Turkey Suiza Tacos

I really love tacos. I love suiza enchiladas too. The other day a saw a chef season ground beef with salsa for tacos. I immediately thought about trying green salsa to season ground turkey. And how should I top them? With classic suiza ingredients of course. Well let me tell you this turned out to be AMAZING!!! My dear sister was here the first time I made them and was less than enthusiastic about a turkey taco, but she loved them. The secret to these tacos is definitely the saucy turkey filling. The addition of cumin and green salsa makes the turkey delicious all on it's own but adding the cool and spicy garnishes really puts these tacos over the top. I love the combination. Melty cheese, seasoned turkey, pickled onions, spicy jalapenos, creamy sour cream, cool avocado and cilantro. It is so dang good together. But I am here to tell you build them your way. If you don't like spicy forget the jalapenos. Hate onions skip them. I tried these tacos many ways with different combos of toppings and the saucy turkey is always the tasty part. 

It's Taco Tuesday! How about giving them a try?

Turkey Suiza Tacos
Serves 4

Ingredients

Drizzle of olive oil (I used a jalapeno flavored one)
1 lb. 93% lean ground turkey
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste 
1/4 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
Dash of red pepper flakes
1 cup green salsa, taco sauce or salsa verde
8 small flour tortillas
1 to 2 cups queso, Monterrey or mozzarella cheese, shredded
Pickled Red Onions << Click here for recipe
6 Tbsp. sour cream 
2 Avocados, peeled and sliced
Cilantro, to garnish
1 jalapeno, sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

Preheat broiler. Put onions to pickle. Place a skillet over medium high heat, drizzle with olive oil. Add turkey and season with cumin, salt and pepper. Brown, breaking up any large pieces of turkey until there is no more liquid in the pan. Add green salsa and continue to cook stirring to combine. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed by the turkey. Keep on low until ready to assemble tacos.

Place cheese on each tortilla. Place on a sheet pan under the broiler just until cheese begins to melt (about 2 to 3 minutes) and remove. Place some turkey over the top of the cheese. Top with pickled red onions, sour cream, avocado slices, cilantro and sliced jalapenos. Serve with wedges of lime.

These are the key ingredients that make the turkey so saucy good!

A melty cheese! 

The broiler melts the cheese and warms the tortilla all at once.

Linking to:
God's Growing Garden: Tuesdays with a Twist
Dizzy, Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
The lazy Gastronome: What's for Dinner?
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?

Masonable Mondays #7 - Cheesecake

Welcome to Masonable Mondays #7! I know it has been a while. I am sorry about that. But I think this #Masonable will make it up to you. Have you seen those new cheesecake snacks? They sell them as a divided cup with cheesecake filling on one side and chocolate, caramel or cherry topping on the other. What a perfect idea for a masonable! Now I decided to use cottage cheese to make my cheesecake snacks. I had recently seen a Dr. Oz show that boasted the nutritional values of cottage cheese. It is a great source of both protein and calcium. When you blend it up smooth it looks more like yogurt and can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. It works beautifully in these cheesecake masonables. Perfect for a snack, breakfast or dessert! I sweetened it with maple syrup, vanilla and lemon zest. It has that classic cheesecake flavor. But just think about it, the possibilities are endless. You can use light cottage cheese, neufchatel or cream cheese if you like. Any cheesecake flavor you can imagine can be adapted to a masonable. Whether you enjoy fruit toppings or indulgent rich mix-ins. You are just limited by your imagination. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Top with any combination of fresh or frozen fruit. 

I chose thawed frozen dark cherries today. But try blueberries, peaches or strawberries. Heck top with jam or pie filling if you like.

Oreo! Try stirring in or topping with crushed oreos 

or spoon cheesecake filling on thin oreos.

What about Amaretto? Substitute Almond liquor or extract for vanilla or maple syrup. Top with toasted almonds and serve with Italian Amaretti cookies.

Or Peanut Butter Cup!? Stir in peanut butter and drizzle with melted chocolate. Or keep it simple and just chop up some Reese's peanut butter cups.

So many ideas come to mind. I hope you will try this recipe or create your own. Be sure to let me know what you put in your Cheesecake Masonable.

Cheesecake Masonable
Makes 4 - 1/2 cup servings

Supplies

4 wide mouth half pint Mason jar
4 empty fruit cup

Ingredients

2 cups cottage cheese (4% milkfat, small curd)
3 Tbsp. real maple syrup
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
zest of small lemon
20 frozen dark cherries, thawed
24 Honey Nut Thins, Honey Cinnamon flavored

Directions

Place cottage cheese, maple syrup, vanilla and lemon zest in a blender container. Blend until smooth. Divide into 4 wide mouth half pint mason jars. Top with five cherries or toppings of you choice. Place lid on top of the jar. Stack six nut thins on lid. Place fruit cup inverted on top of nut thins and lid. Add mason jar ring to secure everything in place. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: You can reduce the serving size and calories by making 6 - 1/3 cup servings. That is almost one a day for an entire week. Yum!

By the way, in case you're wondering. The Honey Cinnamon Nut Thins are AMAZING! They taste buttery and have that cinnamon roll or pancake 

flavor thing going for them. 

But you can use graham crackers or any dippers you prefer.

Picture of a not so thawed cherry.

Instant Pot Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

When I first started researching recipes for the instant pot Mac and Cheese recipes were popping up everywhere. People boasting it was so easy even their children can prepare it. I looked at them all but which one to choose? I already have an easy stove top recipe that I love. Well last night I tried adapting it to the instant pot. It worked perfectly! Everyone is right it is so easy and fast. The best part is you don't have to drain the pasta or use multiple pots. My version is a little different from the recipes I have seen. It uses store bought Alfredo to achieve a creamy cheesy sauce. You can use any brand, light styles, four cheese flavors or even the Alfredo sauce from the refrigerator section. Size of the sauce doesn't seem to matter much either; 10, 15 or 16 ounces work with similar results. So give it a try and make it you own. Use any blend of cheese you like or any shape of pasta you have on hand. Just cook for half of the recommended time on the package. Be careful when using quick release. I didn't have any sputtering with this amount of pasta but if you double the recipe you might? So use caution maybe let release naturally for a minute or two. I left the pot on warm while stirring in the cheese, but I turned it off once everything was smooth and cheesy. It kept warm covered on OFF until the chicken I baked rested for 10 minutes. Such an easy, delicious main dish or side from the instant pot. I see making this more often than I should. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Instant Pot Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Makes 2 to 3 main-dish or 4 to 6 side-dish servings

Ingredients

2 cups water
2 cups (8 oz) elbow macaroni, uncooked

1 (16 oz) jar Alfredo sauce

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (optional, might be too spicy for children)

2 cups (8 oz) sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Add 2 cups water to instant pot, stir in macaroni. Secure with lid and set to sealing. Cook at high pressure for 4 minutes or half of the time recommended on the package. Perform a quick release. Use caution, pasta can sometimes foam up a bit and spray out of the vent. Stir macaroni breaking up any clumps. Stir in Alfredo sauce, milk, black pepper, salt, red pepper (if using) and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and serve.

Tip: Add milk to empty Alfredo sauce jar, replace lid and shake. Pour every drop of milk and sauce mixture into pot.

Variations: Use any cheese or blend of cheeses you like. This recipe is very customizable. Works with many shapes of pasta too. Use shells or penne, just cook for half of the time recommended on the package.

Want a lighter version? Use skim milk, light Alfredo sauce and 2% cheese. It is still delicious.

Don't have a instant pot or pressure cooker? Check out this stove top version here: Creamy Mac and Cheese

Masonable Mondays #3 - Cheese Balls

Welcome to Masonable Mondays #3! Today we are doing after work snacks. I hate to admit this but at some point in my life I could make dinner out of wine and a cheese plate. I don't do that now! Well not often. But I do enjoy the idea. So this week I decided to make a cheese board in a mason jar. I filled each mason jar with juicy green grapes. Then I made two savory and flavorful mini cheese balls to suspend in a fruit cup. I made one with blue cheese and pistachios and another with jalapenos and bacon. You can't get board with these flavors. I packed the top fruit cup with some whole wheat Ritz crackers. This after work treat is definitely something to rush home to. Or take your snack outdoors. This Masonable would make great picnic food to share with friends. I hope this inspires you to roll some cheese balls of your own. Be sure to share your creations. I always love more #Masonable ideas.

Cheese Ball Masonable
Serves 1

Supplies

1 wide mouth pint Mason jar
2 empty fruit cups

Ingredients

Grapes
Cheese Ball of choice
8 round crackers

Directions

Add grapes to the bottom of the mason jar. Add fruit cup and place cheese ball in cup. Add lid and stack crackers on top of lid. top with inverted fruit cup and secure with mason jar ring. Store in refrigerator until ready to eat.

The first cheese ball I made was based off of a blue cheese cheesecake we have made for the Christmas holidays several times. It is savory and "funky" in a good way. I love the blue cheese, green onions and pistachios. It is very flavorful. Dear sister thought this one was her favorite. She said it was the more exciting of the two cheese balls. I have to agree.

Blue Cheese Balls
Makes 6 Balls

Ingredients

4 oz. 1/3 light Neufchatel cheese, softened
1/2 cup reduced fat blue cheese crumbles
1 green onions, finely chopped
kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste
4 Tbsp. pistachios, shelled and finely chopped
Handful of parsley, finely chopped

Directions

Combine Neufchatel cheese, blue cheese and green onions in a small bowl. Season with salt and peppers. Mix well so all ingredients are evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Divide mixture into six and roll into a balls. Place in a shallow dish of pistachios and parsley; roll to coat pressing to cover each ball with nut and herb mixture. Serve with crackers and fruit.

Note: You can roll this recipe into as many cheese balls as you like. Make one cheese ball or even 8 mini cheese balls with a pretzel stick like a lolly pop.

The next cheese ball is both spicy and savory. It is reminiscent of a jalapeno popper. The center is creamy cream cheese, Mexican blend cheese and pickled jalapenos. A classic combination of yummy ingredients. To finish, each cheese ball is rolled in crispy, salty bacon. Why? Because bacon is always a good idea.

Jalapeno Popper Cheese Balls
Makes 6 Balls

Ingredients

4 oz. 1/3 light Neufchatel cheese, softened
1/2 cup 2% Mexican cheese blend
2 Tbsp. chopped pickled jalapenos
kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste
6 slices bacon, pre-cooked and finely chopped

Directions

Combine Neufchatel cheese, cheese blend and jalapenos in a small bowl. Season with salt and peppers. Mix well so all ingredients are evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Divide mixture into six and roll into a balls. Place in a shallow dish of bacon and roll to coat pressing to cover each ball with bacon. Serve with crackers and fruit.

Note: You can roll this recipe into as many cheese balls as you like. Make one cheese ball or even 8 mini cheese balls with a pretzel stick like a lolly pop.

Linking to:
Ramblings of a (Bad) Domestic Goddess: Turn it Up Tuesdays
Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Cheese

Pizza Masonable

Here is a #Masonable for the kid in everyone. The Pizza Masonable! This jar is just assembly really. Buy your favorite pizza ingredients and pack them to go. Now this jar looks a little empty. It just did not fit in a half pint jar. It was close but just didn't make it. So I used a pint jar. So there is room in that jar for more pizza toppings. Maybe veggies, olives or Canadian bacon anyone? Just load it up. Just between us once you assemble you little pizza you can heat it in the microwave until the cheese melts. YUM! Hot or cold these little pizzas are a great snack or lunch.

Pizza Masonable
Serves 1

Supplies

1 wide mouth pint Mason jar
2 empty fruit cups

Ingredients

8 round crackers
2 Tbsp. Pizza Sauce
8 Turkey Pepperoni
2 Tbsp. Mozzarella cheese

Directions

Fill mason jar with cheese and pepperoni. Place fruit cup in jar fill with pizza sauce. Place lid on top of jar. Stack crackers on lid. Place fruit cup inverted on top of crackers and lid. Add mason jar ring to secure everything in place. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

So now that is four different Masonables for your lunch. 

And I still have two more ideas to come. So keep visiting. 

I hope to have them up soon.

Want more mason jar meal prep ideas?

Check out these other posts.

Recycle Tip: Fruit Cups + Mason Jars

Peachy Crisp Yogurt Jar

Masonables

Shrimp Masonable