Mom's Sloppy Joes

Yea, didn't have a chance to get a picture of it before the family devoured it!  It really was good!!

This recipe is from my Mom.  I can remember such fond memories eating these as a child and never have I looked for a different recipe for sloppy joes.  They are easy and delicious!

Ingredients:

*1lb ground beef
*1/2 cup chopped onion
*1/4 cup chopped green pepper
*1/4 cup chopped celery
*1/4 cup ketchup
*1 cup tomato sauce
*1 teas worcheshire sauce
*1 teas salt
*1 tbsp sugar

Directions:

1.  Brown ground beef.

2.  Mix all other ingredients with beef and simmer 30 mins - 1 hour.

Mexican Stuffed Shells

When I saw this recipe in the cookbook, I was a little reluctant.  It sounded strange.  I like your usual Stuffed Shells; mozzarella, ricotta, and Parmesan cheeses.  This one just sounded strange, but I was willing to take the risk and make them.

I WAS SO HAPPY I DID! VERY, VERY GOOD!!

Recipe from:  Taste of Home: Everyday Light Meals
(Yes, it seems that I cook a ton of recipes out of this cookbook.  When my mother-in-law passed away in February, I was lucky enough to receive all her 50+ cookbooks, so I'm picking one or two different ones a week and cook from them.  It's very neat because her handwriting is all throughout these books with recipes she's made and changed.  On the note of my mother-in-law, I have to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY CATHY!  Today would have been her 62nd Birthday, she is deeply loved and missed!)

Ingredients:

*24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
*1 pound lean ground beef
*2 cups salsa
*1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
*1 cup frozen corn
*1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
*1 cup (4oz) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese

TOPPINGS:
*8 Tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
*8 Tbsp salsa
*1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
*1/4 cup sliced green onions

Directions:

1. Cook pasta shells according to package directions; drain.

2. In a nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Stir in the salsa, tomato sauce, corn and beans.  Spoon into pasta shells.

3. Place in a 13x9 baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.  Top with sour cream, salsa, olives and onions.

Spaghetti with Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs

This recipe is amazing and such a nice change to your every day spaghetti recipe, plus the bonus..it's quick and easy!!

Recipe Courtesy of:  Every Day with Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

*1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
*1/2 cup milk
*1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
*3 garlic cloves, minced
*2 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
*Salt to taste
*1 pound lean ground sirloin
*2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
*1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
*1 large egg
*4oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 20 1/2-inch cubes
*1 pound spaghetti

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk

2. In a large, wide saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add 2 garlic cloves (minced) and cook until golden, about 2 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, season to taste with salt and let the sauce simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the beef, the last garlic clove (minced), parsley, cheese, egg and 1 teaspoon of salt to the soaked bread crumbs and stir with a fork until combined.  Place about 2 Tbsp of the mixture in your hand and press a mozzarella cube into the center.  Shape the meat around the cheese, forming a ball.  Repeat with the remaining meat and mozzarella.

4. Stir the sauce and raise the heat to medium-low.  Carefully place the meatballs in the sauce, submerging them completely.  Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook without stirring for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the spaghetti, cook until al dente, about 8 minutes and drain.  Toss the spaghetti with the tomato sauce and meatballs, sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese and serve.

Yankee Pot Roast Dinner

I made this recipe with a chuck roast instead of the bottom round roast.  The bottom round roast didn't look too good in the store, so again I improvised!  It was very good, and a nice reminder of my mom's pot roast dinner she would make every Sunday night.  Enjoy!

Recipe Courtesy of: 
Weight Watchers: BEST EATS

Ingredients:

*2 pound boneless bottom round roast, trimmed
*1/2 teas black pepper
*1/4 teas salt
*2 large onions, sliced
*1 & 3/4 cups water
*1 & 1/2 Tbsp balsamic or red-wine vinegar
*1 envelope dry onion soup mix
*1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh type, or 1 teas dried thyme
*1 & 3/4 pounds red potatoes, quartered
*1 pound baby carrots

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Spray a nonstick ovenproof Dutch oven with nonstick spary and place over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle the roast with the pepper and salt; add to the Dutch oven.  Add the onions.  Cook turning the roast and stirring the onions occasionally, until the roast and the onions are browned, about 8 minutes.  Add teh water, soup mix, vinegar, and thyme; bring to a boil.

3.  Cover and bake 1 1/2 hours.  Place potatoes and carrots around the roast; cover and bake until the roast and the vegetables are tender, about 2 hours longer.

4.  Transfer one of the poatoes to teh blender; add enough of the cooking liquid fromt he pot to make a puree.  Let the mixture cool about 5 minutes.  Puree the potato mixture and return it to the pot, stirring until blended.  Transfer the beef to a cutting board adn slice across the grain into 16 slices.  Serve the sliced beef, vegetables, and gravy, garnish with fresh thyme as a option.

Weight Watchers:  6 POINTS
Serving= 2 slices of beef, 1/2 cup potatoes, and 1/2 cup onions and carrots

Chili

A simple and easy chili recipe perfect for fall and winter.

Ingredients:

*1lb ground beef
*1 can light red kidney beans
*1 can dark red kidney beans
*1 can tomato sauce
*1 can rotel
*1 can chili beans
*1 can tomato paste
*1 package of chili-o
*1 onion, diced

Directions:

*Brown beef, and onions in a large nonstick skillet
*Combine all other ingredients in a crockpot, add beef mixture
*Cook on low 8-10 hrs.

Blue Cheese-Crusted Filet Mignon

Recipe Courtesy of:  Chef at Home (Food Network Canada)
Chef:  Michael Smith

Ingredients:

*(4) 6oz filet mignons
*Salt & Pepper
*Olive oil
*8oz blue cheese
*2 slices of whole grain bread, cubed
*1/2 stick butter (I use unsalted so I can control the salt content)
*Fresh ground pepper
*2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees
*Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat
*Season the filets with salt and pepper and rub with olive oil.  Place in the hot pan and sear for 1 minute on both sides.
*Place on a cooling rack fitted over a baking sheet, reserve the skillet.
*Puree the blue cheese, bread, butter, rosemary and pepper in a food processor until smooth.
*Pack blue cheese mixture onto the tops of the filets and bake in oven until meat is medium-rare, about 8-10 minutes, longer if you prefer your meat medium, etc.

*The meat and crust may be prepared in advance, refrigerated, then baked just before serving, if you choose to do this make sure you add more baking time.