Go to Meals- Beef Stroganoff

This is one of my favorite and easiest recipes. We'd have it a lot more often if I could just remember to thaw some hamburger before I leave for work. When I make this, I serve it with bright colored veggies- just so it is prettier.

Here's the recipe...

1 lb of ground beef (I always go as lean as I can find)
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic

Strain the beef grease before you add...

2 cups sliced mushrooms (there aren't any in the pictures because I was out)

Saute until the onions are clear and then add

1/3 c red wine
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Continue cooking until the meat is cooked throughout.


Then add...

1/2 c sour cream
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook until heated throughout. Serve on noodles or rice.

PS if you don't cook with wine, use 1/3 of a cup of beef bouillon.

Go-to meals: Hawiian Chicken

This is SOOO yummy and takes no time to prepare in the crock-pot! My mom showed it to me while visiting for during the Christmas break.

Put some boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a crock-pot.
Add:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (or slightly less) soy sauce
1 can of pinapple tidbits (8 oz)
Cook on High for about 3 hours

Serve over rice and some stir-fry veggies (I just buy a bag of my favorite frozen kind of stir fry veggies--cooking them in some of the juices from the crock pot when it's done cooking adds a little bit of extra flavor.) Enjoy!

Pork Chops with Roasted Red Pepper Cream

I serve this over rice to soak up all the cream sauce.

4 bone-in rib or center-cut pork chops, about 1 inch thick
Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 onion, sliced thin
6 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 (8 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Pat chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering and just smoking. Add chops and cook until well-browned and meat registers 145* on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.

Add onion to empty skillet and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes; add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, cream, roasted peppers, and sugar, and simmer, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Off heat, add any accumulated pork juices back to the pan and stir in basil. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chops.

*If you don't have fresh basil, substitute a couple teaspoons dried, adding to the pan with the broth. It won't look as pretty, but it will taste as good.

Pizza Loaf

This is fun for FHE!

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
2 eggs, separated
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic pwd
1/4 tsp pepper
8 oz pepperoni slices
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can sliced ripe olives
1 medium green pepper
1 can pizza sauce (I used spaghetti sauce)

Roll out dough on baking sheet (or counter). In a bowl combine egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, oil, oregano, garlic powder and pepper. Brush over dough. Sprinkle with pepperoni, mozzarella, peppers & olives. Roll up jelly roll style, pinch ends together.

Brush with egg whites. DO NOT LET RISE. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Slice and dip in pizza sauce!

Honey Dijon Chicken

1/4 cup melted butter (1/2 cube)
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Cover 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts with sauce. Bake at 350* F for 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil.

This would go well with rice and fresh veggies.

My Chicken & Ham Favorite

{{this is one of my favorite childhood meals that my Mom made... such a comfort food for me.}}

chicken breasts
sliced ham
12 oz. can of cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. sour cream
cream cheese, about 4 oz. cut up into 1/2 inch cubes

Wrap each chicken breast with 1 slice of ham. Arrange in a 9x13 or 9x9 glass casserole dish - depending on how many breasts you're cooking. Mix soup and sour cream together and spread over wrapped chicken. Place the cream cheese cubes evenly over each chicken breast. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 1 1/2 hours. Serve chicken with brown rice on the side and remaining "gravy" over the top of rice and chicken.

Mini Meatloaves with Tomato-Balsamic Gravy

This is one of my absolute favorite meals. It's a RR, and I serve it with mashed potatoes. It is seriously heavenly, and a huge step up from just plain ole meatloaf.

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
2 cups breadcrumbs
3 sprigs sage, leaves removed from stems and chopped
1 cup (about 1 large handful) parsley, chopped
1/2 bunch scallions, finely chopped on an angle
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pints grape tomatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
1/2 medium red onion, sliced

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 to 1 1/2 cups beef stock

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

In a large bowl, mix ground beef, pork, veal, breadcrumbs, sage, parsley, scallions, Worcestershire sauce, egg, salt and a palmful of freshly ground black pepper.

Using a 6-cup muffin pan, divide the meat mixture into 4 equal parts and scoop the portions into four of the muffin cups. Bake the mini meatloaves until cooked through and golden on top, about 30 minutes.

While the mini meatloaves are cooking, toss the grape tomatoes and onion slices onto a baking sheet along with a drizzle of EVOO, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Once the meatloaves have been in the oven for about 15 minutes, put the tray of veggies in and roast until the onions are caramelized and the tomatoes have burst open, about 15 minutes.

While the tomatoes and onion are roasting away, get the roux started: Melt the butter in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter, cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the balsamic and stock to the pan, whisking to incorporate. Cook until thickened, then remove it from the heat and reserve.

Remove the mini meatloaves and the tomatoes from the oven and set the meat aside to rest for about 5 minutes.

Add the roasted tomatoes and onion to the sauce and break up the veggies with a potato masher. Serve one mini meatloaf per person with a hearty ladle of the tomato balsamic gravy.

Rachael Ray Yields 4 servings

Wontons or Egg Rolls

1 pound lean sausage (I use Jimmy Dean Regular)
1 egg
1 can (4 1/2 ounce) tiny shrimp
1 can (4 ounce) water chestnuts, finely chopped
3/4 cup celery, finely chopped
4 green onions, finely chipped
1 package wonton skins OR egg roll skins

Brown sausage. Drain off fat. Put in bowl. Mix in egg, tiny shrimp, water chestnuts, celery, and green onions. Put rounded teaspoon sausage mixture on each wonton skin. Wrap. Seal edges with moistened fingers, Deep gry in 365* oil (until golden brown). Remove with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towel in warm oven until ready to serve. You can fry ahead and heat in 450* oven.