Lasagne Soup

In the cold months of fall and winter, I like to serve soup at least once per week. It's such a warm me up dish that is absolutely delicious with homemade bread or rolls. However, by mid January I was getting a little tired of the same ol', same ol' soups week in and week out. It seems that my husband is rather picky when it comes to soup and I found myself making Chili, Vegetable Beef Soup and Potato Soup most of the time. Then, Real Mom Kitchen had "Soup Week" in January, and shared the recipe for this Lasagne Soup. I had to have it. I knew it was a MUST try! We love lasagne, we love soup...what's NOT to love about this recipe? I changed her recipe from being a stovetop prep to Slow Cooker and I served this soup up with Parmesan Knots (recipe coming soon!) and it was the perfect solution to a perfectly cold day!

Ingredients

- 1 lb. ground beef

- 3 T.  dried, minced onion

- 3 T. Garlic Powder

- 1 t. Thyme

- 1 T. packed Brown Sugar

- 4 cups of Chicken Broth

- 2, (14.5 ounce) cans Diced Tomatoes

- 2, (8 ounce) cans Tomato Sauce

- 2 t. Italian Seasoning

- 1/2 t. Salt

- 2 c. uncooked shaped pasta

- 1/2 c. Grated Parmesan Cheese

In a skillet, brown ground beef, then add onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. Drain well and put in crockpot. Stir in thyme, brown sugar, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. In the last thirty minutes of cooking, add cooked pasta to soup and stir in Parmesan cheese.

Directions

Savory Pot Roast

I feel like I've tried every pot roast recipe out there. Seriously. Okay, maybe not every pot roast recipe out there, but we've tried a lot. I just have issues with pot roast. I guess I like 'em creamy - and they all just turn out juicy. I'd prefer for the roast to soak up in gravy that I can drown my potatoes in.

I have found one recipe that I make time and time again, which calls for a can of cranberry sauce. But I was out of cranberry sauce, so I turned to A Year of Slowcooking in search of another fabulous pot roast recipe. I mostly chose this one on the basis that I had everything in my pantry and wouldn't have to venture out in the -15 degree temps (yep. that's a negative sign before the fifteen there peeps!) to the grocery store. This did turn out fabulously - not creamy like I long for - but it had excellent flavor!

Ingredients

Rump or Chuck roast

1/4 c. Brown Sugar

1/2 c. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 c. Ketchup

2 c. Chicken Broth

2 c. Baby Carrots (optional)

Directions

Put the roast into of your crockpot pot, and pour in brown sugar, vinegar, and ketchup. Toss in carrots (if using). Pour broth evenly over the top. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the meat has reached desired tenderness.

Thick and Hearty Chili

A few weeks ago, I was making a crockpot full of soup, and my husband asked if it was Chili that I was preparing. I told him no, but that I had chili planned for a night later in the month. He responded with "Good. I like Chili". Fast Forward to yesterday morning. I was pulling the ingredients out to make the promised pot of chili, and my husband walked over and asked what I was fixing. I told him chili, and he responded with "I don't like chili." WHAAAAAAAT??!??? I reminded him of the previous conversation, and he said "Well, I like chili. Just not yours. I prefer for there to be tomato chunks. And for it to be REALLY thick. And lots of hamburger". Okay. I can work with that. So I put away all of the ingredients for the original chili recipe I was going to use, and concocted this recipe for a thick, hearty, chunky chili. It was a hit!

Ingredients

1 (16 oz.) can Tomato Sauce

2 c. Black Beans

1 lb. Ground Beef, Browned

1 (16 oz.) can Refried Beans

2 1/2 T. Chili Seasoning

1 (16 oz) can Stewed Tomatoes, cut into chunks

Directions

Combine all ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and let simmer on low for one hour.

Go check out more great recipes at Foodie Friday, Friday Feasts and Fun with Food Friday.

Santa Fe Skillet

I love skillet dinners! They are just so easy to whip up, which makes them great for a busy night when cooking isn't your top priority...but giving your family a home cooked meal is. This recipe, which I found over at Put a Lyd on It!, (and changed quite a bit), reminded me a lot of that taco flavored Hamburger Helper. We don't eat much Hamburger Helper in this house. Only about two boxes per year, which I keep on hand for those reaallllllyyy stretched nights when I don't even have time to think. But anyways, it reminded me of that. But tastier. And homecooked.

At first I was worried that we were just going to have a fancified goulash on our hands, which worried me, because we all know about my love for goulash (eh hem). I was pleasantly surprised that this turned out nothing like better tasting than goulash. It had a great Mexican flavor to it while still being family friendly with the noodles and ground beef. I give this recipe two thumbs up...and so did hubs!

Ingredients...

...1 lb. ground meat

...1 package (6 or so oz.) pasta

...1 c. salsa

...1 T. chili powder

...1 packet taco seasoning

...1/2 tsp. salt

...1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

...2 tomatoes, diced

...1 c. shredded cheese

...1/2 c. sour cream

Directions...

Cook pasta in a large pot until tender. Drain. Meanwhile, in a skillet, brown meat until no longer pink. Add cooked pasta, taco seasoning packet, chili powder, salt and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese. Simmer for 5 minutes longer and serve.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

I'm not going to lie and pretend that I've had homemade spaghetti sauce before. I haven't. I'm pretty much a Ragu kind of girl. Just give me a jar of Ragu and I'm golden. I mean, the stuff can be used on anything! Pizza, spaghetti, lasagna, the list is endless! I broke my Ragu from the jar snobbery last week though and made my own spaghetti sauce...from scratch. That's right my squeezies, I made HOMEMADE spaghetti sauce. And....I liked it! Don't tell Ragu, he'll be devastated to know that I'll only be using him for pizza (and maybe lasagna) from now on.

I found this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe and it is a recipe that she has worked on perfecting for some time now. And then I went and just messed it all up. On purpose though. I made changes that I wanted for my spaghetti sauce...changes that I was going to find incredibly tasty (and. changes that reflected the ingredients that I had on hand). I was incredibly happy with the turnout of this sauce. It was so amazing, the tomato flavor was so real and the texture was so great! Not too thin, not too chunky, not too weak of flavor...it was all just so right on. So just be aware that you will never be able to go back to jarred pasta sauce for your spaghetti again after trying this recipe. Because you might just will fall in love with this recipe!

Ingredients...

...3 T. olive oil

...1 large onion, chopped (not pictured)

...1 lb. ground meat

...1 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

... 12 oz. tomato paste

...2 tsp. salt

...1 tsp. black pepper

...3 tsp. oregano

...1 1/2 tsp. basil

...1 1/2 tsp. thyme

...56 oz. diced tomatoes

...28 oz. crushed tomatoes

...1 can mushrooms

...1 beef boullion cube dissolved in 1 c. boiling water

...2 T. brown sugar

...2 bay leaves

Directions...

In a skillet, heat up olive oil and add onions. Saute onions until they are translucent. Add ground meat and cook until it is no longer pink. Stir in garlic powder, tomato paste, thyme, oregeno, basil, pepper and salt. Let cook for about 2 minutes.  In a large (and I mean LARGE) pot stir together crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, boullion/water mixture and brown sugar. Add in meat mixture and stir until well combined. Toss in two bay leaves and let simmer for at least one hour and no longer than three.

To lessen the amount that needs simmered, you can freeze half of the mixture before simmering. I froze in portions equal to a jar of pasta sauce so I can easily pull them out from the freezer for spaghetti or lasagna night! This makes a HUUUGGGEE batch!

Steak Hoagies

When it comes to sandwiches, I'm pretty boring. Growing up, unless it was PB&J, cold meat w/ cheese or grilled cheese, we didn't have it. Which probably explains my fascination with Subway throughout high school. I especially loved Subway's Philly Cheesesteak sub, and ate it frequently as my high school job was next door in the strip mall to a Subway! I don't think I loved it because it was Philly Cheesesteak...I think I loved it simply because it was something different. Something more fancy than PB&J or bologna with a cheese slice sandwiched between two slices of bread.

So that all goes to explain why I have been on a mission lately to find lots of delicious sandwich recipes that I can create right here at home. I found this particular recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe and was very pleased with how delicious this hoagie sandwich came out! It was also super easy to create! This is another recipe that is going into my file for lighter and amazing recipes to put into rotation this spring and summer! The only downside is that this was perhaps a bit on the peppery side, which if you like pepper is a good thing! But if you don't care for lots of pepper on your food (like me) then you may want to scale it back...but don't eliminate it -- it adds a great dimension to this sandwich! I also strongly encourage that you don't skip the broiling process at the end. The way that it melts the cheese into a state of ooey gooey deliciousness and toasts the bun just a tidge makes this recipe seem completely pulled together and not just like you whipped up a filling, spooned onto cold buns and ran (even if that is, in fact, the case...)

Ingredients...

...2 medium sized steaks, cut into strips

...1 T. of equal parts pepper, salt and garlic salt (this is where you would lessen the pepper if you aren't a fan)

...2 T. olive oil

..1/2 onion, thinly sliced

...1 green pepper, thinly sliced

...1 can mushrooms, drained

...1/2 tsp. oregeno

...1 slice of cheese per sub

...sub rolls or hoagie buns

Directions...

Heat olive oil in a skillet until rippling. Cook steak strips in oil until cooked through and no longer pink. Add onion, spice mixture, green pepper, mushrooms and oregano, stirring to evenly coat with all spices. Cook until vegetables are tender and the mixture is heated through. Using a slotted spoon, spoon onto sub roll or hoagie bun and then add cheese. Broil for about 5 minutes, until bun is toasted and cheese is melted.

Lasagna

I did something the other day that I have never in my life done before. I used a recipe off the back of a box. Honestly. I have never used a back of the box recipe before! I don't know what made me do it. Maybe it was because I didn't have all the ingredients for my Mom's Lasagna, but I did for this one. Or maybe it was because I was eager to try something new. Or maybe...it was both.

I can't tell you how this recipe turned out, taste wise, because I gave it to my dad. Much against my husband's will. However, if the smell wafting through my house while this was baking in the oven is any indicator of how good this lasagna is then it is a mighty tasty dish!

Ingredients...

...1 pkg. lasagna noodles
...1 lb. ground meat, browned
...2 eggs, slightly beaten
...2 c. shredded mozzerella cheese
...1 (30) oz. ctr. Cottage Cheese
...1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
...1 tsp. dried basil
...1 (26 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
...1 c. water

Directions...

In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, 1 c. of the Mozzerella cheese, 1/4 c. of the Parmesan cheese, eggs and basil. Mix well. In another medium bowl, combine spaghetti sauce, water and ground beef. Mix well. In a 9x13 pan spread 1 1/2 c. of the meat sauce. Cover with lasagna noodles. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over noodles, followed by 1/3 of the meat sauce. Repeat layering once, top with noodles and then remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzerella and parmesan cheese. Wrap the pan tightly with foil and bake at 375 for 55-60 minutes. Upon removal from oven, let stand, still covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

Bubble Pizza

This is an interesting take on pizza night. I actually quite enjoy it! Pizza in casserole form! This recipe is an old family favorite, we had this a lot growing up and I have loved it ever since. It seems like lately I've been falling back on a lot of old family favorites, mostly because they are all quick and easy...which is nice on busy nights when I'm too tired to cook when I get home from work (which, considering that I am in my third trimester, seems to be quite often lately...). I also like dishes like this because I can prepare them ahead of time and then just toss them in the oven when I get home and go about other things around the house. Like cleaning.

Except 9 times out of 10 I don't go about cleaning. I go about sitting in the chair with a mug of hot cocoa and watching Friends reruns until the oven timer goes off. And pray the whole while that hubs will offer to do the dishes. One of these nights he will make that offer....I hope...

Ingredients...

...1 lb. ground meat
...2 tubes refrigerator biscuits
...1/2 jar Ragu Sauce
...1/2 green pepper, chopped
...1/2 onion, chopped
...1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
...Pepperoni slices, you choose how many you want
...1 c. shredded cheese

Directions...

Brown the ground meat with the peppers and onions until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Combine in a large mixing bowl with all remaining ingredients and spread in a greased 9x13 casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

To see more great recipes, be sure to check out the Ultimate Recipe Swap going on over at Life as Mom and the Recipe Swap going on over at The Grocery Cart Challenge!

Slow Cooked Vegetable Beef Soup

Ohmygosh! Why did it take me sooo long to make my own Vegetable Beef soup?!?!? If that doesn't give you any tips as to how good this soup is, then let me spell it out for you.

This. Soup. Is. Amazing.

End of story.

I started this soup in the morning, and then taste tested it before I went to work for the afternoon...I seriously didn't want to go to work after I tested it. I just wanted to sit at home all afternoon and eat this soup. I was practically giddy all afternoon at work, just thinking about this soup simmering away in the slow cooker at home, awaiting my arrival. The wait to eat this for supper was worth every. last. minute. YUUMMMMM!!! The seasonings and spices are right on, the consistency is perfect, and the combination of everything together is just heaven. Heaven in a bowl. Perhaps we should rename this...

I bet you can't guess where I got this recipe from either (wink, wink). Surely enough...Taste of Home's Slow Cooker Favorites cookbook. I've sang my praises about Taste of Home before, and I'll sing them again. I love Taste of Home. Probably just about as much as I love this soup! The recipes are so down home delicious and easy. I mean, you just can't beat chopping some stuff up and tossing it in the slow cooker for 8 hours while you go out and enjoy yourself, then coming home to a fully prepared dinner! It's like you have your own maid or chef or something slaving at the stove all day for you!

Ingredients...

...1 lb. steak, cut into cubes
...1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
...3 c. water
...2-3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
...1 onion, diced
...3 celery ribs, sliced
...3 carrots, sliced
...3 beef bouillon cubes
...1/2 tsp. dried basil
...1/2 tsp. dried oregano
...1/2 tsp. salt
...1/4 tsp. pepper
...1 pkg. frozen mixed vegetables

Directions...

Combine the first 12 ingredients in your slow cooker. Cook on high for 6 hours. Add frozen vegetables and cook an additional 2 hours on high.

To see more great crockpot recipes be sure to check out Crockpot Wednesday over at Dining with Debbie!

Hamburger Rice Dish

This recipe was my mom's. I don't remember her making it a single once while we were growing up, but I found the recipe card written out in her distinct handwriting in a recipe box one day, so I know that at some point she made it for us and liked it. Truthfully though, this is basically homemade Hamburger Helper. Nothing fancy, pretty basic. In all of it's simplicity however, it was quite delicious. Beats the box off any Hamburger Helper any day. Probably cheaper too, and faster. I'll take it...

Ingredients...

...1 lb. ground meat
...1 can cream of mushroom soup
...1 can cream of chicken soup
...1 c. water
...2 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
...1 c. instant rice
...1 c. celery (not pictured, sorry!)
...1/2 cup onion, chopped

Directions...

Combine all ingredients in an oven safe casserole dish and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

To see more great recipes, be sure to check out Tempt My Tummy Tuesday over at Blessed with Grace, Tuesdays at the Table over at All the Smal Stuff and Tasty Tuesday over at Beauty and Bedlam!

Salisbury Steak

I don't know what it is about salisbury steak, but I just can't make it. I tried about a month ago, and screwed it up in the beginning stages so I ended up tossing it, I think. So I decided to give it another go, this time with a different recipe. One that I found in one of the cookbook's of my grandma's that I recieved when we cleaned out her house. I still wasn't impressed. The ground meat crumbled up in the pan, making it hard to flip and cook and such. I also wasn't impressed because it basically tasted like meatloaf. But with a lot more effort on my part to make it.

Ingredients...

...1 lb. ground meat
...1 can cream of mushroom soup
...1/3 cup water
...1 egg, slightly beaten
...1/2 c. bread crumbs
...1/4 c. cup onion, chopped

Directions...

Combine 1/4 c. soup with egg, bread crumbs, meat and onion. Mix thoroughly. Shape into patties and brown in a skillet. In a small bowl, combine remaining soup with water and pour over patties in skillet. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring often to avoid a burnt mess on the bottom of your pan.

Porcupine Meatballs

I'm not gonna lie. I've never really understood the title of "porcupine" meatballs. I mean, what's "porcupine" about them? I suppose the rice is what is being referenced, but I don't understand how it qualifies as porcupine. I guess I'm just over analyzing the situation.

Imagine that...

I have another confession. I'm no good at making meatballs. Mostly because they don't turn out ball like at all. They always come out looking more square like. It's frustrating, really. One of these days I'll get the hang of it. Until then, we're just going to have to settle for Porcupine Meatsquares.

Overall though, these meat(squares)balls were very good! I made the mistake of trying to streamline my supper routine, and made the balls and sauce ahead of time, so all I had to do was throw them together in the pan when I got home from work and let simmer for an hour. Don't do that. The rice didn't cook through, so it came out a crunchy sort of meatball. Which made me understand where the whole porcupine thing might come into play, but I have a feeling it wasn't supposed to be that way, so I'm back to the confusion of square one.

Ingredients...

...1 lb. ground meat
...1/2 c. uncooked long grain rice
...1/2 c. water
...1/3 c. onion, chopped

...1 tsp. salt
...1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
...1/8 tsp. garlic powder
...2 T. vegetable oil
...1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
...1 c. water
...2 T. brown sugar
...2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions...

In a bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. Shape into balls and cook in oil in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain. In a bowl, combine tomato sauce, water, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over meatballs. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

To see more great recipes, check out the Ultimate Recipe Swap going on over at Life as Mom!

Ground Beef Macaroni Casserole

I don't know what it is that draws me to the goulash type recipes. Because I hate goulash. But yet, here I sit once again sharing a recipe with you for a goulash dish.

*sigh* when will I ever learn...

To be fair to this particular goulash recipe, which I found in a hometown church cookbook, was actually was pretty good. I think it was the addition of the cheddar cheese soup... it made it creamier and added some flavor. However, I only liked this recipe the first time around. When it came time to reheat it for leftovers, it was the same as any old goulash recipe I've made, and I didn't like it. So only make enough of this to last for one meal!!

Ingredients...

...1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
...1 can tomato soup
...1 can cheddar cheese soup
...1 T. instant chopped onion
...1 c. macaroni, cooked
...1/2 tsp. sugar
...3/4 tsp. salt
...1/2 c. celery, diced
...1/4 tsp. basil
...dash of pepper

Directions...

Combine all ingredients in an oven safe casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

To see other great potluck worthy recipes be sure to check out the Ultimate Recipe Swap going on over at Life as Mom!

Grandma's Pot Roast

This was how I grew up on pot roast. Nothing fancy. Pretty plain and simple. But super delicious to me because it's how I know it. I remember the first time I saw my grandma pour a bottle of Pepsi into this and almost gagging because of my severe dislike for Pepsi (and Coke. and Dr. Pepper.), but Grandma just hushed me and told me it's how she always makes it and that I won't even know it's in there.

Well obviously so, since that's how she's been making it for decades and I never noticed before...

Ingredients...

...1 pot roast
...1 packet dry onion soup mix
...1 can cream of mushroom soup
...1 bottle Pepsi

Directions...

Place roast in slowcooker and top with remaining ingredients, making sure to combine everything well. Cook on low for 8-9 hours.

For more great crockpot recipes, be sure to check out Crockpot Wednesday over at Dining with Debbie!

Taco Salad

For some reason, foods like taco salad just scream party food to me. I don't know why, but this recipe especially just seems very Super Bowl Party appropriate. Not only that, but it's also a great way to get a more "healthy" food into your loved ones systems than just plain chips and dips.

I love making taco salads this way, all mixed up in one bowl. All you have to do is just scoop and serve. Usually, I just lay out a buffet of taco salad makings, but then we end up with people who put almost all meat on their plates, leaving only lettuce and tomatoes for the rest. This way, when it's all mixed together, at least everyone has fair game for every ingredient!!

This recipe was originally printed in a hometown church cookbook, but the ingredients called for are a little different than what I list. I remember once, when I was 12, we had a church picnic one Sunday evening to celebrate the beginning of summer. As farmers, I believe we had been baling hay all afternoon, so when it came time to get ready for the potluck picnic, my mom got worked up because she didn't have anything to take! She took a quick glance at this recipe and then started pulling things from the cupboard and refrigerator to make it work, while still loosely following the recipe. This was the first time I had eaten a taco salad like this (growing up, we did them like previously mentioned, as a build your own) and I remember that I loved it!! So when I was making this recipe, I used the changes that we made in that particular rushed church potluck salad (yes. I still remember!) and still loved it!!

Ingredients...

...1 lb. ground beef
...1 pkg. taco seasoning
...8 oz. catalina dressing
...1 T. taco sauce
...1 head lettuce, broken up
...1 onion, chopped
...3-4 medium potatoes, chunked
...1 green pepper, chopped
...6 oz. shredded cheese
...Taco Chips (Doritos)

Directions...

Brown ground beef with onion and taco seasoning. Stir together all ingredients in a large bowl until everything is well covered and combined. Can be served cold, but is better when taco meat is still warm.

To see more delicious recipes, check out Tempt my Tummy Tuesday over at Blessed with Grace and Tasty Tuesday over at Beauty and Bedlam!

Enchilada Stacks

I recently inherited many of my grandmothers cookbooks. All of the books were ones put together by local organizations, so they are chock full of good down home cooking and recipes from the wonderful women (and men!) of my grandmothers' and parents' generation.

One cookbook in particular has been a favorite of mine to peruse and use recipes from. It was published in 1995 by the ladies of our small town (population: 300. Maybe. You think I'm joking!) I know just about every woman whose name is listed under a recipe...which is understandable considering the population count. Not only that, but a lot of these recipes I remember my mom and grandma making from this very cookbook while I was growing up.

So it's easy to understand why I couldn't wait to get going making recipes from this cookbook...recipes that we ate growing up and that I forgot about. This recipe is no exception. My mom made this recipe for supper often, and it was a favorite among my sisters and I. I wasn't disappointed with it this time around either...it's so delicious!

Ingredients...

...Tortilla Shells (you will need 3-4 per stack)

...1 lb. ground meat

...1/2 c. onions, chopped

...1 pkg. taco seasoning

...sour cream

...salsa

...shredded cheese

...peppers (I used green)

Directions...

Brown ground beef with onions and taco seasoning. In a greased circle cake pan lay one tortilla down, and top with ground beef mixture, shredded cheese and peppers. Add another tortilla and repeat previous step. Add a third tortilla and top with remaining ground beef, sour cream and salsa. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes.

Mini Sliders

This is the most perfect starter for a night out for two reasons. First, they are small enough not to count as a full meal. Second, they are big enough to put enough food in your stomach so that you aren't snacking on the super calorific appetizers all night! Not only would these make a great starter for any party or night out, but they also make a fun and easy meal. The only downside to this recipe? I don't measure. I just guess. So figuring measurements out is up to you and what looks good!

Ingredients...

...1 lb. ground meat
...2 eggs
...Shredded Cheese
...Seasoned Salt
...Minced Onion
...Garlic Powder

Directions...

In a large bowl, combine ground meat, eggs and cheese. Add in seasoned salt, garlic powder and minced onion until the flavor is to your liking. Form small patties from the mixture and cook in a hot skillet until browned all the way through. Serve on rolls or small hamburger buns with the appropriate condiments!

Beef Gravy over Noodles

Hubs always begs me to make sausage and gravy over biscuits. Except for one thing. I don't like sausage. I know, I know. It can't be natural to not like sausage. But I don't. So when I found this recipe for beef gravy I figured that maybe I was onto something! Hubs gets his gravy to eat over whatever he pleased...and I don't have to eat sausage. If you are a huge sausage gravy fan, then I'm warning you now that this isn't the dish for you. You will be disappointed by the lack of spice in this recipe compared to sausage gravy. I however, thought that this was absolutely fab! The spice was just right for me, it is great served over just about anything, and it's super simple to make, which is great for a busy night!

Ingredients...

...1 lb. ground meat
...1/3 c. flour
...3 1/4 c. milk
...black pepper
....salt
...garlic powder (not pictured)
...minced onion (not pictured)

Directions...

In a skillet, brown the ground meat. Once the meat is done, add the flour and continue cooking until the flour is no longer white. Add the milk and cook over medium high heat until thickened. While the milk is thickening, add salt, pepper, garlic powder and minced onion until it is the desired taste. Serve over noodles, mashed potatoes, biscuits, rice, or anything else that you please!

Crockpot Meatballs in BBQ and Cranberry Sauce

It's at this time of year that I truly appreciate my crockpot. It comes in handy on so many occaisons! In all the hustle and bustle and running around that comes with the holiday season, it's so nice to have supper slow cooking at home so you don't have to worry about rushing through supper preparation when you get home! The slow cooker is also a great way to transport your delicious dishes to family get togethers! It's also a great way to free up some oven space for the other dishes you and family are preparing for family gatherings.

This recipe is sooo simple and amazingly delicious! At first I thought that the combination of ingredients was really weird, but then I figured that most meatball recipes call for a strange combination of ingredients, so might as well give this a shot! Besides, who doesn't have a can of jellied cranberries sitting in their pantry during this time of year?!?

Ingredients...

...1 lb. meatballs (I used homemade meatballs that I premade a week before and then froze until ready to toss in the crock...)
...1 can jellied cranberries
...1/2 cup barbecue sauce
...1 T. soy sauce

Directions...

Slice jellied cranberries into thin slices and line bottom of crockpot with the slices. Cover craberry slices with barbecue and soy sauces. Place (still frozen) meatballs on top of saues and cranberries. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3.

As a side note, you can use meatballs that aren't frozen for this recipe, just watch the cooking time, and shorten it some since the meatballs are already thawed out.

To see more great recipes, check out Mouthwatering Monday over at A Southern Fairytale!

Mom's Lasagna

Lasagna is one of America's favorite Italian dishes! Families all over enjoy a hearty supper together at night over this dish. So it's no surprise that one of my favorite dishes growing up was my mom's lasagna recipe! I've tried various other recipes, but I always come back to this one. I think it's just a comfort food type thing. Not only did my mom make this, but so did my grandma. So when I found the yellowed and well worn recipe card with my grandma's scrolly cursive handwriting recording this recipe, I added it to my "family favorites" recipe box so I can make this very recipe for my own family, and carry on this lasagna through the family.

Ingredients...

no picture, sorry!

...12 oz. container cottage cheese

...2 c. shredded cheese

...2 eggs (beaten)

...1 jar (32 oz.) pasta sauce

...1 lb. ground meat, browned

...lasagna noodles

Directions...

In a medium bowl, mix together cheeses and eggs. In another medium bowl, stir together browned meat and pasta sauce. In a 9x13 pan, spread a small amount of the sauce/meat mixture on the bottom. Cover sauce with a layer of lasagna noodles. Top noodles with 1/2 of the cheese mixture and more sauce. Add another layer of noodles and top that with remaining cheese and sauce mixtures. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and top with shredded cheese. Continue baking an additional 15 minutes (uncovered).

To see more great reipes, check out Tempt my Tummy Tuesday over at Blessed with Grace and Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam!