Sloppy Joes

     Let’s talk about the Sloppy Joe, an often overlooked inexpensive family meal.  I could probably count on one hand the number of times I have actually eaten a Sloppy Joe.  Zero of these times have included a prepackaged sauce, a.k.a. Manwich.  On the other hand, my husband has a different story to tell.  J.T. remembers eating Sloppy Joe’s regularly as a child, and only on special occasions did his family have Manwich.  According to J.T. the proper name for the Sloppy Joe is the Sloppy Jim.  J.T.’s first name is Joseph and he comes from a long line of men by the name of Joe.  J.T.’s father, Joe, started calling this sandwich the Sloppy Jim because Joe’s were not sloppy.  It only took me half a week to notice that J.T. had changed my menu plan…see?

recipe adapted from 100 Days of Real Food

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup chopped carrots
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ⅔ cups marinara sauce, preferably homemade, or 1 (15 ounce) can
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ teaspoons Celtic sea salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Brown the ground meat in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Drain and set aside.
2. In the same sauté pan heat the olive oil.  Add the carrots, celery, and onion and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the ground beef back to the pan and stir in the marinara sauce, honey, vinegar, mustard, sea salt, chili powder, pepper, and cinnamon.  Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.  
3. Serve atop warm whole grain corn muffins or bread of choice.  

Make ahead:  Prepare the recipe as listed above and transfer to a heatproof dish.  Reheat in the microwave for 15 minutes or 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  This dish can be frozen for 3 months.  Double the recipe above and freeze half to pull out for a future meal.  

Homemade Hamburger Helper

     The first time I made this dish, J.T. loved it.  He said it tasted like homemade hamburger helper, so that is what I decided to name my new recipe.  This meal was created for budgetary reasons, but has become one of my quickest weeknight meals that we both look forward to seeing on the weekly menu plan.  Since this recipe is made up of just a hand full of items, it is important to invest in good quality ingredients.  While I realize not many people have time to make their own marinara sauce, it is the most important ingredient in this recipe.  My crock pot version (coming to the blog soon!) is quite simple to make, but a good quality store bought sauce will do in a pinch.  To make this meal even speedier, cook your rice in advance, so all you have to do is brown the beef and heat the sauce.  

Ingredients

• 2 cups long grain brown rice
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or coarse ground black pepper
• 3 ½ cups (28 ounces) marinara sauce

Directions

1.     Cook the brown rice using your steamer, rice cooker, or stove top.  

2.     In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown the ground beef.  Drain the beef to remove any grease and return the beef to the pan.  Add the sea salt, pepper, and marinara sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.  

3.     Stir in the cooked rice and heat through.  

Make ahead:  Prepare the recipe as instructed above, cooking the rice until just al dente.  Transfer to an ovenproof or microwave safe dish.  The dish may be reheated in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, uncovered.  Alternatively, it can be reheated in a microwave safe dish, covered with plastic wrap, for 20 minutes.  

Stuffed Cabbage

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

  

Ingredients

• 1 head cabbage
  
• 1 pound ground chuck (80/20)
  
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 2 carrots, shredded
  
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  
• ½ cup uncooked brown rice couscous
  
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  
• 3 cups tomato sauce (I used the leftover tomato sauce from this)
  
• Kosher salt and black pepper
  

Directions

1. To prepare the cabbage: Place the cabbage in a deep bowl. Heat a small pot of bowl water on the stove. Pour the boiling water over the cabbage and steam for ten minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep-dish skillet. Add the onions, carrots, celery, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables have softened. Set aside to cool.
   
3. Once the cabbage is done steaming, drain off the water. Core the cabbage and remove 10 leaves. Dry the leaves thoroughly. (leftover cabbage can be made into this)
   
4. In a medium bowl mix together cooled vegetables, ground chuck, brown rice couscous, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Spoon ¼ to 1/3 of mixture into each cabbage leaf. Fold the leaves into rolls. Place prepared rolls back in deep-dish skillet. Add the tomato sauce (and a little water or chicken broth if needed) to completely submerge the rolls. Cover and cook for about an hour. Serves 5.
   

*Note: This is an easy, make ahead dish. They tasted even better after sitting in the fridge for a few days.

Weeknight Bolognese

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 pound lean ground sirloin
• 1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
  
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 large cloves)
  
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  
• 1 ¼ cup dry red wine, divided
  
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, packed lightly
  
• ¼ cup almond milk
  
• Parmesan cheese, for serving if desired
  
• Cooked brown rice or pasta
  

Directions

1. Heat a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground sirloin and break apart into clumps with wooden spoon, cooking until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain fat from meat and set aside.
   
2. In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onions and sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add reserved meat, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of red wine and use wooden spoon to scrap up any browned bits from bottom of the pot. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper; stirring until combined. Bring the sauce to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
   
3. To finish the sauce add the nutmeg, basil, almond milk, and remaining ¼ cup of wine. Simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened. Serve sauce over rice or pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired. Serves 4.
   

Recipe adapted from How Easy Is That?

Real Meatballs

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 ½ pounds ground beef
  
• ½ pound ground pork
  
• 1 ¼ cups gluten free breadcrumbs
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf-parsley
  
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
• 2 extra-large eggs, beaten
  
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
  
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion
  
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  
• 1 cup good red wine
  
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  

Directions

1. Place the ground meats, bread crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg, eggs, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 1½ to 2-inch meatballs. You will have 24 to 28 meatballs.
   
2. Pour canola oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.
   
3. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the garlic and onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.
   
4. Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes; uncover and simmer an additional 15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and sauce has thickened. Serve hot on cooked brown rice spaghetti or spaghetti squash. 
 

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

 Shepherd's Pie

recipe adapted from Melissa d'Arabian

Ingredients

Garlicky Potato Topping:

• 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 cup almond milk
• 3 tablespoons EVOO
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Nonstick cooking spray

Filling:

• 4 slices bacon, cut into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 to 3 medium carrots, roughly chopped, (about 1 cup)
• 3/4 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1 can GF beef broth
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

1. Prepare potato topping: In a large saucepan add the potatoes and garlic and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. Transfer the potatoes and garlic to a large bowl. Add the almond milk, EVOO, salt and pepper, and beat on low speed with a hand mixer until the potatoes are light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. If the mixture is too dry, add additional milk. Do not overmix. Cover and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch round baking dish with nonstick spray.
3. Prepare filling: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally until browned and almost crisp, about 7 to 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate; set aside.
4. Add the oil to the drippings in the skillet and put over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the sugar, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Stir in the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat, until the beef begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the carrots, peas, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring, until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and broth, bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes Add the cooked bacon, rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.
5. Spoon the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread the potato topping evenly over the beef mixture. Bake until the filling is hot, the topping is lightly browned and the edges are bubbly, about 35 minutes. Let rest out of the oven for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. 

 Christmas Pasta

recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 2 tbs. EVOO
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup good quality dry red wine
• 1 cup prepared beef broth, paper container or canned
• 2 (32-ounce) cans chunky style crushed tomatoes
• A handful chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon (a couple of pinches) allspice or cinnamon
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• 2 pounds Gluten-Free brown rice penne rigate, cooked to al dente

 Directions

1. In a large skillet brown ground beef; drain off excess fat and set meat aside. 
2. Heat a deep pot over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, bay, and cook for about 30 seconds. Add meat and cook for 2 minutes. 
3. Chop carrot, celery, and onions near the stove and add to the pot as you work. Cook vegetables with meat 5 minutes and add wine. Cook for 1 minute; add stock and tomatoes to the pot.
4. Stir in parsley, allspice, or cinnamon and season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook 10 to 15 minutes minimum before serving. Reheated sauce only improves.
5. Toss pasta with sauce to coat, then top bowl with extra sauce.

Garlic Bread

recipe adapted from Ina Garten

 Ingredients

• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1 loaf ciabatta or French bread
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

 Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process until minced. Add the parsley, oregano, salt and pepper and pulse twice.
3. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan and add the garlic mixture. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. Slice the ciabatta bread in half horizontally, and spread the butter on 1 half. Spread the garlic mixture on the other half of the bread, and put the halves together. Wrap the bread in aluminum foil.
5. Place the bread in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Open the foil, and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes.

 Wild Rice with Cranberries

recipe adapted from Complete Gluten-Free Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. wild rice
• 3 c. GF chicken broth
• 1 c. chopped onions
• 2 c. sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 c. dried cranberries
• 1/2 c. chopped almonds
• 1 tbs. snipped fresh rosemary
• pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a sieve, rinse wild rice under cold running water; drain well.  In a large saucepan, combine rice, broth, and onions. Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 35 minutes.  Stir in mushrooms, cranberries, almonds, rosemary and pepper.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until rice is soft but not mushy and liquid is absorbed.  Serve hot. Serves 6.  

Mini Meatloaves

recipe adapted from Complete Gluten-Free Cookbook

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. cooked brown rice
• 1/4 c. almond milk
• 2 tbs. ground flaxseed
• 1/4 c. warm water
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 c. diced mushrooms
• 2 tbs. grainy Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (80/20)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine rice and milk.  Let stand for 10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine flaxseed and warm water; let stand for 5 minutes.  Add to rice.  Add onions, mushrooms, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper; mix well.  Using a fork, gently mix in beef. 
3. Spoon mixture evenly into 12 count prepared muffin tin or among 6 ramekins, packing lightly.  Place on baking sheet, as it may bubble over. 
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes (if using muffin tin) or 30 to 40 minutes (if using ramekins), or until meat thermometer inserted in a mini loaf registers 160 degrees and meat is no longer pink inside.  Let cooked mini meatloaves stand for 5 to 10 minutes.  Remove from tin, draining off excess liquid. Serves 6.

Pennywise Steaks

recipe adapted from couponmaximizer.com

  

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. ground chuck
• 3/4 c.GF bread crumbs
• 1 1/8 c. almond milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400′
2. Combine all ingredients except Worcestershire sauce in a medium-sized bowl (mix by hand til well-blended)
3. Shape meat into 6 steaks and place in a baking dish
4. Sprinkle with Worcestershire to taste (6 shakes per steak)
5. Bake 30 minute.  Serves 6.

Squash Pie

recipe adapted from elanaspantry.com

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, cut in half, seeded
• 1 1/2 tbs. EVOO
• 1 tbs. honey
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tbs. vanilla extract
• 1/2  tsp. cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• brown sugar

Directions

1. Bake squash in the oven at 350° for 40 minutes, until soft
2. Scoop squash out of skin, discarding skin
3. Place squash in food processor with oil, honey, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt
4. Puree until smooth and creamy
5. Place 4 ramekins and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and serve.  Serves 4.