Suntanned Turkey

Congratulations, Heather. You are officially the first person to contribute a photo to my recipe blog. I L-O-V-E this! I am dying to see if it actually works or if this is just someone's idea of fun with Photoshop. Either way, it's a hoot.


Please, please try this at home. Then send me a photo.


1. Cut out aluminum foil in desired shapes.
2. Arrange the turkey in the roasting pan, position the foil carefully.
3. Roast according to your own recipe and serve.

Beef and Bean Tamale Pie

Hello again, my fellow chefs. Sorry to leave you hanging with nothing new to cook. This is an original, so be kind in your critiques. It is a family favorite that can be served alone; it contains all the food groups. Add a little salsa to make your mouth say, "Aye aye aye!"

1 large sweet green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS cooking oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 6-ounce can vegetable juice
1 4-ounce can diced green chile peppers, undrained
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 8 ½-ounce package corn muffin mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup snipped fresh cilantro or parsley

In a medium skillet cook sweet pepper, onion, and garlic in hot oil until tender. Brown beef in the same skillet. Stir in kidney beans, pinto beans, vegetable juice, chile peppers, chili powder and cumin; heat through. Spoon mixture into 2-quart square baking dish.

Prepare corn muffin mix according to package directions; add cheese and cilantro, stirring just until combined. Spoon cornbread mixture evenly over the top of the beef and bean mixture. Bake, uncovered, in a 400º oven about 25 minutes or until golden. If desired, serve with salsa and sour cream.