Spaghetti and Meatballs

 Ingredients

Sauce

1 onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1/2 Tbs. oil
1 large can plus 1 medium can tomatoes
2 cans tomato paste
1 can mushrooms, drained
2 hot peppers
1 tsp. basil
salt and pepper
1 pkg. spaghetti, cooked

Meatballs

1 sweet pepper, chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
1 tsp. basil
2 eggs
salt and pepper
8 crackers, crumbled
1 hot pepper, chopped fine
2 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs. ground beef

Directions

Heat oil in a large sauce pan. Sauté the onion and green pepper in the oil until tender.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms, hot pepper, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste..
Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning on the bottom.
As the sauce is simmering, begin making the meatballs and put the water on the stove to boil to make the spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.  Drain the spaghetti when it is done.

Preheat oven to 400° Line a large baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease the bottom, so the meatballs do not stick.

In a bowl, combine sweet pepper, onion, basil, eggs, crackers, hot pepper, and garlic cloves.  Add salt and pepper as desired.  

Mix in the ground beef until combined.  It is important to not overwork the meatballs, or they will be tough.  

Roll into 1-inch meatballs and place on prepared baking sheet or cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.   Pour sauce and place meatballs over hot spaghetti.  You can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the top and serve with toasted garlic bread.    

Chili Con Carne and Rice

 

This Chili Con Carne and Rice dish is our version of the Hamburger Helper Chili. Instead of using macaroni, we use quick cooking rice.  This recipe is just as easy as using the box mix, but it tastes so much better.  And we know what is going into our food, vs. what else did they put in those little packets.  

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 1/2 c. water
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbs. cumin
1 1/2 to 2 Tbs. chili powder
1 1/2 to 2 Tbs. paprika
1 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
Dash red pepper
2  beef bouillon cubes
1/4 tsp. Tony Cacheries Original Creole (optional)
1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. cold water
2/3 c. Minute rice

Directions

Brown the ground beef and onion together in a heavy cast iron skillet. Drain excess grease.

Add garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper, red pepper, beef bouillon cubes and Tony Cacheries Creole seasoning. Stir to coat the meat. 

Pour in the water, stir to combine.   Bring to a boil.

In a small cup or dish, mix flour and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth.  Pour into the hamburger mixture stirring constantly to keep it from clumping.

Add minute rice. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until rice is tender and cooked, stirring occasionally. Add more water if necessary.

Serve with cheese over the top, or melted cheese sauce if you have that.

 Oatmeal Crispies

Oatmeal Crispies are one of my family's favorite cookies to bake and eat.  They are quick and easy to mix up and the dough will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or more.  That way you can have delicious, fresh baked cookies right out of the oven whenever you want. The recipe calls for shortening, but you can use equal amounts of butter and shortening for a delicious butter flavor.  

Ingredients

1 c. shortening
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 3/4 c. flour
3 c. quick-cooking oatmeal
1/2 c. nuts, chopped (Optional)
1/2 c. raisins (Optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cream shortening, white sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.

Add the salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon and mix well.

Gradually add the flour.   Stir in the quick-cooking oatmeal and the nuts.

Drop by tablespoonfuls about 2-inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten lightly with a fork like you do with peanut butter cookies. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool a couple of minutes before removing to finish cooling on wire racks.

 Seasoned Pork Chops over Scalloped Potatoes

This is a dish my mother made quite often.  She didn't always have a lot of time to cook as she was  busy with gardening and taking care of her family. I still make this dish for my family as well which stirs up fond memories of then I was growing up.. 

Ingredients

1 Tbs. flour
1/4 to 1/2  tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
4 pork chops
1 Tbs. oil
5 to 6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced int o half rings
1 c. chicken stock or broth
1 (10¾ oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1¼ cups milk or use the empty can of cream of mushroom soup
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°

In a small bowl, combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper and paprika together.  Set the seasoning blend aside.

 Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator. Allow them to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. 

 Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel. Rub both sides of the pork chops with the seasoning blend.  

In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Sear the pork chops until golden brown.This should take 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the pork chops over and sear the other side. Remove the pork chops from the skillet and place on a plate.

In a small bowl combine the cream of mushroom soup and milk together until smooth.

Layer the potatoes and onions in a large casserole dish. Season the layers with salt and pepper as you go. Place the pork chops on top. Pour the cream of mushroom soup and milk mixture over the top.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Dry Onion Soup Mix

A Simple Homemade Substitute for Store-Bought Onion Soup Mix

We’ve all seen those little packets of dry onion soup mix at the grocery store. They’re convenient, but they’re often expensive for the small amount you get, and salt is usually one of the main ingredients.

Instead of buying those packets the next time you go shopping, you can easily make your own at home using simple pantry ingredients. This homemade dry onion soup mix comes from my mother’s recipe collection and was something she liked to keep on hand in the kitchen.

It’s a great way to add quick flavor to many different recipes. Mix it with sour cream for a simple vegetable dip, or stir it into meatloaf, meatballs, casseroles, or soups for extra savory flavor.

Once you make your own onion soup mix, you may find yourself reaching for it often. It stores well in the pantry and is always ready when you need it.

Ingredients:

2/3 c. dried, minced onion
3 tsp. parsley flakes
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. celery salt
4 cubes of beef bouillon, crumbled fine or 4 tsp. beef bouillon powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions

Find a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Add the dried minced onion, parsley flakes, onion powder, turmeric, celery salt, crumbled beef bouillon, sugar, and ground black pepper to the jar.

Secure the lid and shake well until all the ingredients are evenly combined.

Before each use, shake the jar again to redistribute the ingredients.

To replace one packet of store-bought dry onion soup mix, use 4 tablespoons of the homemade mixture.

Store the jar in a cool, dry place.

Tips for Best Success:

• Make sure the bouillon cubes are crushed very finely so the mixture blends well.
• A small food processor or spice grinder can help combine the ingredients evenly.
• Store the mix in an airtight jar to keep the onions from absorbing moisture.
• Label the jar with the date so you know when you made it. 

Variations and Substitutions:

Lower sodium version:
Use low-sodium beef bouillon to reduce the salt content.

Vegetarian option:
Replace the beef bouillon with vegetable bouillon granules.

Garlic flavor:
Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder for extra savory flavor.

Herb blend variation:
Add a pinch of thyme or dried basil for a different flavor profile.

Serving Suggestions:

This homemade dry onion soup mix can be used in many recipes, including:

• Vegetable dip with sour cream
• Meatloaf
• Meatballs
• Beef roast seasoning
• Slow cooker recipes
• Casseroles
• Potato dishes

To make a quick dip, mix 4 tablespoons of onion soup mix with 1 cup sour cream and refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving. 

How to Store:

Store the onion soup mix in a tightly sealed jar in a cool, dry pantry.

It will keep well for up to 6 months when stored properly.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How much homemade mix equals one packet of onion soup mix?
Use 4 tablespoons of the homemade mixture to replace one store-bought packet.

Can I grind the mixture finer?
Yes. You can pulse the ingredients in a food processor or spice grinder for a finer texture.

Is this mix very salty?
Using bouillon does add salt, but you can control the sodium level by choosing low-sodium bouillon.

Can I double the recipe?
Yes. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled so you always have some in the pantry. 

Chicken And Dumplings

Ingredients

 8 cups chicken broth
 1 chicken, cut into pieces or left whole
2 to 3 ribs celery, diced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 c. carrots, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. parsley flakes

Dumplings

2 c. baking mix
1/4 tsp. thyme, dried
1/2 tsp. parsley fakes
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. milk

Directions

In a Dutch oven, combine chicken broth, chicken, celery, carrots, bay leaf and parsley. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 60 minutes or until chicken is tender and falling off the bone.

Remove the chicken from the broth.  When it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and separate the bones and gristle from the meat. Cut any big pieces of meat into small bite size pieces.  

Return the chicken to the broth, carrots and celery mixture. Return to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low while you make the dumplings.

In a bowl, combine baking mix, thyme, parsley and salt. Stir in milk just until moistened.  Do not over mix or they will be tough.

Turn the heat up on the chicken soup and bring it back to a boil. Drop  the dumplings by tablespoonfuls into the boiling broth and reduce heat. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes and then cover and cook an additional 10 minutes.  Do not lift the cover during that time or the dumplings will be soggy.  

Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon and serve in bowls. 

Remember to remove the bay leaf before serving.

 

 Broccoli And Pasta

Ingredients

1 (10 to 12 oz.) pkg pasta
1 10 oz. pkg frozen broccoli, thawed
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/4 c. olive oil or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. chicken broth
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper (Optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.  Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.

Cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces. 

Heat butter and olive oil in large nonstick skillet. Cook the broccoli, onion, and garlic until the onions are translucent for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Pour in the chicken broth bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes. 

In a large bowl, mix the broccoli, pasta, red pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Top with more Parmesan cheese if desired.