Lasagna Casserole

I came up with this recipe due to my love for lasagna. I wanted an easier way to prepare it. Serve it with some garlic bread and green salad and you will feed a crowd.

Meat Sauce:

3/4 lb ground beef
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 stick celery or some celery flakes
1/4 teaspoon each dried parsley flakes, oregano, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and crushed fennel seeds
1 dried bay leaf
1 1/2 cans (24 oz large cans) Hunt's Spaghetti sauce
Salt to taste
Pinch sugar

Cottage Cheese Mixture:

1 container (16 oz) small curd cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 box (1lb) penne pasta (Use most of the box, leave 1/8 box)

3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Some dried parsley flakes and oregano

Cook the meat breaking big lumps. Once it is completely cooked, drain off the fat. Add the onion and garlic and cook on low heat for about 4 minutes stirring frequently.

Add the remaining ingredients; bring to a boiling and then cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

In a medium-size bowl, mix the cottage cheese mixture.

Cook the pasta al dente (a little undercooked) and drain well.

Spray a 13x9 pan or a bigger baking pan with nonstick spray. Pour some meat sauce at the bottom just to cover it completely. Spread 1/2 the cooked pasta, 1/2 the meat sauce and all the cottage cheese mixture in layers. Sprinkle 1/2 the Mozzarella cheese. Spread the remaining pasta, meat sauce and Mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with the extra Parmesan, parsley flakes and oregano. Spray a big piece of aluminum foil with oil and cover the baking pan. Make some slits on the foil to allow steam to escape.

Bake in a preheated 350 F for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Slow-Cooked Asian Stew

2 lb stew meat cut into cubes
Salt and ground black pepper
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups beef stew
2 big garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
Pinch sugar

2/3 cup chopped yellow onion
2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper or cut into chunks
2 carrots, peeled and cut bias

2 tablespoons extra beef broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
10 oz fresh sugar snap peas, strings removed and cooked in a medium saucepan until crisp-tender, drained
4 green onions, chopped

Brown the meat in 2 batches using the oil. Remove to a platter. In the same skillet add the beef broth, garlic, pinch of sugar and ginger and deglaze the skillet.

Spray the bottom of a 4 qt slow-cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the onion, bell pepper and carrots there. Top with the brown meat. Finally, pour the beef broth mixture that is in the skillet.

Cover and cook on High 4-6 hours.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the 2 tablespoons beef broth and add to the slow-cooker; stir to combine and cook for 20 more minutes.

Add the hot cooked sugar snap peas and green onions and toss to combine. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve immediately.

Makes: 4-6 servings

Banana Oatmeal pancakes

2 cups buttermilk pancake mix or whole wheat pancake mix prepared according to the instructions

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 whole ripe and firm banana, chopped into cubes
1/3 cup regular old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Garnish:

Sliced bananas
Miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
Whipped cream

Add the remaining ingredients to the prepared batter and mix just until combined.

Heat griddle and cook the pancakes using 1/4 cup per pancake. Cook according to the griddle instructions.

Mexican Haystacks and Frito Pie

I make two recipes using the same meat and bean sauce.
This is not traditional Mexican food by any means but it has a Mexican flair.

Meat and Bean Sauce:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 tablespoon Canola oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Taco seasoning to taste
Red pepper chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
1 can (14 1/2 oz) pinto beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Fresh chopped cilantro

Toppings:

Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Chopped green onions or yellow onions
Sliced ripe olives
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Salsa verde
Red salsa
Fritos
Snipped fresh cilantro

For the meat:

In a medium saucepan, cook the meat breaking any lumps until cooked through. If not using lean meat, drain the fat. Add oil, onion, bell pepper, garlic and taco seasoning to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes on low heat stirring frequently.

Stir in the tomato sauce and beef broth. Bring the meat mixture to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes stirring now and then. Add the beans, oregano, red chili flakes and the cornstarch mixture and cook on medium heat for 5 more minutes to thicken the sauce and heat the beans through.

Stir in some fresh chopped cilantro and serve.

How to serve:

1. If making Mexican Haystacks: Put some hot cooked rice on a plate, some meat and bean sauce on top and them preferred toppings.

2. If making Frito Pie: Put a big amount of Fritos on a plate and then top with desired toppings (no rice).

Make 6 servings

Shoyu Chicken

www.foodland.com

4 lb skin on, bone in chicken thighs
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups shoyu
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 each bulb garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 pieces (s) 4-inch piece ginger, sliced 1/8 to 1/16 thick long ways
4 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
Green onions for garnish

Combine all the ingredients except cornstarch and green onions in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce to low and cook very slowly covered until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes to 35 more. Continue to skim the broth for fat and impurities.

Remove chicken to a serving platter.

Strain the sauce and bring to a boil. Thicken with the cornstarch slurry.

Glaze over the chicken and garnish with sliced of green onion.

Note: The dish tastes better the second day.

The original recipes uses skin on, bone in chicken. I used skinless, boneless chicken thighs to cut on calories.

Makes 6 servings

Creamy Garlic Spaghetti

I really liked this recipe I found on Just a Pinch by Melissa Briggs but next time I will do a recipe makeover and cut some calories. I am a pasta fan!

www.justapinch.com

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb spaghetti
1 cu grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley ( I used 1 1/4 tablespoons dried)

On a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir allowing to cook 1-2 minutes. Mix in butter until melted. Add the salt, pepper and chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and let it come to a boil.

Once it is at a rolling boil; add the pasta and cook for as long as box's directions indicate. Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the Parmesan until completely melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Slow-Cooker Taco Chicken

Our Best Bites

www.ourbestbites.com

2-2 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing (I used Kraft)
1 packet Ranch dressing
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
6-8 cloves smashed garlic (do not worry about actually chopping it....unless you want to)
1 tablespoon dehydrated onion
Juice 1 lime
Salt to taste
Chipotle Tabasco sauce to taste (optional)

Place all the ingredients except for the lime, salt and Tabasco sauce in the slow-cooker and cook for 5-6 hours on LOW or until the chicken shreds easily with a fork. When done, shred the chicken with a fork and sprinkle with the lime juice. Taste and season with salt and Chipotle Tabasco sauce (It is smokey and a little milder than the original Tabasco sauce...so it is perfect here) to taste.

Serves 8-10

Note: I serve it with warm flour tortillas, shredded lettuce, chopped onions, tomatoes, avocados and cilantro, shredded cheese, salsa roja, salsa verde etc etc etc.

I sprinkled some Chipotle chili powder instead of the Chipotle Tabasco sauce.