Creamy Taco Mac

It's been a little while since I've posted, so I just wanted to bring up a recipe I had saved a while ago and post it now. We're without power because of the tornadoes of this week, but food is always a good way to lighten the mood!


Who didn't love Hamburger Helper growing up? But I just can't bring myself to use that box of processed food. So, when I found this recipe, I knew my hubby would love it. I have to admit, it is pretty darn tasty. We served this with salad and low-fat cresent rolls. Comfort food...gotta love it!
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
8-oz. short pasta (I used whole-wheat macaroni)
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 packet taco seasoning
4-oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper
shredded cheddar cheese for topping

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saute pan, cook the ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat. Add the chopped onion and garlic to the skillet and cook 5 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water. Continue to stir until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from heat and top with shredded cheese.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

I'm always looking for a new spin on an old favorite. I tried making meatballs a few months ago, and it was a MAJOR fail. I was using a healthy version that used ground turkey instead of beef, and those babies fell apart the minute they hit the pan. It was a cooking disaster. So, bravely, I set out to try this recipe. It...was...delicious. Here's a picture, and the recipe follows (with my changes):
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 (16 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 3/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano (I was lazy and used jarred)
1 dried bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (again, I used dried)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (the good stuff in the cheese section)
1 (16 oz.) package spaghetti

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook the onion until lightly brown. Mix in 2 cloves garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, sugar, 1/2 the oregano, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer while preparing meatballs.

In a bowl, mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, remaining oregano, remaining garlic, parsley, eggs, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Roll into 1 inch balls, and drop into the sauce. Cook 40 minutes in the sauce, or until internal temperature of meatballs reaches a minimum of 160 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and stir in the spaghetti. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the cooked spaghetti.

A-Day

This weekend, Jonathan and I returned to Auburn for the A-Day game. Jonathan had been wanting to go see the National Championship trophy for months, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity. Here we are (we had to wait in line an hour for this photo!):
I was so nervous that my clumsy self was going to knock that thing over ;) We got to see the new Auburn Hall of Honor in the brand-spanking new Auburn Arena. Man, that place is nice! We then went to the A-Day game and enjoyed the beautiful weather.

Jonathan even got to meet Coach Chizik while getting his autograph:

On our way back to our car, we stopped at our beloved Toomer's trees to pay our respect. They don't look so great, but they're hanging in there. We've celebrated so many victories under those trees, so it seemed fitting to take another picture together:

We had a blast and loved being back in our favorite place. War Eagle!

Goulash

Jonathan may have found a recipe that he likes as much or more than lasagna (I know...everybody gasp!). He LOVES lasagna, but this recipe from Annie's Eats is similar to lasagna but amps it up a bit. Here's the recipe (modified from the above):

1 1b. lean ground beef
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
A couple dashes Worcestershire sauce
salt to taste

1/3 cup water
1 lb. penne pasta
1 1/4 cup light sour cream
5 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
1/2 cup chopped green onions
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13″ baking dish. Brown the ground beef and drain; stir in tomato sauce, paste, sugar, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Let simmer 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil pasta until al dente. Drain well and set aside.

In a bowl, combine sour cream, cream cheese, and egg. Mix well to blend. Stir in green onions.

To assemble, spread a thin layer of the sauce mixture into the baking dish. Top with half of the pasta, then spread half of the cream cheese mixture over the pasta. Top with half of the remaining sauce. Repeat layers (pasta, cream cheese mixture, sauce). Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the top.

Bake for 25 minutes (covered), then remove cover and cook 5 more minutes until top is golden brown and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Ta da! Here's the finished product.

Hawaiian Chicken Pizza

Umm...can you say yumm? This week, I wanted a quick meal that I could whip up after a long day of clinic, and I found the perfect recipe here at Sing for Your Supper. Jonathan loves California Pizza Kitchen's Hawaiian BBQ Chicken pizza, and when I saw this recipe, I knew it would be perfect. I prepped all the ingredients Sunday night, and I just threw them together and put them in the oven when I got home from clinic. Here's the beauty ready to go into the oven:
And here's the wonderful, tangy, melty creation ready to eat:

So easy and so scrumptious! Really...go make this now :)

Here's the recipe:

1 large, pre-baked thin pizza crust
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 chicken breasts, fully cooked and shredded
1/2 cup BBQ sauce, plus more for brushing on the crust
1/4 cup ranch salad dressing (I used light)
fresh pineapple, diced (we used a good bit!)
fresh cilantro, chopped, about 1/3 cup

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the cooked, shredded chicken breasts with the BBQ sauce. Set aside. (Note: I prepped the chicken a couple nights before and let it marinate in the BBQ sauce.)

Brush the pizza crust with a thin layer of BBQ sauce, then spread on the ranch dressing. Top with some of the cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese, then the chicken and pineapple, then the remaining cheeses. Bake for about 15 minutes, until all the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. Top with the chopped cilantro. Makes 1 pizza.

Atlanta Weekend

Wow, we've been busy little bees lately. I was awarded a scholarship from The Hinman, a national dental society, and Jonathan and I were invited to Atlanta to accept the award. They put us up for 2 nights in the Westin Peachtree Plaza, and we were on the 64th floor (in the preferred guest floor!). Our view was magnificent:
There were gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows in our room. It was fun to wake up to every morning:We went to the Hinman and accepted the scholarship. Here's one of my classmates, one of my favorite professors, and me:
After the ceremony, Jonathan and I headed back to the hotel to change clothes. We then walked to the World of Coca-Cola museum. What a taste adventure!We rode up the glass elevator on the side of our hotel to the 72nd floor (which rotates!). Here's a picture from the top:
All in all, it was a fun weekend. Jonathan and I were happy to have a free "mini-vacation," and we were also happy to get back to our wonderful home and relax on Sunday.