Pizza Noodle Bake

Found this in a recent Simple & Delicious magazine. It is the first thing I've cooked in a long time that Alton would actually taste (this is the kid who will only eat mac n cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or nothing-if the alternative is eating what I prepared- for dinner). Then, believe it or not, he actually liked it! It's a miracle! So, this recipe's a keeper. Oh yeah, it was really easy to make, too. And very tasty.


10 oz. uncooked egg noodles
1-1/2 pounds ground beef (or turkey)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 jar (14 oz) pizza sauce
1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 package (3-1/2 oz) sliced pepperoni

*Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

*Add pizza sauce and mushrooms. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Drain noodles.

*In a greased 9 x 13 baking dish, layer half of the noodles, beef mixture, cheeses and pepperoni. Repeat layers. Cover and bake @ 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.

**Variations: There are people in my house who don't like mushrooms or peppers, so I left those out. =( I used a mixture of ground beef, ground turkey, and some canadian bacon (because I happened to have some in my fridge). I also used turkey pepperoni and whole wheat egg noodles (with no yolks) to make it a little more healthful. It was so good!

Mom's "Potluck" Baked Beans

My Mom always brought this dish to church potlucks when I was growing up. The dish always came home empty. And I was never competitive enough to get to the head of the line, so I usually missed out on these. Sometimes Mom would make extra for us at home, thankfully. Just make some so you can see for yourself how good these beans are! (Oh, and remember this recipe is for a potluck so it makes a lot. Just scale down for a meal at home.)

7 lb. 5 oz can pork and beans (Mom says she buys the cheapest kind)
1 lb. ground beef (or turkey), cooked and drained
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 Tbsp. mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1 lb. dark brown sugar

*Combine all ingredients in a large baking dish and bake at 325 degrees for 2-3 hours (believe me, it's worth the wait).

Grandmother B's Meatballs

These meatballs are so easy and so good! They can be served over rice for a main dish or served by themselves (with sauce) as an appetizer. I double the meatball recipe and freeze half for another time.


MEATBALLS:
1-1/2 lb. ground beef (or turkey)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. milk
1 cup oats
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup chopped onions

*Mix all ingredients and roll into balls. Bake meatballs @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

SAUCE:
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 Tbsp. brown sugar

*Mix all ingredients, then stir in meatballs. Pour into a baking pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. (Or you can simply heat it through on the stove.) Serve over rice.

The Braid

This is another family favorite. I have made this so many times and I switch up the filling ingredients every single time. First I will explain how to set up the braid, then I will include several filling variations that I have recipes for (from a pampered chef cookbook).

BRAID:

*Unroll two packages of refrigerated crescent rolls; do not separate. Arrange dough on large rectangular cookie sheet with longest sides of dough rectangles across width of pan. Roll dough to seal seams. Starting on longest sides of pan, cut sides of dough into eight strips, about 1-1/2 inches wide and 3 inches long. Scoop desired filling evenly over center of dough.

*Starting at one end, lift one strip of dough; twist one turn and lay across top of filling. Repeat, alternating strips of dough to form a braid. Fold bottom edges of dough up at ends of braid. Brush with a lightly beaten egg white and bake @ 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.



SUZANNE'S UNPROFESSIONAL FILLING:
1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (or shredded)
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
salt & pepper, to taste
garlic, to taste (fresh, minced is tastiest)
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and very well drained
shredded cheddar cheese, to taste

*Simply combine all ingredients (except cheese) and microwave until heated through. Spoon the filling into braid and sprinkle with desired amount of cheese. Finish braid and brush with egg white. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.



BEEF TACO FILLING:
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 package (1-1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
1-3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. water

Optional toppings: salsa, shredded lettuce, chopped onion and tomato, sliced olive and sour cream.

*Cook ground beef until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix, 1-1/2 cups of the cheese and water. Scoop filling into braid and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Finish braid and brush with egg white. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.


SPINACH & ARTICHOKE FILLING:
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, minced
pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp (1/2 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

*In large bowl, combine artichokes, spinach, mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, bell pepper, mayonnaise, garlic and pepper; mix well. Scoop filling into braid. Finish braid, brush with egg white and sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.


CHICKEN CLUB:
3 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, drained and chopped
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp snipped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
2 plum tomatoes, sliced

*In large bowl, combine chicken, bacon, 3/4 cup cup of the cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, parsley and garlic; mix well. Scoop filling into braid, top with tomato slices. Finish braid, brush with egg white, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.


CLASSIC REUBEN:
8 oz sliced deli corned beef, chopped (2 cups)
1 (8 oz) can sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry
1-1/4 cups (5 oz) shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1/4 cup Thousand Island dressing
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced

*In large bowl, combine corned beef, sauerkraut, 1 cup of cheese, dressing, parsley and garlic; mix well. Scoop filling into braid. Finish braid, brush with egg white and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.


CHICKEN & BROCCOLI:
2 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. dried dill
1/4 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup slivered almonds

*In large bowl, combine chicken, broccoli, cheese, bell pepper, mayonnaise, dill, salt and garlic; mix well. Scoop filling into braid, finish braid. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.


GARDEN VEGETABLE OMELET:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
8 eggs, divided
1 tsp. dill
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 pound fresh asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

*In large bowl, whisk cream cheese and milk; add flour and whisk until smooth. Separate one egg; reserve egg white. Add the yolk, remaining 7 eggs, dill, salt and pepper to cream cheese mixture; whisk until smooth. Add asparagus, bell pepper, and onion to bowl; mix well.

*Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, 4-6 minutes until eggs are set but still moist. Remove pan from heat. Scoop filling into braid and sprinkle with cheese. Finish braid and brush with egg white. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

**Variation: obviously you could omit the veggies and add whatever you want like bacon, ham, more cheese, sausage, different veggies, etc.

Spaghetti Casserole

I found this recipe in a Simple & Delicious magazine last year and it has become a favorite in our house. I especially love that is makes two casseroles so that I can freeze one for later. Most often, I will double the recipe and have several extra dishes to freeze.

1 package (16 oz) angel hair pasta
1-1/2 pounds ground beef (or turkey)
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
2 cans (8 oz each) tomato sauce
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
2 cups (8 oz) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (I just use cheddar)

*Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef until no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce. Remove from the heat.

*Drain pasta. Combine soup and sour cream. In two 8-in square baking dishes, layer half of the meat sauce, pasta, soup mixture and cheese. Repeat layers.

*Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Zucchini Hamburger Casserole

(From Annette)

This is a great way to use up fresh zucchini from your garden.

1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
6-8 cups cubed zucchini
4 medium to large carrots, sliced
1 medium potato, cubed
1 onion, chopped
4 slices bread, cubed
salt & pepper, to taste
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes
shredded cheese, to taste

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef and add remaining ingredients (except cheese). Simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender. Pour into a greased 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over top and bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.

Crescent Roll Pizza

(From Kari H.)

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls
1 lb. ground beef (or turkey)
3 celery ribs, chopped
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
3/4 tsp. chili powder
3/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

*Roll out crescent rolls in a 9 x 13 baking pan, making a rectangle. Bake according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef and celery until cooked through; drain. Add the tomato sauce, mushrooms, and seasonings; mix well. Spread over crust and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10 minutes more, or until cheese is melted.

**Variations: There is a certain husband in my house who doesn't like mushrooms or celery, so we omit those. Really, you can play around with the toppings and seasonings to suit your taste buds (or picky eaters).

Super-Easy Bean Burritos

(From Mommy Dearest, Sandi)

1 lb. ground beef (or turkey), cooked and drained
2 cans refried beans
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

*Mix all ingredients and heat through. Serve in tortillas.
**Variation: serve bean mixture over rice (or add rice to burritos)

Pongi's Hamburger

This is a super easy, quick, and cheap meal.

1 lb. ground beef (or turkey)
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can water
1 pkg. frozen corn

*Brown beef and drain; return to pan. Add dry soup mix, cream of mushroom, and water; mix. Add corn and stir. Heat through and serve over rice.