Spaghetti and Meatballs

This is my all time favorite meatball recipe. Yes, I seriously buy sausage links and take off the skin. The flavored sausage to me is what really makes the meatball. If I could find the brown sugar and honey sausage in a package, I would use it. However, I think they make it only in links. My sauce isn't as good as the sauce my little brother Chase makes, but it's good. I always tease him with my meatballs and his sauce, we'd make one heck of a spaghetti :-)

*I often freeze the meatballs to have on hand whenever. You can thaw them in the fridge then place back in the freezer for 10 min to firm them up before cooking.

Meatball Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 lb brown sugar and honey sausage (I use the sausage in links and remove from casing)

3 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup Progresso bread crumbs (Italian style)

2 eggs

3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp milk

1/2 cup veg oil

Directions:

Combine meat, garlic, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, salt, pepper and milk. Mix together with hands. Roll into 1 1/2" balls and place on a plate or cookie sheet that will fit in your freezer for 10 min to firm up.

Heat veg oil in a heavy pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Add 5 meatballs at a time, turning to brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel after every batch. 

Spaghetti Sauce Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1/8 tsp pepper

1 cup ketchup

Directions:

In the same pot used for meatballs, add onions and garlic and cook until tender and translucent. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, brown sugar, pepper, and ketchup. Stir to combine. Cover and cook over medium heat for 30 min.

Add meatballs to the pot and stir gently to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook an additional 30 min, stirring gently every 10 min. 

Serve over cooked spaghetti with garlic bread and green beans.

photos from pioneerwoman

Drip Beef Sandwiches

Looks good doesn't it!

IT IS!

Tonight for dinner we had Drip Beef Sandwiches. I have to give a shout out to Ree over at http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/, she has THE most amazing blog on cooking, photography, homeschooling and gardening. She ROCKS! I have made several of her recipes over the past few years and every recipe that I have made of hers have been delish. I do usually add my own style to them, but thats the beauty of cooking. My philosophy is a recipe is just a guideline. Anyhow, back to the Drip Beef Sandwiches. This was a very simple recipe with only a few ingredients, but packs a big punch of flavor. Here is a link to Pioneer Womans blog (she has step by step yummy pictures), otherwise, here is the recipe (minus all the step by step yummy pictures).

Ingredients

1 whole Beef Chuck Roast, 2.5 To 4 Pounds
1 can Beef Consomme Or Beef Broth
3 Tablespoons (heaping) Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ cups Water
½ jar (16 Oz) Pepperoncini Peppers, With Juice
Buttered, Toasted Deli Rolls

Preparation Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a heavy pot or dutch oven. Stir lightly to combine seasoning with the liquid.

Cover and bake in a 275 degree oven* for 5 to 6 hours, or until meat is fork-tender and falling apart. **If meat is not yet tender, return to oven for 30 minute intervals till it’s tender!**

Remove from oven. With two forks, completely shred all meat, leaving no large chunks behind. Serve immediately, or keep warm over a simmer on the stove.

May make the day before, then store in the refrigerator. Remove the hardened fat from the top before reheating.

Serve on buttered, toasted rolls. Top with cheese and melt under the broiler if desired. Serve with juices from the pot.

Here's what it looks like straight out of the oven after shredding. It was sooooo good. The pepperoncini peppers added a slight tangy spice to the meat. It was really different, but in a good way. I don't like spicy things, but this I really liked. For those that really like spicy, they can eat the peppers on the sandwich for an added spice. I however just topped the buttered bun with the meat and a little mozzarella and dipped it in the yummy juices. Darin quite enjoyed it and it will be another dish that I will add to my "Make Again List".

Spicy Nacho Bake

This is what we had for dinner tonight...

Again, sorry for the poor picture, my phone doesn't take the best pictures and I didn't want to get out the camera... I had a very light lunch and I was hungry!!!!

This is a recipe that I got from my Taste of Home Church Supper Cookbook. I really like this issue. It is the most that I have ever paid for a magazine, $9.99 for one issue, but I am glad I did. I have liked every recipe but one that I have made from it.

I halved this recipe tonight as this makes 2 13x9 casseroles that contain 15 servings each.

Here is the recipe in full:

2 lbs ground beef

2 large onions, chopped

2 large green peppers, chopped

2 cans (28 oz ea) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cans (15 1/2 oz ea) hot chili beans

2 cans (15 oz ea) black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans (8 oz) tomato sauce

2 envelopes taco seasoning

2 packagews (13 oz each) Spice Nacho Doritos

4 cups (16 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

In a Dutch over or large skillet (make sure you are using a large skillet not a frying pan), cook the beef, onions and green peppers over med heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, corn, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 min. (mixture will be thin).

In each of two greased 13x9" baking dishes, layer 5 cups of chips and 4-2/3 cups of meat mixture. Repeat layers. Top each with 4 cups of chips and 2 cups of cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20-25 min or until golden brown.

I will make this again... I really liked it, however, I would skip the oven. I would rather eat it as a chip and dip or even as a nachos. I am not much for soggy chips. I like my chips crunchy. It was really good though and I will make it again.

Heaven on a bun

So I know this isn't a very good picture but it's better than nothin! I call this Heaven on a bun, but it's from Prarie Woman and she calls it Marlboro Man Sandwich. I like Heaven on a bun better. Anyhow. It's super easy and well delicious!
If you are watching what you eat, RUN NOW!!! This isn't a "no fat" recipe... in fact, it's exactly the opposite! So, here is the recipe:

2 and 1/2 lbs cubed steak
1 large onion slice
Butter - LOTS
Lawry's seasoning salt
Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce

Melt 1/4 stick of butter. Add onions. Sautee over med-low heat until soft and light brown (about 7-10 min).
Slice the meat, I sliced it about 1/2" thick.
Sprinkle with Lawry's - to your taste.
Remove onions from pan, add 2 Tbs butter turn heat up to high.
When butter begins to brown, add meat in a single layer. Do not stir.
When meat browns (about 1-2 min) turn to brown on other side.
Once both sides are brown, add worcestershire sauce. About 1/2 cup.
I didn't have any so i used 1 garlic clove finely chopped, the remainder of A1 that probably should have just been thrown away rather than put in the fridge. I maybe got 1 tsp out.... some molasses, a splash of apple cider vinegar and about 1/4 cup soy sauce.
Then about 5 splashes of Tobasco sauce. Adjust to your likeing.
Stir together, add 2 more Tbs butter... yep, I told you this isn't a no fat recipe... but it's soooo good!
Add the onions, stir and let sit while you fix the buns.

I didn't have hoagie buns, so I just used sandwich bread and grilled it on both sides like a grilled cheese sandwich.

Put meat on bread and spoon on some of that sauce... yummmm

I also sprinkled mine with a little mozzarella cheese.

Darin really liked this but he said he didn't like the long chunks of meat. Next time I make it, I will do it a little differently, I will probably cube the meat and cook it slower. I would also like to try this with some slow roasted roast beef.

I will be making this recipe again for sure though. It was delicious!

Maple Baked Pork Loin & Dijon Potatoes

Sorry for the late post on this to the FB readers that I said I would post last night... My bad.

Maple Baked Pork Loin
This is one of my favorite recipes because it is so quick and easy to prepare and it is sooo yummy.

You will need:
4 lb pork loin - unseasoned
Salt and Pepper to taste
Flour for dredging (coat in before cooking)
2 tbsp oil

Sauce:
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp minced garlic

Salt and pepper pork loin and dredge in flour. Heat oil in pan until almost smoking and sear all sides for about 1 min. Create a tinfoil wrap on baking sheet. Remove meat from pan and place on tinfoil. Pour 3/4 of the sauce onto pork loin. Wrap tinfoil to keep sauce in during cooking. Cook at 350 for 2 hours. Let sit for 15 min before serving. Pour remainder of sauce before serving.

Dijorn Potatoes Almost like twice baked potatoes:

You will need

2 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup finely chopped onions
4 good sized baker potatoes
1 cup cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp dijon mustard

Cook potatoes at 350 for 1 to 1/2 hours (or if you are lazy like me, microwave until done)
Cool until handable. Cut in half and scoop out into large bowl while trying to keep shell intact.
Mash potatoes by hand or with mixer. Do not add butter or milk (we aren't making mashed potatoes)

Heat butter in a small pan, add onions. Cook until soft, add mustard.
Combine butter onion mustard mixture and 1/2 cup cheese to potatoes and mix well.

Spoon back into shells. Put back into oven to warm (about 5-10 min)
Top with remaining cheese and serve.

Hope you find these as easy and delicious as we do.

Slop, Slop, Sloppy Joes

Last night for dinner, we had Sloppy Joes. Normally, I am not a very big fan of these, but last night, I must have combined the right ingredients. They weren't only good, they were DELICIOUS!!! Even Kooper ate them.

Here is what I did. Please bear in mind, I didn't follow a recipe, I just threw everything together so I don't really have any measurements.

about 1/2 a medium red onion
2 celery stalks
2 lbs hamburger
a handfull of brown sugar (more or less if you like)
2 or 3 really good squeezes of mustard (regular yellow)
about 4 seconds worth of white vinegar
a fistfull of cheese (i use a blended cheese - more or less if you like)
about 1 or 2 cups  bbq sauce
1 or 2 cans of tomato sauce (or you can substitue 1 or 2 cups ketchup)

Sorry, not very exact. I literally just threw it together with what I had until I liked the taste of it.

Put a little bit of butter into a pan and add onion and celery cook for about 2 min or until softened. Add hamburger. Cook until no longer pink. Drain.

Add brown sugar, mustard, vinegar bbq sauce and cheese. Mix until blended. Add tomato sauce. cook until thickened. Serve over hamburger buns or bread and enjoy!

Baked Ziti Casserole

Tonight we are having Baked Ziti Casserole for dinner. I have been wanting to make this, but I had used all of the Mozzarella cheese on the Parmesan Penne I made last time and just barely got more.

1 16 oz Package ziti or small tube pasta
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 15 oz part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 28 oz meatless spaghetti sauce
2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the egg, ricotta and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce in 13" x 9" baking dish coated with cooking spray
Top with a third of the pasta, half the ricotta mixture, 2/3 cup Mozzarella cheese, 1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese and 1 cup sauce.Repeat layers of pasta, ricotta mixture and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Top with remaining pasta, sauce, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.Cover and bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes or until heated through.
I thought this turned out pretty okay. I will make it again, but will use my homemade spaghetti sauce instead of the canned. I like more flavor than the plain sauce added. I would use chicken or hamburger with this too. I thought it turned out rather well though.

Hamburger Casserole with recipe!

ok sorry you all... I didn't post the recipe for this because I hadn't had time... Here is the recipe and btw.... it was delicious! I made this in the crock pot because I am a huge fan of anything you can make in a crock pot... less time slaving over a hot stove, especially in the summer, and pretty much anything turns out... pretty much anything.... not everything... although, I have never had anything I didn't like! It calls for it in the Dutch Oven, but we don't have one, but I will try it next time in the oven. It really turned out good though.

Ingredients:

2 lbs lean ground beef

4 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 large onion, sliced

1 tsp salt, optional

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tsp beef bouillon granules (or one cube)

1 cup boiling water

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

Minced fresh parsley, optional (i don't use this... dont really care for it)

In a Dutch oven, layer half of the meat, potatoes and onion. Sprinkle with half of the salt if desired and pepper. Repeat layers. Dissolve bouillon in water; pour over all. Top with tomatoes.

Cover and cook over medium heat for 45-50 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Notes about crockpot:

I prepared this the day before and put in the fridge to make the next day. I put the crockpot on low and let it cook all day. When I checked it, the hamburger didn't really look done, but I knew it was. It just had a pink look because of the tomatoes. I stirred it and the potatoes were so tender that they turned to mush. I would reccomend thicker cuts of potatoes if you use the crock pot.

It just melted in your mouth and had a good comfort food feel to it. I will for sure make this again!

Parmesan Penne

I thought this would be great for dinner.... boy was I right! I really liked this a lot. Darin even said that he thought that my cooking improves a little every few years.... lol!

No step by step pictures today... didn't have enough time... have been rush rush rushing around all day but there is a final picture of the turnout!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 med onion, chopped
1 28 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided (i accidently used 2 cups mozzarella... just realized this! lol how funny... it was still good though)
1/2 tsp ground allspice
salt and pepper to taste
1 16oz package penne pasta
1/2 cup butter, cubed, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Start a pot of water to boil for pasta and preheat oven to 350

In a large skillet, cook and stir beef and onion over med heat until meat is no longer pink; drain (i never do this). Stir in the tomato sauce, 1/3 cup cheese, allspice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat: simmer, uncovered for 15 min.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. In a large saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 min or until thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Gradually whick in eggs until blended. (still laughing at the fact that I used mozzarella cheese)

Drain pasta. Add the remaining cheese and butter; toss to coat.... I thought that there was a ton of cheese... another recipe I was thinking about making used 2 cups mozzarella cheese... I just grabbed it because I got mixed up and thought when it said add remaining cheese to add all but the two 1/3 cups that I took out... lol... too funny!!!

ok.. back to the recipe!

Spread a third of the meat mixture in a greased 13"x9" backing dish. Layer with half of the pasta, a third of the meat mixture and half of the white sauce. Repeat layers

Bake uncovered at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes or until bubbly.

I obviously can't follow directions and layered this all wrong... thats what I get for trying to watch a movie, cook dinner and watch a 2 year old... lol... I did the pasta, meat, white sause, pasta mean white sauce meat!

Any wich way you do it, mozzarella or parmesan, the right layers or not, it was delicious. I will make this again for sure... maybe even the right way.... lol

Hamburger Casserole

This is another recipe from my cookbook. We are having it for dinner tonight... It smells delicious too! We will see how dinner turns out :)