Food Fun Family

Family-Favorite Ground Beef Recipes – Delicious Dishes Recipe Party #154

Lolli — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 15:40:29 +0000

We’ve had a brief spring “preview” here in Maryland, and I’m eager and excited for the weather to warm up more permanently.

But more than anything else, I’m eager for our house renovations to be done so that I can get back to cooking regularly. I’m hoping that this long break from cooking and doing dishes will make me appreciate the ability to cook even more!

This week, my fellow Delicious Dishes hostesses and I decided to feature recipes using ground beef. Ground beef is one of the easiest and most versatile starting points for dinner, and I almost always have some ground beef on hand. What about you?

Welcome to Delicious Dishes Recipe Party! In case you’re new to the party, here’s what you need to know:

Delicious Dishes is a weekly link party where bloggers can share their most delicious recipes while checking out the amazing recipes that other bloggers are sharing.

Each link you share here will be seen on each of the hostess’ blogs listed below >>

Food Fun Family – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

She Saved – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Walking on Sunshine Recipes – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

This Mama Loves – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Clever Housewife – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Bunny’s Warm Oven –Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Each week we will be featuring our favorite recipes from the week before and pinning them to our Delicious Dishes Pinterest board.

We hope you’ll have fun with our party…we know we will!

The Recipes with the Most Clicks Last Week Were…

#1: Chocolate Chip Bars from a Cake Mix from Walking on Sunshine Recipes

#2: Retro Salmon Patties from Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

#3: Easy and Delicious Fish Tacos from Joyful Homemaking

Delicious Dishes Party Favorites from Last Week:

These are the recipes that the hosts loved the most…

I loved Taco Stuffed Avocados from Crystal and Comp

Lois loved Cowboy Burger Recipe from Mommy Evolution

Brett loved Homemade Sloppy Joes from Cincy Shopper

Keri Lyn loved Beef and Spinach Pasta from Joyful Homemaking
Most Clicks:

Emily loved Slow Cooker Taco Soup from Mommy Hates Cooking

Mary loved Gluten Free Sweet and Tangy Meatballs from Mommy Hates Cooking

Follow us along on our Pinterest board. We pin a ton of recipes that are shared to our linky party each week. So get your recipes ready. We can’t wait to see what’s cooking in your kitchen this week.

Now let’s get this party started!

An InLinkz Link-up

Favorite Grilling Recipes – Delicious Dishes Recipe Party #79

Lolli — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 11:00:24 +0000

Happy August!! This is the month I’ve waited ALL summer for! It’s finally time for vacations and travel. This week starts my mega month of travel, and I can’t wait! Yes, I know that work will be challenging to keep up with from the road, but it will be worth it to have a break.

Now that a huge majority of my time is spent in sales with my LuLaRoe business, I worry about being gone for several weeks and missing precious sale opportunities. So I’m pushing for some amazing sales while I’m in town and would LOVE for you to join me over in my group. We’ve got SO many fun things going on right now.

Summer, and especially August, is the perfect time to get out the grill and cook outside instead of heating up the kitchen (it’s HOT enough in there!!). A few of my personal faves include…..

This week, we’ve gathered a few of the grilling recipes from YOU that have caught our eyes! Enjoy!

Each link you share here will be seen on each of the hostess’ blogs listed below >>

Food Fun Family – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

She Saved – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Walking on Sunshine Recipes – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

5 Minutes for Mom – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

This Mama Loves – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Clever Housewife – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Bunny’s Warm Oven –Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Cooking in Stilettos – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Each week we will be featuring our favorite recipes from the week before and pinning them to our Delicious Dishes Pinterest board.

We hope you’ll have fun with our party…we know we will!

The Recipes with the Most Clicks Last Week Were…

#1: Dulce de Leche Frappe from The Black Peppercorn

#2: Olive Garden Copycat Recipes from Tuxedo Cats and Coffee

#3: Raspberry Pretzel Crunch from Eat Move Make

Delicious Dishes Party Favorites from Last Week:

These are the recipes that the hosts loved the most…

I loved Grilled Honey Chicken Breast from My Heavenly Recipes

Lois loved Grilled Ribeyes from Eat Move Make

Brett loved Grilled Rainbow Vegetable Kabobs from Juggling Act Mama

Susan loved Shrimp on Barbie with Chimichurri Sauce from The Chef Next Door

Aly loved Grilled Pizza from Kid and Kin Blog

Keri Lyn loved Marinated Mushrooms on the Grill from Clever Housewife

Emily loved Steak and Chicken Kabobs from My Heavenly Recipes

Mary loved Southwestern Grilled Corn Mix from My Heavenly Recipes

Now let’s get this party started!

An InLinkz Link-up

Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup

Lolli — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 12:00:54 +0000

I got my Instant Pot a few months ago when Instant Pots went on super sale on Amazon (I’m guessing you heard about the rush of Instant Pot sales like I did).

I had never used a pressure cooker before, but I was intrigued after seeing an infomercial while eating out at a restaurant with my friend in Colorado a couple of summers ago. It was one of those infomercials that made an electric pressure cooker look like a magic-worker. They’d throw something in the pot, cook for a few minutes, and pull out perfectly cooked meats and vegetables.

I had a hard time believing that what I saw on that infomercial was really possible. But when I saw an Instant Pot on super sale, I decided to give it a try. (PS – I’m linking to the Instant Pot I bought on Amazon, and I highly recommend that you keep an eye on it in case it goes on sale again before the holidays. Or just put it on your holiday wish list for someone to buy for you!).

Guess what? It really does work magic with food! After trying it for the first time, I was completely hooked, and I’ve been using my Instant Pot at least weekly (and often more than once a week) since then. I’m now making the best stews and roasts I’ve ever made, and any time I need to make dinner in 30 minutes, I turn to my Instant Pot for something quick and delicious.

And that’s where this soup comes in.

I had stocked up on ground beef and wanted to make something unique for dinner. I love making soups during the fall and winter, but SOUP is not the first thing I think of when I’m planning on using ground beef. I found a hamburger soup recipe from Pioneer Woman and modified the ingredients as well as the directions to make it Instant Pot-friendly. It was a hit with the whole family, and I was especially happy to have perfectly-cooked vegetables in less than 30 minutes.

Here’s how to make it:

Yum

Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients

2 lbs lean ground beef
1 large onion, diced
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes, with liquid
3 cups beef broth
4 carrots, sliced into round disks
3 stalks of celery, sliced or diced
3-4 medium-large potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp ground oregano

Instructions

Turn Instant Pot on SAUTE; add ground beef, onion, and garlic and saute until beef is cooked through. Drain off as much of the oil as possible.
Add can of stewed tomatoes with liquid, breaking up the tomatoes into small pieces. Stir in beef broth, diced vegetables, tomato paste, and seasonings.
Place lid on the Instant Pot and close the vent (seal). Press the manual button and set the time for 4 minutes. Once the timer beeps, press cancel and turn the valve from seal to vent to release the pressure. Once all of the pressure has released and the silver valve has dropped, remove the lid.
Enjoy your soup!

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes

https://foodfunfamily.com/instant-pot-vegetable-beef-soup/

This soup can be cooked in a stock pot if you don’t have a pressure cooker. Just allow the soup to simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Do you have an Instant Pot? I’d love to hear about your favorite recipes to cook in the Instant Pot in the comments below!

Easy Lasagna Soup

Lolli — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 13:50:45 +0000

Last month, I shared a new family-friendly recipe using RAGU Homestyle Thick and Hearty Roasted Garlic Sauce (seriously, if you haven’t see this recipe for Chicken Parmesan Meatballs, you really should go save it now!).

This week, I was challenged to create another recipe using RAGU Homestyle sauces, and I immediately thought about trying a lasagna soup. I have seen several recipes for lasagna soup in the past that looked delicious….but a little complicated. I rarely make lasagna because it’s so time consuming – all of the layering (actually, dealing with wet, floppy, sticky cooked noodles is enough to deter me!).

But we LOVE eating lasagna – the sauce, the cheese, the noodles – at our house, so I really wanted to figure out a way to have the flavors of lasagna without all the work.

I totally nailed it with this soup. It was so easy to make, and everyone loved having the lasagna noodles already cut up – so much easier to make AND eat, I promise!

The reason tonight’s dinner was so easy and tasty was RAGÚ® Homestyle sauce. It is RAGÚ’s thickest sauce, which was perfect for our thick and hearty lasagna soup. RAGÚ® peels, chops and simmers each ingredient and uses a special blend of herbs (basil, fennel, oregano and black pepper) to layer and build the flavor. Plus, they don’t use artificial flavors, artificial colors or high fructose corn syrup.

You can get RAGU Homestyle in the following delicious flavors:

Homestyle Thick and Hearty Traditional Sauce
Homestyle Thick and Hearty Meat Sauce
Homestyle Thick and Hearty Four Cheese Sauce
Homestyle Thick and Hearty Roasted Garlic Sauce
Homestyle Thick and Hearty Mushroom Sauce

Yum

Easy Lasagna Soup

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic cloves, minced
1 (23 oz.) jar RAGU Homestyle Pasta Sauce
5-6 cups chicken broth
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (6 oz) jar tomato paste
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
12 uncooked lasagna noodles, broken into pieces
1 cup whipping cream
Basil, dried or fresh, chopped
Ricotta cheese
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Brown ground beef, diced onion, and garlic in a large pot (I used a cast iron pot), Drain any excess oil.
Add RAGU Homestyle sauce, chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices to the cooked meat mixture. Stir in broken lasagna noodles. Heat to boiling, then reduce temperature to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add 1 cup cream, stir, and heat for an additional 5-10 minutes.
To serve, top each bowl of soup with a scoop of ricotta cheese, and sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil.

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes

https://foodfunfamily.com/easy-lasagna-soup/

If you love cheese like we do, then take our lead and be generous with the cheese you add to your soup! You can’t go wrong by loading it with these three yummy cheeses!

What is your favorite way to use RAGÚ® Homestyle sauce? And what is your favorite flavor? Sometimes a good, hearty traditional sauce hits the spot!

Want MORE delicious recipes with RAGÚ®? You’ve got to check out the recipe section HERE for a ton of family-friendly homestyle dishes.

Meatloaf Muffins with Ranch Style Mashed Potatoes

Lolli — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 15:13:06 +0000

I am excited to feature a guest post recipe from a fellow blogger today as I get ready to head out of town for my daughter’s wedding. Please show her some love!

Mariah is a full time children’s photographer and the owner of “Spaghetti and Mashed Potatoes”, a food blog about eating healthy and unprocessed foods without crazy ingredients, and doing it all on the average person’s income. Eating healthy and avoiding chemicals and additives does not have to be complicated or expensive, see how she does it here: spaghettiandmashedpotatoes.com

Meatloaf Muffins | Two Recipes in One!

An old classic: Meatloaf. Mom’s signature dish. Either you like it or you don’t (I, for one, love it!). Which is odd since I am not a fan of eating a lot of meat all at once. But the meat with the mashed potatoes in these recipes mixes it up just enough to make it one of our favorites!

This is also a very easy dump, mix and bake type recipe. There are no difficult steps, or weird things that you’ll have to spend tons of money on. Just simple wholesome ingredients!

For the meatloaf, I would recommend grass-fed organic beef, or at least a low fat content variety. Since you will be baking it, the fat won’t be drained out, so a low fat content will help with not having a lot of excess fat with your meal.

You can eat the meatloaf muffins as is, (with some optional ketchup on top per the comfort food rule!) or add the mashed potato topping, which you can whip up before your meatloaf is done in the oven.

The mashed potatoes can be made with any kind of potatoes, even sweet potatoes would work! I used large reds for this recipe.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Meatloaf Muffins with Ranch Style Mashed Potatoes

Author: Lolli

Serves: 12

Ingredients

Meatloaf

1 lb Ground Beef
½ Cup Whole Grain Rolled Oats
1 Egg
½ Tsp Pepper
1 Tsp Salt
½ Cup Diced Onion
2 Cloves of Garlic minced, or an equal amount of store bought minced garlic.
¼ Cup Ketchup
¼ Cup Milk

Ranch Style Mashed Potatoes

5 Medium Potatoes
¼ tsp Parsley
¼ tsp Dill
¼ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Pepper
¼ tsp Garlic Powder
¼ tsp Onion Powder
⅓ Cup Buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix with your hands or a stand mixer. Be sure to get everything incorporated well.
Grease a cupcake pan, or place silicone cupcake liners in one. (I swear by silicone and it works exceptionally well with meat, it won’t stick!)
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour. Be sure to cut one open before calling it done to be sure it’s cooked all the way through to your liking.

Ranch Style Mashed Potatoes

Put a pot of water on the stove the appropriate size for your potatoes to cook in. Let it heat up while you do step number two.
Peel and chop your potatoes, you can leave the peel on, but be sure to clean them well if you do.
Once the water is boiling add in the potatoes and cook them until they are tender, about 20 minutes.
Strain the potatoes, and put them into a stand mixer or a bowl to use a hand mixer with.
Add in the spices and buttermilk and mix well. They should fluff up a bit.
I used an ice-cream scoop to put the mashed potatoes on the meatloaf muffins, but you can use a spoon, or simply just eat them together.

Notes

For the Ketchup, since I have tried and just dislike making my own ketchup a lot, I use Hunts brand. There are no corn syrups, just a few ingredients, and it’s affordable. Even when you make ketchup at home you add sugar, it just doesn’t taste right without it!
I used whole milk, but any milk will work, including almond or soy!
An optional ingredient would be cheese, just mix it in with the rest of it before putting it into the muffin cups.

Note: The amount that this makes will vary by the amount of potatoes and the size that you use. It also depends on how much your family likes potatoes, more might be better for those who love their potatoes!

The Best Crockpot Chili Recipe

Lolli — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 06:00:00 +0000

When I was making my menu plan a couple of weeks ago, I asked my kids what they’d like me to add to the menu. My 16-year-old daughter didn’t hesitate to ask for homemade chili, and I was happy to oblige. Not only is chili delicious and GREAT for this time of year (hello, comfort food!) but I love meals that I can fix in the morning and forget until dinner time. Crockpots are the best, especially for busy moms like me who spend the entire afternoon driving kids from here to there. When is there time to cook?

This recipe was a bit of an accident. A happy accident. I often make “half-homemade” chili by adding a bunch “Extras” to a can of chili (so that it stretches farther and so it tastes a little better) but I was determined to find a better alternative. I turned to Pinterest, of course, and searched for “best chili” and came back with this pin, which led me to this recipe from Pink When. I tucked it away so that I could make it within the next week.

Before I had a chance to make the chili, I tried making some hamburgers one night. In an effort to stretch my hamburger meat, I decided to mash some black beans and add them to the ground beef. I add black beans to dishes with ground beef all the time. I did not expect what happened….

My black bean hamburgers were a complete flop. They were a crumbly mess. I gave up on my notion of black bean hamburgers, added the cooked black bean-ground beef crumble to a tupperware, and took the kids out for fast food that night (something we never do on a week night!).

The next morning, I grabbed that chili recipe I’d been saving, pulled out the crumbled hamburger, and started making my pot of chili. It could not have been easier, and the entire family RAVED about how delicious it was. Definitely a huge improvement over canned chili (or even the half-homemade chili).

Note: this recipe makes a large crock pot full of chili. If you don’t have a family as big as mine and don’t want a ton of leftovers, then I would recommend freezing half of the chili for a quick meal at a later date. Just pull the saved chili out of the freezer and stick it back in the crock pot to warm up!

The BEST Chili Recipe – In the Crock Pot!

5.0 from 3 reviews

The Best Crock Pot Chili Recipe

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

5 hours

Total time

5 hours 15 mins

Author: Lolli

Serves: 12

Ingredients

3 lbs lean ground beef, seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic
1 can black beans, drained and mashed
1 medium onion, chopped
½ of a large bell pepper, chopped
½ tablespoon chili powder
1½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon white sugar
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can Great Northern beans, drained
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
1 (28 oz) can marinara sauce (I used Trader Joe's Tuscano Marinara Sauce)
1 cup water
Shredded cheese to top

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix mashed black beans and ground beef. Add spices to season. Brown the ground beef mixture until cooked through. Drain grease, if necessary.
Add cooked ground beef mixture and all of the additional ingredients to a large crock pot and stir. Cover and cook on low for at least 5 hours (since your meat is cooked, you're mainly cooking the chili for that long to blend flavors). Serve warm with shredded cheese, if desired, and crackers or corn bread.

If you like this recipe, you are going to love these recipes, too:

Note: I used a canned marinara sauce from Trader Joe’s, which I think looks more like crushed tomatoes with spices than a spaghetti sauce.

For more Pinterest remakes, visit a few of my favorite bloggers:

Berry Sipper Mocktail by Confessions of an Overworked Mom
Starbucks Cup Gift Card Holder by Homemaking Hacks
Ice Lanterns by Upstate Ramblings
Lip Scrub by Mom Always Finds Out
The Best Homemade Vanilla Extract by How Was Your Day?
Vintage Cheddar and Gruyere Mac and Cheese with Polish Kielbasa by A Day in Motherhood
Flourless Brownies with Craisins and Pistachios by Day by Day in Our World
DIY Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe by Just 2 Sisters
Tiger Nut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies by Home and Garden Cafe
Bang Bang Chicken by Jennifer Sikora
Frozen Banana Yogurt Peanut Dog Treats by 2Boys+1Girl=OneCrazyMom
Dark Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Oatmeal by Sincerely Mindy
Garlic Monkey Bread Recipe by Gator Mommy
Homemade Vanilla Orange Mint Sugar Scrub by Baby Loving Mama
Valentine’s Day Strawberries by Sizzling Eats
All Natural 2 Ingredient Lip Gloss by The Socialite’s Closet
Pantry Tomato Pasta by The Guavalicious Life
How to Make Strawberry Pecan Bread by Mommy Snippets

Easy Italian Wedding Soup #MeatballMasters

Lolli — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 04:33:54 +0000

I made this delicious and easy Italian Wedding Soup using Johnsonville® Meatballs as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars. All opinions are my own.

Spaghetti and meatballs is a family favorite. A classic. A wonderful stand-by, welcome-anytime meal.

But spaghetti is far from the only thing that meatballs are good for. I’ve made 15-minute meatball sliders, meatball fettucini alfredo (I’m drooling just thinking about it!), quick meatball stroganoff, and even chipotle peach meatball appetizers perfect for the Big Game.

Meatballs are so versatile, and Johnsonville® meatballs are the best tasting, highest quality frozen meatball I’ve tasted. Ever. Because I don’t always have time to make meatballs from scratch, I always have a bag of frozen meatballs in my freezer for great tasting meals without a ton of time slaving away in the kitchen.

This week, I was trying to come up with a new way to feature meatballs at family dinner time. Since we are loving soups this time of the year, I decided to try an Italian Wedding Soup and was blown away with how perfectly it came together. What’s more….it’s so healthy, full of hearty vegetables, comforting broth, and Johnsonville® meatballs, made with only premium cuts of meat and spices.

Easy Italian Wedding Soup

Easy Italian Wedding Soup #MeatballMasters

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

50 mins

Author: Lolli

Serves: 8

Ingredients

1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup onion, diced
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups fresh spinach, sliced
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups beef broth
1 cup water
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ cup dried orzo, cooked
1 package Johnsonville® meatballs

Instructions

Chop carrots and onion. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot and add chopped carrots, onion, and garlic, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Add broth, water, basil and meatballs and heat on medium for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to low and simmer another 15 minutes or til ready to serve.
While soup is simmering, in a separate pot, cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and add to soup before serving.

This was a hit in our house, even with the kids! I especially loved hearing the older kids telling my youngest how even the spinach tasted delicious in the soup.

This recipe makes 8-9 filling servings. It’s perfect for leftovers the next day, too.

How do you like to serve up a quick Italian dinner for your family? Next time Italian food is on the menu, be sure to add some Johnsonville® meatballs for a more delicious dinner!

Pasta with 30-minute Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs #MeatballMasters

Lolli — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 15:09:45 +0000

I made a delicious and easy dinner using Johnsonville® Meatballs as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars. All opinions are my own. And my family’s…because they like to be vocal and opinionated whenever food is involved. #MeatballMasters

Sometimes cooking for a family of seven is not an easy task. Sometimes, like this past week with the holidays and the flu that’s been going around, I just need a few easy meals that I can fall back on. One of my family’s stand-by meals for those nights that no one wants to think about what to cook is spaghetti and meatballs – it’s an easy Italian dinner that tastes great but doesn’t take all night to prepare.

As much as we love a classic spaghetti and meatballs dinner, and as easy as it is to dump a jar of spaghetti sauce in a pan to heat up in a pinch, my family’s tastes have become more refined the older the kids (and parents…ahem) have gotten. Now, they complain if the sauce tastes too bland and if the meatballs are not to their liking. I’m convinced that I’ve spoiled them with too much good food. They refuse to go back to ordinary.

Luckily, serving great-tasting, homemade sauce and delicious you’d-think-they-were-homemade meatballs from Johnsonville® is simple and can be done in just 30 minutes. It’s the perfect busy night meal that the whole family will love. Sometimes, I admit, I grab whatever-meatballs-are-cheapest from the shelf at the store…and the kids notice. It used to drive me crazy until I realized that I could really tell the difference, too, and a good meatball made a huge difference in how much I enjoyed my dinner. Johnsonville® meatballs are the best tasting, highest quality frozen meatballs – full of flavor, moist and plump…delicious! They use the best cuts of meat and don’t add any artificial colors or flavors.

30-minute Spaghetti Sauce

As with any good sauce, adjust spices to your taste. I like my spaghetti sauce to be a little spicy, but it’s totally fine to leave the spiciness out.

Pasta with 30-minute Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs #MeatballMasters

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

Author: Lolli

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

3 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 medium onion, diced
½ bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Crushed red pepper, to taste (or Chef Paul Prudomme's Pizza and Pasta Magic)

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a large pot, stir, and heat over medium-high heat until sauce begins to be bubbly. Reduce heat to simmer while preparing your pasta and meatballs.
Just before serving, add sauce to a blender and blend until sauce is smooth. Serve immediately over hot pasta, with meatballs and Parmesan cheese.

That’s it! This sauce is so simple and comes together in just 30 minutes. Even I can handle that on busy nights. Add a little Parmesan cheese and a loaf of Italian bread…and, of course, some Johnsonville® meatballs, and everyone is happy.

A quick tip: switch up your pasta on spaghetti night and your family will think you’re cooking a whole new meal. I like to serve my spaghetti sauce and meatballs with penne. Yum!

How do you like to serve up a quick Italian dinner for your family? Next time spaghetti is on the menu, be sure to add some Johnsonville® meatballs for a more delicious dinner!

Beef Potpies Recipe by QVC’s David Venable

Lolli — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 15:00:26 +0000

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of QVC. The opinions and text are all mine.

If my 13-year-old son made a meal plan, it would look something like this:

Monday: Pot pie
Tuesday: Pot pie
Wednesday: Chili
Thursday: Pot pie
Friday: Pot pie
Saturday: Nachos
Sunday: Pot pie

So when I was glancing through my newest cookbook, Back Around the Table: An “In the Kitchen with David®” Cookbook by David Venable, I zeroed in on the individual beef potpies. I made a quick trip to the grocery store and rushed home to make dinner.

I’ve never made potpie with a flaky pastry crust….and I love how it turned out! Let’s just say it was a lot easier than making a pie crust by hand.

Now that I’ve made the beef potpies, I can’t wait to try a few more recipes from Back Around the Table: An “In the Kitchen with David®” Cookbook. I’m especially excited about the Strawberry–Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast (oh my goodness!!) and the Mac ‘n Cheese Bites (yum!!). Oh…and the skinny fried chicken.

Seriously, it might take me a while to get through all of the recipes in here, but I’m up for the challenge.

Ready for the recipe? The cookbook says that the following recipe makes 4 servings, but I was able to make 6 perfectly-sized individual potpies (based on the size of my crocks).

Beef Pot Pies

Ingredients:

1 to 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ pounds ½-inch sirloin beef cubes or leftover steak
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup finely chopped white onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons, for rolling out pastry
2½ cups beef broth, warmed
½ cup heavy cream, warmed
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
¾ teaspoon dried thyme
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. Put the potato cubes and 1 tablespoon salt in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are fork tender but still firm, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. Season the beef cubes with the 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. Heat the canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, add the beef cubes and brown on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a large bowl. Add the onions to the Dutch oven and sauté until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions and garlic and add to the bowl with the beef.

4. In the same Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is medium brown in color, 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the warm beef broth, cream, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a slight boil. Reduce the heat and continue stirring until the sauce has thickened slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Return the beef mixture to the Dutch oven. Add the cooked potatoes, mixed vegetables, parsley, thyme, and the remaining ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Divide the beef mixture among four 12-to 14-ounce individual ovenproof crocks.

5. Using the remaining flour, on a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry sheet to a 1?8-inch thickness. Using a bowl and a paring knife, trace and cut out 4 circles large enough to cover the tops of each crock, allowing for a little to hang over the edges. Place 1 circle on top of each filled crock and crimp the edges. Cut 2 or 3 slits into the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash over the top of each pastry shell. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt.

6. Place the potpies on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and lightly brown. Remove the potpies from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Cool It: Cookbook instructions always say to let a pie cool completely before serving. That’s because if you’ve ever tried to lift a hot wedge out of the pie plate, the filling will be soupy and not hold together. The same thing is true of casseroles and gratins if you try to serve them right out of the oven. Let the hot dish sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the runny juices or cheeses to be reabsorbed by the rice, pasta, meat, or vegetables. Italian Wedding Casserole (page 166), Better-Than-Ever Tuna Casserole (page 207), and mac ‘n’ cheese (see page 165) will remain hot and be a whole lot easier to serve if allowed to sit for a bit.

About Back Around the Table: An “In the Kitchen with David®” Cookbook by David Venable: David’s 2nd cookbook features more than 150 brand-new recipes, including 30 fan favorites. They highlight David’s inventive spin on traditional comfort food including Banana-Peanut Butter French Toast, Sunday Pot Roast, Smoked Brisket, Five-Cheese Fifteen-Minute Mac’ n’ Cheese, and Mimi’s Blackberry Cobbler.

The book includes 11 chapters, including chapters designed for your favorite kitchen appliances (like the pressure cooker or slow-cooker), as well as a BONUS HOLIDAY CHAPTER that’s only available in cookbooks purchased from QVC. I love the full-page, full-color recipe photos….but mostly I just love the selection of recipes. I will definitely be utilizing the holiday recipe section in the next 4 weeks for some extra holiday baking.

If you think your family will enjoy this recipe, be sure to visit qvc.co/AroundtheTableCookbook to learn more about and purchase Back Around the Table: An “In the Kitchen with David” Cookbook. Filled with 156 great recipes like this, you’re sure to find something that fits your lifestyle and gathers everyone back around the table!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of QVC. The opinions and text are all mine.

Cabbage and Pineapple Slaw Burgers

Lolli — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 13:08:37 +0000

This recipe for MIRACLE WHIP Cabbage and Pineapple Slaw Burgers is brought to you by MIRACLE WHIP but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

MIRACLE WHIP and proud of it.

It’s officially summer break now that the kids are out of school, which means we’re spending long hours at the pool most days. When I spend those long, hot hours at the pool the last thing I want to do is come home to cook in a hot kitchen. That’s why I like to find summer-time-friendly meals like these tangy-sweet slaw burgers that I can cook on the grill in the backyard. Dinner is ready quickly, and my kitchen stays cool.

Summer is also a perfect time for firing up the grill for a crowd. I know that the sides that we serve at our cook outs are just as important as the main dishes…and this recipe handles both! We’ve taken a standard side dish, kicked it up a notch…and then added it to the main dish. This coleslaw is the perfect compliment to a hot burger. And burgers and summer and BBQs were all meant to go together, don’t you think?

I was blown away by how easy this coleslaw came together. I just threw it together while the burgers were on the grill. In just 30 minutes I had a perfect summer BBQ meal…and a whole lot of smiling faces as I served dinner.

MIRACLE WHIP CABBAGE AND PINEAPPLE SLAW BURGERS

5.0 from 1 reviews

Cabbage and Pineapple Slaw Burgers

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

Author: Lolli

Serves: 8

Ingredients

2 lb. lean ground beef
2 tsp. garlic powder
¾ cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing
1 pkg. (14 oz) cabbage slaw blend
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, (drained)
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tsp. Sriracha sauce (hot chili sauce)
8 hamburger buns

Instructions

HEAT grill to medium heat.
MIX meat, garlic powder and ¼ cup dressing just until blended; shape into 8 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Grill 5 to 6 min. on each side or until done (160ºF).
COMBINE remaining dressing with all remaining ingredients except buns.
FILL buns with burgers and coleslaw.

Check out how easy this recipe is to make in this cute video:

BBQ party tip: Want to avoid BBQ party-crashers (I’m talking about those pesky bugs that love your BBQ foods as much as you do!)? Serve up your potato salad, coleslaw, fruit salads, and other side dishes in single serving jars with lids. Your sides will be portioned out for easy serving AND they’ll be stylish as a fun bonus. Want to wow your guests even more? Place those filled jars in a wide bucket or bowl full of ice to keep your sides nice and cool for the entire get together!

For more ideas on delicious crowd-pleasing salads, dips and sandwiches for your summer time BBQs, visit MiracleWhip.com.