Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

My Mother always used to tell me, "The fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach," so this spaghetti with my homemade meat sauce was the first dish I ever made for my would-be husband when we first met 15 years ago. 

It was a huge hit and has since come to be known as "Michelle's World-Famous Spaghetti."

This entree served with garlic toast and a green salad is always a popular hit in our home for family and friends alike.


What You Need:
1lb. ground beef
6 oz. pork sausage (about 3 patties)
1 small Italian sausage link

1 pint sliced mushrooms
1/2 large white onion - finely chopped
1 bunch spring (green) onions - finely chopped
1 large tomato - diced

2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro - finely chopped
1-2 Tbsp DYB? Mediterranean Spice Blend*

1 24-oz jar tomato & basil pasta sauce (I use Bertolli™)
1/2 jar of water


Let's Cook:

• In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, pork sausage, and Italian sausage.
• Drain excess grease from meat.
• Add meat mix to a dutch oven along with mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes.
• Add sauce & water to the pot; stir.
• Add all spices; stir.
• Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer for one hour.
• Stir occasionally.

Prepare your favorite pasta per package directions.  I use Barilla™.
Drain pasta, and either add it directly to the sauce or plate it with the sauce on top.
Serve with a nice green salad, and garlic toast.

Nutrition Facts:  Not Available

* While I used a Middle Eastern Spice called Za'atar originally, DoYouBake? Mediterranean Spice Blend has proven to be just as tasty and a whole lot less expensive.  It can be purchased from Love 2 Bake.

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Oven Roasted Potatoes

The aroma that fills your kitchen, no! your entire house, while these are baking is absolutely mouth-watering and I can guarantee you'll be sampling one (or three) before these make it to your table.    


What You Need:
6 cups quartered new (red) potatoes
1/4 cup light olive oil
2 Tbsp DYB? French Fry Seasoning*


Let's Create:
Whisk the olive oil and seasoning blend in a mixing bowl.
Add potatoes and coat well.


Let's Cook:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Spread the potatoes evenly on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes. (no need to stir during baking).

Nutrition Facts:   Not Available.

*DoYouBake? French Fry Seasoning can be purchased from Love 2 Bake.

Don't forget to check the "Seasonal Foods" section below to see what's in season for your area, and as always, Wishing You ...

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Creamy Coleslaw (an HKC Original Creation)

I guess the southern roots are really showing with this one but there's nothing this family loves more than a big bowl of creamy coleslaw to complement our burgers and hotdogs. 

This HKC Original Creation slaw is also wonderful as a picnic side dish, or with a plateful of barbecue, or to complement a barbecue sandwich.

I, personally, also enjoy it right by itself as a light side salad with a small slice of toasted garlic bread or a few crackers for lunch.

What You Need:

1 pound pre-packaged slaw mix (cabbage, carrots, and red cabbage)
1 bunch (5-6) green/spring onions, finely chopped

Sauce
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons poppy seed

  

Let's Create:

• In medium mixing bowl, combine the Sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth.
• Add onions and slaw mix to sauce and stir until well-coated.
• Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle top with additional poppy seed if desired, refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving.

Nutrition Facts:   Not available.

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Chili-Chicken & Black Beans with Rice

This man-hearty meal is bursting with flavor and very filling, but dangerously tasty.  The hubby kept coming back for "just a couple more bites."  I think he finally had to force himself to stop.  I love it when the family loves it THAT much!

What You Need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz. each)
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups water
2 cans (15 oz. each) Black Beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups salsa or picante sauce
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
4 cups cooked rice

Let's Cook:

• Blend the seasoning spices together (chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper) and rub over chicken.
• In a large nonstick, skillet coated with cooking spray, brown chicken in olive oil on both sides.
• Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
• Add 1 cup water to the pan and stir to loosen the brown bits from bottom.
• Stir in beans and salsa.
• Return chicken to skillet, cover and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is done.
• Stir once or twice, adding additional 1 cup of water if needed.
• When chicken is done, remove from skillet to cutting board and cut into ½-1 inch slices.
• Transfer beans to a 2 quart serving dish, transfer chicken back to top of beans.
• Garnish top with green onions.
• Serve with prepared rice. 

YIELD:  4 servings (1 chicken breast half, ½ cup rice, ½ cup beans)

Nutrition Facts:     Not Available

Don't forget to check the "Seasonal Foods" section below to see what's in season for your area, and as always, Wishing You ...

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Onion-Dijon Pork Chops

This more than delicious dish had everyone licking their chops.

Better make plenty of these, Mom!  These pork chops will keep 'em coming back for more.

They were so tasty and tender that everyone at the table was looking for seconds.

What You Need:
4 boneless pork loin chops (5 ounces each)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ small red onion, thinly sliced and separated

Sauce
¼ cup water
¼ cup malt vinegar
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

* I used 6 bone-in chops (4 ounces each) and doubled the sauce ingredients.

Let's Create:

• Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper.
• Briskly whisk all remaining ingredients together (except the onions) in a small bowl.

Let's Cook:

• In a large, nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chops over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side, until lightly brown.
• Remove from pan, and keep warm.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet and stir to loosen the browned bits.
• Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken, stirring frequently.
• Return chops to the pan and thoroughly coat with sauce.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until meat is done (meat thermometer will read 160°).

Nutrition Facts:   Not available as this recipe was altered from its original version, found on page 278 of the Taste of Home, Diet Comfort Food Cookbook.

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Bacon, Basil, and Tomato Salad

Talk about delicious dishes - this 100% fresh-ingredient salad is the real deal, y'all. 

It is absolutely divine as a side dish with your favorite pasta and some sort of bread.  Even the little one loves this delicious dish! 

It really reminds me a lot of bruschetta and would also be great as an hors d'oeuvre with a nice baguette.

What You Need:
Toasted Bread Cubes
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups cubed country white bread or baguette (½ inch cubes)
1 garlic clove minced

Salad
4 cups diced tomatoes
½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
4-6 slices fully cooked bacon, crisp, chopped
½ cup diced fresh mozzarella cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Dressing
2 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar

Let's Cook:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. 
• Add bread cubes and garlic.
• Toast bread until golden brown.
• Set aside to cool.

Let's Create:

• Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
• Whisk oil and vinegar for dressing and drizzle over salad.
• Sprinkle with optional salt & pepper if desired.
• Stir well to blend the dressing with the salad.
• Top with toasted bread cubes.

YIELD:  5 Cups
Serving Size:  1¼ Cup
Nutrition Facts:   266 Calories, 15g Total Fat, 9g Protein

Don't forget to check the "Seasonal Foods" section below to see what's in season for your area, and as always; Wishing You ...

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Fresh Fruit Cups with Sour Cream Sauce

These fresh fruit cups make the perfect ending to any great meal, and who doesn't love a fantastic dessert?  They're also great as an after-school snack when dinner's going to be a good bit later than normal. They're light, tasty and just the right size. 

These 1 cup serving sizes were a huge hit and got a thumbs up all the way around the table!

What You Need:
3 medium ripe peaches, pitted, and chunked
6-8 large strawberries, diced

Sauce
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/8 cup honey

Let's Create:

• Mix prepared fruit in a medium bowl and refrigerate covered for 1-2 hours.
• Whisk together the sour cream and honey until smooth, cover and refrigerate.
• Once fruit has chilled for at least one hour, spoon it into serving cups and top with 1 tablespoon of sauce.

Optional: 
Substitute fruit with your own preferred or with seasonal berries.
Divide any additional sauce over fruit cups.

YIELD:  5 cups

  

Nutrition Facts:   None available as this recipe was altered from its original version, found on page 216 of the Taste of Home, Diet Comfort Food Cookbook.

  

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Dijon Green Beans

Let me just be honest with y'all.  I'm really not a great fan of green beans and will more often than not pass on them every time, but this recipe?  Oh. My. Delicious. Goodness!!!  I could eat these green beans All Day Long, folks.

The dish is not really a salad, but it's not something served piping hot either.  I was almost positively sure that, like all other green bean recipes, this would be yet another disappointment but ... WOW.  I just can't tell y'all enough how I loved these, as did the family; and they were so simple to make.

What You Need:
1½ lbs fresh green beans, trimmed and washed
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (meaning after they're halved, you need to have 1 cup)
½ small red onion, thinly sliced and separated

Dressing
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar (or Balsamic Vinegar)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp prepared Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Let's Cook:
Place the prepared green beans in a large saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook covered for 10-12 minutes or until beans are "just" crisp-tender.

 

 

Let's Create:

• Whisk together all the ingredients for the Dressing and set aside.
• Drain beans and place in large bowl; add tomatoes and onion.
• Drizzle with prepared Dressing and toss well to coat.
• Transfer to serving dish.

Optional:  Sprinkle top with 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.

YIELD:  10 servings

Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup equals 54 calories, 3g fat (1g saturated fat), 1 mg cholesterol, 167 mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 2g protein. 
Diabetic Exchange:  1 vegetable, ½ fat.

Don't forget to check the "Seasonal Foods" section below to see what's in season for your area, and as always, Wishing You ...

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Asian Style Beef-Steak Stir Fry

One of my personal favorite comfort foods is a great stir-fry.  Rice, a nice meat and veggie combo with the gravy/sauce all served up in one dish?  YUM!  This is just one of many different stir-fry recipes I and the family love anytime. 

Served up with a nice side salad or green veggie and maybe some dinner rolls or biscuits, makes a wonderfully filling meal.

This entrée was plated with Dijon Green Beans.



What You Need:
1½ - 2 lbs beef top sirloin steak (cut into thin pieces)
1 bunch green/spring onions (usually 5-6) finely diced, including greens
1 small leek, white portion only - finely chopped (discard the greens)
1 Lrg. or 2 small sweet red peppers - julienned

Sauce/Marinade
1/2 cup lime juice
6 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium Soy Sauce
4 tsp. sesame oil (or Olive Oil)
4 tsp. fresh minced ginger root
1 Tbsp.  minced fresh cilantro

1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper


Let's Create:

• Start by combining the first six ingredients for the Sauce/Marinade.  Whisk well so the honey is completely incorporated into the sauce.
• In a large resealable bag, combine the prepared steak with 2/3 Cups of the marinade, zip closed removing as much air as possible, then turn the meat inside the bag to coat.  Refrigerate for ONE HOUR.
• Add salt & pepper to the remaining Sauce/Marinade, cover and refrigerate.  This is a good time to finish up any necessary prep work.
• Once meat has marinaded for one hour ...

Let's Cook:
In a non-stick skillet or wok coated with cooking spray, stir-fry the beef until it's no longer pink; remove from pan and keep warm.

In the same pan, add the onions, leeks, and peppers.  Stir-fry until the peppers are tender-crisp.  Stir in the reserved marinade and return the beef to the pan until heated through. 

Prepare your favorite white rice per package directions and spoon into a large glass dish.  Spoon the Beef-Steak Stir Fry over the rice and your main entrée is DONE.

Nutrition Facts:  Not Available.

Don't forget to check the "Seasonal Foods" section below to see what's in season for your area, and As Always ...

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Hawai'ian Breakfast Cups

The Hawai'ian name for this dish is Hua Moa Pua'a Ipu (which translates to "flower, cup and egg").  After having lived on the island of Oahu for three years during my husband's good ol' US Navy days, I occassionally get a hankering for some island goodness.  I actually found this recipe in my Taste of Home, Diet Comfort Food Cookbook.  It's absolutely delicious and so simple to make, and it gets a "family thumbs up" here at Home Kitchen Cookin'. 


What you need:
8 oz ramekin cups (number needed for your family)
1 thin slice deli ham per cups you're making
2 teaspoons Shredded Cheddar Cheese per cups you're making
1 teaspoon Mild Salsa (we preferred Picante Sauce) per cups you're making
1 fresh (or canned) pineapple ring per cups you're making
1 egg per cups you're making
Salt-free seasoning blend

Let's Create:
Coat your ramekin cups with a non-stick cooking spray
Line each cup with a ham slice
Add a layer of 2 teaspoons shredded cheddar
Add 1 teaspoon layer of Mild Salsa
Add pineapple ring
Break one egg into the center of the pineapple ring
Lightly sprinkle with the salt-free seasoning blend

** If you're not concerned with the nutrition values, then by all means; layer the cheese and salsa as generously as you like. **

Let's Cook:
Preheat oven to 350º F.  Arrange your ramekins on a baking/cookie sheet.  Baking time depends on how you prefer your eggs ... 30 minutes - Well Done, 25 minutes - Over Light/Easy.  Cooking times may vary depending on your oven/range.  I wouldn't personally recommend cooking time under 20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts:
1 breakfast cup equals 131 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 226 mg cholesterol, 320 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 11 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 medium-fat meat, 1/2 starch

A Thomas Original English Muffin toasted with 1.5 teaspoons Country Crock Spread that completes the breakfast meal, adds 144 calories, 25 g carbohydrate, 4g protein.

Don't forget to check the "Seasonal Foods" section below to see what's in season for your area, and As Always ...







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