Shepherd's Pie

Tracey made this for us when Kezia was born. Yummy!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (or roast beef, as Erin told Tracey)
1/4 cup onion, chopped

minced garlic (optional - Tracey made it that way and we've never tried it both ways, depending upon what is on hand)
1/2 tsp salt
1 envelope brown gravy mix
10-oz pkg. frozen peas and carrots (though you can use fresh veggies or any veggies.Tracey and I have added some spinach and zucchini before)
1-1/2 cup mashed potatoes, seasoned and warmed
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves

1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (I used sharp cheddar for a little more flavor)

Cook ground beef and onion (and garlic, if using) over medium high heat until meat is browned and onions are tender. Sprinkle with salt. Prepare gravy mix according to package directions and add to meat mixture. After gravy thickens, add vegetables and basil. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Fold cheese into mashed potatoes. Spoon into a ring on top of meat. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned on top.

Not Low Fat Cauliflower (and optional ham) soup

1 stick Butter, Divided
1/2 whole Onion, Finely Diced
1 whole Carrot Finely Diced (or more if you want more vegetable chunkage)
1 stalk Celery, Finely Diced (or more..ditto)
1 whole (to 2 Whole) Cauliflower Heads (roughly Chopped)- I thought one was fine...
2 Tablespoons Fresh Or Dried Parsley (chopped)
2 quarts Low-sodium Chicken Broth Or Stock
6 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour, arrowroot or Bobs Redmill gluten-free all purpose flour
2 cups Whole Milk
1 cup Half-and-half
2 teaspoons To 4 Teaspoons Salt, To Taste
1 cup (heaping) Sour Cream, Room Temperature
cubed ham..add until it looks like a good amount (optional but highly advised!!!)

Preparation Instructions

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown.
Add the carrots and celery and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine.
Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.
In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half-and-half. Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary. Add ham and let it warm up in the soup
Just before serving, place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen. Add two to three ladles of hot soup into the tureen and stir to combine with the sour cream. Pour in remaining soup and stir.

Be prepared to take a few more bites while you clean up after dinner

'Tis the season for Stuffed Peppers!

Yummo Stuffed Peppers (give yourself some prep time unless you have a prep chef, then give him/her enough time)

6 medium green peppers (1.5 lbs) that are stable enough to stand up on their own
1/2 C chopped celery
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 tsp dried basil leaves
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
2 Tbs. butter, melted
1/2 C chopped onion
1 can (1 lb. 3 oz.) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups cooked white rice

Cut off tops of peppers; remove ribs and seeds. Chop edible portion of tops; set aside. Wash peppers. Place peppers in large kettle with 2 quarts salted water. Bring to boiling: cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 min. drain peppers and set aside upside down to drain water.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In hot butter in medium skillet, saute chopped green pepper, onion, celery until tender (5 min.) Add tomatoes, tom. sauce, garlic, basil, oregano, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Simmer, uncovered 10 min. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine egg, remaining salt and pepper, and worc. sauce. Beat to blend. Add beef, rice and 1-2 cups tomato mixture, mixing well.

Stuff peppers with meat mixture. Place in 9x13 casserole pan. Pour remaining tomato mixture over peppers. Bake, uncovered 1 hr.

Pst...I like to double the topping mixture (celery, sauce, basil, salt, onion, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, pepper) so there is more to add to the meal as you eat it. Also, I cook the beef first and then only bake it until the top looks cooked (30 min?)

Enjoy!!!

Hamburger Soup

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 lb. hamburger-precooked
32 oz. beef broth
1 packet dry onion soup
4 carrots sliced
1/4 chopped celery
1/4 parsley or 2 Tbs. dried parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
black pepper to taste
2 C water

Add all ingredients to a pot, simmer 45 min.
-throw in potatoes if you wish..add more carrots, broth, veg. as needed

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

1 stick of butter @ room temperature
1 cup + 2 T flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup of either greek yogurt, applesauce, or peanut butter (or a combo of the three adding up to 1/3 cup)
1 cup chocolate chips

1. In a bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy (3 min)
2. Beat in yogurt/applesauce/pb and vanilla
3. In separate bowl, whisk flour, bkg soda and salt
4. Add dry ingredients to butter/sugar until incorporated
5. Fold in chocolate chips
6. Scoop on to wax paper (i just do it directly on the cookie sheet)
7. Freeze

Granola

8-9 c. rolled oats

1 c. sunflower seeds

1 c. walnut pieces (or pecans or any other nut--I usually don't include this 'cause I don't have it on hand typically. I might substitute for pumpkin seeds instead or just leave it out.)

1 c. whole or slivered almonds (I like slivered)

1 c. shredded or grated coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

any other nuts or seeds you want

Dressing:

1 c. honey (or I will do a combo of maple syrup and honey like half and half or all maple syrup if I don't have any honey)

1/2 c. canola oil

1/2 c. water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

You can add cinnamon or nutmeg, but I never have

Mix together all dry ingredients; mix together dressing. Pour dressing over dry ingredients. Stir until everything is evenly coated. Pour into two large baking dishes with sides--spread evenly. Bake for one hour in a slow oven @ 300 degrees. Stir every 15 minutes for the first 45 minutes then every 5 minutes for the last 15 minutes. It can quickly go from almost done to overdone so watch it carefully when it's getting close to an hour. Bake longer for more crunch or shorter for less crunch. Remove from oven, let cool. Makes about 1 gallon of granola.

breakfast frittata...or a quiche without a crust..whatev

Ingredients:
1 brick of chopped frozen spinach, thawed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (or, if you pre-chopped, about 1 cup of onion)
1 large clove garlic, minced (about 1tbsp)
9 large eggs (and you’ll use the yolk too!)
2 tbsp milk
½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
3 oz goat cheese (I didn't use this because I don't like goat cheese)

Method:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Drain spinach and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and parmesan cheese. Once combined, add in sun-dried tomatoes and salt and pepper. In a skillet, sauté onions in olive oil on medium heat (about 2 minutes, or until translucent), add minced garlic and sauté for one more minute. Add spinach. In a pre-greased muffin pan, or 8 x 11 pan add spinach mixture to fill cups about one-third to half-way. Pour egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle goat cheese over the top of each “muffin” and put in the oven for 10 minutes or until egg mixture appears puffy and golden. Remove from oven and enjoy!