Favorite Taco Soup

 

TACO SOUP

Notes:  This recipe is from Suzie’s NE friend, Michelle M.
Servings: Approximately 12

INGREDIENTS:

2 lb. Hamburger
1 small chopped onion
4 oz. can Chopped Green Chilis
1 Pkg. (1.25oz.) Taco Seasoning (we make our own Taco Seasoning Mix)
1 pkg (1oz.) Ranch mix
2 cans (15oz.) Chili Recipe Stewed Tomatoes (I can my own Mexican Stewed Tomatoes)
2 cans (15oz.) Bush’s Hot Chili Beans (generally use the store brand)
1 ½ -2 cups Water
8oz. Mexican Blend Cheeses
1 Bag Fritos (Ranch or Chili Cheese Flavored are good, but plain Fritos are used more often at our home)
8oz Sour Cream (we use more sour cream!)

DIRECTIONS:
Brown hamburger & chopped onion, drain grease. Add chopped green chilies, beans, tomatoes, taco & ranch seasonings, and water. Simmer 30-45 minutes for best results or let it simmer in the crock pot for 4-6 hours. Serve soup over the Fritos. Then, top with cheese and sour cream.

FREEZING:
Cool completely.  Transfer to a gallon freezer bag.  Remove as much air as possible.  Double bag for safety!  Label and freeze on a cookie tray to keep the bag flat.

PREPARATION:
Thaw in the frig or in microwave.  Reheat on the stove or in a crock pot.  Serve soup over Fritos.  Top with shredded cheese and sour cream.

St. Lucy’s Eyes

 

The credit goes to my good friend, Sarah G., on this recipe.  I couldn’t get enough of them at our All Saint’s Day Party!  So, in her words, here is the recipe … one you should try, in my opinion. 

ST. LUCY’S EYES

Yield: 4 dozen

Ingredients:

5 oz sliced olives (I used green)

1 pkg cream cheese (go crazy and use full fat! :)

16 slices deli roast beef ( I used roast beef salami)

8 (6-7 in.) flour tortillas

 

Directions:

Mix cream cheese with olives and spread on a tortilla. Top with 2 beef slices, overlapping slightly. Roll up tortillas, jelly-roll fashion. Trim off ends and slice each tortilla roll into 6 (3/4 in) slices. Lay them down and add a bit of cream cheese to the top for the whites of the eyes and add an olive with pimento to the top. Easy and yummy!! The kids made these all by themselves.

Keeping ahead of the green & yellow zucchini!

 

Coming up with different ways to use zucchini has been elusive.  Mainly because by the time I ‘find’ my zucchini they’ve grown to the length of baseball bats and the diameter of at least a softball.  However, if I can harvest every - or every other - day and get the squash when they are smaller, it’s much easier to keep ahead and use them up faster.  This dish is a take-off of a recipe I found in a magazine.  The seasoning is mild and not too spicy.

 

Mexican Spaghetti

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb. ground beef
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 8 oz. spaghetti, broken into thirds
• 1 Tbls. olive oil
• 5 or 6 small zucchini (I used both colors), cut into slices

Directions:

If you haven’t already browned the meat, do so now.  Drain it and set it aside.  Saute the sliced zucchini in the olive oil until softened & slightly browned.  Set aside. 

In a large skillet – I used my wok because it’s large & non-stick – combine the water, tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, salt & cumin.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in the spaghetti pieces; return to boiling.  Boil for 6 to 7 minutes.

Add the zucchini.  Cook an additional 4 minutes or until the spaghetti is tender.  Stir in the ground beef.  Serve immediately.

Manicotti Alla Romana

This is a new recipe to me.  I've had the manicotti pasta on hand for a while and decided during menu planning that it was time to 'use it'.  So, while this recipe doesn't recommend or even talk about doubling and freezing, that's my experiment.  I'm quite certain it will work because I frozen similar dishes with great results.  I am planning to change the recipe from the original I found online, so I can give you my ingredients and extended directions.  Please note that the ingredients are for a double batch and I do plan to freeze half.  This recipe is a bit time-consuming, so the double batch makes it more worthwhile for me.

FAMILY RATING:  *****

This recipe is soooo good.  For our family, one manicotti was enough for the three youngest.  Graham would have had enough with 1/2 or 3/4 of a manicotti, but I dished him without thinking.  He ate it anyway (I'm sure he's stuffed!) because the Cookie Cake Dessert was enticing.  I served the main dish with vegetables, so there should be enough left for dinner/lunch tomorrow, as long as I supplement with veggies or garlic toast. 

Manicotti Alla Romana (Doubled)
Yield: 14 servings (7 large adult servings per dish)

Ingredients:

2 Tbls. Olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

6 cloves minced garlic

2 lbs. ground beef

Sea Salt to taste

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained*

2 – 15oz. containers Ricotta Cheese

2 eggs, beaten

6 cups spaghetti sauce, divided

4 Tbls. Butter

4 Tbls. All purpose flour
4 Tbls. Beef bouillon
4 cups half & half
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbls. Chopped fresh basil
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until translucent. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Stir in ground beef. Cook until well browned. Season with sea salt and set aside.

2. Cook spinach according to package directions.

3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add manicotti tubes and parboil for half the recommended time on the package. Drain and cover with cool water to stop the cooking process and prevent cracking.

4. To the ground beef, add the cooked spinach and ricotta cheese. When the mixture is cooled, add beaten eggs. Spread 1/4 cup of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of each 9x13 inch pan. Gently drain the manicotti tubes and carefully stuff each one with meat and cheese mixture. I put the mixture in a Ziploc storage bag, cut the corner and squeezed the mixture into the tubes. Place half the pasta in each pan. Cover with a damp cloth to prevent cracking.

Meat and ricotta cheese mixture (above).

13x9 pans prepared with 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce.

Meat and ricotta cheese mixture in a ziploc bag and ready for squeezing into the manicotti tubes.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6. Prepare the white sauce by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and beef bouillon. Increase heat to med-high and cook while stirring constantly, until it begins to bubble. Stir in ½ & ½ and bring to a boil, stirring constantly (a whisk works best). Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Ladle half the sauce over manicotti in each pan.

7. Stir the basil into the remaining spaghetti sauce. Ladle half the sauce over the white sauce in each pan. Try to layer the sauces without mixing.

Manicotti tubes are filled and placed in 13x9 pans (above).  Ready for baking or for freezing (below).

8. Cover aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered another 10 minutes.


Freezing Directions: 
After layering the sauces on the second pan, cover with plastic wrap and with a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. If you prefer, you can even measure the parmesan cheese into a baggie and freeze between the plastic wrap and foil. Label with the following instructions: Thaw completely in frig (this may be more than overnight). Remove plastic wrap and recover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees, or until done. Remove from the oven, uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered another 10 minutes.

*If you decide not to double, it’s okay to use a full 10 oz. package of frozen spinach per ‘batch’.

An Additional Note:  I used a gallon size freezer bag, but it may be more manageable to use a quart sized bag.

And, a confession ... I forgot to add the eggs to the meat and cheese mixture!  However, the dish was still delicious and no one but me knew about the omission.

Gryo Meat

Gyro's are another favorite meal. I got hooked on them in Kearney, NE where my husband and I lived during the first couple years of our marriage. I've always wanted to attempt making them at home, but hadn't found a recipe(s) until a few months ago. Then, it was searching for ground lamb! I looked near and far for fresh lamb; finally one store carried it in the frozen meat section ... success.


Traditionally made with a lamb and beef combination, gyro's also have a special sauce called Tzatziki. They are usually on pita bread and include wonderful fresh veggies. My favorite Greek restaurant, Santa Lucia's, makes their gyro's wrap style. I recently sampled their gyro's again at the Fargo Street Fair ... first a helping of shredded lettuce, then a sauteed mix of onion, zucchini, peppers, and lamb. It's all topped with a dollop or two of Tzatziki and wrapped up in foil. Messy, but yummy. They might be prepared differently in the restaurant; I cannot remember.


As gyro's require a couple ingredients with 'steps' and time to prepare, today, I'm only baking the traditional gyro meat. I plan to freeze it in thin slices for a future gyro meal.

Gyro Meat
Yield: Approx. 10 servings


Ingredients:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 lb. ground lamb
1 lb. ground beef
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground marjoram
1 1/2 tsp. ground rosemary
1 tsp. ground dried thyme
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. sea salt


Directions:
1. In a food processor, process the onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, black pepper and salt until finely ground. Mix the meats and onion/spice mixture together in a bowl. Mix well with your hands until well combined. Pack the mixture into a 3x7 inch loaf pan. Wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors blend.


2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.


3. Remove the wrap and bake the gyro meat until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F (approximately 1 hour). Drain all liquid that has accumulated in the pan. Remove the loaf from the pan and place it on a rack set above a baking dish, to catch drips. Continue baking until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (approximately 15-30 minutes more). Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing. The finished loaf will be firm and slightly dry. Slice thinly.





*I forgot to take any pictures during the 'making' of the loaf. So, you'll have to settle for the 'baked' and finished product photo!


** I wrapped both loaves in plastic wrap, sealed them in a freezer ziploc bag, and froze them for later (when I have all the necessary ingredients). I also read that it's easier to thinly slice the loaf when it is slightly frozen.

My favorite sandwich

My favorite sandwich - since childhood - is the Reuben Sandwich. Yes, the toasted Rye bread, corned beef, SAUERKRAUT, swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing make up my favorite sandwich. This fall, I decided to introduce my oldest two - Dash and Angelina to the flavor of the Rueben. I only gave them a quarter of a sandwich - wouldn't want to waste any. To my delight, and surprise, they liked it enough to want more!

Don't worry, I didn't even try it with my youngest two. I'm of the mind that some flavors, like sauerkraut, need a little maturity.

The Rueben Sandwich
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
2 slices Rye bread*
3 thin slices corned beef (this varies with the cut and thickness of corned beef)
1 slice swiss cheese
1/4 cup sauerkraut
1-2 Tbl. Thousand Island dressing

1. On a small plate, melt the swiss cheese over the sliced corned beef in the microwave (about 25 seconds). While this is melting in the microwave, toast two slices of Rye bread in the toaster. I choose not to butter my bread, but you can if you prefer.

2. Slide the corned beef and melted cheese onto one slice of toasted Rye Bread.

3. Spread the sauerkraut over the top of the melted cheese.

4. Spread the Thousand Island dressing over top of the sauerkraut.

5. Cover with the second slice of toasted Rye bread, slice your sandwich and ENJOY!


*I prefer the dark Rye bread, but that wasn't available at the store where I shopped last week. So, I settled for the light. Still had good flavor, but the dark adds more in my opinion.

Aunt Krista's Taco Hotdish

Couple reasons for making this today ... (1) I expected leftovers from last night - there were not enough to feed me & the kids and (2) I have lettuce that needs to be used asap. My Aunt made this for my cousin's graduation (she said it's his favorite hotdish) and everyone in the family enjoyed it. WARNING: This hotdish doesn't keep well. With that fact in mind, I'm only going to make a half batch in an 8"x8" pan for dinner.

Aunt Krista’s Taco Hotdish
Yields: 10-12 servings

1 bag Taco Chips (Doritos)
2 lb. browned hamburger
1 32oz. jar Ragu or other spaghetti sauce
Shredded lettuce (1 bag for 13x9 pan)
3-4 medium tomatoes, sliced
2-4 cups cheese (mozzarella or cheddar or a mix)
Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350. Spray bottom of 13x9 pan. Crush the bag of chips and layer on bottom of pan. Spread hamburger over the chips. Pour the spaghetti sauce over the meat. Layer on the following: shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and cheese.

Heat in oven until cheese is melted and dish is heated through, about 15-20 minutes. Top each portion with sour cream.

Optional: The kids and I think black olives would be a great addition to the layers

Potato Pizza Bake with a Spicy Twist

Well, here I was again tonight doing the 'last minute supper dash'. I came up with Potato Pizza Bake. I had all the ingredients, except for Cheddar cheese soup. But, I did have Southwestern Style Pepper Jack soup. A quick substitute and the dish was into the oven with about 15-20 minutes of prep time.

BTW, I do have my menu plan done, but since Eric is out in the field trying to do as much as possible before an impending rainstorm, I figured steak probably wasn't a good choice for tonight. Besides, neither he nor I want to get caught grilling in the rain on our grass-less yard!

Potato Pizza Bake - Pepper Jack Style
Yield: 10-12 servings
Original Recipe From: Grandma Green Acres


Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef, browned
4 cups potatoes, thinly sliced
1 med. onion, chopped
1 can Southwestern Style Pepper Jack soup
1/2 soup can of milk
15 oz. can tomato sauce
3/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt & pepper to taste
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Brown beef. Place potatoes and onions in a large baking dish (7"x13") sprayed with cooking spray.

Spread meat over the top.

Mix cheese soup with milk until smooth. Add oregano and sugar. Pour soup mixture over the meat and potatoes -- DO NOT STIR.

Pour tomato sauce over all -- again, do not stir.

Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour*.

Remove cover and sprinkle cheeses over the top.

Return to the oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

*Since I was a little short on time, I increased the temp to 400 degrees and cut the baking time to 45 minutes.

NOTE: After tasting the Potato Pizza Bake with the Pepper Jack soup, I can think of no sane reason why I'd go back to the plain Cheddar Cheese soup! The flavor was great!! I also think Fiesta Nacho Cheese soup, which I keep in stock, would taste wonderful, too.

No Plan for Dinner??

What do you get when you haven't menu planned for the last two weeks, hamburger is in large supply in the deep freeze, and there are leftover hotdog buns that will go to waste if not used?

SLOPPY DOGS!!!

Yeah! The kids loved it. I can't take the credit, though. My friend, Sarah, told me she did this a while back and it's been stuck in my mind ever since. Saved up for just the right time ... which was today.

Hot Dogs?

This morning, 2yo Graham found me to ask if we could have Hot Dogs for dinner. Hot Dogs? Where in the world did that idea originate! Hot Dogs are a rare meal at our house. When we lived in town, Hot Dogs were reserved for quick meals before rushing off to attend an NDSU Bison FB game. Since moving, we enjoy Hot Dogs at the game as a treat. Regardless, the last time Graham had a Hot Dog was probably back in November 2008.

Knowing I had Hot Dogs in the freezer, I decided to see what I could concoct with ingredients on hand. I found a recipe for Hot Dog Cornbread Casserole that sounded like it might fit our tastes. After reducing and eliminating different ingredients, I came up with the following recipe.





Cornbread Topped Hot Dog Casserole
Yield: 6 servings





Ingredients:
12 oz. Hot Dogs
1 (12oz.) can baked beans
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk

Optional ingredients:
1/4 cup corn
1/4 cup chopped onion

1. Cut hot dogs into 1/2 inch pieces. Put in a 2 quart baking dish (I used a round 2 qt. baking dish) with beans, ketchup, water, mustard and worcestershire sauce.
2. Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in medium bowl. Stir in cornmeal. Add egg and rest of ingredients. Stir just enough to combine.
3. Spread cornmeal mixture over top of the beans. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.


Recipe Review! The kids absolutely would eat this again. I found it a bit bland for my tastes; adding the optional ingredients may have helped.

Pepperoni Spaghetti Pie

The recipe that inspired this dish originally came to me from menus4moms.com. I did change some of the ingredients to suite what I had on hand, and I added a few ingredients, as well. My family thought this was a keeper. We are all looking forward to leftovers!! Here's my adjusted recipe.

Pepperoni Spaghetti Pie
Yield: 12 servings

1 lb. ground hamburger
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 (4oz.) can mushrooms
1 (26oz.) can or jar pasta sauce
1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce
1 tsp. sweet basil, dried
1 tsp. oregano, dried
2 Tbl. parsely, dried
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper, ground
1 lb. spaghetti, broken into 1 to 2 inch pieces
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 (5oz.) pkg sliced pepperoni*
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the pasta as directed on the package. Drain and rinse. Set aside.

2. Brown the hamburger in a large skillet. Drain excess liquid. Once browned and drained, add the onion, green pepper and mushrooms. Continue cooking until the vegetables are tender.

3. Add the pasta sauce, tomato sauce and all the seasonings. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes to combine flavors.

4. Combine the milk and eggs in a large bowl. Mix the spaghetti into the milk and egg mixture to coat.

5. Lightly spray a 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray.

6. Place half the spaghetti mixture in the pan, then place half the meat mixture on top. Repeat these two layers. Arrange pepperoni over the top of the layers. Spread 2 cheeses over the top of the pepperoni.

7. Cover the pie with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

To Freeze: After the pepperoni is arranged, put the pie in the refrigerator to cool. Once cooled completely, spread the 2 cheeses over the top. Wrap the pie with freezer wrap (I usually use plastic wrap and foil - cheese will eat away at foil, so the plastic wrap is necessary for freezeing). It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To Prepare from Freezer: Thaw the pie overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and cover again with the foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

*I try to avoid meats that have nitrates added. I thought I'd have to make an exception for this recipe, but was surprised to find that non-nitrate pepperoni is available!

Skillet Lasagna

What a surprise of flavor I found in this skillet dish! I needed something quick for tonight because we were gone until 5:30p. Of course, I hadn't thought far enough ahead to plan a crock pot meal (or my menu for this week). I was expecting the noodle, beef and tomato soup hotdish they always served at funerals or potlucks at my hometown church; I expected to spice it up a bit. This is NOT that hotdish - Thankfully!

Even though I stopped at the store, I forgot a key ingredient. No bother, parmessan cheese made a wonderful substitution for the cottage cheese topping. Couldn't find my Italian seasoning at the last minute ... just toss in thyme, oregano, basil, parsely, white pepper and sea salt for taste.

Yes, it was adapted and changed a lot, but it turned out great. Here's my rendition of Skillet Lasagna in recipe form (at least, as close as I can get it).

Suzie's Skillet Lasagna
Yield: 10 servings

1lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. Italian sausage*
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 cups egg noodles
3 1/2 cups water
26 oz. spaghetti sauce
6.5 oz. can sliced mushrooms
3 Tbl. dried parsely
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 cup shredded parmessan cheese

In a large skillet, brown the hamburger and Italian sausage links (if they aren't already - I used frozen browned hamburger and the Italian sausage was frozen and pre-cooked, too). Add the chopped onion and diced green pepper. Saute for 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the parmessan cheese. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the noodles are cooked to al dente. Remove the skillet from heat, spread the parmessan cheese over the top and cover. Let stand until the cheese is melted.

*I used Italian sausage links - that was all I could find at the store - and cut them in slices and then in half. The original recipe called for 1/2 pound of Italian sausage, if you want to substitute.

Scandinavian Meatballs

Until now, I've never known the ingredients for Scandinavian meatballs. I just found a recipe, adjusted it to suite what I had on hand, doubled it for tonights meal, and it's so good! Why didn't anyone share this with me? Of course, I probably could have asked . . .

Right now, the meatballs are in the oven covered with homemade gravy.

The meatballs with be served with leftover mashed potatoes - the kind of potatoes that have all the 'good stuff' added to them. By 'good stuff', I mean butter, sour cream, veggie cream cheese, sea salt & white pepper. The potatoes are prepared ahead of time (up to 1 day ahead of time) and then baked in the oven until heated through. They are a great time-saver.

Scandinavian Meatballs
Yield for Double Batch: Approx. 60 meatballs


4 lbs. ground hamburger
6 Tbl. dried onion soup mix (or 2 packets)
1 cup milk
1-1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the ingredients together. Using a cookie scoop, form the meatballs and place them about 1/2 inch apart on a brownie pan (A double batch will need two brownie pans, and I line the brownie pans with foil for easier clean-up). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until done. Once done, either use the meatballs immediately, or prepare for storing. The meatballs can be easily frozen for later use and this would make a great OAMC recipe!

In Honor of Saint Juan Diego...

Today is the feast day of Saint Juan Diego, humble servant of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It's not often I'm thinking ahead with feast days and corresponding them to the food we eat that day, but the Saint Gianna's Maternity Home newsletter came yesterday and featured a wonderful article about Saint Juan Diego. That started me thinking about today...

So, tonight we had a very modest meal, made very quickly in a dutch oven (supposed to be skillet, but sometimes you use what's convenient!). Here's the recipe and a few pictures to entice you to make the recipe sometime in the future.


Mexican Skillet with Corn Dumplings (Adapted from: 'Help, My Family's Hungry!')
Yield: 4 very large servings

1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup chopped onion (I substituted 2 Tbl. minced onion)
1 can (16 oz.) chopped or diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
1 can (4 oz.) black olives
1 package (10 oz.) corn bread mix

In a large skillet (or in my case, a dutch oven!) with a lid, cook and brown ground beef until cooked. Drain grease. Stir in taco mix, onion, tomatoes, corn, chilies, and olives. Cook 2 minutes, stirring often.

Prepare the corn bread according to package directions. Drop the batter by spoonfuls on top of the meat mixture.

Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until the dumplings are done in the center. The meal is simple and tasty. I did save time by using already browned frozen ground beef. If you do this, however, make sure you heat the mixture fully before dropping the batter over the top.

Menu Planning Part 2

The past couple of weeks, I've taken time with each family member to compile a list of their favorite foods - main dishes, meats, sides, fruits, vegetables, desserts, drinks. It was a way to spend a bit of personal time with each child, and I hope that it'll make menu planning a little easier. Thankfully, there were quite a few overlaps on favorites!


During menu planning, I also like to keep in mind different ethnic foods. Our family enjoys Mexican, Italian, and Chinese foods. When we lived in town, we could order take out at the nearest Chinese restaurant and we'd get at least two, if not three, meals out of the order. Now that we live out in the country, that is not an option at the last minute. While I do have a few dishes that can be prepared at home in the crock pot or stove top that don't require much prep time, I'd like to expand the list with meals that can be frozen.


This week, I tried a new dish called Gingered Beef and Green Bean Stir-Fry. It was quick (prep. time was 30-45 minutes) and everyone liked it. It's definitely a recipe I'll add to our rotation. Here's the recipe:


Gingered Beef and Green Bean Stir-Fry
Yield: 6 servings (1/2 cup rice & 1¼ cup Gingered Beef Stir-Fry)

3 Tbl. Soy sauce (I use Tamari)
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbl. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
14 oz. chicken broth
2 tsp. dark sesame oil, divided
½ cup chopped green onion
1 tsp. ground ginger (or substitute 2 Tbl. minced, peeled fresh ginger)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound sirloin steak, cut into ¼ inch strips
5 cups green beans (cut approx. 2 inches long)*
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
¼ cup green onion tops (2 inch slices)
3 cups hot cooked white rice**

Combine the first five ingredients, stirring well. Set aside. Over medium-high heat, heat one teaspoon sesame oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok. Add ½ cup chopped green onion, ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add beef and sauté 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add remaining teaspoon sesame oil to the skillet or wok; heat over medium-high heat. Add beans and red bell pepper to pan. Cover and cook approximately 4 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the green onion tops and sauté for one minute. Return the beef mixture to the skillet. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Cook one minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

*I used frozen beans, broken into 2 inch lengths.

** I prefer basmati rice. It's a wonderful tasting rice. I also use a rice cooker, which cuts my rice cooking time to about 15 minutes. You'll want to start the rice earlier if you don't own a rice cooker.

Preparation Time: Approximately 30-45 minutes

My Favorite Meatloaf

The Camera Saga: My camera is not worth repairing says the local repairman. It's amazing how prices on digital cameras have come down since I purchased in December 2004! My new camera is half the price of my old camera, even though I chose to get a similar model, and should arrive by the end of next week. I can hardly wait . . .

This is my preferred meatloaf recipe. I did not like meatloaf as a kid, but I decided to try making meatloaf because it's a quick and easy meal base that usually yields leftovers for the next day. The first recipes I tried were very basic - hamburger, sausage, egg, oatmeal, onion - the usual ingredients in varying combinations. This recipe is different and it's adapted from a recipe printed in the Cooking Light, January 2000 issue.

Barbecued Meat Loaf
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

1 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 slice white bread*
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/4 cup fresh parsley (use about half that amount if using dried parsley)
1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin*
1/2 pound lean ground pork*
1 large egg

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Place bread in a food processor; process until finely ground. Combine bread and milk in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup ketchup mixture, onion, and the next 9 ingredients (onion through egg); stir until well-blended. Place beef mixture in an 8x4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Brush remaining ketchup mixture over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove meat loaf from pan. Cut into slices.

*I make a few adjustments to the recipe. I use whole wheat bread instead of white. Our ground beef is in 2 pound packs, so I increase the ground beef. I also increase the ground pork to 1 pound. These changes don't affect the recipe beyond providing more servings, in my opinion.

Notes:
1. I usually bake the meat loaf in a stoneware loaf pan that has been seasoned with use. I do NOT need to use cooking spray. I've found that I don't need cooking spray in any of my glass or metal pans, either.
2. I like to drain the fat with a baster after the first hour. I drain the fat again before serving.
3. This recipe doubles easily and freezes well. To freeze, bake the loaf and let cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and then wrap in foil. Label and freeze.

We serve Barbecued Meat Loaf with baked or mashed potatoes, mixed veggies or a salad.