Back to school, back to easy meals
(BPT) - With the hectic back-to-school season underway, it’s time to get back to easy weeknight meals. Preparing a wholesome and delicious dinner may feel extra stressful when time is scarce. That’s why many busy families rely on slow cookers to get them through the week. In fact, slow cooking can speed up your meal planning in a big way.
Ready to go straight from the freezer to the slow cooker or oven, JENNIE-O(R) OVEN READY(TM) Turkey Breast is a great-tasting, time-saving meal option for busy parents doing their best to balance work and school schedules, according to Vicky Braun, slow cooker recipe guru and inventor of the Lid Pocket(R), a hands-free lid holder for slow cookers.
“Weeknight meals are easy if you have a few tried-and-true techniques to fall back on,” says Braun. “Requiring no prep and very little cleanup, one of my favorite convenient meal solutions is to slow-cook a JENNIE-O OVEN READY Turkey Breast one day and then use it as a basis for quick recipes and nourishing snacks throughout the week.”
Braun offers the following tips to keep in your apron pocket for easy weeknight meals:
Talk turkey. Simply place a JENNIE-O OVEN READY Turkey Breast in the slow cooker with a small amount of water before you head to work and by the time you return home, you’ll have a great-tasting, perfectly cooked, wholesome turkey breast to enjoy with your loved ones.
Stir things up. For a hot and simple meal, cut the cooked turkey breast into strips and combine with your favorite vegetables for a quick stir-fry. Serve alone or with rice or pasta.
Spread the love. Make a turkey spread to serve on crackers as an appetizer or fun snack. Put cooked turkey in the blender along with onions, garlic, salt, cilantro and/or parsley, plus light mayo or low-fat cream cheese.
Have fun with fajita pizza. Create savory fajita pizzas with tasty turkey breast meat, bold taco cheese and plenty of nutritious veggies for a fun and convenient family meal.
Soup’s on. Instead of relying on canned soups for quick meals, use cooked turkey meat to make a delicious soup in your slow cooker every week. It’s an easy and satiating meal for active kids, and a great way to work more vegetables into their diet.
Snack attack. Cut cooked turkey into cubes and place it into snack-sized zip-close bags along with cubes of low-fat cheese to send with kids for a portable, protein-packed snack.
Ensure food safety. Remember to always cook turkey to a well-done 165 F as measured by a meat thermometer.
For further information on JENNIE-O OVEN READY Turkey Breast and more convenient slow cooker recipes, visit JennieO.com or SwitchToTurkey.com.
JENNIE-O Turkey Fajita Pizzas Recipe
Makes six servings
Prep time: Under 15 minutes
Total time: More than 1 hour
Nutritional information:
Calories: 310
Protein: 25g
Carbohydrates: 25g
Fiber: 2g
Sugars 8g
Fat: 12g
Cholesterol: 55mg
Sodium: 560mg
Saturated fat: 6g
Ingredients
1 (2 to 2 1/2-pound) package JENNIE-O OVEN READY Turkey Breast
6 (8-inch) CHI-CHI’S(R) Soft Tortillas, warmed
2/3 cup barbeque sauce
2 green bell peppers, sliced into rings
1 red onion, sliced
1 1/2 cups taco cheese
CHI-CHI’S Thick and Chunky Salsa, if desired
CHI-CHI’S Tortilla Chips, if desired
Directions
In slow cooker, cook turkey as specified on the package. Always cook to well-done, 165 F as measured by a meat thermometer. Shred three cups of turkey. Refrigerate remaining turkey for another meal.
Heat oven to 425 F and spray two baking sheets with cooking spray. Arrange tortillas on baking sheets. Spread with sauce. Top with bell pepper, turkey, onion and cheese. Cook 10- to-12 minutes or until tortillas are golden brown. Serve with salsa and chips, if desired.
