Pasta & Meatball Stroganoff

We had this for dinner last night, and it was EXCELLENT.  All the kids yummed it up!  I found the recipe online, but I tweaked it a bit for our liking.  My daughter helped me make it...it was quick and easy which I love in a recipe.  Yum!

ingredients:
precooked Italian meatballs (enough for your family)
2-3 cups beef broth (you can use bouillon/water)
1 tsp basil
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (regular would be ok too)
1 tsp oregano
pepper
1 cup milk with 1 Tbsp corn starch--mixed together
4 oz. cream cheese (I use light)
1 cup sour cream (I use light)
3/4 lb pasta (fettuccine, egg noodles, etc)












directions:
1.  Put a tablespoon of olive oil on the bottom of a large skillet.  Warm the oil and add the meatballs.  Cook on medium-high until meatballs are thoroughly warmed. Add  broth and seasonings.  Add in milk, cream cheese and sour cream.  Let this get to a simmering boil.

2.  Cook pasta to al dente.

3.  Add the pasta to the meatball sauce.  Enjoy!  

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Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken

This dinner is excellent.  It takes longer than most of my dishes, but it is WELL worth it.  I love that I have the ingredients on hand almost always, and I love that my kids will yum this down without a fight!  

Servings:  6-8

ingredients:
8-11 chicken breast tenderloins or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 1/4 cup cornstarch
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup oil (I use olive oil but any veggie oil will do)

sauce:
1 1/2 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. ketchup
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

directions:
1.  Cut up chicken into small bite size pieces.  Coat them in cornstarch and then dip them in beaten egg.

2.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Place the coated chicken in skillet and cook until nicely browned.

3.  Meanwhile, mix together the sauce ingredients--whisking together all the ingredients.

4.  When then chicken is browned, place chicken in a large greased baking dish, 9x13" or 9x15".

5.  Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake in a 325* oven for 55 minutes.

Serve over rice and with your favorite veggie!  Delish!

 

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Zuppa Toscana Soup

I had this first up at a ladies retreat--delicious! At least as good as the Olive Garden's.  Mind you, this is not a quick recipe, but it is well worth it!  Thanks Lori for the delicious meal, and the recipe!  5-Star Soup!!

ingredients:
1/2 lb bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
5 cups chicken stock/broth
2 or 3 carrots, diced
1 cup pasta (precooked) - I used ditalini
1 tsp. thyme (opt) or rosemary or bay leaf
1 lb sausage
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 large potatoes, large dice
2 large handfuls of spinach or kale
2 cups cream, 1/2 & 1/2, or whole milk
parmesan cheese

directions:
1.  In large pot, brown bacon, add sausage & onions when bacon is half done.  Add garlic.  Cook 2-3 minutes, drain fat.

2.  Pour chicken stock in pot with meat, then add vegetables (except spinach/kale), and herbs.  

3.  Simmer until vegetables are tender.  Add pasta and spinach.  Cook 2-3 minutes.

4.  Just before serving, stir in cream.  Heat but don't boil.  Serve with Parmesan cheese.

If you are doing this in a crockpot, follow step 1, and then put everything in the crockpot.  Cook on High for 4 hours or low 6-8 hours.  Add cream just before serving.

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Crockpot Kielbasa Potato Soup

Our family really enjoys this meal...it does take some time to prepare--probably close to 40 minutes, maybe more. Get help pealing the potatoes! It is SO worth it though. We get 2 meals out of this. Yum!  I found this recipe at justapinch.com, and adapted it better to our liking.


ingredients:
8 cups water
2 pkgs polska kielbasa sausage (I use beef)--sliced & cut pieces in 1/2
1/2 onion, diced finely
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp celery salt
2 tsp parsley flakes
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
4-5 lbs. potatoes, pealed and cubed

1 stick butter
8 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk

directions:
1.  Put 8 cups water into crockpot (if you have a larger crockpot, use it).

2.  Add to water: kielbasa, onion, seasonings, potatoes,   

3.  Place crockpot on high and let simmer.

4.  Meanwhile, melt butter.  Once the butter is melted, add the flour all at once.  Whisk it constantly over medium-high heat for apx 5 minutes.

5.  Whisk in the cup of milk until it forms a sort of paste.  Remove from heat and stir it into soup well--the heat of the soup will eventually melt the roue and thicken the soup.

6.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours...stirring only once or twice.  When the potatoes are tender (enough) it is done!  Enjoy!

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Sweet & Sour Sauce

This sauce is excellent for meatballs.  I make this, and pour it over pre-made meatballs in the mini-crockpot, serve over rice, add a vegetable, and voila!  Dinner!

ingredients:
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
3 1/2 Tbsp. flour
2 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup white vinegar
5 Tbsp. soy sauce

directions:
1.  In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, flour, water, vinegar and soy sauce.  Mix thoroughly.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.  

2.  Pour over your favorite meat dish.

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Super Moist Banana Bread

This recipe come from our favorite church's "Delightful Recipes From the Homes of Diamond Bar 1st Ward" c. 1988.  I always made this recipe when I was growing up, and I've always preferred this to any other I've tried.  Submitted by Joanne Vorkink

yield: 2 large loaves or 6 small

ingredients:
2 cubes butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
6 very overripe bananas
6 Tbsp buttermilk (or milk with 1 tsp. lemon juice mixed in)
2 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups nuts (optional)

directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease loaf pans.

2.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and bananas.

3.  Add milk and dry ingredients alternately.

4.  Bake 50 minutes.  Watch carefully; do not over bake, especially if using smaller loaf pans.

  

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Fast Mac n' Cheese

I thought I'd make it in a quick pinch.  I upped the size of the recipe, and added a few things.  It was YUMMY!  Made in 15 minutes, oven for 15 minutes.  Voila!  Enjoy!

ingredients:
3 cups uncooked macaroni
24 oz. (3/4 full box) Velveeta (or generic)
3/4 cup milk  (I used 1/2 cup fat-free, 1/4 cup cream)

1 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar, your choice though)
1 cup panko crumbs or bread crumbs
3 Tbsp. butter

directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Cook the macaroni according to the package directions.  Drain completely.

2.  Cut the cheese (ha ha) into 1" squares.  Place in a medium size microwave safe bowl.  Add the milk.

3.  Melt the cheese/milk in the microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Remove and stir.  Melt the cheese for an additional 3 minutes.  Take out and continue to stir until the cheese is melted.

4.  Pour the cheese over the cooked pasta and stir together.  Place in 9x13" baking dish.  

5.  Toss together the shredded cheese, panko/bread crumbs and melted butter.  Sprinkle over the macaroni and cheese.

6.  Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

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