Hearty Chili

Our family loves this recipe for Chili, especially when accompanied by this recipe for corn bread. Sorry once again about the mediocre picture. I am usually trying to quickly snap a picture before my family gobbles down whatever I make. At least there is one right? Found in this cookbook.

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red or green pepper (optional)
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (30-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can chili
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup ketchup

Brown ground beef in a large, heavy pan. Add onions and peppers and cook until tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered over low heat for at least 1 hour. Chili can be made the day before and reheated. Makes about 8 cups.

Meatloaf

Please pardon the picture. I am already photographically challenged when it comes to food and taking a pleasing picture of a slab of ground turkey wasn't happening for me. And on that appetizing note, this is THE BEST meatloaf that I have ever had. My boys are really picky eaters and my pickiest (who shall remain nameless), has this as his favorite meal. It really is that good. I of course substitute ground turkey for the ground beef (most of the time).

This recipe comes from a family cookbook that my awesome SIL Amy put together for us all for Christmas. Seriously one of my favorite gifts ever. My other SIL Stacey submitted this recipe and it has become our meatloaf staple.

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (or turkey)
3/4 c. oats or saltine crackers
3/4 c. milk
1 egg beaten
1/4 c chopped onion or 1 TBS minced onion
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp minced garlic

Mix all ingredients together and put I put it in a bread pan (you could probably use a casserole dish too, never done it)

TOPPING: (Put this over the top of the meat loaf before you put in the oven)
1/3 c. ketchup
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs mustard
Bake @ 350 for 1 hr and 10 minutes

Bow Tie Lasagna

This is one of our families favorite meals. It is a great fast and easy version of lasagna. I got it from my great go-to ward cookbook.

8 oz. bow tie pasta
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 (12 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
1 c. cottage cheese
1 large egg
2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz grated Mozzarella cheese
8 oz. ground beef (or ground turkey)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square baking dish. Cook pasta according to package directions for half the amount of time given.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over moderate heat. Add onion and saute for 1 minute. Stir in ground beef and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add spaghetti sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; partially cover the skillet and simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, egg, and Parmesan. Drain pasta. Layer half the pasta in baking dish. Spoon the cottage cheese mixture over the pasta. Spoon half of the meat sauce over the cheese mixture and sprinkle with half the Mozzarella. Layer the remaining pasta sauce and Mozzarella. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes or until heated through and serve.

Shepherds Pie

Okay I know that this is a recipe that a lot of you have grown up with. It is pretty basic, but the funny thing is that I had never tasted Shepherd's Pie until I was married. I instantly LOVED it, and now my kids love it too. It is also a great way to use left over mashed potatoes.

1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 14 oz can green beans
1 10 3/4 oz can tomato soup
1-2 c. mashed potatoes (I make these with butter, salt and milk-just like what you would make to eat
2 c. grated cheddar cheese

Cook ground beef in olive oil. Add onion, salt, pepper and saute until the onion is tender. Put into a greased 9X13 casserole dish (I use a pie plate). Layer green beans (drained) on top of meat mixture and spread the tomato soup on top of that followed by mashed potatoes. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over casserole and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sloppy Joes

Sorry for the blurry picture. That seems to be how I roll lately. Okay so everyone probably has their go to recipe for Sloppy Joes. I actually have never really liked sloppy joes, but my husband absolutely ADORES them. So I had to find a recipe that I could eat. This has been my favorite one. I always think I must like Sloppy Joes, but then I try them other places and I still don't. I guess I just like this recipe. It must be a keeper huh? It is from my old reliable Betty Crocker cookbook.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup ketchup
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground mustard
1/8 tsp pepper
6 hamburger buns split

1. Cook beef, onion, and celery in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients except buns (did they really need to tell us not to put the buns in....hmmm maybe). Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

3. Fill buns with beef mixture.

Meatballs and Marinara Sauce

I had never eaten a meatball until I got married. I LOVE meatballs and used to buy the big bags of them at Costco. I now make my own because they really aren't that hard! I found this great recipe in "The Essential Mormon Cookbook" along with a recipe to dress up your jar of marinara sauce. So good!

Meatballs

1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 lb. lean ground beef (you can also use ground turkey)
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, pressed (optional)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
1 recipe Pasta sauce (see below)
1 lb dried spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl combine bread crumbs, ground beef, egg, the 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Divide mixture into 12 equal portions and form meatballs. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until no longer pink inside.
Place Pasta sauce and meatballs in a medium saucepan and simmer 10 minutes. Serve over spaghetti. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese and Mozzarella cheese on individual servings. Makes 6 servings.

Pasta Sauce
2 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup fresh or canned mushrooms (optional)
1 (28 oz) jar pasta sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 roma tomato, finely chopped
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme

In a medium saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender. Add mushrooms, if desired, and heat about 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Do not overcook, as garlic will become bitter. Add jar of pasta sauce, sugar tomato, oregano, and thyme. Cook over medium low heat for about 15 minutes to blend flavors.

Fabulous Lasagna

My husband's favorite food is lasagna. Needless to say that is a dish that I try to make well since it is his favorite and I don't want him wishing he was at Olive Garden if I am going to go to the trouble to make it. I don't have a picture for this one since I just made it, realized I needed it on my blog, and didn't take one...oh well you have all seen lasagna before right? Well, picture that and you are golden.

The funny thing about this recipe is it is the one from the back of the American Beauty Lasagna noodles box. Yep it is the best one that I have ever found. I have tried them all. The only thing we do different is I use cottage cheese instead of Ricotta (we aren't big ricotta fans...it's a texture thing). It is pretty easy though a little time consuming, but so yummy! Each time I bring this somewhere I am asked for the recipe. So you can either go and look at the back of your lasagna noodles box, or keep reading.

1 lb ground beef (I use ground turkey, just as good)
2 cups of spaghetti sauce (your own or from a jar)
1 package (I use 9 pieces) lasagna noodles, prepared according to the package directions
4 cups cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley (dried is fine too but use less)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet brown meat; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce, simmer for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, stir together cottage cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper. Spread about 1/3 cup meat sauce on bottom (I don't think I even do that much, just enough to make it not stick-I'd rather use the meat higher up :) of 13x9x2 baking dish. Arrange 4 pasta pieces lengthwise over sauce (I use my 9th noodle to break in half in case my noodles aren't long enough for my dish...which for some reason they never are!) overlapping edges. Spread on-third cheese mixture over pasta; spread with about 3/4 cup meat sauce. Repeat twice beginning and ending with pasta. Top with remaining meat sauce; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil; bake about 10 additional minutes, or until lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting (never happens here).

Taco Soup

I know this is such a basic recipe, but that is what this blog is all about. I had a roommate when I lived in Washington D.C. that would make this all the time. I forgot the recipe she used and then my sister gave it to my sister-in-law for her wedding. My sister-in-law just gave it to me yesterday. Thanks Stacey, I have missed how good and simple this recipe is!

1 lb of ground beef (I don't use as much, if you like more go ahead!)
grated cheese to taste
2 cans of garbanzo beans, undrained
2 cans of kidney beans, undrained
2 cans of pinto beans, undrained
2 cans of corn, undrained
2 cans of stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 packet of taco seasoning
Fritos corn chips
sour cream

In a stock pot brown beef (I usual saute some onion as well to brown with the beef). Then add cans of pinto beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, corn and stewed tomatoes. Add packet of taco seasoning. I let this simmer for about 15-30 minutes to combine the flavors. Serve with sour cream, cheese and Fritos.