Fiddledeedee

Spaghetti Sauce is a staple here in the House of Fiddle.  I can toss it over some pasta, make a lasagna, or slather it onto Pita Bread and call it a Pizza Petite.

I have a fool proof recipe for Spaghetti Sauce, that tastes like you’ve been slaving over a hot stove all day.  You absolutely cannot screw it up.

When the children hear we’re having Spaghetti for dinner they all exhale a sigh of relief.  Mom can’t ruin that one.  Can’t get away with calling it “Blackened” Spaghetti.

Anytime I use the word “blackened” in a reference to dinner, it means that something unexpected was ablaze.

It is also the number 1 reason why my children are fearful of fire.  MY MASTER PLAN!  (Insert maniacal laughter.)

Anyhoo.  Here I go with my Stupid Proof Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce.  And I’m doing this from memory because I can.

Stupid Proof Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

2 lbs. Ground Turkey (can use lean ground beef)
1/2 C. Chopped Onion
29 oz. Can Tomato Sauce
15 oz. Can Diced Tomatoes (with juice)
6 oz. Can Tomato Paste
1 Can Mushrooms (pieces and stems)
1 Package Spaghetti Sauce Mix (I use Wal•Marts GV Thick & Zesty because it has no MSG)
1 large Zucchini, Diced
1/2 Cup Red Wine (plus a few swigs for the chef)
2 Cups Water

Brown your meat and onions.  Give the crockpot a shot of no-stick spray.  Empty all the cans into the crockpot.  Stir in the package of Spaghetti Sauce.  Then add the wine and water.  (If I don’t have Fiddledaddy’s stash of good red wine at hand, then I use cooking red wine….but I don’t swig that stuff.)

Fiddledaddy, if you’re reading this, now you know where your nice red wine really goes when I let you think you drank more than you thought.

Then throw in the chopped up Zucchini and the cooked meat with onions.  And psst, I always add a little garlic powder in with the meat because I am a well known abuser of garlic.

Stir everything up, put the lid on and let it cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

(My photography skills, and the lack thereof,  do nothing to enhance my culinary prowess.)

You can also do this on the stove top, just give it at least two hours to simmer.

This makes a huge batch.  I use one serving for dinner, and then put the rest into a freezer bag or two for freezing.

Serve over whole wheat pasta.

Have an awesome weekend!

I’ve had a recipe for a “green smoothie” sitting in my cookbook rack for a good two weeks now.  A GREEN SMOOTHIE.  Not like green as in Al-Gore-Save-the-Planet Green, but GREEN, as in there is spinach involved.

A good deal of spinach.

Which just seems like the wrong thing to do to an unsuspecting smoothie.  Just wrong on so many levels, I   think.

Which is why I haven’t tried it.

Oh I make plenty of smoothies, you can be sure.  My favorite ones include chocolate (protein powder), peanut butter (non-recalled natural type), and a frozen banana.

Because that’s what you do to bananas when you buy 3 pounds worth from Sam’s because, I mean, HAVE YOU SEEN THE PRICE OF BANANAS?

BTW, this is my recipe for frozen bananas.  Cut ‘em up.  Slap ‘em down on a piece of wax paper on a cookie sheet.  Layer ‘em if you need to.  Freeze ‘em for a couple of hours.  Throw ‘em into a freezer bag.  Put ‘em back in the freezer.  Your welcome.

(I may or may not have airbrushed the filth off of my stovetop)

Anyhoo.  Back to my plight.  The Green Smoothie.  In my desperation to eat healthier, I thought I’d give it a go.  What’s the worst that could happen?  Pretend I didn’t ask that.

I threw the following ingredients into my Vita-Mix (which is basically a really awesome blender on steroids):

2 Cups Fresh Spinach (stems and all)
1/2 Banana
1/2 Apple (peel and all)
2 slices pineapple
Handful of grapes
1/2 Cup Water
A few ice cubes
(and I added 2 packets of Splenda)

I will soon be gushing about the magical powers of the Vita-Mix, but I’m trying to talk them into letting me give one away on my review blog.  Woot.  How awesome would that be!

I turned the Vita-Mix on, and watched the greenery swirl around and around and around and around.

I was starting to feel a little queazy.

In reality, the whole process took two minutes start to finish.

I tasted it.

I quickly ran a glass out to Fiddledaddy because I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW DELICIOUS IT WAS!  And he agreed with me.  He’s a lucky man to have married a woman who is right all of the time.

You can play around with the fruit combinations.  But, I think I hit on the perfect blend.

The Green Smoothie will now be a part of my daily routine.  I’m going to try it out on the offspring tomorrow.  And tell them that it’s green because St. Patrick’s Day is coming up.

Because I’m not above parenting by deception.

Remember, Carol at I Throw Like a Girl is hosting Mr. Linky for Saturday Stirrings. Head over there for more great recipes! 

Have a great weekend, y’all!!!

Since Jensen has been given the green light to eat normal food, instead of the rabbit fare he existed on for 8 long months, I’ve been fairly skipping around the kitchen.

Skipping may be too broad of a term, since my kitchen doesn’t accommodate skipping.  Or somersaulting over the dishwasher.  Yet, I’ve accomplished both.

Anyhoo.  I’m back.  I’ve missed Saturday Stirrings.  I had to hand over the reins of Saturday Stirrings and Mr. Linky to my trusty blogging friend, Carol.  So I can make an impromptu appearance every so often.

Which is wonderful since I have an extraordinary recipe for y’all.  I discovered it tonight, while preparing dinner.

I’ve been craving onion rings.  But onion rings have been out of my dietary reach for some time now.  In desperation, I searched Cooks.com and came up with a solution.  A solution which gives me a good deal of joy to share with y’all.

Baked Onion Rings

2 Egg Whites
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
1/2 Large Onion, cut into rings
1/2 Cup Dry Bread Crumbs  **

**This is what makes this really work, I think.  I used pulverized Rothbury Farms Seasoned Croutons (they are whole wheat).

Combine egg white, salt and pepper in bowl; mix well.  Dip onion rings into egg mixture.  Coat with bread crumbs.  Place in single layer on baking sheet.  Bake 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Made me want to do a cartwheel in my kitchen, yes it did.  But the fear of a broken femur stopped me.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

I wanted to let my regular Saturday Stirrings participants that I am turning over the cooking helm to the very capable hands of my blogging friend, Carol at I Throw Like a Girl.

I need to slow things down a little. And freeing myself up on Saturdays will help. Thank you for all your recipes and support. I’m sure I’ll pop in from time to time at the New & Improved Saturday Stirrings. That is, when my kitchen and I are on speaking terms again.

I fed something to Jensen yesterday that nearly sent him into anaphylactic shock. Yes, I’m exaggerating somewhat. How unusual for me. But still. We received the results from his blood work last week. And we see his doctor at the beginning of next week. Hopefully, I’ll be on more solid footing then.

I have a book review that was due today (with a giveaway) and I’ll get to that as soon as possible. Until then, I’ll be sitting in the corner, wishing I had a drink with a little colorful umbrella as a garnish

BTW, don’t you love my new header! Thank you Fiddledaddy for your technological expertise. And patience in dealing with your favorite client. Who may or may not have cried during the process of making the change.

I’m a fan of meatloaf. Both the 80’s singer, and the kind I serve on a platter for dinner. As you know, I’ve been mourning the loss of about 90% of my tried and true recipes from my personal cookbook, due to the recent diet restrictions my son is on.

But, I’ve had a few revelations this week. While watching Rachel Ray, I noticed how she was cooking a London Broil like a pot roast. And using fresh ingredients. It occurred to me, that with just a bit of tweaking, I could totally transform that recipe into one which would not send my son to the emergency room.

Again.

I’m learning how to substitute regular ingredients, for allergen free ingredients. And we have a little health food store close by that has been extremely accommodating, and will order most anything I need. I’m looking at many of my old recipes with new eyes. And by making a few adjustments, I am able to cook some old favorites. Like, for example, meatloaf.

Everyone in the house loves this one. And it’s one of the few recipes that I can sneak vegetables into an unsuspecting Jensen.

Meatloaf, The Meal

1 Cup Finely Diced Zucchini and Carrots
1/2 Medium Onion, Diced
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 1/2 Lb. Ground Turkey or lean Ground Beef
1 Egg Yolk
1 t. Salt
1 t. Pepper
3 T. Chopped Parsley
1 T. Gluten Free Margarine, Softened
1/2 C. Chicken Broth (Organic/gluten free) *

*I know, chicken seems like an odd choice if you’re making it with ground beef. But, it works. Just use 1/4 to 1/2 cup.

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a nonstick skillet, sauté your vegetables, onions, and garlic until just soft. Set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients, except the broth. Then add the cooked vegetables to the raw meat mixture. Form into a loaf and place in a lightly greased loaf pan. (This is where it’s handy to have a pair of disposable gloves, so you can get your hands into it without fear of losing a Lee Press-On Nail in the mix.) Just sayin’.

Then, pour the broth over the top and bake for 1 hour, basting periodically. When finished, cut into slices and spoon the juices from the bottom of the pan over the meat.

Contrary to popular opinion, meatloaf does not have to include bread crumbs or ketchup. Serve this alongside some real mashed potatoes (and you don’t have to use dairy for these) and green beans, and your family will worship the linoleum you walk on.

If you have a recipe to share (anything goes, as long as it’s not yucky) add the link to your specific post below, link back here, and bon appetite!

I almost forgot, there will be no Saturday Stirrings next weekend, because I’ll be at She Speaks! Possibly blogging live, if I remember all the right cords and plugs and the computer.

Learn more about Saturday Stirrings here.

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