INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 1/2 C water
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tea cinnamon
• 3/4 tea salt
• 3/4 tea allspice
• 1/4 tea garlic powder
• 1 tea cumin
• 1 1/2 tea chili powder
• 1/4 tea crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 tea white vinegar
• 1/2 tea Worcestershire sauce
• 4 – 5 dark chocolate Hershey Kisses (optional)

For Serving:

• shredded cheddar cheese
• diced onion
• canned chili beans in sauce, warmed
• cooked spaghetti

Mix ground beef and water with a fork until soupy. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 3 hours until the sauce reduces to desired thickness. Stir occasionally.

To serve: Portion spaghetti into an individual serving bowl. Top with Cincinnati chili sauce. Add chili beans, onion, and cheddar cheese if desired.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbl milk
• 8 oz. spaghetti, cooked and drained
• 8 – 10 cooked meatballs (thawed if frozen or homemade), quartered
• 4 oz. Velveeta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
• 13 oz. spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs and milk in a large bowl until well blended. Add spaghetti, meatballs, Velveeta, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well until all the spaghetti is coated and Velveeta is well distributed. Spoon into an 8″ x 8″ baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; press into dish with back of spoon. Spread spaghetti sauce evenly over top. Bake 30 – 35 minutes or until heated through. Let sit 5 – 10 minutes before slicing into squares.

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 oz short pasta (Gremelli, Mini Penne, Fusilli, etc.)
• 1/2 C Ricotta cheese
• 1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 C pesto
• 12 oz pkg frozen broccoli, thawed and large pieces cut to bite sized

Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions, drain. Off the heat, stir together Ricotta, Parmesan, and pesto in the same pot. Add back in the pasta and stir until coated. Fold in the broccoli. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese.

*Easy Focaccia Bread

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed and over proofed or 1 pkg Pilsbury refrigerated pizza dough
• olive oil
• garlic powder
• basil and oregano or Italian seasoning
• grated Parmesan cheese
• shredded Mozzarella

This bread usually gets made when I forget about my proofing bread dough and it looks like a big blob on the sheet pan. Ooops…plan B.

On a light greased sheet pan, press the dough into a rectangle. Brush the entire surface with olive oil and sprinkle with the seasoning, Parmesan, and Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the bread is a light golden brown. Don’t over bake or it will get very crispy.

INGREDIENTS:

• 19 – 20 oz pkg frozen or fresh cheese tortellini
• 3 Tbl butter
• 2 Tbl flour
• 1/2 tea salt
• 1/4 tea pepper
• 1 1/2 tea dry mustard
• 1/2 – 1 tea Worcestershire sauce
• 2 C milk
• 2 C cubed Velveeta (or a combination of shredded cheddar and Velveeta – my favorite)
• Marinara sauce (jarred or homemade)

TOPPING:

• 3/4 C breadcrumbs, crushed potato chips (any flavor), or crushed butter crackers (optional)
• 2 Tbl butter, melted (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot of salted water cook tortellini 1 – 2 minutes less then the package instructions. Drain and put into a greased 1 quart casserole dish. Set aside.

In a skillet or small pot, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add the flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Add the salt, pepper, dry mustard, and Worcestershire sauce and whisk again. SLOWLY whisk in the milk until the roux (flour mixture) is thoroughly combined. Continue to whisk frequently until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Give it 1 more minute to cook, then pour over the tortellini. Make sure all of the pasta is submerged and covered in sauce. If using a topping, combine with the butter (omit the butter if you are using crushed potato chips) and spread evenly over the top. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for an additional 10 – 15 minutes until bubbly. Let sit for 5 – 10 minutes before serving with marinara sauce. (Recipe to follow)

*Microwave directions for cheese sauce: Melt butter in a large microwave safe bowl and whisk in the flour. Microwave for 1 minute on high. Whisk in the salt, pepper, dry mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, Whisk in the milk and microwave for 2 minutes. Stir in the cheese and continue to microwave in 1 minute intervals, whisking after each, until the sauce has thickened.

Marinara Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
• 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 6 oz can Italian seasoned tomato paste
• 2 tea salt
• 1/2 tea pepper
• 1 1/2 tea garlic powder
• 1 tea dried basil
• 1 tea dried oregano (or omit the basil and oregano and substitute 2 tea Italian seasoning)
• 1 Tbl dried parsley

Add all of the ingredients to a pot or slow cooker with 1/2 can (28 oz) of water. Combine thoroughly. Bring to a low boil over medium heat, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for several hours partially covered. Stir occasionally. If using a slow cooker, cook on low for 6 – 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste sauce mid way through the cooking process and adjust the seasoning as needed. I usually end up adding more garlic powder and salt.

I wanted Bloody Mary’s for my Mother’s Day brunch. They were great! The problem is that I didn’t want them after my special day. So, looking in the fridge at a half full bottle of mix a week ago, I thought I needed to do something with it soon or throw it out. This dish came out surprisingly well.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; sliced crosswise so they are thin.
• 1/2 of a 32 oz bottle of Bloody Mary mix (I used a spicy one)
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups instant rice
• 2 cups water with 2 tea chicken bouillon or chicken stock
• 2 tea butter
• 1/2 pkg frozen peas and carrots

Salt and pepper the chicken breasts and marinate in Bloody Mary mix for several hours or overnight. You can do this right in a 9×13 baking dish or a gallon sized freezer bag in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put the marinated chicken in a 9×13 baking dish and add the sliced onions. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Whisk in the sour cream until thoroughly combined. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add salt as desired.

The last 15 minutes of the chicken cooking time, make the rice. Bring seasoned water or chicken stock with butter and peas and carrots to a boil. Add the rice and stir. Cover and let sit off the heat for at least 5 minutes.

*NOTE: You could also do this in a slower cooker on low for 6 – 8 hours. I find that chicken gets dry although.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 – 15 oz cans corned beef hash
• 6 eggs
• 2 Tbl butter
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread both cans of hash evenly into a large ovenproof skillet or 9×13 glass baking dish sprayed with a butter spray like Pam. Make 6 wells in the hash and add about 1/2 teaspoon of butter to each.

Scramble the eggs with a couple tablespoons of milk or water. Pour evenly into each well. (You may have leftover egg mixture. You can microwave them in a coffee mug sprayed with Pam for 1 minute, stir with a fork, and microwave for another 30 seconds or so until cooked.) If using whole eggs, crack 1 egg into each well. Sprinkle the eggs with a little salt and pepper.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 – 40 minutes until eggs are cooked to your preference. Serve with hot sauce.

This is a very rich, comforting dish. A huge favorite with my guys. With it’s simple ingredients, and quick preparation, it’s an easy weeknight meal.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 – 3/4 lbs bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (scissors work well cutting bacon)
• 1 lb spaghetti (thin spaghetti and linguini work well too)
• *4 eggs
• 8 – 10 Tbl grated Parmesan cheese (no green cans please)
• 1 Tbl pepper
• 1 Tbl butter (optional)

Start the bacon in a fry pan and put a large pot of water on to boil. While you are waiting for the water, cook the bacon. Stir it occasionally until it is cooked to just about crisp. You can add the butter to the bacon while it’s cooking if desired. Set aside. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. In a large serving bowl whisk together the eggs Parmesan cheese, and pepper. When the pasta is done, drain briefly, and add it to the egg mixture. Quickly, with a wooden spoon or pair of tongs, vigorously stir until all the pasta is coated. Add your bacon with drippings and mix in. Let sit for a minute or two. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Cheesy Garlic Bread: I buy frozen bread dough and bake it according to the package directions. Cut it into thick slices, slather it with softened butter, sprinkle on some garlic powder, and add slices of provolone or shredded mozzarella. Put it under the broiler until the cheese is melted and somewhat bubbly. Good stuff!

*NOTE: I’ve never had an issue using raw eggs in this dish. If it’s not something you like to use, a good substitute would be a product like Egg Beaters.

I love potato salad, but I’m not a fan of the yellow mustard stuff you get in the grocery store. I use Dijon mustard in this recipe and it gives it a nice subtle kick.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs red potatoes
• 2 Tbl red wine vinegar (white wine or cider will work too)
• 3 green onions, sliced thin
• 1 small stalk celery, sliced thin
• 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1/2 C mayo (NOT Miracle Whip)
• 1 1/2 – 2 Tbl Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tea salt
• 1/2 tea pepper

Scrub the potatoes and remove any eyes or blemishes. No need to peel the whole potato unless you prefer no skin. Cut into bite sized chunks, about 1/2 inch. Add to a pot of salted COLD water and put on high heat to bring to a boil. Stir occasionally until it comes to a rolling boil. Start to check the potatoes after about 5 minutes into the rolling boil with a fork (not a knife). Once your fork goes in smoothly, but the potato still has a little resistance, they’re ready. About 20 minutes from start to finish. Drain and let sit for a few minutes. Place half of the potatoes in a serving bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Repeat with the second half. For your sauce: (I usually prep this while the potatoes are boiling) In a small bowl add your green onions, celery, eggs, mayo, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix well. While the potatoes are still warm, fold in the sauce. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

*Bonus Recipe*

Red Hot and Blue’s Potato Salad (or something very close)

There was a BBQ restaurant near where I used to work that we would go to on our lunch break during teacher workshops. (Ahhh… those were the days when your lunch hour was actually an hour) I LOVED their potato salad! This recipe is my re-creation of it.

• 3 lbs red potatoes
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
• 6 hard boiled eggs
• 1 C mayo (NOT Miracle Whip)
• 1/2 C sour cream
• 1 tea Dijon mustard
• 1 tea salt
• 1 tea whole celery seed (NOT salt)

Scrub potatoes and remove any eyes or blemishes. Add to a pot of COLD salted water. (No need to cut them at this point) Bring to a rolling boil until they are fork tender. Drain and lot cool to room temperature , then cut into bite sized pieces. In a serving bowl, add the cooled potatoes, green onions, and 5 chopped egg whites. Set aside. In a food processor or blender combine mayo, sour cream, Dijon mustard, salt, and 6 egg yolks. Blend until smooth. Add celery seed and blend briefly. Fold sauce into potato mixture until coated. Chill at least 4 hours before serving

Sloppy Joe’s happen often in my house. It’s quick, easy, and so much better than using a canned mix. Between my husband and 19 year old son, there are never leftovers.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 tea EACH salt, pepper, garlic powder
• 3/4 C ketchup
• 1/4 C chili sauce
• 1 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbl yellow mustard
• 1Tbl vinegar (white or cider)
• Hamburger buns

TOPPINGS: red onion, tomato, yellow mustard, American cheese

In a large skillet, brown ground beef and onion (if using) seasoned with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder; drain. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to incorporate thoroughly. Simmer for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can do this in a slow cooker also. Cook on low for 2-3 hours. Spoon mixture onto hamburger buns and top with your favorites. I like them all. Coleslaw makes a great side.

*Fun Variation: Spoon Sloppy Joe’s onto Texas toast and top with cheese. Wrap the sandwiches in foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. For a crispier crust, put under the broiler for a few minutes.