Marinara Prima Vera

1 clove Garlic - minced
1/4 large Onion - chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2 Green Pepper - chopped into bite sized pieces
1 Carrot (full size - not baby!) - peeled and sliced at an angle
Salt & Pepper
1 medium Zucchini - sliced and quartered (not peeled)
1 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning
1/4 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
1 lb beef - I used the pre-sliced kind for stir-fry
1/2 jar Spaghetti Sauce (I used Bertolli Vineyard - Fire Roasted Tomato with Cabernet Sauvignon)
1-2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Either cooked rice or pasta

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add minced garlic (fresh is best, but the pre-minced in a jar is fine, too), onion, pepper, and carrots. Sprinkle with salt & pepper and be sure to stir/flip the veggies to keep from getting over cooked on one side.

Sautee for about 5 minutes and add the beef. Sprinkle the zucchini with the Mrs. Dash & Seasoned Salt. When the beef starts to brown on one side, flip and add the zucchini. After about 5 more minutes, turn the heat down to medium and add the spaghetti sauce and cover. Continue cooking until all of the vegetables are tender and the sauce is hot.

Serve over rice or pasta (I used brown boil-in-bag rice - takes 10 minutes in the microwave and couldn't be easier).

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Fries

2 Large Sweet Potatos
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat over to 425 degrees.
Peel & slice sweet potatoes into shoe string size strips.
Place in a container that has a tight fitting lid and drizzle with oil and add salt, paprika, and cinnamon. Cover with lid and shake until all potatos are evenly coated.
Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in heated oven.
Bake for about 45 minutes flipping every15 minutes until crispy & brown.
Place on a papertowel to absorb the oil and enjoy!

Mediterranean Steak Salad

This recipe is in celebration of my first lettuce harvest of the year!!

2 cups lettuce torn into bite size pieces - romaine is fine
approximately 10 basil leaves
1 tomato, cut into wedges
1 red pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup shredded carrots (I buy the already shredded kind for convenience)
1/4 cup feta cheese
6 oz. grilled steak, cut into bite size pieces (leftover is perfect!)
approximately 1-2 tbsp. olive oil
approximately 2-3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

In a medium sized bowl, toss lettuce with the basil leaves. Layer on carrots, tomatos, red pepper. Top with grilled steak and feta cheese. Drizzle with oil and vinegar to taste.
(Serves 2.)
...Photo coming soon!!...

Super Easy Lasagna

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground Italian sausage (or however much comes in the package) - OPTIONAL
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 pkg Barilla no-boil lasagna noodles
2 jars sauce (I use Classico Spicy Tomato Pesto, but any kind that you like works just fine)
1 container ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (I prefer shredded over grated, but either is fine)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown ground beef with the Italian Seasoning in a skillet over medium high heat. Brown sausage - either with or separately from the ground beef. (I like to do them separately so I can make a layer of each.)

While the meat is cooking, in a small bowl, whip the egg and then add in the ricotta and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Either line a 13x9 baking pan with foil or spray with Pam for easy clean up and start layering...

Start with about 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom, then one layer of the noodles. Side by side or slightly overlapping is fine. I usually break them to fit better along the edges.

Then a layer of meat - either ground beef or sausage or mixed. Cover with some mozzarella cheese and sauce.
Then a layer of noodles, then the ricotta mixture.
Add a layer of noodles, the rest of the meat and some more mozzarella and sauce making sure to save about 1 cup for the top.
Add another layer of noodles, the rest of the sauce and the remaining mozzarella & parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for about 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes so that the cheese will brown.

**very important to use ALL of the sauce as the liquid is needed for the noodles to soften.**
Optional add-in's... canned mushrooms could be layered in, red pepper flakes could be added to the ground beef for a lil extra kick...

Banana Pecan Pancakes

2 cups Bisquick
1 cup Milk (I use vanilla soy milk due to Jaden's dairy allergy, but regular is fine)
2 Eggs
1 tbsp Cinnamon (I use the Pampered Chef Cinnamon Plus, but plain cinnamon or even apple or pumpkin pie spice would work)
1/2 cup Pecans, chopped
2 whole Bananas, sliced
Cooking Spray (Pam)

Heat skillet or griddle on Medium/High heat. Mix all ingredients except for the bananas. Add the bananas in once all other ingredients are well blended, but might have a slightly lumpy consistency.

Turn heat down to Medium/Low. Spray griddle/skillet with cooking spray. Pour batter onto hot griddle/skillet in about 1/2 cup portions - bigger or smaller depending on how big/small you like your pancakes. (I make small ones for the kiddo and bigger ones for myself.)

Once you see bubbles popping up through the batter, flip and cook until the center is no longer runny. I sometimes poke the center of the pancake to make sure it's cooked all the way through.

Top with maple syrup and/or butter. (No butter for Jaden, but he likes his with syrup only just fine!)

Blueberry Pineapple Muffins

Hate to even call this a recipe... but here goes!!

1 Betty Crocker Twice the Blueberries Muffin Mix
1/2 cup fresh blueberries (never can have too many!)
1/4 of a fresh whole pineapple cut into bite size bits (use the rest to make pina coladas!)
1-2 tbsp granulated sugar

Make muffins according to the box directions. When the directions say to add in the canned blueberries, add in the fresh blueberries and pineapple.

Pour into muffin cups per the box directions (the box does say to fill 2/3rd's full - I fill mine right to the top so that the muffin will grow above the pan) and sprinkle with granulated sugar to get crispy muffin tops. Bake per box instructions.

Beef Stroganoff

This recipe is a staple around my house... it's quick & easy to make and everyone loves it.

Beef Stroganoff

1 - 1.5 lbs beef cut into cubes (I usually buy the stew meat to make it super easy)
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 can beef broth
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp mustard (regular yellow mustard)
1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 bag medium egg noodles cooked per package instructions

In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium high.
Put the flour, salt, & pepper in a large ziplock bag and add beef. Shake to coat the beef and then place the flour coated beef into the skillet. Cook until lightly browned making sure to stir the beef around from time to time to cook all sides.

Once the meat is browned, add broth, worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in sour cream. Serve over hot egg noodles.

Enjoy!!