Sour Cream Noodle Bake

I realize it has been FOREVER since I updated my blog last! I had a baby, and lets just say I haven't had a whole lot of motivation! I am sure many of you can relate :)

I have still been cooking and baking, although not as much as I used to!  I think I have gone thru what I would call a period  of "un-inspiration"! Even though I have been feeling somewhat un-inspired in the kitchen, I have whipped up some great recipes! Most of them have been really easy!  I can't wait to share them with you!

I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman's blog.  Anything with pasta tends to attract me!  So I gave it a whirl.  I did make a few changes from her recipe.  Basically I added onion to the ground beef and some more spices.

It was really, really tasty! Very Comforting.  

I could imagine it being superb on a cold winter day.  Perhaps you trudged home from school (four miles one way) in four feet of snow, and you enter the front door to the wonderful smell of this in the oven. (That was just an imagined sceneario.  It never happened.  I have never lived in an area that has ever received that much snow!)

Creamy noodles, a lovely "tomatoey-beefy" taste, and a nice sharp cheese. Yum!...This recipe definitely satisfies!! I served it with toasted garlic bread. And green beans.  It was divine.

 These pictures do not do justice.

SOUR CREAM NOODLE BAKE

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 pound Ground Beef
• 1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles (5 cups)
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 1-1/4 cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
• 1/2 cup Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste)
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.
To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.
Serve with crusty French bread.

Recipe Notes:  I used NO YOLKS brand egg noodles.  They were great!  While browning the beef, I added about 1/2 cup diced onion.  After beef was cooked through, I sprinkled on Italian Seasoning, Basil, Crushed Red Pepper (just a little), Parsley, and Lawry's All Season.  I also used more than one cup of cheese...maybe more like 2 cups. The cheesier the better :)

Bow-tie Pasta

I guess I am in an Italian kick!

This recipe is so quick, so easy, and so FABULOUS!!  I love anything with marinara sauce on it, so this recipe is a winner with me!!  My family loved it too!!

It was so good, if I had the ingredients on hand I would whip it up for lunch right now!! (Yes it is that quick to make!)

This picture doesn't do it justice, but it will have to do!

BOW-TIE PASTA

1 pound lean Ground Beef

1/2 cup diced onion

1 box Bow-Tie Noodles

3 cups (or more) Spaghetti Sauce 

(I used Barilla Tomato & Basil)

Garlic powder

Italian seasoning

Crushed red pepper

Oregano

Basil

Lawry's All Purpose Seasoning

Pepper

1/2-1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Sour Cream

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook the bow-tie pasta according to package directions.  If it gets done before your sauce does, drain and toss with a little olive oil.  (Save a little of the pasta water in case you need to thin your sauce a little.)

Fry ground beef and onion in pan until no longer pink.  Drain or wipe out any grease.  Season with garlic powder, italian seasoning, crushed red pepper (just a few flakes!), oregano, basil, Lawry's, and pepper.  I just sprinkle each spice over the meat fairly generously.  

Add in spaghetti sauce.  When sauce is bubbly, add in mozzarella cheese and sour cream.  Heat together about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Stir in pasta.  Add a little pasta water if sauce seems to thick.  Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve!!

I added some garlic toast (french bread sliced, and topped with butter, garlic powder, and Lawry's, then toasted under the broiler until brown) and a green tossed salad to complete this meal!

Super Stuffed Shells

Italian food is among one of my favorites!  I found this recipe on The Food Network.  This website is a great resource!  I love the fact that you can read reviews on the recipe before you try it, so you are less likely to be disappointed with the results! Nothing worse than slaving in the kitchen for hours, not to mention spending money on ingredients and the result is less than satisfactory!

This particular recipe is from Emeril Lagasse.  They are delicious (as are a lot of his recipes!) Topped with a  simple homemade marinara sauce, and cheesy and meaty on the inside!  Your whole family will love them!

Mmm...

I made the whole recipe and split it into two pans. A 8x6 pan and a 8x11 pan.  We ate the smaller pan for dinner which was more than enough for my small family of 3!  I did not bake the other pan.  Instead, I wrapped it in 2 layers of saran wrap and aluminum foil and popped it in my freezer to have a meal ready after I have my baby. (Six weeks left!) 

I make up the whole amount of Emeril's seasoning and keep it in a jar in my spice cupboard.  It is a great seasoning!

SUPER STUFFED SHELLS

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (18 to 20 shells)
• 2 cups finely chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Basic Red Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pasta shells, and cook until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally with a long-handled spoon to prevent the shells from sticking together. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain

In a medium skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until very soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the ground veal and cook, stirring, until cooked and browned. Add the squeezed spinach and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Add the spinach mixture, the extra-virgin olive oil, Essence, remaining teaspoon of salt, the basil, oregano, and pepper, and stir to combine thoroughly. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the spinach-ricotta filling into each cooked pasta shell. Place the filled shells in the prepared dish.

Pour the Basic Red Sauce over the filled shells and top with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Basic Red Sauce:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 16 ounces whole peeled tomatoes, broken into pieces, and their juices
• 16 ounces tomato sauce
• 4 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, salt, basil, oregano, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and sugar and stir well. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until thickened and fragrant, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and keep warm until ready to use.

Yield: 3 cups

Beef with Snow Peas

I have had my eye on this recipe for quite sometime over at The Pioneer Woman's website.  

I finally got the ingredients to make it and WOW do I have to rave about it!   It is absolutely incredibly DELICIOUS!  That woman can cook!! 

If you have ever had and enjoyed the beef and broccoli at PF Chang's, this is 1000 times better!  Plus, you can control the sodium and ingredients that go into it!

Tender and flavorful beef, crispy snow peas....YUM, YUM, YUM!!!

I loved it.  I want to eat it every day!! I did make a few minor changes to the recipe, but nothing drastic.

The best part?  Not only does it taste good but dinner will be on the table in say 20 minutes! It is super fast!

This photo does this dish no justice, but I went to where my hubby was working and we ate together, so it was the best I could do for that situation!

This is flank steak.  It is fairly thin and quite lean.  I halved the recipe so I bought 3/4 lb. of it.  Under $5 so not too bad!

Using a sharp knife trim off any visible fat, and then slice in the direction opposite that the grain of the meat is going.  Slice as thin as you can get it!

The marinade calls for ginger.  This is what ginger looks like, minus the frost on mine!  I buy a piece of it like this and keep it in the freezer in a freezer bag.  I recommend peeling it before freezing it though.  I didn't do it this particular time and takes a few extra minutes.  Peel it, then grate what you need.  I use the fine grater.  It grates very easily in a frozen state!

The marinade consists of soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, and fresh ginger.  I didn't have sherry so I used rice vinegar, and I also added  1 large clove of minced garlic.  It smelled wonderful!

Add the meat to marinade and stir it up! I mixed mine up ahead of time and put it in the frig.  It sat in there for about 1 1/2 hours.

The snow peas.  Oh how I love snow peas!  I just trimmed the ends off.

In a hot pan or wok, saute peas in oil (I used expeller-pressed Canola oil) for 45 seconds.  No longer! You want them fresh and crunchy!  Remove from pan and set aside.

To the pan add half of the beef and sliced green onion.  Set in pan and leave beef alone without stirring for 1 full minute (I set a timer).  Then stir it around for 30 more seconds.  Remove from pan and repeat with rest of beef and onion.

Return all beef, snow peas, and remaining marinade left in bowl to the hot pan.  Saute over high heat for 30 seconds or so.  Pile it up on top of some jasmine rice and sprinkle with crushed red pepper!  Prepare for your taste buds to be overwhelmed with joy!

BEEF WITH SNOW PEAS

• 1 1/2 lbs. flank steak, trimmed of fat and sliced thin against the grain
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 3 T. Sherry (I used Rice Vinegar)
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 2 T. cornstarch
• 1 T. minced fresh ginger
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 8 oz. fresh snow peas, ends trimmed
• 5 whole green onions, sliced thinly
• Salt as needed (Mine needed no salt!)
• 3 T. canola, peanut, or olive oil
• crushed red pepper for sprinkling
• Jasmine Rice, cooked according to package

In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, and ginger. Add sliced meat to bowl and toss with hands. Set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet (iron is best) or wok over high heat. Add snow peas and stir for 45 seconds. Remove to a separate plate. Set aside.

Allow pan to get very hot again. With tongs, add half the meat mixture, leaving most of the marinade still in the bowl. Add half the scallions. Spread out meat as you add it to pan, but do not stir for a good minute. (You want the meat to get as brown as possible in as short amount a time as possible.) Turn meat to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean plate.

Repeat with other half of meat, allowing pan to get very hot again first. After turning it, add the first plateful of meat, the rest of the marinade, and the snow peas. Stir over high heat for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Check seasonings and add salt only if it needs it. Mixture will thicken as it sits.

Serve immediately over rice. Sprinkle crushed red pepper over the top to give it some spice.

Mom's Oven Stew

This is a wonderful meal for a chilly day!  Thick, hearty, and full of wonderful flavor!  My mom has been making this stew for as long as I can remember!  It is downright delicious!

This isn't your ordinary runny beef stew!  It is nice and thick and you must serve it over mashed potatoes!

You mix all the ingredients together in a oven-proof baking dish. 

Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 3 hours.  During the last hour or so your house will start to smell divine!

It comes out perfect every time!

MOM'S OVEN STEW

1 lb. stew meat, cut into 1" pieces

2 cups carrots, diced

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 T. tapioca

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

generous dash of pepper

6 oz. can tomato sauce

3/4 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a 2 1/2 to 3 quart baking dish; mix well.  Seal with foil and cover tightly.  Bake at 300 degrees for 3 hours (or 275 degrees for 4-5 hours).  Best served with mashed potatoes.

Yield:  About 4 adult size servings

For wonderfully creamy mashed potatoes:

Boil quartered potatoes until very mushy; drain

Put in Kitchen Aid mixer with paddle attachment.  Mix until potatoes are all chopped up.

Add:

Milk and butter, heated together until butter is melted and milk is hot

(For 5 lbs. potatoes use approximately 1 cup. milk and 6 T. butter) 

Add: 

1/8 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

Mix with paddle until combined. 

Switch to whisk attachment and whip until very fluffy.  

On occasion I will add a few ounces of softened cream cheese and this makes them even better!

These amounts are based on 5 lbs. of potatoes.  If you have more or less potatoes adjust accordingly.  If your potatoes seem to stiff, add more milk.