Sauce:
3 cans or jars of your favorite cheap spaghetti sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 Tablespoons chopped garlic
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
dash or two of hot sauce
1/2 cup Italian seasoning
sugar to taste (We like a sweet sauce and use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of s, brown ugar)
2 lbs. cooked ground beef or the Worlds BEST meatballs.
Mix the sauce ingredients together and put into your slow cooker in the morning. Add cooked group beef or meatballs or a mixture of both. Let it simmer all day on low until you're ready to serve over the noodle of your choice. And garlic bread. You have to have garlic bread! Or try it with the Olive Garden Breadstick Clone!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
World's BEST Meatballs
2 lbs of lean ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely crushed Italian bread crumbs
2 eggs
Mix all the ingredients together (preferably with your hands) until all are combined. Shape into ping pong ball sized meatballs. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. This makes about 50 meatballs and if you don't use them all in your sauce you can freeze them in a zipper baggie and take out as many as you need.
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely crushed Italian bread crumbs
2 eggs
Mix all the ingredients together (preferably with your hands) until all are combined. Shape into ping pong ball sized meatballs. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. This makes about 50 meatballs and if you don't use them all in your sauce you can freeze them in a zipper baggie and take out as many as you need.
Yooper Pumpkin Pie
1½ cups mashed cooked pumpkin (canned is fine)
1½ cups whole milk (don't use 2% or skim...you'll regret it forever)
¾ cup light or dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger, powdered
¼ tsp. cloves, powdered
¾ tsp. salt
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
Pastry for 9″ shell. If you're not so good at pie crust you can just get the pre-made ones from the store.
1½ cups whole milk (don't use 2% or skim...you'll regret it forever)
¾ cup light or dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger, powdered
¼ tsp. cloves, powdered
¾ tsp. salt
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
Pastry for 9″ shell. If you're not so good at pie crust you can just get the pre-made ones from the store.
Place all ingredients
in a bowl and beat well with a rotary beater. Chill and pour into an
unbaked pie shell.
There's a little trick to getting a pie into the oven with a liquid filling. Place the pie shell on a cookie sheet into the oven and then scoop it into the shell by using a measuing cup or ladle until it's up to the fluted edge of the shell. Don't overfill it! If you have extra filling you can put it into a smaller ceramic dish, lightly greased with no cook spray and bake it like a custard. Since it's smaller, it won't take as long as the pie so don't forget it's in there!
Bake in hot oven (450-f) for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to moderately slow oven (325-f). When the surface of pie filling turns light brown, test by inserting a table knife. If it comes out clean the pie is finished baking. Serve with freshly whipped cream. YUM!!
There's a little trick to getting a pie into the oven with a liquid filling. Place the pie shell on a cookie sheet into the oven and then scoop it into the shell by using a measuing cup or ladle until it's up to the fluted edge of the shell. Don't overfill it! If you have extra filling you can put it into a smaller ceramic dish, lightly greased with no cook spray and bake it like a custard. Since it's smaller, it won't take as long as the pie so don't forget it's in there!
Bake in hot oven (450-f) for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to moderately slow oven (325-f). When the surface of pie filling turns light brown, test by inserting a table knife. If it comes out clean the pie is finished baking. Serve with freshly whipped cream. YUM!!
Olive Garden Breadsticks Clone
About This Recipe
"Got this from a copycat website it is the closest thing I
have found so far. Very tasty. The rising time is included in cooking
time." And it's pretty darn close!
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 4 teaspoons butter
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- garlic powder
Directions
- In your stand mixer or bread machine mix 4 cups flour, 1 1/3 cup water, 4 tsp butter, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp yeast.
- Divide it into 16 peices.
- Cover and let rise until doubled about 45 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Melt remaining 2 tsp butter in a bowl and thinly brush the breadsticks once.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Brush with butter again and top with garlic powder to your liking.
Pepper Steak and Beefy Rice
This is a nice meal when you're running around all day or when you don't have energy to stand at the stove to cook the evening meal because you can set the meat to cook on low all day in the slow cooker. Quick fry the veggies when you get home and toss it all together while the rice is cooking.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. lean beef steak, cut into 1/4 strips or bite size chunks. It's not rocket science. Choose the size you like best.
1 large onion, sliced
2 large green peppers. Or red, or yellow or mix them up!
2 tsps. dry beef boullion
2 can's diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 T. corn starch (mix with water to make a slurry)
Sear the beef in a small amount of oil, turning often to even brown all sides. Put the meat in a slow cooker on low and add 1 cup of water, the tomatoes, garlic and the boullion. Mix it around a bit to make sure all the meat gets a chance to swim in the liquid. Put the cover on, set it to low and go about your day.
About 30 minutes before you want to eat, make your rice.
Put 2 cups of white rice in an 8 quart pot. Add 1 tsp. beef boullion and 4 cups of cold water. I like to add 1/4 dry vegetable soup mix. Bring to a boil, stirring now and again. Once the water comes to a full boil, turn the heat down as low as you can and put the lid on the pot. Do NOT peek until 20 minutes later. Then turn off the heat and stir with a fork to fluff the rice.
While that rice is cooking, get to work on your peppers. Wash, seed and core them and then slice them into strips or into bite size pieces. Do the same with your onion. Fry in a little bit of butter until the onions are almost clear and the peppers still have their color.
Now that you have that all ready, mix the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Pour it into the meat to thicken the gravy a bit. You don't want it to be too thick. More like the consistancy of honey. If it's too thick, add some more water. Not thick enough? Add a bit more slurry.
Once your gravy is right, dump in the peppers and onions and toss the meat, gravy and veggies together until everything's nicely coated.
Serve over rice.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. lean beef steak, cut into 1/4 strips or bite size chunks. It's not rocket science. Choose the size you like best.
1 large onion, sliced
2 large green peppers. Or red, or yellow or mix them up!
2 tsps. dry beef boullion
2 can's diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 T. corn starch (mix with water to make a slurry)
Sear the beef in a small amount of oil, turning often to even brown all sides. Put the meat in a slow cooker on low and add 1 cup of water, the tomatoes, garlic and the boullion. Mix it around a bit to make sure all the meat gets a chance to swim in the liquid. Put the cover on, set it to low and go about your day.
About 30 minutes before you want to eat, make your rice.
Put 2 cups of white rice in an 8 quart pot. Add 1 tsp. beef boullion and 4 cups of cold water. I like to add 1/4 dry vegetable soup mix. Bring to a boil, stirring now and again. Once the water comes to a full boil, turn the heat down as low as you can and put the lid on the pot. Do NOT peek until 20 minutes later. Then turn off the heat and stir with a fork to fluff the rice.
While that rice is cooking, get to work on your peppers. Wash, seed and core them and then slice them into strips or into bite size pieces. Do the same with your onion. Fry in a little bit of butter until the onions are almost clear and the peppers still have their color.
Now that you have that all ready, mix the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Pour it into the meat to thicken the gravy a bit. You don't want it to be too thick. More like the consistancy of honey. If it's too thick, add some more water. Not thick enough? Add a bit more slurry.
Once your gravy is right, dump in the peppers and onions and toss the meat, gravy and veggies together until everything's nicely coated.
Serve over rice.
Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
4 to 6 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs or
4 chicken breasts
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tsp honey
1 clove garlic, crushed (I use minced garlic in a jar. Easy is good!)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger root (you can use 1/2 teaspoon of dry ginger if you don't have fresh)
Directions
- Combine the ingredients for the marinade. Cut each chicken breast into 4 strips and marinate for 30 minutes or do it the night before so when you get home from work they're going to be ready for you to cook.
- Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water at least 15 minutes to prevent them scorching.
- Thread the chicken strips onto the skewers in a zig zag fashion. Watch out for the sharp ends on the scewers when your fingers start to freeze from the cold chicken! Cook under a preheated broiler for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or on an indoor grill (ala George Forman) or on the charcoal or gas grill. Don't use the highest heat on the grill or you'll quickly have chicken jerky!
- If using chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized cubes and trim away any fat (remove the skin, if you haven't bought skinless). Thread the chicken cubes onto the skewers. IMHO, chicken thighs work great if you like dark meat. I prefer the white meat.
Sloppy Joes
2 lbs. of good quality hamburger. I use 90/10 but if you have the cheaper kind, it's ok. You just have to the grease off well and rinse it so you don't have grease dripping down your arm when you eat the Joe.
Ingredients:
1 can tomato soup
1 cup catsup
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup dry oatmeal (regular is fine or you can use quick oats)
Brown the hamburger well, breaking up any big chunks. Drain if necessary. Rinse if necessary. Put the browned meat back in the pan. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well, simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve over 40 Minute Hamburger Buns or store bought buns if that's all you have. Our favorite bun of choice is Potato Rolls!
Ingredients:
1 can tomato soup
1 cup catsup
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup dry oatmeal (regular is fine or you can use quick oats)
Brown the hamburger well, breaking up any big chunks. Drain if necessary. Rinse if necessary. Put the browned meat back in the pan. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well, simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve over 40 Minute Hamburger Buns or store bought buns if that's all you have. Our favorite bun of choice is Potato Rolls!
Homemade Hot Pockets
Homemade Hot Pockets
Ingredients:
1 can of store bought cresent rolls or a batch of 40 Minute Hamburger Rolls dough.
Leftover Sloppy Joe meat, BBQ Chicken, Scrambled Eggs & Bacon or any other filling you like. Leftovers are fine or you can use sliced ham and cheese, roast beef and cheese. If it's in a commercial Hot Pocket, you can make it! Or better yet, dream up your own favorite fillings! My kids used to love pepperoni, cheese and leftover spaghetti sauce in their pizza pockets.
Open the can of rolls and flatten carefully. Don't break the triangles apart. Cut the sheet of dough into four pieces.
Put your filling on one side of the rectangle. Fold the other side over and seal by pressing with your fingers or use a fork to make a cute rippled edge.
Bake 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes on a cookie sheet lightly sprayed with a non-stick spray like Pam. These can be reheated in the microwave or frozen for later use.
Ingredients:
1 can of store bought cresent rolls or a batch of 40 Minute Hamburger Rolls dough.
Leftover Sloppy Joe meat, BBQ Chicken, Scrambled Eggs & Bacon or any other filling you like. Leftovers are fine or you can use sliced ham and cheese, roast beef and cheese. If it's in a commercial Hot Pocket, you can make it! Or better yet, dream up your own favorite fillings! My kids used to love pepperoni, cheese and leftover spaghetti sauce in their pizza pockets.
Open the can of rolls and flatten carefully. Don't break the triangles apart. Cut the sheet of dough into four pieces.
Put your filling on one side of the rectangle. Fold the other side over and seal by pressing with your fingers or use a fork to make a cute rippled edge.
Bake 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes on a cookie sheet lightly sprayed with a non-stick spray like Pam. These can be reheated in the microwave or frozen for later use.
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