Sloppy Joes

Jana here with a quick weeknight dinner you can make in under 30 minutes. It's a great recipes for children to help with also. My 8 year old son made this, with minor supervision from me. We found a recipe for Sloppy Joes in our Better Homes and Garden cookbook, and modified it to make this recipe. Sloppy Joes are traditionally served with a bun or bread, but I think serving it over quinoa or cauliflower rice would be good as well!

Sloppy Joes

1 pound ground beef, venison, or turkey

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped sweet pepper (any variety)

1 can tomato sauce (8 ounce)

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (or 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)

1. In a large skillet, cook ground beef, onion, and peppers until meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain off any fat.

2. Stir in tomato sauce, water, chili powder, and garlic salt.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Enjoy!

{Instant Pot} Super Tender, Chuck Roast

Becca here with an easy and pretty foolproof way to make a roast that is incredibly tender.  It literally is falling apart, and can be cut with a spoon!  One of the best parts is that I started with a completely frozen solid chuck roast mid-afternoon, and it was ready and waiting for us at dinner time.  I also like to add my own seasonings, because it is a lot less expensive than the seasoning packets I see a lot of recipes calling for, and also avoids a lot of the yucky additives we try to avoid.  My roast here was from Aldi, I try to go once a month or so to stock-up on some items that I can buy for significantly less there, chuck roast being one of them, at $2.99 a pound.  I use (and love) Walmart Grocery Pickup, and Sam's Club Pickup for most of my main shopping.  We do try to eat organic as much as possible, but grass fed, organic beef is not a good, feasible option for our family.  Let me know how your family liked this recipe!  My husband said that it was "better than candy", and all of my kids ate it well, even the one with some texture/sensory issues that can make meats tricky!

{Instant Pot} Super Tender, Chuck Roast - From Frozen!!!

1 Frozen Chuck Roast, about 3 pounds
1 Tablespoon coconut or olive oil
1 cup water
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons granulated garlic powder
3 teaspoons Pink Himalayan or "Real Salt" Salt

Turn Instant Pot to the Saute setting, and add the Tablespoon of oil.

Add the frozen chuck roast.  Try to get it to rest flat on the bottom.  If it won't, do the best you can.  Mine was at an angle at first, as you can see.  Rotate the roast a few times, until you have as much of it browned as you can get, about 10-15 minutes total saute time.

Pour in the 1 cup of water.

Add the seasonings (black pepper, onion powder, granulated garlic powder, and salt), sprinkling each one evenly onto the top of the roast.

Add the Instant Pot lid (make sure saute is turned off!), and push the meat button, then the + button I'm pointing to in the bottom right photo, until the pressure time reaches 90 minutes. The Instant Pot will automatically switch to the warm setting and keep the roast nice and warm and tender, so it's ready when you are ready to eat!

I have also made gravy using the liquid remaining in the Instant Pot, and it was really flavorful and delicious!

{Instant Pot} Spaghetti

Jana here, with one of my new favorite small kitchen appliances!  How many of you have heard of the Instant Pot? It's an electric pressure cooker, and it has almost completely replaced my use of a slow cooker!  There are also other brands of electric pressure cookers available. Everything I have cooked in it so far has been wonderful; moist, flavorful, and fast!  I am planning to start sharing the recipes I make using the Instant Pot (IP). To easily access all of the Instant Pot recipes, you can click on the category on the right side bar. This will pull up all available Instant Pot recipes!

There are several reasons it is nice to make really basic recipes,such as spaghetti, in the IP. First, you are only using one pot. (as opposed to 2 or 3 when you make spaghetti on the stove!) Second, once you add all of the ingredients, you are able to walk away and do other things. You don't have to stand at the stove and stir,make sure things aren't boiling over, etc. Third, once the spaghetti is finished, it will automatically stay on the Keep Warm feature until you are ready to eat!


{Instant Pot} Spaghetti

1 lb ground beef (or turkey or venison)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
3/4 jar water
1/2 box spaghetti noodles

1. Turn the Instant Pot on saute mode, and brown the ground meat (lid off).

2. Drain, if there is excess grease.

3. Add the noodles,breaking in half first.

4. Pour in the spaghetti sauce, followed by the water.

5. Close the IP, and press Manual. You will need to set the time for half of what your noodle box suggests for normal boiling.

6. Once the time is up, let it stay in the keep warm feature for 10 min before releasing the pressure, and opening the lid. If the spaghetti is too runny, you can turn the saute feature on for a couple of minutes. Stir constantly so it doesn't stick to the bottom.

Enjoy! Let me know in the comments if you would enjoy a How To post about the Instant Pot.

Printable Version

Beef Asian Lettuce Wraps

Becca here with a recipe my family really enjoyed.  I modified a recipe from Rachael Ray's cooking magazine that my Grandma subscribes to and kindly passes on to me when she's finished with.  I love a good lettuce wrap of any type, chicken, beef, seafood, meatless, etc. but they aren't something I've typically made at home often because the recipes usually call for either a long list of ingredients, lots of strange things, involved prep and cooking, or all of the above.  So I was super excited to try this recipe that calls for just a handful of things that you should be able to pick up at any grocery store; I found them all easily at my Arkansas Walmart.  Honestly, I was a bit skeptical about the end result, but what I thought I was making as a double batch for the freezer ended up being gone in one dinner meal, with just a few leftovers for my husband to take to work for his lunch the next day. 

Beef Asian Lettuce Wraps

1/2 cup hoisin sauce (in a jar, with the other Asian products at my store)

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 pounds ground meat (I used beef, chicken or turkey would be good & probably more authentic :)

4 large carrots, shredded (I wash only, and don't peel first)

6 garlic cloves, minced

8 green onions, both whites and greens chopped

1 large head of lettuce, leaves separated and left whole (butter lettuce is great)

In a large skillet, begin browning ground meat and garlic, breaking it apart as it cooks.  If you're using a super lean poultry, you may need to add a tablespoon or so of oil for best results.  When the meat is starting to show signs of being done, add shredded carrots.  Cook an additional few minutes, and then right before the meat is finished, add green onions.  Drain, if necessary.

Reduce heat to medium when meat is cooked through, and stir in hoisin sauce and soy sauce.  Stir well to combine, and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.

Serve with lettuce leaves to use for cups.  I recommend serving the meat mixture and lettuce separately and letting people fill their lettuce right before eating it, so that the lettuce stays nice and crisp and doesn't wilt.  Plus, my kids think it's great fun :)  Enjoy!!

Layered Enchiladas {freezer friendly}

Becca here with a recipe I've made many, many times.  In fact, I nearly always have one of these casseroles in my freezer (photo is of them unfinished) because it makes a great, quick meal  with the addition of a salad or veggie.  With beans, meat, cheese, and corn tortillas, it has all the makings of a great Mexican meal, one that I know my kids will always enjoy eating.  Feel free to adapt the meat mixture to your family's preferences; you can easily make it extra spicy, use extra beef or beans, etc. to customize it to your family's tastes!  I adapted the recipe from "Fix, Freeze, Fast!"  Enjoy!

*And don't forget to enter our giveaway, on the Crustless Spinach Quiche recipe below.  It ends 5/30/14!

Layered Enchiladas

6 pounds ground beef

4 bell peppers, chopped and seeds removed (I like multi-colored peppers)

4 onions, chopped and seeds removed (I like purple onions)

6 cloves of garlic, minced

4 cups your favorite salsa or picante sauce

4 cups tomato sauce

12 cups cooked pinto beans (I use dry beans I cooked in the pressure cooker, canned is fine also!)

2 teaspoons cumin

2 Tablespoons salt (I use Real Salt)

60 small corn tortillas (I use 5 per layer, times 2 layers, per casserole)

12 cups shredded cheese (I prefer sharp, your favorite is fine!)

6 large baking pans, 9x13 size (I use glass, or love these pans from Sam's Club, 30 for $6.48!)

plastic wrap & foil

In a large stockpot, brown beef, bell peppers, onions, and garlic, until beef is no longer pink, stirring occasionally.  I have cooked this in the slow cooker on high for several hours also, chopping the meat and stirring the mixture every hour or so.

Drain meat to remove excess fat.  Stir in remaining sauce ingredients (salsa, tomato sauce, pinto beans, cumin, and salt).  I like to taste the mixture here and make sure I don't need to add more seasonings; if you're using canned beans they're going to be saltier than using dried beans, for example.

Line your baking pans up, and place enough of the meat mixture to cover the bottom of each pan.  I scoop it out with a 1 cup measuring cup, and usually use about 4 cups.

Top each casserole with a layer of corn tortillas; I use 4 whole, and one torn into half to cover the pan evenly.  Cover with 1 cup of cheese per baking pan.  Repeat the layers, finishing with cheese (meat, corn tortillas, cheese).

Cover finished, cooled casseroles with plastic wrap, and then foil.

Freeze until ready to use.  Then, defrost overnight in the refrigerator.  Remove plastic wrap and foil, and bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until center is heated through, and the edges are bubbling.  Enjoy!

Cheeseburger Quesadilla

Jana here with a recipe that's not 'fancy', but is definitely yummy!  When I'm meal planning, I start by thinking of the meat/protein that I want my meal to have. Then, I decide on accompanying vegetables, etc. So one night I knew I wanted ground beef (or turkey/venison) for our meal, but wanted something new and different. I saw this recipe on Pinterest, and decided it was definitely worth a try!  These were very good, and we will be having them again and again!

Cheeseburger Quesadillas

1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup real bacon pieces or chopped bacon
salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
4-6 large tortillas

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, and allow them to cook for 5-7 minutes. (until transparent) Add the beef, and cook until no longer pink.

2. Add the Worchestershire sauce, ketchup, and bacon to the beef. Stir in the salt and pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Allow to simmer for several minutes.

3. On a large baking sheet, place the tortillas. Place some of the beef mixture on half of each tortilla, then top with shredded cheese. Brush the top of each tortilla with oil.

4. Bake for approximately 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Ground Beef Risotto

Jana here with an 'encore recipe'!  I originally posted this recipe a year and a half ago, and we have eaten it several times since then!  It is easy to make, the kids love it, and it's healthy!  If you give it a try, leave a comment and let us know!

Ground Beef Risotto

1 pound lean ground beef (or turkey)

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup uncooked rice (I used brown rice)

3 1/2 cups beef broth (from 32 ounce container)

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1. In a medium skillet, cook beef, onion, garlic, and pepper ove medium heat.  Cook until the beef is browned.  Drain if necessary.

2. Stir in rice.  Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in broth, and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Stir in carrot. Cook uncovered for 5-7 minutes, or until most liquid is absorbed.

5. Remove skillet from heat, and stir in cheese. Cover, let stand for 3 minutes.

Enjoy!

Homemade Sweet & Sour Sloppy Joes

Becca here with a recipe that my family really loved!  Plus, the recipe as written makes enough for two meals (you could easily double it for extra efficiency!) and is really simple to freeze and reheat for a quick meal.  I served it on Homemade Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns and they were super delicious.  My inspiration recipe was from Real Simple Magazine, although I have made it a bit 'cleaner' with a few changes.  This isn't your typical school cafeteria sloppy joe, the flavor is amazing, the perfect blend of sweet & tangy.  I like mine served with a bit of yellow mustard on the bun, while the rest of my family preferred it just as is.  Even my two children that were skeptical of any recipe with "sloppy" in the title ate their whole sandwich.  Enjoy!

Homemade Sweet & Sour Sloppy Joes

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch green onions
2 pounds lean ground beef (or your favorite ground meat!)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar (I used organic demarara)
1 Tablespoon dried ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

8-10 buns, for serving

In a large skillet, heat olive oil.  Add chopped green onions (both green and white parts) and cook, stirring occasionally, for a couple of minutes, until softening.  Add ground beef and cook, chopping up occasionally, until browned & cooked thoroughly.  Drain if necessary, and then stir in remaining ingredients (soy sauce, tomato paste, water, sugar, dried ginger, salt, and pepper).  Stir well and let simmer until desired consistency is reached, about 2-3 minutes.

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup

 

Becca here with a guest post from my 'forever friend' as I like to refer to her, April!  We've been friends since college, when she & her husband and my husband & I together made up about half of the married couples on our college campus!  We used to trade off cooking meals on Tuesday nights then, in our tiny first apartments, and have shared lots of good times since; We now have seven kids all aged eight and under between the two of us now, and are excited to now live in the same general area for the first time since college!  I'll let April take it over from here.....

As a kickoff to fall our neighborhood had a 'Soup Swap' where we each brought a crock pot of soup to share.  My good friend Kim brought this Cheeseburger Soup with ketchup, mustard, and pickles to garnish each person's bowl.  I thought that was "weird,"  so I left off the garnish in my taste test of each soup.  The Cheeseburger Soup was bland and UNimpressive.  But all night everyone kept raving about the Cheeseburger Soup!  "I have to get that recipe!" "Kim's Cheeseburger Soup wins if we are having contest!"  "Did you try the Cheeseburger Soup?"  You get the point...I was thinking seriously?!?!  When I noticed my sweet hubby  was enjoying a bowl of said soup WITH the condiments, I asked to sample it. What a difference!  Everyone was right, this soup is amazing!  I told you all that to say, you have to try this soup and don't skip the "weird" stuff!"

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup

4 Tbsp butter  (I omitted the butter)

1 lb ground beef sirloin (I like to use ground venison with bacon)

1 cup diced onion

3/4 cup diced celery

1/2 cup carrots

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

3 cups chicken broth (I have used water and chicken bouillon in a pinch)

2 cups peeled and diced russet potatoes

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

and "weird" stuff like, ketchup, mustard, and pickles (preferably chopped)

 

Melt butter in sauté pan over medium heat.  Add sirloin; cook until meat begins to brown.  Stir in onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and basil.  Cook 5 minutes.

Add flour, stirring to coat meat; cook 1 minute. Stir in milk until mixture is smooth.  Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes.  Transfer to large slow cooker.

Stir in broth and potatoes.  Cover and cook until potatoes are tender -about 3-4 hours on low.

Add Cheddar cheese just before serving until cheese melts.  Season soup with salt and pepper; garnish each serving with ketchup, mustard, and pickles.

 

I have also made this soup on the stove top with the total prep and cook time being just about an hour.  Also, it's almost impossible to mess it up, so don't worry if you got something out of order- like I did tonight, I forgot the milk and flour until after I added the broth!!!-and it still turned out amazing.  :)

Italian Wedding Soup

Jana here with a delicious soup that your whole family will love!  Winter is perfect soup weather....cloudy, cool, windy weather makes me start searching for new soup recipes!  I came across this recipe for Italian Wedding Soup, and changed a few things to suit our family's tastes.  Even though you have to take a few minutes to form the meatballs, you drop them in the broth to cook, so the soup isn't very time consuming to make.

Italian Wedding Soup

1/2 pound extra lean ground meat (beef, turkey, venison)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out (or 2 cups fresh)
1/2 cup orzo pasta
1/3 cup chopped carrot

1. In a medium bowl, combine the meat, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, basil, onion powder, and garlic.

2. Shape mixture into 3/4 inch meatballs. (place on wax paper)

3. Cook orzo according to package directions.

4. In a large saucepan, heat broth to boiling.  Add spinach, meatballs, and carrots.  Return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Stir frequently to avoid sticking.  Cook at this slow boil for approximately 10 minutes.  Add cooked orzo pasta in, stirring to combine.

Enjoy!

Sweet & Sour Meatballs {freezer friendly - makes 6 meals}

Becca here with a really tasty meal that you'll love having in the freezer.  Even better, you can just pour it into the slow cooker to heat up, so it couldn't be easier!  Honestly, meatballs aren't my favorite thing to make, but my family and I do like to eat them, and the ones you can buy at the store are full of fillers & other things we try to avoid.  Plus, the homemade ones taste SO much better!  I like to make a huge batch at a time, so all of the messy work is done at one time.  In fact, this is our very favorite meatball recipe, and I often make two huge batches of meatballs at a time, one for this Sweet & Sour, and one for the Stroganoff Meatball recipe I posted last week.  My inspiration recipe that I follow fairly closely is from Fix, Freeze, Feast.  I like to serve the meatballs & sauce over brown rice or noodles, with stir-fry veggies on the side.  I use a rice cooker so I just add the rice & water and let it do all of the work, but you can prepare either rice or noodles ahead of time and freeze it to go with the meatballs as well if you prefer.  Enjoy!


Sweet & Sour Meatballs
{freezer friendly - makes 6 large meals}

Meatballs:
6 pounds lean ground beef
3 cups dry bread crumbs (whole wheat homemade preferred, I buy them if I don't have any made though)
2/3 cup milk
4 large eggs
1 medium/large minced onion
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper

Sauce:
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 huge can (106 oz) pineapple tidbits
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 1/2 cups red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 500.

In a large bowl (really large, the largest one you have) combine all meatball ingredients (beef, bread crumbs, milk, eggs, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper).  Start stirring to combine.  I usually start with a large wooden spoon, and then use my hands to make sure everything is thoroughly blended.

Form into meatballs approximately 1 - 1 1/2 inches in size, and place onto large rimmed baking sheet.  Bake at 500 for 15 minutes, or until no longer pink inside (a meat thermometer inserted into the center should read 160).  Allow meatballs to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, drain pineapple tidbits juice into a large pot.  Add in remaining sweet & sour sauce ingredients (brown sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and red wine vinegar) but NOT the actual pineapple tidbits!  Stir well to combine.  Cook on medium level heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.  Allow sauce to cool to room temperature.

Divide pineapple tidbits, meatballs, and sauce evenly among freezer containers (I use 6 gallon freezer ziploc bags, each with about 20 meatballs in them). 
When ready to serve:  Thaw in refrigerator overnight.  Add contents of bag to slow cooker & cook on low a few hours, until heated through and sauce is bubbling, or bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 until heated through and sauce is bubbling.  We enjoy them served over brown rice, with stir-fry veggies on the side.

Stroganoff Meatballs {freezer friendly - makes 6 meals}

Becca here with a really tasty meal that my family loves served over noodles.  The made-from-scratch white sauce is so rich and creamy, it's a real treat.  If you've never made a white sauce, or a cream sauce, this is a great place to start.  It's really quite simple, and both the taste and nutrition compared to a canned "cream of" soup is markedly better.  For some reason this meal seems to go with peas to me, so we usually have it with frozen peas and some sort of fruit for 'dessert'.  Don't let the butter and half & half scare you off, remember that you're making at least 30 servings with this dish!  You could substitute milk for the half & half, but I wouldn't really recommend it.  The meal would be great for serving to company too!  I like to make two large bowls of meatballs all at once while I have the oven heated and baking sheets (and my hands!) already dirty, and make these at the same time as the Sweet & Sour Meatballs I'll be posting next week. The recipe is from Fix, Freeze, Feast.  I hope you'll try this recipe, I think it will become one of your family's favorites too.

Meatballs:
6 pounds lean ground beef
3 cups dry bread crumbs (whole wheat homemade preferred, I buy them if I don't have any made though)
2/3 cup milk
4 large eggs
1 medium/large minced onion
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper

Sauce:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
24 ounces white mushrooms, sliced (wipe with a damp paper towel first to clean, I like to leave them in large slices)
1 cup flour (I use whole wheat)
8 cups water
4 cups (1 quart) half & half (or light cream)
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons beef bouillon (look for a brand without MSG, and with ingredient names you recognize!)
2 teaspoons black pepper

Preheat oven to 500.

In a large bowl (really large, the largest one you have) combine all meatball ingredients (beef, bread crumbs, milk, eggs, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper). Start stirring to combine. I usually start with a large wooden spoon, and then use my hands to make sure everything is thoroughly blended.

Form into meatballs approximately 1 - 1 1/2 inches in size, and place onto large rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 500 for 15 minutes, or until no longer pink inside (a meat thermometer inserted into the center should read 160). Allow meatballs to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large pot.  Add sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft (about 7 minutes). 

Stir in flour.  The mixture will be pasty and lumpy, don't panic, it's supposed to be at this point!  Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes. 

Gradually stir in water and half & half, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients (Worcestershire sauce, bouillon, and black pepper) and stir well to combine.  Cool sauce to room temperature.

Divide meatballs & sauce evenly among freezer bags (I do 6 ziploc bags, each with about 20 meatballs).

When ready to use:  Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.  Heat meatballs and sauce on stovetop until heated through, stirring occasionally, or bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until heated through.  Do not boil.  We enjoy them served over noodles!

*Note - I have added cooked noodles to the freezer bag first, topping with the meatballs and then sauce, and then heated and served with success, adding 1/2 cup of milk since the noodles soak up more of the sauce while heating.  If you do it this way, just be sure not to heat too high or long, or the noodles will dry out.

Shepherd's Pie - Lightened Up!

Jana here with a recipe that tastes like comfort food, without all of the calories! One of my favorite meals that my Mom made growing up was Shepherd's Pie! When I saw this recipe on Skinny Taste, I knew I wanted to make it soon! At only 290 calories a serving (and the serving size is generous!), this is a must make recipe!

Shepherd's Pie - Lightened Up

Potatoes:

1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled, diced
3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
2 tablespoons fat free sour cream
salt and pepper
paprika

Filling:

1 lb lean ground meat (beef or turkey)
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
10 ounces frozen vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans, corn)
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup fat free beef broth
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper

1. Boil potatoes in water until cooked and soft. Drain and mash with chicken broth, sour cream, and salt and pepper.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. In a large skillet, brown meat. Season with salt and pepper. When cooked, set aside on a plate. Discard any fat in the pan, and add oil, onion, and garlic. Saute on medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and saute another 3-4 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper, and mix well.

4. Add frozen vegetables, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, cooked meat, and mix well. Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes.

5. Spread the meat/veggie mixture in the bottom of a baking dish. (9x13 will work great!) Top with mashed potatoes, and sprinkle with paprika.

6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until potatoes turn golden.

Enjoy!

Basic Slow Cooker Roast

Jana here with a recipe that is one that many of us have probably eaten many times before!  Putting a pot roast in the slow cooker, along with carrots and potatoes is a delicious meal, perfect for the cooler months!  When I recently tried to find a basic recipe for a slow cooker roast, using seasonings that we all have in our pantry, I couldn't find one like I was hoping for.  So, I created one!  This is a very basic recipe, and is delicious as is.  You could also add some other seasonings to this basic version, to spice it up even more!  In the comments, tell us how you like to cook your slow cooker roast! 

Basic Slow Cooker Roast

2-3 pound beef roast
1 cup water
1 cube beef bullion
1 teaspoon dried onioin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
carrots and potatoes, diced

1. Place carrots and potatoes in the bottom of your slow cooker.  Place beef roast on top. 

2. In a separate bowl, put remaining ingredients, stirring well.  Pour this mixture over the roast.

3. Cook on low heat in your slow cooker for 5-6 hours.

Enjoy!

Mini Mexican Pizzas

Jana here with a recipe that is perfect for a snack, a party finger food, or even a main dish!  My family ate them as a main dish at dinner, and they were very filling!  I added sour cream and salsa for toppings, but the possibilities are endless!  If you were serving these at a party, you could add guacamole, queso, black olives, etc!  I found the inspiration here.  The recipe makes 12 mini mexican pizzas, using a mini muffin tin.

Mini Mexican Pizzas

3-4 tortillas (whole wheat or white)
1/2 pound ground turkey or beef, cooked
1/2 cup salsa or Rotel
2 teaspoons dry taco seasoning (see our DIY version here).
1/2 cup refried beans
1/2 cup shredded cheese (we used mexican blend)
any additional toppings you choose

1. Preheat oven to 425 degees.  Prepare a 12 count mini muffin tin by greasing it with non-stick spray or butter.

2. Lay each tortilla out separately on a cutting board, and use a round object (cup, lid, etc) to cut 3-4 medium circles from each.

3. Press each tortilla circle into the bottom of each muffin cup. 

4. In a small bowl, mix the ground meat, salsa, taco seasoning, and beans. 

5. Scoop the mixture into each muffin tin, evenly.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

7. Allow pizzas to cool for a few minutes, and remove from muffin tin with a knife or fork. 

Top with desired toppings, and enjoy!

Savory Stuffed Peppers

Jana here with a recipe that you are going to love!  Our garden produced a huge batch of peppers in the late summer, once we finally got some rain and cooler weather. We were left with more peppers than we could eat fresh. Although we put a lot of them in the freezer to save for later cooking, we wanted to find new ways to cook them fresh as well!  My husband likes to cook also, and he came up with most of this recipe!  We worked togethe on it some, and also used this for inspiration.  If you are not a huge pepper fan, or if you have a lot of extra filling left over, I think this filling would be excellent for making burritos!

Savory Stuffed Peppers

1 pound ground beef/turkey
4 large or 6 medium bell peppers
3/4 cup cooked rice (we used brown, but white or wild rice would also be good)
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 package cream cheese (4 ounces)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon dried onion
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon minced garlic
shredded cheese

1. Brown ground meet in a medium sized skillet.  After it is mostly cooked, add chili powder, dried onion, paprika, cilantro, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and minced garlic.  Stir to mix well, and let simmer until meat is completely browned.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the bell peppers by removing the seeds from the inside.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Mix cooked rice and tomato sauce into the meat.  Cut cream cheese into small pieces, and add it to the meat mixture, stirring until it is melted and combined.

4. Pour approximately 1/2 cup water in the bottom of your baking dish.  Place peppers in dish with open sides up.  Put as much stuffing as you can in each pepper, and cover the baking dish. 

5. Bake for 35 minutes.  Top with shredded cheese.

Enjoy!

Goulash - A Freezer Meal

This post is one rare exception where I don't have a picture to show you!  I decided this meal was way too good to not post though, so I am going to proceed as normal!  Before my third child was born, I wanted to get some extra meals in the freezer for our family to have after the baby was born.  My son was born several weeks ago, and the meals that I have had in the freezer have been such a blessing!  It has been nice to know that we have healthy and delicious meals already prepared!  All I have to do is set the meal out to thaw the night before, or morning of the day I'm wanting to have it for dinner.  Then I cook it in the oven for the required time before dinner, and that's it!  My sister, Sara, helped me one morning with the freezer meals. Even with our 3 small children playing around us while we cooked, we were able to prepare 8 freezer meals in under 2.5 hours!  So far, of the meals I have cooked, we have been able to eat them for at least 2 nights.  It is definitely worth the time and effort to prepare freezer meals!

I found the recipe for Goulash on this blog.  I followed their recipe fairly closely, and my whole family really loved it!  It would be great to make and eat the same night, or as a freezer meal. You could even double the recipe, so you could eat one for dinner and freeze the 2nd one!

Goulash

1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 can tomato soup
1 can tomato paste (6 ounces)
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (I used whole wheat)
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup shredded cheese

1. Brown ground meat, and season with garlic and onion powder.  Drain and set aside.

2. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine tomato soup, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, corn, noodles, and meat.

4. Spoon mixture into an 8x8 baking dish. (if making for a freezer meal, I think using the foil pans is one of the easiest ways to go!)  Top with the shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until heated through.

Enjoy!

Easy Beef Meatloaf

Jana here with a delicious recipe for a beef meatloaf!  I have made several different versions of meatloaf, and this one is my favorite so far!  When thinking about making this for your family, don't be intimidated by the hour long cooktime.  It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare, so just plan ahead, and this will be an easy weeknight meal!  It's not dry at all, and the leftovers are just as yummy!

Easy Beef Meatloaf

1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup bread crumbs or cracker crumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped OR 1 teaspoon minced dried onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon worchestershire sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a loaf pan.

2. Mix first set of ingredients in a medium size bowl.  Put mixture into loaf pan, smoothing out the top.

3. Mix together the second set of ingredients for the sauce. Pour on top of the meat.

4. Bake for one hour in the preheated oven.

Enjoy!

Taco Pasta Bake (Makes 2 - Freezer Friendly)

Becca here with a great recipe I saw here and adapted to make it freezer friendly, and make two dinners just as easily as one.  That way you can eat one and have one ready for a meal later, or have a great meal to take to a friend plus dinner for your family as well.  Feel free to serve with traditional taco toppings, such as sour cream, avocado, salsa, or black olives, whatever is your family's favorite & you have on hand.  My whole family really enjoyed this dish; the creamy casserole topped with crunchy chips was a great variety in texture, and the flavor was great too!   Enjoy!!


2 pounds ground beef (or turkey)
1 large onion, chopped
2 packets taco seasoning, or make your own
1 large can (29 oz.) tomato sauce
2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
1 teaspoon salt (I use real salt)
16 oz. frozen corn
2 cans (4 oz. each) chopped green chilies
12 oz. rotini, cooked
4 cups crushed tortilla chips
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I use sharp cheddar)
In a large pan over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink.  Drain, return to the large pan, and add taco seasoning, tomato sauce, rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, and salt.  Stir well, turn heat down to medium low, and simmer for 10 minutes.  In a separate large saucepan, cook pasta according to package directions.

Drain pasta and return to large saucepan.  Add frozen corn, chopped green chilies, and tomato/beef mixture and gently stir to combine.  Pour mixture into two lightly oiled 8x8 pans, or pans of a similiar size.  I use oval corningware often also. 

If serving immediately:  Bake for 10 minutes at 350.  Top each with 2 cups crushed tortilla chips and 1 cup of cheese, and bake another 10 more minutes. 

If freezing one or both casseroles to serve later:  Tightly cover baking dishes.  Place 2 cups of crushed tortilla chips and 1 cup of shredded cheese per casserole into a zip top bag, and secure to the top (I use a rubber band wrapped around them both, or top with another layer of foil to hold it all together.  Including baking directions:  Defrost overnight in the fridge, then bake at 350 for 30 minutes, top with crushed tortilla chips and cheese, and bake an addition 10 minutes, or until heated through.  Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef (freezer friendly)

Becca here with one of my family's favorite meals for several years now.  An extra bonus is that it's very freezer friendly, and cooks in the slow cooker!  I like to buy beef stew meat in bulk and freeze it in quart zipper bags with the sauce ingredients so all I have to do is pour the bag into the slow cooker and it's ready to go at dinner time!  It doesn't get much quicker or easier than that!  I think it tastes just like a dish you'd get at a good Asian Restaurant, and the beef is so tender it literally falls apart.  I serve it over brown rice or quinoa with a bit of the sauce drizzled on top to make it extra yummy.  Enjoy!

2 pounds beef stew meat
1 Tablespoon dried ginger
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup brown sugar (or organic cane sugar)
4 large green onions

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low 4-6 hours or until meat is cooked throughout & very tender.  The time will vary depending on the size of the stew meat chunks, as well as your slow cooker.  Over the years I've owned 2-3, and found that each of them cook at different speeds.

If making for the freezer:  Double or triple recipe, adding each batch into a quart sized zipper freezer bag.  When ready to cook, add contents of bag to slow cooker and cook on high 6-8 hours or until cooked throughout & tender.