By Kate, on April 19th, 2011%  My dad was a great cook! My mother was absolutely DREADFUL in the kitchen! She got better over time, but she had no flare for discovery, invention and no sense of why baking soda was NOT a good substitute for baking powder in a pancake recipe!
My father taught me to cook. He would come home (he worked just down the street and was the factory manager) when I got out of school and would give instructions on supper for the evening. He’d tell me what things to try in different kinds of soups or sauces, and he loved to feed others! In fact, when he retired and moved away, family, friends and neighbors would ask for his baked beans (they were MARVELOUS) or pea soup or meat pies or meatballs whenever he visited.
Certain foods remind me of my dad – meatballs (my best friend in college dubbed them Killer Meatballs – a major compliment from an Italian girl!) being one of the best. The recipe I use is adapted from my dad’s experiments in making the best meatballs ever. It brings back memories of love and home and laughter. And my husband says it is one of the reasons why he married me! 
As I link up with the Hearth & Soul Blog Hop hosted at Frugality and Crunchiness with Christy, I am once again sharing my recipe for Killer Meatballs. Hope you enjoy it.
Killer Meatballs
2 28 oz cans tomato sauce
1 28 oz can tomato puree
1 5 oz can tomato paste
1 T oregano
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Put all in a large pot, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour (or longer). Stir often and partially cover – it can get messy as it simmers.
Mix:
1 pound ground beef (you can use 1/2 beef & 1/2 pork if you prefer)
1/2 c (or more as need to bind together) Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
1 T oregano
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Roll into walnut sized balls, roll in flour and drop into bubbling sauce. Partially cover (to help prevent spatters) and cook 3-4 hours, stirring frequently to help prevent burning.
Sauce thickens overnight and is often better the next day as the spices heat it up.
Serve with al dente angel hair pasta.
By Kate, on June 10th, 2010% 2# ground beef
4# potatoes (cooked and mashed or 3 c hot mashed potatoes from instant)
1 med onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 (16 oz) can kernel corn
2 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c milk
1 c grated cheddar cheese (or 9-10 American cheese slices)
-Brown hamburg with onions, salt, pepper and garlic, drain
-Stir in corn, soup and milk
-Pour into greased 9X13 pan and spread mashed potatoes evenly on top, sprinkle with cheese
-(to bake now, follow baking directions) To freeze: place in 2 gallon ziploc bag and freeze
(thaw) Bake at 350 or 30 min, until cheese is melted and pie is heated through.
By Kate, on June 10th, 2010% LASAGNA
1# hamburg, cooked and drained
1 pkg lasagna noodles (no boil)
56 oz tomato sauce (2 large cans)
1 pkg ricotta cheese
1 8oz pkg mozz cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
oregano
-Mix meat with tomato sauce
-Combine ricotta cheese, eggs, and oregano, mix well
-Layer sauce, noodles, ricotta and mozzarella cheese in 9X13 pan – make 3 layers
-Top with sauce and parmesan cheese
(if cooking now, cover and follow baking directions) To freeze: Put in 2 gallon ziploc bag and freeze.
(thaw) Bake at 450 for 15 min; reduce heat to 350, bake for 15 min; let stand for 10 min before cutting. Serves 6-8
By Kate, on June 10th, 2010% Here are a list of freezer meals I’ve made over the years, as well as freezer meals from friends. For a list of helps for Once A Month Cooking (OAMC) or cooking for the freezer, see my blog post called Stocking The Freezer.
BEEF SKILLET ENCHILADAS
1# ground beef
1/2 c chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can enchilada sauce (or picante sauce – 2 T)
1/3 c milk
2 T green chilies
8-12 corn tortillas
cooking oil
2 1/2 c (10 oz) shredded cheese
1/2 c chopped pitted olives (opt)
-Cook beef and onion, drain. Stir in soup, enchilada sauce, milk and chilies. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 20 min. Stir occassionally. (if you are going to cook and eat these NOW, keep in skillet and follow the rest of the recipe, cover and heat on stove for 5 minutes instead of baking in oven) To freeze: Move to 9X13 pan.
-In small skillet dip tortillas in hot oil until limp (~5 seconds/side), drain on paper toweling. Reserve 1/2 c cheese, place ~ 1/4 c cheese on each tortilla, sprinkle with olives and roll up. Place in meat mixture.
-Freeze in 2 gallon ziploc bag.
(thaw) Remove from bag, cover with foil and heat through in 350 oven for 25 min. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, cover and heat until cheese on top melts, ~1-2 min. Serves 4-6
By Kate, on April 12th, 2010% 2 28 oz cans tomato sauce
1 28 oz can tomato puree
1 5 oz can tomato paste
1 T oregano
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Put all in a large pot, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour (or longer).
Mix:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 c (or more as need to bind together) Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
1 T oregano
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Roll into walnut sized balls, roll in flour and drop into bubbling sauce. Cover (to help prevent spatters) and cook 3-4 hours, stirring frequently to help prevent burning.
Sauce thickens overnight and is often better the next day.
Serve with al dente angel hair pasta.
By Kate, on April 10th, 2010% INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans
- 1 can (11 to 15 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes
- 1 envelope taco seasoning
- 1 (28 oz) can tomatoes
- 1 sm can chopped chile peppers (4 ounces)
- 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans
- 1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
- 1 c shredded cheese (optional)
PREPARATION:
Brown the ground beef; drain well. Add remaining ingredients and stir. (to cook now, follow directions below; to freeze, put in 1 gallon ziploc bag and freeze)
Simmer in slow cooker on LOW for 6 to 8 hours (or simmer on stove 1 hour). serve with tortilla chips or Mexican cornbread.
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My dad was a great cook! My mother was absolutely DREADFUL in the kitchen! She got better over time, but she had no flare for discovery, invention and no sense of why baking soda was NOT a good substitute for baking powder in a pancake recipe!
