Easy Spaghetti Recipes

Spaghetti has always been a favorite family meal. My teenage daughter will eat leftover spaghetti for breakfast, lunch, and as a mid-afternoon snack. Not everyone loves spaghetti so much that they will go to that extreme, however, and the same meals can getting boring after awhile. Here are some ways to jazz up this old favorite: Italian Sausage Spaghetti
2 lbs. Italian sausage     48 oz. spaghetti sauce     1 (6 oz. ) can tomato paste     Green pepper, sliced thin     1 lg. onion, sliced thin     1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese     1 tsp. parsley flakes     1 c. water
Place sausage in skillet and cover in water. Simmer 10 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, place remaining ingredients in crock pot. Add drained sausage and cover; cook on low 4 hours. Increase to high; cook 1 hour more. Cut sausage in bite-size slices and serve over cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with more Parmesan, if desired. Irish Italian Spaghetti
1 onion, chopped     2 tbsp. vegetable oil     1 lb. ground beef     1 tsp. salt     1/4 tsp. pepper     Dash of red pepper     1/2 tsp. chili powder     1/2 tsp. tabasco sauce     1 can cream of mushroom soup     1 can condensed tomato soup     1 (8 oz. ) package spaghetti     1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Brown onion in oil. Add meat and seasonings. Brown lightly, cover. Simmer 10 minutes. Add soups, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Cook spaghetti. Cover with sauce and Parmesan cheese. Baked Spaghetti
1 c. chopped onion     1 c. chopped green pepper     1 tbsp. butter or margarine     1 (28 oz. ) can tomatoes with liquid, cut up     1 (4 oz. ) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained     1 (2 1/4 oz. ) can sliced ripe olives, drained     2 tsp. dried oregano     1 lb. hamburger, browned     12 oz. spaghetti, cooked and drained     2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese     1 can cream of mushroom soup     1/4 c. water     1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
In a large skillet, saute onion and green pepper in butter until tender. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, and oregano. Add ground beef. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Place half of the spaghetti in a greased 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Top with half of the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with 1 c. cheddar cheese. Repeat layers. Mix soup and water until smooth; pour over casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Six to 8 servings. Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
1/2 c. margarine     1 c. chopped red bell pepper     1 (4 oz. ) can sliced mushrooms, chopped     1/4 c. chopped hot pepper rings     2 c. chicken broth     1/4 c. flour     2 c. cooked chicken, chopped     1 (4 oz. ) can diced pimento     1 tsp. salt     1 oz. chopped slivered almonds     1/2 lb. spaghetti, broken     4 slices American cheese
Melt margarine and cook peppers and mushrooms until tender; add flour and blend well. Add chicken broth. Cook and stir until thickened. Add chicken, pimento, and seasonings; heat and add almonds. Cook spaghetti in boiling water for about 9 minutes. Drain and mix with previous ingredients. Place in casserole dish and cover with slices of American cheese. Heat at 325 degrees until cheese is melted (approx. 30 to 45 minutes). Serve.

Easy, Frugal Breakfasts!

We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And that children that eat breakfast do better in school than those who don’t. However, we also all know that it isn’t always easy to find time to prepare that all-important meal or to convince our children to eat it! One way to create a positive attitude toward breakfast in your children is by showing them that you enjoy breakfast! Eating breakfast as a family is a great opportunity to spend some quality time together. Spending time together, making breakfast can turn out to be a child’s favorite part of the day! By being creative and maybe just a little bit organized, you can make a variety of tasty and healthy breakfasts. Try these ideas:
for a quick and easy breakfast try a toasted bagel spread with low-fat cream cheese. or peanut butter spread on whole-wheat toast. how about a fruit smoothie? Toss whatever fruit you have in the blender with milk. when you have a little time, prepare a large batch of pancakes or waffles. Freeze in a single layer, then stack in a zip-top bag. In the mornings, pop one into the toaster, then top with fruit and yogurt. or spread peanut butter and jelly between 2 pancakes. try some non-traditional foods, like leftover pizza–kids nearly always go for it! kids don’t want to drink their juice? Try this easy recipe for Orange Juice Smoothies. 1/2 cup orange juice 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup water 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 5 or 6 ice cubes Mix all ingredients in blender till smooth.
Breakfast doesn’t have to be ham and eggs anymore! Nor does it have to be cold cereal. By using a little creativity you can have a healthy breakfast every morning!

Perfect Picnics – Frugal Food Safety Tips

Summer is finally here and for a lot of us that means heading out to the lake or to the park for a picnic with friends or family. Unfortunately, if we’re not careful when we plan, transport and serve that picnic, our outing might not end up happily. Here are some tips to remember when planning an outdoor meal: 1. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Bacteria multiply quickly at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees. Foods that have been kept at unsafe temperatures are a prime source of foodborne illnesses. 2. Plan ahead and try to take foods that don’t spoil so quickly. At any rate, don’t eat anything that’s been sitting out for more than an hour, especially if the temperature is over 80. 3. Try to take only the amount of food that will be eaten, so there will be no leftovers. 4. Pack your food with ice or cold packs in an insulated cooler. Place foods that will be eaten last in the bottom. You can make your own blocks of ice by freezing water in milk cartons or other plastic containers. Place ice blocks or cold packs between containers of food, never just place containers of food on top of ice. 5. You might want to bring 2 coolers — 1 for drinks, because it will be opened more often, and 1 for the food, that can be set in the shade and kept closed until needed. 6. If you’re planning to cook hamburgers at the picnic site, shape your meat into patties and freeze before putting into the cooler. Take along a meat thermometer to be sure you cook the meat to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees. 7. An extra zip-top bag full of ice can be placed in the top of the cooler. The extra ice will come in handy for the trip home. If your day is a long one, and the ice melts the cold water can come in handy, also. 8. Carry your cooler inside your car, instead of in your hot trunk and be sure to place it in a shady spot and maybe even cover it with a blanket when you reach your destination. Open it only when necessary. 9. Instead of bringing whole jars of condiments, pack what you will need into smaller plastic containers. 10. Bring lots of clean utensils for serving as well as eating. Pack pre-moistened towelettes and paper towels for easy cleanup. 11. And remember this rule from the U. S. Department of Agriculture regarding leftovers: When in doubt, throw it out!

Rib-Eye Steak with Mushrooms and Bleu Cheese

This is a mouth watering steak. Every time I serve this in the restaurant the customers rave. The best part, it’s so simple you can make it at home for the family. Serves 2
2 ea.    Rib-eye steaks (each about 1 inch thick)    ВЅ tsp.    Kosher salt    ВЅ tsp.    Pepper    1 Tbsp.     Olive oil    3 Tbsp.     Unsalted butter    1 ea     Onion – thinly sliced    1/2 lb     Mushrooms – thickly sliced    2 Tbsp.    Garlic – chopped    3/4 cup     Beef broth    1/4 cup     Brandy    1/4 tsp.     Fresh rosemary – minced    ВЅ cup    Bleu cheese – crumbled
Place steaks in shallow dish. Drizzle with oil; rub oil all over steaks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.Heat a sautГ© pan over medium-high heat. Add steaks to skillet; fry until cooked to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Using tongs, transfer steaks to plates and place in a warm oven.Add butter and onion to sautГ© pan then sautГ© until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; sautГ© until mushrooms are just tender, about 4 minutesAdd broth, brandy and rosemary and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce until liquid by 2/3, about 5 minutes. Add cheese; stir just until cheese melts, but still has bits of bleu cheese visible, about 1 minute.  Take the steak out of the oven and transfer it to a plate. Top with mushroom sauce.

Pinatas are Fun for young and old!

Pinatas make a great theme to center a party around. It can be a birthday party, a going away party or just a fun party where friends and family get together. Pinatas offer excitement and challenge for both the young and old because it’s exciting to see someone swing a stick around and anticipate the breaking of the pinata and watching all the candies, chocolates and prizes spill out.
All pinatas lovers know that the right ingredients mixed with care and exactness produce a colorful, rewarding pinata that is loved by everyone.
Having pinatas at a child’s birthday party is always a hit. It really doesn’t matter how old a kid is, from 5 years to 75 years young, everyone enjoys watching and being watched as they attempt to break open a colorful surprise filled pinata. And just watch those young faces erupt in laughter when all that candy spills out.
Whether your looking for pinatas for a friend or a special treat for your family, pinatas made from the best ingredients available is sure to please everyone.
I suggest that you purchase only quality pinatas filled with the best candy and the freshest quality ingredients.  You’re sure to have great fun with your pinata.

Valentine Gifts From The Heart

One of my fondest childhood memories is of my mother helping me make a Valentine’s box to take to school. We pulled out white paste, an old shoebox, scraps of doilies, and construction paper. There was a flurry of activity as I cut and pasted, and imagined my box filled with homemade Valentines from classmates and secret admirers.
My favorite teacher in the fourth grade was Mrs. Dearing. For Valentine’s Day, I wanted to make her something special. My mother had a recipe for sugar cookies that she had made as a child. We stayed up late rolling out the dough, long after my brothers had gone to bed. Carefully, we sprinkled the cookies with sugar and waited for the sparkling wafers to emerge from the oven.
To this day, when I smell sugar cookies baking, I think about Valentine’s Day and that special present for my teacher.
SUGAR COOKIES
Ingredients
1/2-cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4-cup sugar
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon milk
1/8-teaspoon salt
1/2-teaspoon vanilla
2-cups flour
Granulated sugar for decoration
1 ceramic cookie mold (available at craft stores or from cookieartexchange.com )
A plastic drinking straw
1/4 inch satin ribbon
Directions
1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar. Stir in the egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix in the flour and salt.
2. Knead the mixture into a dough. Chill for 15 minutes.
3. Use the ceramic cookie mold make a fancy Valentine cookie. Coat the mold with cooking spray. Pour a little granulated sugar into the mold, tilt until sugar covers the bottom, and tap out any excess. Press dough into the mold and turn it out onto a greased baking sheet. Use a plastic drinking straw to make a hole in the top of the cookie. Sprinkle with sugar and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Repeat the process for each cookie. (You will only need to coat the mould with cooking spray once, but you will have to re-sugar the mould for each cookie.)
If you don’t have a cookie mold, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to make your cookies. Use a plastic drinking straw to make a hole in the top of each cookie. Sprinkle the tops with sugar. Place on a greased cookie sheet.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake all chilled cookies for about 10 minutes, until golden. Cool completely.
6. Tie a 9-inch piece of satin ribbon through the hole of each cookie. On a tag, attach your special message or Valentine wish.
Instead of store bought Valentines, encourage your child to make a gift that will fill him with pride and accomplishment.

Eat-Out Choice At Home

(NC)’А”If your family craves restaurant variety, but your budget says eat in, there is a compromise. Enlist a little family cooperation and everyone can enjoy a different meal without causing short-order chaos in your kitchen.
The first step to creating Chez Roadhouse at home is for everyone to agree on one easy-to-prepare protein choice as the basis for their menu selection. Practically everyone loves versatile chicken and you can build so many entr├йes around it.
To make it easy, start with new Schneiders Quick Serve Chicken Fillets or Chicken Breasts. Remove the number of frozen breaded or grilled chicken pieces you need from the re-sealable bag. While the fully cooked chicken pieces are reheating in the microwave assign tasks to everyone.
Little ones can dish out jarred dipping sauce into individual bowls; older children can rinse bagged lettuce, and a teen project might be to boil some pasta. Set dad to work chopping green peppers, onions and tomatoes for the salad and for grilling in oil, garlic and pepper flakes. While everyone is busy, warm pita bread in the oven.
By the time each family member has completed a task, the chicken will be heated through. Now each person can sit down to his or her favourite meal Chicken Fingers for the little ones to dip, Pasta with Diced Chicken and Tomatoes for hungry teens, a warm Chicken Salad for mom and Chicken Fajitas for dad.
This exercise in shared meal preparation will probably take less time than bundling everyone into the van and driving to a restaurant it should be lots more fun!

Convenient Foods Are Changing The Way We Cook

(NC)’А”Convenient foods, a rapidly-growing grocery store segment, take the rush out of meal time preparation and make it easy for family members to help get dinner on the table.
Convenient foods are quick to prepare or ready to heat-and-eat vegetables and meats that you mix-match-and-season according to your family’s tastes. Many convenient offerings, including new Schneiders Quick Serve frozen chicken and pork, are packaged in re-sealable bags to minimize waste and make storage easy.
With convenient foods, it’s easy to prepare nutritious balanced meals. Dieters and moms who want to include some vegetables in school lunches are already familiar with pre-washed baby carrots. Mixed salad greens and pre-sliced ready-to-eat fresh fruit salads are great ways to enjoy the recommended five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables. Shredded cheese, as a quick topping for broccoli, enriches the meal with extra calcium. And, using frozen, fully cooked chicken and pork slices meal preparation down to size.
Stocking convenient foods in your refrigerator or freezer makes it easy for school-aged children or kitchen-adventurous dads to start dinner. Ready-to-heat mashed potatoes eliminate the need to use sharp knives to peel and slice. And, heating individual portions of Schneiders Quick Serve fully-cooked chicken and pork in the microwave oven is quick and safe, even if a telephone call interrupts the task at hand.
With preparation so easy the only hard part is deciding what’s for dinner. While you may not like preplanning meals, posting a weekly menu on the fridge eliminates one more excuse for reluctant helpers. Include simple instructions and challenge the first one home to start meal preparation rather than raid the cupboard for snacks.