Ground Turkey

Possibly the most delicious turkey meatloaf we've come up with, this one is incredibly moist (dark turkey meat is key). Apricots show up three ways—in the finely chopped dried fruit (left over from our Prune, Cherry, and Apricot Frangipane Tart ) threaded through the meat, in the apricot preserves that help season it, and in the glaze brushed over the top—but the final result is not cloying, thanks to the healthy dose of ancho chile powder, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, which balances the fruitiness with savory depth. This meatloaf also makes terrific sandwiches, so hope for leftovers.

This is the “house” burger at Bobby’s Burger Palace. It’s a basic burger (I like it garnished with red onion, tomato, romaine lettuce, and horseradish mustard) with CRUNCH. The crunch factor comes from a big handful of potato chips layered between the burger and the bun. Some of you may have added chips to your sandwiches as kids, and if people ever told you that you were nuts, I’m here to say that you’re not! Oozing melted cheese becomes a part of the chips and those crunchy chips become a part of the burger—delicious. I love getting a mouthful of juicy burger and salty, crispy potato chips in one bite; it’s a way to get a true contrast of textures into your cheeseburger. In fact, I make it an option to have all of the burgers at Bobby’s Burger Palace “crunchified.”

It's delicious, but even better, it's deconstruct-ible. (You can remove any offensive elements for the kids without sacrificing your own dinner.)

These hand-formed sausage patties, seasoned with holiday spices, might just be the beginning of a new tradition at your house.

Broiling the tomatoes adds rich flavor to the sandwich. This recipe can easily be cut in half. For convenience, use your favorite tomato sauce.

Looking to jazz up a backyard barbecue? The bold flavors in this burger will definitely get guests talking. A paste of lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and serrano chile enlivens ground turkey, while also helping to keep it moist. If you don't have a mini food processor, don't be discouraged. It may take longer, but it's still worth the effort to finely chop the ingredients and mash them to a paste using a mortar and pestle. A spicy lime vinaigrette takes the place of traditional condiments.

Save big in the calorie and fat departments with this remade version. Plus, get a fiber fix courtesy of the oatmeal and potato skins.

Jada Pinkett-Smith gets a lean, muscle-building protein kick from these marinated turkey skewers, which she recently served at a luau and which come from her personal chef, Bernie Guzman.

Homemade, at least the way Self does it, fills you up without filling you out, but it takes an hour to make. Freeze the leftovers for quick meals that are more healthful than most of the ones you find in the freezer section of the supermarket.

When you crave something hot and filling, a bowl of this chili will do the trick.

Healthy bonus: Fiber, vitamin C, and potassium from bell peppers; lycopene from red pepper and ketchup (this recipe has less than half the sugar of the typical store-bought kind)

It's very important not to use all white meat in this recipe — dark meat, which is higher in fat, has far more flavor, so look for ground turkey with at least 7 percent fat.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.