Tacos

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 small white onion, finely chopped

1 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. ground cardamon

4 T. chili powder

1 t. ground black pepper
1/3 C. tomato sauce

In large skillet, saute ground beef until well browned, stirring occasionally. Drain fat. Add onion and seasonings. Reduce heat, cook while stirring for 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce and cook 5 minutes.

Toppings:

12 leaves romaine lettuce, cut julienne

3 large tomatoes, finely chopped

1 (10 oz) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese

12 Taco shells

In medium bowl, combine romaine, tomatoes, and 2/3 of cheese.

Heat oven to 350°F. and warm taco shells for 5 minutes.

To serve, divide Meat Filling into taco shells. Add Topping to fill taco. Place in serving dish with high sides; top with remaining cheese and serve with salsa.

Spaghetti with Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 lb. lean ground beef (or veal)
1 egg
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. fresh parsley
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. fresh black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. Finely chop onion and garlic and place in a mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients and mix by hand until well blended.

Roll into 1-inch balls (or larger, if you wish). Place meatballs onto a tray and bake in oven for 10 minutes, or until meatballs are browned. Makes about 20 meatballs.

Tomato sauce:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 28 oz. cans plum tomatoes
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh black pepper
Bunch fresh basil, chopped

Heat olive oil in large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until lightly browned. Add crushed plum tomatoes, breaking tomatoes with back of wooden spoon. Add seasoning and bring to a boil.

Lower heat and simmer sauce for 20 minutes, adjusting salt and pepper, if required. Add browned meatballs to sauce and simmer additional 15 minutes. Serve with spaghetti or linguini.

Serves 8 to 10.

Pasta Primavera

This is a (virtually) fat free recipe that tastes great!
Source:  Cooking Without Fat

Ingredients:
	    1 cup  chopped onion
	    4      cloves garlic, chopped
	    4 Tbsp fat-free chicken broth
	    2 cans no-salt tomato sauce (15 oz each)
	    4 Tbsp honey
	    2 tsp  crushed dried oregano
	    2 tsp  crushed dried basil
	           pinch white pepper (optional)
	    1 lrg  red pepper, cut in 1-inch strips
	1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
	1 1/2 cups yellow summer squash or zucchini, in thin sticks 1 1/2" long
	1 1/2 cups carrot, in very thin sticks 1 1/2" long
	1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets
	    3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
	  3/4 cup  peas
	   10 oz   whole grain pasta, cooked
	  1/4 cup  chopped green onion
	    2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions: 
In medium saucepan, cook onion and garlic in 2 tbsp. broth 5-7 minutes
or until softened, over medium high heat.  Add tomato sauce, honey,
oregano, basil and white pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and
simmer gently for 20 minutes.

In skillet or wok, combine red pepper, mushrooms, squash, carrots,
broccoli and 2 tbsp. each balsamic vinegar and broth.  Stir-fry over
high heat until crisp tender, about 10 minutes; add peas and stir-fry
an additional 2 minutes.  Set aside.

Add 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar to sauce and cook for 5 minutes.  Reserve
1 cup sauce to serve at the table; pour remaining sauce over cooked
pasta and toss thoroughly.  Add stir-fried vegetables and toss again
thoroughly.  Sprinkle green onion and parsley over top and serve
immediately.

  Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

	2 12oz packages of elbow macaroni
	6      hard boiled eggs
	1 cup  thinly sliced celery
	1      red bell pepper, medium chopped
	1      green bell pepper, medium chopped
	2      tomatoes, medium chopped
	1 can  drained tuna fish
    1 1/2 cups mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
	       salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Boil the macaroni until tender; then place the pan in the sink and run
cold water over the macaroni until it is completely cooled down.  Boil
the eggs ahead of time, and run cold water over them until they are
completely cool.  Chop up the eggs into bite-sized peices.  

Put the vegetables, eggs, tuna, and mayonnaise in to a very large bowl.
Stir until slightly mixed.  Add macaroni and stir until completely
mixed.

Italian Meatloaf using Ground Turkey

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 lbs ground beef or chuck (or turkey!)
• 2 large peppers, red or green, coarsely chopped
• 1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons minced or pressed garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/3 teaspoon oregano
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (do not substitute)
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt or beef bouillon powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup ketchup (or more as needed)
• onion and garlic powder to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, combine meat, eggs, seasonings and remaining ingredients except ketchup and bacon, adding breadcrumbs to mixture last. If meat is low in fat, add up to 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix well.

Press meat into a loaf shaped pan, forming a dome shape. Brush top with ketchup and sprinkle with onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover with bacon slices. Baste occasionally with additional ketchup during cooking, being careful not to allow oven to get cold or additional cooking time will be required. If desired, cover with thinly sliced onions.

Bake uncovered 1 1/2 hours.

Variation: Substitute your favorite barbeque sauce for basting.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. beef, cut into cubes
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 6 tbsp. ketchup
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 2 med. onions, minced
• 1 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. vinegar
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1 (6 oz.) pkgs. noodles

DIRECTIONS:

Brown meat on all sides in fry pan; add onions. Combine paprika, brown sugar and salt.

Combine Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, ketchup; add to meat; add 1 cup of the water; stir; cover. Cook over low heat 2 1/2 hours or until meat is very tender.

Blend flour with remaining 1/2 cup water; add to meat mixture; stir until thickened. Boil noodles in salted water until tender; drain. Serve meat mixture over noodles.

Serves 6

This is quick, easy and very delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pkg. herb Rice A Roni mix
• 1 chicken pieces and seasoned
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 (10 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 c. celery
• 1/2 c. chopped onion

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare Rice A Roni. Brown seasoned chicken slowly in butter. Spoon rice into casserole dish. Top with chicken skin side up.

Add soup to skillet, stir until smooth. Stir in celery and onion. Bring to boil. Pour over chicken.

Cover and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until chicken is tender.

Ingredients:

	1 lb  ground beef
	2 lbs ricotta cheese
	1 pkg non-spaghetti pasta (I used radiatore... looks like those
                           Escher creatures that roll up into a ball.)
	1 small can tomato sauce  (or larger, depending on your tastes)

Optional:
	Garlic, oregano, etc. to taste
	Grated mozzarella cheese in conjunction with the ricotta
	An ounce or two of pepperoni or kielbasa or some other "pungent"
	meat in conjunction with the ground beef
	Eggplant or zucchini to replace meat for kosher/vegetarian variation

- - - - - - - -

Brown meat (and spices and/or pepperoni/kielbasa) and boil water for
pasta. Cook pasta until al dente. Mix meat and cheese, in a large pan,
and add cooked pasta. Spread evenly throughout pan.  Drizzle tomato
sauce on top (and more spices, if desired), and bake for 20 or 30
minutes at 350 degrees or until cheese is just starting to turn brown
(or if most of the cheese is covered by tomato sauce, until the sauce is
bubbling).

Oven Beef Stew

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds beef stew cubes
• 1 (32 ounce) can tomato juice or V-8 cocktail
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1 beef bouillon cube (optional)
• 3 or 4 carrots, sliced
• 4 or 5 potatoes, cubed
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 250° F.

In a casserole dish, blend salt and pepper, sugar (optional), oregano, flour and one crushed beef bouillon cube (optional).

Stir in tomato juice, mixing well to combine. Add remaining ingredients.

Cover and bake about four hours.

If using a slow cooker, which also works well for this dish, set your timer for six to eight hours on the medium setting.

Stir - Fry Vegetables with Tofu

This is a protein packed food with a good serving of vegetables!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pack firm tofu
• 1 broccoli head, cut into florets
• ½ colored bell pepper, diced
• 1 celery stack, diced
• ½ onion, sliced
• 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
• pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½” ginger, minced
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/3 cup less sodium stir fry sauce
• dry roasted peanuts

DIRECTIONS:

Drain tofu before cutting into 3/4″ cubes – place uncut firm tofu in between several layers of paper towels and let a heavy bottom pan to sit on top of it for few minutes.

• Cut tofu into 3/4″ pieces
• Heat oil in a wok over high heat
• Add garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and stir-fry for few seconds
• Add onion, celery, bell pepper, broccoli florets and stir-fry 3 minutes
• Add stir-fry sauce, diced tomatoes and cut tofu
• Stir gently to coat tofu and vegetables with sauce – make sure not to break tofu
• Reduce heat and cook until tomatoes and tofu are heated through
• Sprinkle with dry roasted peanuts before serving

Serves 4