Mrs. Bear's Spicy Turkey Burger with Cilantro Parsley Pesto

Turkey Burger

1 lb ground turkey

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs

2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Cilantro Parsley Pesto

1/2 c Italian parsley

1/2 c cilantro leaves

4 oz pine nuts

1/2 c olive oil (plus extra if dry)

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon crazy salt

1 tablespoon garlic salt

The easiest directions ever:

Burger:

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix it up with your clean hands. Form into 3-4 patties. Cook on a grill or in a non-stick skillet. Top with monteray or cheddar cheese.

Pesto:

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. If its too dry, add more olive oil! Top your burger with the pesto OR use the pesto as a spread on the buns.

*The pesto is also tasty on sandwiches, in tacos, or stuffed inside an omelette with monteray jack cheese.

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

I made this yummy breakfast dish when my in-laws came to visit last month! Between the four of us, there was not a morsel left. My strawberry stuffed french toast is sweet, creamy, juicy, and oh-so-strawberrylicious. Top it with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a few extra strawberries!

12-14 slices your favorite bread

12oz strawberry cream cheese

1.5 c sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen - slightly thawed)

5 large eggs

1.5c milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon cinnamon + extra

4 tablespoons cold hard butter

Powdered Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Shmear strawberry cream cheese on a slice of bread, lay it flat - cream cheese side up - in the baking dish. Repeat until the bottom of the dish is covered. 

3. Sprinkle on the strawberries. Repeat step 2 but lay the bread cream cheese side down.

4. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk thoroughly. Pour mixture on top of bread in baking dish.

5. Dot the bread with small pieces of butter. Sprinkle tops of bread with cinnamon.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until bread is no longer soggy.

6. Enjoy a big steamy slice topped with powdered sugar and extra strawberries!

Shrimp Etouffee and Beignets!

Check out my third Yankee Challenge here:

Shrimp Etouffee and Beignets!!!

Leave a comment and you could win a t-shirt!

Becky's Baked Shrimp

My friend Becky made this baked shrimp dish as an appetizer this past weekend. The recipe had been passed on to her by her mother, who had altered the original recipe a friend had passed on to her some time ago. Last night I made Becky's baked shrimp for dinner and used the shrimps three different ways: over a salad, in a taco, and inside a quesadilla. This easy recipe has quickly become one of my favorites and I think that once you try it out you will agree that Becky's Baked Shrimp is incredible!

1/2 cup lite olive oil

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon lite soy sauce

2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

1 lb fresh shrimp - shelled and deveined

1. Combine ingredients and refridgerate for 1-4 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bake for 10 minutes or until shrimp are firm and pink.

3. Serve over rice or salad, inside a taco, or alone!

Mrs. Bear's Meaty Lasagna

Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup diced white onion

1 large can stewed tomatoes (Italian style - garlic, basil, oregano, etc.)

1 medium can diced Italian seasoned tomatoes (Italian style)

1 small can tomato paste - plus 2 cans filled with water

1 small can tomato sauce (Italian style)

2 tablespoons Italian herb seasoning

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 lb ground chuck (crumbled, cooked until brown over md heat in a skillet, drained of grease)

3 hot Italian sausage links (meat removed from casing and cooked with ground chuck)

Filling

16oz ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 tablespoon Italian herb seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic salt

16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

1 box no cook lasagna noodles

1 large baking dish

Tinfoil

Non-stick cooking spray

Directions

1. Over medium-low heat, cook the onion in olive oil in a large saucepan until translucent. Add the stewed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Add the tomato paste, plus fill the can with water and pour into saucepan two times. Add the seasoning and cook uncovered for 20 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently. Add the meat and cook for another 45 minutes uncovered over low heat, stirring frequently.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine ricotta, egg, and seasoning in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. Coat the bottom of the large baking dish with sauce. Add one layer of noodles. Use a spatula to shmear a thin layer of the ricotta mixture over the noddle layer. Add a layer of sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. 4. Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles and repeat the steps for the ricotta, sauce, and mozzarella until you only have enough noodles for one last layer. Top the noodles with sauce and sprinkle mozzarella cheese. 5. Spray a large piece of tinfoil with non-stick cooking spray. Cover the lasagna with the tinfoil, sprayed side down, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the tinfoil and bake for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Third Yankee Challenge... and Southerners wanna help?!

If you don't already know - I am the resident Yankee cook over at The Hungry Southerner and once a month my southern pals challenge me to cook a very southern dish. I am a bit nervous about my newest Yankee Challenge... shrimp etouffee-something and fried dough thing-a-ma-jigs --- umm yah I have no idea what this is or how to make it! I know what a roux is, I am lucky to have access to fresh shrimp here in Maryland, and I just bought some powdered sugar... but yah... this is a scary challenge.

Shrimp Étouffée & Beignets

So my friends... anyone have any advice for making Shrimp Étouffée & Beignets??

Pimento Cheese Pizza?

Sounds delish huh?

Check out my latest and greatest creation on The Hungry Southerner!

My first Southern Pizza

Mrs. Bear has been BUSY

Hey folks - sorry for the food blogging hiatus I took without any warning. I've been super busy getting ready for my summer teaching institute, working on some things for The Hungry Southerner, and nannying! Tomorrow I am making a super duper yummy dinner for Mr. Bear's birthday and promise to blog all about it on Friday. In the meantime, check out my Yankee Challenge 2 - Big Southern Vegetable Plate.