Menu Ideas

Here's what I'm cooking this week for those of you who may be in a recipe rut. And I stole some of these recipes from friends/family - you know who you are!

Lasagna

1 package lasagna noodles
1 package mozzerella (I shred the solid kind in the food processor - I think it tastes better)
spinach or zucchini, whichever you prefer
1 onion
parmesan
Italian seasoning
1 egg
cottage cheese (or ricotta, if you like)
ground turkey (or hamburger)
lots of garlic (like 7 cloves or more, if you're brave)
1 jar or 1 1/2 jars of your favorite pasta sauce

Brown the turkey. When that has no more pink, add the onion and garlic and zuccini until they are fragrant and onion is transparent. If you're using turkey instead of hamburger, splash some olive oil in the pan while it's cooking - I look for excuses to use olive oil. Add your pasta sauce to this pan and let all that goodness simmer on low until you are ready for it. Meanwhile, mix a container of cottage cheese with one egg. Spice it up with some Italian seasoning or salt and pepper. Shred your mozzerella. Now start layering!! Start with a cup of the sauce on the bottom of the pan (this helps to cook the noodles). Then put the noodles down, the cottage cheese, the sauce ands some parmesan. If you are using fresh spinach, add a layer in there. Then keep layering until the pan is full. The last layer I just put the sauce and some parmesan. Cover with aluminum foil and cook on 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Pull cover off and cook for a few more minutes if you like the crispy cheese effect on top. Serve with spinach salad and french bread. And lots of butter.

Chicken, Rice, Feta and Spinach

2 cups brown rice
2-3 chicken breasts, depending on how meaty you like it
1/2 cup to 1 cup of feta
lots of fresh spinach
1 onion
4 cloves garlic

Cook rice in your rice cooker. Cook chicken breasts - I use a Greek seasoning on the chicken that I found at Winco. It's loaded with MSG, but so tasty. Cut up chicken breasts and throw them back in the pan with the onion and garlic. When they are done, put all you fresh spinach in there until it wilts down. When the rice is done, throw some of it in the pan with your feta and let it all melt together. You will probably have leftover rice for your scrambled eggs in the morning (at least that's what I do with mine). Enjoy!

Ground turkey, green bean and rice stir fry

2 cups brown rice
1 package ground turkey
1 package frozen green beans
1 onion

Start your rice cooking. Brown turkey. Add onion and cook until transparent. Add frozen beans on top and cover until they are cooked. Throw in the rice when it's done and be prepared to add a lot of salt and pepper. It's a healty meal, but pretty bland by itself.

Cornbread casserole

1.5 pounds ground beef or turkey
1 package taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
2 cups corn
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 8 oz. packages corn muffin mix
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or enough to cover top.

Brown meat and drain. Boil the taco seasoning and water and mix well. Add to meat. Add corn, green pepper and tomato sauce. Pour into greased 9x11 casserole dish. Prepare muffin mix according to box and add onion. Spoon over meat mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Top with cheese and bake 3-4 minutes longer.

Pumkin Bread (courtesy of Joy, my sis-in-law)

Heat oven 350degrees
4 eggs
3 cups sugar
1 cup Crisco oil
2 cups canned pumpkin
2/3 cup water.

Mix and add: 3 1/3 cups flour (if you don't sift the dry ingred's, at least lift flour with a fork several times to add air before measuring it out. ) 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp soda In large mixing bowl, beat eggs, add sugar, beat, add oil and pumpkin. Mix well, add water. Mix together some flour, the soda and spices, add and beat in, then stir in the rest of the flour. Makes 2 large loafs (like I just brought) or more smaller ones. Bake large loafs about 1 and 1/2 hour, or til toothpick comes out clean. It's hard to make sure these are done without the toothpick. If your oven heats too hot, reduce temp and check with toothpick.

I add about 3/4 cup raisins and 3/4 cup coconut to this recipe and love it. The best pumpkin bread ever and my kids are not mad about it for a treat. Or breakfast.