Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti Sauce - original recipe from here

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 small cans tomato paste
2 15 oz (398 ml) cans tomato sauce
1-2 cups water (start with one cup and add more if needed during simmering)
3 tsp basil
2 tsp parsley
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red chili peppers
1/4 cup red wine (optional, but it really enhances the flavour)

Directions: In a large pot, brown ground beef with onions. Drain off fat. Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Add red wine, basil, parsley, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and crushed chili peppers. Stir well and bring just to a boil. Turn down and simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally. Add more water during simmering if needed.

Note: I often use this same recipe for lasagna

Company Meatloaf

No matter how hard I try, I'm just not talented enough to make meatloaf look pretty!

There are a million-and-one ways to make meatloaf. I've tried a few recipes, and this is one of my favourites. I am not a big fan of ground beef if it tastes like ground beef. That probably sounds weird, but I need it seasoned. This is a nicely flavoured meatloaf that even I love because...well...it doesn't taste too much like meat. :-)

Company Meatloaf (easily doubled)

1 egg
1/2 package onion soup mix
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp water
3/4 cups bread crumbs
1 lb ground beef
Cheddar cheese slices

Topping
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp dried mustard (I substitute prepared mustard if I don't have this on hand)
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Beat egg and stir in soup mix. Add ketchup, water, and bread crumbs to ground beef. Add the soup and egg mixture. Gently mix. Put half into a loaf pan. Put cheese slices on top, then the rest of the ground beef mixture. Cover and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes and then pour off and discard juices. Spread topping on and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink.

Cheesearoni Beef Casserole

This casserole is based on a recipe I saw online somewhere (don't remember where, sorry!) but modified a bit to suit our preferences.This casserole freezes very well, and if you double the recipe, you can actually get 3-4 casseroles out of it! Here's my version.

Cheesearoni Beef Casserole

1 lb lean ground beef
1 28 oz can tomatoes (use whole, diced, or stewed - I use whatever I have on hand)
3/4 tsp garlic
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp basil
1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups macaroni, uncooked
1/2 cup onion, minced
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 tsp oregano
2 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
3/4 cup sour cream or cottage cheese
4-6 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

In a saucepan, brown beef and onion until beef is no longer pink. Add tomatoes, paste, garlic, salt, oregano, basil, chili powder, and brown sugar. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until sauce is thick. Cook macaroni, drain, and set aside. Toss macaroni with sour cream or cottage cheese, spread in bottom of casserole dish. Sprinkle with mozza cheese, top with sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. At this point, you can let it cool, cover with foil, and freeze. Or if not frozen, Bake at 325 F for 45 minutes.
If frozen, let thaw and cook at 325 for about 30 minutes or until heated through, or cook from frozen at 325 for about an hour or until heated through.

Note: This recipe makes 1 large casserole (serve 6-8 people). I doubled this recipe and was able to get 2 large casserole (serves 5-6 each) and 1 medium casserole (serve 3-4) plus some leftover meat sauce to freeze.

Chili

Today I changed up our favourite chili recipe just a little bit. The original was from my sister-in-law, but I can never leave a recipe alone. Everyone needs a go-to chili recipe, and this is ours. Nothing fancy-schmancy...just down-to-earth ingredients.


Chili

2 lbs ground beef
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
3 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Dash or two of tabasco sauce
1 large can (796 mL / 28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (284 mL, 10 1/2 oz) tomato soup (do not dilute)
1 small (5.5 oz) can tomato paste
1/2 cup beef broth (more or less depending on how thick/thin you like your chili and how long it simmers. I usually use about 1/2 cup)
398 mL can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
398 mL can pork and beans (I pick out the pork chunk cause I can't stand it in there!)

Place ground beef, onion, green pepper, and celery in a large, deep saucepan. Saute until almost ground beef is browned. Drain off excess fat if necessary. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. You can then transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 3-5 hours.


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Lazy Cabbage Rolls

Lazy Cabbage Rolls - serves 6

1 pound ground beef

2 cups chopped onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can condensed tomato soup

1 cup water

1/2 cup rice

1 teaspoon beef bouillon mix

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

8 cups shredded or chopped cabbage (can also use prepackaged coleslaw mix)

sour cream to garnish

In a large skillet or saucepan, brown beef, onions and garlic until ground beef is cooked. Drain off fat. Add next 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is thickened.

Sprinkle half of cabbage over bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Spoon half of beef mixture over cabbage. Sprinkle with remaining cabbage.Spread remaining beef mixture over top. Bake, covered, at 350 F for 1 hour or until bubbly and heated through.

Serve with sour cream to garnish.

NOTE: Tomato sauce can be subbed for the soup. If using sauce, increase water to 1 3/4 cup.

Crockpot Pomegranate Cranberry Beef

This recipe is so easy to put together and the flavour combination is delicious. This is what I consider a "fancy" tasting dish without all the work! I think it takes me longer to pack my husband's lunch than it does to throw this together :-D.


Crockpot Pomegranate Cranberry Beef - adapted from Crockpot 365 here
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
3 pounds boneless beef (I usually use stew beef)
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup cranberry pomegranate juice (I use Ocean Spray)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp maple syrup

Swirl the oil in the bottom of crockpot. Add the sliced onion, spices, garlic, crushed tomatoes, juice, vinegar, and syrup. Combine well. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until meat is tender. Serve with mashed potatoes with the sauce drizzled overtop.





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Teriyaki Rice Bowls

Teriyaki Rice Bowls
2 lbs of steak, trimmed and cut into strips
1 tsp ginger
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed

Mix ingredients together and then pour over the steak. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or until done.

Once steak is done, heat a large frying pan or wok with a few tablespoons of oil (sesame oil, preferably) over medium heat. Add in vegetables of your choice such as:

Broccoli Florets
Carrots, julienne style
Mushrooms
Celery, diced
Onions, cut into wedges
Bell Peppers, sliced thinly

Add in some of the teriyaki sauce from the crockpot. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add steak. Serve over rice.

*The steak is very tender since it is slow cooked. For some people, it might be a little dry, so watch the steak and don't overcook it in the crockpot. We prefer our meat slow cooked as opposed to cooking it quickly over high heat because we like meat that just falls apart.*

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

This recipe is SO easy to throw together in the morning to let cook all day. This recipe is a definite hit with our family!

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff - adapted from Kraft foods here
Serves 6-8

2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
454 grams sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups beef broth
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
4 Tbsp flour (depends on how much broth you used. Start with 2 Tbsp flour, and go from there.)
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 large package of egg noodles
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Place meat, mushrooms, onions, and garlic in crockpot. Add broth, paprika, and salt. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours until meat is tender and cooked. Mix sour cream, flour, and mustard. Stir into crockpot, cover, and then cook an additional 15 minutes to thicken. Add more flour as needed to thicken. (Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles.) Toss noodles with chopped parsley. Spoon meat mixture on top and garnish with more parsley.



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Yum-A-Setta

Here's a very simple, yet just plain good casserole (albeit not all that pretty to look at). I found the recipe for it in a church cookbook and altered it just slightly. It tastes like a homemade version of Hamburger Helper. I like how easy it is to throw together. We had it with corn on the cob.

Yum-A-Setta

1 lb ground beef (the recipe called for 2 lbs, but that would be wayyyyy too much meat for us)
1/2 small onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 10 oz can tomato soup (not diluted)
1 10 oz can cream of chicken soup (not diluted)
1 16 oz (340 grams) package of egg noodles
1 8 oz Velveeta cheese (I didn't have this so I just used processed cheddar cheese slices; I'm sure you could just use shredded cheddar, too)

Brown ground beef with salt, pepper, brown sugar, and onion. Add tomato soup. Mix well and set aside. Cook egg noodles and drain. Add cream of chicken soup to the noodles and mix. Layer ground beef mixture, noodle mixture, and cheese in casserole dish. Repeat. Bake at 350 F for 1/2 hour.

Barbecue Meatballs

Here's the recipe I use for Barbecue Meatballs. They don't look very pretty, but they sure do taste good! (I wish there was another name for these other than "meatballs." A ball of meat just does not sound appetizing to me! Sometimes after I brown the meatballs, once they are cooked through, I will let them cool and then freeze half. Then, when I want meatballs for supper but don't want to go through the work of making the meatballs, I just take them out of the freezer, mix up the sauce, pour it over them, and bake.

Barbecue Meatballs

Meatballs

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup finely chopped onions (or a tsp of onion powder)
  
• 1 cup bread crumbs (optional)
  
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten (optional)
  
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• dash of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp pepper
  

Directions: Mix above ingredients together. Form golf ball sized meatballs and brown in frying pan until cooked through. Transfer meatballs into a greased casserole dish.

Sauce

• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup Diana sauce or Bull's Eye Original bbq sauce
• 2 tsp vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp mustard
• 2 Tbsp water

Directions: Mix ingredients for sauce together in a bowl. Pour sauce over meatballs. Bake at 350 F for about an hour. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Shipwreck

Here's one of my husband's favourite casserole dishes. It is easy to make, very economical, and fairly nutritious, too! I adapted it from a recipe out of a 100th church anniversary cookbook (the church I attended growing up).

Shipwreck
1 large onion
2 medium potatoes, peeled
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup long grain rice (uncooked)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup sliced carrot
salt and pepper to taste
1 - 10 oz can condensed tomato soup
1 - 10 oz can of boiling water
salt and pepper to taste

Peel onions and thinly slice over bottom of 2.5 quart casserole dish. Thinly slice potatoes over onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pat ground beef over potatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle rice on next, followed by celery and carrots. Mix condensed soup and boiling water together. Pour over top. Bake, covered, in 350 F oven for 2 hours (until veggies are tender and ground beef is cooked). Serves 4-5. (Works well in a crockpot, too)