Easy Skillet Pasta Dish

Stumped for something easy and simple to make for supper? This is a meal you can add any pasta you happen to have on hand. If you use lasagna noodles, break them up into smaller pieces for easier cooking. You can use ground beef, or  substitute half the ground beef with sausage for more flavor. You can also add some vegetables in the dish as well.  Be creative! We usually use hot and spicy sausage and use the bold and spicy pasta sauce.

 Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef or half ground beef and half sausage 

1 onion, chopped

1 sweet pepper, chopped

1 1/2 c. uncooked pasta approximately (3 ounces)

1 1/4 c. beef broth
1/3 c. dry milk powder

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 jar (25.5 oz) jar pasta sauce 

1 (4.5 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded or your favorite cheese

Directions

In a cast iron Dutch Oven, brown the ground beef, onion, and sweet pepper until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally so nothing burns on the bottom. Salt and pepper the mixture according to your taste.

 

Stir in the pasta, beef bouillon, dry milk powder, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, pasta sauce, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper if needed.  Bring to a boil.

 

Cover the Dutch Oven with a lid and reduce heat to low.  Continue to cook until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. This can take from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the pasta you  use. Also, if you may need to add more liquid to the mixture as well because the noodles will absorb the liquid. You can either add more beef broth, or water. 

Sprinkle with cheese 

You can also add some other vegetables in the recipe as well, like corn or peas. Add them when you add in the pasta and other ingredients.

Easy Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Who doesn't like bacon and a nice juicy cheeseburger? Well, this is a new way to serve those same flavors for a real, family pleasing meal. 

Directions

8 to 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
3 to 4 c. beef stock
4 c. cubed potatoes, or about 1 1/2 lbs.
1 c. celery, chopped
1 c. carrots, diced
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream
1 lb cheese, shredded or cut in cubes
1 Tbs. yellow mustard
1 Tbs. ketchup

Directions

In a large cast iron Dutch oven, fry the bacon until it is crisp. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to absorb extra grease. Remove all but a fourth of the bacon grease. Add the ground beef, onions, celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook and stir until the meat is no longer pink. Drain.

Pour in the beef stock. Stir in red pepper, parsley, basil, and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a bubble.

Reduce heat to low.  Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and continue to simmer until vegetables are tender. If there is not enough liquid, add more beef broth.  

Pour in the milk and stir in the sour cream until blended.

Stir in the cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted.

Add the mustard, ketchup and crumpled bacon.  Serve and enjoy!

 Chuck Wagon Skillet Dinner

When I work late, I really don’t want to spend much time cooking supper. Chuck Wagon Skillet Dinner is one of our go to meals.

My kids will even make this dish so I don’t have to worry about cooking after I come up from my work from home job. It gives us time to sit down and enjoy a meal as a family. We watch cartoons and talk about our day.

Ingredients

2 Tbs butter or margarine
1 onion, diced in small pieces
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 oz. cubed cheddar cheese
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. sliced ripe olives (optional)
2 c. medium noodles uncooked
1 1-lb can stewed tomatoes
1/4 c. water

Directions

In a large cast iron skillet, melt butter. Add the ground beef, onions and celery until tender. Season with salt and pepper, using more or less as desired.

Add the cheese, olives and noodles. Pour in tomatoes and water. Stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down to low and simmer 30 to 35 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking on the bottom. Add more water as necessary if more liquid is needed to cook the noodles.

 Rolled Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

This is a recipe that my mother made quite often. She would use the cabbages she raised in her garden, along with the tomatoes.  It was so good! Seasoned ground beef, rice and onions rolled in cabbage leaves.

Ingredients

12 cabbage leaves
1 c. brown rice, cooked
1/4 c. onion, chopped fine
1 egg
1/2 c. sauce (below recipe)
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lb. ground beef

Sauce

2 Tbs. butter
1/2 c. onion chopped fine
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 Tbs. brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a bubble and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.

As the water heats and the sauce simmers, combine rice, onion, egg, 1/2 cup sauce mixture, salt and ground beef in a bowl.  Set aside.

Now it is time to assemble the cabbage rolls.  

Remove at least 15 leaves from the cabbage head. Working in batches, plunge the cabbage leaves in the boiling water for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; cool slightly. Trim the thick vein from the bottom of each cabbage leaf, making a V-shaped cut.

Lay a cabbage leaf on a cutting board. Cut a V-shaped notch with a small knife to remove the thick part from the bottom of each cabbage leaf.

Place about 1/4 to 1/3 cup hamburger/rice mixture in the center of a cabbage leaf.  Shape the mixture into a log. Roll the cabbage leaf around the meat mixture. Place about 1/4 cup beef mixture on each cabbage leaf. Pull together cut edges of leaf to overlap. Fold over filling, then fold in sides and roll up. Repeat with remaining meat and cabbage leaves. 

Pour half of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Place the cabbage rolls, seam side down, in the dish. Top with remaining sauce. Cover with foil or a lid.  Bake 60 to 90 minutes. The cabbage should be tender and the hamburger needs to be thoroughly cooked. 

 Easy Pumpkin Roll Cake

This Pumpkin Roll cake may look complicated to make, but it is really easy. It's a delicious moist cake made with pumpkin and cream cheese frosting.  

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 c. sugar
2/3 c. mashed pumpkin
1 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Frosting

1 to 2 Tbs. powdered sugar
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. butter, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.  Line the bottom of a 10 x 15 x 1-inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease and flour the bottom of the parchment paper. Make sure the parchment paper is at least an inch above the sides of the pan. This will allow for easy removal of the cake.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer until thick and lemon colored . Gradually add the sugar and beat for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

Stir in the pumpkin and lemon juice. 

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg. Gradually add this into the pumpkin mixture. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Gently fold together just until combined. Do not over mix.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle the pecans over the top and gently press them into the batter. 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

When the cake is done, carefully lift the cake from the pan using the parchment paper.  begin to roll it while it is still hot from the oven.  loosen it from the sides of the pan. Turn the cake out on the sugared towel. Starting at the narrow end, slowly roll cake and leaving the parchment paper on the cake as you roll it. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed with an electric mixer. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Turn the speed up and beat until well blended. 

Slowly unroll the cake, being careful as some areas may have a tendency to stick to the parchment paper.  Spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the unrolled cake. Carefully, roll the cake back up, but do not roll the parchment along with it.

Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour to firm up.

Place the cake on a platter, seam-side down. Cut into slices and serve. You can garnish with whipped cream or sprinkle with powdered sugar over the top if desired. Or you can mix up extra frosting and put that on the outside of the cake.

Cake roll is best when served chilled, Although it can sit out for a couple hours, it is important to store it in the refrigerator. Best if eaten within 3 days.

Pea and Hash-Brown Potato Casserole

It is hard to get kids to eat vegetables and mine are no exception. However, they don't mind eating them when the vegetables are combined with hash-browns.  This casserole is layered with delicious vegetables and the surprise taste of dill. If you don't like dill, you can omit it from the recipe.  

We also add some chopped onions along with the layer of peas and chopped green peppers work great as well.  This recipe is versatile and you can change the vegetables to ones that you like best!

Ingredients

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 tsp. dill weed
1 (12 oz) pkg. frozen shredded hash-brown potatoes, thawed
1 (8 1/4 0z.) can sliced carrots, drained
1/2 c. shredded American cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray 6 x 10 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together cream of chicken soup, milk, mayonnaise and dill weed until combined.

Arrange half the potatoes in the baking dish. I like to sprinkle some salt and pepper over the top of the hash-browns for added flavor. Place half the peas on top of the hash-browns, then all of the sliced carrots. On top of the carrots, spread half the soup mixture on top.  Repeat with remaining potatoes, peas and soup mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for an additional 5 minutes. or until cheese is melted and bubbling. 

Good Old-Fashioned Beef Stew 

 Not many meals warms the tummy and comforts the body better then a big bowl of beef stew. This is another one of those recipes I remember from my childhood. My mother would make it quite often when the days grew cold and the wind came out of the north.

She could have easily opened a can of beef stew and set it on the stove to heat, but money was tight.  Of course, money is still tight in my household. We try to make satisfying meals that are healthy, easy to prepare and will save money.

You can make this stew in a number of ways.  You can use the vegetables in the ingredient list, or you can leave some of them out or replace them with the vegetables you like best.

Most of the time, we omit the bacon. And, if you are on a really tight budget, leave the bacon out. It is mostly added in this recipe for the flavor. 

Ingredients

3 slices bacon (Optional)
2 lbs. beef stew meat * see note below
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced (I generally use the entire garlic head. We love garlic!)
2 cubes beef bouillon or 2 tsp. bouillon granules
6 c. boiling water
2 Tbs. Tomato paste
6 potatoes, cut into cubes
2 carrots, cut into rings or smaller pieces
1/4 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. Worcestershire
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small can sliced button mushrooms, drained
1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas, thawed and drained / Or 1 can peas, drained
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Directions

Place bacon strips in a cast iron Dutch oven. Fry them over medium heat until they are browned and crisp. Remove the bacon and set it aside for later. Drain away all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat from the pan.

Brown the beef stew meat, onions and garlic in the reserved bacon grease. Fry the meat until it is browned on the outside.

Dissolve the bouillon cubes or granules in boiling water. Carefully pour this into the Dutch Oven. 

Add tomato paste, potatoes, carrots, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke and bay leaf.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer for approximately one hour, or until meat is tender.

In a small cup or bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cold water. Slowly pour this into the stew, stirring constantly. When the liquid has thickened, add the peas, and mushrooms. Cook until heated through.

Taste the broth to see if it needs more salt or pepper.  Serve.

Tips and Extras

* Instead of buying already cut up beef stew meat, I buy a roast.  I remove most of the fat and then cut the meat into 1 inch cubes. This tip will save you some money because beef stew meat is expensive, and you don't get as much for the price you pay.

* Substitute one cup of water with 1 cup of red wine.  Make sure to choose a wine that you like to drink. Don't use cooking wine, because there is too much salt in it.  

* If you want a little kick to your beef stew, add a hot pepper. I usually chop 1 to 2 hot peppers, depending on the variety, and add it with my onions.  I leave the seeds in, but if you want less heat, remove the seeds and discard them.

*If you want a thinner broth, add more liquid, or use less cornstarch.  For a thicker broth, add more cornstarch.