sho' good eatin'

That's the motto from a yummy little place in Lampasas, TX that I've been known to stop at on my trips to San Antonio when travelling 281. Summer has given me even more time to be obsessed with food; mainly watching the Food Network and soaking up all that I can. Even if they are cooking something I won't necessarily eat, I often still watch just to learn. I've also become a little bit hooked on the show "Chopped" on FN...it's stressful but so interesting! There's always a mystery ingredient that does not go with the rest of the required ingredients but must be used somehow in the dish. Examples: gummy bears, baby octopus, animal crackers...I didn't even know what sharon fruit was until last night...and I have the Food Network to thank for the thing I learned yesterday.

I have made two tasty meals to eat off of this week. Both are from my friends (Giada and Ellie Krieger) on TV. Shocking.

Turkey Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta
(serves 4-6)

Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped garlic and herb-marinated sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced, optional
2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground turkey

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, if using, eggs, milk, feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.
Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

*My notes:
-I would cut the salt in half. I think the feta cheese gives plenty of salt.
-One of the easiest things ever to make. Throw everything in a bowl, mix it up, and put it in a baking dish-seriously?! I was done before the oven was even hot enough.
-Do I even need to tell you that I used skim milk instead of whole??
-I cut up a couple of sweet potatoes into wedges to make my own sweet potato fries...cooked them in the oven at the same time. Yummy, easy meal!

Tuscan Vegetable Soup
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced, (about 1/2 cup)
1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional

In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.
Serve topped with Parmesan, if desired.

*Another easy meal. A nice, light summer dinner.

Happy cooking! :)