Lasagna Soup

Made this soup tonight, and it was so good!! It came from sweet ol' Paula Dean so you know it's good :)

Ingredients

1 lb ground chuck-I used ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1 (32 ounce) box chicken broth
2 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cup broken lasagna noodles
1 (5 ounce) package grated parmesan cheese
2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
garlic crostini, recipe follows

Garlic Crostini:
1 thin French baguette
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves smashed garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large Dutch oven, combine ground chuck, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and crumbles. Drain well.

Stir in thyme, brown sugar, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add noodles, and simmer until noodles are tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into 8 to 10 ovenproof bowls. Evenly sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Broil soups, 6-inches from heat, 3 to 4 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly. Add a garlic crostini slice on top. Serve immediately.

For the garlic crostini:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut bread into 1/4-inch round slices. Place on baking sheet and brush each slice with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; place in oven and bake until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Rub each side with smashed garlic cloves.

Orange Thai Beef Skewers

I really am not a huge fan of steak, but I could not get enough of these!!! The marinade is really really good, make sure you let it marinate for at least 4 hours. This recipe came from Our Best Bites, and they recommend putting the steak in the freezer for like 20 mins to make cutting it easier.

Ingredients
1 orange
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 T honey
1T sesame oil
1 t ground ginger
1 t coriander
4 cloves garlic
2-4 t Sriracha chili sauce*

1 1/2 lb flank steak

Directions
*Sriracha is a really great hot chili sauce that can easily be found in most grocery stores in the Asian foods section. It has a rooster on the bottle- you can't miss it! It's also used in one of my most favorite meals ever- Kate's Thai Peanut Noodles. If you have to substitute, you could easily add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or plain ol' hot sauce to the marinade.

Grab a bowl for your marinade. Zest your orange and add all of the zest to the bowl. Then cut the orange in half and add all of the juice as well. You should have at least 1/4 C orange juice and anything more than that is just fine. To the orange mixture, add soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, ginger, coriander, and garlic. Then add Sriracha to your liking. I've found that once these are marinaded and cooked, the spice mellows quite a bit. I add 2t Sriracha and it's mild enough that my toddler gobbles them up. It's not even really spicey, just flavorful. So if you like heat, I'd do more like 3-4 teaspoons of Sriracha. Whisk the marinade so everything is combined.

Take the flank steak and slice it across the grain into about 1/4" slices.

When you're ready to get cookin' preheat your grill. Then take your skewers (pre-soaked if you're using wood/bamboo ones) and thread on the strips of meat, just like you're stitching.Place them on the grill. These cook really fast. Overcooked flank steak will be tough and chewy, so don't over do it! They should only take about 3-4 minutes on each side. Flip half way through.

Now these don't only cook fast, they cool fast. So get the rest of your meal all ready, set the table, gather the kids, etc. Grill these up at the last minute so you can serve them hot off the grill, literally.

I usually make this with scallion rice. I cook 1C dry rice in 2C water and when it's done I hit it with a couple pats of butter, a big handful of sliced green onions and a splash of lime juice. With lots of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Easy Crockpot Lasagna

I refuse to turn on my oven when it is so hot outside, so we have been all about bbq's and crockpots lately~This recipe came from thegirlwhoateeverything.blogspot.com
I added about 2 cups of chopped frozen spinach to the cheese mixture to make it a little healthier, and I thought it tasted great too.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (16 ounces) ground beef


• 1/2 cup diced white onion


• 1 teaspoon minced garlic


• 1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce


• 1/2 cup water


• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese


• 2 cups mozzarella cheese


• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


• 1 whole egg


• 2 cups chopped spinach (optional)
  


• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley


• 6 uncooked lasagna noodles

Directions:

1. In a large skillet brown beef and onion. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Drain.


2. Add spaghetti sauce and water and simmer for about 5 minutes.


3. Mix ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan, egg and parsley.


4. Pour 1 cup of spaghetti meat sauce into a 4 to 6 quart sized slow cooker. Place half of the noodles and half of the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles (If the noodles don't fit exactly break them to fit) and cheese mixture and meat sauce.


5. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until noodles are soft. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Cover with the lid to melt the cheese and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.


6. Do not overcook and don't try to speed up the process by cooking it on high.

Taco Salad

1/2 cup mayonnaise, can use low fat

1/2 cup sour cream

1 -2 tablespoon milk, depending on your thickness preference

2 tablespoons minced tomatoes

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 teaspoons canned jalapeno slices, minced

1 tablespoon finely minced onion

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

This recipe (minus the dressing) came from melskitchencafe.com. It was probably the best taco salad I've ever had, no lie! We halved it for our family, but you can easily freeze whatever you don't use. Definitely make the dressing, it was really good on it!!!

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

6 cups water

1 cup rice (white or brown)

1 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Southwest Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise, can use low fat

1/2 cup sour cream

1 -2 tablespoon milk, depending on your thickness preference

2 tablespoons minced tomatoes

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 teaspoons canned jalapeno slices, minced

1 tablespoon finely minced onion

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions: I just threw everything in the blender until smooth. Add more milk if you like it thinner (I added a couple more tablespoons). I also halved it for just Ryan and I.

1/2 cup mayonnaise, can use low fat

1/2 cup sour cream

1 -2 tablespoon milk, depending on your thickness preference

2 tablespoons minced tomatoes

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 teaspoons canned jalapeno slices, minced

1 tablespoon finely minced onion

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/southwest-ranch-salad-dressing-167319#ixzz1NywywnRQ

1/2 cup mayonnaise, can use low fat

1/2 cup sour cream

1 -2 tablespoon milk, depending on your thickness preference

2 tablespoons minced tomatoes

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 teaspoons canned jalapeno slices, minced

1 tablespoon finely minced onion

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/southwest-ranch-salad-dressing-167319#ixzz1NywywnRQ

1/2 cup mayonnaise, can use low fat

1/2 cup sour cream

1 -2 tablespoon milk, depending on your thickness preference

2 tablespoons minced tomatoes

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 teaspoons canned jalapeno slices, minced

1 tablespoon finely minced onion

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/southwest-ranch-salad-dressing-167319#ixzz1NywywnRQ

1/2 cup sour cream

1 -2 tablespoon milk, depending on your thickness preference

2 tablespoons minced tomatoes

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 teaspoons canned jalapeno slices, minced

1 tablespoon finely minced onion

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/southwest-ranch-salad-dressing-167319#ixzz1NywywnRQ

Directions:

1/2 cup mayonnaise, can use low fat

1/2 cup sour cream

1 -2 tablespoon milk, depending on your thickness preference

2 tablespoons minced tomatoes

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 teaspoons canned jalapeno slices, minced

1 tablespoon finely minced onion

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/southwest-ranch-salad-dressing-167319#ixzz1NywpBU6D

1/2 cup mayonnaise, can use low fat

1/2 cup sour cream

1 -2 tablespoon milk, depending on your thickness preference

2 tablespoons minced tomatoes

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 teaspoons canned jalapeno slices, minced

1 tablespoon finely minced onion

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/southwest-ranch-salad-dressing-167319#ixzz1NywpBU6DDirections:

In a large pot, brown the ground beef or turkey with the onion and garlic and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain any accumulated grease. Add the water, rice, seasonings, tomato sauce, tomato paste and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, watching to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot (if you are using brown rice, it may need to simmer for up to 60-70 minutes). The mixture will seem very watery at first, but after simmering, it will thicken to perfection as the rice absorbs water and all the ingredients meld together.

I layered chips on a plate, then meat/beans, followed by taco toppings (lettuce,cheese,tomatoes,onions,avacados,etc), then drizzled with southwest dressing.

Amazing Shredded Beef Chimichangas

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can beef broth

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Flour tortillas

3 Tb melted butter

Salsa

Guacamole

Sour Cream

Directions:

1.Brown roast in large pan with some olive oil or butter. After a few minutes, add onion and garlic to pan. Make sure roast is browned on all sides (about 10 minutes or so.)

2. Place roast, onion and garlic in crock pot. Add remaining ingredients. (I didn't measure when I added in the spices, and my roast was larger. You might want to add a little water if your roast is larger too).

3.Cook on low 8-10 hours, or until roast shreds very easily. (This is very important, if it doesn't shred easily let it cook longer.)

4.Fill tortillas with shredded beef and some monterrey jack cheese. After they have all been filled and rolled, you can either brush with melted over the entire tortilla, or spray them all over with cooking spray.

5.Bake in oven set at 450. Bake around 8-10 minutes or until crispy.

6.Serve with your favorites: Guacamole, salsa, sour cream, cheese sauce, etc.

Taco Soup

I really just improvised on this recipe but it came out pretty good, it makes a ton so be sure to invite some friends over for this one!

3 chicken breasts or 1 pound ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can kidney beans with liquid
1 can corn, drained
1 8 oz. tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 (14.5 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 package taco seasoning
1 package ranch mix

Brown beef in skillet, drain and transfer to crock pot. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low 8 hours. Fry some corn tortilla strips and serve over soup (or use crushed chips if you are feelin lazy). Top with cilantro, cheese, avacado, sour cream.

Best Taco Meat

This recipe came from the recipe exchange from Deseree too, and it was soo good!
Browned taco meat
1 or 2 cups salsa
Brown and cook your taco meat how you normally cook it. Puree salsa in a blender or use immersion blender. Then add cooked meat and salsa to the crock pot cook on low for 2 – 4 hours.
I know it’s annoying to cook the meat and THEN place it in the crock pot, but believe me it is worth dirtying the crock pot. yummy

Chili

1 lb ground beef
2 onions, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 tablespoon jalapeno, finely chopped (most seeds removed)
1 (14 ounce) cans Mexican style tomatoes (like Rotel)
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika (smoked if you can find it)
1 (14 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup water

Toppings
sour cream
cheese
onions

1 Cook ground meat with onions and peppers in dutch oven.
2 Drain excess grease and add tomatoes, seasonings, and water, bring to a boil.
3 Add beans, cover and simmer 1-2 hours.
4 Serve with toppings

Sloppy Joes

This recipe came from the pioneer woman...it is delish!
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Butter
2-½ pounds Ground Beef
½ whole Large Onion, Diced
1 whole Large Green Bell Pepper, Diced
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1-½ cup Ketchup
1 cup Water
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Chili Powder (more To Taste)
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
½ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes (more To Taste)
Worcestershire Sauce To Taste
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste (optional)
Tabasco Sauce (optional; To Taste)
Salt To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Kaiser Rolls
Butter
Preparation Instructions
Add butter to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of the fat and discard.
Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegetables begin to get soft.
Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and water. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Also add tomato paste, Worcestershire, and Tabasco if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Spread rolls with butter and brown on a griddle or skillet. Spoon meat mixture over the rolls, topping with a slice of cheese if it makes your skirt fly up.

Cowboy Burgers and Zuchinni Kabobs

This recipe is from picky palate. I would change a few things next time, like make 4 burgers instead of 2 large ones.

1 lb bacon

1 1lb ground beef
2 Tablespoons fresh minced garlic

2 Tablespoons worchestershire sauce

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1/2 Cup shredded cheddar cheese plus 1/2 Cup for topping burgers

2 seeded onion rolls, split and toasted

4 Tablespoons mayonnaise

1 Cup shredded iceburg lettuce

4 slices tomato, 1/2 inch thick

4 baked onion rings

2-4 Tablespoons BBQ sauce (I used KC Masterpiece)

1. Preheat grill to medium high. Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crisped. Drain and save drippings. In a large bowl combine the beef, garlic, worchestershire sauce, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Form into 2 large patties and grill for 4-5 minutes each side. During the last few minutes, add additional cheddar cheese to melt. Place mayonnaise onto both sides of split rolls and layer lettuce, tomato, burger, onion rings then BBQ sauce on bottom rolls. Place roll on top and serve!

2 LARGE Burgers

Bacon Ranch Zucchini Kebabs

1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch slices then quartered

1 large yellow squash, also quartered

pinches of kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Bacon drippings

1/2 teaspoon dry Ranch seasoning

1. Place all quartered zucchini and yellow squash into a large bowl. Season with salt, pepper, bacon drippings and Ranch seasoning. Mix to combine then alternate zucchini and yellow squash quarters onto skewers, about 8 total. Place onto grill and grill about 2 minutes per side. Remove and serve.

8 skewers

Red beans and rice

Did miss her.......

So I've been all about the crock pot lately since it's 800 degrees in our house and I don't dare turn on the oven.

3 cans red beans

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 pkg Polska Kielbasa

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic

1/2 green pepper, chopped

2 dashes Tabasco sauce

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp dry mustard

1 Tb Worchestershire sauce

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp Cajun spice

(Drain most of the liquid off the beans) Also, you may substitue 1/2 tsp garlic salt for the garlic clove. Place all ingredients directly into the crockpot - Add 3/4 c water. Cook on low for 3-5 hours. I serve it with brown rice in an attempt to be healthy. Sometimes I buy the lowfat Polska Kielbasa too...of course it is not nearly as good!

This recipe came from Sisters Cafe

Green Chile Burros

Green Chile Burros
3 pounds pork roast or beef roast, fat removed as much as possible (*If using a roast any larger than 3 lbs, I always double the remaining ingredients)
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 10oz can green enchilada sauce
1 4oz can diced green chilis
1 14oz can diced tomatoes with chilis
2 chicken bouillon cubes
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp pepper

The original recipe says to brown the roast with the onions before putting in the crock pot. I haven't tried that yet, but I'm sure its yummy. I just put it all in the crock pot and let it cook for a good 8 hours or so. I shredded it last time, but cubed would be just as good. Serve in a tortilla with cheese, sour cream and el pato. ( And whatever else is on hand).

Meatball Recipe

I use these meatballs for spaghetti, and then usually freeze the other half and use for meatball subs.
Meatballs:
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup (3 handfuls), Italian bread crumbs
1 medium onion, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons (several drops) Worcestershire sauce,
1/4 cup (a couple of handfuls) flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 cup (a couple of handfuls) grated Parmigiano or Romano
Coarse salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Place ground sirloin in a large mixing bowl and punch a well into the center of meat. Fill well with the egg, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire, parsley, cheese, and a little salt and pepper. Mix up meatball ingredients until well combined, yet not over-mixed. Divide mix into 4 equal parts, roll each part into 4 balls and space equally onto a nonstick baking sheet. Place meatballs in oven and roast about 12 minutes. Break a meatball open and make sure meat is cooked through before removing from the oven.