Thursday, June 07, 2012

Change

So there are several changes going on in my life at the moment.  Zilla started a new job on Monday.  We're very grateful for the opportunity!  But this means that his schedule - and therefore my schedule - are changing.  For the past, eh, six or seven years he's been doing all of the cooking in our family.  It made sense.  He got home first.  Now I'm going to be getting home first which means cooking will be my responsibility. 

I've discovered something this week. I like cooking.  My skills - and recipes - are just really rusty.  It's going to take me some time to get back into the groove of things.  Ask Angel, she was on the phone with me during my first attempt (which was a huge hit with the family!) and enjoyed the entertainment of listening to me fumble around the kitchen.  She also answered  my stupid questions as I figured out how to make meatballs. :-) 

I've been scouring the internet and Pinterest and bugging all of my friends for their go-to recipes.  I want a nice stable of usuals so that I can vary our weekly menu.  I'm also trying to find different crock pot recipes to add to my repertoire. 

So my question today is, do you have a go-to recipe?  One that's always a hit with everyone you serve it to? Something that's quick and easy to throw together after a long day at work?  I'll start things off by sharing what I made Monday night.

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Tangy Meatballs


1 lb ground beef
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 glove garlic (crushed) use powdered if you want
½ tsp salt
1 can (8oz) jellied cranberry sauce
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce

Mix well beef, Worcestershire sauce garlic and salt. Shape into 1-inch balls. In large skillet over moderate heat brown meatballs. Add cranberry sauce. Cook and stir until sauce melts. Stir in tomato sauce. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until meatballs are done. Serve with (No Yolk) noodles.

6 comments:

Playground Monitor said...

First, YAY! Zilla has a job!

I already gave you this recipe but thought others might enjoy it. It can be made one night, put in the fridge and baked the next night. Or you can bake it and freeze it. Sometimes it needs some chicken broth to moisten it up a little after re-heating.

CHICKEN & STUFFING CASSEROLE

3-4 chicken breasts (depends on how meaty you like your casserole and how big the pieces of meat are)

1 pkg Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix (I used cornbread flavor)

1 stick of butter or margarine

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
½ cup of water

Stew chicken, cool and remove skin and bones.

"Saute" dressing in melted butter or margarine

In a casserole dish put a layer of stuffing, a layer of chicken and cover with the cream of mushroom soup. Then add another layer of stuffing and chicken and top with the cream of chicken soup that’s been diluted with ½ cup of water. Top with a thin layer of the stuffing.

Bake for 45 minutes at 325 degrees.

Add a green veggie or a salad and you have a complete meal.

Alicia Hunter Pace (aka Jean Hovey and Stephanie Jones) said...

Sesame Ginger Pork Tenderloin

3 ¾ lb pork tenderloins
½ cup soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 2-inch piece of gingerroot, grated
½ cup honey
½ cup lightly toasted sesame seeds

Place tenderloins in a zip loc bag with soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Let marinade in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place meat and marinade in a shallow pan. Pour honey over meat and sprinkle with seeds. Roast 25 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature with mustard caper sauce.

Mustard Caper Sauce

1 ½ cups mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1 small jar of capers, drained
3 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon white pepper

Combine ingredients in a bowl and chill two hours.

Makes 2 ½ cups. More than you will need for this much meat but it’s good on sandwiches.

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

This is hardly a recipe. Just something I made up so you can modify it however you like. If you want to cook onions and peppers with the meat, knock yourself out. Maybe even slip in some veggies like carrots or zucchini.

Enchilada Casserole

- 1 lb cooked ground beef or 2-3 cooked and shredded chicken breasts
- 1 2 cup bag shredded cheese, I like the Mexican style
- 2 small cans of mild enchilada sauce
- 1 package corn tortillas

Mix meat with half a can of sauce and a good handfull of cheese. Yes, very precise.

Pour enough sauce to cover the bottom of a casserole dish (I usually do 9X13).

Put down a layer of corn tortillas. I usually cut them in half so they make a more uniform layer and edges.

Use half the meat/cheese mixture and spread over the tortillas. Drizzle sauce and more cheese.

Put down another layer of tortillas and the rest of the meat/cheese.

Drizzle with more sauce & cheese.

Put down the top layer of tortillas and use remaining cheese and sauce to cover the whole top.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes for it to heat through and melt the cheese.

Let cool about 5-10 minutes before serving so it holds together better. Cut into squares and serve like lasagna.

I find this to be a lot easier than rolling enchiladas.

Jane said...

Daddy's Roast and Rice

My Daddy was the chief cook for several years, too, and came up with this recipe to use with leftover pot roast. Just remember, the night before, to put all the meat, leftover veggies, drippings, etc., in a container.

When you're ready to start supper,
skim the fat off the top of the leftovers and chop the roast into bite-sized pieces.

Pour the leftover liquid into a 2-cup measure and fill with enough water and a beef bullion cube or beef broth to make 2 cups of liquid for 1 cup of white rice, or 2 1/2 cups for 1 cup of brown rice.

Put the liquid in a medium to large (depending on how many leftovers you've got) saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the rice and stir, then reduce to a simmer.

Add EVERYTHING else -- meat, onions, carrots, potatoes, etc. into the broth and cover. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes for white rice, 45 minutes for brown rice. When the rice is done, the dish is done.

Serve with a salad, green beans, or other vegetable of your choice.

My cousin, who has three kids and a hubby with a BIG appetite loves this recipe and it's one of her go-to favorites. It uses up leftovers and extends a pot roast at the same time.

Kira Sinclair - AKA Instigator said...

Thanks for the recipes, y'all! I can't wait to try them all. They sound yummy...and I'm now hungry. :-)

Insti

Kira Sinclair - AKA Instigator said...

Thanks for the recipes, y'all! I can't wait to try them all. They sound yummy...and I'm now hungry. :-)

Insti