SPAGHETTI MEAT SAUCE

I enjoy Italian food dishes.  One of my favourites is spaghetti.  I personally like meat sauce on my spaghetti however this sauce can be used on your favourite pasta shape.  With the aid of a few "prepared" ingredients this is my recipe.  It is a fairly thick and chunky sauce - which is how I like it. Now let's get to cooking!

The following are the ingredients to make "Mandy's Spaghetti Meat Sauce":

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground lean beef
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• dried roasted or fresh garlic cloves, to taste
• 1 stick of celery, finely chopped
• 8 mushrooms, sliced 
• 1/2 small zucchini, chopped into small pieces
• 1 TBSP of Italian Seasoning or to taste 
• 1 can of stewed tomatoes
• 1 small can of tomato sauce
• 1 jar of prepared spaghetti sauce
• Optional:  1/4 - 1/2 cup water

Recipe Yield:  Approximately 6 servings

DIRECTIONS 

1.  In a deep pan and brown ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until cooked. Turn up heat and stir constantly until meat is thoroughly cooked and onions are soft.  Drain excess grease.

2.  Add chopped celery, zucchini and sliced mushrooms until cooked and tender.

3.  Take a brief break from making the sauce and put a large pot of water on to boil and cook 6 servings of spaghetti noodles (or noodles of choice) according to directions on package.

4.  Add Italian Seasoning (to taste) to meat and vegetable mixture.  Pour in 1 can of stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and jar of prepared spaghetti sauce.  Note:  If the sauce is a bit too thick you can and if desired - stir in the water a little bit at a time until desired consistency is reached.

 

5.  Stir together and bring sauce to a boil stirring constantly to avoid burning it.  Remove from heat.

6.  Drain noodles and combine with meat sauce.  Serve immediately.  Pair with a side salad and/or garlic toast.  If desired, top with grated mozzarella or parmesan cheese.

Optional Recipe Variation: To make Baked Spaghetti, place spaghetti in oven and broiler safe dish and smother top with mozzarella cheese and put under broiler for a few minutes until cheese is melted and lightly browned.  Watch it carefully so it does not burn.

Enjoy your Spaghetti feast!

CHEESE, MUSHROOM, SAUSAGE, & ONION OMELETTE

Hello again!  I really like omelettes.  They are my favourite menu item to order when I am in a restaurant for breakfast. Omelettes are so versatile.  You can have them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  When I make them it is usually for that night's dinner.  What is also good with omelettes is the vast array of fillings that one can put into one.  The fillings I chose for this blog entry are cheddar cheese, mushrooms, sausages and onions.  I have to give credit to my dad for giving me great tips and pointers many years ago on how to make delicious omelettes.  Thanks dad!  Now let's get to cooking.

The ingredients you will need to make this omelette are:

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large eggs
• yellow onion, chopped, to taste
• 4 pork sausages, sliced
• 5 white button mushrooms, sliced
• Grated cheddar cheese, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe Yield:  2 omelettes

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat eggs in bowl. 

 2.  Pre-heat and coat large frying pan with oil or cooking spray.  Add onions and saute over low-medium heat until cooked.  Push to the side.  Add sliced sausages until browned and cooked.  Push to side of pan.  Add mushrooms and cook until soft and browned.  Remove from heat, cover (to retain heat) and set aside.

3. Coat a small frying pan with oil or cooking spray and preheat to low or medium heat.  Ladle half of the beaten eggs into pan.  Watch closely until eggs have cooked on the underside but are still a bit liquidy on top.  Then gently flip over to cook other side.  Be careful not to overcook eggs.

4.  Sprinkle half of the grated cheddar cheese onto eggs and allow to melt slightly.  Spoon half of remaining filling ingredients onto the eggs and allow cheese to melt more.  If desired cover frying pan to until cheese is fully melted.  Season to taste.  Using a flipper gently fold the omelette onto itself and place on plate.  Repeat steps with second omelette and serve immediately.

Some suggested side dishes include:  Sliced fruit, sliced tomatoes, hash browns, toast, bagel, English muffin, etc.

Recipe variations:   Some examples of other fillings you can use in omelettes are: cooked ham, cooked bacon, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, monterrey jack cheese, feta cheese, tomatoes, green onion, red onion, salsa, green, yellow or red peppers. 

Enjoy!

CHICKEN TACO SOUP

A few years ago, I was invited to a friend's place for dinner and she served this soup.  I had never had it before but I really liked it.  I have adapted the recipe she gave me and personalized it to better suit my tastes.  I hope you like it too.  Now let's get to cooking.

The ingredients you will need to make this soup are:

INGREDIENTS
 

• 1 package of chicken breast fillets (tenders)
• 1 1/2 cups mild salsa (or your favourite type)
• 1 341 ml (11.53 fl oz) can of corn
• 1 231 ml (7.8 fl oz) small can of tomato sauce
• 1 398 ml (14 fl oz) can of diced tomatoes
• 1 340 ml (11.49 oz) can of dark red kidney beans
• 1 340 ml (19 fl oz) can of black beans
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups of hot water  (Note:  You may not need to use all of the water)

***Optional Recipe Variations:  Add small can of black olives, grated mozzarella cheese.

DIRECTIONS

1.  Place chicken fillets (tenders) in crock with salsa.  Stir.  Cook on low for 2.5 - 3 hours.  Check chicken at 2.5 hours to see if it is done.  If not turn temperature to high and finish cooking chicken.

2.  Once cooked shred chicken and stir with salsa until fully incorporated again.

 
3.  Rinse and drain corn, kidney beans, and black beans.  (I did this to remove excess salt and because I did not want an overly watery soup.  I like thicker soups).  Pour in the cans of corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, and taco seasoning packet.  * If desired to thin out the soup add 1 - 1 1/2 cups of hot water.   Again you may not need all the water.  Gently stir in water until it is incorporated and you have reached the desired consistency.  Cook on high for one hour more.

4. Serve immediately and garnish with your favourite "Scoops" tortilla or corn chips, sour cream and grated cheddar cheese.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Enjoy your soup!