Easy Homemade Meatballs Recipe

Who doesn't love spaghetti and meatballs?  This is a super-simple meatball recipe--mix all the ingredients together, bake while your noodles are boiling, then pour in your favorite spaghetti sauce.  Dinner is served!

What you need:  for 25 meatballs

• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 recipe homemade breadcrumbs (3/4 cup)
• 1 lb ground turkey or ground beef
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp minced garlic (or 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Let's get cooking:
 1.  Mix together the breadcrumbs and egg.

2.  Stir in the meat and spices.

3.  Form into 1 to 1 1/2 inch meatballs.

4.  Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Bake at 450 degrees for about  15 minutes, until the edges are turning golden..  (I used a preheated stone, so I didn't need to use parchment paper).

From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!
-Lily

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Simple Dinner Rolls Recipe

Mmmmm, I love homemade bread.  And my husband loves it even more. I don't think I can overstate how much he loves bread.  To him, a multi-course gourmet dinner is not a complete meal without dinner rolls.  

I am a victim of my own success in the kitchen, and we are now food snobs:  since I have started making these rolls, we can barely stand eating rolls from a can or plastic bag.  They just don't have the delicious flavor and texture.  I always try to keep a stash of these delicious dinner rolls handy, so we can eat them with our chicken soup, ham and bean soup, or just about every other dinner I make. 

I love this recipe because it's so simple.  Many dinner roll recipes have you heat milk, add eggs, let the dough rise overnight, etc.  Compared to those recipes, this one is very basic (similar to my simple pizza crust).   I like to make a double batch and freeze half.  That way we always have rolls on hand, just as convenient but much more delicious than a can-o-rolls.

What you need:  for 12 rolls 

• 2 1/4 tsp (1 package) yeast
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1/8 tsp plus 1 Tbs sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
•  1 cup milk

 Let's get cooking:

1.  Add 1/8 tsp sugar to water.  Mix in yeast.  Let sit about 5 minutes, until beginning to foam.

2.  Meanwhile, mix sugar, salt, and 3 cups of flour in a medium bowl.  

3.  Add milk to the yeast mixture.  Stir into the flour mixture.  Stir until well combined.  Dust a flat surface with the remaining 1/2 cup of flour.  Knead until dough is smooth.  Form into a ball.

I like to knead my dough on a plate.  Then, when I'm done I can put the plate in the dishwasher--no mess!

4.  Place the dough in a large, greased bowl.  Cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour.

5.  Shape dough into 12 smooth rolls.  If you like pillowy soft rolls, place them in a well-greased 9 x 13 glass pan to rise.  If you like golden brown rolls, place them 2" apart on a floured surface. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes.

6.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  If you're baking in a glass pan, bake 15-20 minutes until the tops are turning golden.  I like to bake my rolls on a preheated pizza stone for about 15 minutes.  Then they're golden on the outside, but still soft inside.  

After they're completely cool, store in an airtight container 1-2 days on the counter.  Or, put them in ziplocs in the freezer and they save at least a month.  I don't think I've ever had them sit in the freezer longer than that.  They usually disappear in a few days. 

Enjoy!
-Lily

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Homemade Sausage and Cabbage Soup

 It's almost April, and Easter is this weekend, but it still feels like winter here.  There's still snow on the ground and it has been so cold.  I really hope it warms up soon, I can't wait until spring arrives!  But in the meantime, I keep making warm and hearty soups for dinner.  

This sausage and cabbage soup started out with me saying "I have sausage in the freezer and leftover cabbage...what can I make with that??"  I came up with this soup, and to be honest I was a little iffy about it as I was cooking.  I was doubting if my family was going to eat it.  But, I should have had more faith in my cooking abilities:  both of the boys loved it.  And my husband gobbled it up and told me that I should add cabbage to my chicken noodle soup, too.  I don't think I'll be adding cabbage to all my soups, but it does taste good in this one!

 What you need:  for about 10 servings

• 8 oz Great Northern beans, soaked overnight or quick soaked according to package directions
• medium onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 12 oz cooked sausage, sliced thinly
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small head of cabbage (about 1/2 of a medium or large head)  Remove outer leaves and core, then chop
• 4 cups water
• 14 oz can diced unsalted tomatoes, undrained
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes

Let's get cooking:
1.   Drain soaked beans, then add to a medium pot with enough water to cover by 1 inch.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours until soft.

2.  Meanwhile, add remaining ingredients to a stockpot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour.

3.  Drain beans, then add to the stockpot.

 Enjoy your delicious soup for dinner!
-Lily

Made-from-Scratch Homemade Chili Recipe

Even though it's March, it was snowing yesterday--and we have about a foot of snow still on the ground!  Weather like this makes me crave comfort foods like this yummy chili.  It's warm, hearty, and so delicious.  

Mmm, peppers, tomatoes, onions--chili has lots of veggie goodness, plus plenty of healthy and filling beans.  I like to start with dried beans because I like to control the salt in my dishes, and because I like texture better.  But, if you're in a hurry you can substitute canned beans.  You can also make it in the crockpot all day and come home to delicious chili waiting for you.

 Ingredients:  For about 8 servings

• 8 oz dried kidney beans
• 4 oz dried Great Northern beans
• 4 oz dried black beans
• 12 oz ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Two 14.5 oz cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 8 oz can no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 1 tsp salt (if using canned beans, I would start with 1/2 tsp and add more if needed)
• 1 to 3 tsp chili powder, to taste
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• hot sauce to taste

Note:  if using canned beans, substitute two 15 oz cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

 Let's get cooking:
1.  Rinse and soak dry beans overnight (or quick soak) according to package directions.  Drain beans, then place in a pot with enough water to cover the beans by at least 1 inch.  Bring to a boil, then simmer about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until soft.

2.  In a large skillet, cook the ground beef until meat is cooked through.  Drain fat.  Remove from skillet.

3.  In skillet, cook onions, peppers, and garlic until soft.

4.  In a stockpot, combine the ground beef, onion, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and tomato sauce.  Add the cooked beans and spices.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.  Simmer 1 hour. 

Slow-cooker directions:  Follow directions as above.  In step four, combine the ingredients in a slow-cooker.  Cook on high for 8 hours or on low 4 hours.

Since I have one- and three-year-olds, I don't make my chili very spicy.  Instead, after we've dished up our chili, my husband and I add hot sauce to taste.  This way, each person controls how spicy it is.

Enjoy your hot, hearty, homemade chili!
-Lily


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Pulled Pork in a Crockpot

I like to cook, but sometimes it's nice to throw everything in the crockpot after breakfast and magically have dinner ready at 5 o'clock.  This sweet and savory shredded pork recipe is one of my family's favorites. (It's one of my favorites, too, since it's so easy!)  I also love that it has so many veggies, which makes it taste yummy and adds an extra serving of veggies to our dinner. 

Served on hamburger buns, this pulled pork is practically a one-dish meal.  To complete dinner, I usually just whip up some sauteed green beans.   Easy, fast, delicious, cheap, and healthy--all in one meal!

What you need:

• 3 1b pork roast
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbs Worchestershire sauce    
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 1/2 tsp chili powder 

 Let's get cooking:
1.  Add the tomatoes, onion, carrots, bell pepper, spices, and sugar to the crockpot and stir together.  Add the pork roast on top.

 2.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours.  Use two forks to gently shred the roast.

And that's it, two steps and you can enjoy your delicious pulled pork dinner!
-Lily

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Easy, made-from-scratch, baked Mac 'n' Cheese recipe

Yummm, made-from-scratch, simple, delicious mac 'n' cheese!  As convenient as the blue boxes are, they can't compare to the creamy, cheesy goodness of the homemade version.  The whole family loves this dish.  I think we can all agree, even the pickiest eater gobbles up macaroni and cheese!

I've tried to make this dish several times with different recipes.  Most recipes start off by making a white sauce on the stove.  Every time I've followed a recipe like that, it's been disappointing.  First off, it takes a lot of time and effort to stand over the stove and baby the sauce.  Second, it always tastes a little grainy, not smooth and creamy.  Maybe I'm not making the sauce correctly?? 

Well, it doesn't matter anymore, because I discovered how to make homemade mac 'n' cheese in one step--no stovetop, no grainy sauce.  You just mix everything together, pop it in the oven, and enjoy your delicious, cheesy macaroni!  I like to add ham and peas to make this a one-dish meal.  Just serve with a salad and veggies, and you have a simple lunch or dinner.

What you need:

• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 oz uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
• 1 cup diced ham (optional)
•  2 1/2 cups milk

Let's get cooking:  Makes about 8 servings.  Total time:  90 minutes

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray 8 x 8 inch glass pan with nonstick spray.

2.  Toss together the cornstarch and cheese in a mixing bowl until the cheese is coated.  (This helps the cheese stay creamy as it melts)

3.  Add pasta, spices, peas, and ham and stir together.  Pour in the milk.

 4.  Pour the mixture into your glass pan.  It looks really milky, but don't worry.  The noodles will absorb the liquid as they cook.

 5.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes.  Remove the foil, then bake 25-30 minutes more until the cheese on top is browning and the liquid is absorbed.  Let it rest 10 minutes before serving.

See?  I told you, easy-peasy cheesy noodles :) 
-Lily

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Homemade Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

I loooove this chicken and broccoli casserole recipe--and so does my family.  Actually, everyone I've ever made it for has liked it.  Once I made it for a family at church through our meals ministry.  I delivered it, and 30 minutes later the mom called just to tell me that her kids never liked casseroles, but they gobbled up this one.  That was a shining moment in my culinary career :) 

I think the big secret with this casserole (or any casserole I cook) is that I make it from scratch.  No goopy cans of cream-of-something or powdered soup mixes.  Just simple ingredients, all baked together into hearty, comforting deliciousness.  

This recipe does take time to make (over an hour), but it's worth it!  Plus, it makes a lot, so you could even divide it into two casseroles and freeze one for another dinner.

What you need:  for one 9 x 13 casserole, about 10 servings.

• 5 cups cooked white rice
• 3 to 3 1/2 cups broccoli, chopped
• 2 cups milk
• 2 Tbs butter
• 2 Tbs flour
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbs oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large chicken breasts (about 1 lb) cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 recipes (about 1 1/2 cups) homemade breadcrumbs

Let's get cooking: 

 1.  Cook the rice according to package directions.

2.  Lightly steam the broccoli.

3.  Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  Whisk in the flour.  Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer until it's thickened slightly, stirring every few minutes so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.  Remove from heat and stir in pepper, salt, garlic powder, and mushrooms.  Set aside.

4.  In a second skillet, heat 1 Tbs oil.  Saute onions over medium heat until soft.  Remove from pan.

5.  Heat 1 Tbs oil in skillet over medium heat.  Cook chicken until browned and cooked through. 

6.  Spray a 9 x 13 glass pan with cooking spray.  Mix together rice, broccoli, mushroom sauce, onions, and chicken.  Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and cheese on top.  Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is turning golden and the casserole is heated through. 

Enjoy!

-Lily

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Homemade Ham and Bean Soup

Mmmm, soups really are my family's favorite food all winter.  I love how they are cheap, easy, and oh-so-delicious. 

We often buy spiral-sliced hams (we actually just bought two, they're on sale right now for Thanksgiving).  But after you eat all the slices, you're left with a bone and a bunch of scraps.  That's where this great recipe comes in.  You save the bone and scraps, and toss them in a stockpot.  Add some beans and veggies = super cheap and delicious dinner.

This soup takes about 4 hours total, but it's simmering for most of that time and you don't have to do anything.  I usually start this after lunch, and when dinnertime comes supper is ready and waiting!

What you need: for about 10 servings

• 1 lb Great Northern Beans, soaked overnight or quick-soaked
• 1 spiral sliced ham bone and scraps  (the assorted pieces that aren't neatly sliced)
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped

Let's get cooking:
1. If you haven't soaked your beans, quick-soak them according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large stockpot bring 8 cups water and your ham bone and pieces to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 hours.
3. Remove ham bone and fat from the broth.  Save any pieces of ham from the bone, then discard.  Cut any large chunks of ham into smaller pieces, then add back to the stockpot.
4.  Drain beans and add to the soup.  Add spices.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour.
5.  Add onions and carrots and simmer about 1 hour.

And that's it, five steps and your soup is ready :)
-Lily

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Chicken Soup from Scratch

It's getting colder, which means it's time for soups and stews!  I love making soup for dinner--I get it all prepped during the kids' naptime.  Then it can simmer on the stove until we're ready for dinner, and we don't have that crazy hour before dinner when I'm trying to cook, and E wants my attention, and the baby is crying,and my poor husband walks in the door into chaos.

I like to make chicken soup from scratch, which means that the first three steps you're basically making your own chicken stock.  Then you strain out the bones and make the soup.

When I buy chicken breasts, I get them with ribs attached.  I cut off the breast off for other meals and save the chicken bones/scraps in a ziploc in the freezer.  When the bag is full, I make chicken soup!

The total time for this recipe is about 4 hours--but don't worry, most of the time your soup is simmering and you don't have to do anything.

What you need:  for 10 servings

• 3 lb chicken bones (one large ziploc full of bones)
• 2 carrots, cut up
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns 
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 cups cold water
•  1 sweet potato, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 1/2 cup medium noodles
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 2 tsp salt

Let's get cooking:

1.  Combine first 8 ingredients (through water) in a stockpot.  Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, for 2-3 hours. 

2.  Place a double layer of cheesecloth in a colander, and place over a large bowl.  Pour the stock through the colander to strain.  Place broth back in the stockpot.

3.  Let everything in the colander cool a little so you can handle it.  Separate out the veggies, chicken bones, and chicken pieces.  Discard the bones.  Place the veggies and chicken pieces (I had about 8 oz) back in the stockpot.

4.  Add the sweet potato to the soup.  Simmer 1 hour, then increase heat and bring to a boil.  Add the noodles and green beans.  Boil until noodles are cooked.

Enjoy! 
-Lily

Homemade Refried Beans

All my life, I've eaten the slimy mush from a can know as "refried beans".  I've never really liked it, but that's just what you eat with tacos.  Then I discovered that you can make your own refried beans, and they actually taste good.  These are our favorite side to homemade fajitas. 

Caution:  once you eat these you will NEVER want to go back to the canned version!

You've been warned.

What you need  For 6-8 servings (depending on how much you love beans):

• 8 oz dried pinto beans, rinsed and soaked overnight (or quick soaked).  Follow the directions on the package.
• 5 cups water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 Tbs oil
• 1 recipe spice mix (see below)

For the Spice Mix: (Yes, this is almost the same as the chicken marinade in my fajitas.  Why mess with something that tastes so good?)

• 2 Tbs oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs vinegar
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)  Omit these if you don't like spicy beans.

Let's get cooking:

1.  Drain the beans from the soaking water.  Bring the soaked beans and 5 cups water to a boil--make sure to crack the lid, or it will overflow bean water everywhere!  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 2 hours, until the beans are very soft.

2.  Meanwhile, chop up your onion.  Heat 2 Tbs oil in a skillet.  Add the onions over medium-low heat and let them caramelize for 30 min or more, until turning golden brown. 

3.  When the beans are fully cooked, drain the beans--but save the bean water!  Combine the beans and onions.  I like to mash mine with a potato masher, but you could use a blender/food processor if you like them very smooth. Use the bean water they were cooking in to reach the desired consistency.  I make mine a little runny because they tend to thicken as they cool.

4.  Heat up the refried beans to a simmer until the rest of  your meal is ready.  Now you can have healthy, tasty beans as the perfect compliment to your Mexican meals! 
-Lily

Homemade Restaurant Fajitas

I know, "homemade restaurant fajitas" is an oxymoron.  But, these fajitas are so good, they taste like you're at a restaurant!  Fajitas used to me my go-to dish when I went out.  I always ordered it, and sometimes Dan and I shared.

But no more.

Now, we never order fajitas.  I tried to a few times after making these, but I was always disappointed.  They were never as good as mine.  (Ok, maybe they were equal to mine.  But for 4 times the cost as making them at home, they'd better be amazing.)

What you need for 8 servings:

• 1 large onion, sliced into rings
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 Tbs oil, divided
• Chicken marinade (see below)  
• 6" tortillas
• optional toppings such as avocado, sour cream, cheese, lettuce

Chicken marinade:

• 1/3 cup water
• 2 Tbs oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs vinegar
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)  Omit these if you don't like spicy fajitas.

Let's get cooking:

1. Cut chicken into strips, about 1/2" by 3".  Combine all marinade ingredients and add chicken.  Let marinade about 2 hours in the fridge. 

2.  Heat 1 Tbs oil in skillet over medium-high heat (or use a cast-iron griddle like in the pic).  Saute onions and peppers until softening.

Mmm, you can almost hear these sizzling!

3.  Remove veggies from skillet.  Heat 1 Tbs oil over medium-high heat, and cook marinated chicken.

4.  Serve on warm tortillas with any toppings you like.  We like lettuce, avocado, and homemade refried beans.

-Lily