I played with my food tonight!!

LOL I played with my food tonight!!! I made Baked Meatballs & homemade sauce!! I normally cook my meatballs in the sauce but was short on time today. So I googled & found this recipe & it's a keeper!!!

http://cookwithhoney.blogspot.com/2012/04/jens-incredible-baked-meatballs.html

Jen's Incredible Baked Meatballs:

1 pound hamburger, grass-fed if possible
2 eggs, beaten with 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup panko or bread crumbs
1 small onion, minced or grated (1/2 a large onion)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil

Mix all ingredients with hands. Form into golfball sized meatballs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Tip #2: If you have a leftover piece of rind from the Parmesan, let it simmer in the crock pot with the marinara sauce or save for another soup recipe. This will add a great flavor boost to most any sauce or soup. 

Basic Marinara Sauce

http://www.formerchef.com/2009/09/01/how-to-make-basic-marinara-sauce/

2  yellow onions, peeled and diced (about 2 cups diced)
2 Tbsp olive oil
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced (about 2 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp dried herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, etc)* mixed, total
1/2 cup red wine***(left out)
12 cups peeled and seeded fresh ripe tomatoes** (I didn't de-seed them all)
salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat up the olive oil. Add the onions and cook slowly, on medium heat until they start to caramelize. They should be evenly brown and soft. Cooking them this way brings out the natural sweetness in the onions. Add the garlic and dried herbs and cook for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the 1/2 cup of red wine and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and their juice and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook on low, stirring occasionally for at least 2 hours, or longer depending on the water content of the tomatoes. The sauce should be thick with much of the water evaporated to concentrate the flavor (sometimes I let it cook 4-5 hours over a very low flame)(I have elec. range). Add salt and pepper to taste. 

My changes are in red

142 of 366

Low carb recipe!!

CHEESY SPINACH BEEF BAKE
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
4 ounce can mushrooms, drained
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Brown the hamburger and onion; drain the fat. Mix all of the ingredients in at least a 2-quart greased casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 375º for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Makes 6-8 servings
Can be frozen

Per 1/6 Recipe: 455 Calories; 31g Fat; 38g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs
Per 1/8 Recipe: 342 Calories; 23g Fat; 28g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 2g Net Carbs

Found the recipe here!! Replaced the cheddar cheese with hot habanera cheddar cheese!! NOM!!

No sewing today only cooking!!!

Went to a Awesome Church service this morning!!!! Than hit Food Lion & got some good deals! Came home & started cooking for the week!! Nom!!

Creamy Penne Pasta and Chicken

2 1/2 cups penne pasta, cooked as directed
4 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/3 cup onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons flour
1 (15 oz.) can or 2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream, yogurt, half-n-half or whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 roasted chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
red pepper flakes, optional
grape tomatoes, sliced, optional
While the penne is cooking, melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Cook garlic and onions with 1/4 teaspoon salt, over medium heat, until onions have softened. Add flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in broth, stirring frequently until sauce comes to simmer. Remove from heat.

PLEASE STAND BY FOR A KID FRIENDLY TIP
If you have one on hand, use a hand blender to puree the onions into the sauce for a smoother texture. Or, carefully move sauce to a blender with the lid secured, and pulse the sauce until smooth. Move sauce back to pan and stir in sour cream until it has melted. The kiddos will never know about the onions and garlic.

If you don't have to make a fuss over the kids, then simply stir in the sour cream until it has melted. Be sure the pasta is well drained, then move to a large serving bowl. Top pasta with chicken pieces. Pour sauce over hot pasta, tossing well to get all that creamy sauce inside the pasta. Allow to stand a few minutes before serving, so sauce can thicken. Garnish individual plates with grape tomatoes and red pepper flakes.

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One Pan Dinner Recipe- Italian Rice

makes 6 to 8 servings

1 cup long grain rice
1/3 cup whole garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil or bacon drippings
3/4 - 1 pound lean ground beef or pork
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Salt to taste
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup grated parmesan
Heat oil in a heavy dutch oven over medium heat; add rice and garlic cloves; cook about 10 minutes, stirring constantly until lightly golden brown.

Add meat, onion, sage, Italian seasoning, dried basil, pepper and salt to taste. Stirring frequently, cook another 10 minutes or until meat is browned.

Add tomato sauce, water and sugar. Simmer over low heat 15 to 20 minutes until rice is tender. Add up to 1-cup more water if needed.

Serve each bowl topped with grated parmesan cheese.

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Korean Short ribs

You will need, 2 pounds of pork or beef ribs. I used boneless pork ribs chopped up.Take 4 tablespoons of brown sugar and sprinkle or rub onto the slices and marinade for 10 minutes while getting the rest of the ingredients ready. Mix in a small bowl:
4 garlic cloves crushed and minced
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup water

Layer the ribs in the pressure cooker and pour the ingredients above over the meat. Seal, and pressure cook for 35 minutes. After the meat is tender but not falling apart, lay them on an ovenproof dish and put in a 400 degree F oven to caramelize, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve over steamed rice.

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Hope you try some!!


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So I cooked again! LOL

I decided on Tuesday morning I was going to cook up some ground beef before I had to go to work at 3. This way I could sew on Wednesday when I was off!!
So I made

Baked Shells with Pesto, Mozzarella, and Meat Sauce

1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
2 cups chopped canned tomatoes, drained (from one 28-ounce can)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup store-bought or homemade pesto
3/4 pound medium pasta shells
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Oil a large baking dish (about 9 by 13 inches).

In a large stainless-steel frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until the meat is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Drain off any excess fat.

Add the tomatoes and salt to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the shells until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain and toss with the sauce. Put half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish and top with half the mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Repeat with the remaining pasta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Bake until bubbling, about 15 minutes. Yummy!!!


Scottish Beef and Potato Pie
This was a little time consuming but very good!!


For the Beef and Potatoes:
1 pound boiling potatoes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound ground beef sirloin or top round
1 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese ( about 4 ounces)
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of grated nutmeg

DIRECTIONS
TO MAKE THE BEEF AND POTATOES:
Peel and slice the potatoes into a 3/8-inch-thick pieces. Put the slices into a pan with cold water to cover, add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, bring the water to a boil, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain and set the potatoes aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil and sauté the onion until lightly golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground beef and break it up with the spoon. Sauté the beef for 10 minutes, scraping the bottom of the skillet with the wooden spoon. When the flour and beef are brown, pour in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, the remaining salt, and the pepper. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened. Set aside while you make the sauce.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
Whisk the butter, flour, and milk together in a nonreactive saucepan. Heat to a boil, whisking constantly and vigorously, until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking frequently. Remove the sauce from the heat, and whisk in a 2/3 cup of the cheese and the egg yolk. Season with the salt and nutmeg.

TO ASSEMBLE THE PIE:
Spread the meat mixture in to a 9-x-9-inch casserole, then cover the meat with the sauce. Top the sauce with the potatoes, overlapping the slices to make a scalloped pattern. Cover with the remaining cheese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly brown. (For an extra-brown top, run the pie under a hot broiler.) Let the pie set at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.


Than a hamburger & rice that's got chow mein noodles on top , cause I had a bunch left over from the cupcakes!! We haven't tried it yet!!


My back is still bothering me?? I went to a new chiropractor on Thursday morning. He took x-rays, my spine is curving to the left & starting to straighten. Plus he sent out the x-rays to be read there's a calcified mass in either my abdomen or bladder:(
Waiting on the results!!

Than here's another chance to WIN a GO!! if you haven't like me won one yet!!!
Check it out HERE at Lavender Ridge

Challenge Recipes

Tango's yummy Cabbage Rolls
1 head cabbage core removed
2 lbs. ground beef
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion shredded
6 baby carrot shredded
1 celery stalk shredded
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
1/4 cup of tomato juice
1/2 bottle tomato juice

Cut the core out of the cabbage but leave it whole. Place it,in a pot of boiling water. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Cook the onions, carrots, celery and saute them for a couple minutes until they are soft. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, transfer it to a bowl and let it cool a bit. Mix in the meat, rice, eggs and 1/4 cup of tomato juice and season again with salt and pepper.

Drain the head of cabbage. Pull off large leaves, cut out the large vein if the leaf is very large. Roll about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of filling in each leaf and arrange in a casserole dish. Pour in juice, cover with foil & bake @350 for about an hour.

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I turned the oven down so they would stay hot till hubby came home. So it stayed in a`warm oven about another hour.
Super yummy, moist & filling!


Apple Strudel

10 sheets of Fillo dough
3 Honey Crisp apples
1 1/2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
about 1 cup fine bread crumbs
Lots of melted butter

Peel apples, core & slice fine. Put in a medium bowl. Add brown sugar & lemon juice. Toss to coat. Place one sheet of Fillo dough on a dish towel brush with melted butter & sprinkle with bread crumbs. Do this 4 more time. Add half of the apples to one long side & keep edges free. Fold end edges in than roll up & place on a jelly roll pan.Seam side down. Brush top with melted butter.
Repeat for second one. Bake @350 for 30 minutes.
Mine the juices oozed out & the oven started smoking LOL but it's really good!

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Sweet potato candy was a flop so not going to even go there!

I wish I didn't have to work today?

We had a beautiful sunny but windy day! All those wicked storms by passed us! Yippee!!

It's our weekend too for the Azalea Festival, don't know if we are going to go or not??

I wish I didn't have to work today? I'm in cooking mode! Cooked up a pack of breakfast sausage & have bacon cooking now. Took out some ground beef to make a batch of spaghetti sauce. And enough to try a crock pot cheese burger dish. That I might just do for dinner in a pot. Meats frozen so don't think it will work??
I got the recipe from a website a friend sent to me!

Cheeseburger Sandwiches

From the Kitchen of: Boomer
Source: Pillsbury Soup & Crock-Pot Recipes

1½ lbs. lean ground beef
½ tsp. garlic-pepper blend
1 pkg. pasteurized process cheese spread, (8 oz.) diced
2 Tbsp. milk
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 sandwich buns

In a large skillet, brown ground beef and garlic-pepper blend until thoroughly cooked. Drain.

In a 3½ to 4 quart Crockery Pot, combine cooked ground beef and all remaining ingredients except buns; mix well.

Cover; cook on low setting for 6 to 7 hours.

To serve: spoon mixture onto sandwich buns.

Productive Day!

I've been a cleaning fool!! Harley & Tango kitty both got baths & flea treatments. Vacuumed up the living room , sewing room & my truck. Decided not to go to movies a thunderstorm came rolling in, so I put a movie on HBO & watched it thru my eyelids!! LOL Than I moved my computer desk ekkkkkkkkkkk dust bunnies were living back there!!! Cleaned that all up, than used cable ties & cleaned up my wires. LOL Not looking like a fire hazard now!!! I even hung up the outlet strip!! Oh & I ordered a battery for my cell phone figured I try that to see if would work. Was 3.44 so way cheaper than getting a new one plus contract!! Had leftover cheeseburger pie for dinner, still was yummy!!

Cheeseburger Pie Recipe
2 pie crusts (15 oz refrigerator pie crusts or deep dish frozen)
1 ½ pound lean ground beef (80/20 or higher on the lean number – the 20 is the amount of fat)
1 small onion (chopped fine)
¾ cup ketchup
1 chopped dill pickle (or a TBS of relish)
1/8 tsp pepper 1 cup shredded cheese (sharp cheddar is the best) Directions: If using prepared pie crusts (making this dish very easy), bring the pie shells to room temperature. This takes about 20 minutes for refrigerator crusts. With frozen, it helps to put them in the refrigerator the night before and then it takes about the same time or a little longer depending on how cold you keep your refrigerator. While the pie crust is warming up, brown the hamburger in a good sized skillet. Stir and break the meat into small crumbles. Drain off the extra fat. Add the onion to the browned meat and cook until the onions are soft. When the onion is chopped fine, this does not take long. The onions will be soft and look kind of clear when cooked. Add the pickle pieces, ketchup and pepper to the meat mixture, and cook for a couple of more minutes. Stir to get the flavors mixed together. Place one 9 inch pie crust in a pie dish and shape to fit with a little overhang on the edges. Pour the meat mixture into the pie shell. Sprinkle cheese around on top of the meat mixture evenly. Top off with the second pie shell and flute the edges. In other words, just pinch the overhang together with your fingers to seal and make the edge look like a pie crust edge. This is easier said than done. It still tastes great even if you aren’t great at making pretty flute edges. Use a knife to put some air holes in the top crust. Do not cut down into the bottom crust. You’re just creating air vents so the steam can escape as the pie cooks. Bake at 450 degrees F for around 15 to 20 minutes.

I used the premade crusts but made 2 pies instead of putting the crust on top!!!

Cheesy Beef Casserole

From Gooseberry Patch
Cheesy Beef Casserole
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/4 c. onion, chopped
1/4 c. celery, chopped
1 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
4 c. bread, cubed
3 T. butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk
1 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Brown ground beef, onion, celery, salt and pepper together; drain. Combine with remaining ingredients; spread in a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes; let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Sante Fe Soup
2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 large can chopped tomatoes
2 cans shoe peg corn
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
2 envelopes taco seasoning
2 envelopes Ranch dressing dry mix
Brown meat with onion and drain off fat.
Add all ingredients.
Bring to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 2 hours.

from gourmet girls cooking group