Cheesy Ravioli with Veggies

Having been on a pasta kick, I thought I'd continue the pattern and add another simple, yet delicious pasta recipe to my repertoire. "Repertoire" sounds like too fancy a word, though, to use with this dish. It was so simple and so inexpensive! Being married just four years and living on a teacher's salary means meager meals every once in a while. But, both of our parents taught us that there are times when you have to pinch pennies so that things are a little easier later on. This sort of dish is perfect for those penny-pinching seasons. This meal came in just under $10 and was a hit on a late night after work. Thanks, Parents, for the good lessons!

Cheesy Ravioli with Veggies
Source: Taste of Home Pasta
Yields: 6 servings

6 quarts water
1 package (16 oz, or so) frozen California-blend veggies (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower)
1 package (25 oz, or so) frozen cheese ravioli
1/4 cup butter (the real kind), melted
1/4 tsp seasoning blend like garlic salt, Mrs. Dash, or Italian seasoning
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese--the real kind

In a stockpot, bring water to a boil. Add the vegetables; cook for 5 minutes. Add the ravioli. Cook 5 minutes longer or until both are tender. Drain and transfer to a large, flat serving bowl.

Gently stir in the butter. Sprinkle with the seasoning blend and cheese. Serve with a crisp salad.

Wheely Good Pepperoni Pasta

Something about wagon wheel pasta makes me feel like I'm a kid again. Or, maybe it's the fact that the wagon wheels remind me of my 4th grade Oregon Trail project I did with my dad out in the garage. We--well, he--traced and cut little sideboards, a hitch for a yoke, and wagon wheels out of pieces of wood. Then, we fashioned a canvas roof for the wagon, got some plastic oxen, and my mom made little flour and sugar sacks out of scrap fabric. I remember sitting in the garage with my dad trying to put that wagon together, not doing a very good job but knowing that Dad'll fix it. I was either busy daydreaming about creating my next big rollerskating routine I would do in the garage to the Lion King soundtrack, or I was spinning around aimlessly on the bar stool while he put my school project together. And I'll bet I waited until just days--or even the night--before to tell him I needed help on this project. Gotta love childhood...right, Dad?! Anyways, back to the pasta. I threw this dish together quick one weeknight and found it to be satisfying. There are a few changes I will make next time and I've made sure to adjust the recipe below to match those changes. I also halved the recipe when I made it, but I did not note those changes below. Enjoy this hearty, yet simple, pasta dish!

Wheely Good Pepperoni Pasta
Source: Taste of Home Pasta
Yields: 6-8 servings

1 pound ground beef (I was even considering substituting hot dogs instead, maybe 5 hot dogs?)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced or one tablespoon garlic from the jar
1-28 oz jar. spaghetti sauce
1-4oz can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1-3 1/2 ounce package sliced pepperoni
8 oz. uncooked wagon wheel pasta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup shredded provolone cheese (I used shredded asiago instead because I couldn't find shredded provolone)
grated parmesan...the real stuff!

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Boil the pasta only part of the way for just a few minutes so that there is still a bite to it; it shouldn't be mushy but it shouldn't be straight out of the box. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown the beef, onion, and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, and pepperoni.

In a greased 9x13 baking dish, layer the ingredients as follows, and then repeat:
-half the meat mixture
-half the pasta
-half of the shredded mozz. and provolone or asiago
Sprinkle with the grated parmesan.

Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 30-35 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is bubbly and golden. Let stand for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Good Ol' Sloppy Joes

I've heard them called BBQs, Taverns, and Sloppy Joes; I've even been slightly offended at having them called Manwiches. But, above all, I call them delicious. I love the simplicity of a Sloppy Joe sandwich. I used to love sitting down to a quick dinner with the family before a band or choir concert because my mom would effortlessly "just throw things together" in pan and call it dinner. We'd have fun things like chili cheese hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, or Sloppy Joes. On a semi-unrelated note, my mom has a funny way of cackling-laughing through a lot of things, but then again, I don't sugarcoat too much. I just kinda ask things straight up. So, when I asked her for the secret to making the perfect Sloppy Joe, she cackle-laughed through the following recipe. I realized how ridiculous it was to ask for a secret recipe like this when it was so, so easy! This makes a great weeknight dinner, and I hope you enjoy it!

Good Ol' Sloppy Joes
Source: Me and Mom

1 lb hamburger
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T mustard
2 T vinegar
salt and pepper
2 chopped dill pickles or dill pickle relish
4 burger buns

Brown hamburger in a skillet; season with salt and pepper. Once meat is totally browned, add the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar. Turn the heat up to medium-high and stir together the browned meat and other ingredients. Allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes. After that time, taste to decide if you want it sweeter (more brown sugar), tangier (more vinegar--not mustard), saltier (more, well, salt!), or if it's just perfect. Turn the heat down to low. Meanwhile, chop the pickles and slice the buns. Spoon the Sloppy Joe meat onto the buns and top with the chopped pickle. Serve with tater tots, fries, chips, or your favorite pasta or potato salad! Enjoy!

Prosciutto Tortellini

I love standing in line at the grocery store thumbing through magazines; sometimes the magazines are about home decorating, sometimes they're trashy, but most of the time they're food-related. I also love the mini food magazines that are chock-full of recipe cards. I scored big time recently when I picked up a copy of Taste of Home's Pasta Recipe Cards magazine. I have already marked about 80% of the recipes to try! The next day we went to get the ingredients for a few of the dishes. It was a great success. Computer Man ran to the store to grab one of those uber-convenient rotisserie chickens while I whipped this dish up. The timing was perfect, the flavors simple yet delicious, and the meal totally satisfying!

Prosciutto Tortellini
Source: TOH Pasta

1-19 oz pkg frozen cheese tortellini
1 T flour
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan (the good stuff; not the shakeable junk)
10 thin slices prosciutto, chopped
1-10 oz pkg frozen peas
salt and pepper

Cook tortellini according to package directions; cook the peas with the tortellini to take some of the bite off. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine flour and cream until smooth; stir in the cheeses. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Drain tortellini and peas. Add to the cheese sauce. Stir in prosciutto and cook for 5 minutes or until heated through. Turn off heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a rotisserie chicken or just by itself!

Berry Delicious Dessert

I love the flavors of summer. Unfortunately, California has been suffering from torrential downpours lately so things like sunshine have been sparse. The clouds haven't put a damper on my love for summer fruits and desserts that can be made from them. I love the fact that fruits can be found year-round in the freezer. Frozen fruits (and veggies) are usually just as healthy as fresh fruits since they're frozen at the peak of their freshness. We were strolling through Fresh and Easy one afternoon and saw bags of berry medleys and strawberries. We grabbed one of each, a tub of Cool Whip, and an angelfood cake. Voila! This was such an easy dessert that will be so much more delicious in the summer with fresh fruits. I'll definitely do this again come June!

Berry Delicious Dessert
Source: Me

1 angelfood cake
1 tub of Low Fat Cool Whip
1 bag frozen berry medly
1/4 cup sugar or Splenda

Allow fruit to fully defrost in a glass bowl. Pour sugar on top and let sit for at least a half hour, mixing occasionally. After 30 minutes there should be a good amount of berry liquid in the bowl. Slice the cake into whatever size slice you prefer, top with a couple of spoonfuls of berries, and a dollop of Cool Whip on top. Enjoy!


Sugar draws out the natural juices in the berries!


Yum, yum, yum!


Playing with the settings on the new camera!

Shredded Beef Tacos

I think I was supposed to be born Hispanic. I don't know why but I have a huge affection towards Mexican food. It doesn't matter: tamales, burritos, tacos, tortas, carne asada, guacamole, salsa, chilaquiles, chiles rellenos, pozole...you name it, I love it. My husband, on the other hand, is not so in love with food from South of the Boarder. He was raised in a home where he ate only Lebanese food, so eating Mexican food is not his idea of fun. BUT, since I cook, I usually get to choose the direction of the meal! One afternoon, I put a tri-tip in the Crockpot with some salsa on top and waited with bated breath for it to be done...10 hours later. What a success! This was such a delicious meal. Well, it turned into two separate meals because I chose to put my shredded beef in taco shells while Computer Man made some instant mashed potatoes (yuck!) and corn to go with his! Oh well, I got my tacos in the end!

Shredded Beef Tacos

1 tri-tip (about 2.5 lbs)
1/4 cup water
1 cup chipotle salsa
1 onion, cut in half and sliced thinly
6 soft taco shells (corn tortillas)
shredded cheese
diced tomatoes
shredded lettuce
sour cream
more salsa

In the bottom of a cold Crockpot layer the onions and the water. Lay the tri-tip on top of the onions and pour the salsa on top of the meat. Put the lid on and set to cook for 8-10 hours. When it's done, heat the tortillas one-by-one on the flame on one of your stove-top burners; heat one side for a few seconds until the edges get a bit browned and then flip and repeat. If you have an electric stove top, let me first say I'm sorry, then let me say that you can put a small pan on medium-high and put the tortillas in the pan and heat on each side. Wrap the tortillas in foil to keep warm or put in a tortilla warmer. Shred up the tri-tip. Put 2 or 3 (or all 6) tortillas on your plate and top with pieces of the shredded beef, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, and salsa. Serve with Mexican rice and enjoy!

Avocado Burger

It's always nice to return to a comforting dish, something that reminds you of the good old days. I got a hankering for a pan-fried hamburger, but didn't feel like dealing with the mess. Luckily, my mom and dad got me a George Foreman grill when I went off to college, and it's been a life-saver many times. In fact, I used to go to my grandma's house every Sunday afternoon for lunch, to do my laundry, and then head off to wait tables in the evening. It was great because we'd get to spend the afternoon together reading Women's Day or watching Lifetime movies. She always made something delicious for lunch; Grandma is known for her amazing cooking. Things like Chicken Pot Pie, Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, Pot Roast, and Fried Chicken made regular appearances on our Sunday lunch table. And sometimes, she would get out a couple of hamburger patties and throw them on the George Foreman. A simple slice of American cheese would melt across the top on its way to being smashed between two warmed burger buns. So, one night I got out my George Foreman and put together a couple of delicious burgers for Computer Man and me. In an effort to make things a bit more interesting, I toasted some extra sourdough bread and sliced up an avocado. This made a quick and easy weeknight meal!

Avocado Burger
Source: Me (and Grandma)

1 lb. ground beef
Lawry's Season Salt
1 ripe avocado
4 leafs romaine lettuce
1 large tomato sliced into rings
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
mayo
mustard
ketchup
red onion, sliced into rings
4 slices extra sourdough bread
butter

Separate the burger into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into a round burger patty, about 1/4-inch thick. Season one side with the season salt. Place the seasoned side down on a hot George Foreman grill (or in a frying pan on medium-high heat). Season the other side with the season salt. Meanwhile, cut the sourdough bread in half. Butter one side of each of the halves and put under the broiler for just a few moments--watch it because they'll burn quickly! If you're using a frying pan, flip the burgers. Slice the tomato, wash the lettuce, slice the avocado and set aside. Once your burgers are cooked to the desired doneness, pull off the grill and put a slice of cheese on each burger. Put some mayo on one of the toasted halves of sourdough bread. Put the burger on top, squirt some ketchup and mustard on, and layer with the avocado, red onion, tomato, and lettuce. Top with another half of the sourdough bread. Serve alongside your favorite french fries! Enjoy!