Healthy Spaghetti

I discovered something new tonight....spaghetti squash. Why have I never cooked with this before?!?! It was so easy to prepare and once it's fully cooked, it just peels off in strands that look just like spaghetti.  It definitely holds true to it's name SPAGHETTI squash.

So tonight I gave it a try, not sure of what to expect. Spaghetti squash has a naturally buttery flavor and the texture completely fooled my taste buds.  I did not miss the standard, highly processed, pasta noodles that I would normally serve with spaghetti sauce. I loved it and can't wait to find other recipes to use this wonderful squash in!

This is what it looks like after it's been roasted.  I took a fork and the "spaghetti" strands just flake off.

It only takes a couple minutes to get all the strands out and onto your plates.  Then top with your favorite spaghetti sauce and be prepared to be fooled.  What a great meal! I'm so excited I discovered the spaghetti squash!

Healthy Spaghetti

Source: Adapted from www.isavea2z.com

1 lb. hamburger or sausage

Jar of spaghetti sauce

Spaghetti squash

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice spaghetti squash lengthwise down the center, remove seeds and roast cut-side down for 40-45 minutes.  (You'll know it's done if you can easily poke your fork into it.) Flip cut-side up when roasting is complete and allow to cool slightly before harvesting strands with a fork by scraping with the grain until the squash is cleaned.

Brown hamburger or sausage and drain grease. Add your favorite spaghetti sauce and season with extra Italian seasoning to your liking. Heat through.

Serve warm sauce over the spaghetti squash.

All-American Meatloaf

I made meatloaf for dinner last night and everything inside of it was healthy! I told you I'm on a health kick. I was a little skeptical when I first read the recipe and noticed that I would be using cauliflower instead of bread crumbs! However, it turned out great and my kids even liked it. (I kept the cauliflower part a secret...but they had no clue! :)

This recipe takes a bit of time to prepare, but it made enough for 2 or more meals.  So tomorrow I will pair it with a different veggie and dinner with little be on the table within minutes.  It feels good knowing I am feeding my family food that is healthy.

All-American Meatloaf

Source: Living Paleo for Dummies by Melissa Joulwan

1/2 c. Cave Man Ketchup (recipe below)

1/2 T. cider vinegar

1 T. honey

1/2 head cauliflower

2 t. coconut oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large eggs

1/2 t. dried thyme

1 t. salt

1/2 t. ground black pepper

2 t. Dijon mustard

2 t. coconut aminos (substitute for soy sauce)

1/4 t. hot pepper sauce

1/2 c. coconut milk

1 c. fresh parsley leaves, minced (about 1/3 cup)

2 lbs. ground beef

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix the Cave Man Ketchup with the vinegar and honey; set aside.

2. Break the cauliflower into florets, removing the stems, and then place in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is the texture of fine breadcrumbs, about ten to fifteen 1-second pulses. Place in a large mixing bowl.

3. Heat coconut oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

4. To the cauliflower, add the eggs, thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, coconut aminos, hot pepper sauce, coconut milk, and parsley. Mix until combined, and then add the cooked onions and garlic and ground beef; mix well.

5. Pat into a meatloaf pan with a perforated bottom, or pat into a loaf shape with your hands and place on a roasting rack set on a baking sheet to catch drippings. Brush the loaf with half of the ketchup glaze; bake for 45 minutes.

6. Brush with the remaining half of the glaze and continue to bake another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

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Cave Man Ketchup

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

1/3 c. water

2 T. cider vinegar

2 t. honey

1/4 t. dry mustard

1/4 t. ground cinnamon

Pinch of cloves

Pinch of allspice

1. Place all ingredients in a saucepan and whisk to combine. Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

2. Cool the ketchup to room temperature before using. Transfer to a container with a lid and store in the refrigerator.

Korean Beef Bowl

One of the many cool things about being married to my hubby is that he has introduced me to so many new cuisines that I would never have tried before I met him.  Some we have even tried for the first time together.  A prime example is sushi. Never in a million years would I imagine myself eating raw fish on rice, but I am now in love with it.  On several occasions, we've also tried Indian, Ethiopian, Middle Eastern, Vietnamese, Jamaican and Korean food to name a few. These are all very common restaurant choices for us now and I enjoy them all!

One of my favorite Korean dishes is called Bibimbap. Bibimbap is a bowl of warm white rice topped with sautéed and seasoned vegetables and chili pepper paste. A fried egg and sliced meat are common additions. These ingredients are stirred together just before eating. 

That is one of the reasons I love the recipe below so much.  It resembles bibimbap but without the vegetables and chili pepper paste.  A simplified version if you will.  The second reason I love this recipe is because it was SUPER fast and easy to make! It doesn't get any easier than this to get dinner on the table.

The original recipe doesn't call for a fried egg on top but it's a must.  It makes it that much better - like icing on the cake!  I served this dish with some pot stickers and my family (excluding my picky 3 year old) devoured it.  This will now become a staple meal in our house because it was delicious and quick.

Korean Beef Bowl
Source: Real Mom Kitchen

1 lb. ground beef
⅓ c. brown sugar
¼ c. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
¼ t. crushed red pepper flakes
¼ t. ground ginger
3 cloves of garlic, minced
cooked rice for serving
2 green onions, sliced
Sesame seeds
Eggs, sunny side up (optional)

In a skillet, brown beef and garlic. Drain off any excess grease.

In the meantime, in a bowl add brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and ground ginger. Whisk until combined and set aside. (You can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes depending on how spicy you like it.)

Add the sauce mixture that you set aside to the beef. Allow to simmer for 3 minutes. Serve over cooked rice and garnish with green onion, sesame seeds, and a fried egg.

Skillet Chili Mac

I have a confession to make.  I haven't cooked dinner over the past THREE MONTHS!!! Don't worry, my kids have not been starving.  We were just blessed to have our in-laws visit us for 3 months.  Did I mention my in-laws used to run their own Chinese restaurant?  Did I mention my father-in-law makes the best Chinese food ever?  It was so nice coming home from work and having a home cooked meal on the table every night.  It takes a lot of time to plan meals every week and I welcomed the break with open arms.  It almost felt like I was on vacation.

Well, all good things come to an end, and yesterday I had to cook dinner for my family.  My in-laws visit is over and it's back to our normal routine now.

We've had unseasonably cool weather lately so this recipe was perfect and a reminder that Fall will be here sooner than I would like.

Skillet Chili Mac
Source: Deep South Dish

1/2 T. oil
1-1/2 c.  chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped bell pepper
1 or 2 jalapeños, chopped (I left these out.)
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. raw breakfast sausage
1 T. minced garlic
2-1/2 T. chili powder, or to taste
1/2 t. cumin
1/4 t. dried oregano
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can of tomato sauce
1 (7 ounce) can green chilies
2 c. of water
1 (15.5 ounce) can pinto or red kidney beans,drained and rinsed
1-1/2 cups of dry medium cut pasta (like elbow macaroni or shells)
1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese, divided, or to taste, plus more for garnish
Optional Garnishes: Sliced green onions,fresh diced tomatoes, sour cream or your other favorite chili toppings

Heat the oil in a large lidded skillet over medium high heat; add the onion and peppers, and cook for about 4 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. To that, add the ground beef, sausage and garlic, breaking up the meat and cooking, until no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt and pepper; taste and adjust seasonings.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and green chilies; stir. Add the water, beans, pasta and half of the cheese. Bring to a boil, stir, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is cooked through; uncover, stir and let simmer, uncovered, until reduced to desired consistency. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, cover and cook over low until cheese melts. Garnish with sliced green onions, fresh diced tomatoes, sour cream or your other favorite chili toppings. 

Chile Colorado Burritos

This recipe caught my eye on Pinterest the other day. That and the fact that I had a couple of cans of red enchilada sauce in my pantry that have been begging to be used.  Served with rice, this turned out to be a delicious meal. The meat was super tender after cooking in the crock pot all day. I'm not sure what I'd do without a crockpot. I use it at least once a week!



Chile Colorado Burritos
Source: Food Pusher

1 1/2 to 2 pounds stew meat
1 large can mild red enchilada sauce (at least 19 oz.)
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 can refried beans
5-7 burrito size flour tortillas
1 cup or so of shredded cheddar cheese

Put beef, bouillon, and enchilada sauce into a crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until meat is very tender. When beef is done, taste and add more salt, if desired. Heat up refried beans in the microwave and put your oven on broil. On an oven-proof plate lay out a tortilla.  Place on tortilla about 1/2 cup of the meat, drained by using a slotted spoon, and a spoonful or two of beans. Roll into a burrito. Pour some of the remaining enchilada sauce from the crock pot over the burrito to cover it. Sprinkle with some cheddar cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2-4 minutes.

The Easiest Beef Short Ribs

In the need of a new crock pot recipe? Here's another good one for you! I love adding new recipes to my "Crock Pot Collection" because it's a great resource for those days when I know I'll be in a pinch to get dinner on the table.  This recipe did not disappoint.  It's the first time I've ever bought beef short ribs but they were easy to find in my local grocery store. The meat was so tender that it just fell off the bone! It's great served with rice or mashed potatoes and your favorite veggie.  

The Easiest Beef Short Ribs
Source: Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

1 T. unsalted butter or olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
3/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. soy sauce
3 T. cider vinegar
3 T. brown sugar
3 to 4 lb. beef short ribs

1. In a small skillet, heat the butter over medium heat until melted, then cook the onion, stirring, until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar, stir until smooth, and heat for 5 minutes.

2. Place the short ribs on a broiler pan and broil until well browned. Arrange the ribs in the slow cooker. If you have a round cooker, stack them. Pour over the sauce, distributing the onions over all the ribs. Cover and cook on low until tender and the meat starts to separate from the bone, 7 to 8 hours.

3. Transfer the ribs to a platter. Let the sauce cool a bit, then spoon the liquid fat off the surface and discard. Pour the sauce over the ribs and serve immediately.

Beef Stroganoff Soup

Only one more week until school starts here in Michigan! My kindergartener is super excited to get started, ride the bus and meet all of his new classmates!

Fall is just around the corner so I have a delicious soup recipe for you today.  The recipe says you can leave this as a runny, broth soup or you can add some cornstarch to thicken it up a bit.  I like my soups on the thicker side, so I took the extra couple of minutes to thicken it up a bit.  It turned out great! The beef was oh so tender and just full of flavor!

Beef Stroganoff Soup

Source: For The Love Of Cooking

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 10 min.

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 20 min.

INGREDIENTS:

3 t. olive oil
3/4 lb. of lean chuck, cut into small bite sized cubes
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
6 c. beef broth
1 T. Dijon mustard
1-2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
2 c. egg noodles
2-3 T. corn starch + 1/4 cup of beef broth (if thicker soup is desired)
3 T. sour cream
Chives, chopped, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the beef and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until browned. Add the onion and mushrooms then cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste; cook stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add the beef broth, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf to the Dutch oven then stir until well combined. Cover with a lid and simmer for 2-3 hours.

Turn the heat up to medium then add the noodles and cook for 10 minutes or until the noodles are cooked through. If you would like a thicker soup mix 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch with a bit of beef broth then add to the boiling soup and stir well until thick. Remove from the heat and let sit for a minute or two to cool down. Add the sour cream and stir until well combined. taste the soup and re-season with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, Dijon, or Worcestershire sauce if needed. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

I'm a huge fan of lettuce wraps. I think P.F. Chang's have THE best lettuce wraps but unfortunately there isn't one close to where I live.  I saw this yummy recipe on my friend, K's blog and wanted to eat it off the computer screen! This is a quick meal to throw together and turned out to be delicious!!! Give it a try!





Asian Lettuce Wraps
Source: Hanging By A Thread


1 lb. ground meat (beef, turkey, pork, or chicken)
Boston Bib or butter lettuce leaves
1 T. cooking oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 T. soy sauce
1/3 c. hoisin sauce
2 t. minced pickled ginger
1 T. rice wine vinegar
Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)
1 (8oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 t. dark sesame oil


Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not to tear them. Set aside.


In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground meat in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain and set aside to cool. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, sesame seed oil and cooked meat; continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.


Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito.

Cheeseburger Casserole

We had cheeseburgers this week...in casserole form! My 5 year old was super excited when I told him there were pickles, and ketchup, and mustard inside...everything he likes on his standard cheeseburger! This meal turned out delish! Super duper easy to make and everyone gobbled it up!



Cheeseburger Casserole
Source: Hanging On By A Thread

1 lb. lean ground beef 
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped dill pickles
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. ketchup
1 T. yellow mustard
1/8 t. pepper
1 1/2 c. shredded American Cheese (6oz) 
1 can (8oz) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1 egg, beaten
1 T. sesame seeds

Heat oven to 350 degrees, in a 10-inch nonstick skillet cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in pickles, water, ketchup, mustard and pepper.

Spoon beef mixture into 11 x 7 inch (2 quart) glass baking dish, sprinkle with cheese.

Unroll dough; press into 12 x 8 inch rectangle. Cut into 6 squares; place on top of cheese. Brush with egg; sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Simple Macaroni and Beef with Cheese

I spotted this recipe on Pinterest. Hamburger, noodles, and cheese always makes a good meal and since my almost-two year old LOVES pasta, I wanted to give it a try. It turned out great and reminds me of goulash.



Simple Macaroni and Beef with Cheese
Source: Michael Ruhlman

1 large onion, diced
1 T. oil
salt to taste
Optional seasonings: black pepper, oregano, cumin, chopped garlic, hot smoked paprika, chili powder — whatever you’re in the mood for.
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 box macaroni
1 c. each grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses

Sweat the onions in the oil with a pinch of salt. Add the beef and cook it, breaking it up as you do. Once hamburger is cooked thru, drain grease. Add another pinch of salt or two, along with any dry seasonings you want. Add the tomatoes and any fresh seasonings you may be using, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for an hour.

Cook the macaroni in boiling water until it’s half done. Drain it and add it to the tomatoes. Stir it into the sauce. Taste it. Add more salt and other seasonings as needed, and cover. When it’s cooled and the pasta has absorbed the tomato juices, transfer it to a large baking dish and cover it with foil. It can sit out for several hours like this, be refrigerated for up to two days, or frozen a few weeks.

Bake it in a 400 degree oven until it’s piping hot (about 45 minutes if it’s cold to room temperature). Just before you’re ready to eat, remove the foil, cover macaroni with the cheese and broil until cheese is melted.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

My son and daughter just love watching the TV show Yo Gabba Gabba. We watch at least 2 episodes on Netflix EVERY day. Seems like they want to watch the same 2 over and over. I'm usually cooking or doing laundry while they are watching but I can't help but listen to it in the background. In particular there is this one song that goes like this, "There's a party in my tummy...so yummy, so yummy!" Anybody else heard this before? I'm afraid it's been implanted on my brain and I will start singing it at the most random times with my son singing right along with me.

Anyways, this next dish is sure to put a party in your tummy. It is beyond delicious! The crockpot makes the beef so moist and the gravy is just wonderful!



Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Source: The Well-Fed Newlyweds

2 to 3 lbs. beef stew meat (or a 3 lb. chuck roast, cubed)
1 md. yellow onion, diced
1 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1 1/2 c. beef broth or stock
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. ketchup
1/4 t. garlic salt
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
6-7 T. water
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c. sour cream (reduced fat is fine)

Place the beef, onion, salt, and pepper in a slow cooker. Stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and garlic salt. Pour the broth mixture into the slow cooker. Put the lid on the cooker and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours. In a small bowl, combine the flour and water and whisk to combine. The mixture should be thick but still be able to be poured. (Add extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to achieve the proper consistency.) Pour the flour mixture into the slow cooker and whisk to combine. Add the mushrooms and stir to combine. Cook on high for 30 minutes. Stir in the sour cream just before serving.

Serves 6.

Cheesy Grub Sandwiches

Made these for dinner last night. Needed a quick, easy meal to throw together and these were perfect. They are like sloppy joes only with a cheese sauce instead. Cheese makes everything better, don't you think? I served them with some cherry tomatoes and chips and dinner was served!



Cheesy Grub Sandwiches
Source: Real Mom Kitchen

1 lb. ground beef
2 t. McCormick Montreal steak seasoning
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
3/4 c. milk
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 hot dog or hamburger buns

Brown beef in a skillet along with steak seasoning and Worcestershire sauce until full cooked; drain and set aside.

In a sauce pan, melt butter. Whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until turns golden brown in color. Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened.
Remove from heat and blend in cheese until melted and well combined.

Add cheese mixture to beef mixture. Stir to combine. You can add a little more milk if needed to thin the sauce.

Serve on hot dog or hamburger buns. Serves 8.

Bean Casserole

I love when I get recipe suggestions from friends and family. This one came from my mom so I knew it had to be good! This recipe is like the king of baked beans because there are lots of extra goodies in it that makes it even that much better than your standard baked beans. Serve as your main course (like I did) or as a side.

Fiesta

Several weeks ago I met up with a college friend who was visiting her parents for the week. I hadn't seen her for a long time and it was so wonderful to sit and catch up. Her little boy and nephew were there too so C and K had just as fun of a time as I did! During our stay, Rachel's mom made this meal for us. It was delicious and perfect for the cold, windy, rainy day that it was. It kind of reminds me of those "walking tacos" only we ate ours in bowls.

The recipe was designed to feed a large group...aka a {fiesta} party! So you may want to cut it in half like I did!

Honey BBQ Cheesy Sloppy Joes

I made sloppy joes for a quick and yummy lunch this past weekend. I loved the added honey flavor from the BBQ sauce. Super easy to make and the whole family loved it!

Pepper Steak & Onion

Here's another fabulous recipe that my father-in-law taught me how to cook. I consider myself extremely lucky to have such nice in-laws. I just love when they come to visit us and stay for a couple months at a time. My in-law's used to own their own Chinese restaurant so the last time they were here visiting, my father-in-law offered to teach me anything I wanted to make. This is one of the first dishes he taught me. The hardest part about learning how to cook Chinese food is that they don't use measuring utensils. They just eye-ball everything! I did my best at "guestimating" how much of this and that he would poor into the pot. Use the measurements below as a guideline but let your tastebuds be the true judge. You can always adjust the flavors to fit your style.

Pepper Steak & Onion has always been a favorite of mine. This recipe tastes just as good as what you'd order in a Chinese restaurant!

Mexican Yuk

The name of this recipe cracks me up every time I say it but none-the-less this is a fabulous recipe that my Mom would make for us kids all the time. I love making it for my family now that I'm grown up and have my own kids. I talked to my Mom on the phone tonight and discovered that she make Mexican Yuk tonight too. What a coincidence!

I did not go shy on the mozzarella cheese which made it even that much better. (That's what I get for buying a 5-pound bag of cheese at Sam's Club! :) I served it with Spanish rice.

Quick and Easy Cheesesteak

The kids wore me out today and I needed a quick, easy dinner to throw together. This recipe caught my eye and I've been wanting to make it for awhile.

It was good and very easy to make however there was just something keeping me from giving it 2 thumbs up. Maybe I'm turning into a food snob and was comparing it to the "real" cheesesteaks that we ate while living on the East Coast. :)

Crockpot Lasagna

You all know how much I love using my crockpot! It's one kitchen appliance I believe everyone should have. Slow cookers produce some of the most tender and flavorful dinners!

I never imagined I would be making lasagna in my crockpot but when I read on Facebook about a friend who had made it, I was more than intrigued and had to try it. The outcome? A meaty, cheesy, gooey lasagna that was oh so good!!!! My whole family loved it! I used ground beef like the recipe calls for but it would also be good with sausage.

Thanks Linda for sharing this recipe with me!

Himalayan Salt Block

Seems we've had a little salt addiction going on in our house lately. It all started out several months ago when one of my hubby's co-workers brought us back a little gift after going on a trip to NYC. She brought us a little glass container filled with Lemon Flake finishing salt. I love this stuff!!! So far I've sprinkled it on steak, chicken, and pasta. It adds such wonderful flavor to any meal.

After discovering how amazing that finishing salt was, a bit more research was done and we ended up with a Himalayan Salt Block for our outdoor grill! This block is 8 x 8 x 1.5. You basically heat it up to a very hot temperature and then sear any kind of meat or even vegetables on it. So far we've had filet, flank steak, delmonico, and portobello mushrooms on it. It's the most amazing meat I've ever eaten. There's no need to marinate any of the steaks because the salt block adds all the flavoring you need.

The pictures show us cooking thinly sliced pieces of flank steak that my hubby and I had for dinner the other day. Even my toddler (who won't eat meat a lot of times) chowed down on this steak.

For more information on flavoring salt or Himalayan Salt Blocks check out The Meadow. I'm sure we'll be using and experimenting with our salt block a lot this summer.