The Easiest Spaghetti and Meatballs

This is the easiest ever Spaghetti and meatballs. Normally, I'm not a cheater when it comes to sauces like this. I usually start them early in the morning and cook it all day so that the flavors can make merriment in the crockpot and I get to enjoy it immensely at dinner. Unfortunately, that was not the case yesterday, but I have a long list of quick tricks that I use to make dinner in no time flat and it still tastes good. This is a pretty basic sauce and you can add vegetables and keep it vegetarian, or brown some hamburger and then add the rest of the ingredients, or, buy a Costco size bag of meatballs and throw some of those in for the ultimate cheater dinner. I am shameless. And no one in my house is starving.

Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14oz cans Italian Style Diced Tomatoes
1 14oz can Tomato Sauce
1 teaspoon Taco Seasoning (the secret ingredient)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Frozen meatballs (I use 4 per person)

Over medium-high heat, saute garlic in olive oil (do not let it get too brown). Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Stir well, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Carefully add meatballs to the sauce, stir to coat and cover. Let simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Serve over spaghetti noodles with sourdough bread and a nice Cabernet (yum!). Serves 4.

Fish Filet

Today is Ash Wednesday. My fellow Catholics are meatless today, and every Friday until Easter. This here is a quick and easy fish recipe to make their lives easier. If you like fish, it can make your life easier too, because it is really quick, and tastes just like you ordered it from the restaurant!

Fresh Fish (perch, whitefish, tilapia, orange roughy)
Butter
fresh lemom

Place fish filets in dish. Put a pat of butter on each fish. Squeeze lemon over the fish. Cover with wax paper. Place in microwave. Microwave on HIGH for five minutes. Remove fish. If it flakes easily, you are done. If not, cover again and try for another couple of minutes. Fish is done when it flakes easily. Orange roughy takes less time than tilapia.
Serve with salad.

Too easy? Sorry. I am not good with fish, so my cousin gave me this recipe. Now, I appear to be good with fish, because this is really good!

Next week I start a psuedo ecoatkins diet. I am going semi vegetarian. What is semi vegetarian? Well, I will still eat chicken and fish, but only maybe once a week. True ecoatkins dieter are completely vegetarian, but want the benefits of the atkins diet. I couldn't be further from vegetarian. I like eatng meat. Yum. However, my thyroid is acting up again, and I read that a semi vegetarian eco atkins diet will help to rejuvenate it. I say it couldn't hurt, right. So I am coinciding my efforts with Lent. Probably not the most appropriate use of Lent, but maybe I can dedicate the extra energy to something particularly spiritual, and then all things come out even. Anyway, I know this is a recipe blog, but I thought I'd catch you up on why I may be posting recipes different from the usual fare.


I really can't wait to try these flourless brownies.
Black bean brownie recipe.

Super Easy Cinnamon Whatevers

Captain Obvious posting today.

You know, if you spray I Can't Believe It's Not Butter on refrigerator biscuits, and sprinkle Cinnamon and Splenda over it, and bake as directed, it tastes really good, and is no more fattening than the biscuits by themselves. It is not as good as real Cinnamon buns, but it is better than plain biscuits.
I am trying to get more Cinnamon in my mom and my diet. It's supposed to be good for preventing UTIs. TMI? Sorry....

Spanish Rice With Black Beans

I used to hate rice as a kid. I don't know why, because I love it now and I use it in a lot of dishes.I prefer brown rice over white rice because it's a little more hearty, filling and it makes me feel like I'm eating healthier. This is a super easy versatile dish that I have finally perfected to my taste, and tonight, I braised some boneless skinless chicken thighs, shredded the meat when it was done and stuffed all of this goodness into some tortillas with cheese and salsa. You can also brown hamburger and then cook according to the directions below. Or, just enjoy as is.

Spanish Rice with Black Beans
2 Tablespoons Butter
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Cup Brown Rice
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Coriander
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
Dash of Cayenne Pepper
1 14oz Can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1 14oz Can Black Beans, Drained
1/2 Cup Cilantro

In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add rice and brown, stirring often so as not to burn rice. Approximately 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, water, cumin, coriander, chili powder and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add black beans and stir well. Cover and continue simmering until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Add cilantro and stir well to mix.

Serves 4-6.

Tater Tot Casserole With Zip

I have been remiss in posting on this fabulous food blog because I've just been so darn busy lately. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of this dish, because by the time I was going to take a picture it was all gone. So, I guess you'll just have to make it and see it for yourself. This is super fast and easy to make, but when you pull this out of the oven you'd better grab some quick because if you turn around it's going to be gobbled up!

Tater Tot Casserole With Zip
1 lb. ground beef
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 14oz can cut green beans
2 cans Campbells Fiesta Cheese Soup
1 package frozen tater tots

In a skillet brown ground beef. Add seasoned salt and mix well. Add green beans and soup. Spray a 13 x 9 dish with cooking spray and add beef mixture. Top with frozen tater tots. Bake for 35 minutes at 400°, or until tater tots are nice and crisp.

Enjoy!

Franks and Beans in a Slow Cooker

My friend Beth, at that's not me anymore, Beth's take on technology and microwave hot dogs. has initiated a conversation about gourmet hot dog suppers. I thought I would contribute this:

Franks and Beans in a Slow Cooker

2 16 oz cans of great northern beans, drained
1 16oz can of cut green beans, drained
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 chopped onion
¼ cup of sugar or sugar substitute
2 tsp of yellow mustard
A dash of black pepper
16 oz of frankfurters, cut into circles

Spray container with butter flavored cooking spray. Combine beans and tomato sauce in the container. Add onion, sugar, mustard, and pepper. Mix well. Stir in frankfurters. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving.

If you choose fat free hot dogs and use sugar substitute, viola (that sic is for you Annie), you have a diet supper.