Baked Ziti with Hearty Meat Sauce

We ate this a lot last fall and winter. I used my own Meat Sauce and the kids ate it up. So, far this is my favorite Ziti recipe, and with Meat Sauce tucked away in your freezer it is really easy to put together! {Baked Ziti with Hearty Meat Sauce}
adapted from this recipe
2 1/2 - 3 C Meat Sauce (from this recipe here)
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 lb of penne pasta
1 1/2 C ricotta
1 1/2 C shredded mozzarella, divided
1/4 C parmesan cheese, divided
1 egg
1/2 T parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper

Mix together meat sauce and tomato sauce, and simmer on stove. Prepare pasta by under cooking by 4 minutes, based on the box's directions. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the ricotta, 1 C mozzarella, 2 T parmesan, egg, parsley and black pepper. Mix 1/2 half of the cheese mixture with the cooked pasta.
In your baking dish layer: 1 C of the meast sauce, 1/2 of the pasta, remaining cheese mixture, 1 1/2 C meat sauce, remaining pasta, remaining meat sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes. If your baking dish is VERY full, you will want to place something under it to catch the bubbling over that may occur.
Serve with a vegetable, green salad and bread. Such a comforting fall meal!

Wontons

{Homemade Wontons with Dipping Sauce}
adapted from this recipe
1/4 head green cabbage
1 onions
1 large carrots
1/2 T ginger
3/4 t salt
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 t black pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1 egg
1 pkg won ton wrappers
flour and water (1 part flour to 2 parts water)

Chop the veggies up super small. Mix the veggies, seasonings, and hamburger together. Add the egg and mix well. Mix the flour and water together to make a paste. Lay won ton wrappers out. Dip your finger in the paste and then coat the inside edges of the wrappers with it. Place about 1 T of meat mixture into the center of each wrapper. Fold the edges of each wrapper together, and press so the paste has a chance to seal. Repeat with all wrappers.

In an electric skillet heat 1 T olive oil. Fry the won tons over medium heat (covered) for about 5-6 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the won tons over and cook for another 5-6 minutes (uncovered).

{Dipping Sauce}
1/2 C jalapeno pepper jelly
1/4 C rice vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Heat the jelly in the microwave until it liquifies. And, the rice vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk to combine.

Asian Beef Skewers

This is another recipe that was given to us by a friend. It is quick and easy. Plus, the kids love "meat on a stick" - who knew! {Asian Beef Skewers}
original recipe here
1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons water, apple juice, or chicken broth (it is supposed to be sherry)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon barbeque sauce
1 green onions, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
3/4 pounds flank steak
skewers

In a small bowl, mix together hoisin sauce, sherry, soy sauce, barbeque sauce, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Cut flank steak across grain on a diagonal into 1/4 inch slices. Place slices in a 1 gallon resealable plastic bag. Pour hoisin sauce mixture over slices, and mix well. Refrigerate 2 hours, or overnight.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Discard marinade, and thread steak on skewers. Oil the grill grate. Grill skewers 3 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.

*Freezer Instructions: Prepare marinade and meat. Place together in a freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator all day, then proceed with skewers and grilling.

Celebrating the Holiday Season

We had a few fabulous meals together with family surrounding the Christmas holiday. To me food is love, and I really wanted this year to be special. Our Christmas Eve Dinner included Pumpkin Orecchiette with Goat Cheese and Toasted Pepitas

I love this dish. I love pumpkin and the combination of crunchiness from the pepitas and creaminess from the goat cheese are fabulous.

Herb Garlic Bread from The Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics
Christmas Salad

Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Basil Curry Mayonnaise

And, due to a small change in plans, I ended up hosting Christmas dinner also - which was fabulous. We snacked on brie with fig jam and crackers. Then, we had our traditional ham, "lightened" potato casserole, homemade rolls, carrots, asparagus, and salad. And, finally, dessert was Peppermint Layer Cake.

Layers of white and red velvet cake with peppermint cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with crushed canes.

Chili & Cornbread

Oh, Fall, how I love this season. There is a wonderful shift in the food that we eat. Comfort food to warm the little bodies in my home, and share with friends. Aunt Sharon's Easy Chili
1 1/4 lb ground sirloin
1 onion, chopped
1 pkg Chili-O seasoning mix
8 oz. tomato sauce
15 oz. stewed tomatoes
15 oz. dark red kidney beans, undrained
15 oz. pinto beans, undrained
brown sugar, to taste

Brown beef and onions in a pot big enough to hold all ingredients. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 15 minutes. Serve with Fritos, sour cream and grated cheese.
Katie's Cake-like Cornbread
3 C light Bisquick
1 C sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C cornmeal
3 eggs
1 1/2 C milk
1 stick of butter, melted

Combine dry ingredients. Beat eggs and milk with a fork. Add wet to dry; mix well with a spoon. Mix in half of the butter. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Pour the rest of the butter on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the center is done.

Aunt Susan's Minestrone

The last time I made this, I was in college and trying to impress a boy. So, as I was planning this week's menu my husband says to me, "Do we have a recipe for a GOOD minestrone?" And, I think, "Well, yes I do." You see, my husband was not the afore mentioned boy. Let's hope that it will impress my husband, too.
{Aunt Susan's Minetrone Soup}
1 1/2 - 2 lbs Italian seasoned sausage (or, 1 lb sausage with 1 lb ground beef)
2 qts water
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 can of beef broth
2 small cans of tomato sauce
1 large can of tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
1 clove garlic, minced

Cook, crumble, and drain the sausage and ground beef. Combine with all other ingredients and simmer for 6 hours. That's right - 6 hours!

20 minutes prior to serving, add:
2 C. noodles
1 can green beans, cut
1 can yellow wax beans (you could also use garbanzo beans)
1 tsp sugar
salt & pepper, to taste

Serve warm with parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

*I just got the simmer started on mine, I can't wait to smell it cooking all . . . day . . . long.

Roast Beef Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded (or, buy one bag "taco shred")
grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
avocado, diced
1/2 lb deli roast beef (ask for it shredded, super thinly sliced)
crumbled bacon

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl. Top with REAL Buttermilk Ranch dressing.

Hidden Veggie Spaghetti Sauce

My husband loves spaghetti, but I hardly ever make it. However, I decided that it is a good way to get some extra vegetables in to the little ones.

1 jar store bought spaghetti sauce, your favorite brand
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 celery rib
1/2 -1 carrot
1/4 - 1/2 onion

Finely chop all veggies. I like about an equal ratio of the three. Brown up the beef until crumbly, and cook veggies in the same pan. Drain, and return to pan. Add spaghetti sauce, stir until heated through. Serve over your favorite noodles.

Beef Taco Bake

1 lb. ground beef
1 can Tomato Soup
1 cup Salsa
1/2 cup milk
6 flour tortillas, torn
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it's well browned, stirring often. Drain. Stir the soup, salsa, milk, tortillas and half the cheese in the skillet. Spoon the beef mixture into a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Cover the baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until the beef mixture is hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes.

Fourth of July

I've been busy planning a family reunion for my dad's family, and realized that I am "right up against" the Fourth of July. Yipee! Here's a few ideas for a fun and festive Fourth!

I believe is a good old-fashined BBQ on the fourth of July, but I highly recommend you try a new burger this year. Can I say YUM?!?

How about a patriotic version of my husband's favorite dessert with the All-American Trifle. Or a classice childhood favorite of mine: Flag Cake. (Pretty basic really, but the video gives you the idea.) Here is what I will be doing. I LOVE cheesecake, and it is a simple recipe, always good when you're cooking in someone else's home. Next year, when I have more time, I'm going for these. Or, if you're skipping the dessert option, here is a Fruit Flag that you could serve anytime - even breakfast!

For the kiddos, here is a t-shirt idea, and another, and another. Or, you could go with our family favorite of blue and red tye-die! And if you're not into the festive wear, you can throw a couple of these up in your front window.

Okay, there are some fun ideas to help you celebrate one of my FAVORITE holidays. (Wink, wink - I love all holidays, but the fourth of July is definitely toward the top of my list.) Enjoy a burger and the fireworks, and think of me!

Two Meals at Mom's

We spent Tuesday night through Wednesday's dinner at Mom's house. And, the food was so yummy!

Tuesday we had:

Blue Cheese Burgers - These were amazing! And, I'm not a big burger person.

Blue Cheese Souffles with Fig and Honey

Grilled Peaches over Mixed Greens with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto Salad

Wednesday we had:

Balsamic Chicken Drumettes

Grilled Eggplant and Goat Cheese Salad

Sweet Potato Fries with Basil Salt and Garlic Mayonnaise

Chopped Mexican Salad with Roasted Pepper, Corn, Tomatoes and Avocado

Memorial Day Weekend

I know, I know . . . I have failed to get up a dinner menu for this week. What can I say, our life is always on-the-go. We spent a wonderful four-day weekend out at Lake Chelan with my family. We had a BBQ, pizza, and many other "yummies".

Here's what it looked like, food-wise:
Friday night: local burger shack for dinner
Saturday: Pancakes for breakfast; leftovers for lunch; Dinner was Dad's Famous Burgers, tomato & corn salad, Caitlin's Asian Crunch salad, and Katie's Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert
Sunday: Dad's scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast; leftovers and sandwiches for lunch; pizza and more salad for dinner (we came up with some great new combos)
Monday: French toast for breakfast; "Clean out the fridge" leftovers for lunch

Dad's Famous Burgers
ground beef
diced onions
worchestershire sauce
liquid smoke (if you have it)

Dad's Scrambled Eggs
eggs
milk
green onions
red peppers
Johnny's salt
pepper

Tomato & Corn Salad
tomatoes (red and yellow cherry)
4 ears cooked corn, blanched
2 peppers (red or orange)
4 green onions
1/2 c. basil
salt and pepper
Dressing:
1/2 c. olive oil
2 T lemon juice
2 T red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced (can subst. garlic powder)

Cut tomatoes in half (or quarters depending on size). Blanch corn, and cut kernels from the cob. Dice the peppers. Slice the green onions. Chop the basil. Mix all together. Combine all ingredients for dressing in a screw top jar, shake well. Pour dressing over salad.
I only used the half the dressing when we had it and it still tastes great! If you use it all, it can get to liquidy.

Caitlin's Asian Crunch Salad
lettuce
canned mandarin oranges, drained
sliced almonds
craisins
toasted sesame seeds
broken, uncooked ramen noodlesand
Newman’s Own Light Ginger Sesame Dressing

Katie's Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 sticks butter
6 T sugar
2 c. brown sugar
Mix until smooth.
2 eggs
4 tsp. vanilla
Add eggs one at a time, beating in between.
Combine:
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 c. flour
Slowly add to butter mixture.
Add chocolate chips to taste.
Bake at 375 for about 10 min. Don't overbake.

Our Pizzas
standard pepperoni
ground beef, turkey pepperoni, sauteed onions
greek style pizza - onion, artichokes, feta, ricotta, parsley, mint

Two Meals at Mom's

For Mother's Day, we had: tri-tip steak, rosemary roasted potatoes, broccolini, 12-grain bread, salad, and Lemonade Layer Cake with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Monday night, we had: our own CPK Thai Crunch Salad with Beef and Butternut Squash Stew.

Cinco de Mayo, Again!

Due to a whole slew of doctor's appointments, we stayed at my parents' house on Tuesday night. They had gone to a baseball game on Monday, so we had their Cinco de Mayo celebration on Tuesday. It was delish! But, what else can you expect when Caitlin is planning the menu? Try it out, it was so yummy.

The Menu
Beef-and-Chicken Fajitas with Peppers and Onions
Fruit Salad (apple, strawberry, banana, grape, kiwi, and "cara cara" orange)
Shiree's Summer Salsa with Tortilla Strips

Shiree's Summer Salsa
1 can corn, drained
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2-3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 avocado, pitted and diced
large handful of cilantro, chopped
Zesty Italian dressing

Combine all ingredients except dressing. While stirring, add dressing just until "wet". Be careful not to stir too much or the avocado will get mushy. You can also add finely diced red onion to taste.

Cinco de Mayo

It's time for our next holiday! Since Cinco de Mayo falls on Monday, I thought I'd post now so that you can plan it into your grocery lists for next week. Enjoy!

Here is a great link for a Cinco de Mayo Taco Bar. However, for the "little people" in your life my may need to tone it down a little. Try these. For dessert, how about some sombrero cookies? Or make these Mini Pinatas with your kids. You could also use this Chili Pepper Print to decorate any thing from napkins to a t-shirt. We'll be coloring this mexican mother and son.

A Few Things to Note

First off, I will be basing my Beef Empanadas off of this recipe. I first had empanadas when a roommate of mine who had served an LDS mission in Argentina made them for me. We would go down to the Mercado Latino to buy the emapanada shells. She made this traditional version, but you can also use the "shells" to make your own "pizza pockets" or calzones at home.

Second, if you are looking for substitutes when a recipe calls for alcohol, check out this link. It is the most complete list I have come across. One of those things to file under "good to know" information in your personal cookbook.

And, finally, speaking of personal cookbooks . . . this is a great way to organize all of those stray recipes you may have. I have started mine. I think the greatest idea in here (well, there are a lot) is to have a list of where to find "family favorites" at the beginning of each section. Genius, good luck!

This Week's New Recipes Review

We tried 3 new recipes this week, and didn't get to one other.

Robyn's Meatloaf
original recipe here
Other than cutting the recipe in half, I followed the preparation exactly. Then, I divided the meat mixture into sixths, rolled it in balls and put them into a muffin tin. I baked my "meatloaf muffins" at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Much faster than the called for hour and 15 minutes! We really liked this recipe, but I would recommend doubling the ketchup mixture so that you have some to serve with it. Our family likes to dip!

Chicken Tostadas
original recipe here
This one is pretty straight forward, you do what you like. I used handmade tortillas from Trader Joe's. I sprinkled the tortillas with shredded cheese, and stuck them under the broiler for a few minutes. Then, we layered refried black beans, chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and salsa. I used Safeway brand Salsa Verde and it was a little spicy. It still tasted good, but it was a little spicy.

Shells & Veggies Soup
I followed this recipe but, also add 1 can of Great Northern/White beans (drained and rinsed) to the soup. When doing it again, I will cook the pasta separately and have some extra chicken broth on hand (although we may not need it if the pasta isn't absorbing cooking liquid). And, as usual, my husband said that he would like to have had some kind of MEAT in the soup.

Baker-Style Tostadas

This is how my husband's family does tostadas. You can easily make a "something for everyone" meal out of it, by offering Tacos or Tostadas.

Baker-Style Tostadas
1 lb ground beef (or meat of choice)
taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
tortilla chips
cheese, shredded
lettuce, shredded
tomatoes, chopped
sour cream
salsa

Brown beef, and drain. Season with taco seasoning. Mix in refried beans. Layer chips on the bottom, with meat mixture on top. Then, add whatever toppings you would like.

You can also leave the meat and refried beans seperate. Serve tortillas or taco shells, and let everyone choose what they would like.

This Week's New Recipes Review

Well, we tried two new recipes this week. And, overall, they were pretty good. With some slight alterations to fit our taste, they could be great!

Cheesy Baked Mexi-Rigatoni
original recipe here
This was a great recipe. I swapped out an orange bell pepper for the 2 Anaheim peppers. (Mostly, because the grocer forgot to deliver them to me). I also felt like there was a lot of pasta, and I would have liked it a little "saucier". So next time, I will be cutting the pasta down to 1/2 -3/4 of a pound instead.

Creamy Pasta Primavera
original recipe here
We really like the flavor of this recipe, but my husband wanted it to have more sauce. (I guess, we like saucy pasta). I would try doubling the chicken broth and the cream cheese. I would also add a little more italian dressing at the end to "flavor-up" the sauce. I shook extra parmesan cheese on top of my individual servings.

St. Patty's Day

I can't believe that Saint Patrick's Day and Easter fall so close together this year (only 6 days apart)! That is a little too close to adequately "shift" holidays in between, so here are my St. Patty's plans:

Monday, March 10th - Shamrock Rice Krispie treats for FHE

Monday, March 17th (if we're still around) -
St. Patty's Breakfast:

Green milk

Green Eggs & Ham

Painted Toast or Shamrock Pancakes

St. Patty's dinner:

Potato-Leek Soup & Corned Beef and Cabbage (from the Baker family Cookbook)

Cheddar-Onion Bites (mine will be on Triscuits)

Bacon, Cheddar & Chive Scones
Pot-o-Gold Jell-O

And, then, for dessert these delicious treats!

And these darling "Wee Leprechauns" will adorn our table (if I ever get around to buying green craft foam).

So those are my St. Patrick's Day plans. Andrew had a great time making the Shamrock Rice Krispies, but mostly he was eating the over-sized marshmallows. At a certain point, you have to cut the kid offf!