Moussaka

I realize this is not authentic Moussaka, since it doesn't have the bechamel sauce as a topping, but that would not be allowed on Phase 1, so it's subbed with low fat mozzarella cheese.  I served this to my in-laws last week and they all enjoyed it and my SIL asked for the recipe, so here it is.  If eggplant is not your thing, I've also read that you can sub zucchini.  I've never tried it but I bet it would also taste good and wouldn't require the prep that the eggplant does, just needs to be sliced and cooked (ie boiled) until tender.

Moussaka

2 eggplants
1 1/2lbs ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1/2t salt
1/2t pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4t nutmeg
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1/4c grated Parmesan cheese
shredded mozzarella cheese

Peel and slice eggplant.  Put slices on paper towels or in a colander and liberally sprinkle with salt. Let sit for about an our and then rinse under water and pat dry with paper towels.  Place on parchment lined cookie sheets and bake at 400* for 30 min or until tender.

Meanwhile, fry beef and onions until onions are soft and beef is browned.  Remove from heat.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and nutmeg.  Add tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.  Stir together well.  Layer a 9x13 pan like a lasagne, first 1/2 the eggplant slices, followed by 1/2 the meat sauce, the repeat the layers with the remaining eggplant and meat sauce.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Bake uncovered in 350* oven for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Note: You can also make ahead and keep in fridge until ready to cook.

Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Here is another recipe from my South Beach collection.  I adapted it from a stuffed pepper recipe, but found the casserole version easier to both make and eat.  After Phase 1, you can add rice back into the recipe if you like, but we find you don't really miss it.

Taken prior to baking

Stuffed Pepper Casserole

3-4 sweet peppers, whatever colour you like, chopped

1lb ground beef (or any lean ground meat for SB)

1 small onion, chopped

handful mushrooms, chopped

1c cooked rice (opt)

1t salt

1/8t garlic salt

1 15oz can tomato sauce

3/4c shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook peppers, beef, onions and mushrooms until veggies are soft and meat is browned.  Drain.  Stir in rice (if using), salt, garlic salt, and tomato sauce.  Put in a casserole dish, top with cheese and bake at 350* for 25 min.

Mediterranean Shrimp with Feta Cheese

My hubby and I are on Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet again and I thought I would record here the recipes that we are enjoying.  This one I got from a a local grocery magazine.  It makes a great lunch or supper.

Mediterranean Shrimp with Feta Cheese

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

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.

Cheesy Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

I cut this recipe out of the local newspaper back in September and finally made it for the first time a couple weeks ago.  It's different from most Shepherd's pie that I've had, but it was quite tasty and a definite make again.  I halved the recipe to only make one 8" square pan but next time would make two dinners and freeze one.

Big batch cheesy sweet potato shepherd's pie

This twist on a classic offers a colourful and tasty mealtime solution for eight to ten hungry people. Or make two dinners for four and freeze the second pan for a last-minute meal to cook from frozen. Or make eight individual 1 cup (250 mL) servings for later use.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes.

Cooking Time: 15 to 20 minutes

Baking Time: 20 to 45 minutes

Serves: 8 to 10

Topping:

4 lb (2 kg) sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1-1/2 cups (375 mL) shredded old cheddar cheese

1/2 cup (125 mL) milk

Salt and pepper

In large pot, cook potatoes in boiling water until fork-tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and mash with Cheddar cheese, milk, and salt and pepper to taste.

Filling:

2 lb (1kg) lean ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups (500 mL) each shredded carrots and zucchini

1-1/2 cups (375 mL) fresh corn kernels (I used frozen)

3/4 cup (175 mL) minced onion (about 1 medium)

1 tbsp (15 mL) each dried thyme, oregano and dry mustard

1 tbsp (15 mL) all-purpose flour

1 cup (250 mL) milk

Salt and pepper

 In a large frying pan, sauté beef over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain off fat. Add garlic, carrots, zucchini, corn and onion; cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. In small bowl, mix together thyme, oregano, mustard and flour; stir into pan along with milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Transfer to two 8-inch (2 L) square baking dishes; top each with half of the potato mixture. (Can be frozen at this point). Bake in 375 F (190 C) oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through and topping is browned. From Frozen: Bake in 350 F (180 C) oven for 45 minutes or until heated through.

Chicken Stir Fry in Peanut Sauce

I found a recipe for Chicken Satay on-line (but I can't find where) that some had commented that they changed to a stir fry.  We had it for dinner yesterday and it was quite good and a change from soy sauce based sauces.  It's South Beach Phase 1 approved, but for the other Phases I think it would taste good on a bed of noodles.

Chicken Stir Fry in Peanut Sauce.
In a large frying pan cook boneless, skinless chicken breast (I did one per person), cut into bite sized pieces until cooked.  Remove from pan and set aside.

In the same frying pan add as many vegetables of your choice, but some suggestions are:
Red pepper, asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, zucchini, and onion.
Fry slowly until cooked to desired tenderness.  Add chicken and sauce (recipe below), stirring to coat well.  Serve and enjoy!


Peanut Sauce
1 1/2T trans-fat free peanut butter
1/4t garlic powder
1/2T lemon juice
1T light soy sauce
1/4 packet sugar substitute (I did 4 drops of liquid stevia)
3T water or more to get the consistency you want.

Chicken Pot Pie

Recently I made a meal for a friend after their family was blessed by the birth of their 7th child, knowing that she needed to rest, yet has hungry mouths to feed. It went over well and hence it was requested as a post. So, Michelle, this one is for you!

It's another Internet find: Another Chicken Pot Pie

I don't put pastry on the bottom of the pan, just crumble my oil crust on top as we find it less heavy and don't really like all the pastry of traditional pot pies. It's a great one dish meal and any left overs freeze well.

Glad your family enjoyed it! PS: I doubled the recipe for you guys.

Spiced Pork Chops

This recipe is from my sister. (Thanks for sharing sis.) We tried them for the first time this week and they were delicious. Hope you'll give them a try and let me know what you think.

Spiced Pork Chops

Coating
Combine:
1/2c flour
1 1/2 t each garlic powder, ground mustard & paprika
1/2t celery salt
1/4t ginger
1/8t each oregano, basil and salt
pinch of pepper

Dredge 6-10 pork chops in flour mixture and brown in oil in frying pan. Put in a 9x13 pan.

Sauce
Combine and pour over chops:
1c each ketchup and water
1/4c brown sugar

Bake uncovered at 350 degree oven for 1hour.

Note: I only made 2 chops, so I just quartered the recipe.

Shredded Cabbage Casserole

We visited my sister Rita's family yesterday for dinner and her daughter Leanne made a yummy cabbage casserole that I just had to share with you all. It's actually Rita's recipe that was passed down to Leanne (don't all the best recipes come from our mom's?). I'm not a huge fan of cabbage, but I'll definitely be making this one soon. It was great to see everyone again, especially since it will be the last time before Rita, her husband Albert and clan will be moving to Alberta. We'll sure miss you guys!

Shredded Cabbage Casserole

1 small cabbage, shredded
1/2t salt
1/4c milk
1/4c chopped onion
2T butter
1/8t nutmeg
1/2c shredded cheddar cheese.

Mix all but the cheese in a 2 qt casserole dish. Cover and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir. Cook 5 minutes longer or until tender crisp. Stir in cheese. Cook 2 minutes. Let stand covered for 2 additional minutes. Serves 6.

Beef Balls Supreme

Here is another recipe I got from my mom. They are slightly more work then your usual hamburger balls as from beginning to end it takes approx. 1 hour to prepare, but they are so worth the effort. The sauce is good over rice or mashed potatoes.

Beef Balls Supreme

1 egg slightly beaten
1/2c milk
1/2c bread crumbs
1/2T season salt
1/2t pepper
1 1/2T parsley
1 1/2 ground beef
1/3c butter or margarine or oil
1 large onion
1 can sliced mushrooms (save the juice)
1T paprika
3T flour
1 can beef broth

Soak egg, milk and bread crumbs until it resembles a paste. NOTE: if you are using 1lb of meat instead, reduce milk and bread crumbs to 1/3c.

Add seasonings and ground beef to the bread paste. Form into large balls. If it's too goopy to form balls, add some more bread crumbs. Brown in fat in large skillet. Remove the balls from the pan and set aside.

Fry drained mushrooms and onion until onion is soft. Sprinkle paprika and flour over the mushrooms and onion and let brown thoroughly. Add broth, mushroom juice and the balls. Simmer 20 min.

Hamburger Stroganoff

This is another one of my favourites and one from my childhood. Thanks Mom!

Hamburger Stroganoff
1 lb ground beef
3 slices bacon, diced
1/2c chopped onion
3/4t salt
1/4t paprika
dash of pepper
1can cream of mushroom soup
1c sour cream

In large saucepan, brown beef and bacon. Add onion and cook until tender. Add spices and soup. Cook slowly uncovered for 20 min, sitrring frequently. Stir in sour cream and heat thoroughly. DO NOT BOIL. Serve with pasta, rice or toast.

Oven Rice

I find the easiest way to cook rice, is to do so in the oven in a covered casserole dish. Proportions are the same, but use boiling water and cook at 350 degrees F. Cook white rice for 20-25 minutes and brown rice for 45-50 minutes. Never fails and never boils over.

Nixon's Chicken

Don't know who Nixon is but his chicken sure is yummy. This recipe was given to me by my cousin Jeannette. It does contain curry, but it's not overwhelmingly so. It's pretty easy to make and Jeannette suggests cooking the chicken the day ahead to make it even easier.

Nixon's Chicken

1 chicken or chicken pieces (3 chicken breasts work fine)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or chicken or celery)
1/2c mayonnaise
1/2-1T curry powder
1T lemon juice
1c cheddar cheese

Simmer chicken in salted water (enough to cover the chicken) with a bay leaf for 20 minutes. Remove chicken but save the stock. Combine the remaining ingredients and thin with chicken stock (about 1/2-3/4c). Spray 8x8 ovenproof dish with cooking spray. Place chicken in dish and cover with the sauce. If desired, grate some more cheddar cheese on top. Bake uncovered in 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

Note:
Save the extra chicken stock and use it as the base for your next soup. If that will be a while, freeze it. When it thaws you can remove the fat that has formed at the surface.

Burritos

Many years ago, I made a cookbook for a friends wedding. I obtained a copy of the guest list from the brides mom and then mailed each guest a recipe card (blue for grooms side and pink for brides) and then inserted the returned recipes into a photo album, which I had covered and personalized. This way the new couple had some great tried and true family favourites to start cooking with. I would copy down some of the recipes that struck my fancy and this was one of them. Thanks Irma for sharing.

Burritos

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2c chopped onion
1pkg taco seasoning (see Note below)
1/4t pepper
1/4t oregano
2T parsley
1c sour cream
1c shredded cheddar cheese
1c salsa
1 1/2c shredded mozzarella cheese,
10 medium tortilla shells

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Brown beef and onions. Drain fat. Add spices, sour cream and cheddar cheese. Blend well. Place 3T of meat mixture in centre of tortilla and roll up. Place side by side in a 10x15 pan, seam side down. Top with salsa and mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Note:
If you don't have taco seasoning, you can add the following spices instead and alter the amounts to suit your families taste:
1t chili powder
1/2t paprika
1t salt
1/2t garlic powder
increase oregano to 1t.

Hint:
Prior to baking, these can also be individually wrapped, packaged and frozen for lunches or a quick meal and simply heated in the microwave.

Penne and Sausage

Here is something for dinner. This was given to me by my sister-in-law, Sue, and has since become one of my favourite pasta dishes. It's quick and easy and delicious and doesn't make too many dishes. You can alter the sausage type and amount of seasoning to suit your family's taste.

Penne and Sausage

1 lb sausage (Italian, Oktoberfest, etc), cut into 1" pieces.
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1t Italian seasoning
1/4t crushed red pepper flakes
1T cornstarch
2c milk
1 19oz can diced tomatoes
1/2lb penne pasta (approx 250g or 3c dried)
1c grated mozzarella cheese

In a large frying pan, cook sausages over medium high heat until browned on all sides. Add onion, garlic, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until onion is tender. Stir in cornstarch. Add milk; stir until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Add tomatoes and penne. Return to a boil, cover and simmer for 15min or until pasta is tender. Stir in mozzarella cheese and serve.