Rotini Casserole

This is a great recipe for nights when you only want to spend a few minutes in the kitchen, with minimal clean up.

Ingredients:

2 cups rotini pasta
1 pound lean ground beef
1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
2/3 cup shredded, reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
In a large nonstick skillet, cook ground beef until beginning to brown, about 8-9 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
Add remaining ingredients except cheese and pasta and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 6-7 minutes or until beginning to thicken. Fold in cheese and toss with pasta. Enjoy!

The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

Gayle at The Grocery Cart Challenge is hosting a recipe swap, and this week she's looking for frugal dinner ideas for those times when you’re out of supplies, and need one more dinner before grocery shopping day. Here's my contribution…

4 Can Black Bean Chili
Quick, simple, frugal and really yummy! :)

Ingriedients:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can rotel
1 can of Mexican corn (or regular corn)
1 can beef broth
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. garlic powder

Don’t drain the rotel or the corn. Heat all together on stove top. Serve in bowls with a scoop of sour cream on top or with shredded cheese. This goes well with tortillas, rice, cornbread or biscuits.

Cincinnati Chili

In Cincinnati, lots of folks eat chili nearly every day...a slightly different way. Two-way (on spaghetti), three-way (add cheese), four-way (beans on top) or five-way (with onions). Any way you eat it, Cincinnati Chili is definitely not boring! What makes it special are its spices. Greek immigrants invented the dish around 1920 and added their signature touch – cinnamon, allspice and cloves. An authentic pot of this exotic concoction would need to simmer for about four hours. This adapted recipe cuts the cooking time to 20 minutes to fit a typical weeknight schedule! Its wonderful comfort food to me, and all the boybarians love it! :)



Cincinnati Chili
Recipe By Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross

8 ounces thin spaghetti
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef (93 percent lean)
1 large onion (for 1 cup chopped)
1 large green bell pepper (for 11/2 cups chopped)
2 small cans (8-ounces each) tomato sauce
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
cayenne pepper to taste, optional
salt to taste
1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans
1 cup already-shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. Bring 2 1/2 quarts of unsalted water to a boil in a 4 1/2 -quart Dutch oven or soup pot. When the water reaches a rapid boil, add the spaghetti and cook until tender, 7 to 9 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil on high heat just until hot. Using your fingers, crumble the ground beef into the skillet. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. Stir the meat occasionally. Rinse and seed the bell pepper and cut it into 1/4-inch dice. Add it to the skillet.
3. Cook, stirring frequently, until the ground beef is finely crumbled and completely browned, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium.
4. Add the tomato sauce, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice and cloves. Stir to mix well. Reduce the heat to simmer, and continue to cook, stirring from time to time, until the pasta is done. Season with cayenne pepper and salt, to taste. Meanwhile, rinse and drain the beans, and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a paper towel and microwave 1 minute on high or until heated through.
5. To serve, divide the drained spaghetti among 4 serving bowls. Top each serving with chili, 1/2 cup kidney beans and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. For five-way chili, sprinkle raw diced onions on top. Serve at once. Serves 4

Summer Stew

Start to finish 20 minutes
Budget $2.69 per serving
Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine Aug. 08

Ingredients
1 17-oz. pkg. refrigerated cooked beef roast au jus

1 8-oz. pkg. peeled fresh baby carrots, sliced

3-1/2 cups water

1/2 of a 16-oz. pkg. refrigerated rosemary-and-roasted garlic-seasoned, diced red-skinned potatoes (about 2 cups)

1 14.5-oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes with garlic

2 Tbsp. snipped fresh oregano

Directions 1. Pour juices from beef roast into large saucepan; set meat aside. Add carrots and 1 cup water to saucepan; bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 3 minutes. Add remaining water, potatoes, tomatoes ,and 1 tablespoon oregano. Return to boiling; cover. Simmer 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Break beef into bite-size pieces and add to stew; heat through. Season with salt.
2. Spoon into shallow bowls; top with freshly ground black pepper and remaining oregano. Makes 4 servings.