Classic Italian Meatballs and Marinara

I searched high and low for a classic Italian meatball recipe. However, I couldn't find one that was "it". I took a little of this and a little of that from several recipes and came up with these mouthwatering, juicy meatballs! My homemade marinara was the perfect touch. So delicious!

Do not skip soaking the breadcrumbs, that's what makes these so juicy!  I cooked mine in the oven to save time and the extra mess but you could always pan fry these. My meatballs were huge so adjust your cooking time accordingly! I doubled my marinara for this recipe.

Marinara:
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

Put all ingredients into pan and simmer (at least 30 minutes)

Meatballs:
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 slices white sandwich bread, crust removed and torn into tiny pieces
1/2 an onion grated (make sure you keep the juice that comes from the onion while grating it)
1/3 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup of milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed

Preheat oven to 425° FARENHEIT Soak white bread crumbs and onion with its juice together in a bowl while prepping. In a separate bowl soak milk and seasoned dry bread crumbs. Mix all ingredients together. Mix thoroughly (with your hands works best). Refrigerate for an hour before forming meatballs. I made very large ones, adjust your cooking time according to size.

Place meatballs on cookie sheet and bake. I did mine for 25 minutes and then broiled at the end to brown the tops. After I removed from the oven I added it my sauce that had been simmering for about an hour and then simmered another 15-20 minutes.

Alfredo Sauce

I have had tons of Alfredo Sauce.  I've even made it a couple of times. Until I tried it this way, I didn't know what I'd been missing! This is a little twist on the classic Alfredo!

1 stick  (1/2 cup) butter
1 pint heavy whipping cream
4 Oz cream cheese
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large garlic clove, minced or crushed
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

In a medium saucepan, heat butter, cream and cream cheese and seasonings over medium until butter and cream cheese are melted. Stir in parmesan and  mozzarella. Continue to stir until it's melted and sauce has thickened.

Serve hot!

Biscuit and Gravy Casserole

My husband absolutely loves biscuits and gravy. I figured why not try it in a casserole? This was a huge hit! It would be great for over night guests.

16 ounce can of flaky biscuits
8 eggs, beaten
1 pound of breakfast sausage, cooked
1 cup of shredded cheese
1/2 cup of milk
1 package McCormick peppered gravy, prepared according to package


preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan. Take your uncooked biscuits and chop into bite size pieces and layer in the bottom of the pan. layer the sausage on the biscuits and then top with cheese. Whisk the milk into the beaten eggs, pour over layers in the pan. top with prepared gravy. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the eggs are set. Enjoy!

Skinny Smothered Chicken

I found this recipe a few years ago but my family wasn't very keen on it. I decided to make a few changes. The changes were a success! My hubby loved it this time around!

1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken (beat with meat mallet until even thickness is acheived)
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow onion thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 teaspoon of olive oil

Heat olive oil in pan. Once hot, saute veggies until crisp tender. add garlic and oregano. remove from pan and set aside. add chicken to pan and brown until nearly cooked through. put veggies on top of chicken, top with cheese and cover with lid. After 2 minutes remove from heat but keep the lid on. Let rest for 5 minutes with lid on before serving. Enjoy!

Marinated Mushrooms

I love mushrooms! I never thought about the fact that mushrooms are low in calories and could make the perfect snack! These are marinated in olive oil but most of the marinade is left in the bottom of the bag when you eat them. I recommend letting these marinate for 24 hours but a minimum of 6 is necessary.

1 pound of small white mushrooms, just the tips of the stem trimmed and cleaned
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of water
1 1/2 teaspoons of Worcestershire
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons of fresh, chopped flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all of the ingredients, except mushrooms,  in a gallon ziplock bag. Add mushrooms. shake well to coat. Let chill in the fridge.

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

I LOVE suddenly salad, the bacon ranch is my favorite! However, I do not love that it's so salty and full of junk. So, why not make a version that's just as tasty, minus the junk and packed with fresh veggies too? This recipe makes a lot of pasta salad, I usually cut it half when I'm making it as a side for dinner. Keep in mind, you are welcome to use fresh bacon, cooked and chopped or even real bacon bits, I prefer to just use the imitation ones to save time and money and think they do the salad justice by adding just the right amount of bacon flavor!

1 pound large pasta (I like large elbows)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved
1 large cucumber chopped
1.5 cups frozen peas, thawed (I thaw mine quickly by tossing them in with my pasta just as it's finishing cooking)
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
1 package hidden Valley Ranch mix (or 3 tablespoons from the Costco container)
2/3 cup imitation bacon bits (or 1 cup of real bacon cooked and crumbled)

Cook pasta, add frozen peas in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water. In a small mixing bowl, mix sour cream, mayo, ranch seasoning and bacon bits. In a large bowl mix pasta, peas, cucumber and tomato. Add dressing. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Skillet

I've tried this dish several ways. The last way included rice. However, on my mission to eat better and keep track of my calories, I'm trying to avoid starches  (like rice,  pasta, potatoes, etc). I do still make a small pot of rice to serve this over for the other members of my family. This large skillet makes about 6 servings and comes in at under 250 calories for a large portion! So full of flavor!

1.5 pounds 93/7 ground turkey
1 small head of cabbage, cored and chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup shredded or chopped carrots
2 stalks of celery, sliced thin
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cans of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 8 Oz can of tomato sauce
2 cups of shredded cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet or pot, brown meat. When half way through, add onion, garlic, celery,  and carrots. Continue cooking until meat is thoroughly cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add tomato sauce, cans of tomatoes and cabbage. Mix well. Cover with lid and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until cabbage reaches desired consistency, stir occasionally.

Now, I do not like mine soupy. So, I quickly dump this in a strainer for about 60-90 seconds and then return to the pan. Place it back on the burner, heat off. Top with cheese and replace lid until cheese is melted!

Enjoy!