Stuffed shells

These are so good, and easy!

Ingredients:

1/2 box shells, cooked and drained
ricotta cheese
8 oz container feta cheese
1 egg
2 heaping teaspoons roasted red pepper dip (Trader Joes) OR
1 jar roasted red peppers
1 sprig fresh basil, sliced
3 TBL olive oil
1 16 oz. bag spinach
4 cloves garlic, smashed
4 green onions, sliced with green
3 cups marinara sauce
8 oz bag shredded provolone & mozzarella cheese
(for this recipe, I used mexican blend and it was fabulous!)
4 oz shredded parmesean cheese

Directions:
Cook noodles according to directions on the box.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Saute the spinach on med low in 2 TBL of olive oil.  Add onions and garlic once the spinach starts to wilt in the pan.  Turn off the heat and set aside when the spinach is completely wilted.  While the spinach is cooking, mix ricotta, feta, egg and red pepper dip (or red peppers) in a food processor.  Process on high till smooth and creamy.  Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon feta mixture into shells, and place into a baking dish that has been rubbed with 1 TBL olive oil.  Spoon spinach mixture over the stuffed shells.  Top with sliced basil, then spoon marinara over all.  Cover shells with parmesean cheese and cover with foil.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Pull out of the oven and top with shredded provolone/mozzarella mixture and re-cover with foil.  Bake for another 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Enjoy!

Pork chops dijon

Ingredients:

4 pork chops
1 TBL olive oil
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 TBL dijon mustard
1 TBL mayo
sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground pepper
3-4 TBL fresh chopped herbs

Directions:
Heat oil in a skillet.  Add onions and saute for 2 minutes, then add pork chops.  Some of the onions will be nice and browned, some will not, that's ok.  Brown chops on both sides.  While chops are browning, mix remaining ingredients in a bowl.  I used basil and cilantro, because it's what I had on hand.  You could easily use parsley, tarragon, chives, etc.  When chops are browned, remove from pan and add mustard mix to pan.  It should thicken a little as it heats.  Pour sauce over chops and serve.
**Optional**  You could use honey mustard, or horseradish mustard instead of dijon mustard.

BBQ meatloaf

When I was eating beef, I always enjoyed cold meat loaf with cold corn on the cob.  I made BBQ meat loaf last night and let it cool overnight.  Tonight I sliced it thick, grilled it, added caramelized onions and cheddar cheese and served it all on a toasted Italian roll for my husband.  It's always so much easier to cut and handle after it's cold.

BBQ meatloaf ingredients:

1 lb ground chuck

1/2 cup diced onion

1 egg

2 cups bread crumbs (approximately)

2 TB mustard

2 TB honey

2 TB ketchup

2 TB BBQ sauce

1 TB Worcestershire 

2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp granulated garlic

1/2 onion, sliced (for caramelizing)

2 TB butter (for caramelizing)

pinch of sugar (for caramelizing)

Directions:

Mix ingredients in a mixing bowl and either form into a loaf shape, or put meat in a loaf pan that is safe on the grill (a baking stone pan is great for this)  Cover meat loaf with a nice helping of ketchup and BBQ sauce mixed (maybe a cup total ).  If you don't have a stoneware pan, shape the meat loaf, cover with ketchup/BBQ, and wrap loosely in foil.  Grill for about an hour.  If you have a thermometer on the grill, it should run right around 325 degrees.  Let cool completely, or better yet, overnight.  Saute' 1/2 onion, sliced in 2 TB butter until nice and brown, about 15 minutes.  Add a touch of sugar at the end.  Onions will be nice and caramelized.  While onions are cooking, slice meat loaf into 1 inch thick slices and heat in a frying pan or on the grill.  Top with the caramelized onions and a slice of cheddar cheese and cover with a lid till cheese is melted.  Serve on a toasted bun.

Sloppy joes

Now that cooler weather is (finally) here, so is the comfort food.  These are quick, easy and great for game day (like today)!  They don't take long at all and you can keep them warm in the crock pot while you're watching the game.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground chuck
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup red & green pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 TB tomato paste
1  151/2 oz can tomato sauce  (or 6 fresh tomatoes, peeled and rough chopped)
4 TB Worcestershire sauce
2 TB red wine vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
sea salt, pepper
olive oil, for frying

Directions:

Brown and drain ground chuck.  Keep the meat warm in the crock pot on low.  Heat 1 TB olive oil in a frying pan and saute' the onions, pepper and garlic.  Add to the crock pot.  Add the remaining ingredients and let simmer for an hour or until the sloppy joes thicken a little.  Serve on toasted onion buns, or Trader Joe's makes these wonderful  pretzel rolls.