Baked Spaghetti & Stuffed Meatballs

For starters, this recipe makes A LOT of servings. I'd say at least 8-10, but it also freezes wonderfully.
Leftovers are the best!
It calls for two parts, and I'll separate them so you're not confused when reading it.

For the meatballs you will need:

2 lbs ground beef

1 cup bread crumbs

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion salt

2-3 T Italian dried seasoning

1 tsp salt

1 egg

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

2 cups mozzarella ( I used shredded )

Mix all ingredients minus the mozzarella cheese, and roll into about 10 meatballs.  They will be big, really big. When you roll a meatball, stuff a small handful in the center and completely seal it back up. 

I can't reiterate enough how important it is to seal it, to prevent the cheese from oozing out.  In a skillet with olive or vegetable oil, brown the meatballs on all sides. 

For everything else you will need:

1 lb spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine. 
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 jar of your own choice of pasta sauce/marinara
1 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat your oven to 375.  Boil your pasta for the lowest cooking time recommended. Drain.  Run under cold water, to cool it quickly.  In a bowl with a clean hand, mix together the pasta, egg, and grated Parmesan cheese.  Lay it in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Lay the rest of your leftover mozzarella on top of the pasta.  

Top this with some of your pasta sauce, then add your meatballs to the pan.

Once your meatballs are there, you  can sprinkle add the remainder of the sauce to cover them and add more cheese if you please ;)

Bake for 60 minutes, remove from oven. Let cool.

Eat that shit up.

Easy Calzone Spirals

What you need:

Pizza crust/dough. $2.00
1/4 lb of Ham ( I buy those 50 cent pre-packaged sandwich ham, about 2.) $1.00
20 slices  of Pepperoni (whole package is about $2.00 and you'll have plently left over)
1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 jar marinara sauce 70. cents
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
Nonstick butter spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll out dough into rectangle.
Layer ham down the center of the dough, then layer pepperoni on ham. 
Last comes the cheese. 
Fold the dough until it meets the opposite side, and pinch to seal it.
Spray a cookie sheet with butter spray, and then place the rolled calzone onto it.
Spray the calzone itself a bit, and then sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over it.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
Allow to cool after removing it from the oven, and then using cut into 1in-1 1/2in spirals.
Serve with marina and voila! Total winner.

You'll all notice I love to serve salad with mostly everything I cook :)!

Stuffed Shells

I'm starting this blog, because my family of three just kind of got tired of eating the same things over and over. We're usually on a tight food budget, and because I really try to stray from eating fast foods. I've always enjoyed cooking, and I feel a lot better feeding my family a nutritious home-cooked meal.

This is a new recipe I stole from a friend, and I'm adding my own twist to it. :)

Stuffed Shells!

Ingredients :

1 Box of Jumbo Shells.   ( I used the Walmart store brand Great Value ranged $1.60)

1 lb of Ground Turkey (You can alternate with ground beef or chicken. $2.88)

1 Jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I'm using the Great Value brand as well $1.30)

1 lb of fresh spinach (the price varies on this, but it's usually no more than $1)

2 cups of Ricotta cheese

1 cup of chopped black olives. (optional)

1 tsp Salt (to taste)

1 tsp Pepper (to taste)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

Directions :

Brown your choice of meat in a pan until fully cooked.

While the meat is cooking, bring 8 cups of water to a full boil and add your jumbo shells.

( I add a tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to the water before to avoid sticking)

Follow the time on the instructions located on your box of shells.  

Cook your pound of spinach.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, mix your Ricotta cheese, black olives, cooked spinach, and all seasonings together. Then add the cooked meat to this mixture.

When your shells are done cooking, drain them and when they are cool enough to handle start stuffing them one by one with the ricotta mixture.

In a greased shallow baking pan (13x9) spread about two cups of pasta sauce across the bottom.

Then place the shells on the sauce, one by one. Once all your shells are in the baking pan, spread the rest of the pasta sauce on top of them. 

You can sprinkle some Parmesan or shredded

mozzarella on top of them if you please :] Put in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.

Serve with garlic bread, and a side salad.

Enjoy!