raw eggplant, peeled and sliced
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, coursly chopped
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, coursly chopped
• 28 oz can crushed tomato
• 3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 tsp ground basil
• 1/2 cup reduced fat parmesan

1. Saute beef with onions and garlic until browned, set aside.
2. Peel and slice eggplant and add to a pot.
3. Add chopped peppers, crushed tomatoes, breadcrumbs and basil.
4. Cook until eggplant is tender.
5. Take a oven proof 13" x 9" baking pan. Spray pam.
6. Place eggplant mixture in dish. Cover with beef mixture.
7. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
8. Sprinkle Fat Free Parmesan Cheese on top and bake for an additional 5 minutes uncovered.

Weight Watchers Point Value = 3 Points

Habernero Fire Chili

• 1 tbsp Canola Oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Habernero or Scotch Bonnet Peppers, minced
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomato
• 1 14 oz can stewed tomato
• 1 15 oz can pinto beans
• 1 15 oz can red kidney beans
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-3 tsp of bottled Caribbean Hot Sauce

1. In a large pot add oil and saute onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, chili pepper until translucent and tender.
2. Add crushed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, pinto and kidney beans, chili powder, oregano, cumin, pepper and salt.
3. Add the hot sauce and bring to a simmer.
4. Cook for 15-20 minutes over medium heat.

Makes 4 Servings

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

• 2 Pounds Potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 Cups Skim Milk
• 2 Lrg cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

1. Cook potatoes, covered in small amount of boilng water for 20-25 minutes until fork tender. Drain water and leave potatoes in the pot.
2. In another pan over low heat, cook garlic and milk until soft, about 30 minutes.
3. Add the milk garlic mixture and white peppeer to the potato.
4. Beat with electric mizer on low speed until smooth.

Makes 4 Servings
Serving Size 1 Cup

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 Cups, minues 2 Tbsp cake flour1 cup bread flour
• 2/3 Cup self rising flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 1/2 sticks butter
• 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp white sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 12 oz chocolate chips

1. Sift flours, add baking soda, powder and salt.
2. Cream the butter and add the eggs one at a time.
3. Add dry ingredients and mix until well combined
4. Drop in chocolate piece and fold them into mixture.
5. Cover and chill for 24-36 hours.
6. Drop Cookie batter onto parchment paper covered cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes

Pasta Alla Chez Turtle

• 
  
  2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
  
• 4 Shallots, Minced
  
• 4 Slices Pancetta, Chopped
  
• 4 Slices Capacola, Chopped
  
• Olive Oil
  
• 2 Cups Whole Wheat Pasta, uncooked
  
• Anchovy Fillets
  
• 1 Pint Cherry Tomatos, Sliced in half
  
• Chopped Basil
  

1. 
   
   Boil Water with a little salt, when boiling add pasta and cook until tender. Drain pasta and set aside.
   
2. Coat a deep frying pan with Olive Oil, and add Garlic and Shallots. Cook until tender.
   
3. Add Pancetta and Capacola.
   
4. Add Tomatos
   
5. Add Anchovys
   
6. Let cook until tomatos are rendered down,
   
7. Add Pasta to mixture and toss.
   
8. Garnish with Chopped Basil.
   

Turkey Caserole

1 Cup Chopped Turkey
1 Bag Frozen Peas and Carrots
2 Jars Fat Free Turkey Gravy
2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice

Place turkey in a bowl, add peas and carrots, gravy and rice.

Cook in saucepan until hot. You can add a little broth to keep it moist.