Skillet Lasagne

We enjoy lasagna, but it is a bit time consuming to make so we don't get it very often.  I finally tried a skillet lasagna and it only took about 30 min!  It went over well since one kid had three helpings, one two and my non tomato kid actually was able to choke it down with the promise of dessert!

Skillet Lasagna

1lb ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 14oz can diced tomatoes

1 1/4c water

8oz tomato sauce

1T dried parsley

1t each dried basil, oregano and salt

2 1/2c broken up lasagna noodles (I used extra broad noodles and they worked great)

1c cottage cheese

1/4c fat free grated Parmesan cheese

10oz chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

1 egg

basil and pepper (opt)

shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet, brown beef with onion and garlic.  Drain.  Add tomatoes, water, tomato sauce, parsley, basil, oregano and salt.  Stir in uncooked pasta.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20min or until pasta is tender.  Combine cottage and Parmesan cheeses with spinach.  Mix in egg.  Sprinkle with basil and pepper to taste.  Drop cheese mixture by rounded tablespoon onto pasta mixture.  Cover and cook for 5 min.  Sprinkle with mozzarella and serve.  Serves 6

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

It was birthday time again here in our house and with it comes cake.  We find most icings too sweet and while perusing recipes came across this frosting recipe.  Tried it and it's a keeper!  When my MIL saw it she said she wanted just a small piece since it was so decadent, but when she tasted it, she was surprised at the taste.  It makes about 5c of frosting, enough to generously fill and frost a two layer 9" cake.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

15oz semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or use chocolate chips or wafers)

1 1/4t instant coffee (opt)

2 1/4c sour cream, at room temperature

1/4-1/2c light corn syrup

2/4t vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate with the coffee (if using), in a double boiler or the microwave.  Remove from heat and let chocolate cool until tepid.  Whisk together the sour cream, 1/4c corn syrup and vanilla until combined.  Add the chocolate slowly and stir quickly until the mixture is uniform.  IMPORTANT: DO NOT ADD WARM CHOCOLATE TO COLD SOUR CREAM.  If you do, you will end up with chocolate pieces and not a smooth product. Taste for sweetness and add more corn syrup if needed.  Let cool in fridge until the frosting is a spreadable consistency, about 30 min.  Note: I whisked the chocolate and sour cream together with my electric whisk and it whisked up nice and thick.

Note: that is my older son blowing out the candle for his little brother, who didn't want to.

Black Bean Brownies

First heard of these brownies on the "Dr Oz" show and found this recipe somewhere on-line.  I did adjust it to use Stevia instead of sugar so that we could eat then when were on Phase 1 of the South Beach diet.  Don't let the beans deter you - if no one told you, you won't know they were even in there!  Try and find out for yourself.

Black Bean Brownies
1 15.5oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
3T oil
1/4c cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
1t vanilla
3/4c sugar or 24 drops of liquid stevia or 1/8t stevia concentrate or 1/2c agave necture or equivalent sweetener of your choice
1t instant coffee (opt)
1/2c chocolate chips and or nuts (opt)

Combine all ingredients, except chips, in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour the mixture into a greased 8x8 square pan.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips, if using.  Bake at 350* for 30 min or until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Note: If using stevia, be sure to use a good quality one as some are better than others.

Pork Chop Marinade

As like the steak marinade, I have also frozen pork chops in this marinade.  It's fantastic!

Pork Chop Marinade

makes 1c - good for 6 bone-in chops (or about 2 1/2lbs)

1/2c water

1/3c soya sauce

1/4c oil

3T lemon pepper (yes that it Tablespoon, not teaspoon)

2 garlic cloves, minced, (or 1/2t garlic powder)

Combine all ingredients.  Coat pork chops in marinade, cover and marinate in refrigerator for 45 min, turning occasionally.  Grill on medium heat for approx 6-8 min a side or until done to your liking.  Or cook in a clamshell grill at medium heat for 6-8 min or until done to your liking.

Steak Marinade

This is my favourite marinade.  I usually buy a couple Top Sirloin steaks when they are on sale, cut it into meal size portions, put in Ziploc bags, add the marinade and freeze.  Take out when you want to make it, and it will marinate while thawing.  Grill for 4 min or so per side, or until done to your likeness.  Quick and easy!

Steak Marinade (good for 1lb)

1/4c soya sauce
1T oil
1T brown sugar
1t lemon juice
1t onion powder
1/4t black pepper
1/4t garlic salt
1/4t ginger


Combine and pour over steak, coating all sides.  Let stand 1 hour or longer, turning once or twice.

Berry Nut Blondies

I bought dried prunes a while back to help my son but we didn't eat them all and it was time for them to use up.  But what do you use dried prunes for?  So to the internet I went and found the Sunsweet site which has recipes that use prune puree as a sub for fat, just like applesauce.  So, I pureed my prunes and made Berry Nut Blondies.  The only change I made was to use only 1 1/2c brown sugar (not the 2 they say) and didn't ice them as I found them sweet enough on their own.  You don't taste the prune and they are so good I won't be able to make them too often or I will be tempted to eat the entire pan.  Another recipe to add to my favourites list!

Italian Sausage Soup

Since we were South Beaching it again, it was time to try some new recipes.  This one I got from an on-line recipe site, but did do some changing so I'll just post it here.  It is quite different then what we were used to but good.

Italian Sausage Soup

1 pound Italian Sausage (I used Octoberfest)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 1/2c beef broth
1 (428ml) can stewed tomatoes (I used diced)
1c sliced carrots (or peppers if on South Beach Phase 1)
1/4t salt
1/4t pepper
1t basil
1/2t oregano
2T parsley
1 (428) can navy or kidney beans, undrained
2 small zucchini, cubed
2c spinach, packed, rinsed and torn

In a Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic.  Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots or peppers and seasonings.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 min.  Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini.  Cover and simmer another 15 min or until zucchini is tender.  Remove from heat and add spinach.  Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves.  Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

My hubby found this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe in a magazine, asked me to try it and it was a winner!  We served it to my in-laws and they thoroughly enjoyed it! 

I did not add 2 Tablespoons of chili powder as we don't like things too spicy, but 2 teaspoons instead and it still tasted great.  However, you can adjust that to your taste.  It also freezes and reheats well.

Gevulde Speculaas

or for those not of Dutch decent, these are Almond filled spice bars (but that doesn't have as nice a ring...)
One of my FB friends requested a recipe so instead of just giving it to her I decided to share it with anyone reading this.  I got this recipe from my mom who just informed me that she combined two recipes, one for the cake and one for the filling.  As the filling can get pricy, I usually only make these at Christmas, but they do make LOTS so you can also wrap them up (freezer paper works well) and freeze for another time.  Or you can make the cake without the filling (good too, but not quite as special).  If you give them a try, make sure you come back and let me know what you think! 

Gevulde Speculaas

Filling:
4c ground almonds
3c icing sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2t lemon juice
1 1/2t almond extract
Mix well.  Place in a tightly covered container.  Refriderate for at least 4 days.

Dough:
3c flour
1c each white sugar and brown sugar
1t each nutmeg, cinnamon and baking soda
1/2t each cloves and ginger
1c butter
2 eggs

Mix together.  Divide in half.  Roll half the dough between sheets of wax paper on a jelly roll pan (aka cookie sheet with sides), trying to get the dough all the way to the sides.  Remove from cookie sheet.  Roll the other half onto the cookie sheet.  Cover with the almond filling.  Place first half of dough on top.  Brush with egg wash (Mix egg with a little water to spread easier).  Spinkle with slivered almonds if desired.  Bake at 350* for 25 min or until lightly brown.

Note: If you would like a smaller recipe, I believe we cut it in half and did it in a 9x13 pan.