Bow-tie Lasagna

Everyone who loves lasagna knows the only thing that could make it better would be to be able to make it quicker!  :)  Well, this is a great solution to that problem.  It's not exactly like lasagna, but you get the idea from the flavors in the dish.

Bow-tie Lasagna

Source: Tasty Kitchen
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 lb ground chuck
5 cups bow tie pasta
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp garlic powder (I used about 1 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sour cream


Fry ground chuck in small pan. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.


After noodles are cooked, drain and drizzle with olive oil. Mix in the spaghetti sauce.


Add the meat, salt, garlic powder cheese, and sour cream. Mix together until combined and cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.

We served this with a simple caprese salad and some roasted garlic bread and it was perfect for a quick weeknight meal.  It really does taste like lasagna and makes great leftovers.  I'm a fan of this dish, a big one.

Sloppy Joes

Now I know where they get their name from! Just try and keep the meat from falling out of the bun, I dare you! But seriously-these are awesome. I don't even know the last time I had a Sloppy Joe, but they're delicious and so easy! They're going in to our summer rotation for sure.

Sloppy Joes
original recipe from Allrecipes.com, slightly adapted by Amy's New Kitchen
serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
1 tsp spicy brown mustard
1 tsp soy sauce, low sodium
3 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tsp of your favorite hot sauce
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off any liquids.


Add in garlic powder, ketchup, both mustards, soy sauce, brown sugar, and hot sauce; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

These would be so easy to make and throw in a slow cooker (on warm) for a party or get together. They have a ton of flavor and are incredibly simple. Great for a quick weeknight meal on a budget too.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

There is nothing like a good stuffed bell pepper.  I've been messing around with the ingredients in my recipe and so far, this is my favorite combo.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Serves 6

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 packet Garlic and Herb salad dressing mix
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
6 bell peppers


Brown the ground beef, onions, and corn until the meat is no longer pink.  Drain any grease.  Add the packet of Garlic and Herb salad dressing mix, tomato sauce, water, rice and about 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese.  Stir to mix.  Let simmer until sauce thickens.


Preheat oven to  350º


Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds.  Stuff the peppers with the beef mixture and top with the remaining cheese.  Add one cup of water to the bottom of a baking dish.  Place peppers in dish and cover and bake in the oven 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the peppers.  Remove cover halfway through cooking.

Sometimes if we want a little charring for flavor on the peppers we will cut the baking time, then grill them for about 10 minutes until they're tender.  So good!

BBQ Meatballs

I love meatballs.  They're bite size and fun!  And they're easy too, which I really like.  I found this recipe browsing the Pioneer Woman's website and thought it looked interesting so I decided to make it.

BBQ Meatballs

Source: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

For Meatballs:

• 1½ lbs Ground Beef/Ground Pork mixture
• ½ cup Oats
• ½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• ¾ cup Milk
• 3 Tbsp Very Finely Minced Onion
• 1½ tsp Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
• canola oil, for frying

For Sauce:

• 1 cup Ketchup
• 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 3 Tbsp Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire
• 4-6 Tbsp minced Onion
• Tabasco (or your favorite hot sauce)

 Preheat oven to 350°


Combine all meatball ingredients. Roll into medium-sized balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer for five minutes.


After 5 minutes, remove meatballs from freezer and immediately dredge in unseasoned flour.
Brown meatballs in canola oil in skillet on top of stove until just brown. Place into a baking dish.


Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Serve on their own, on a bed of rice or mashed potatoes, or on a bread roll!

I changed a few tiny things from the original recipe.  I used half ground beef and half ground pork.  When I was adding the milk-an entire cup seemed like too much so I stopped at 3/4 cup.  It was the perfect amount.  I also used less oats and added panko bread crumbs because I love them in meatballs.

The bbq sauce is really, really good.  I am a big fan!  I might even suggest to make a double batch of sauce so you have extra for adding sauce on to your bread roll or even just to dip into.

Enjoy!

Grandpa's Goulash

I miss my Grandpa.  He passed away when I was little.  There are 2 things that I remember about my Grandpa though.  He made me sausage and eggs for lunch almost every single day I saw him, and he made the best goulash.  My mom recently brought over her recipe box of family recipes for me to go through and copy the ones I wanted.  Grandpa's Goulash was the first one I hunted down.  One other thing about my Grandpa though-all his recipes are to taste.  No measurements.  So, I will be experimenting until I get them all right.  And I will share the love of my Grandpa with all of you!

Goulash

Serves 8

Ingredients:
2 lb 93% lean Ground Beef
1 lb Shell Macaroni
Sea Salt
Pepper
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1/4 cup A-1 Steak Sauce
1/4 cup Heinz 57 Sauce
2-3 Tbsp of your favorite hot sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 28oz can Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 6oz can Tomato Paste


Cook pasta as directed on package in salted water.  While the pasta is cooking, salt and pepper then start browning the meat in a large pot.  When meat is slightly browned, add garlic powder, A-1, Heinz 57, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and the entire can of tomatoes with juices.  Continue cooking until meat is thoroughly cooked then simmer.  Add can of tomato paste and blend completely into the meat mixture.  Drain shells, do not rinse them, then add them to the meat mixture.  Let simmer about 30 minutes to let the flavors blend.

I really needed some comfort food tonight.  It's currently raining outside and it's about to start snowing....yep-almost halfway through May.  I'm ready for summertime!  But until mother nature is too, I will use this rainy day to make some amazing food that warms my heart....and my belly.

Beef and Italian Sausage Lasagna

I got this lasagna recipe from my sister who made it for Christmas dinner one year and I absolutely loved it.   It is 'bitchin' as my husband would say.  I couldn't agree more.  This recipe might take a little while to make, but every second is worth it.  The sauce is more delicious the longer it simmers so don't cheat and take it off early.

Beef and Italian Sausage Lasagna
Serves 8


Ingredients
1 lb Italian Sausage
1 lb 93% lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic-minced
1 (28oz) can crushed tomatos
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 oz) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 Tbsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp parsley
12-16 lasagna noodles-cooked to al dente
24 oz ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 Tbsp parsley
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 lb mozzarella cheese-sliced
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese



Cook the sausage, beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until the meat is fully cooked.  (Tip-use a big sauce pan-this makes a LOT of sauce!)  Drain grease.
Add in crushed tomatos, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water.  Stir.  Season with sugar, basil, fennel, italian seasoning, 1 Tbsp salt, pepper, and 2 Tbsp parsley.  Let simmer 1 1/2 hours.


Combine ricotta cheese, egg, 2 Tbsp parsley, 1/2 tsp salt.


Preheat oven to 375.


Layer your lasagna with 1 1/2 cups meat on the bottom of the pan, noodles, 1/3 ricotta, 1/3 mozzarella, meat sauce, sprinkle parmesan and repeat.


Spray foil with cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking and cover.  Bake 25 minutes.  Remove foil and cook an additional 25 minutes.


Taste this sauce as it's simmering.  It is absolutely amazing.  You won't be disappointed.  Trust me.
Serve it up with a delicious salad and you have a meal you could serve to special guests or your favorite person.