Enchilada Casserole with Spicy Black Beans

I got this recipe out of my Cooking Light magazine. I love Cooking Light and always find several recipes in each issue that I want to try, but this was my first time trying any recipes out of that magazine. It turned out great and we all loved it. I seeded the jalapeno in the beans so the boys could have this for dinner also.

Enchilada Casserole with Spicy Black Beans modified from Cooking Light magazine

1lb ground sirloin
1 chopped onion
1 tbsp butter
1 clove minced garlic
1 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup beef broth (I used 1 beef bullioun cube with 1 cup boiling water)
1 tbsp taco seasoning (40% less sodium)
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce (no salt added)
4 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used a blend I found called "authentic hispanic cheese")

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and onion to pan; cook until no longer pink. Drain
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add broth, taco seasoning, and tomato sauce to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 1/2 cups tomato mixture to beef mixture; reserve 1/2 cup tomato mixture.
4. Place 1 tortilla in a 9 inch pie plate. Top with 1 cup beef mixture. Repeat layers, ending with tortilla. Spread reserved tomatoe mixture over tortilla. Top with cheese. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cool slightly. Cut into 4 wedges.

Spicy Black Beans
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 1 cup chopped red bell pepper and 1 minced jalapeno pepper, saute 4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 (15oz) can rinsed and drained organic no-salt-added black beans. Cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro.

Cream Cheese Spaghetti Bake

I made this recipe for dinner last night. We love spaghetti so I pinned a couple of different recipes on Pinterest that put a little twist on plain 'ol spaghetti. This was pretty quick and easy to make. The only extra ingredient was cream cheese, so it was very inexpensive to make. Greg and I both liked it and having things that cook in the oven for 30+ minutes are perfect because I can whip it up and throw it in the oven, we can bathe the boys, read them their stories, and put them to bed, and then dinner is ready. It works out perfect for the way we do things right now.

Cream Cheese Spaghetti Bake

12 oz spaghetti
1 (28 ounce) jars prepared spaghetti sauce
1 lb lean ground beef (I used venison)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350* F degrees

In a skillet, brown the ground beef until cooked through; drain fat and stir in spaghetti sauce. Set aside.

Cook spaghetti according to directions on packet. Drain and place cooked spaghetti in bowl. Add cream cheese, Italian Seasoning and minced garlic. Stir until cream cheese is melted and the spaghetti is thoroughly coated.

Lightly grease a 9x13" pan. Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the bottom of the dish. Put spaghetti on top of sauce and top with remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly.

 

Baked Spaghetti

While my mom was here last, I made some meals and froze them. I love having meals already made and all we have to do is take them out and bake them. Of course it's nice to have fresh, homecooked meals, but freezing them really saves us a lot of time and makes our week nights go so much smoother. I made a few recipes that we haven't had before, so it's been fun trying some new things. Tonight we had Paula Deen's Baked Spaghetti. It was so easy to make and it's basically spaghetti with some melted cheese--what's not to like? Greg and I will definitely be having this again. I've linked up with Lindsey for her "Monday's Meals" post. And I apologize for the picture quality, it was dark in our kitchen and I just could not get a decent picture.

Paula Deen's Baked Spaghetti
Ingredients
1 lb browned and seasoned ground Beef (Italian sausage can be substituted)*I used hot Italian sausage
3/4 lb.spaghetti, cooked
1 jar (approx 15 oz) of your favorite pasta sauce
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large sauce pan, simmer meat and tomato sauce together. Toss the cooked noodles in the sauce.

To Assemble: Spray a casserole dish with non stick cooking spray. Spoon half of the noodle mixture into the dish. Pack it down lightly and sprinkle on half of the cheese. Add the other half of the spaghetti, pack down lightly and top with the rest of the cheese. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve with a green salad and crusty garlic bread.

Monday's Meals

It's that time of the week again, it's Monday's Meals over on "A Love Worth Waiting For". This week's post is all about a quick and easy meal. Right after the boys were born (when they slept all the time) and I had my mom here to help me with them, I made several meals and froze them so Greg and I could just take them out of the freezer and cook them when we were pressed for time. I'm so glad I did that, it's really come in handy. I will always try and keep a prepared meal in the freezer now because they are perfect for lazy Sundays when we just want to relax and hang out with the boys or on Mondays when we're just too busy with everything else and want something we can just heat up and eat on all week.

I got this recipe out of a Freezer Meals recipe book that I picked up at the grocery store. It's called Beef Taco Lasagna and it's super easy to make. I was afraid that it'd taste a little bland, so I used "hot" taco seasoning and "hot" salsa to spice it up. It was so delicious with the perfect amount of spice. Greg loved it too.

Beef Taco Lasagna
12 lasagna noodles
1lb of ground beef
1 envelope of taco seasoning
2 egg whites
1 carton (15oz) ricotta cheese
4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 jar (24oz) chunky salsa

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning. In a small bowl, combine egg whites and ricotta cheese. Drain noodles.
2. In a 13x9 baking dish, layer 4 noodles, 3/4 cup ricotta mixutre, half the beef mixture and 1-1/3 cups cheddar cheese. Top with four noodles 3/4 cup ricotta mixture, 1-1/2 cups salsa and 1-1/3 cup cheese. Repeat
3. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 8 hours and then bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

I wrote on the top of my disposable container in permanent marker how long to cook the casserole and at what temperature, so I wouldn't have to get out the recipe.

I served this casserole with Old El Paso black beans. They come in a pouch that you put in the microwave for 60 seconds and they're ready to serve. So easy!! They also carry a spanish rice that's microwavable. They are the perfect, quick side dishes for busy nights.
We had chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Keeping with the quick and easy theme, I used the breakaway cookie dough that you buy in the refrigerated section. Baking doesn't get any easier than this.
It's nice to spend time making homemade sides, desserts and eating casseroles fresh, but sometimes when you're pressed for time, it's nice to have these types of foods on hand so you can eat a delicious homecooked meal at home without having to go through a drive-thru.

Monday Meals-Paula Deen Style

It's that time of the week again, it's Monday Meals over on "A Love Worth Waiting For". I have 3 recipes to post today. Last week I watched an episode of Paula's Home Cooking and every recipe looked so delicious, so on Sunday, I woke up early and went the grocery store while Greg watched the boys. I made "Crabbies" for lunch and Taco Soup for supper and Peanut Butter Cheese Cake Minis for dessert, all from Paula Deen. I thought everything was absolutely delicious and will definitely be making all these recipes again.

Crabbies
Ingredients
8 ounces good white crabmeat, picked free of all shells
1 (5-ounce) jar Cheddar-horseradish spread (recommended: Kraft Old English)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
Dash hot sauce or cayenne pepper
8 large toasted bread rounds
Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine crab, cheese spread, mayonnaise, garlic powder, butter and hot sauce. Divide mixture evenly over bread rounds and spread. Score each round into quarters and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake until topping is heated through and golden brown on top, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot. These freeze and store well for drop-in company.





Taco Soup
Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef
2 cups diced onions
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles
2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chiles
1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional
1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional
1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
Corn chips, for serving
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheese, for garnish
Chopped green onions, for garnish
Pickled jalapenos, for garnish



Directions
Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapenos.





Peanut Butter Cheese Cake Minis
Ingredients
Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
12 bite-size peanut butter cups



Filling:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or almond extract
2 eggs

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a paper cupcake liner in each cup of a standard muffin pan.
To make crust, in a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter until crumbs are moistened. Press crust into bottom of each muffin cup. Put 1 peanut butter cup into the center of each crust. Beat cream cheese with a handheld electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar, flour, and vanilla, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Spoon cream cheese mixture over peanut butter cups and graham cracker crusts. Bake until just set, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas

Inspired by our recent trip to Philly, I made some Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas for dinner last night. Greg loves quesadillas, so I thought it would be a fun, different twist on his traditional chicken and cheese quesadillas. They turned out really good. This is not a healthy recipe by any means, but I've been trying a ton of Weight Watcher recipes lately, so it was nice to try something different.

Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas

* 1 small box of Steak-Ums Slice Steak
* 1 onion
* 1 green pepper
* mushrooms
* mozzerella cheese
* hot sauce



Saute onions, green peppers, and mushrooms until soft. Remove from pan. Cook steak according to package directions. Remove from pan. Place tortilla in pan, add cheese, steak and onion/pepper/mushroom mixture. Cook until cheese is melted and tortilla is slightly brown. Remove from pan. Add hot sauce. A big thing in Philly is Cheez Whiz on their cheesesteaks. This quesadilla would be delicious with Cheez Whiz drizzled over top, or on the side to dip the quesadilla in.

Lasagna

I tried this lasagna recipe from Pioneer Woman Cooks.com a couple of months ago and Greg's been begging me to make it again ever since. So I made it last night for him and made sure to take pictures. It's so good and super easy to make.

Ingredients:

* 1.5 lbs of ground beef (I used ground turkey)

* 1 lb of hot breakfast sausage

* 2 cloves of garlic, minced

* 2 14.5-ounce cans whole tomatoes

* 2 6-ounce cans tomato paste

* 2 tbsp. dried parsley

* 2 tbsp. dried basil

* 1 tsp. salt

* 3 cups lowfat cottage cheese

* 2 beaten eggs

* 1/2 cup grated parmesan

* 2 tbsp. dried parsley

* 1 tsp sald

* 1 lb sliced mozzarella cheese

* 1 10-ounce pkg. lasagna noodles

(add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp. olive oil to pasta water)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sauasage and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil, & salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna until "al dente".

To Assemble: Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with single layer of mozzarella slices. Spoon a little less than half the meat mixture over the top. Repeat, ending with the meat mixture. Springle top generously with extra parmesan.

Either freeze, refridgerate for up to 2 days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20-30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.

I saw this in the freezer section and had this along with the lasgana for dinner. All you do is take it out of the package and microwave it for 5 minutes and it's done. It was really good.

WW Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps

This is my favorite weight watcher recipe!

Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps. 3 points

Ingredients

* 1 pound 93% lean ground beef

* 1/2 cup matchstick-cut carrots

* 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

* 1/4 cup soy sauce

* 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

* 1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil

* 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

* 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

* 8 iceberg lettuce leaves

* 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add beef, carrots, and ginger; saute 6 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring to crumble beef. Drain, if necessary, and return beef mixture to pan. Stir in soy sauce and next 3 ingredients; cook 1 minute.

2.Remove beef mixture from heat; stir in green onions and cilantro. Spoon beef filling evenly into center of each lettuce leaf; top evenly with sliced cucumber. Makes 4 servings, serving size is 2 wraps.

Weight Watcher Cheesy Macaroni

WW Cheesy Macaroni. 5 points per serving

Ingredients

* 8 ounces uncooked macaroni (I used pasta wheels)

* 1 pound ground beef (I used Italian style ground turkey)

* 1 1/4 cups prechopped onion

* 2 garlic cloves, minced

* 1 (26-ounce) jar tomato-basil pasta sauce

* 1 cup reduced-fat shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

2. While pasta cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add beef, onion, and garlic; saute 6 minutes or until beef is borned, stirring to crumble. Drain, if necessary, and return beef mixture to pan.

3. Add pasta sauce to beef mixture; cook 2 minutes or until hot. Stir in pasta and 1/2 cup cheese; cook 1 minute or until cheese melts. Remove from heat; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Makes 8 servings.

Weight Watcher's Taco Soup

Almost 2 weeks ago, we started a "Biggest Loser" competition at work. The girls divided into 2 teams of 4 and each week we weigh in and compete in "challenges". Right now, my team is winning and in order for us to keep winning, I've bought some Weight Watcher magazines/cookbooks and have been trying new healthy recipes on the weekends instead of eating out. Last weekend, I made Taco Soup which only has 4 points per serving and is so quick and easy to make.

Taco Soup

* 3/4 lb ground turkey

* 1 package of taco seasoning mix

* 1 can (15oz)of pinto beans (I also added a can of kidney beans), drained

* 1 can of corn, drained

* 2 cans of Rotel tomatoes (I used 1 mild and 1 hot)

* 2 cups of water

Brown beef. Add ingredients to beef, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. I topped mine with low fat sour cream and 1/2 a 100 calorie pack of crushed doritos.

Ginger Steak

This is hands down my favorite steak seasoning/marinade. I saw it on "30 Minute Meals" awhile ago and use it almost every time we have steak. The recipe is actually called "ginger flank steak" but I use it on any type of steak we buy. The side Rachel Ray made with it on the show was wasabi mashed potatoes, which I love, but Greg hates-so I usually make it with broccoli cole slaw, which I included the recipe for after the ginger steak recipe. Ginger Steak calls for, you guessed it, fresh ginger. :) Ginger is so inexpensive and easy to work with, if it's not available then you can buy it in a jar already peeled, grated, and ready to use. It's in the produce section next to jars of minced garlic, but I suggest using fresh ginger if possible. Also, if you can't find tamari, you could substitute soy sauce, but tamari does have a stronger flavor that I personally like much better.

Ginger Flank Steak

Ingredients

* 2 inches fresh giner root, peeled & grated

* 1/2 cup tamari aged soy sauce.

* 2 limes, zested and juiced

* 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

* 2 tablespoons of Montreal Steak Seasoning

* 2 pounds flank steak

1. Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high

2. Combine ginger, tamari, lime juice, oil and grill seasoning in a large sealable plastic bag. Add meat to marinade and coat evenly.

3. Let stand 10 minutes then grill meat 6 to 7 minutes on each side. This meat is great with a garnish of chopped scallion and/or cilantro.

Broccoli Cole Slaw

Ingredients

* 2 bags (3oz) Ramen Noodles in Oriental (other flavors will work, too)

* 3/4 stick of butter

* 1/4 cup of slivered almonds

* 2 bags (12oz) broccoli cole slaw (in the bagged salad section of the grocery store)

* 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

* chopped green onions, for garnish

Dressing Mix

* 3/4 cup canola oil

* 1/4 cup brown or white sugar

* 1/4 cup apple cide vinegar

* 1 ramen noodle season packet

Directions

Put the ramen noodles in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin while melting butter in a large skillet over low/medium heat. Add the crushed noodles and slivered almonds to the skillet and saute, stirring occasionally (keep temperature at low/medium heat). Meanwhile, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Place the shredded broccoli into bowl and toss with the noodles, almonds and sunflower seeds. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Garnish with chopped green onions.