Homemade Chili

 We have battled the flu and computer problems for the past month and now it's already time for the Super Bowl. How time flies when life gets busy! But I thought I'd share my go to chili. I have to admit that I've never followed a recipe when I make chili, so for all the years of my life I have just winged it. Considering that I turned 62 in December, that's a lot of years. So the past few times I finally began writing it down.We like a thick, meaty chili with beans, that is fragrantly spicy, but not fiery. Some hot cayenne pepper can always be added for more heat, or Ro-tel tomatoes can be used instead of plain tomatoes. I made the last batch of chili this week after my husband finally kicked the flu. He said it really hit the spot! Chili is a perfect Super Bowl food around these parts and is perfect for this cold weather that much of the country is enduring. Here's my recipe.

My Homemade Chili
From Lynda's Recipe Box
I add a little brown sugar to the chili because I think it really compliments the spices nicely.

2 pounds ground beef chuck
1 large onion, diced
1/2 of a poblano pepper or bell pepper, diced
1-2 tablespoon oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 - 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chili beans in sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
2/12 - 3 cups water
salt and pepper to taste

In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the ground chuck in 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Before the meat is completely browned add the onion, pepper and garlic. When meat is browned and the onion is softened, remove excess grease from the pot if needed. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, about 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Stir the spices into the meat mixture and let cook just for a minute. Lower the temperature if needed so the spices don't burn.
Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar, drained black beans and chili beans with sauce. Add the water and stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
Place lid on the pot and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, and adding water if needed.
Remove lid. If chili is too thick add extra water to get the consistency that you want. If too runny, cook the chili uncovered, until it thickens to the desired constancy. Stir often to keep the chili from sticking or burning. Taste chili and adjust the seasonings. May need more salt and pepper, and if you want it hotter add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Serve with several choices of toppings, such as onion, sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, chips, etc. Enjoy!
Click here for more Super Bowl food ideas.

Meatball Sliders for Super Bowl!

Here it is, almost Super Bowl Sunday! If you are one of the many people planning a party for the big day, I have a fantastic Meatball Slider recipe for you to serve during the Super Bowl or any time for that matter. This is a really easy recipe where the meatballs are baked and then cooked for a short time in the quick tomato sauce, topped with cheese and then the buns. I have adapted my mother's meatball recipe for these yummy sliders and made an easy Italian flavored sauce for them. My husband loves these Meatball Sliders, so I hope you will too! Here's my recipe.

Meatball Sliders
From Lynda's Recipe Box
(If you want to add some spicy heat to the sauce just add 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the oil at the same time as the minced garlic when making the sauce.)

Meatball Ingredients:
1 pound beef ground chuck
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk 1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper
either shredded or sliced Provolone or Mozzarella cheese. If using slices you will need 6 slices to have cheese on top and bottom. Cut the sliced cheese in 4 square pieces.
1 dozen slider rolls, or dinner rolls if you can't find sliders

Directions for Meatballs:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, Parmesan and minced garlic; toss it lightly with a fork to incorporate. Add the remaining ingredients and mix fairly well, either with a fork or your hands. I use my hands, I confess. It's just easier.
Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray liberally with cooking spray. Divide the meat mixture into 12 even pieces and roll each into a ball and place on baking sheet. Place pan in oven and bake meatballs for 25 minutes. When done remove meatballs from pan and add to the sauce.

Quick Italian Style Sauce Ingredients:
1 - 28 ounce can of good quality crushed tomatoes
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried pepper flakes, optional, only if you want some heat
salt and pepper to taste

In a large sauce pan or Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the olive oil, then the minced garlic and pepper flakes, if using. Saute for 30 seconds; then add the tomatoes and dried basil. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes or so. If sauce gets too thick you can add a little water to thin it. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. I sometimes add about 1 teaspoon of sugar if sauce needs it. Some canned tomatoes can have a sharp taste and the sugar helps.
Add meatballs when they are done, cover and cook another 10-20 minutes.
I like the sauce to be thick so it will stick to the meatballs some.

To assemble sliders:
If you want to toast the rolls, just open the rolls and lay on a baking sheet, put under the broiler for a short time. Stay by your stove as they toast really quick! Remove from oven.
Add cheese to the bottom of the buns; place 1 meatball on each bottom bun. Top with more cheese and the tops of the buns. Place on serving tray and enjoy!

Tex - Mex Beef Enchiladas - ground beef filling with a chipotle sauce

 I have a serious love affair with Tex - Mex food and I especially love enchiladas. I rarely order them in restaurants, but love making them at home instead. I found these wonderful ground beef enchiladas at Everyday Food and couldn't wait to try them. My husband and I loved the smoky,spicy flavor the chipotle chili gave the sauce. It is spicy hot, but not a fire alarm hot, so it does cool down. And considering that we both don't do well with real spicy food, we had no trouble with these enchiladas. Loved them, will make again next week, in fact. Hope you'll give them a try!

Tex - Mex Beef Enchiladas

adapted from Everyday Food

Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup flour

1 can (15 ounces) of low sodium chicken broth

1 cup of water

1/2 of a medium onion, minced, my addition

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried cumin - my addition

1 small, canned, chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce, minced- my chili was about 3-4 inches long

1 tablespoon adobo sauce

Beef Filling:

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 of medium onion

2 cloves minced garlic, my addition

1 teaspoon chili powder, my addition

1 teaspoon cumin

salt and pepper to taste

8 ounces freshly grated cheese, I used a Cheddar Jack cheese

1/2 cup cilantro

about 10 corn tortillas

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the onion in the 2 tablespoons of oil until softened. Stir in the flour and the chili powder, and whisk for about 1 minute while the flour cooks. Slowly pour in the broth and water, whisking as you pour. Add adobo sauce and minced chipotle pepper, the broth and water. Mix well; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Remove from heat until needed.

2. In a skillet, brown the ground beef and minced onion together. When meat is no longer pink, stir in the garlic and stir about 1 minute. Drain off any fat. Season the meat with the chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper.

3. To assemble the enchiladas:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pour about 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Warm the tortillas. I stacked the tortillas on foil, wrapped them up and placed in oven for about 10 minutes. They were ready to use then. Stir about 1/3 cup of sauce into the beef mixture. Place a rounded 1/4 cup of meat on each tortilla. Add about 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese, and roll up. Lay seam side down in the baking pan. Spread the remaing sauce over the enchiladas. Cover with the cheese. Turn oven up to 400 degrees F. and place enchiladas into the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes until cheese is melted and enchiladas are bubbly. Remove from oven and garnish with cilantro. I also added some diced green onion. So good -  enjoy!

Also check out my Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce
and my Shredded Beef Enchiladas.

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Salisbury Steak conjures up images of the TV Dinners that my Mother fed me occasionally, and some school lunches that I ate in grade school. I actually really liked it then, but making your own is much tastier and really easy to do. This dish consists of ground beef with bread crumbs and seasonings added in. I've made my version of this dish for years, but wondered how it got it's name. It was interesting reading several different googled sites. According to Wikipedia and other sources, Salisbury Steak received it's name from an American physician, Dr. James Henry Salisbury, during the Civil War. Dr. Salisbury thought people, especially soldiers, would benefit from eating ground meat 3 times a day for different health problems. Well, I make Salisbury Steak because, it tastes good, and because it makes a very affordable and easy meal. And because my husband loves it! Here's my recipe. SALISBURY STEAK with MUSHROOM GRAVY
from Lynda's Recipe Box
1/2 of a medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons oil
1 pound ground beef chuck-80/20 blend
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, or can use steak sauce
about 1/2 teaspoon salt about
1/4 teaspoon pepper
FOR GRAVY: 1/2 of a medium onion, diced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1- 15 ounces can of beef broth
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
a couple drops of Kitchen Bouquet, if desired.
In a skillet, saute the onion in the oil until softened. In a large bowl, break up the ground chuck. Add the remaining ingredients and the cooked onion . Stir beef mixture with a fork until combined and then form into patties about 1 inch thick or so. I made 4 patties. Heat the same skillet over medium heat. Add a couple teaspoons of oil if needed, and brown the patties on both sides. (Carefully turn the patties over-they can fall apart easily, and watch closely as the patties can burn because of the bread crumbs and other ingredients).
To make gravy: Make the gravy while the beef patties cook. In a sauce pan, melt the butter and add the sliced mushrooms and diced onion. Saute until all the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the onions are soft. Stir in the flour and cook about 30 seconds. Stir in about half of the beef broth until the gravy is smooth, then add the remaining broth and cook a couple of minutes. Stir in Kitchen Bouquet, if using. Season with salt and pepper. When the beef patties are browned on both sides, pour the gravy over the patties, and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes, until the patties are done. If gravy needs to thicken more, cook a bit longer, or if you need to thin the gravy, add a bit of water. I served this Salisbury Steak with egg noodles this time, but we like it with mashed potatoes the best. Let me know if you give this dish a try. Enjoy!
NOTE: Kitchen Bouquet is a browning and seasoning sauce found in the grocers on the condiment isle. In my store it's next to the steak sauces.

Tijuana Torte (a Mexican-style casserole)

While flipping through an old recipe book of mine, called "Some of the Best Recipes Ever Assembled into One Cookbook", I came across this Mexican-style casserole that I used to make often. While it wasn't a favorite of our kids, my husband has always loved it. Truthfully, it isn't my favorite Mexican casserole, but I do enjoy it as it has a layer of sour cream that really sets the Tex-Mex flavors off. I always put the canned tomatoes in the blender to pulse, because my family doesn't like chunky tomatoes in their food. Picky, I know, but I do what needs to be done to get people to eat! This easy casserole is layered like a lasagna and is mild in flavor. It calls for stewed tomatoes, which are somewhat sweet, but I sub diced tomatoes most of the time. Use whichever you prefer. I hope you enjoy this flavorful casserole.

TIJUANA TORTE

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chuck or ground round beef

1 medium onion, diced

1- 15 ounce can can diced tomatoes, or stewed tomatoes (I pulse them in the blender)

1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 -4 ounce can diced green chilies

1 package taco seasoning

flour or corn tortillas- I used 18 fajita sized flour tortillas,(6 for each layer), but any size will work

about 1 cup of sour cream

1 pound freshly grated cheddar cheese

1. Brown ground beef and onion in a skillet; drain off any fat from the meat. Add the rest of the ingredients to the meat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Place 1/4-1/2 cup of mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch non reactive baking pan. Place a layer of tortillas over that.

3. Place about 1/3 of the meat mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

4. Add another layer of tortillas, and then a layer of meat sauce. Cover with more cheese; then dollop with all of the sour cream and gently spread out.

5. Lastly, cover with the rest of the tortillas, the meat sauce and the rest of the cheese.

6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

Remove from oven and let cool about 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

NOTE: I usually make this casserole in 3 layers, but it would work well in 2 layers, if preferred.

Skillet Lasagna

I needed a quick, hearty and tasty meal last night. My husband had been shoveling snow a big part of the day, and I had helped some also, so I wanted something easy to prepare. I had been wanting to make Skillet Lasagna for a while, and I had most of the ingredients needed. The original recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, so I was reasonably sure it would be good. It was; this lasagna has a wonderful Italian flavor! The whole dish is assembled and cooked in a large skillet and ready to eat in 30-40 minutes, depending on how fast you are. All the flavor of a delicious lasagna, but this dish is so much faster to prepare. The recipe calls for a mix of ground beef and ground pork. I replaced the pork with Italian sausage since I had it on hand. It added great depth of flavor to this dish. You gotta try it! Here's the recipe that I found at Apples and Twinkies.

SKILLET LASAGNA

adapted from Apples and Twinkies and Cook's Illustrated

3 cans (14.5 oz.) whole, peeled tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 medium garlic cloves, pressed- I only used 2

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes- I used a pinch

1/2 pound of ground round beef

1/2 pound ground Italian sausage

10 curly edge lasagna noodles- it is NOT recommended that no-bake noodles be used

1/2 cup (2 ounces) mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

pepper to taste

1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

3/4 cup full fat ricotta cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Pour the 3 cans of tomatoes into a blender or food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Heat oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet. Add diced onion and salt and cook until softened; stir in garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ground meats; break up the meat as it cooks. Drain grease from skillet if needed.

Break the lasagna noodles into 2 inch pieces and scatter over the meat in the skillet. Pour the tomatoes over the noodles and sprinkle with the dried basil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. (I used a stainless steel skillet, so I stirred the lasagna a couple of times to keep the noodles from sticking).

When done, remove the pan from the burner. Carefully stir the mixture together, taste and add pepper to taste; more salt if needed. Lightly stir in half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan cheeses. Sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheeses over the top. Spoon the ricotta cheese in spoonfuls over the lasagna. Cover skillet with lid and let the cheese melt. I added some chopped fresh parsley also. Serve with some garlic bread and salad if desired. My husband and daughter loved it-it got 2 thumbs up, so I'll be making it again often. Let me know if you give this a try!

My Mother's Goulash - for Family Recipes

My Mother was a very busy woman when I was a kid. My brother and I grew up in Colorado on a ranch and my Mother wore many hats, if you will. In other words, she had many jobs. When I was very young, she cooked for the hired men on the ranch, making huge man pleasing meals everyday at noon. She raised a garden, chickens, ducks and she sometimes drove a truck during harvest or feeding cattle, if needed. She had to have some quick meal ideas to fall back on. She went to work when I was in the 5th grade as a secretary at the small school that we attended, so she was always very busy. Goulash, as it was called in our family, is one dish that my Mother would make on really hectic nights. It is typically a hamburger, tomato and macaroni dish that is easy to make and you only need about 30 minutes in which to prepare it. I loved this meal as a kid. Mom sometimes added cheese to the top and she often made biscuits and cooked green beans from her garden to go along with the meal. I hadn't made this dish for quite awhile when I made it a couple of weeks ago. My daughter was overjoyed! As a kid, she loved it as much as I had when I was young. It's still a great dish, easy to prepare and full of flavor. Chopped bell pepper can be added to it as well as cheese, if desired. I know that a lot of families have a similar recipe, maybe going by a different name. Does your family make this tasty dish?

NOTE, 2012: I'm adding this note to my post since this has become such a popular post. I grew up in the 1950's and 60's, and that was a very different time than now. When my mother went to work, she still made dinner every day after she got home from work. People cooked back then; it was a priority. We didn't have fast food places in our nearby town, so we spent our meal time around the family dinner table. Quick, economical meals like this were a lifesaver for many moms. Good memories.

This recipe is my submission to March's "Family Recipes: Memories of Family, Food and Fun", which is hosted by me this month. If you have a family recipe that you'd like to share, please send it to me by March 31st. Check out all the rules here. Any dish that's a family favorite with memories attached will work. We would love to hear from you. This event is hosted by Shelby, from The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch, and Laura, of The Spiced Life, and myself. March is my month to host. Don't forget!


MY MOTHER'S GOULASH
from Lynda's Recipe Box

1 pound lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 bell pepper, diced- either red or green(optional)

1 -15 ounce can small dice tomatoes

1 - 15 ounces can tomato sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

2 cups dry macaroni, cooked according to package directions

salt and pepper to taste

cheese for topping, if desired

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the macaroni. While pasta cooks, brown the ground beef that has been seasoned with salt and pepper. Drain beef well and remove meat to a bowl. In 1 tablespoon oil, cook the onion and bell pepper if using, until softened. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar. Add the ground beef back to skillet. Cover and cook about 15 minutes. Remove lid and add cooked macaroni. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Toss well and add cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

Classic Meatloaf, My Way

I crave Meatloaf at times. I love the taste, the texture, the comfort food charm. It brings back thoughts of eating it as a kid and loving every bite. Meatloaf is just one of those classic American foods that has stood the test of time and has a multitude of different ways of preparing it. My favorite meatloaf is more of the classic version, made with ground meat, bread crumbs, eggs, etc.

I prefer to mound the meatloaf in a baking pan rather than to bake it in a loaf pan. This way, it gets kind of crusty all the way around the loaf, and I love that! It takes a little more time to make it look nice and rounded, but it's worth it to me. But you may use a loaf pan if you wish. My meatloaf is moist and delicious, using ground beef and ground pork here. Many times I use only ground beef, and on occasion I have added sausage to my meatloaf. I like to use dry bread crumbs instead of fresh crumbs. My mother used to use finely crushed saltine crackers in her meatloaf. And I have a friend who used Grape Nuts Cereal to make hers, instead of bread crumbs, (she said it was a Weight Watcher's version)! I think every family makes it differently. I almost forgot to take pictures, so there's not much left on the platter. Here's how I made mine.

CLASSIC MEATLOAF, MY WAY

Lynda's Recipe Box

1 pound of beef ground chuck- 80/20

1/2 pound ground pork (or you may use more ground chuck)

1 cup dry bread crumbs

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup ketchup (or I sometimes sub crushed tomatoes)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup finely diced onion, sauteed in 1 tablespoon oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon salt, or more

1/2 teaspoon pepper

TOPPING:

1/3 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon brown sugar- mixed together

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together except the topping ingredients. Shape into a mound in a baking pan or roasting pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove meatloaf from oven and spoon topping over loaf. Return meat loaf to oven for 15-20 more minutes. Remove from oven and let rest about 20 minutes before serving. I served with Homemade Mac and Cheese, steamed baby cut carrots and a salad.

Hamburger Stew

Do you have a dish in your family that you've made so often that you could do it blindfolded? I could this one. My Grandmother used to make this Hamburger Stew and likewise my Mother, and I've made it for years too. My husband loves to take this delicious stew to work with him as it's quite filling. It's a perfect soup for using up whatever leftover vegetables you may have in the refrigerator or odds and ends of fresh vegetables hiding in the crisper. Use as many vegetables as you want. I have no written recipe for this; we just throw in whatever is on hand. So, this is a recipe of how I made it this time. I made this huge batch today and enjoyed it immensely on this windy, cold day. We're expecting snow flurries tonight or tomorrow, so this soup will be warm and comforting. Served with homemade rolls or cornbread, it is the perfect comfort meal! Let me tell you how I made it.

HAMBURGER STEW- from Lynda's Recipe Box

Ingredients vary according to what you want to use, or what is on hand.

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 stalks celery, diced - I include the leaves

2 cans of diced tomatoes (15 ounces), or whole tomatoes, broken up

2 cans of beef broth (low sodium)

1/2 pound carrots, or more, peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups green beans, fresh, frozen or canned

about 1 1/2 cups frozen corn (or fresh or canned)

about1 1/2 cups frozen peas

1 small, diced zucchini, if desired

about 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage

5 or 6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

salt (I used 2 tsp., but I cook low salt so you may need more than this)

pepper, about 1/4 tsp.

water; add enough to cover ingredients in final cooking

In a soup pot over medium high heat, brown the ground beef until done. Drain off any grease. Add onion and cook until slightly softened. Add the celery, tomatoes, carrots and beef broth. Season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. If more liquid is needed to cover everything, add a little water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for about 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; the corn, peas, zucchini, if using, cabbage and potatoes. Add enough water to the pot to just cover the vegetables. Cover and cook another 40 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. I think the longer you cook it, the better the taste. The cabbage adds a lot of depth of flavor too, and this stew gets better every day! I sometimes add okra too, but I don't always have it. My mother would also add a few turnips to the pot, but my husband doesn't like them, so no turnips for us! Thyme is a great herb flavor for this soup, and sometimes oregano is my fave. It just depends what ingredients I use.

I've had people tell me their families also made this type of dish. Some have called it "Everything but the Kitchen Sink Soup". Do you or someone you know make stew similar to this? If so, what is it called? I'd love to know.

Barbecue Meatballs (Baked)

This is one of those recipes that could be classified as "comfort food", because it's a very satisfying older recipe. It was given to me by an older lady in our church, who is a great cook. She makes these yummy meatballs for a lot of different occasions, from church and funeral dinners that we ladies cook for families of members who have passed away, to holiday parties. People almost start fights over the last few of these luscious meatballs! The meatballs are tender and covered in a sweet, tangy and easy to make sauce. I made these a bit smaller than a golf ball and had them for dinner with some garlic mashed potatoes. My family loves the tangy sauce!

But, these tasty Barbecued Meatballs are wonderful made a bit smaller and served for all kinds of get togethers. Are the guys coming over to watch football? Serve these. Having a small party and want some easy dishes? Make these! They go together quickly. Here's how.

BARBECUE MEATBALLS- from Lynda's Recipe Box

3 pounds lean ground chuck (the leaner, the better)
2 cups oatmeal (I use quick oats)
1 1/2 cups milk (recipe calls for 12 ounces canned milk)
1/2 garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1 cup diced onion
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Make into balls and place into baking pan. I used a large roasting pan to hold them all. Make sauce.
SAUCE:
2 cups ketchup
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup diced onion
2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
Mix all ingredients and pour over the meatballs. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes.
TIP: Use at least 80-20 lean beef, as fatty beef will yield more grease in the sauce. You can also make these the day before you want to serve them, and then reheat before serving.
If you are serving these for a small family, the recipe can easily be halved. Enjoy!

Hamburger Stroganoff - A super quick and easy meal!

Recently I was flipping through the 2009 Cooking Light Cookbook, when I came upon a recipe very similar to one I made waaay back when I was in high school! This was about 1969 or 1970, many years ago when "groovy" was the favorite word, mini skirts and Go-Go Boots were "in" and the Beatles were the most popular singing group! I was taking home Economics in school, with one semester of sewing, and the other semester was cooking. I still have several recipes that we made that year, although I haven't made any of them for ages! Well, I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, so I made it and my husband really liked it, plus, it took less than 30 minutes to make. Even though this dish is made with ground beef, it still has the yummy sour cream sauce and delicious mushrooms that are components of stroganoff. This dish will come in really handy this holiday season when I'm so busy caring for my lovely granddaughter, who is now 4 months old, and trying to keep up with all the extra we do this time of year! Think about it, in less than 30 minutes you can have a delicious and quick meal on the table. Just add a salad or veggie with it and you're good to go! I hope you'll give this delicious Hamburger Stroganoff a try!

HAMBURGER STROGANOFF - slightly adapted from Cooking Light

8 ounces uncooked egg noodles

1 pound lean ground beef

1 cup diced onion

1 tsp. minced, bottled garlic, or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced

1 8 ounce package mushrooms(calls for sliced cremini) I used white mushrooms

2 T. flour

1 cup low fat, low sodium beef broth

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

3/4 cup low-fat sour cream

Paprika and chopped parsley for garnish

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
In a skillet over medium- high heat add beef and onion; cook for about 4 minutes, until browned. Add mushrooms and cook another 4 minutes, or so, and stir frequently until most of the liquid evaporates. Sprinkle with the flour; stir and cook 1 minute. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until broth is slightly thick. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta and top with paprika and parsley. Enjoy!

My Mama's Stuffed Bell Peppers

I grew bell peppers in my garden this summer, and they did pretty well, if i do say so. I had these last four peppers and decided to make Stuffed Peppers like my Mother used to. I don't know if she had an exact recipe or if she just did made them from memory, but her stuffed peppers were always delicious! I try to make them several times a year so that I don't forget how, so I guess it's high time that I wrote the method down. That's why I started this blog anyway, to put old family recipes on paper so that I wouldn't forget them. These peppers certainly qualify as an old family recipe. So let me tell you how to make these marvelous peppers! First off, you need to brown some lean ground beef in a skillet with some onions.

Let the meat brown before turning it over and breaking it apart. Don't just stir it around until it's grey. Meat needs to brown to bring out its great flavor. To the meat mixture add the cooked rice, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and seasonings. Cut the tops off of the peppers and place in a baking pan with fairly high sides. Pack the meat into the peppers. Bake for about 50 minutes and voila! Dinner is served! You'll have nice tender peppers full of deliciously seasoned, tender meat. This is home style food at its best!

MY MAMA'S STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

4 large bell peppers, any color

1 pound of very lean ground beef

1/2 of a large onion, diced

1 cup of cooked rice, either white or brown rice works

about 3/4 cup of tomato sauce- from an 8 ounce can

1/4 cup diced tomato, small dice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 clove of minced garlic

1 T. fresh parsley, diced, if desired

salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the ground beef and the onion. Drain off any fat. Add the 1 cup of cooked rice, 3/4 cup of tomato sauce, diced tomato, garlic, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and simmer while preparing the peppers. Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Place peppers in a baking pan with fairly high sides(about 2 inches). Spoon the beef filling into the peppers, packing down somewhat, to the top. There should be a little tomato sauce left in the can, so fill the can about 3/4 full with water and pour it into the bottom of the baking dish. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes. Check to see if the peppers are tender. If not, cover and bake another 5-10 minutes. Remove foil and add a little cheese on top of each pepper, if desired. Bake just til cheese melts. Don't let it get rubbery like I did!

I sprinkled the cheese on top, placed the pan back in the oven, and went back to playing with my granddaughter, so I over baked the cheese! At least the filling was delicious, so that made up for the rubbery tops.

My mother would sometimes add corn to the meat filling just to change it up some. It's quite good that way, plus the filling goes a bit farther. Also, It will depend on the size of the peppers as to how far the filling will go. I know there are other methods in making stuffed peppers, but this is my tried and true version. Hope you enjoy them!

Build Your Own Taco Salad

I've made Taco Salad for years and it has gradually evolved into a build your own salad. I used to mix the whole thing into a large bowl, but when you have a couple of extra picky kids, I couldn't always make it the way I liked if I wanted them to eat! I'm sure some of you have been there! Our daughter, the youngest will eat most things, but her older brothers were so picky growing up. One of them still is! So, the "build your own" idea works well for us. I cook the meat and add seasonings, and chop all veggies and put in separate bowls. My husband and I like ours pretty much the same, except, he won't eat avocado or black olives, so you see my dilemma. I buy the avocado just for ME! I have to eat the whole thing, hehe! Here's how I make Taco Salad;Build Your Own Taco Salad
1 pound lean ground beef- chuck or sirloin
1/2 finely diced onion, optional
Brown the beef and onion in a skillet until done. And I do brown the meat and don't turn it until it has a brown color; I don't like grey meat that isn't allowed to brown! Drain all fat from the skillet. At this point I add spices, or if you prefer, you can use a ready made taco seasoning.
I use 2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp.garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder, (only if I don't use the fresh onion)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
Stir these into the drained meat and taste the meat to see if it needs more seasoning. Tasting your food as you prepare it is important! And like I said, use a prepared taco seasoning if you wish-I won't judge! :)
As for the rest of the salad, the amounts depend on the size of your family. Here's what I use.
1 head of iceberg lettuce, or a combination of iceberg and romaine, finely chopped
1/2 a red onion or a bunch green onions, finely diced
3 or 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, diced
black beans, drained and rinsed
fresh or frozen corn, thawed
sour cream
salsa, purchased or homemade
cilantro, if desired
shredded cheese
tortilla chips, I try to buy low salt chips
We start with the chips on the plate first, next the meat, lettuce and tomato, and then whatever ingredients you desire, ending with cheese, sour cream and salsa! Enjoy!
What do you like on your taco salad?

Hamburger Pie

Do you have picky eaters in your family? When my 3 children were young, my 2 boys were quite picky, but my daughter would eat most things. I thought my boys would turn into PBJ's or Mac and Cheese before they ever grew up! Well, Hamburger Pie is a dish that all 3 of my kids would eat, so it was a standard dish in our family during those growing up years. I made it the other night because I had everything on hand and I hope that some of your kids will enjoy it too!

First, you peel 3 or 4 potatoes, cut them up and put into water to boil. Mash them when done. Then, brown some ground beef and onion in a skillet, drain it, and add some tomato sauce, water and some green beans. Let it simmer a few minutes and pour into a 8x8 casserole dish. Mound mashed potatoes on top; top potatoes with cheese and bake for about 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. This was one of my oldest son's favorite meals!

HAMBURGER PIE

3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut up

1 egg, beaten

milk, for the mashed potatoes

1 ground chuck or other lean ground beef

1 can green beans, or about 2 cups of cooked fresh or frozen green beans

1 1/4 cups tomato sauce, or you can use 1 can of tomato soup, if desired

1/4 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup shredded American or Cheddar cheese, for topping

In a pot of boiling water add cut up potatoes and a pinch of salt and boil until tender.
Drain potatoes and mash while hot; blend in egg . Add enough milk to make the potatoes fluffy, but still able to hold their shape. Sometimes, I skip using the egg as it's only purpose that I can see is to help the potatoes hold their shape. In a skillet, brown the ground chuck and the onion together and drain off any grease that accumulates. Add tomato sauce, or tomato soup, water, green beans and salt and pepper, if using. If using tomato sauce, I add 2 teaspoons of sugar at this time (optional). Pour mixture into a 8x8 inch casserole dish and mound the mashed potatoes on top. Top the potatoes with the grated cheese and bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350 degree oven til heated through, about 20 minutes. Serves 4-6. Hope your kids enjoy!

It isn't an elegant meal, but back in the growing up years, I was just happy to find a dish that everyone liked! I haven't ever been picky; guess I love to eat too much! How about you? Are you a picky eater?

Meat Sauce for Pasta- Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Well, I didn't get this posted this morning like I had hoped as I had interruptions. Does anyone else have interruptions that keep you from doing what you need or want to do? Of course, we all do. Life happens and we must go with the flow, either that or get ulcers! But here is my recipe for luscious Meat Sauce for Pasta. I use both lean ground beef and some Italian pork sausage which gives this meat sauce a wonderful, rich flavor that my family loves. I am definitely not Italian, nor do I claim that this sauce is either. It's just good meat sauce that I have made for many years that is robust with flavor and makes for very satisfying meals! So to start,

add 1 pound ground round and 1/2 pound Italian pork sausage to skillet on medium high heat and brown it, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. The sausage is harder to break into smaller pieces, but you can do it, just keep trying! Drain off fat if there is any. Season the meat with salt, pepper and garlic powder. You'll add this to the sauce in a moment. In a stock pot or soup pot,

add about 2 Tbs. of olive oil and heat on medium. When hot, add 1 diced onion and 1/2 green bell pepper, if desired. I don't always add the bell pepper. Cook until soft, 5 minutes or so, and then add 1-2 minced garlic cloves and some more olive oil, maybe 1 or 2 more Tbs. Stir for just a bit, don't let the garlic get too brown, just soft. Now add in 2 cans crushed tomatoes, 2 cans tomato paste and 4 cups of water. Stir well and then add the meat to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover pot with a lid and cook on low for at least 1 1/2 -2 hours. Cooking it a little longer will not hurt. Stir every so often, and break up any large pieces of meat you may find.

Don't add the spices until the sauce is almost done. Spices lose flavor if cooked too long. When sauce is almost done check to see if you like the consistency. If it's thicker than you like, add a little more water. If the sauce is too thin cook it down a little with the lid off. When ready I add 1 tsp. oregano, 1&1/2 tsp. basil, 1/2 tsp. salt, pepper to taste and 1 Tbs. sugar. This time I also added 3 sprigs of thyme, which I have in the freezer. Can't wait to plant more herbs this spring! Now you're ready to make my Cheese Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce , pictured below, that I posted yesterday! You'll need 3-4 cups of sauce for this dish. Or use this sauce for any other pasta. This recipe makes about 8 cups of sauce, so I froze what was left.

I have based this recipe on one my Mother used. If you need a meatless sauce, just omit the meat part and start with browning the onions. This is what I do when making spaghetti and meatballs.

Meat Sauce for Pasta

1 pound lean ground beef, I use gr. round

1/2 pound Italian pork sausage

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced, optional

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

3-4 Tbs. olive oil

2- 15oz. cans of crushed tomatoes, or diced is fine

2- 6oz. cans of tomato paste

about 4 cups water

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 &1/2 tsp. dried basil,

1/2 tsp. salt

pepper, to taste
1 Tbs. sugar, optional

1/2 tsp. thyme, optional

In a skillet brown the ground beef and sausage together, breaking up chunks with spoon.

Drain fat, if any. In a large pot, in 2 Tbs. olive oil, cook the diced onion and bell pepper until soft. Add in the minced garlic and another Tbs. or so of olive oil. Stir until garlic is softened and then add the 2 cans of tomatoes, 2 cans of tomato paste, all of the meat and 4 cups of water. Bring to a simmer,then turn to low heat and cover with lid. Cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, at least. This makes the meat tender and develops the sauce. Stir every so often and if necessary, add more water. When sauce is done add the oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and sugar and thyme, if using. Stir well and simmer maybe 15 minutes more. If sauce is too thick, add more water. If it's too thin, cook it down some without the lid. This is not an exact science here, I go by taste and by what the sauce looks like. If you think it needs more basil or salt, for instance, add it in. And if I have fresh herbs from my garden, I use them in place of the dried. So, go make pasta for dinner one night this week. Your kitchen will be filled with the most wonderful aroma, and your family will love you! If they like pasta, that is! Pasta is something my whole family enjoys. Even when the kids were young, picky eaters, they would eat pasta with meat sauce. Do you eat pasta very often?

Sloppy Joes

Growing up, I loved Sloppy Joes. My Mother didn't fix them, but my school did, and that was one of the few good things they made that tasted good, or so I thought! When I was older and wanted a Sloppy Joe, I would buy a can of sauce from the grocery store and proceed to make them that way. And I continued doing it this way until a couple of years ago, when my daughter and I got tired of the taste of the can of sauce and wanted something fresher. So I began looking for a recipe. I found one on rachaelray.com that sounded interesting, but I changed it around some, so I guess you could say that it is loosely based on her recipe. I now like Sloppy Joes again!

This a kid friendly recipe, but you can easily spice it up more if your family likes it that way.



Sloppy Joes



1 &1/2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 red or green bell pepper, diced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 large garlic clove, minced

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 &1/2 T. worcestershire sauce

16 oz. tomato sauce

2 T. ketchup

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown the meat with the onion and bell pepper until meat is thoroughly cooked. Drain fat if any. Add the rest of the ingredients, along with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 min to let sauce cook down and the favors to combine. Taste to see if you need to adjust the seasonings any. Serve on buns and enjoy!

Chili Tortilla Bake

One summer day last year, I was strolling down the aisle at my local grocery store, when I spied a little display rack near the spice section holding recipes. I can't pass up recipes, so without looking too closely at them I put them in my purse and continued my shopping( they were free, by the way). When I arrived home, I looked more closely at these recipes and decided that Chili Tortilla Bake sounded good and also it would be really easy. So when the weather turned cool, I tried this casserole dish. If you like Tex-Mex style food, you'll like this dish as it has the right amount of spiciness and cheese and it is easy to to adapt to your own tastes. I have made many casseroles for my family and this is one of the easiest. You simply brown the ground beef and add the other ingredients and then layer it with cheese and tortillas, sort of like a lasagna. The recipe is put out by McCormick and this is my slightly adapted version.

Chili Tortilla Bake
1 pound ground chuck
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cans(8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup fresh or frozen corn (or canned)
1/4 cup water
1 can (4 1/2 oz.) chopped green chilies, undrained
2 T. chili powder
1 tea. ground cumin
1 large clove garlic, minced (or 1 tea. garlic powder)
1/2 tea. oregano
6 (8 in. flour tortillas)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet brown beef and onion over medium high heat: drain. Add tomato sauce, beans, corn and green chilies. Stir in water and seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 min. In a 9x13 baking dish, coated with cooking spray, place 3 tortillas to cover bottom. Layer with half of chili mixture and half of cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, chili and cheese. Bake 25-30 min. I used more cheese on top than the recipe called for. Also, don't over bake as the cheese gets too rubbery. Garnish with green onions, black olives or cilantro. Do you make casseroles for your family?