Spaghetti and Meatballs

Source: Buns in my oven

Ingredients for the meatballs

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup warm water
• Vegetable oil
• Olive oil

The sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• pinch of sugar
• 1/2 cup red wine (I used Barefoot Sweet Red)
• 1 14 ounce can tomato puree
• 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving

• 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti noodles
• Freshly grated Parmesan

To make the meatballs, place the ground meats, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, onion powder, egg, and 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl. Mix lightly with a fork. Use your hands to lightly form the meatballs. Mine were around 2 inches, but you can make them smaller or larger based on your personal preference.

Place meatballs in the refrigerator for at least one hour to rest. Remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking to allow them to reach room temperature.

To cook the meatballs, pour equal parts olive oil and vegetable oil in a deep frying pan to a depth of 1/4 inch. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning carefully with a fork or spatula to brown all sides. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. When all of the meatballs are browned, discard the oil but do not clean the pan.

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Saute the onions until translucent and soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more. Turn the heat to high and add the wine, using it to deglaze the pan. Continue cooking the wine on high heat for 3 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the tomato puree, diced tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, and parsley.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.

Serve over hot, cooked spaghetti and sprinkle with Parmesan

Zuppa Toscana

Makes: 6-8 servings
INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• 1½ tsp crushed red peppers
• 1 large diced white onion
• 4 Tbsp bacon pieces
• 2 tsp garlic puree
• 10 cups water
• 5 cubes of chicken bouillon
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
• ¼ of a bunch of kale

1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.

3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.

4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.

5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.

6. Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve.

Alfredo sauce

Ingredients:

½ C Butter
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
2 tsp garlic powder
2 C Milk
6 oz grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

Melt butter in a medium non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve.

Beef Mushroom Lasagna

Prep Time: 25 min. Bake Time: 30 min. Stand Time: 10 min. Broil Time: 2 min.
Ingredients:
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1/4 cup milk
1 lb. ground beef
2 cups Prego® Fresh Mushroom Italian Sauce
9 cooked lasagna noodles
1 cup shredded Italian-blend or mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Heat the oven to 400°F. Stir the soup and milk in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth.Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it's well browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off any fat. Stir in the Italian sauce.Layer half the beef mixture, 3 lasagna noodles and 1 cup soup mixture in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with 3 lasagna noodles, remaining beef mixture, remaining noodles and remaining soup mixture. Sprinkle with the cheese. Cover the baking dish.Bake for 30 minutes or until the lasagna is hot. Uncover the baking dish.Heat the broiler. Broil 4 inches from the heat for 2 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes.Serves 6

Easy Italian Chicken

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken
1-2 T. butter
pepper (a few dashes)
onion (a few shakes of dehydrated)
1 pkg. dry Italian dressing
1 8 oz. cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken
1 soup can full of milk
rice

Directions:

1. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a Crockpot and cook a couple of hours or until chicken is cooked.
2. Melt cream cheese in a pan, and then mix in cream of chicken soup and milk. Stir until smooth.
3. Add soup mixture to Crockpot and cook another hour.
4. Serve over rice.


Hint—the chicken sauce has a lot of flavor. You don’t need to put a lot of it on the rice.