Sarmale

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • ½ cup long grain rice uncooked
  • 2 lb ground pork or whatever meat you prefer
  • 1 tbsp parsley flakes
  • 1 tsp dill weed
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pickled cabbage
  • 15 slices bacon chopped (optional)
  • 4 cups tomato juice

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°
  2. Heat the oil in a skillet, add the onions and cook until softened and translucent.
  3. Add the rice and cook for another minute until the rice is starting to brown.
  4. In a large bowl, add the ground pork, salt, pepper, parsley, dill and the onion and rice mixture. Be careful with the salt, not too much is needed because the sour cabbage is already salty. Mix well using your clean hands.
  5. Remove individual leaves from the cabbage. (Probably 14-18 leaves) Trim the thick center stem to allow the leaves to roll easier.
  6. Fill each leaf with 2 tbsp of the meat mixture and roll. Repeat with all the remaining meat and cabbage. If you have any cabbage left over, chop it up and spread it over the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
    Put all the rolls in the pan, add the chopped bacon (if using) in between the cabbage rolls and add the tomato juice over the rolls. Add more water if needed, the juice should cover the cabbage rolls entirely. Cover the pan with aluminum foil or an oven-safe lid.
  7. Place in the oven and bake for 2 hours, remove the foil or lid and place back in the oven and cook for another hour.

Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients

  • 1-2 large zucchini (10-12 inches long – you want them to be big enough to have a reasonable seed cavity)
  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Seasoned salt
  • 1 cup shredded cheese

Directions

  1. Cook ground beef with finely chopped onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
  2. Mix rice, ground beef and soup mix together.
  3. Peel the zucchini and cut it in half lengthwise then remove the seeds and place in a 9×13 pan.
  4. Generously season the zucchini with seasoned salt.
  5. Spoon in meat/rice/soup mixture into the hollowed out zucchini. The zucchini should be nearly overflowing with the stuffing.
  6. Layer shredded cheese over the top.
  7. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for one hour. The zucchini should be tender.
  8. Remove the cover and bake another 15 minutes to let the cheese top get a bit crispy.

Swedish meatballs

Ingredients

  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
    • (¾ cup milk + ¼ cup melted butter)
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 30 – 40 meatballs
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Melt the butter. Quickly whisk in the flour and cook until golden.
  2. Stir in the broth, heavy whipping cream, mustard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until it thickens.
  3. Add the meatballs in the gravy sauce. Cook until meatballs are heated through.
  4. Serve with mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.

Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

  • 16 oz elbow macaroni, cooked (or other tubular pasta)
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup all purpose flour
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 2 cups Gruyere cheese shredded
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1½ cups panko crumbs
  • 4 tbsp butter melted
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a large 3 qt or 4 qt baking dish and set aside.
  2. Combine shredded cheeses in a large bowl and set aside.
  3. Cook the pasta one minute shy of al dente according to the package instructions. Remove from heat, drain, and place in a large bowl.
  4. Drizzle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat pasta. Set aside to cool while preparing cheese sauce.
  5. Melt butter in a deep saucepan, dutch oven, or stock pot.
  6. Whisk in flour over medium heat and continue whisking for about 1 minute until bubbly and golden.
  7. Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until nice and smooth. Continue whisking until you see bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking and whisking for another 2 minutes. Whisk in salt and pepper.
  8. Add two cups of shredded cheese and whisk until smooth. Add another two cups of shredded cheese and continue whisking until creamy and smooth. Sauce should be nice and thick.
  9. Stir in the cooled pasta until combined and pasta is fully coated with the cheese sauce.
  10. Pour half of the mac and cheese into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 2 cups of shredded cheese and then the remaining mac and cheese.
  11. In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, melted butter and paprika. Sprinkle over the top and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Borrowed from Mom on Timeout

Red Beans & Rice (mild)

Ingredients

  • 2 cans (15oz) red kidney beans
  • Salt
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 lb cooked sausage, such as Andouille, kielbasa, or hot dogs, cut into 1/2-inch disks
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 4 ribs celery, finely chopped
  • 4 medium cloves garlic, minced or smashed
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (substitute: ½tbsp lemon juice & ½tbsp lime juice)
  • Hot sauce, such as Crystal or Frank’s, to taste
  • Cooked white rice, for serving

Directions

  1. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add sausage, onion, bell pepper, and celery. Season with salt and cook, stirring, until vegetables have softened and are just starting to brown around the edges, about 8 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 45 seconds.
  3. Add beans, black pepper, smoked pork or turkey (if using), and bay leaves. Simmer until the liquid has thickened and turned creamy, about 20 minutes. If the pot starts to look dry before the stew turns creamy, add a cup of water and continue simmering.
  4. When it’s nice and creamy, stir in the cider vinegar. Add salt as needed.
  5. Serve the red beans over steamed white rice, adding hot sauce at the table as desired.

Red Beans & Rice (spicy)

Ingredients

  • 1¼ cups brown rice
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2½ cups water
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • ½ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp. ground allspice
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp. hot sauce
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

  1. Combine the rice, 1 tablespoon of the oil, half of the salt, and the water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender (40-45 minutes). Set aside and keep warm.
  2. While the rice is simmering, heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery; sauté until the vegetables are softened (6-8 minutes). Stir in the garlic and cook until softened (1 minute). Add the allspice, cloves, cayenne, remaining salt, and the pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
  3. Stir in the beans, chicken broth, tomato, thyme and hot sauce. Cook until the vegetable mixture is heated through (6-8 minutes).
  4. Divide the rice among warmed individual bowls. Top each serving with beans and garnish with cilantro.

Hamburger Bean Casserole

From Homemade food junkie

This has essential the same texture and consistency as chili with a completely different flavor profile.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. hamburger
  • 1 lb. bacon cut into one inch slices
  • ½ cup onion, to taste
  • 2 28 ounce cans baked beans
  • 1 28 ounce can pork and beans
  • 1 15 ounce can kidney beans
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp dry mustard

Directions

  • Crock pot
    1. Browning the meat and bacon beforehand is preferred for flavor. Put it all into a crockpot and set to high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
  • Oven
    1. Preheat oven to 350°
    2. In a large skillet brown the hamburger, bacon and onion.
    3. Add the baked beans, pork and beans and kidney beans
    4. Mix brown sugar, vinegar and dry mustard with hamburger and bean mixture in a 3 quart baking dish and bake for 40 minutes.
  • Instant Pot
    1. On saute function brown the hamburger and bacon until thoroughly cooked.
    2. Add remaining ingredients and give it a stir.
    3. Set the instant pot on manual for 5 minutes. Natural release and serve.

Meatloaf flower

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs ground beef
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 cups bread cubes
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup grated cheese
  • 2 tsp thyme
  • 2 tsp marjoram
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp rosemary
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ⅛ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 6-8 carrots
  • 6 potatoes
  • 10-20 asparagus spears

Directions

  1. Soak bread in milk.
  2. Cut potatoes into wedges lengthwise.
  3. Mix beef, onions, eggs, cheese, bread & milk and seasonings. Place in a ring around the outside of the 12″ Dutch oven.
  4. Line inside of meat ring with carrots then potatoes then asparagus.
  5. Cook for 90 minutes with heat on top and bottom.

Sweet Sloppy Joe

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 pounds Ground Beef
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • 1½ cups sweet pickle relish
  • 2 cans (15 ounces) tomato sauce

COOKING:

  1. Cook Ground Beef and onion 8 to 10 minutes, breaking beef into small crumbles and stirring occasionally.
  2. Stir in tomato sauce and pickle relish. Bring to a boil and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, as desired.
  3. Divide beef mixture evenly onto rolls. Garnish with toppings, if desired.