Meatballs for Spaghetti

I thought these were pretty tasty and easy! I like meatballs and I like the idea of being able to pick how much meat you want with your spaghetti! 

Meatballs Adapted from Rachel Ray

1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper


Preheat over to 425
Mix beef and Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch medium-sized meatballs and place on nonstick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet greased with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake balls 10 to 12 minutes, until no longer pink.

Old Fashion Meatloaf

   I felt like our blog was lacking in ground beef recipes so I've been on the lookout. I don't cook all that much with it but its nice for a change! I found this on Pinterest and it was delicious! Seth loved it too! It was easy and I had all ingredients on hand! 

Recipe Courtesy of Paula Deen

Based on 178 Reviews

Servings: 4 servings 
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion 
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1   egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces canned diced tomatoes (without juice)
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

Topping:
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix all meat loaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf.

Topping: 
Mix ingredients for topping and spread on loaf. Bake for 1 hour.

Mom's Beef Stew

Yummmm....just what you need on a cold winter's day!

Mom's Beef Stew

adapted from favfamilyrecipes.com

2 lbs. steak, cubed (or buy stew meat)

Tabasco sauce

Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 cups beef broth

2 large potatoes, cleaned and cut into large cubes

3-4 carrots, peeled and cut

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 small can tomato sauce (or to taste)

cornstarch (optional)

Braise beef in oil until just brown on all sides (turning only once if possible).  Add Tabasco, Worcestershire, and salt and pepper to taste.  Add onions and saute until onions become clear.  Transfer to a *large pot and add beef broth, potatoes, and carrots.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for **about an hour (or until potatoes are cooked through).  If you want the beef to be really tender, simmer for even longer.  About 20 minutes before serving, add corn, peas, and tomato sauce and simmer until ready to serve.  If you like your stew nice and thick, add about 1 Tbsp. of cornstarch to some beef broth, stir until smooth, then stir into the stew.  Add beef broth to thin out and cornstarch to thicken.  Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.  

*you can also throw everything in a crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours

**The potatoes cooked much faster than I expected, so I would suggest adding them later so they only cook for about 45 minutes.  Otherwise they will get mushy.

ginger steak salad

I was craving salad tonight and found this recipe. It ended up being amazing! Beau and I couldn't eat it fast enough (its perfect serving sizes for dinner for 2)! I added a few more things to our salad and it turned out really good. I put in the cherry tomatoes she suggested, some raw halved walnuts for texture and goat cheese (soooo good). I also used a mixture of spring mix and butter lettuce and left out the jalepeno. I didn't worry about the sherry either for the marinade i just added a little cooking white wine that I had on hand but it would be fine without. Finally, like the last thing I posted, I cooked the steak on my iron skillet which is what ms. pioneer woman suggests and it turned out fabulous, tender, flavorful. I'm telling you if you don't have one get one.

Ingredients

• MARINADE INGREDIENTS:
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Sherry
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
• 1 whole Rib-eye, Strip, Or Sirloin Steak
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• _____
• FOR SALAD DRESSING:
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons White Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
• 2 cloves Garlic, Finely Diced
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger, Minced
• ½ whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Diced
• _____
• SALAD INGREDIENTS:
• 2 whole Green Onions
• 8 ounces, weight Salad Greens (baby Lettuce, Endive, Radiccio, Etc.)

Preparation Instructions

Combine steak marinade ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Mix and place steak into bag. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Combine salad dressing ingredients and slice green onion.

When steak is finished marinating, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a hot skillet. Cook steak about 1 1/2 minutes per side, or until medium rare. Remove from skillet and keep on a plate, allowing to cool slightly.

Toss salad greens in 3/4 of the salad dressing. Place steak on cutting board and slice thinly, then pour juices from the plate over the top. Mound tossed salad on a platter, then place sliced steak on top of salad. Pour remaining salad dressing over the top. Sprinkle green onions over the salad, and add cherry tomatoes if that makes your skirt fly up.

The Perfect Sunday Pot Roast

There are as many ways to cook a roast as there are roasts. But, this one is the very BEST I've tried. The thyme and rosemary give it an earthy, fresh, and perfect flavor. The meat is so tender and it could not be easier to make. Pioneer Woman even cooked this recipe when she was invited to Good Morning America- if that isn't a testament to its ease and deliciousness, then I don't know what is.

Picture courtesy Pioneer Woman Cooks

Perfect Sunday Pot Roast
Pioneer Woman Cooks

1 whole (4 To 5 Pounds) Chuck Roast
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 whole Onions
6 whole Carrots (Up To 8 Carrots)
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste
1 cup Beef Broth
2 cups To 3 Cups Beef Stock
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme, or more to taste
3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, or more to taste

First and foremost, choose a nicely marbled piece of meat. This will enhance the flavor of your pot roast like nothing else. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or you can do a butter/olive oil split). Cut two onions in half and cut 6 to 8 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate. Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so. If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate. With the burner still on high, use beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up. When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.

Put the lid on, then roast in a 275F oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.

Grilled Ribeye Steak with Onion-Bleu Cheese Sauce

This was the dinner that I made Brian for Father's Day and it was soooo good. The sauce was divine and very rich. If you have a special occasion coming up, then put this on your menu. I got my steaks at Costco- they come in a 4-pack so I used the first two for this recipe and the next two on the 4th of July. But, you could really use any type of steak with this. Enjoy!

Picture courtesy Pioneer Woman Cooks

Grilled Ribeye Steak with Onion-Bleu Cheese Sauce
Pioneer Woman Cooks

2 whole Ribeye Steaks
2 Tablespoons Butter
Salt
Pepper
4 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Very Large Yellow Onion, Sliced
1 cup Heavy Cream
½ cups Crumbled Blue Cheese

Salt and pepper both sides of the steaks and grill in 2 Tbs. butter to desired done-ness. Saute onions in 4 tablespoons butter over high heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until dark and caramelized. Reduce heat to simmer and pour in cream. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until reduced by half. Stir in blue cheese until melted. Serve steaks on generous portion of sauce.

**On the Fourth, we generously salted and peppered both sides of the steak. Then, we drizzled extra virgin olive oil on both sides and grilled to medium...amazing.

Jamie Oliver's Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry

I don't know if any of you watched Food Revolution, but I did and I loved it. His signature dish on the show is a stir-fry, both with chicken and beef. I've tried both, and this one is going up first. It was absolutely delicious and light and healthy and EASY. You can use whatever veggies you like, just make sure that you take into account the varying cooking times of each. You'll love this too- and bonus, its seriously ten times better the next day and the flavors really pop.

picture courtesy jamieoliver.com

Jamie Oliver's Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Adapted from JamieOliver.com

1 box spaghetti noodles (I used Barilla plus)
1-2 Tbs. vegetable oil
.5-1 lb. steak, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 package beansprouts
soy sauce to taste
sesame oil to taste
juice of ½ a lime
1 large red pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
1 head of broccoli
a handful of baby corn, quartered lengthways
6 green onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1 carrot, peeled and diced

Cook the noodles in boiling salted water until just tender. I added my broccoli in for the last 3 minutes of cooking and then drain, place in a bowl and set aside.

Heat a large wok or a heavy-based frying pan until very hot. Add a splash of vegetable oil then stir fry the beef slices with the sliced garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes until just cooked. Add the beansprouts, a good splash of soy sauce and sesame oil and the lime juice for the last 30 seconds of cooking.

Tip the contents of the wok into a large bowl, including all the juices. Put the wok back on the heat, add a splash more vegetable oil and all the vegetables. Stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the cooked noodles and toss well over the heat. Toss everything together in a large bowl and serve.

Classic Red Chili

Pic courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe

I can squeeze one more soup recipe in before the end of winter, right? I made this for the first time on Tuesday night and I was just expecting it to be a regular, old chili. But, let me tell you, it was the BEST chili I've ever had. Now, I'm not a chili connoisseur by many means, but I do love soup, beans, and sweet BBQ flavor and this chili was all this and more. It was sweet, chunky, and the perfect ratio of meat to beans. Warning: if you like really spicy chili, this is not for you. However, if you want to just add a couple teaspoons or so of crushed red pepper flakes that should give it some kick. So, next time you're feeling a little "chili-e," (I had to throw that in there:)) I highly reccommend this to warm you right up.

Classic Red Chili
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe


*Makes 12-14 servings

1 1/2 medium onions, diced (or more if you really like onions)
2 teaspoons salt
2 pounds ground beef or turkey
6 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained (I subbed 2 cans of pinto for red kidney and great northern beans for a little more "color")
46 oz. (one large can) tomato juice
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup water
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

Brown the ground meat and onion in a large skillet. Drain grease. In a small bowl combine the 1/2 cup water with the garlic salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin and brown sugar.

In a large pot, combine tomato juice, beans, tomato sauce, and ketchup. Stir in ground meat and onions and seasoning/water mixture. Mix well. Stir in bay leaves.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer over medium-low heat for an hour, stirring occasionally (this can simmer for as long as 4-5 hours).

Serve plain, topped with cheese, crackers, Fritos, or whatever your heart desires.

***************

Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY for the Demarle Silpat! Contest ends Tuesday!!! GOOD LUCK!

Sour Cream Lasagna

I don't know where this recipe came from, but we've (meaning the Jewkes sisters) have been making this for years. It's the easiest lasagna you'll ever make and so yummy and different from traditional lasagna recipes. I'm sure once you make it, it'll become a staple in your dinner rotation as it has in mine.

Sour Cream Lasagna

1 lb ground beef or turkey (I actually just cook a couple breasts of chicken and then shred it)
16 oz. spaghetti sauce
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. Italian seasonings to taste
8oz. lasagna noodles, cooked al dente (or you can use Barilla no-boil noodles)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
parmesan cheese to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together meat, sauce, sour cream, cottage cheese, and 1 tsp. Italian seasoning. Layer in 9x13 dish: noodles, meat, noodles, meat. Top with cheddar cheese, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese (gives a little extra flavor). Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Serve.

Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs!

Okay, I've never done ribs before but I was itchin' to try something new. It was a hit

with the whole family! Fool proof and succulent way to

throw some man-ribs on the table!

Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs!

from Somewhat Simple blog


Ingredients
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Ribs (we used pork ribs, but you can use beef if you'd like)

Directions
Mix together the brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Trim off excess fat on your ribs.

Cut and pull off the thin membrane on the underside of the ribs.
(This helps it fall off the bone so much easier!) Here is Jason pulling off the membrane, in case you don't know what it looks like. I had never done this before so it was fascinating to me!

Rub the underside of the ribs with the dry rub mixture.
*You don't need to do too much on this side as most of the flavor will need to go on the meat which is on the other side.


Spread the Rub on the meat side of the ribs-
Pile it on and work the mixture into the meat as best as you can.

Wrap each rack in foil 2 times to insure no flavors drip out in the baking process.

Let marinate in fridge overnight.
(This recipe takes patience, which is something I am working on!)
Bake in the oven at 220 degress for 5 hours.


Take out of oven, smother in your favorite BBQ sauce and toss those bad boys on the grill for a few minutes. (Already cooked through just grilling for the satisfaction of grilling and getting some wetness on those ribs!

Enjoy because they are oh, so good!

Bacon Wrapped Cocktail Sausages

A really delicious and easy appetizer! First thing gone at the table!

Bacon-Wrapped Cocktail Sausages

Recipe from Our Best Bites

1 14-oz. package Lit'l Smokies

1 12-oz. package lean bacon

3/4 c. brown sugar

Preheat your oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the slab of bacon into thirds.

Wrap 1/3 of each slice of bacon around each sausage and secure with a toothpick and place on the baking sheet. I took a picture of this, but my husband informed me in no uncertain terms that that picture was completely inappropriate for a family-friendly food blog. Let's just say Freud may have had something to say about it...

Anyway, repeat with remaining sausages and bacon. When I was making these, the stars somehow aligned and this package of Lit'l Smokies and Hormel Black Label bacon matched up completely--no leftover bacon, no leftover sausage. Sprinkle brown sugar over sausages and bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes or until bacon has cooked and is starting to brown.

Sloppy Joes

I love sloppy joes- they're a really great comfort food...I made this tonight and thought it tasted great. This is a fancy sloppy joe (if there is such a thing!)- I served it on nice hamburger buns, with or without cheese melted on top. Be careful with the cloves- don't put too much in!

Sloppy Joes
from Simply Recipes

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup minced carrots (can sub chopped bell pepper)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
1 1/4 lb ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
2 cups tomato sauce (or 1 15-ounce can whole tomatoes, puréed)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
Pinch ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 turns of freshly ground black pepper
4 hamburger buns

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the carrots and sauté until soft. (If you are using bell pepper instead of carrots, add those at the same time as the onions.) Add the chopped onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent, about 5 more minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Remove from heat. Remove vegetables from the pan to a medium sized bowl, set aside.

2. Using the same pan (or you can cook the meat at the same time as the vegetables in a separate pan to save time), generously salt the bottom of the pan (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon). Heat the pan on high. Crumble the ground beef into the pan and cook until entirely browned.

3. Return the vegetables to the pan. Add the ketchup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and brown sugar to the pan. Stir to mix well. Add ground cloves, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Lower the heat to medium low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste (I added salt). Serves 4.

Taco Stromboli

Taco Stromboli

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef or turkey
1 Tbs. oil
1/2 diced small Onion
1/2 pack of Taco Seasoning
1/2 cup Salsa
1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream
Cheese for top
1 Pizza crust dough in a tube

Add oil into skillet and saute the onions for a few minutes. Add meat. Brown and drain meet. Add seasoning and salsa.

Roll out your pizza dough making it long and a large rectangle. Pour meat into the center of the dough and top with 1/2 cup of cheese. Fold over sides and close the ends of the dough.

Bake at 350 for about 16 minutes or until golden brown.

Slice and serve over a bed of shredded lettuce. Top with Sour Cream and cheese. You could also add tomatoes, olives and green onions on top.

Tex Mex Beef Enchiladas

I made these last night and thought they were great. Madison didn't agree with me, but that's nothing new. :) The Adobo sauce definitely gives it a unique flavor.

Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas

Cathy Ostergar

2 Tbs. olive oil

1/4 cup flour

1 can chicken broth

1 1/2 Tbs. chili powder

1 small can chipotle chile in adobo, minced, plus 1 Tbs. adobo sauce from the can (I omitted the chili and just used the sauce so it was less spicy)

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4-1 lb. lean ground beef

salt and pepper

corn torillas

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Make the sauce: in a saucepan, heat 1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil over medium. Add flour and cook, whisking for one minute. Add broth, chili powder, chipotle and adobo sauce, and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until lightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Make the filling: In a nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1/2 Tbs. olive oil over medium high. Add onion, garlic, and beef; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Spoon 1/4 cup sauce in bottom of an 8 inch square (I used 9x13) baking dish. Set aside. Make enchiladas: Stack tortillas and warm in foil in the oven. Fill each with a heaping 1/4 cup beef mixture and 2 Tbs. cheese; tightly roll up. Raise oven heat to 450. Arrange enchiladas in dish and top with remaining sauce and cheese at the very top. Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve garnished with cilantro and a green salad (I used corn :)).

Chili's Fajita Marinade

I don't think I'll ever make fajitas any other way! This marinade is delicious!! I've used it on steak and chicken and it is equally good. To die for!

Marinade:
¼ c. fresh lime juice
1/3 c. water
2 Tb vegetable oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
3 tsp vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp liquid smoke
¼ tsp black pepper
dash onion powder

1 to 1 ½ lbs chicken slices or top sirloin
1 yellow onion
1-2 red, yellow or green bell peppers
1 tsp soy sauce
2 Tb water
½ tsp lime juice
dash of salt and pepper

Combine all marinade ingredients. Marinate chicken (at least 2 hours) or beef (overnight). Grill 4-5 minutes per side. Slice onion and peppers. Fry in a preheated fry pan at medium high heat until softened but still crisp (important! there is nothing worse than soggy fajita vegetables). Add soy sauce, water, lime juice and salt & pepper. Cook another 3-4 minutes. Slice meat thinly. Serve with onion and peppers and salsa in a tortilla. May also serve with sour cream, cheese, guacamole...the options are endless.

Simple and Meaty Skillet Lasagna

Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

3 (14.5 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
Salt
3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (these do not add spice - just flavor!)
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 box Penne or Rotini noodles
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup cottage cheese

Pulse the tomatoes with their juice in a blender or food processor until they are coarsely ground and no large pieces remain. Then, add the tomato sauce, basil, and oregano and blend slightly to mix.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking apart the meat, until it is lightly browned and no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes.

Scatter the noodles over the meat and then pour in the ground tomatoes sauce over the pasta. Cover, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer, until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.

Off the heat, stir in half the mozzarella and half of the parmesan. Dot heaping tablespoons of the cottage cheese over the noodles, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Cover and let stand off the heat until the cheese melts, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve.

I made this for dinner on Thursday night...I really like it a lot, and so do my kids. Its fairly easy. I've made this recipe twice now, and the first time around I used the ricotta cheese, which isn't my favorite. So, this time, I used the old lasagna standby, cottage cheese, instead and it was a winner...much better.