Working Mom's Recipe of the Week

Quick Weeknight Stew

Servings = 4

Time = 30 min

Ingredients

2 T olive oil

1 1b stew meat

1 onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 T all purpose flour

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

4 c chicken broth

2 large peeled carrots, sliced into rounds

1 celery stalk, sliced

3 red potatoes, cut into cubes

Handful button mushrooms

1/2 t salt

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add meat, onion and garlic. Cook until meat is browned on all sides, but not done through.

2. In a shallow dish, mix the salt and pepper into the flour. Sprinkle over the meat, onions and garlic - stirring constantly until flour is all moist.

3. Slowly pour chicken broth over the meat mixture, stirring constantly.

4. Add veggies and remaining salt. Cover and simmer until potatoes and carrots are soft; about 10 minutes.

Notes - You can use any veggies you like in the stew. You can add any spices you like - rosemary, thyme, sage, etc. or you can just go with salt and pepper.

Working Mom's Recipe of the Week

This is an easy dish that makes enough for 2 meals. I was skeptical that my daughter would like it, but she declared this to be a "great dinner". Enjoy.

Ragu Bolognese

Servings = 8

Time = 30 min

Ingredients

Olive Oil

1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)

1/2 c dry white wine or chicken broth

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 c milk

1/2 lb spaghetti

1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add beef/turkey and cook until done. Add wine, onion, carrot, celery, oregano, salt and pepper - simmer until liquid is almost all evaporated. Stir in tomatoes, with juices, and milk. Reduce heat and simmer while you cook the spaghetti. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add spaghetti. Cook to al dente then drain. Add spaghetti to skillet and mix well. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with a side salad.

Working Mom's Recipe of the Week

Chicken Fried Steak, Beans and Home Fries

Servings = 4

Time =40 min

Ingredients

3 cups fresh green beans

4 medium potatoes

olive oil

1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash

1.5 lb cube steak

1 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp pepper

Directions

1. Trim green beans and slice into 2 inch pieces. Steam until fork tender.

2. Preheat oven to 450 F. Wash potatoes. Cut into 1/4-inch thick strips. Toss with a little olive oil. Spread on baking sheet and put in oven.

3. Transfer green beans to a baking dish coated with olive oil. Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash. Cover and cook in microwave for 7 minutes.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

5. Cut cube steak into 4 pieces. Put flour, salt, garlic powder and pepper in a large zip-lock bag. Add cube steak. Shake to coat. When the skillet is hot, add cube steak and cook for 5 minutes.

6. While cube steak is cooking, give the fries a shake and place back in oven.

7. Flip the cube steaks over. Cook for another 5-8 minutes or until done through.

8. Sprinkle the fries with salt before serving.

Notes: This is a serious comfort food but with the fat trimmed. Make sure not to flip, or even check, the cube steak too soon. To mimic the browning that comes from deep-fat-frying, you need to flip just once and get a good scald on each side. You can cook the beans more or less depending on how soft you like them. If you like beans crispy, don't microwave at all, just mix with Mrs. Dash and serve.

Working Mom's Recipe of the Week

Meatballs
Serves 8

Time = 1 hr

Ingredients

4 slices white bread, crusts removed
1/3 c low-fat milk
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, diced
2 T olive oil
1 large egg
1 t salt
1 t sugar
1/4 t black pepper
1 t dried thyme
1 t dried basil
1/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese
2 lb lean ground beef*
Cooking spray
4 c marinara sauce
4 hoagie rolls, split in half
Pre-shredded part-skim Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Tear bread apart and place in a bowl. Pour milk over and let sit.

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until soft and opaque. Remove from heat and let cool.

Crack egg into a large glass bowl and beat with a fork. Add salt, pepper, thyme, basil and cheese - stir.

Stir in onions and garlic.

Add beef and bread to bowl. Use fingers to mix thoroughly, breaking up the bread.

Coat a large cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Form meatballs - 1 inch rounds - and place on cookie sheet. The meatballs can be nearly touching because they will shrink in the oven.

Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes or until lightly brown on top and juices are clear.

At the same time, heat marinara sauce on stove over medium heat.One serving equals half a hoagie roll with 3 meatballs, 1/4 c sauce and 1 T Mozzarella cheese.

Working Mom's Recipe of the Week

This cold, rainy weather makes me want comfort food and one of my all-time favorite comfort foods is meatloaf. Here is a great meatloaf recipe from Jamie Oliver. I tweaked it by not including chiles in the sauce (Jordan doesn't like spicy food) and I served it with green beans. Yum, yum!

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/pot-roast-meatloaf-usa-version-imperial

Working Mom's Recipe of the Week

Beef Kabobs
Servings = 4
Time = 30 min

Ingredients
1 c uncooked white rice
1/2 c hoisin sauce
3 T water
2 T olive oil
1 T soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 T red pepper flakes (optional)
3 c large fresh broccoli florets
2 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 3/4 inch thick rounds
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 lb beef tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions
Cook rice according to directions. Keep warm

In a small bowl, combine hoisin sauce, water, oil, soy sauce and pepper flakes. Thread broccoli, squash, red bell pepper and beef, alternating, onto four metal (or soaked wooden) skewers. Brush each with glaze. Grill over medium heat for 6-7 min on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness. Add more glaze when you flip the kabob. Serve with rice.

Notes - You could also use mushrooms, zucchini, green/yellow bell peppers - anything that holds up well to grilling.

From tasteofhome.com - summer grilling

Working Mom's Recipe of the Week

Moroccan Lamb Patties
Servings = 4
Time = 20 min

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon salt
1½ cups couscous
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound lean ground lamb (or beef)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground allspice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Roma tomato, diced
Tzatziki (0r plain yogurt)
4 pitas


Directions
1. In a small saucepan, bring 1½ cups water and salt to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover and remove from the heat. After 5 minutes, fluff the couscous with a fork; season with pepper. Cover to keep warm.
2. In a bowl, combine the beef, garlic, onion, paprika, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons parsley and 1 teaspoon salt. Form into 8 patties.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef patties and cook for about 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare or until done.
4. Fluff the couscous again with a fork and add remaining parsley and tomatoes.
5. Serve two patties with couscous and tzatziki in a pita.

Notes
Humus, olives and cucumber are good additions to this meal. My daughter doesn't like the couscous with parsley and tomato, so I reserve a little plain couscous for her.

St Paddy's Day - Working Moms Recipe

Irish Stew

Ingredients
olive oil
3 1/2 lbs lamb, cubed (or beef)
1 T flour
1 c water
1 lb frozen pearl onions, thawed
2 1/2 c beef broth
2 1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 T fresh, chopped thyme
1/2 c fresh, chopped chives

Directions
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat; brown the lamb. When lamb is just brown, sprinkle the flour over and mix until flour is moist. Remove lamb to a large Crockpot. Pour water into the skillet and scrape up the bits; pour into Crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Cook on low for 5 hours.

Notes: Serve with crusty bread or in bread bowls.

Submitted: Mindy Brooks

Working Moms Recipe of the Week - March 12, 2010

Quick Italian Soup
Number of Servings: 6
Prep to Serve: 35 min

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (½ c)
5 c hot water
I box Hamburger Helper Lasagna
1 can (14.5 oz.) tomatoes with juice
1 c frozen cut corn
1 small zucchini, chopped into big chunks (1 cup)
Shredded Parmesan

Directions:
In a large stock pot cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in hot water, contents of sauce mix pouch from Hamburger Helper box, tomatoes and corn. Bring to boil, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in contents of uncooked pasta pouch from Hamburger Helper box and zucchini. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer. Sprinkle each serving with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Notes: Recommend serving with French bread.

Submitted: Julie Rawls