Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs

In an effort to become better friends with my crockpot, i'm trying all kinds of new things in it. I thought hmm spaghetti sauce needs to cook for a while to be good, so lets try it in the crockpot. If you don't care for meatballs make the sauce without them. You could also use premade frozen meatballs if you prefer, just bake them first. Spaghetti sauce is also another good way to sneak in veggies on your kids. Add diced carrots, bell peppers, celery or shredded zucchini if you want. Add one or all and see if the kids notice the difference.

Ingredients:
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 bell pepper diced
1 onion diced
1 jalapeno, seeds and inside removed, diced
1/2 cup white wine
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons italian seasoning
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, whipped with a fork
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon plus one teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons grated parmesan
cooked spaghetti noodles


Make It:
In a large crockpot combine tomatoes, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno. Divide the wine into the two tomato cans and swirl to pick up the tomato that is left in the can, pour into crockpot. Add 1 tablespoon italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and garlic to crockpot. Stir to combine. In a bowl combine meat, granulated garlic, italian seasoning, salt, bread crumbs, parmesan and egg. Using your hands squeeze all ingredients until combined. Heat a saute pan over medium high heat, add one tablespoon vegetable oil. Using a small scooper, scoop out meat into your hand and roll into a ball, place in saute pan. Repeat until pan is full, brown meatballs on all sides and add to crockpot. Repeat this step with all the meatball mixture. Very softly stir so the meatballs are covered with sauce. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Serve over spaghetti noodles. Enjoy!

Beef and Spring Veggie Stir Fry

I love to make stir frys, they are a good and easy way to sneak a lot of veggies on the kids. This is just another version. The sauce and veggies are different from other stir fry recipes I have posted. I did cheat and buy a red pepper from the grocery store, we have not had one in months and I could not resist.

Ingredients:
1 pound sirloin steak cut into strips( I like to get the already cut steak strips from fresh and easy, they are about 4 dollars a pound, and very tender)
1 cup blanched raw or thawed frozen broccoli florets
3 spring onions or green onion chopped
1 carrot sliced and blanched
4 to 6 asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch pieces and blanched
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon pressed garlic


Make It:
Whisk last seven ingredients together in a bowl. Heat a wok or large saute pan over high heat, spray with cooking spray and add meat. Stir fry for about 3 minutes until meat is browned. Remove meat from pan. Wipe pan out. Spray with cooking spray and add onion and pepper, stir fry for 2 minutes till both are tender. Add rest of veggies to pan and stir fry for another 2 minutes. Add meat back to pan and stir to combine. Turn heat to low. Pour sauce over top and stir until all is coated and sauce is thickened. Serve over rice or noodles. Enjoy!

Menu for March 22nd - 28th

I'm going to start this post by saying that the pampered chef party was so fun! If you have never had one or attended one do it, you will love it. Now on to this week, i'm hosting a baby shower, volunteering at Kili's school and going to a wedding. Busy, busy. I know that spring is here when I get asparagus, we love it, so I have a happy house this week. Also this week I got baby artichokes, which are delicious. We got even more tangerines and oranges, i'm on citrus overload at this point, I feel like its the only fruit we have had in months! Thank god for the apple and pear sauce I made and froze when they were in season. Without it my kids might have killed me. Last week I was staring at all the tangerines and lemons and thought what the heck can I do with these things besides eat them? I juiced them and its pretty good juice. I'm going to juice some tangerines this week and make margaritas, I will post the recipe if they come out good. On the menu this week i'm making chicken piccata for the first time, and new stir fry, taco, meatball and burger recipes. Should be a yummy week!

Monday- Pan Fried Pork Chop, Mashed Potatoes, Baby Artichokes
Tuesday- Chicken Piccata, Parmesan Bowtie Pasta, Asparagus
Wednesday- Beef and Spring Veggie Stir Fry, sticky rice
Thursday- Spaghetti and Meatballs(crockpot), green salad
Friday- Flank Steak Tacos, pinto beans
Saturday- Wedding
Sunday- Chipotle Guacamole Burger, No Mayo Coleslaw

Dessert of the Week: Blueberry Tarts

Corned Beef and Red Potatoes and Cabbage

I cooked the corned beef this year in the crock pot. We were so excited to eat I forgot to take a picture. Making the corned beef and potatoes in the crock pot made them both so tender and delicious. Since corned beef requires about 50 minutes of simmering per pound it is hard to make on a weekday if you work all day. So my husband suggested the crock pot, not only was it nice to have dinner done when I got home, it was the best corned beef I have ever made. So here is the recipe!

Ingredients:
1 packaged corned beef
8 red potatoes, cut in half
1 small green cabbage, cut into 4 wedges
mustard for your meat if you like

Make It:
Place potatoes on bottom of crock pot. Remove corned beef from package and place on top of potatoes. Add seasoning package to crock pot. Fill with water, to cover corned beef. Set on low for 8 hours. Steam cabbage for about 10-15 minutes until tender, serve with butter or mustard on it. Remove corned beef from crock pot, scrape off fat, and slice. Serve with mustard on top and potatoes and cabbage on the side. Enjoy!

Taco Macaroni

This recipe is based on me trying to make something different based on something the family enjoys. I try to do this often, just to mix it up a little. So this is based on tacos. Which my lovely Kili said why can't we just have tacos? She likes what she likes, but once this was ready she cleared her plate! This came out good but I through it together quickly. In the future it will get some changing, but here it is for now.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 bag macaroni noodles, cooked
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 onion, diced
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons cumin
1 cup cheddar cheese

Make It:
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, add meat and cook until completely browned, drain. Add onion to pan stir and cook until tender. Add taco seasoning and cumin to pan, stir to combine, stir in water and simmer for 5 minutes. Add salsa and beans to pot, stir to combine, simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in noodles, sprinkle with cheese. Turn heat to low and put on lid. Remove lid after 5 minutes, if cheese is not mostly melted put lid back on for a couple more minutes. Stir to coat mixture with melted cheese. Enjoy!

Quick and Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

This version of pot pie is what I always made. It is quick easy and not so homemade, but very tasty. The vegetables can be changed and switched based on what your family likes. My vegetable choice is based on season, so it changes all the time.

Ingredients:
2 skinless breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 pie crust, homemade or store bought
1 turnip, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 parsnips, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup leeks, chopped small
1 can cream of celery soup
milk for thinning
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 bag frozen tater tots

Make It:
Preheat oven to 450. Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat, add 1 tablespoon butter. Add vegetables to pan. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Remove from pan, set aside. Add chicken to pan, cook until browned on all sides. Remove from pan. Pour soup into pan, add a little milk, stir to combine. Add more milk if needed to get a sauce consistency. Stir in chicken and veggies. Place pie crust into pie pan. Pour chicken mixture into pie crust. Sprinkle cheese over chicken. Layer tater tots over cheese. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or less depending on your oven, as soon as the tater tots are browned its done. Enjoy!

Menu for March 15th - 21st

Another week is here and I realize I have been neglecting this blog. I have been so busy and sometimes my creativity hits a wall. I'm feeling better now though, the boys party is done and spring is here. Something about the warmer weather and longer days, I feel like going and doing. In other words, i'm feeling creative again! This week brings a time change ugh, and St. Patricks Day yay. Also with Jessica i'm hosting my first pampered chef party, i'm really looking forward to it. This week brings 2 new recipes(which I promise to post) another chicken pot pie and a simple dish that is always a favorite. Oh and of course corned beef and cabbage.

Monday- Chicken Pot Pie
Tuesday- Taco Macaroni, green salad
Wednesday- St.Patricks Day- Corned Beef and Cabbage, Boiled Red Potatoes and lots of beer
Thursday- Zesty Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Butter Carrots and Rutabaga
Friday- pizza
Saturday- Pampered Chef Party
Sunday- Pretzel Crusted Chicken, macaroni and cheese, broccoli

Dessert of the Week: Leftover Birthday Cake