Two great cookbooks!

I got two new cookbooks that are great! Plus, the Williams-Sonoma Plank Grilling cookbook that Mapgeek got. The first cookbook, I bought specifically for Babygirl and I to cook together, now that she insists on helping with everything. It's called C is for Cooking. It's great with young kids. We've been trying out some stuff in it. I'll post some of our favorites later. The second is a Southern Living cookbook called Busy Moms Weeknight Favorites. It's a great, fast, easy meal planning book. It's got quick meals, cook ahead meals, freezer meals, double duty meals, and suggested side items.

The two notable recipes from the Busy Moms book I've used recently are Ham and Cheese Muffins, which I made and froze. They are the perfect portion for a quick breakfast along with juice and maybe yogurt. The second is a Shepherd's Pie recipe. Below is how I made it, which is generally the recipe, but missing a bunch of cream cheese and butter in the potatoes. The pie was incredibly easy to make, though it wasn't my favorite recipe for this. I prefer the ground meat to the tips and gravy.

Shepherd's Pie
1 package of the refrigerated sirloin tips in gravy (I found this in the meat section in the already prepared stuff)
1/2 package of refrigerated mashed potatoes (used the original recipe)
1 cup of frozen veggie medley (peas, carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans)
Shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350. I nuked the sirloin tips in the microwave according to the directions. I then nuked the potatoes according to those directions. Next, I nuked the frozen veggies to thaw them out. I used a small casserole dish and poured the meat and gravy into the dish. I then spread the vegetables over that. Then, I spread the potatoes over the meat and vegetables and sprinkled cheese on the potatoes. The whole thing goes into the oven for around 15-20 minutes until bubbly.

Easy huh? I have to say, I don't think I've nuked an entire meal before. I feel so cheap and tawdry.

Baked Pa-sghetti

I made this last night on our Easy night – softball. I found it on the Apron’s site. I’m really encourage with this site because the recipes call for ingredients that are already prepped, like diced carrots, onions, etc. Some of these you can buy frozen, and some you can buy in the produce section. Costs a little more, but I definitely buy the frozen, cut up veggies since I’ll use them eventually. Sometimes, convenience is worth the cost!

This was an absolute fabulous mix of “easy” and tasty! Surprisingly, it required no pre-cooking of ingredients. Everything went into the pan as is and then into the oven. Loved it!!

Baked Spaghetti
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef, 7% fat
1 cup frozen diced onions
1/4 cup frozen diced bell peppers
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
8 ounces spaghetti
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
1 (26-ounce) jar tomato and basil pasta sauce

Steps
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Fill large saucepan 1/2 full of water. Cover and bring to a boil on high for pasta.
2. Meanwhile, mix beef, onions, peppers, 1 egg, garlic powder, oregano, and seasoned salt in large bowl. Mix by hand (or in food processor) until thoroughly blended. Spread mixture evenly in 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Wash hands.
3. Stir pasta into boiling water. Boil 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
4. Drain pasta thoroughly (do not rinse). Whisk remaining 2 eggs, in medium bowl, until well blended; stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese. Add pasta and toss to coat until eggs and cheese are well blended into pasta. Spread pasta evenly over meat mixture.
5. Spoon pasta sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake 30–35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F and meat is fully cooked. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. (Makes 8 servings.)

CALORIES (per 1/8 recipe) 360kcal; FAT 14g; CHOL 130mg; SODIUM 660mg; CARB 32g; FIBER 3g; PROTEIN 27g; VIT A 15%; VIT C 10%; CALC 25%; IRON 20%