Easy Italian Meatballs

Who doesn't love meatballs? Who actually cooks them at home? Over the years, I have realized that some people find meatballs to be confusing and hard to make (by people I mean me. Matt remembers my first attempt at baking them...). In reality, it's not any harder than making meatloaf. I promise you.

Ingredients
1 pound Hamburger meat
1 package of Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage
1 Small onion, chopped
3/4 Cup of Italian Bread Crumbs
1tsp Garlic Salt
1Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1Tbsp Minced Garlic
2 Eggs, Beaten

1. Mix hamburger and sausage together in medium sized bowl



2. Line baking pan with wax paper



3. Add eggs to Hamburger and sausage mixture



4. Chop onion



5. Measure out Garlic Salt, Italian Seasoning, and Minced Garlic (you can mince fresh, I am out, so I used my jar)



4. Add Onion, Garlic Salt, Italian Seasoning, and Minced Garlic to meat mixture



5. This is important: HAND MIX. This is the best way to make sure that everything is mixed well. You're going to have to use your hands to roll the balls, so go ahead and get them dirty!




6. Roll mixture into golf ball sized balls, and place on baking sheet.



7. Place baking sheet into fridge for at least 1 hour. I did this at 12pm and am not going to be adding them to the pasta sauce until about 4pm. You can even do them the night before it needed. If your day is going to be busy, do it! Prep makes life so much easier. Here are the balls fresh out of the fridge:



8. When ready, heat frying pan with 1Tbsp of olive oil. Fry meatballs on each side, lightly browning, but not cooking through.





9. Add Meatballs to pasta sauce, which should be cooking on low heat in a crock pot, or med-low heat on stove.



10. Cook for 2 hours, or until cooked through.



11. Serve over spaghetti noodles!

Not From Texas Chili

Made completely from scratch, and completely delicious chili. Texans will want to kill me because I use beans. Sorry!

Ingredients:
1lb Hamburger Meat
1 Bell Pepper
2 Jalapenos
1 Medium Onion
3 Garlic Clove
1/2 stick butter
30oz Can Tomato Sauce (or 2 15oz)
28oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
2 Cans Bushes Chili Beans (these come in hot, medium, and mild. Choose your taste)
2 Cans Bushes Light Red Kidney Beans (if you prefer dark, fine)
3tsp Paprika
2tsp Cumin
1tsp Chipotle Seasoning
3Tbsp Chili Powder

Optional Ingredients:
1.5lb Eye of Round/Flank Steak
Cayenne Pepper
Cheese for Garnish


1. Grab your onion, garlic, jalapenos, and bell pepper, chop and dice into small pieces (garlic minced)




2. Brown hamburger meat with 1tsp of paprika



3. In large stock pot, melt 1/2 stick of butter, and lightly saute chopped veggies (OK, technically peppers are a fruit, hush)



4. OPTIONAL: Cut steak into small pieces and brown




5. Make sure to drain grease from both meats and add to stock pot, stirring in with saute



6. Mix in 2tsp Paprika, 2tsp Cumin, 1tsp Chipotle, 3Tbsp Chili powder



7. Add all cans of tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes to stock pot, stirring well


8. Drain Kidney Beans, add to stock pot



9. Add in chili bean and the sauce they are in to the stock pot and stir in well



10. OPTIONAL: Add in Cayenne pepper for hot. If you are not sure, I suggest to add in 1/8tsp at a time. I use 1/4tsp for our family, because while I like it hot, they complain


11. Cover with lid and let simmer for 1 hour and 45 minutes



12. Serve with crackers or cornbread

Baked Spaghetti

It's been a long day, and I am tired. My go to meal? Spaghetti. When it's Matt making the meal (the only meal he can make, even if he doesn't spice it up), it's regular seashell spaghetti. Made like regular spaghetti, but with the seashell noodles. We like it better. However, when I make it, I like cheese (this is why I'm fat?). So, I make a baked spaghetti. It looks to be a lot more hassle than it is, and I promise, it's worth it.

Here is the best part. Almost all of the main ingredients are from Aldi. Yes, Aldi! With the exception of the hamburger meat and specialty cheeses (Asiago and Parmesan) which are from Harris Teeter, this is an Aldi meal.

Ingredients:
1 Box of Pasta
1-2 Jars Pasta Sauce
1lb Hamburger Meat
3tsp Pre-minced Garlic or 6 Garlic Cloves, minced
1Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/2Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
2.5 Cups Mozzarella/Italian Cheeses
6Tbsp Cream Cheese

Optional:
Asiago Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. In a skillet brown hamburger meat with minced garlic, red pepper, and italian seasoning. (here are pictures of the seasonings and the type of pre-minced garlic.)



3. Drain the excess grease


4. Stir the meat in with the pasta sauces. I am out of homemade, so I used my next fave. I prefer my spaghetti to be saucy, so I do two jars. If you prefer less sauce, use one.
(Spaghetti sauce is from Aldi)




5. Cook your pasta, al dente, according the the box, then drain.


6. Place cooked noodles in large bowl


7. Melt your cream cheese, 3Tbsp at a time, mixing with pasta



8. After the cream cheese is well blended, stir in 1 cup of Italian/Mozzarella cheese



9. Add in meat sauce, holding back 1 cup for topping, mix well



9. OPTIONAL mix in 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese



11. Spread evenly into a 9x13 baking dish



12. Cover the noodles with the extra sauce that you held back earlier



13. Spread 1.5cups of Italian/Mozzarella cheese on top, evenly



14. OPTIONAL: Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan and Asiago Cheeses



15. Cook, covered, for 30 minutes



16. Let stand for 15 minutes, to setting. Then serve and enjoy!

Cheesy Taco Bake

We love mexican in our family. Almost as much as we love Italian. So, tonight, as a different spin on things, I decided to make a Taco Bake instead of regular tacos.

Ingredients:
1 medium Onion
2tsp EVOO (extra virgin Olive Oil)
1.5 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Taco Seasoning (either pack or make yourself)
8 flour tortillas
8 cups shredded cheese (28 oz)
2/3 cup of milk
1.5-2lbs hamburger meat
1/2 cup water
Sour Cream
Shredded Lettuce
Tomato

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Brown your hamburger meat and drain. Apparently there is a new movement where people rinse their cooked hamburger with water. Please do not do this. Use chicken instead or something, but do not ruin the meat.


3. Add meat back to the pan and add 1 cup of water and taco seasoning mix, bring to slight boil, reduce to medium heat and leave for 4 minutes.



4. Chop your onion into small cubes. I have this, and it's the only ASOTV item I have ever liked. Add 2tsp EVOO to pan and saute your onions on high heat until browned. Set aside.



5. Mix the milk and the cheese into a saucepan and cook until melted. Add Cayenne pepper and sauteed onions



6. Using 9x11 (or similar size) pan, butter spray the bottom lightly, and then add two tortillas, side by side. They will overlap, this is fine.


7. Spread 1/2 the meat mixture on top, covering to the edge



8. Cover meat mixture with 2 more tortillas, like you did the bottom.



9. Spread 3/4 cheese mixture on top, spreading till near the edge.



10. Repeat step 8


11. Mix remaining cheese with remaining meat and spread on top.




12. Lightly butter the top of the remaining tortillas, and place on top of meat and cheese.

13. Bake in oven for 15 minutes

14. Remove and let cool, topping with sour cream, shredded lettuce, and tomato. (even extra shredded cheese if wanted)



ENJOY!!!!