MommaCooks

posted by Nina on Apr 20

I rarely get pasta dishes at Italian restaurants because they usually seem like something I could probably make at home. When I go out to eat I like to order something I probably wouldn’t make myself. I saw this dish on the menu at The Macaroni Grill…the ingredients seemed to be all there, so I made it myself. Note: I have never actually eaten this dish at The Macaroni Grill, so I could be WAY off.

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 T olive oil
2-3 Italian sausage links
15 oz. can roasted tomatoes
15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh spinach
3/4 lb. penne
Parmesan (garnish)

Instructions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.

Fill a medium pot with water and wait for it to come to a boil. Add sausage links and let them cook for about five minutes. Take them out of water and slice into coin-sized pieces.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.

Add garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add sausage pieces and saute until cooked through.

Add tomatoes, cannellini beans and spinach to skillet and cook until heated through and spinach is wilted.

Serve bean mixture over pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan.

What did the family think? Everyone liked it…the only thing that drew some complaints were the beans. So maybe next time I will make it without the beans?

posted by Nina on Apr 4

There are a jillion recipes out there for shepherd’s pie, so I thought I would give this one a try. It doesn’t have any peas in it, so there is hope that the youngest member of our family will like it.

Ingredients:
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
5 carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef, turkey or chicken
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ketchup
3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, finely chopped onion and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash with the backside of a wooden spoon and set aside.

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until clear. Add ground beef and cook until well browned. Pour off excess fat, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add ketchup and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Next, spread a layer of mashed carrots. Top with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Did I change anything? I used chicken broth instead of beef broth.

What did the family think? I am making it this afternoon so it is ready to go in the oven when we get home from baseball practice tonight at 7:15. Here’s what I think will happen…Hubby and I will love it. Our oldest will eat everything but the potatoes (unless he deems then cheesy enough, then he will eat them) and our youngest will pitch a fit and then slowly realize that it’s actually pretty good. He will avoid the potatoes at all costs though. ****Update: Yep, I pretty much hit it on the nose.

from allrecipes.com

posted by Nina on Feb 10

My kids like spaghetti and they like eggs, so I thought I would give this a try.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter or olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. ground Italian sausage (optional)
1 14-ounce can Italian-style diced tomatoes, lightly drained
Smidge of crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste (I used sea salt)
6 eggs, beaten
Leftover pasta–about 6 ounces worth (I didn’t have any leftover so I just made some.)
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil, if you have it
Parmesan

Instructions:
Preheat broiler and make sure you are using an oven-proof skillet.

Heat butter or oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and sauté about 30 seconds (never brown garlic). Add the Italian sausage and cook until done.

Add tomatoes with about half their juice, season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Simmer for about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have broken down some and juice is reduced.

Add pasta and stir to coat. Give it a minute or two to heat through, then reduce heat to low and pour beaten eggs over. Quickly stir things around so you have a somewhat even distribution of egg and pasta.

Sprinkle with parmesan and chopped basil, then just let it heat slowly so the eggs can cook without scorching.

When the eggs have mostly set, stick the whole thing under the broiler to finish cooking.

Cut into wedges and serve!

We had this with a salad.

Did I change anything? The recipe called for just regular diced tomatoes, but I used the Italian-style ones for more zip. I also added the Italian sausage.

What did the family think? Thumbs up from everyone! I love it when that happens.

from halfassedkitchen.com

posted by Nina on Jan 5

I made this tonight to go with the chicken we had (that recipe to come later). Hubby ate one bite, looked up and asked me if made this. I was a little hesitant to answer because I didn’t know if that meant this is really bad and I don’t want to offend you by saying I hate or this is so awesomely good I didn’t even know you knew how to make cole slaw like this. Luckily, it was the latter.

Ingredients:
1 head green cabbage, finely shredded
2 large carrots, finely shredded
3/4 cup best-quality mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons grated Spanish onion
2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons celery salt
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:
Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, sugar, vinegar, mustard, celery salt, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, and then add to the cabbage mixture. Mix well to combine and taste for seasoning; add more salt, pepper, or sugar if desired.

Did I change anything? I left out the onion. I also used a bag of broccoli slaw instead of shredding the carrots and the cabbage. Since the pre-made slaws come in different size packages, I would make the dressing and then add the cabbage mixture to the dressing slowly, stirring it, to make sure you get the cabbage to dressing ratio that you like. Also, I made this a few hours ahead of time so that all of the flavors had time to mix together. I think coleslaw always tastes better when it’s had time to sit for awhile.

What did the family think? Hubby and I thought is was super yummy. The kids ate it, but cole slaw isn’t their favorite.

posted by Nina on Jan 4

This recipe was requested by my hubby and I figured the kids would like it because it has peanut butter in it.

Ingredients:
2-3 pounds chicken legs, thighs and/or wings
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large yellow or white onion, sliced
A 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
6-8 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
2-3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup roasted peanuts
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
Salt and black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

Instructions:
Heat the vegetable oil in a large soup pot set over medium-high heat. Salt the chicken pieces well, pat them dry and brown them in the oil. Don’t crowd the pot, so do this in batches. Set the chicken pieces aside as they brown.

Sauté the onions in the oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring often and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes and stir well to combine.

Add the chicken, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, peanuts, coriander and cayenne and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and taste for salt, adding more if needed. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 90 minutes (check after an hour), or until the chicken meat easily falls off the bone and the sweet potatoes are tender.

Remove the chicken pieces and set them in a bowl to cool, until cool enough to touch. Remove and discard the skin if you want, or chop it and put it back into the pot. Shred the meat off the bones and put the meat back in the pot.

Adjust the seasonings for salt and cayenne, then add as much black pepper as you think you can stand—the stew should be peppery. Stir in the cilantro and serve by itself, or with simple steamed rice.

Did I change anything? I used chicken thighs, but I didn’t use ones with bones. Mine were already deboned, so my cooking time wasn’t quite as long. We had this served over couscous. Also, this makes A LOT of food. We had it for dinner and I have had leftovers for lunch for the past two days and there is still probably three more days of lunches left.

What did the family think? After I put it in the bowls, I seriously thought my kids were going to run screaming from the table. I think the only thing that saved me was that our youngest helped me cook this, so he saw what went into it and it’s hard to run screaming from the table when you helped cook something. I wouldn’t say this was their favorite dish ever, but they did eat it without any complaining. Hubby and I liked it. You have to put the fresh cilantro in it…it makes a world of difference.

from simplyrecipes.com

posted by Nina on Oct 30

It’s like a traditional shepherd’s pie…but with a little more kick.

Ingredients:
Topping:
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 1/4 pounds peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (or Yukon gold potatoes)
1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Filling:
2 pounds ground sirloin, ground turkey or ground chicken
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons steak sauce (such as A-1)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare topping, remove 1 chile and 2 teaspoons sauce from can; reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use. Coarsely chop 1 chile.

Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 15 minutes or until very tender. Drain. Place potatoes, chopped chile, 2 teaspoons adobo sauce, milk, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.

To prepare filling, cook beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from pan; drain.

Heat pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic; sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Return beef to pan; stir in peas and remaining ingredients. Cook 2 minutes.

Spoon beef mixture into a 3-quart casserole; top with sweet potato mixture, spreading evenly. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

What did the family think? This is great warm homey food on a chilly fall or winter night. I really liked it. Hubby said he would have liked it better if I would have used regular potatoes instead of sweet potatoes.

from Cooking Light

posted by Nina on Aug 13

Okay, I know this isn’t technically a recipe, but I am posting it anyways. My oldest asked for more variety in his sack lunches this year. So, I created this list of choices. The kids choose one from each category and then they can help put it together.

Main Course
PB and J
Macaroni and Cheese
Meatball Marinara
Hard Boiled Eggs
Turkey and Cheese Sandwich
PB and Honey
Cheese and Lettuce Sandwich
Chicken Nuggets (They are actually vegetarian, but they don’t know that.)
Cheddar and apple slice sandwich
PB and apple slice sandwich
Cheddar and apple quesadilla
Pasta with Marinara
Bean and Cheese Burrito
Soup/Stew/Chili
Tuna Salad/Chicken Salad with Crackers
Hummus with Pita Chips
Leftovers from the night before
Peanut butter sandwiches using Ritz or Ritz-like crackers

Fruit/Veggies
Apple
Applesauce
Strawberries
Blueberries
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Grapes
Raisins
Pineapple
Mandarin Oranges
Snap peas
Veggie Booty

Dairy
Yogurt
Cheese Stick
Babybel Cheese
Cottage Cheese

Crackers/ Chips
Sunchips
Goldfish
Wheat Thins
Pretzels
Popcorn
Chips and Salsa

Dessert
Cereal Bar
Z-Bar
Cookie
Nutella with Graham Crackers
Graham Crackers
Fruit Snack
Trail Mix-cereal, raisins, chocolate chips
Lollipop
Banana/Pumpkin/Zucchini Bread
Chocolate Chips
GORP
Muffin

Drink
Milk
Water
Juice

Any other ideas are MORE than welcome!

posted by Nina on Aug 2

They are cookies with Nutella in them…GENIUS!!!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup Nutella or other chocolate spread
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 – 1 cup rolled oats
1/2 – 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter, Nutella, vanilla and egg until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until moistened. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Drop by tablespoonfuls on to lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges start to brown. Cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

What did the family think? Cookies don’t last long around here and these were no exception.

Recipe from my good friend, Dana

posted by Nina on Jun 26

Never had grits? This would be a great place to start…

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. turkey breakfast sausage
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. water
3/4 c. quick-cooking grits
3/4 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 tspn. garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of ground red pepper
3 egg whites
Cooking spray

Instructions:
Preheat over to 375 degrees.

Cook sausage in a skillet until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain and set aside.

Combine milk and water in a saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Stir in grits, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 7 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently.

Combine grits, sausage, cheese, salt, pepper and garlic in a bowl and set aside.

Beat eggs whites on a high until stiff peaks form. Gently stir 1/4 of egg whites into grit mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg whites.

Spoon mixture into a casserole dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

What did the family think? Hubby and I love this dish. It is a great way to have breakfast for dinner.

posted by Nina on Jun 25

Smells fantastic, tastes fantastic and won’t heat up your kitchen.

Ingredients:
3-4 lb. boneless pork loin roast
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. apple juice
3 apples, cored, peeled and coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Place roast in Crockpot and rub with garlic. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 7-9 hours. Serve with rice or couscous.

What did the family think? Hubby and I thought this was really good. It definitely tastes like comfort food.