Sloppy Joes & Oriental Broccoli Slaw

This dish combined two new recipes I've been wanting to try. They made the perfect pair. I liked these Sloppy Joes better than the recipe I usually follow. The Oriental Broccoli Slaw is so good. I always enjoy it when it is brought into work for Friday treats and/or showers. I've always wanted to make it and finally did. Super easy!

Sloppy Joes:

1 Tablespoon Butter

1/4 cup chopped Onion

1 lb Lean Ground Beef

1 cup Ketchup

1/4 cup Water

1/4 cup packed Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

2 teaspoons Chili Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Pepper

6 Hamburger Buns

Melt the 1 Tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the ground beef and onion and cook until meat is no longer pink. Drain grease.

Add the ketchup, water, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, vinegar, chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir well and let simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Butter the hamburger buns, if desired, and toast them under the broiler. Watch closely so they dont burn. Spoon meat mixture onto the bottom halves and cover with tops. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Recipe from Life as a Lofthouse Food Blog.

Oriental Broccoli Slaw

2 (3 ounce) packages beef-flavor ramen noodles
2 (8 1/2 ounce) packages broccoli coleslaw mix
1 cup toasted slivered almonds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 bunch green onion, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
1/3 cup white vinegar

Directions:
1. Before opening noodles, crush into 1 inch pieces. Open packages and set aside flavor packets.
2. Place noodles in bottom of large serving bowl. Top noodles with broccoli slaw, then sprinkle with almonds and sunflower kernels, and green onions.
3. In a separate bowl combine sugar, oil, vinegar, and flavor packets from noodles. Pour over slaw, cover and chill up to 24 hours.
4.Toss before serving.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/oriental-ramen-broccoli-cole-slaw-281644?oc=linkback

Whole Wheat Penne with Turkey Sausage & Veggies

This dish is a new favorite for a few reasons. It's easy. Tastes delicious. Healthy. I've never tried turkey sausage and probably now will only buy it. It was so good. This recipe called for grape tomatoes. The next time I make, I will use matchstick carrots. We just like cooked carrots better than cooked tomatoes. I found this recipe on For the Love of Cooking blog that I follow. There are a ton of healthy recipes there!

Ingredients:
2-3 links of turkey sausage (I used spicy Italian turkey sausage by Jenny O), removed from casings
1/2 red onion sliced thin, sliced thick
1 c grape tomatoes (I'm using carrots next time)
1 c broccoli florets
8 oz of wheat penne pasta
1 tsp olive oil
Grated Parmesan cheese or shredded
Crushed red pepper flakes, a dash or two
3-4 garlic cloves or 3/4 tsp garlic powder
3-4 tbsp reserved pasta liquid
1 tbsp olive oil drizzled
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to directions.
2. Heat 1tsp of olive oil. Add sausage and onion. Stir often and crumble up sausage. 3-4 minutes.
3. Add broccoli, tomatoes, and/or carrots with crushed red pepper. Cook 5 more minutes.
4. Add garlic. Stir 1 minute.
5. Add the cooked and drain pasta with the 3-4 tbsp of reserved liquid. Drizzle olive oil and add butter, Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper. Serve immediately.

Recipe from fortheloveofcooking.net

Chicken Ranch Tacos

Here's a great dish I found on one of my favorite cooking blogs, Life as a Lofthouse. We love tacos in our house. This was a nice change up to the traditional taco recipe.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground chicken
1 taco seasoning packet
1 box of hard shell tacos
2/3 c Ranch dressing
Lettuce
Tomato
Salsa
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Diced avocado

Directions:
1. Cook ground chicken on a skillet. Once done, add ranch and taco seasoning. Cook 5 more minutes.
2. Serve with the above taco seasonings.

Recipe courtesy of Life as a Lofthouse blog.

Broccoli And Cheese Stuffed Shells

This was a nice dish to change up the weekly dinner routine!

Ingredients
1 15oz container of ricotta cheese. I used low fat.
1 package 10 oz of frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well drained
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese. (4 oz)
1/2 c grated Parmesean cheese
1/4 tsp black pepper
18 jumbo shells, cooked and drained
1 jar (24 oz) Prego Chunky garden combination Italian sauce

Directions
1. Stir the ricotta cheese, broccoli, and 1/2 c of mozzarella cheese, Parmesaen cheese, and black pepper in a medium sized bowl. Spoon about two tablespoons of the cheese mixture into each shell.
2. Spread 1 c of the Italian sauce in a 13x9 baking dish. Place the filled shells on sauce. Pour remaining sauce over the shells. Top with remaining cheese.
3. Bake 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

Makes 6 servings.

Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake

This dish has a great combination of lemon and blueberries. It was served at a dinner party at my friend's house. I loved it so much I had to have the recipe. I made this for dessert over Christmas break. I even brought a few pieces in to work for some friends. Everyone loved it. Going to make it for Friday morning treats when is is my turn. I used canned blueberries since fresh ones were all sold out. ;)

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package of instant lemon pudding mix
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water
3/4 vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 (16.5 ounce) can blueberries, drained or 2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together cake mix, pudding mix, and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in water, oil, eggs, and cream cheese. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Stir in the blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan. 
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. 
4. Make Glaze: In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Drizzle over cooled cake. 

Recipe courtesy of Kristen Lezza