Because of my issue with soy I am needing to find alternatives for most foods, refried beans being one of them. My amazing sister showed me how to make my own "refried beans" using canned black beans. It is super easy and equally delicious.
For my family of five I use:
2 - 14oz cans of black beans (drained and rinsed well)
3-4 cloves of garlic (peeled and chopped finely)
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup of water
Boil these on the stove until most of the liquid has been cooked out. Then you can either serve them as is or mash them up a bit. I put them through the food processor for a few seconds since I don't have a potatoes masher.
I have been using this recipe to make nachos so I usually add about a 1/4 cup of taco seasoning. Also, don't be afraid to add some minced veggies. I've added onion and zucchini (mince half a zucchini in the food processor or blender before mashing the beans) and my family was none the wiser.
The fact that this is a healthier version of refried beans hasn't occurred to them either. I LOVE it!
For Pan Nachos:
If you want meat:
brown 1 lb of burger (add taco seasoning packet)
add beans
add 1 can of stewed tomatoes (drained)
Spread on a large cookie sheet or pizza pan. Top with your favorite nacho toppings (cheese, olives, green onions, jalapenos, etc). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden around the edges. Serve with chips, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc. You can even use it as a filling for burritos.
This recipe gives us plenty for one dinner and lots of leftovers. Since it's not a meal the girls especially enjoy we usually have plenty left over. I made this for the five of us and my parents and we still had leftovers so I imagine it would be safe to say it feeds 6-8 adults (with the meat).
Enjoy!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Next Step: The Big Girl Bed
Last night was Hazel's first night in her big girl bed. Abiah was already in a big bed when he moved in with us so this is the first time that we are taking this step with one of our kids. I know most of you probably wonder why we still had our three year old in a crib. The answer?
Hazel was 15 months old when Amelia was born. A big girl bed was not an option. She has only attempted an escape from her crib once and she didn't like the result of falling on the floor so she has never attempted it again. It has just been easier to keep her in her crib then to go through the fight of keeping her in bed. There are lots of safety concerns I've had also. We are working through all of that, though.
Since we need her crib for Jackson soon I would rather start the fight now and gain some ground then start right after having a baby. So we took the plunge. She was so excited. She begged us all the first evening to be able to go to bed, even going so far as to claim to be tired. At 5 in the evening.
When we laid the girl's down at 7 we were prepared for a fight. Amelia was pretty upset that she couldn't sleep in the "Bugur bed, bugur bed!" and she cried about that for a few minutes but they both went to sleep with very little issue. I think Nathan only had to go back in their room once.
I tried not to get too cocky and I'm glad I had that foresight. Otherwise my pride would have taken a serious hit at 2:30 in the morning when Hazel first called for me. Here's a brief overview of the happenings in our house from 2:30am - 5:00am this morning:
2:30- Hazel calls for me and I wake from the most restful sleep I've had in a few weeks and go to check on her. I find her room semi-rearranged and her sitting angelically on her bed. She announces that she is ready. For what I'm not sure. I correct her and put her back to bed telling her it's the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep.
2:35- Hazel calls that she needs to poo. I vacillate between the idea of the journey downstairs just for a false alarm and the thought of changing a poopy three year old. I decide to take the trip down stairs.
2:45- We head back upstairs after a false alarm is confirmed. I remind her that it is the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep.
2:50- Hazel calls to me and I come just to find that she's ready. She still doesn't know what she's ready for though. This continues until about 3:30. That's when Amelia chimed in with, "Mik in der, Mom? Mine? Mik in der?" Which roughly translates to, "Is there milk in my cup and if there isn't would you please go down stairs and get me some?" I tell Amelia she has had plenty of milk and remind both girls that it is the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep.
3:40- Amelia has decided to protest and begins rattling her cup against the bars of her crib "prison style." I'm sure I hear choruses of "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" coming from her room.
3:45- I crawl back into bed from having just reminded the girls that it is STILL the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep.
3:50- Jackson decides that one of my internal organs resembles a disco ball and starts dancing to a rhythm that only he can hear.
3:50-4:30- Was broken up between reminders to Hazel that it was still the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep!!!, a threat to return Hazel to the empty baby bed if sleep was not had soon, being woken from my attempts at sleep by a few more "prison like" protests from Amelia, and Jackson's dance party.
5:00- I was almost asleep and I heard a door close down stairs. I assume it is Abiah going to the bathroom but I can't rest until I know for sure that Hazel didn't sneak past my radar and get down the stairs by herself. I get up and check on her and she is sleeping in her bed. I do a little dance of victory and joy, but not too big so as not to wake my internal tiny dancer who has momentarily hung up his dancing shoes and is catching some z's of his own.
6:30- I am awakened by Amelia calling, "Hahzo, Hahzo!" (Hazel) and the conversation that followed.
6:35- Hazel turns the light on in their room and I beg Hot Hubby to take the girl's down stairs and to let me sleep until 8. PLEASE!PLEASE!PLEASE! He was a generous and wise husband and he did. I woke up around 8:45 a semi-rested but very thankful wife.
So we enter night two. Both girls went down without any corrections. They are sound asleep and will hopefully stay that way until a decent time in the morning. Once again I'm choosing to refrain from being cocky. It served me well last night. My pride appreciates it, I'm sure.
Hazel was 15 months old when Amelia was born. A big girl bed was not an option. She has only attempted an escape from her crib once and she didn't like the result of falling on the floor so she has never attempted it again. It has just been easier to keep her in her crib then to go through the fight of keeping her in bed. There are lots of safety concerns I've had also. We are working through all of that, though.
Since we need her crib for Jackson soon I would rather start the fight now and gain some ground then start right after having a baby. So we took the plunge. She was so excited. She begged us all the first evening to be able to go to bed, even going so far as to claim to be tired. At 5 in the evening.
When we laid the girl's down at 7 we were prepared for a fight. Amelia was pretty upset that she couldn't sleep in the "Bugur bed, bugur bed!" and she cried about that for a few minutes but they both went to sleep with very little issue. I think Nathan only had to go back in their room once.
I tried not to get too cocky and I'm glad I had that foresight. Otherwise my pride would have taken a serious hit at 2:30 in the morning when Hazel first called for me. Here's a brief overview of the happenings in our house from 2:30am - 5:00am this morning:
2:30- Hazel calls for me and I wake from the most restful sleep I've had in a few weeks and go to check on her. I find her room semi-rearranged and her sitting angelically on her bed. She announces that she is ready. For what I'm not sure. I correct her and put her back to bed telling her it's the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep.
2:35- Hazel calls that she needs to poo. I vacillate between the idea of the journey downstairs just for a false alarm and the thought of changing a poopy three year old. I decide to take the trip down stairs.
2:45- We head back upstairs after a false alarm is confirmed. I remind her that it is the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep.
2:50- Hazel calls to me and I come just to find that she's ready. She still doesn't know what she's ready for though. This continues until about 3:30. That's when Amelia chimed in with, "Mik in der, Mom? Mine? Mik in der?" Which roughly translates to, "Is there milk in my cup and if there isn't would you please go down stairs and get me some?" I tell Amelia she has had plenty of milk and remind both girls that it is the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep.
3:40- Amelia has decided to protest and begins rattling her cup against the bars of her crib "prison style." I'm sure I hear choruses of "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" coming from her room.
3:45- I crawl back into bed from having just reminded the girls that it is STILL the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep.
3:50- Jackson decides that one of my internal organs resembles a disco ball and starts dancing to a rhythm that only he can hear.
3:50-4:30- Was broken up between reminders to Hazel that it was still the middle of the night and therefore still time to sleep!!!, a threat to return Hazel to the empty baby bed if sleep was not had soon, being woken from my attempts at sleep by a few more "prison like" protests from Amelia, and Jackson's dance party.
5:00- I was almost asleep and I heard a door close down stairs. I assume it is Abiah going to the bathroom but I can't rest until I know for sure that Hazel didn't sneak past my radar and get down the stairs by herself. I get up and check on her and she is sleeping in her bed. I do a little dance of victory and joy, but not too big so as not to wake my internal tiny dancer who has momentarily hung up his dancing shoes and is catching some z's of his own.
6:30- I am awakened by Amelia calling, "Hahzo, Hahzo!" (Hazel) and the conversation that followed.
6:35- Hazel turns the light on in their room and I beg Hot Hubby to take the girl's down stairs and to let me sleep until 8. PLEASE!PLEASE!PLEASE! He was a generous and wise husband and he did. I woke up around 8:45 a semi-rested but very thankful wife.
So we enter night two. Both girls went down without any corrections. They are sound asleep and will hopefully stay that way until a decent time in the morning. Once again I'm choosing to refrain from being cocky. It served me well last night. My pride appreciates it, I'm sure.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Encouragement Towards Intentional Living
Apparently I'm not the only one purposing to be intentional this year. Check out these lovely posts that have encouraged me in my own journey the last few weeks:
Educator's Soliloquy
MCB and I were in a homeschool graduation ceremony together, attended the same church for awhile, and then worked in an office together. One of the things I've appreciated about her blog, her as a person, and this particular post is that though our lives so different from each other we share a common desire (and plenty of common interests). That common desire seems to make this huge world seem just a little smaller and cozier.
Inspired to Action
I've been following this blog since this last summer. I wrote about it here, here, and here. I was really enjoying my morning times and then I got pregnant. It was hard to get up early when I was in the throws of morning sickness. Now it's hard to get up early because I'm trying to grow a human and I need more sleep than I get. I still enjoy the encouragement I find in her posts though. The post linked above was a recent favorite.
Oh My Stinkin' Heck
I just realized lately that I don't actually follow OMSH. She is a guest post on the homeschool page of Pioneer Woman's blog. That's where I read her entries. I've admired the way she encourages the different personalities and interests in each of her children.
(I also secretly envy her homeschool room. I guess it's not a secret anymore. One day I will have a room as white and book shelf lined where everything has a proper place as she does. One day. Today is not that day.)
In the post linked above I kept coming back to the part about being all there. Being in the moment. The efficiency lover in me want to multi-task. The wife, mom, and woman in me needs to slow down and take in each moment.
This was evident even today when Abiah was reading out loud to me. I wondered what reading level the book he is going through (The Boxcar Children) would be considered so I got online to check it out. I missed a page and a half of what he was saying and he missed out on having my undivided attention.
Side note: Hazel has expresses a deep concern for these children that "have to get into the box." "Why, mom? Why do they have to get into the box?" Abiah is equally baffled but no so much concerned. He just doesn't understand what they are doing in a box. And how they all fit.
He also doesn't understand how Jackson eats while inside of me. And why does he have a cord coming out of his tummy? And what happens when they cut it off? And how do they even get him out of there? And why do babies belly buttons fall off after they are born? Does it hurt?
Anybody wanna take a stab at any one of those?
Crap. I didn't think so.
Side note over.
I have great plans for some detailed blogs about my move towards an intentional life. Stay tuned...
Educator's Soliloquy
MCB and I were in a homeschool graduation ceremony together, attended the same church for awhile, and then worked in an office together. One of the things I've appreciated about her blog, her as a person, and this particular post is that though our lives so different from each other we share a common desire (and plenty of common interests). That common desire seems to make this huge world seem just a little smaller and cozier.
Inspired to Action
I've been following this blog since this last summer. I wrote about it here, here, and here. I was really enjoying my morning times and then I got pregnant. It was hard to get up early when I was in the throws of morning sickness. Now it's hard to get up early because I'm trying to grow a human and I need more sleep than I get. I still enjoy the encouragement I find in her posts though. The post linked above was a recent favorite.
Oh My Stinkin' Heck
I just realized lately that I don't actually follow OMSH. She is a guest post on the homeschool page of Pioneer Woman's blog. That's where I read her entries. I've admired the way she encourages the different personalities and interests in each of her children.
(I also secretly envy her homeschool room. I guess it's not a secret anymore. One day I will have a room as white and book shelf lined where everything has a proper place as she does. One day. Today is not that day.)
In the post linked above I kept coming back to the part about being all there. Being in the moment. The efficiency lover in me want to multi-task. The wife, mom, and woman in me needs to slow down and take in each moment.
This was evident even today when Abiah was reading out loud to me. I wondered what reading level the book he is going through (The Boxcar Children) would be considered so I got online to check it out. I missed a page and a half of what he was saying and he missed out on having my undivided attention.
Side note: Hazel has expresses a deep concern for these children that "have to get into the box." "Why, mom? Why do they have to get into the box?" Abiah is equally baffled but no so much concerned. He just doesn't understand what they are doing in a box. And how they all fit.
He also doesn't understand how Jackson eats while inside of me. And why does he have a cord coming out of his tummy? And what happens when they cut it off? And how do they even get him out of there? And why do babies belly buttons fall off after they are born? Does it hurt?
Anybody wanna take a stab at any one of those?
Crap. I didn't think so.
Side note over.
I have great plans for some detailed blogs about my move towards an intentional life. Stay tuned...
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Random
1. Hazel announced during a rather unusually calm dinner tonight that she would like a new mommy. She was unable to give a reason. If I was in the middle of correcting her I think I could understand her statement. I have no idea where it came from though. Surprisingly I didn't cry.
2. Amelia turned two today. I can't believe that two years has gone since I was holding her in my arms for the first time.
3. I had a migraine that started Friday night. It finally subsided Saturday mid-morning. Then I hit my head on the edge of my counter. My headache came back. I hit Hot Hubby when he came to see what had happened because I thought he laughed at me. He swears he didn't. Abiah heard it too. Which he then took as permission to laugh at along with his dad. I cried. I still have a sore spot on my head.
4. Lately when I am having insane moments with my kids (like correcting them for the same thing over and over or, all three of them are demanding something from me at the same time) I've been saying, "You guys are driving me crazy!" Part of me feels uber guilty. The other day I told Amelia to stop doing something and she turned to me and said, "Cazy me, Mom!" I admit, I laughed.
5. Of course #4 happened right after Amelia's birthday party. I think she was feeling like a spoiled princess. She told me "no'' about three times that night. She doesn't usually talk to me that way. Those are the times I was she was this small again.
Well, those times and the times when she doesn't want to hold still while I kiss and pinch her chunky cheeks. But then there are the times when she quotes lines from movies. Or talks to me mostly in child gibberish and completely thinks we are having a conversation. Or when she sings, "There once was a green little frog, frog, frog" except when she says frog it sounds like a really bad word. Or when she sings "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus." Or when she sings anything at all. Or when she crawls into my lap with a "Hi, momma!" for a few seconds just because she needed to be close to me for a little bit.
6. Man. If I'm having this much trouble with her turning two, what is going to be like when she is ready to move out?!?
7. Abiah announced to me and Hot Hubby that he is reading "Hole in Our Gospel" which is a book Hot Hubby and I are reading through in a discussion group with our church. The way he announced it was so every-day-nonchalant. It made me laugh. He keeps his place with a single square of toilet paper. I swear he is my dad in a 7 year old body.
8. Today when I let Abiah know I wasn't going to the food bank because my friend was busy he asked, "Why isn't she going? Is she not going because she was at the oochie koochie?" I cried, I was laughing so hard. He has NO idea what that means! He was just repeating a line from a song in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. My dad did something similar when he was a young kid. They are so much alike.
9. Tomorrow is three months from my due date. I'm trying not to focus on the date so much. I keep telling myself and others "the end of April." Seeing pictures of Amelia as a newborn makes me wish for the end of April to be here.
10. Seeing pictures of Amelia's newborn 14 inch head and 9lb 7oz body makes me wish Jackson will come early or on time. We don't want to go 10 days over this time!
2. Amelia turned two today. I can't believe that two years has gone since I was holding her in my arms for the first time.
3. I had a migraine that started Friday night. It finally subsided Saturday mid-morning. Then I hit my head on the edge of my counter. My headache came back. I hit Hot Hubby when he came to see what had happened because I thought he laughed at me. He swears he didn't. Abiah heard it too. Which he then took as permission to laugh at along with his dad. I cried. I still have a sore spot on my head.
4. Lately when I am having insane moments with my kids (like correcting them for the same thing over and over or, all three of them are demanding something from me at the same time) I've been saying, "You guys are driving me crazy!" Part of me feels uber guilty. The other day I told Amelia to stop doing something and she turned to me and said, "Cazy me, Mom!" I admit, I laughed.
5. Of course #4 happened right after Amelia's birthday party. I think she was feeling like a spoiled princess. She told me "no'' about three times that night. She doesn't usually talk to me that way. Those are the times I was she was this small again.
Well, those times and the times when she doesn't want to hold still while I kiss and pinch her chunky cheeks. But then there are the times when she quotes lines from movies. Or talks to me mostly in child gibberish and completely thinks we are having a conversation. Or when she sings, "There once was a green little frog, frog, frog" except when she says frog it sounds like a really bad word. Or when she sings "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus." Or when she sings anything at all. Or when she crawls into my lap with a "Hi, momma!" for a few seconds just because she needed to be close to me for a little bit.
6. Man. If I'm having this much trouble with her turning two, what is going to be like when she is ready to move out?!?
7. Abiah announced to me and Hot Hubby that he is reading "Hole in Our Gospel" which is a book Hot Hubby and I are reading through in a discussion group with our church. The way he announced it was so every-day-nonchalant. It made me laugh. He keeps his place with a single square of toilet paper. I swear he is my dad in a 7 year old body.
8. Today when I let Abiah know I wasn't going to the food bank because my friend was busy he asked, "Why isn't she going? Is she not going because she was at the oochie koochie?" I cried, I was laughing so hard. He has NO idea what that means! He was just repeating a line from a song in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. My dad did something similar when he was a young kid. They are so much alike.
9. Tomorrow is three months from my due date. I'm trying not to focus on the date so much. I keep telling myself and others "the end of April." Seeing pictures of Amelia as a newborn makes me wish for the end of April to be here.
10. Seeing pictures of Amelia's newborn 14 inch head and 9lb 7oz body makes me wish Jackson will come early or on time. We don't want to go 10 days over this time!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A New Kind of Color
The other night the kids were discussing their favorite colors for the nine billionth time. Abiah's favorites are and always have been blue and then red. Hazel has decided that her favorite color is pink and her second favorite changes depending on the day and sometime her mood.
Since Amelia is at a talking disadvantage the older two have tried to push the color purple on her. I keep reminding them that she is too little to make such a decision and "for heaven's sake, quit pushing that awful color on my daughter!" Or something like that.
When they asked Hot Hubby what his favorite color is he responded with, "I don't have a favorite color."
I immediately disagreed and assured the kids, "Daddy does have a favorite color. His favorite color is Mommy." Hot Hubby gave me a knowing glance.
I was surprised when no one argued that a person can't be a color. Especially Abiah. Captain Literal.
When Abiah asked if my favorite color was Daddy, Hot Hubby responded before I could even take a breath. "No. Daddy is like Mommy's 5th or 6th favorite color!"
I laughed and told him that he is probably more like my 3rd favorite color. Then I reminded the kids that my favorite color is yellow, then pink.
But Daddy is definitely my 3rd favorite color.
Since Amelia is at a talking disadvantage the older two have tried to push the color purple on her. I keep reminding them that she is too little to make such a decision and "for heaven's sake, quit pushing that awful color on my daughter!" Or something like that.
When they asked Hot Hubby what his favorite color is he responded with, "I don't have a favorite color."
I immediately disagreed and assured the kids, "Daddy does have a favorite color. His favorite color is Mommy." Hot Hubby gave me a knowing glance.
I was surprised when no one argued that a person can't be a color. Especially Abiah. Captain Literal.
When Abiah asked if my favorite color was Daddy, Hot Hubby responded before I could even take a breath. "No. Daddy is like Mommy's 5th or 6th favorite color!"
I laughed and told him that he is probably more like my 3rd favorite color. Then I reminded the kids that my favorite color is yellow, then pink.
But Daddy is definitely my 3rd favorite color.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Sickies, Liars and Biters. Oh My!
After sneezing Hazel informed me, "Achoo is means bergers come out."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I asked Hazel if she had a good nap and she told me, "Yes. I went honk shoo."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hazel and Amelia were playing and Hazel ran into the room, threw herself down on a pile of blankets and exclaimed, "Father Abraham pushed me down!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The girls have officially started lying. I was doing school in the kitchen with Abiah and heard Amelia start to cry. When I called the girls into the kitchen Amelia came crying saying, "Sissa do it! Sissa do it!" When Hazel came in I asked her what she had done to Amelia and with a straight face she replied, "I didn't do it. Abiah did."
While stifling laughter, I said, "Abiah was sitting here with me. What did you do to Amelia?"
Again she replied with a straight face, "No. He got out of his chair and went in there and hit Millie."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another time Amelia took the cushion off of the couch and when I told her to put it back she said, "Daddy do it!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Amelia bit Hazel on her hip. It was a doozy. A big purple bruise appeared right away. When Hazel had recovered from the pain she told me, "Mom, make sure Millie doesn't bite my hippo anymore!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I asked Hazel if she had a good nap and she told me, "Yes. I went honk shoo."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hazel and Amelia were playing and Hazel ran into the room, threw herself down on a pile of blankets and exclaimed, "Father Abraham pushed me down!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The girls have officially started lying. I was doing school in the kitchen with Abiah and heard Amelia start to cry. When I called the girls into the kitchen Amelia came crying saying, "Sissa do it! Sissa do it!" When Hazel came in I asked her what she had done to Amelia and with a straight face she replied, "I didn't do it. Abiah did."
While stifling laughter, I said, "Abiah was sitting here with me. What did you do to Amelia?"
Again she replied with a straight face, "No. He got out of his chair and went in there and hit Millie."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another time Amelia took the cushion off of the couch and when I told her to put it back she said, "Daddy do it!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Amelia bit Hazel on her hip. It was a doozy. A big purple bruise appeared right away. When Hazel had recovered from the pain she told me, "Mom, make sure Millie doesn't bite my hippo anymore!"
Monday, January 17, 2011
Meatballs and a Veggie Spaghetti Recipe
This is a recipe my mom came up with for me when she was helping me prepare once-a-month meals about a two years ago. I don't know if she made it up or just had it in her head. It would totally be like her to make it up. She pretty much a culinary genius.
And as soon as she reads this I will officially be her favorite!
I use this recipe for spaghetti (Hot Hubby prefers it with meat balls instead of meat sauce. Wierdo.), sweet 'n sour meat balls, Swedish meatballs, meatball subs. The list is endless really. And it's making me hungry.
This is also a triple or quadruple recipe. I separate them into meal size portions and freeze them in gallon freezer bags. I usually shop once a month so I plan a few meatball recipes for the month and then I only have to make the meatballs once. Easy-peasy!
Meatballs
4 lbs of burger
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1&1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs ( used this egg replacer and it worked perfectly)
1&1/4 cups milk
1&1/2 cups bread crumbs (I use oatmeal. My mom always did when we were little. I think it's a Weight Watcher thing. It works though.)
Last week when I made this recipe it yielded about 156 1 inch meatballs.
Mix all the ingredients together (I use my KitchenAid mixer). Shape into 1 inch balls. Pampered Chef sells a 1 inch ice cream scoop that works wonders for this. Bake on a sprayed pan for 20 minutes at 350.
If you haven't yet, you should totally check out the sweet 'n sour recipe above. Here's my recipe for spaghetti:
Disclaimer: When I cook I don't measure a whole lot unless I'm following a specific recipe. I use the "ish" system. Use your own discretion and add what sounds good to you.
Also, I pre-cut most of my veggies and store them in the freezer in recipe size portions. This helps insure that my dinner preparations are simple and it also makes it easier to get veggies into our meals. If you have picky eaters chopped or shred the veggies into small pieces that they won't be able to see. As long as there isn't an allergy possibility I add it. Hot Hubby doesn't like zucchini and Abiah doesn't care for mushrooms but they eat them all the time. Most of the time they don't even know.
Veggie Filled Spaghetti Sauce
If you are using a meat other than the meatballs brown it in a separate pan and add later.
1 Tbls olive oil
1 Tbls butter
Heat the oils in a large skillet. When heated through add:
1 onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic
1 cup (ish) of chopped mushrooms
1 zucchini chopped or shredded
1 cup of bell peppers sliced ( I get a combo pack of mini peppers from Costco and send them through the food processor. They freeze well for sauces and soups.)
When these start to brown I add 1 large can of tomato sauce (24 oz I think) and a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes. (This is also where I would add the browned burger. Add meatballs later.)
This is where I get my "ish" on. These portions are a guess but a great place to start.
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
two or three dashes of salt
1 or 2 dashes of pepper
1 tsp of sugar ( I don't usually add more sugar unless I have a very bitter sauce.)
If you can handle the spice, add 1 tsp or so if crushed red peppers. Mmmmm...
Let all of these simmer together. If you are using meatballs, add them at this point and let them simmer in the sauce.
When your noodles are done cooking add about 1/2 a cup of the starchy water to the sauce and let it simmer a little longer.
You can serve this over your favorite noodles or serve it in hoagie rolls, add a piece of cheese to the top and broil in the oven until the cheese is melted for a yummy meatball sub.
Let me know what you think!
And as soon as she reads this I will officially be her favorite!
I use this recipe for spaghetti (Hot Hubby prefers it with meat balls instead of meat sauce. Wierdo.), sweet 'n sour meat balls, Swedish meatballs, meatball subs. The list is endless really. And it's making me hungry.
This is also a triple or quadruple recipe. I separate them into meal size portions and freeze them in gallon freezer bags. I usually shop once a month so I plan a few meatball recipes for the month and then I only have to make the meatballs once. Easy-peasy!
Meatballs
4 lbs of burger
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1&1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs ( used this egg replacer and it worked perfectly)
1&1/4 cups milk
1&1/2 cups bread crumbs (I use oatmeal. My mom always did when we were little. I think it's a Weight Watcher thing. It works though.)
Last week when I made this recipe it yielded about 156 1 inch meatballs.
Mix all the ingredients together (I use my KitchenAid mixer). Shape into 1 inch balls. Pampered Chef sells a 1 inch ice cream scoop that works wonders for this. Bake on a sprayed pan for 20 minutes at 350.
If you haven't yet, you should totally check out the sweet 'n sour recipe above. Here's my recipe for spaghetti:
Disclaimer: When I cook I don't measure a whole lot unless I'm following a specific recipe. I use the "ish" system. Use your own discretion and add what sounds good to you.
Also, I pre-cut most of my veggies and store them in the freezer in recipe size portions. This helps insure that my dinner preparations are simple and it also makes it easier to get veggies into our meals. If you have picky eaters chopped or shred the veggies into small pieces that they won't be able to see. As long as there isn't an allergy possibility I add it. Hot Hubby doesn't like zucchini and Abiah doesn't care for mushrooms but they eat them all the time. Most of the time they don't even know.
Veggie Filled Spaghetti Sauce
If you are using a meat other than the meatballs brown it in a separate pan and add later.
1 Tbls olive oil
1 Tbls butter
Heat the oils in a large skillet. When heated through add:
1 onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic
1 cup (ish) of chopped mushrooms
1 zucchini chopped or shredded
1 cup of bell peppers sliced ( I get a combo pack of mini peppers from Costco and send them through the food processor. They freeze well for sauces and soups.)
When these start to brown I add 1 large can of tomato sauce (24 oz I think) and a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes. (This is also where I would add the browned burger. Add meatballs later.)
This is where I get my "ish" on. These portions are a guess but a great place to start.
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
two or three dashes of salt
1 or 2 dashes of pepper
1 tsp of sugar ( I don't usually add more sugar unless I have a very bitter sauce.)
If you can handle the spice, add 1 tsp or so if crushed red peppers. Mmmmm...
Let all of these simmer together. If you are using meatballs, add them at this point and let them simmer in the sauce.
When your noodles are done cooking add about 1/2 a cup of the starchy water to the sauce and let it simmer a little longer.
You can serve this over your favorite noodles or serve it in hoagie rolls, add a piece of cheese to the top and broil in the oven until the cheese is melted for a yummy meatball sub.
Let me know what you think!
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