Turkey Bean Sloppy Joe's

After practically eating the entire pot of sloppy joe's, I realized I can't make my mom's traditional recipe any more.  It's just too good and once I start I can't stop!  It needs to be under lock and key!

Compared to two pounds of hamburger, turkey and beans is a little healthier.  You could even swap out the turkey for ground chicken or beef, or two more cans of beans.  For three days straight this was my dinner and it was the best meal of my life.  

Recently dinner at our house has been a "fend-for-yourself" meal. Between work, gymnastics, basketball, games, etc. everyone is home at different times on different days.  Friday's are really the only days we're all together.  Last Friday we decided to all watch a movie together.  If you haven't seen When the Game Stands Tall, I recommend renting it. Here's Amazons summary...

Inspired by the true story, Jim Caviezel plays high school football coach Bob Ladouceur during the season that changed everything. As coach of the Spartans Football Team, Bob always tells his players that winning doesn't matter. Yet somehow, with the aid of assistant coach Terry Eidson, he’s led the team to a record-breaking 151 straight victories. When his wife Bev urges him to refocus on his family, Bob is blinded by the pressure to keep the streak alive. Now, in the midst of a season of crisis and tragedy when the Spartans stand to lose everything, a remarkable young player helps Bob rediscover that teamwork outshines personal glory When The Game Stands Tall.

Turkey-Bean Sloppy Joe's

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071031

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 can pinto beans, drained
• 1 can red kidney beans, drained
• 10.75 ounces condensed tomato soup
• 10 ounces ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Brown turkey in a large pot until fully cooked.

Stir in remaining ingredients.

Cook on low until heated through.

Freezes well.

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Banana Bread (the BEST ever!)

Banana bread is my go-to recipe when we have overripe bananas. It's simple, quick, and easily freezes. Nothing is better than pulling out a loaf in the middle of a school week. Breakfast...check! Now if only dinner were that easy!

It took some time to find the "perfect banana bread recipe" but I think we've got it. You'll never guess where. Mom actually tried the recipe on the back of the Gold Medal Flour bag! It was delicious!

Warm, cold, room temperature...in the morning this bread is amazing anyway. Butter, plain, my sister even spreads it with Nutella! So much easier than making Banana Nutella Muffins and it tastes exactly the same!

Banana Bread (the BEST ever!)

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071142

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 stick butter or margarine, softened
• 2 eggs
• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Grease either two 8 x 4 inch loaf pans, or one 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

In a mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar.

Add eggs, banana, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until smooth.

Stir in flour, baking soda, salt and nuts until just combined. Pour batter into pans.

Bake 8-inch loaves 60 minutes, 9-inch loaf 75 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.

Remove from pans to cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.

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Potato Soup

Every year, usually sometime in October, my great (literally great) grandma comes up for a visit.  It works out perfectly as my mom could use an extra hand peeling and canning potatoes.  We always seem to plant way too many!  A couple years ago we had over 500 pounds!!  Yes, 500 pounds of potatoes for four people!  Of course we shared with family, friends, and neighbors.

But seriously, what do you do with that many potatoes?  No matter what you do -mashed, boiled, baked, fried- they become old after a while.  My mom tried canning them.  Everyone else loved them, but they weren't my favorite.  They were a little soft for my liking.  She also froze several batches of potato soup.  Let me tell you, nothing is better than going in the freezer on a cold day and pulling out a container of potato soup.  Just heat it up and lunch/dinner is served. My kind of cooking!

Since we had so many potatoes my mom offered to send home soup with my grandma.  Of course she accepted!  Who would turn down potato soup!?  My grandma has a one-of-a-kind sense of humor. One morning, my mom went out to feed the horses and left her in the kitchen peeling potatoes.  When she came back in, my grandma was holding a sign that read "Will Work For Food."  

To this day we still laugh and tell her she'll have to help if she wants her share of the garden.  Every year she keeps coming back, so the labor must be worth the reward!

Potato Soup

:Ingredients:

6 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed

5 cups chicken broth

2 cups onions, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

12 ounces evaporated milk

:Directions:

Combine first seven ingredients in a large pot.  Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring often.  

Reduce heat to a simmer and add evaporated milk.  

Cover and cook 30 minutes, stirring frequently, not allowing the soup to boil.

Allow to cool slightly before pureeing in a food processor or blender. 

Copyright © 2014, Grace George. Simple and Sweet Creations. All Rights Reserved.

Click for printable recipe.

Stew Beef

Would you believe it was 65º here yesterday?  Yes, 65º F in Ohio in November!  But don't get too jealous...it's supposed to be 35º and snowing Thursday.  Please tell me how that is possible.  

We just started our wood burning stove in the basement.  I think I'm going to move to the basement!  If you've never experienced the warmth that comes from a fire....heaven.  That's the only word that gives it justice.  It's just amazing.  

I usually take my laptop down and write papers or work on other homework while standing by the fire.  Yes, I have to stand by it.  If I sat down I'd probably fall asleep!  (Sorry...analysis essays usually don't have the most thrilling topics)

The past couple of nights we've even eaten dinner downstairs.  A warm meal by the warm fire...nothing is better than that! Especially when its a bowl of Stew Beef and noodles/mashed potatoes.  

In the morning just throw all the ingredients in a crock pot and, by dinnertime, its ready to go!  Our family of four usually has leftovers too.  My dad loves to take the extra beef with a little sauce and make a sandwich for lunch.  Never tried it myself, but he claims it's delicious.

Crock Pot Stew Beef

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071028

Ingredients

• 1-2 pounds stew beef
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• Mashed Potatoes or Noodles

Instructions

Combine stew beef and soup in crock pot.

Cook on low all day.

Serve over mashed potatoes or noodles.

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Microwave Egg Sandwich

I could eat eggs everyday.  Scrambled, omelet, in a sandwich, the possibilities are endless.  This morning I was feeling an egg sandwich.  It was cold and I needed something hardy to keep me full until lunch.  

Like my microwave scrambled eggs, it took a long time to prefect an egg sandwich.  My first attempts were in a frying pan...  I'm just not going to tell you about those ones...

I'd pour them in my little mold really slow but no matter what I did they just never cooked in the right shape :(  One day I looked at my cereal bowl full of eggs and thought Why can't it just stay like that... 

Then it hit me!  Duh!  Cook it in the cereal bowl!!  

I have to laugh at myself sometimes...  Does anyone else do stupid things like that too?  I sure hope so.

So after I perfected the cooking I started experimenting with the add-ins.  When we have it, I like to mix in broccoli and mushrooms.  Recently I tried cauliflower.  Wasn't bad!  I actually really liked it!!  Oh..and you always have to add cheese!  Mixing in shredded or topping with a piece of american.  They're both good. Don't be afraid to try mixing in something crazy :)

Start by cracking your eggs into a regular cereal bowl and add any mix-ins or shredded cheese.  (We didn't have any broccoli, cauliflower, or mushrooms!) :(

Cover and microwave 40 seconds or until egg(s) are mostly set.  You may need to go longer if you have more eggs or a less powerful microwave.  Just experiment!

Flip egg over and microwave another 12 seconds or until cooked to your liking.

Place on a toasted Sandwich Thin, english muffin, bagel, or piece of toast!  And don't forget to add the slice of cheese if you didn't use shredded!!

Look how delicious :)

Lasagna Rolls

It's always a struggle deciding what to make when people are coming for dinner.  The meal can't be too messy, or too plain, or too difficult but at the same time has to be delicious, presentable, and sometimes even make ahead. Would you laugh if I suggested lasagna?

What!  Lasagna is so messy!  It falls apart right when you cut it!  

Calm down, calm down.  Don't worry I would never serve traditional lasagna to guests...but these lasagna rolls.  Now that's a different story...

I got the idea from Pinterest and tweaked our family recipe to make my own version.  The result...beautiful, delicious, everyone-asking-for-seconds thirds lasagna rolls you can even serve for a fancy dinner.  And the best part, you can make each roll however you'd like!

For example, Abby only likes sausage in hers.  But my dad wants peppers, onions, sausage, meatballs, and whatever else I can find in his.  With lasagna rolls everyone's is made just the way they like it. Yay when everyone's happy!!

Start by cooking the lasagna noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, combine the shredded cheeses, cottage cheese, egg, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix well.

Carefully lay the noodles on a flat surface and evenly spread with cheese mixture.

Add your favorite toppings.  (ex. sausage, meatballs, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, peppers, zucchini, etc.)

Cover the bottom of a baking dish with spaghetti sauce.

Roll up and place in prepared pan.  Cover each roll up completely with sauce or the noodles will burn.  Cover with foil and bake in a 350*F oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and sprinkle the tops with mozzarella cheese.  Bake another 5 minutes, uncovered or until cheese is melted.

Look how beautiful!  But let them sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

Lasagna Rolls

by Simple and Sweet Creations

6071034

Ingredients

• 6 lasagna noodles, cooked
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup colby jack cheese, shredded
• 16 ounces small curd cottage cheese
• 1 large egg
• salt and pepper
• 2 quarts spaghetti sauce
• Optional fillings (sausage, meatballs, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, peppers, zucchini, etc.)

Instructions

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Cool slightly before assembling.

Cover bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan with sauce.

In a medium bowl, combine mozzarella, colby jack, and cottage cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix well.

Lay noodles on a flat surface and spread evenly with cheese mixture. Add fillings and roll.

Place in prepared baking pan and spread tops with sauce.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes in a preheated 350*F oven.

Remove foil and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

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