Zucchini Baked Ziti

 

Holy cow it has been forever since I have posted on here!  Life has certainly gotten away from us and I truly miss enjoying cooking (not just the "throw it together for a cooked if not frozen meal" we have lived off of the last few months).

I don't know if this is your typical baked ziti or not because I put in hamburger but it was Oh, So Good!  I morphed some recipes together and added stuff of my own.  It was fun!  I actually used tomatoes and zucchini straight out of my garden!  Here we go:

Ziti pasta (cooked according to directions on box)
1 lb. hamburger, browned and drained
2 small zucchini sliced and fried in 1 T. Olive oil until brown
Mozzarella cheese, grated

Sauce:
1 cup minced onion
2 T. minced garlic
28 oz crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup water
2 T tomato paste
2 tsp honey
1 T ried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp crushed red peppers
Salt to taste

Cook onion and garlic until onion is translucent.  Add to sauce pan and add all other ingredients.  Cook on low for one hour.

Add all ingredients except cheese to a bowl and toss together.  Put in a casserole dish and top with mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

Picante Beef and Bean Skillet

This is another yummy recipe that we tried new from Recipe.com.  It was so good and the kids started eating before Dad got home.  Before I knew it I had to tell the kids to save their Dad some because they were all going back for seconds and thirds.  VERY easy and VERY kid friendly.  Next time I will try to substitute the tortillas for chips, but it was still really yummy with the tortillas.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 jar (16 oz) salsa

1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

6 flour tortillas (6in), cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Cook the beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned, stirring to break up the meat.  Pour off any fat.

Stir in the salsa, beans and tortillas and heat to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low.  Cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring often.  Top with the cheese.

Beef Chimichangas

This is a recipe from my sister-in-law Nicole.  I haven't tried it, but I will soon... they look delish!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 can refried beans

1 tomato; diced and skin removed

vegetable oil

flour tortillas

toppings (sour cream, cheese, olives, guac, etc)

¼ tsp crushed rosemary

1 Tbsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 ½ tsp parsley

1 Tbsp onion powder

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 can diced or whole green chilis with juice

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet.

In a food processor add the following: (fyi the amounts are just guesstimates. Add more or less according to your taste)

rosemary

paprika

chili powder

garlic powder

parsley

onion powder

fresh cilantro

brown sugar

green chilis with juice

salt

Puree seasonings. Ten minutes before the beef is done, add the seasoning mix and tomatoes & simmer

While the meat and seasonings are cooking, in a pot heat about ½ inch of vegetable oil to about 320 degrees.

Once the meat is done add the can of refried beans. Cook until warm.

Warm your tortilla shells for a few seconds in the microwave so they don’t break when you roll them. Add cheese and the meat filling. Roll up and fry each side in the oil until brown. (Make sure you roll them up tight so nothing comes out in the oil)

Add toppings and enjoy!

Beef Stir-fry with Fried Rice

DING! DING! DING!  WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!

I fixed a new recipe again tonight and it was voted on by the fam as a 4.75 out of 5.  the stir-fry recipe is one I made up years ago and can be used with pork or chicken just as easily.  Here are the recipes.

Beef Stir-fry

Ingredients:
2 T. Olive Oil
Beef tenderloin cut up into small pieces
1 red bell pepper diced
1 green bell pepper diced
1 sweet onion diced
6 medium carrots diced
1/2 cup Kikoman's stir-fry sauce
2 T. Soy sauce

Directions:
Stir together the stir-fry sauce and soy sauce.  In a wok or skillet, add 1 T. olive oil and then add the beef.  Stir-fry the beef and thentransfer to a bowl.  Add the remaining 1 T. olive oil and half the vegetables and stir-fry and then add them to the beef.  Stir-fry the remaining half and then add all back in. Stir in the sauce mixture and continue stirring until the vegetables are as tender as you like (we like ours a little crunchy).  Can be served with plain rice or the fried rice below.

Fried Rice

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped meat (if desired)
2 T olive oil
3 cups cooked, cold Rice (white, brown, or instant)
3 green onions, sliced
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup frozen peas and carrots, cooked
1 packet Sun Bird Fried Rice Seasoning Mix (found in the isle that has the oriental foods)

Directions:
In a large skillet or wok, heat oil.  Stir-fry the rice and green onions.  Add seasoning packet and soy sauce and stir-fry 1 minute.  Push rice to side and add the eggs.  Scramble the eggs and then stir the rice into the eggs.  Add the peas and carrots and meat, if desired.


I hope you enjoy this recipe, I know we sure did.

Biggest Loser's Main Event Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

Olive oil spray

1 cup minced yellow or white onion

2 T freshly minced garlic

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup water

2 T. no-salt-added tomato paste

2 tsp. honey

1 T. dried oregano

2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Salt, to taste

Directions:

Spray a medium nonstick saucepan witht he olive oil spray and place over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook until just becoming tender (they should not brown), 4 to 6 minutes.  Reduce the heat to low an with a wooden spoon stir in the tomatoes, water, tomato paste, honey, oregano, basil, and pepper flakes until well combined.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 1 hour.  Season with salt, if needed.

I served this over Healthy Heart spaghetti noodles, with green salad and french bread on the side.  While this isn't as good as the Prego I usually buy, it definately was not bad.  The kids loved it just as much and at least it is a little more healthy and fresh.

Slow-Cooked Teriyaki Meatballs

This is a half made-up recipe.  I used the recipe for meatballs from the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook.  Then I made up the rest myself.  Here are the recipes:

New Favorite Meatballs (Biggest Loser Family Cookbook)

Olive oil spray

2 egg whites

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup fat-free milk

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 T. dried minced onion]

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 lb 96% lean ground beef

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly coat a large nonstick baking sheet with the olive oil spray.

In a medium bowl, using a fork, mix together the egg whites, oats, and milk until well combined.  Add the parsley, onion, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes and mix until combined.  Mix in the beef until well combined.

Make 32 uniform meatballs, each about 1 1/4" diameter (use a cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons for ease).  Roll the balls with your hands and arrange, not touching, on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink inside.

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Sauce

1 1/2 cups low-sodium, low sugar teriyaki sauce (kikomans)

Juice from large pineapple rings can

Mix sauce and juice together.

I made the meatballs one day ahead.  The morning we were having the meatballs, I put them in the slow-cooker and then poured the sauce over them and stirred until they were covered.  I then put the pineapple rings on the top of the meatballs and cooked for 6 hours on low.

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I served the meatballs and pineapple over rice.  This was really good.  The kids loved it!  Vince liked it, but he is not much of a sweet meat guy.

Szechuan Pork and Broccoli

Another great recipe from the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook.  In the cookbook it actually called for beef, but I happened to have a pork roast on hand.  It was really yummy and the kids really liked it. 

Ingredients:

Pork or Beef Roast, sliced against the grain into scant 1/4"-thick strips

1 tsp. garlic powder

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

1 (14 oz) bag frozen broccoli

1 T. freshly minced garlic

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1/4 cup bottled szechuan stir-fry sauce

Rice

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the pork/beef, garlic powder, salt and pepper and toss until well combined.

Place a large nonstick skillet or nonstick wok over high heat.  When hot, mist with the olive oil spray.  Add the broccoli and garlic and cook, stirring, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the garlic softens and the broccoli is heated through and crisp-tender, being careful not to burn the garlic.  Transfer to a large bowl and cover to keep warm.

Return the pan to high heat and add 1 tsp of the sesame oil.  When hot, add half of the pork/beef in a single layer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes.  Transfer the pork/steak to the bowl with the vegetables and re-cover.  Repeat with the remaining 1 tsp. sesame oil and pork/steak.  Return all the steak and vegetables to the pan and remove from the heat.  Add the sauce and mix well to coat.  Divide among 4 bowls and serve over rice.

Hamburger Pie--Vinnie Style

The kids beg for daddy to fix his Hamburger Pie if I mention that is what we are having for dinner.  It is really easy and really good.

This is a picture without the potatoes and cheese on it.  I left that off of mine.

Ingredients:

1 lb. hamburger
2 T. Minced onion
1 T. Minced garlic
3 T. Flour
1-1 1/2 cups milk
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can corn
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instant potatoes

Directions:
Put hamburger, onion and garlic in a pan and brown the hamburger.  Remove the hamburger from the pan once browned and leave the drippings (may need to add some oil if the meat is lean).  Add the flour and cook for 30 seconds and then add the milk  1/2 cup at a time until you have a thick gravy.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add the soup and corn and heat through.  Meanwhile fix the potatoes.  Add the potatoes to the top of the hamburger mix and spread the cheese on top.  Simmer until cheese is melted and serve. 

Mom's Beef Roast

2 T flour
1/4 tsp pepper
3-4 lb roast
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c apple juice
1 envelope onion soup mix

Mix flour and pepper (and a little salt if you want); rub flour mixture on roast.
Brown beef in oil.
Mix cream of chicken soup, apple juice and onion soup mix.
Put everything in a slow cooker and cook at 225 or low until beef is tender.
(5-6 hours)

You can also add cut potatoes and carrots about 2 hours into cooking.

Easy Peasy Tri Tip Roast

K... so in an effort to keep Shawna off my back here's a recipe for the blog


Go to Costco and buy a Tri-Tip roast and a shaker of Montreal Steak Seasoning.

Come home and rub the seasoning onto the roast. Do not be shy use plenty and completely cover all sides of the meat.

Heat up your BBQ grill to medium high(you might want to do this step before you apply the seasoning.

(are you still with me?)

Put the meat on the grill and turn it every 5 minutes for 45 minutes. Do not poke or cut into the meat. Just turn it over and over for 45 minutes. (make sure you have plenty of seasoning so as you turn the roast and lose some of the spices, you still have enough to make the beef yummy.

Remove the meat from the grill and let it rest 10 minutes.

Yer done and its tasty....

Hamburger cassarole

I got this recipe from a Betty Crocker cook book that my mother used in her high school cooking class. I LOVE that cook book. This is my "go to" recipe when we are in a hurry.

1 lb Hamburger

1 small onion chopped

1 glove garlic minced

1 can french style green beans

1 can tomatoe soup

4 potatoes (or instant mashed potatoes)

shredded chedder cheese

brown hamburger with onion and garlic, drain return to pan.

boil potatoes and make mashed potatoes or even easier and faster use instant mashed potatoes. i make enough for 6 servings.

to hamburger mixture add drained greenbeans, and tomatoe soup, salt and pepper to taste.

spray a cassarole dish with cooking spray and add hamburger mixture. top with mashed potatoes, bake in a 350 oven until heated through about 30 minutes. top with cheese and melt.

this is good when you are in a hurry and who doesnt love tomatoe soup.

Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs

Even though we live in a 5th wheeler with limited counter space this was not that hard to make. It is very good.

Recipe:
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 c. seasoned bread crumbs
2 t. minced onion
1-1/2 t. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/8 t. pepper
SAUCE:
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks, undrained
1/3 c. sliced green onions
1/3 c. vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
1 green pepper, cut into strips
Hot cooked rice, optional
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; mix well. Shape into 1 in. balls. Place in a greased 2-qt. casserole dish. For sauce, mix brown sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add pineapple and juice, green onions, vinegar and soy sauce; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. cook and stir 2 minutes more. Pour over the meatballs. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Stir in green pepper. Return to the oven, covered, for 10 minutes. Serve over rice if desired. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Taco Salad

This is another family favorite.  It is simple and you can make it with or without meat.  Just add extra beans if you don't want meat.

Ingredients:

1 bag of salad (any variety)

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 can kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 lb hamburger

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Catalina dressing

tortilla chips or frito chips

Directions:

Brown the hamburger and follow taco seasoning directions.  Meanwhile put salad, beans, tomatoes, and cheese in large bowl.

When meat mixture is done, add to the salad mixture and toss with Catalina dressing.  Serve over chips.  Enjoy.

Meatloaf

Ahh, comfort food. I have always loved meatloaf and when I was pregnant with Jenecee a friend of mine told me the easy way to make it. This is very simple and can be made in either the microwave or the oven. Hope you enjoy!



Meatloaf:
2 lbs. hamburger
1 box stuffing mix
2 T. Worstershire Sauce
2 eggs
1/4-1/2 cup milk (depending on how moist you would like it to be)

Sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup favorite BBQ sauce
2 T. Worstershire Sauce
1 T. mustard
1 tsp. garlic sauce

Mix together meatloaf ingredients and place in cooking dish. If making this in the microwave, put a small glass bowl in the middle and make a ring around the bowl (this will help it cook faster). In microwave, cook on high for 20 minutes. In the meantime, mix together sauce ingredients. Check after 20 minutes to make sure there is no pink left and then top with sauce and cook an additional 5 minutes. If making this in the oven, follow the same rules only form it into a loaf and bake at 350 for 1 hr. Put sauce on during the last 10 minutes of baking.