Week 6: Recipe #2--Baked Ravioli

I also found this one on the same Martha Stewart blog.  Delicious!!  I followed the recipe exactly.  Very easy to make and tasted great the next day as well.  I served it with a salad and some garlic bread.

Photo from marthastewart.com

Recipe and link:  http://www.marthastewart.com/331829/baked-

Week 6: Recipe #1--Swedish Meatballs

I really liked this recipe.  I found it on a Martha Stewart blog I follow (see link below).  It makes a lot of meatballs, but you can freeze them and use them later, which is nice.  I served this with a side salad.

Photo from marthastewart.com

You'll Need:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper (I just used regular table salt)
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 3 Tblsp. butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups canned reduced-sodium beef broth
• grape or current jelly, cooked egg noodles, chopped parsley (I left that out) for serving (all optional)  (I thought the jelly idea was strange but tried it anyway...yummy!)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, panko, 1/2 cup of the milk, eggs, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and allspice.  Mix just until combined.
2. Using a rounded 1 tablespoon measure for each, form mixture into meatballs (you should have about 48--I had less, my meatballs must have been a little bigger...).  Place meatballs onto two rimmed baking sheets (I lined mine with foil for less cleanup); bake until golden brown and cooked through, 10-12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.
3. Meanwhile, make sauce:  In a medium saucepan, melt butter over med-high.  Add flour; cook, whisking, 1 minute (do not let darken).  Gradually whisk in remaining cup milk and broth; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer until sauce has slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.  Transfer to a larger bowl.
4. Using a slotted spoon, add meatballs to bowl with sauce; gently toss to combine.  Serve as an appetizer, on toothpicks, with jelly on the side; or as a main dish over noodles (I did this with egg noodles), garnished with parsley, with jelly on the side.  (Lily LOVED dipping her meatballs in the jelly, so she ended up eating pretty well.)

**Recipe and link (directions to freeze are below the recipe on the link):  http://www.marthastewart.com/283034/swedish-meatballs

Week 5: Recipe #5--Easy Stroganoff

This is another recipe from my friend, Valerie.  It's one of my husband's favorites.  I usually serve this with green beans and fruit.

You'll Need:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 Tblsp. worchestershire sauce

Preparation:

1. Brown the meat.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and warm.
2. Serve over noodles.  (I prefer egg noodles)

Enjoy!

Week 5: Recipe #4--Taco Chicken Foil Dinner

I found this recipe online (see link below).  I made it the other night for the first time.  It was so easy and it tasted GREAT!  Wouldn't change a thing.  I served it with refried beans and fruit.


You'll Need:

• 4 small boneless chicken breast halves
• 4 tsp. taco seasoning
• 2 cups thinly sliced peeled potatoes
• ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese
• ½ cup Cheddar cheese
• ½ cup salsa
• sour cream

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Sprinkle chicken evenly with seasoning mix. 
3. Place ½ cup of the potatoes on center of each of four large sheets of heavy-duty foil and season them with salt and pepper.  Top each with 1 chicken breast, a fourth of the cheese mixture and 2 tablespoons of the salsa.
4. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and both ends to seal each packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place in single layer in 15x10x1 baking pan.  (I just did my best to try and squeeze them on a large cookie sheet)
5. Bake 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender. Remove packets from oven. Let stand 5 minutes. Place one packet on each of four dinner plates. Cut slits in foil with sharp knife to release steam before opening. Top each serving with sour cream.

Recipe and link:  http://salem4threcipes.blogspot.com/

Week 5: Recipe #3--Creamy Chicken and Cheddar Rice

I like this recipe because it's another time I can get broccoli into Lily.  It's pretty easy to make, and you can substitute the white rice for brown (make sure it's also instant).  This recipe is one of many I have made from the Kraft Foods website (see link below).  I serve this recipe with fruit and a good bread.

You'll Need:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup 
• 1 soup can of milk
• 1 1/2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
• 2 cups chopped, fresh broccoli
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation:

1. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray.  Add chicken; cover.  Cook 5 minutes or until cooked through.  Sprinkle with garlic powder.
2. Add soup and milk.  Bring to boil.  Stir in rice and broccoli; cover.  Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes or until rice is tender.
3. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese; sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Recipe and link:  http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/creamy-chicken-cheddar-rice-89384.aspx

Week 5: Recipe #2--Spinach Souffle

I got this recipe from my friend, Valerie.  It's tasty, and it's a great way to get Lily to eat spinach.  Plus, it's SUPER easy to make.  You just have to remember to thaw the spinach first, and it needs one hour to bake.  I serve this with fruit.

You'll Need:

• 1 small carton of cottage cheese
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 4 Tblsp. butter
• 1 pkg. frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
• 3 Tblsp. flour
• 1/2 pound american cheese, cubed (I use Tillamook Medium Cheddar)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven for 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Put in a greased casserole dish.
3. Bake for 1 hour.

Week 5: Recipe #1--Enchilada Casserole

I don't know how this recipe ended up in my recipe book or where it came from, but it's there and I've made it several times.  It's a tad messy, but pretty quick to make if you chop the onion and green pepper the night before.  Plus, it's pretty tasty.  I usually serve it with rice, beans, and fruit.

You'll Need:  

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 green bell pepper coarsely chopped
• 1 pound ground beef (you could also try ground turkey)
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 2 cans (10 oz. each) enchilada sauce
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese cut in 12 strips
• 1/2 cup sliced olives (I usually just use a small can of sliced olives)
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I don't use that much; I've always done 2 cups or a little less, and it's been fine) 

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Saute burger, onion, and green pepper.
3. Mix sauce and sour cream in a small, shallow bowl.  (I use a pie dish)
4. Dip each tortilla in sauce.  Add a scoop of burger mixture and a strip of jack cheese to the center of each tortilla.  Roll and place the tortillas seam side down in a 13 x 9 dish.  
5. Sprinkle with sliced olives and pour remaining sauce over tortillas.
6. Top with cheddar cheese and bake for 20 minutes.

Delicious!  Tell me what you think!