Spicy Sausage and Creamed Corn Quesadillas

It would be a long story if I explained how I ended up with a whole freezer full of spicy venison (deer) sausage for a whole year. So the point is...I did. Therefore, I got creative.  After a year, my favorite recipe was a quesadilla with creamed corn and cheddar cheese.  The (yes, canned) creamed corn is an amazing sweet balance with the spicy sausage.

Ingredients:


-4 flour tortillas
-4 Tbsp creamed corn from the can
-4 ounces cheddar cheese sliced (or shredded)
-2 spicy Italian sausages (about 4 oz each) .. I used local, Denver Polidori Sausage (amazing!)
-dried cilantro for garnish

Turkey Sliders

Did you know turkey has about 40% less fat than ground beef? That's what it said on the package of the turkey!  Don't quote my numbers, but I do know it's leaner.  These burgers are a much lighter version than a huge juicy cheeseburger and I promise they have just as much flavor!

Ingredients:

-1 lb ground turkey

-3 green onions, chopped

-1 Tbsp dried minced onion

-1 tsp sea salt

-2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

-1/4 cup bread crumbs

-1 tsp roasted garlic, minced

-1 Tbsp dijon mustard

-ground pepper to taste

-whole wheat slider buns

Light Grilled Vegetable and Chicken Pasta

I made this recipe last year and couldn't find the original for the life of me! I tried to duplicate it this year and I think I did a fairly good job.  It was a beautiful evening in Dallas the other night...not too hot to grill (there were only be a handful of those evenings).  I opened a glass of wine, thanks to my friends at Ribera, and started up the grill.  Don't be confused...I will work for red wine.

Ingredients:

-1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 thick slices
-1 tsp salt
-2 medium-size zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
-1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
-3-4 Roma (or plum) tomatoes
-1/2 red onion, cut into wedges
-2 Tbsp olive oil
-3 boneless-skinless chicken breasts
-2 Tbsp of grated lemon rind
-1/2 cup of thinly sliced basil
-1/2 cup of pasta water (make sure to reserve)
-6 ounces of spaghetti noodles
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-cooking spray
-1/2 cup Italian dressing (for chicken marinade)
-1 Tbsp garlic pepper (or garlic powder + pepper)

Grilled and Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

This is another recipe that I dug up from last year from Cooking Light.  It's great as a side dish to steak or even an appetizer.  I ended up just eating a couple of these for a meal...

Ingredients:

-4 (5-inch) portobello mushroom caps

-2/3 cup chopped plum tomatoes

-1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

-1 tsp olive oil, divided

-1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh (or a less dried) rosemary

-1/8 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

-2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

-Cooking spray

-2 tsp minced fresh or dried parsley