Tasty Meatballs

Mama Mia!

That is what you will be saying when you make these for the first time.

If you are looking for a good incredible meatball recipe to try, buckle up and give this one a test drive.

I've always been a meat sauce kinda of gal.  Why?  I can't say really, other that we always had spaghetti and meat sauce when I was growing up.  I've always thought making meatballs was way too much trouble.  Yup, you can see, that I am lazy!  It's easier to brown up the meat and add the sauce.

I know you've all heard the saying "try it, you might like it".  You will be delighted to find that these meatballs really aren't too much work  (okay, maybe a little messy) but they are so worth it and I bet you will agree that they are slap yourself silly awesome!

This recipe is an adaptation of one I had Pinned from Kaye's Low Carb Lifestyle.  Thanks for the inspiration!

Meatloaf Patties

It's a new year and I am among the many folks vowing to change their eating habits and to get more exercise. I've done this before, I can and will do it again but this time I'm determined that those pounds go away and stay away for good!  They are not welcome back nor can they bring their friends.

I started my journey about two weeks ago along with a life long friend.  We are determined to keep each other on track, though our strategies differ somewhat.  I know that I have a weakness for desserts and sweet treats as well as pasta and home baked breads.  I have given those things up for now, but I am looking to learn alternative ways to still enjoy them with different ingredients.
As I find recipes that I try and like, I will share them.

One of the things I do to help myself is to do the majority of my food preparation on the weekend.  I will spend 3-4 hours in the kitchen and cook everything for the week, so all that is needed is a quick warm up.  Keep fresh veggies for munching at hand as well, for those times that I just want to gnaw on something but am not really hungry because those calories can add up fast!!

Last weekend I made meatloaf patties.  These have been perfect for packing in my lunch for work as well as quick suppers this week.  How many of you like cold meatloaf...go ahead raise your hand, it is okay.  I like it too and it makes a great sandwich.

In thinking about the big game day tomorrow and many of you having parties, I thought that these would be great for sliders for a party, so if you are looking for something a little different, get yourself some mini-buns and give this a try.  Obviously, you'd need to make them smaller, but I'm sure they would be a hit.

I have already posted the meatloaf recipe on the blog.  You can find it here.  The only difference is that I measured out my meatloaf mixture into 4 ounce patties and topped them with the following mixture and baked them in the oven in a broiler rack.

Shipwreck Casserole

Shipwreck Casserole

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium chopped onion
3 large baking potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
2 cups of sliced carrots
4 stalks of celery, sliced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 can of condensed tomato soup
1 soup can of warm water
1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning
Cajun Seasoning
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray, such as Pam and set aside.
Brown the ground beef and turkey and salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Drain if needed and set aside.

Layer the casserole dish with onions on the bottom, then potatoes; sprinkle lightly with seasoning salt or salt and pepper. 

Top with carrots, celery and bell pepper.  Sprinkle this layer lightly with salt and pepper or seasoning salt. 

Top with the browned meat. 

Whisk together the can of soup, the can of water and Italian seasoning until well blended. 

Pour the soup and seasoning evenly over the top.  Season the top with a light dash of Cajun seasoning. 


Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for around an hour. 

Test with a knife to make sure the potatoes are done (mine weren't and required another 30 minutes).
Remove the foil lover and sprinkle the cheese over the top. 

Return the dish to the oven until the cheese is melted.

 ...and that is What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Cathy's Chili

With the cooler weather making an appearance and giving us a taste of fall. I had to make a big ol' pot of chili.  I love fall and pefer to  open the windows, put on a flannel shirt and enjoy it by making and eating fall comfort foods.

My chili recipe won't be for everyone.  If you like spicy chili then I'd suggest giving it a try.  If you don't like spicy chili, you can still give it a try, just back off the spices, adding smaller amounts at a time and tasting to suit it for your palate.

I normally just make it by using the dump and taste method.  In order for me to share it with you, I had to measure and write down the ingredients as I went along. 



Cathy's Chili

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey
1 pound lean ground beef
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 40 ounce can of Brook's Chili Beans
1 46 ounce can of Tomato Juice
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Directions:

Drizzle the 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil into  a large soup pot (or dutch oven).
Heat over medium high heat.
Add the turkey, ground beef and onions along with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.

Add 1 Tablespoon each of Chili Powder, Ground Cinnamon and Ground Cumin.  Browning the meat along with the spices helps improve the color of the ground turkey and also adds a layer of spices to the meat.
Mix well and cook the mixture until meat is cooked through.

Drain any excess grease.  If you ground beef is very lean, you shouldn't need to drain any fat.
To the meat mixture add the Chili Beans and Tomato Juice.
Stir to mix well. Lower the heat to medium low (you want the mixture to not boil).
Add the remaining seasonings 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder, 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon, 1 1/2 Tablespoons Cumin and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Mix thoroughly, scraping seasonings from sides of pot.
Reduce heat to simmer.  After 15 minutes and all ingredients are heated through, taste and adjust seasonings.

Chili is always better left over, so I often make it a day before I want to eat it.  The longer it sits before serving, the spices will continue to blend and develop.   Just be careful if you microwave a bowl otherwise you will have a mess.  I created a mess by having my bowl too full!

I prefer mine topped with shredded cheese and Frito's. 

I also have used leftovers to create chili burgers or chili dogs as well. 
You can also serve it over spaghetti or add cooked pasta.  However, I typically do not recommend putting cooked pasta directly into the chili.  The texture of the pasta gets mushy and it adds additional thickening to the chili. 

.....and that's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Beef and Potato Loaf

As the weather shows hints of fall and turns cooler, I tend to pull out recipes that are "comfort" food, like this meatloaf with potatoes cooked beneath it.  You can easily half the recipe if you feel that this is too much, but if you like leftover meatloaf like I do, you'll want to have plenty for later.

Beef and Potato Loaf

Ingredients:

Potatoes:

6 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Meatloaf:

1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
1 sleeve of saltine crackers, crushed
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Glaze:

1/2 cup ketchup
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a large baking dish with non-stick spray.  I used my Le Cresuet oval pot.
Layer in the sliced potatoes, topping each layer with some of the onion, thyme, salt and pepper.

Crush the crackers finely, I used my food processor to quickly make the crumbs.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, turkey and remaining ingredients. 

Mix thoroughly (I use my hands) until combined and let stand for about 15-20 minutes for the liquid to absorb into the mixture.

Place meat mixture on top of the potato slices.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 60 minutes, adding additional time until done (depends on your pan and the thickness of the meatloaf).

15 minutes before removing the meatloaf from the oven, mix up the glaze and top the meatloaf.  Return to the oven and continue baking for 15 minutes.

....and That's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Taco Casserole

Taco Casserole is easy and yummy.  Someone gave me this recipe, and I have adapted it to my liking.  I was craving this yesterday but didn't have all the ingredients I needed.  The recipe does make quite a bit, so if you are like me and don't need a 9x13 pan, you can always cut the recipe in half and make it in a 9x9.   

I altered this from the original recipe to make it a little bit lighter on calories and fat.  I used 95% lean ground beef and ground turkey rather than the original 2 pounds of hamburger.  I also substitute fat free sour cream and low fat cheese and it tastes just fine.  

Taco Casserole

Ingredients:

2 package Crescent Rolls
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. ground turkey
2 packages taco seasoning 
1 16 oz. bottle of either taco sauce or salsa
16 oz. sour cream
4 cups shredded taco cheese
1 13 oz. bag of Tostitos

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


In a large non-stick skillet, brown the ground beef and ground turkey. 
Drain it and add to the seasoning and taco sauce or salsa.  Stir thoroughly.
Simmer for 15 minutes. You want the meat to be coated and relatively dry.

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non stick cooking spray.  Line the pan with the crescent rolls.  Be sure to press the seams together.
I had two triangles left over, so I popped them in the oven while I was assembling the casserole.
Top with the meat mixture.

Spread on the sour cream.
Top with the cheese.






Crush the Tostitos in the bag and sprinkle on top of the cheese.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

Serve with a tosssed salad and you have a meal and it is hard to not go back for seconds!

Cathy's Vegetable Soup

Most of us think of soup as a winter dish.  However, with the modern convenience of air conditioning, soup is really appropriate all year round. 

I love soups and make them often.  It makes preparing supper a breeze after a long day at work and because it makes so much, I enjoy the leftovers packed for my lunch.

This soup is quick, easy and healthy. I threw it together one afternoon when I didn't know what to fix for dinner. 

This recipe and chili are the soups I most frequently prepare.
You can easily adjust this to use ingredients what you have on hand.  I typically use both ground beef and ground turkey, but you can also use all ground beef if you prefer. 
Like my chili, I always just make this, never following a written recipe (not that I'd necessarily follow it precisely if I had one).  Today, while making the soup, I decided to measure and write down the ingredients and directions so I could share it with you.

I missed adding beef soup base to my shopping list so I had to use beef broth today. It isn't necessary to use soup base but it adds a richer flavor to the soup that I prefer.

Like many soups, this one gets better with age, so get out your biggest soup pot and make it a day ahead so the flavors have a chance to fully develop.

Cathy's Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 cups shredded carrots (I buy them pre-shredded)
6 cups shredded cabbage (1/2 a medium sized head)
3 15 oz. cans of pinto beans
1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
8 cups of beef soup base
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed

Directions:

1. Add the olive oil to a large stock pot.  Place over medium heat. 
2. Add the ground turkey, ground beef, chopped onion, salt and pepper to the pot and cook, crumbling meat until it is browned.
3. Drain any fat from the pan.
4. Add carrots, pinto beans, tomato sauce and beef broth to the pan, stirring to mix ingredients.
5. Add fennel seed and thyme and shredded cabbage.
6. Stir to mix well.
7. Reduce heat to low and simmer until cabbage and carrots are cooked.
8. Sample and adjust seasonings to taste.

Serve with a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan and crusty loaf of bread.