Archive for the ‘recipe’ tag
Family casserole cookin’
The kids LOVE this. One of these casseroles feeds 6-7, and you can usually count on some leftovers, too. I like to double the sauce and freeze half so I have an easy dinner backup plan on hand…
Cheesy Spaghetti Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 small jar prepared spaghetti sauce
- 1 box cooked spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons flour
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Directions
Grease 9"x13" pan. Brown meat and onions; drain. Add spaghetti sauce. (Here I like to doctor it up with some olive oil, crumbled basil and red wine to taste.
Simmer. If I've doubled recipe, I prep half of the sauce for the freezer and let the rest simmer a bit.
Break spaghetti in thirds, cook, drain and rinse. Stir cooked spaghetti into prepared sauce.
Melt butter in small pan. Stir in flour. Slowly add milk. Cook until thick. Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese. Stir until melted.Smooth one-half of sauce/spaghetti mixture into baking pan; spoon the cheese sauce on top and then add remaining sauce/spaghetti mixture as top layer. Top with remaining cup of cheddar cheese. Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes.
Tortellini Salad with Artichokes
This is a great summer recipe. I make it all the time for potlucks – it's also keeps for about a week in the fridge, so sometimes I just make a huge double batch and lots of yummy lunch leftovers throughout the week! You've got your protein, your veggies, your carbs – it almost makes a meal.
Tortellini salad with artichokes
Ingredients
- 1 package three cheese tortellini, refrigerated or frozen
- 1 cucumber, peeled and diced into large chunks
- 1 red pepper, cored and diced into large chunks
- 1-2 jars marinated artichokes
- Your preferred Italian salad dressing (I like Newman's Own Italian)
Directions
Prepare cheese tortellini according to package directions. Drain, rinse and refrigerate until completely cooled. Stir in remaining ingredients (I always add the dressing right before serving so it doesn't get all soaked up into the pasta. I also keep some dressing on reserve to touch up the leftovers later.
Optionally, of course, you can also throw in other veggies of your choice, olives (ew, not me), some shredded mozzarella or fresh grated Parmesan.
Mom to 4 kids and 2 stepkids, I am a writer writing in the heart of chaos. I am the co-founder and former editor of 
