Baked Macaroni & Beef Casserole

Okay, okay, I know I've been very neglectful of my blog the last couple of weeks... its a vicious cycle and I'm not even going to start making excuses! Yesterday was my birthday and it was a fantastic day (other than having to work all day annnnddd having to finish up an assignment that was due at midnight last night)! My sister surprised me with a wonderful birthday present and my husband ordered takeout from my favorite indian restaurant. Tonight hubby and I are going out for a nice romantic dinner on the beautiful White Rock strip. Not sure where he's taking me, but its bound to be somewhere good!

The recipe I'm posting about today has absolutely nothing to do with my birthday! I just felt like sharing the recipe with you. Its a really homey, easy recipe that is perfect for when you're craving comfort food. Serve this casserole with some fresh garlic bread and some ceasar salad and you've got a great meal that your whole family is bound to love. This recipe is quick and easy enough to make on a weeknight and you will likely have most of the ingredients on hand too!

Baked Macaroni & Beef
Recipe adapted from Canadian Living's Everyday Favorites

Indredients:

• 1 lb lean ground eef


• 1 onion chopped


• 1 clove garlic, minced


• 1/2 tsp dried oregano


• 1- 700ml jar of your favorite pasta sauce


• 2 tbsp tomato paste


• 1 1/2 cups macaroni


• 1 cup 2% cottage cheese


• 1/2 cup shredded provolone or part-skim mozzarella cheese

Method:

1. In a large nontick skillet, fry beef over medium-high heat, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink. Drain off any fat. Add onion, garlic and oregano; fry over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.


2. Add pasta sauce and tomato paste; bring to boil. Reduce heat to meium low; simmer stirring occasionally, until thick enough to mound on a spoon (anywhere from 10-20 minutes).


3. Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni until tender but firm, about 8 minutes. Drain well.


4. Spread half of the macaroni in 8-inch square glass baking dish. Cover with half the meat sauce. Repeat layers. Spoon cottage cheese over top, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with provalone cheese.


5. Bake in 375F oven until bubbly and golden, about 30 minutes.

Now you're probably wondering about the next picture in this blog post (see below)... I just had to share this with you. That sandwich is my hubby's version of gourmet breakfast. He made it all by himself. The obvious ingredients are bread (toasted and buttered), about a pound of bacon, about a pound of cheddar cheese thickly sliced, and about half a dozen eggs scrambled. Yep, typical male!! Hope you get a good laugh out of that picture like I do every time a look at it.

Happy Cooking my Friends!

Picadillo Pot Pie

I love trying new recipes as you may have guessed if you follow my blog and I get sick of eating the same food all the time. I also love ethnic food and I was really excited when I came across this recipe for Picadillo Pot Pie - a classic dish with a South American twist! This is a great way to use up ground meat that you may have kicking around your freezer or for a vegetarian option, substitute a can of black beans. Serve this with a yummy salad drizzled with olive oil and lime juice and sprinkled with sea salt and fresh ground pepper and you're set.

Don't try making this on a week night after work though because it is a little time consuming to make and the last thing you want to be doing after work is spending hours in the kitchen (unless of course you're me)! You can also take the meat mixture and wrap it in calzone dough and bake it that way if you feel so inclined. Making the dish this way would be remniscent of South American empanadas. Whatever way you decide to make this yummy dish, you will enjoy the spice and new flavours it brings to your table.

Picadillo Pot Pie

Recipe adapted from the Guy Can't Cook by Cinda Chavich

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large red or yelow bell pepper, chopped (I omitted this, though it would be delicious)
• 1 lb lean ground beef (or lamb, turkey, or chicken)
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp crushed dried red chili pepper or 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 cups plain tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp lime juice or wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• one can black beans, rinsed and drained (the recipe called for a can of sliced black olives, but I wasn't too into that)
• one 341ml can sweet corn
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup stone ground cornmeal
• 3 cups water
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp utter
• 1 cup stone ground cornmeal
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided

Method:

1. To make the filling, heat the oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat, add the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Saute for 10 minutes. Add the ground beef to the pan, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until its no longer pink. Stir in the cumin, dried crushed chili, and chili powder. Add the tomato sauce, lime juice, cocoa powder, black beans, corn, raisins, and worcestershire. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, then stir in the 1/4 cup of cornmeal and cook for a couple of minutes, until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sample your filling - add a little more cayenne or a bit of chili paste if you'd like it hotter. Pour fillin into a shallow casserole dish.
2. To make the topping, heat the water to a rolling boil in a saucepan, then add 1 clove garlic (minced) and butter. Use a whisk and stir constantly as you slowly pour the 1 cup of cornmeal into the boiling water. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring for 5 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat and stir to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, in a small blow, beat the egg with the baking powder. Quickly whisk this mixture into the cooked cornmeal, then fold in 1 cup of the grated cheese.
4. Pour the topping over the filling in the casserole dish, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake at 350F for 45-55 minutes or until the top is set and lightly browned.
   

This recipe was a welcome change from all the meat and potatoes over the holiday season! What kind of recipes are you cooking in your home now that the holiday season is finished?

Happy Cooking my Friends!