Food Friday - Easy Pasta Bake

This is one of our favorite meals because it is both tasty and easy.

Ingredients:

Favorite Pasta

Favorite Meat

Favorite Cheeses

1 Can of Stewed Tomatoes

1 Can of Tomato Sauce

(you can replace the tomatoes and sauce with Ragu or something)

Mushrooms (canned or fresh) (can be deleted)

Italian spices

Preheat oven to 350

Take a medium sized baking dish.  Put about 1 1/2 C of dry pasta (we've used small shells, bows, elbows, angel hair, whatever we have). Open a can of stewed tomatoes - dump it in.  Open a can of tomato sauce - dump it in.  You can add sliced mushrooms for extra texture. Add whatever spices you like (oregano, basil, garlic, pepper - the tomatoes are usually salty enough that you won't want to add salt). Mix.  If you want you can add cooked meat (ground beef, chicken strips, ham strips, bacon, etc.). Sprinkle your favorite cheese on top (parm., ched., moz., etc.). Put a lid on your dish and bake for 1 hour. Remove the lid for the last 15 min. to get the cheese nice and crispy (Phil's favorite part).

Serve with your favorite veggies and fruit and some french bread and you have a yummy, nutritious meal. You also have very few dishes since you mixed, baked, and served it all in the same dish.

Food Friday - Stir Fry

Use your favorite veggies (frozen or fresh) and your favorite protein (pork, chicken, beef, tofu, armadillo, whatever) to make a quick meal. Just make sure that all the veggies are cut to about the same size (so they cook uniformly). Cook the thawed or fresh meat first and then add your veggies. Cook just long enough to make the veggies tender (don't overcook - they should be crispy).

Then add your favorite stir fry sauce. Here are some that I made up (which means that I'm guessing on the amounts since when I'm jazz cooking I don't really measure). Use them, change them, enjoy them.

Sweet & Sour Sauce
1/2 C Soy Sauce
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Rice Vinegar
1T Corn Starch
Mix in a small bowl and pour over cooked stir fry. Boil for 1-2 minutes.

Thai Peanut Sauce
1/2 C Soy Sauce
1/2 C Peanut Butter (creamy or chunky)
2 T Brown Sugar
2 T Rice Vinegar
1/2 t Red Pepper Flakes
Mix with a wire wisp (or is it a whisk or a whip - I've heard them all) in a small bowl until it becomes smooth. Pour over cooked stir fry. Boil for 1-2 minutes. (add peanuts to your stir fry to make this extra yummy!)

Brown Sauce (very mild)
1/4 C Soy Sauce
1/2 C Beef Broth
2 T Brown Sugar
2 T Corn Starch
Mix in a small bowl. Pour over cooked stir fry. Boil for 1-2 minutes (particularly good with beef).

Food Friday - Chili Relleno

1 qt. Cottage Cheese
1 C crushed Ritz crackers
6 Eggs - beaten
1 small Onion (minced)
1 T Parsley flakes
8 oz. Mont. Jack cheese (grated)
8 oz. Cheddar cheese (grated)
2 small cans Whole Green Chilis

Mix cottage cheese, crackers, eggs, onion, parsley.

In a casserole dish (sprayed with oil) layer the above mixture, grated cheeses, then peppers.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350.

Food Friday - Honey Chicken Wings

1 1/2 C honey
1 C soy sauce
1/2 C ketchup

Brown 30 chicken wings in a shallow pan. Mix honey, soy sauce, and ketchup well. Place the wings in a crock pot then pour sauce over them. Cook for 3 hours. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve. Serve with rice. Makes 6-8 servings.