Economy Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff is great comfort food. It is great on a cool day or any day actually.
You don't need to buy expensive beef tenderloin for this meal. Use stew meat or even a roast instead.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds beef roast or stew meat sliced into 1-1/2"x1/2 inch pieces

2 Tablespoons butter

1-1/2 cups beef broth

2 Tablespoons ketchup

1 teaspoon salt

1 small clove garlic, chopped or 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped(1/2 cup)

3 Tablespoons flour

1 cup sour cream


16 oz noodles or 1 batch homemade noodles, cooked and drained

Melt the butter in a dutch oven over low heat.
Add the meat and cook and stir until browned.
Set aside 1/3 cup beef broth.
Pour the rest into the pan with the meat.
Add the ketchup, salt, and garlic.
Cover and simmer for an hour.
Stir in mushrooms and onion. Cook for 5 minutes until onion is tender.
Add the flour to the reserved broth and stir til smooth.
Stir into beef mixture and heat to boiling. Stir the whole time.
Boil and stir for 1 minute.
Stir in the sour cream.
Heat through.
Stir in the cooked noodles.

Serves 6-8.

If you want to use a tender cut of meat to save time, use beef tenderloin and simmer it with the broth, ketchup, garlic, and salt for only 10 minutes before finishing the dish.

Seafood Lasagna

Seafood lasagna is a nice change from your traditional Italian lasagna.
It is made with tiny shrimp and crab meat. Use imitation crab meat if you like. It is yummy that way as well.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
You will need an ungreased 9"x13" pan.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
2 cloves of crushed garlic
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 cup cottage cheese
1 (7-1/2 oz) can crab meat
1 (4-1/2 oz) can tiny shrimp, drained or 4 oz frozen salad shrimp, thawed
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the garlic.
Stir in the flour and salt.
Cook until bubbly, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and add the milk and chicken broth.
Put back on heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Boil and stir for a minute.
Add the onion, mozzarella cheese, basil, and pepper.
Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.
Take off the heat.
Spread 1-1/2 cups of the cheese sauce in the bottom of the baking pan.
Lay three noodles over the sauce.
Spread the cottage cheese over the noodles in the pan.
Add another 1-1/2 cups cheese sauce.
Add three more noodles.
Add the crab meat(or imitation crab meat) and the shrimp.
Add another 1-1/2 cups cheese sauce.
Layer with the last three noodles and the last of the cheese sauce.
Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top.
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until the noodles are done.
Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

Serves 12.

Enjoy!

Turkey and Broccoli Filled Lasagna Rolls

 This is a different twist on traditional lasagna.

You roll a lasagna noodle around a tasty filling.

I hope you enjoy it.

 Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

You will need a large baking dish. 9x13 size works well.

 Ingredients:

4 lasagna noodles

6 ounces ground turkey

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped broccoli

1/4 cup water

1 beaten egg

1 cup ricotta cheese or drained cottage cheese

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed thyme

1-1/2 cup meatless spaghetti sauce

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook the noodles in boiling water for 10 minutes and drain. Rinse with cold water and drain very well. You want the noodles fairly dry but still pliable.

While you are cooking the noodles, cook the ground turkey and onion until the turkey is no longer pink. Drain if needed. Add the broccoli and the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Cook for 5 minutes. Drain.

In a bowl combine the beaten egg, ricotta cheese, and thyme. Stir in the turkey and broccoli.

Lay out the noodles and divide the turkey mixture evenly among them. Carefully roll up the noodles.

Place each noodle, seam side down in the baking dish. Pour the spaghetti sauce over all the noodles.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4.

Spanish Rice

This is a favorite dish of mine. My mom used to make it a lot as I was growing up. In fact, this was the first meal I ever made all by myself.

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1 cup long grain rice

1 pound ground beef, turkey, or venison

1 white or yellow onion, chopped

1 Anaheim Chile or green pepper, chopped- optional

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1 teaspoon chili powder

scant 1/3 cup white sugar- optional

28-32 oz. tomato juice

In a medium pan add 2 cups water and season with small amount of salt. When it comes to a boil, add the 1 cup rice. Cover and turn down heat. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the water is completely absorbed. Remove from heat.

In a large skillet or dutch oven, cook the ground beef with the onion and pepper. Season with the salt and pepper as you cook it.

Drain the meat, if needed.

When the meat is cooked, add the rice to the pan. Pour in the tomato juice. I like it a bit saucier so I use the full quart, but you can use a bit less.

Add the chili powder and optional sugar. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like.

Turn on heat to medium high and stir occasionally. When the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat down. Continue to cook about 30 minutes or until you get the consistency you want. Also, continue to stir every once in a while.

It is important to have the heat on low at this point or you could scorch the bottom and ruin it.

This makes a nice big pot and will feed 5 people unless you have big eaters in the house.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Ground Turkey Casserole

This is a great dish, especially on a rainy or cool day.
It is my daughter's favorite.
Originally it was made using ground beef, but I use ground turkey most of the time.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Uses a 2 quart casserole dish

Ingredients:

1 (10-1/4 oz.) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 (10-1/4 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (10-1/4 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 lb ground turkey or ground beef
1 large chopped onion
1/2 cup minute rice soaked in 1-1/2 cups warm water for 1/2 hour. Or cook 1/2 cup long grain white rice in 1 cup water for 15 minutes until water is absorbed.
salt and pepper are optional.

Brown the ground meat with the onion. In the casserole dish mix the meat, rice, and soups. Season with salt and pepper if you wish.
Cover the casserole and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the casserole and bake for 30 minutes more.
Serve.

Serves 6.

Using low fat soup works wonderful in this.
Enjoy!