Freezer Meal Marathon!

Last night, my sister and I decided to do a freezer meal marathon.  Stacey's expecting in October, and I'm headed back to work next week, so we thought it would be nice to stock our freezers...somehow our cooking takes a backseat to work and parenting, lol :)

This is what the kitchen looked like before starting!

I had done this before (you can check those recipes out here), so I decided to use a few of those that I liked and then I also found another website with some recipes that I wanted to try.  Throw in a meatloaf recipe from memory, and we had 38 meals done in about four hours!

I always want to give credit where credit is due, so here are the original websites with the recipes:

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-freezer-meals-make-8-meals.html
From this website, we made:
Chicken broccoli alfredo
Chicken cacciatore

I've made all of the recipes from this link though and can vouch for all of them...they're yummy!

http://joelandkitty.com/4o-freezer-meals-in-about-4-hours/
From this website, we made:
Manicotti
Sweet and sour chicken
Chicken tacos
Orange teriyaki chicken 

The rest of the recipes looked good, but we were going for fast recipes!  The ones we didn't make seemed a bit time intensive for our evening, so we thought we'd do those another time.

We also added Teriyaki Pork.  I'm not sure where I found this recipe at, so I'm not sure who to give credit to.

Teriyaki Pork

2-3 lbs boneless pork chops cut into small pieces.
1 medium onion sliced
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp. garlic
1 tsp. ginger
1/4 cup water

Step 1: After chopping the meat into bite sized pieces add it and all the ingredients to a gallon sized freezer bag.

Step 2: Freeze and then defrost in fridge the night before serving. Cook on high for 4 hours. Serve over rice with veggies.

We also made our favorite meatloaf recipe.  We use ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, eggs, liquid smoke, and salt and pepper.  Mix it all together and form into loaves.

We multiplied the recipes this way:
Chicken broccoli alfredo x 6
Chicken cacciatore x 6
Manicotti - this recipe makes enough for 6 (no need to multiply it)
Sweet and sour chicken x 4
Chicken tacos x 4
Orange teriyaki chicken x 4
Teriyaki pork x 4
Meatloaf x 4

Get Ready, Get Set...Freeze!

I'm trying my hardest to be as prepared as I can for baby number 2.  Last night, I put 12 pounds of ground beef in two of my crock-pots and let it cook up.  I drained it and bagged it in 1 lb. bags and stuck it all in the freezer. 

Today, I had to go get groceries for the week, so I thought I'd get some extra stuff to make some freezer meals for us after the baby arrives.  I found a great website www.sixsistersstuff.com which had 8 meals that could be made in 1 hour (that's my kind of cooking)!  The actual link to the recipes can be found at http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-freezer-meals-make-8-meals.html

Needless to say, I was thrilled...so, one trip to the grocery and one hour later, I had the following meals in my freezer:

Hearty Beef Stew
Cilantro Lime Chicken
BBQ Ribs (I did two of these)
Black Bean Taco Soup
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Chicken Cacciatore (I did two of these)
Maple Dijon Glazed Chicken (two of these, too)

I also found a recipe for Balsamic Drumsticks on another website (I can't remember where).  It was 8 drumsticks, 1 T. honey, 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar, and 3 T. soy sauce...super easy!  I did two of these as well.

12 meals in the freezer should hopefully come in handy after the little guy or gal gets here in a few weeks!

Kitchen Connection - Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

Andy starts a busy week next week at work, so Ben and I thought we would make some baked blueberry oatmeal for him for breakfast.  I can't take credit for the recipe...I found it at food.com.  You can find the recipe on their site by clicking here.  I've also posted it below, as well.

Recipe:

Mix together the following ingredients:

4 T butter, melted

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 c. applesauce (I used my own canned with cinnamon, so that gave it some extra flavor)

1 1/2 c. milk

In a separate bowl, combine:

3 c. quick oats

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. salt

I also added 1/4 t. nutmeg

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.

Stir in 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries. Bake in a greased 2 quart baking dish at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Enjoy!

 Ben and I are ready to put it in the oven...yum!



 While it was baking, Ben decided he needed to eat some frozen blueberries :)



Kitchen Connection ~ Tex-Mex Chicken and Zucchini

I tried another Weight Watcher recipe tonight, and it was delicious!  This recipe serves four, and is only 6 PointsPlus/serving.

Tex-Mex Chicken and Zucchini

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
1 medium onion, diced
1 large zucchini, halved length-wise and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 c. corn
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes with sauce

Mix first four spices together.  Add 1 1/2 tsp. of spice mixture to chicken chunks; reserves remaining spices for later.  Heat 1 tsp. oil in large skillet.  Add chicken and cook until brown (about 5 minutes).  Remove to plate.  Add remaining oil to pan.  Add onions, and cook until tender (about 5 minutes).  Add zucchini and corn and cook another 5 minutes, until zucchini is tender.  Add minced garlic and remaining spice mix to zucchini, onions and corn.  Cook about 30 seconds, and then add diced tomatoes (with sauce).  Stir in chicken and cook about 5-8 minutes more.  Serve over brown rice or couscous.

I finally did it!

I've been wanting to try my hand at making my own laundry soap for awhile, and tonight, I finally did it.  Yes, you guessed it, I found a recipe for it on Pinterest (where else would I have found it)? :)

The idea came from www.beingcreativetokeepmysanity.blogspot.com.  Her directions were so easy to follow!

I had to document it with pictures (of course), so here is how it's done.

First, get the right ingredients (all of this cost less than $20.00 at Walmart):

• 3 lbs. of Oxi-Clean
• 4 lb. 12 oz box of Borax
• 4 lb. box of baking soda
• 55 oz. box of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
• 3 bars of Fels-Naptha

Second, grate the Fels-Naptha bars.

Third, throw it all in a big bucket and mix it up...that's it!  How easy is this.  From start to finish, it took me less that 30 minutes to make the whole batch (and that included the mini photo session).

Here is the finished product, which should be enough to last me 9-12 months (all for less than $20.00)!!! 



According to the original blogger, she said to use 1-2 Tbs. per load.  It's safe for HE machines too!  Just make sure you put it directly in the drum if you have an HE machine.  Can't wait to try it out!

Friday Five

Welcome back for week three!  Hope you all had a great week, and are gearing up for your weekend.  I know we are!

Number 1 - www.grooveshark.com
If you haven't found this website yet, check it out.  You can create playlists, listen to any type of music you like, and the best part...it's FREE!

Number 2 - Individual Mixed Berry Crisps
Another delicious Weight Watcher recipe...each serving is only 5 points!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 T. Splenda
4 c. frozen mixed berries, do not use strawberries (I used red raspberries and blueberries)
2 t. instant tapioca, uncooked
3 T. uncooked rolled oats, do not use quick-cooking or steel-cut oats
2 1/2 T. flour
2 T. packed brown sugar
2 t. maple syrup
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease four small ramekins.  In a large bowl, combine berries, Splenda and tapioca; evenly divide among ramekins

Add remaining ingredients to same bowl and stir until crumbly; evenly divide this mixture over fruit.  Bake until brown and bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Number 3 - Lenten Reflections
A great place to find bible readings and daily reflections for the Lenten season can be found at www.boilercatholics.org/lent. 

Number 4 -While we're on the subject of Lent...
I thought I would revisit one of my favorite posts (posted way back in 2010), titled Lent and the Sippy Cup.  Two years later, and I still find myself struggling with what to do for Lent, but continually trying to render my heart to the Lord.  You can read the post here.

Number 5 - Leap Year 2012
In honor of leap year, I thought I would post a cute craft that I found on Disney's Family Fun website, which you can find here...Fly-Catching Frogs!

Friday Five

Wow!  We're going for two weeks in a row...a big accomplishment for me!  I had a lot of fun this week "collecting" five ideas/recipes/etc that I found interesting, and I hope that you'll find something useful from the post!

Number 1 - Pajama Walks
I can't take credit for this, I actually found it in my Parents magazine this month.  It was in their article titled "Savor the Moments", which talked about focusing on the moments you have with your children because we all know they go way too fast!

One thing I didn't realize - there are only 940 Saturdays between a child's birth and their start of college...and by age five, 260 are already gone!

One way they suggest to capture the moment, is to finish supper, get the kiddos bathed, brush teeth, put on their pj's, bundle them into the stroller (or put on comfy shoes), and head out for a evening stroll.  Take the time to talk about your day with the older children, or just enjoy the babbles and chatter of your younger tots...no matter what you discuss, it will be a nice way to finish up the evening and wind down as your little ones prepare for bed.

I'm now looking even more forward to warmer weather!

Number 2 - Turkey Enchilada Pie
We made this Weight Watcher recipe last night, and it was really good.  I enjoy cooking with ground turkey, and love finding new ways to use it.  Give this one a try, you'll like it! 

Ingredients:
3/4 lbs. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 t. chili powder
3 T. flour
1 c. skim milk
4 oz. canned jalapeno peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 t. ground cumin
3 large tortillas
3 c. fresh tomatoes, chopped (I used canned from the garden, and just drained off the juice)
10 T. fat free shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Place turkey, onion and chili powder in skillet and cook until turkey is browned.  Remove turkey mixture from skillet and set aside.
• Place skillet over medium-high heat and add flour.  Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium; simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat; stir in turkey mixture, jalapenos and cumin.
• Place one tortilla in bottom of a 9-inch prepared pie plate.  Spread 1/3 of turkey mixture over tortilla.  Spoon one cup of tomato on top and sprinkle with 4 T. cheese.  Repeat layers with remaining ingredients.  
• Cover pie plate with foil and cook until cheese melts and filling is warmed through, about 15 minutes.  Let stand, covered, two minutes before cutting into six wedges.

Six servings - 5 points/serving

Number 3 - Lenten Sacrifice Activity for Kids
Lent is right around the corner...Ash Wednesday is February 22nd!

Every year, since I was a child, I've struggled with what to "sacrifice" for the Lenten season. I know Ben is too young to fully understand what the Lenten season means, but I want to start bringing it to life for him.  I came across this idea on a Catholic website for kids; catholic icing (you can find it here).

Even if you're not Catholic, this would be a great idea for kids to begin learning about Lent and the sacrifice that Jesus made for us...

the greatest sacrifice of all.

The idea is to have your child fill a box with toys that are special to them...something that would be a sacrifice to give up until Easter.  Put the lid on and label it with a note that says "Goodbye for Lent...see you at Easter!"  Tuck it away, out of sight, and bring it out on Easter!

What a great way to start teaching children about the sacrifice Jesus made for us and the great joy of everlasting life that comes through Him.

Number 4 - The best crib/toddler sheet I've ever found!
Pottery Barn Kids carries the best crib sheet.  I received one at my baby shower, and Ben has slept on nothing else since.  I love these sheets so much, that it is my standard gift for new babies!  Just thought I'd share one of my baby favorites :) 

They're called chamois sheets, and the great news is that they are available from cribs to queen size beds! 

Number 5 - Dreaming of Summer!

 All this weird weather (wind, snow, rain, fog) has me dreaming of summer sun and fun!

Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Mom made this over the weekend, and it was delicious!!!

2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 1/2 c. fat free milk
1 1/2 c. water
1 c. steel cut oats
2 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 T. butter (cut into 6 pieces)
Cinnamon (whatever amount you prefer)
Dash of salt
1 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. slivered almonds

Spray crock-pot with Pam.  Mix together all ingredients, add to crock-pot, and cook on low overnight.  Enjoy!

My Version of Chocolate Wasted Cake

A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled upon a chocolate cake recipe that looked amazing!  It was on my favorite website (and newest addiction) Pinterest, and I knew right then that I had to make this cake for the Superbowl party we were going to. 

As I was reading the recipe, which you can find here, I thought...hmmm, I bet I can do this a little easier.  Not that I'm against homemade cakes and homemade frosting, but I have a toddler, a full time job, and meetings usually two nights a week...so, cake mixes and tubs of frosting are definitely my friends!

But, I do have a degree in Family and Consumer Sciences (a.k.a. Home-Ec for all you old-schoolers out there), so I thought I could at least do some improvising with the cake mix.  Here is my version of Chocolate Wasted Cake! 

1 devils food cake mix
4 eggs
1 box chocolate instant pudding mix
1/4 c. oil
1/2 c. water
1/4 butterscotch schnapps (you could use other flavors or just leave it out if you'd like)
1 c. sour cream

Mix all of the ingredients together, and bake in 2, 9-inch round cake pans (greased and floured).  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool completely. 

When cool, level cake and ice with chocolate frosting.  Press milk chocolate chips into the side of the cake (I used Ghirardelli).  Cut up candy bars (I used Hershey milk chocolate, Twix and Snickers), and sprinkle on top.  Also sprinkle some chocolate chips on the top. 

Next, melt 1/2 c. chocolate chips with 1 t. vegetable oil, and drizzle over the top.  Let some of  the chocolate drip down the sides.

Lastly, dip a spoon in butterscotch ice cream topping, and drizzle over the top and down the sides.

Enjoy!!!

Kitchen Connection - Orange Beef and Broccoli

I tried this recipe tonight, and I have to say that it was delicious!  It's only 5 PointsPlus on the Weight Watcher plan, and is super easy.  It's got a little heat and a little sweet to it!  Enjoy.

Orange Beef and Broccoli

1 pound uncooked lean trimmed sirloin beef, cut into thin strips
2 T. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. ginger root, minced
1/8 t. red pepper flakes
2 t. oil
5 c. uncooked broccoli, florets only
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 T. orange zest
1/4 c. orange juice
1 t. cornstarch

Combine the steak, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes in a large zip-lock bag.  Squeeze out the air and seal; turn to coat.  Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat.  Add oil and swirl to coat the pan.  Add the beef and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.  Transfer beef to a plate.  Add the broccoli and onion to the skillet and stir-fry until the broccoli is bright green, about 3 minutes.

Stir together orange zest, juice and cornstarch in a small cup until smooth.  Add to the skillet.  Stir-fry until the sauce thickens and bubbles, about 1 minute.  Add the beef and stir-fry until heated through.

Kitchen Connection - Zucchini Spaghetti

As promised, here is the recipe for Zucchini Spaghetti.  I can't take the credit for this one, I got it from the Nutri-Medical diet.  It really is very tasty, and very healthy!  Hope you like it!



Zucchini noodles:

6-8 medium zucchini
1 T. olive oil

Cut ends from zucchini.  With a vegetable peeler, or sharp knife, slice the zucchini lengthwise to make "noodles".  I cut mine like matchsticks, but I think next time I'll just use my mandoline slicer and slice them in rounds.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil and zucchini and saute until tender-crisp.  Remove from heat and keep warm.

Spaghetti sauce:

1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
2 T. tomato paste (I used tomato paste with Italian seasonings in it)
1/2 c. water
1 pkt. Splenda or other sugar substitute
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. Italian seasoning
1/2 t. dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef with onions and garlic.  Drain off grease.  Add in other ingredients and simmer for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to blend.  Serve over zucchini.  Enjoy!

Kitchen Connection - Apricot Crescents

My mom makes these, and we both agree...they are a wonderful cookie to make for the holidays.  They're pretty, delicious, and most of all, easy.  She got the recipe several years ago out of Country Woman Magazine.  Enjoy!

Apricot Crescents
1 c. butter (no substitutes)
2 c. flour
1 egg yolk
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. apricot preserves
1/2 c. flaked coconut
1/4 c. finely chopped pecans
Sugar

In a bowl (we use a food processor), cut butter into flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Beat egg yolk and sour cream; add to crumb mixture and mix well.  Chill several hours or overnight.  Divide dough into fourths.  On a sugared surface, roll each portion into a 10" circle.  Turn dough over to sugar top side.  Combine preserves, coconut and pecans; spread over circles.  Cut each circle into 12 wedges and roll each wedge into a crescent shape, starting at the wide end.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Place points down 1" apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes or until set and very lightly browned.  Immediately remove to wire racks to cool.

Kitchen Connection - Greek Pasta Salad

We have our first family Christmas party of the season tomorrow, and I'm supposed to bring a salad.  I saw a variation of this on allrecipes.com (one of my favorite sites), and I thought it sounded yummy.  After making, I've decided it's not just yummy, it's delicious!!!  And, of course, it's super easy to make!  Enjoy!

Greek Pasta Salad

1 box rotini pasta, cooked to al dente and drained
1 package cherry tomatoes, halved
1 package fresh, sliced mushrooms
1 package pepperoni, cut into strips
1 can black olives, drained
1 package crumbled feta cheese
1-2 bottles of Greek dressing (I used the Kroger brand)

Mix all ingredients together (except for cheese), and refrigerate a few hours or overnight.  Mix in cheese before serving.

Peppermint Bark

I'm so happy that we're approaching Christmas. I love everything about this holiday...the lights, the decorations, the celebrations, the break from work, finding the perfect gifts for family and friends, and most of all, seeing the excitement in Ben's eyes! As we get closer to December 25th, I'm getting more and more into the spirit of the season...a few nights ago, I thought I would try my hand at creating peppermint bark. I found this recipe on pinterest.com (a sight that I absolutely LOVE and recommend to everyone). The original link can be found here.

First, you need to gather your supplies...silicone mold, chocolate bark, white chocolate bark, candy canes and oil.

Unwrap the candy canes, and crush them into small pieces.

Melt 8 oz. of the chocolate with 1 tsp. vegetable oil. Once it is melted, divide it evenly between the silicone molds. Use a toothpick to spread the chocolate evenly within the mold.  Sprinkle with chopped candy canes.  Put the mold in the refrigerator for a few minutes for the chocolate to set up.

Repeat with white chocolate (melt with 1 tsp. oil, and spread over first layer).  You can also stir in a few drops of peppermint oil in with the melted white chocolate, if you'd like.  Top with candy cane pieces, and return to refrigerator for a few minutes.  When set up, carefully remove from the silicone tray and enjoy!

Get Ready for the Holidays...

Get ready for the holidays with this delicious pumpkin spice cake...courtesy of my friend Sarah!  Not only is it delicious, but it's also healthy.  If you follow the Weight Watcher plan, it's only one point per slice!  I thought I would share this recipe this week, since we're getting closer to all of the holiday celebrations...enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Cake

1 box spice cake mix
1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin
1/2 c. water

Mix all of the ingredients together and pour into greased bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  If you'd like, you can top with low-fat whipped cream or a couple of tablespoons of melted cream cheese.  Personally though, I think it's delicious just plain!

You can also stir in 1/2 cup of cinnamon chips if you'd like!

Calling it Like I See it...

Ok, so I'm a slacker.  Not at everything (thank goodness), but definitely at my goal to post a recipe each week.  I have a great friend (who I think a lot of , and hope she doesn't get mad that I included her on here) who asked me the other day "what happened to you posting a recipe every week?" 

Well, my first thought was to say "oh gosh, I've just been cooking up a storm lately and had too many great recipes to post...I just couldn't pick one each week!"  Of course, anyone who knows me (and if they don't believe me, just ask my husband) knows that I don't cook much...a little odd, since I hold a degree in Family and Consumer Sciences (a.k.a. Home-Ec) and actually LOVE to cook, but that's a whole other blog post! 

My second thought was to say "I've just been too busy."  But, since I seem to find time to blog about other things (ok, basically just about Ben), I thought I would just be honest and call it like I see it...I'm slackin on the cookin!

Well, all that's changing tonight! Probably for one night only, but hey, it's a start!  So, for all of you blog readers out there, I've decided to post a low-fat recipe: Banana Chocolate-Chip Muffins. I baked these up tonight (after a home cooked meal of beef and broccoli...that's right folks, two for two tonight!

Enjoy!

Banana Chocolate-Chip Muffins

1 c. light vanilla yogurt
1/2 c. skim milk
1/2 c. quick oats
1/2 t. vanilla
1 egg, beaten
1 large banana, mashed
1/2 c. unpacked brown sugar
1-1/4 c.  flour
1/2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.  Combine yogurt, milk, oats, vanilla and egg.  Set aside 5 minutes for oats to soften; stir in bananas.  In a separate bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Stir flour mixture into yogurt mixture to moisten ingredients.  Do not beat.  Stir in chips. 

Fill greased muffin tins (almost to the top) with batter.  Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Yields 12 muffins.

Kitchen Connection

Quick and Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are so good and SO easy...just a few ingredients!

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
1 c. milk chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)

Mix cake mix, butter, peanut butter and eggs together until well blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 9-12 minutes.

Kitchen Connection - Soda Pop Roast

It's been quite a while since I've posted a recipe, but tonight I made a really good roast and thought I would share.  I got the recipe from www.allrecipes.com 

I don't remember what they called it, but I call it Soda Pop Roast...enjoy!

1 Sirloin Tip Roast (about 3-4 lbs)
1 can of Pepsi (or Coke)
1 packet of dry onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Mix Pepsi, soup mix and mushroom soup together.  Place roast in crock-pot.  Pour mixture over the top and cook on low 6-8 hours.  You can also add chopped onion, carrots and celery. 

I left out the veggies and just made some steamed broccoli and carrots as a side.  It was delicious, even on a 100 degree day!

Kitchen Connection

It's been a long time since I've posted a recipe (my every Wednesday ambitions flew out the window)!  I've been craving Mexican food so much this past week, so I thought I would share a  Layered Mexican Dip recipe.  I'm not sure who started bringing this dip to family dinners, but I think it was my sister-in-law Tai...so, the credit is going to go to her!

Enjoy!

Layered Mexican Dip

1 large can refried beans (or 2 regular sized cans)
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. sour cream
2 T. taco seasoning
1 onion, diced
1 c. diced tomatoes
1 can sliced, black olives
1 bunch green onions, diced
2 c. shredded Fiesta cheese

Spread refried beans on platter, making a nice base for the dip.  Mix together mayo, sour cream and taco seasoning.  Spread over refried beans.  Top with onions, tomatoes, black olives and green onions.  Cover with cheese and chill.  Serve with chips.

You can get very creative with this recipe...add a layer of jalepenos or some salsa or even some corn...just have fun with it!

Kitchen Connection

This week's recipe is Mushroom and Onion Hamburger Steaks.  I made this last week for Andy and I, and even Ben thought it was yummy!  It's another quick and easy recipe (my favorite kind)...I think I had it on the table in less than 20 minutes.  Enjoy!

Mushroom and Onion Hamburger Steaks

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1 pkg. onion soup mix (divided)
dash pepper
1 3/4 c. cold water
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
3 T. flour
fresh button mushrooms (or canned if you would like)

Place egg, bread crumbs, beef, 2 T. onion soup mix, and pepper into a bowl.  Combine and divide into four individual patties.  Cook patties in skillet on medium heat for approximately 5-10 minutes (until juices run clear).  In the mean time, combine water, Worcestershire, flour, and remaining soup mix.  Mix well.  Remove patties from skillet and keep warm.  Add water mixture to skillet and bring to a boil.  Add mushrooms and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes (until mixture is thick and mushrooms are tender).  Plate hamburger steaks and cover with mushroom sauce...enjoy!

Like I said, super easy, super quick, and SUPER yummy...I served ours with some lemon glazed carrots (very pretty plate)!