Lasagna

This is another old family favorite from my  Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook with, of course a few changes I have made.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon whole basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
lasagna noodles
2 eggs
3 cups 1% cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound mozzarella cheese sliced very thinly

Brown meat.
Add next five ingredients.
Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often.
Cook noodles in salted boiling water till el dente, drain.
Beat eggs, add remaining ingredients, except mozzarella.

Layer 1/2 the noodles in a 13x9 inch baking dish.
Spread 1/2 cheese filling, add 1/2 the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 meat sauce.
Repeat the layers.
Bake at 375 about 30 minutes, 45 minutes if from the fridge.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Beef Stroganoff

The first time I moved out on my own, I was in university and living with two girls who hated to cook.  I bought my first cookbook, ( Better Homes and Gardens) and made my first meal, beef stroganoff.   It was  a huge success and I was voted the cook from then on.

This dish became one of our family favorites, and my trusty cookbook has been handed down to my oldest daughter.  I now have the newer edition of Better Homes and Gardens.  The recipe in this edition is different than the original, so I adapt according to experience and memory.  This is a recipe where the measurements are not "exact", I vary the amount of liquids according to the thickness of the sauce.

Ingredients

1 pound  boneless beef sirloin steak
2 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1  1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic minced
1  10 oz. can beef bullion
1/2  cup water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup fat free sour cream
1 package broad egg noodles, cooked according to package directions

Place the flour and seasonings into a bag.
Trim fat from the meat.
Thinly slice the meat across the grain into bite-size strips  (it is best if your meat is still partially frozen to slice more easily).
Place the beef strips into the plastic bag and shake until meat is well covered.
Melt butter over high heat in a heavy pan. Quickly brown the meat and remove from the pan. In the same pan add the onions , mushrooms and garlic and cook over medium high heat until onions and mushrooms are soft.
Lower heat to medium and return the meat into the pan.  Add the beef bullion, water, tomato paste and wine, stirring until combined.  Simmer slowly for 20 minutes then add the sour cream, stirring well.  Heat through and serve over hot noodles.

Beef Enchiladas with Spicy Red Sauce

 I have always loved Mexican food.  Whenever possible I prefer to make things from skratch  rather than pre-packaged.  I tried this recipe for the first time and it is definitely a keeper.  I adapted this from  Allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/2 cup salsa
1- 6 ounce can tomato sauce
1- 6 ounce tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth

1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup cup prepared red enchilada sauce
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

6  (10 inch) tortilla shells
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

To make the spicy red sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add 1/2 cup of onion  and cook until softened.  Stir in 4 teaspoons garlic, and cook until fragrant.  Stir in the oregano, 3 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder, basil, salt and black pepper, 1 teaspoon of cumin, cilantro, salsa, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and chicken broth.
Bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 30 minutes, stirring often, until the flavors have blended and the sauce has thickened slightly.

While the spicy red sauce is simmering, cook and stir the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat is evenly browned.  Break the meat up into crumbles and drain off excess grease.   Mix in 3/4 cup of onion, 1 tablespoon of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon cumin into the meat, and cook and stir until the onions are softened and the meat mixture is fragrant with spices.  Stir in the enchilada sauce and beef broth; simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in 1/2  cup of cheddar cheese, and allow the cheese to melt into the meat sauce.  Reducae heat to low, and simmer the meat sauce for 30 more minutes to thicken.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread about 1/2 cup of the spicy red sauce over the bottom of  a 9x13 inch baking dish.  Fill each tortilla with meat sauce,  Roll the tortillas into enchiladas, and arrange in the baking dish, seam sides down.  Pour the remaining spicy red sauce over the enchiladas.  Top with 2 cups shredded cheese.
Bake until the cheese topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly, about 30 minutes.

I served these with sour cream.  Spicy and delicious!