MagicallyDelicious

Lazy?  Well, I might be a little when it comes to cooking during the week.  I don’t get home from work until about 7 most nights, and the last thing I want to do is cook and clean.  And since it’s just me and my dog, no one is complaining if I make toast or popcorn for dinner.

This week, however, the fine folks at Johnsonville saved me from my sometimes questionable dinner choices, and I got four different delicious dishes out of the same basic meatballs.

Because I’m an AllRecipes AllStar, they sent us coupons to try their Italian sausage.  I chose Mild Italian, which I found was really the perfect amount of spice (I’m a spice wimp).  I started out by making this quick recipe for meatballs.  Formed quickly, baked quickly, they were ready for action.

I turned them into a lovely meatballs slider on a pretzel bun, and they were an excellent substitute for ground beef.  It was a little spicier than a beef meatball and was great with some cheese and sauce.

They also became a topping for a homemade pizza, and the filling for a delicious calzone.  Every version of these were delicious and each recipe was simple and quick.  So this little exercise kept me from the toaster oven for a whole week, and I didn’t even have to do much cooking or cleaning.  I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more of these multipurpose recipes, but this one is a keeper for sure.

On second thought, I’ll revise my “lazy” statement and call it efficient instead

Many of you know I feel that cheese makes everything better.  This recipe is no exception.  It’s made extra easy with Progresso Recipe Starters fire roasted tomato mixed in.  They’re quick to make (a half hour in a muffin tin in the oven), delicious to eat.  The original recipe called for the tomato sauce to be spooned over them, but I am a traditionalist and like my baked ketchup on top.

I didn’t use quite as much sauce as the recipe called for, but the string cheese stuffed in the center make these extra yummy.  They’re also good reheated the next day.

Try them! 

PS – Progresso did give me the Recipe Starters sauce to try free of charge.  This didn’t sway my opinion either way.  And as I mention around this blog, I am an AllRecipes AllStar, which the program through which Progresso provided the free sauce.

Goulash originated in Hungary, where paprika is the dominant spice, and is popular today throughout Austria, Germany, and Italy’s Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. This version is from “Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy.” Serve with mashed potatoes or, Friulian-style, with creamy polenta.

Hungarian Goulash Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 pounds beef rump roast or stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
1 bay leaf
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce, or 1-3/4 cups
2 cups water

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until soft and translucent, about 25–30 minutes. Sprinkle the beef with salt; add to the skillet with the onions. Increase heat to medium; cook and stir until the beef begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the flour, paprika, rosemary, marjoram, and bay leaf; cook and stir 5 minutes longer. Add the tomato sauce and water; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cook, partially covered, until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened, about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf; season to taste with salt.

Serves 6.

Many thanks to Elisabeth Antoine Crawford, Author of “Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy“ for providing us with this delicious comfort food recipe we can enjoy on these chili days of winter.

It’s that time of year to warm up with some warm, cozy, comfort food.  During snowy winter evenings there is nothing better than a hot meal filled with all the ingredients that warms our insides.  This Chicken & Dumplings recipe from Chef Big Shake is the perfect cure for your cravings.

Read More Magic “Chicken & Dumplings Recipe” »

AllRecipes.com

Celery, onion, garlic, parsley and basil pack this stuffing with antioxidants, vitamin A and phytochemicals. Be sure to cook this separately – stuffing your turkey compromises the quality of your bird, and can lead to unsafe food temperatures in your stuffing.

This recipe makes enough stuffing to accompany a 10 to 12 pound turkey. Originally submitted to ThanksgivingRecipe.com.

AllRecipes user: Roysaper

Turkey is a great source of protein, B vitamins and is low in saturated fat.  Consider using olive oil and herbs with your bird this Thanksgiving instead of butter to roast a flavorful bird without adding the saturated fat.

This recipe for Rosemary Roasted Turkey can also be used for Cornish game hens, chicken breasts or roasting chicken. Select a turkey sized according to the amount of people you will be serving.

AllRecipes user mulan922

Here’s another opportunity to sneak in the vitamins and minerals of sweet potatoes in a delicious bread for your Thanksgiving table.  This is definitely a make-ahead item to reduce the cooking rush on Thankgiving day.

These are great with soups and stews as well.  Make a big batch and freeze the extras.  To use them from frozen, let them defrost for approximately an hour, place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for about 10 mins. at 300º.

FoodNetwork.com

We all know the standby green bean casserole with canned soup and processed fried onions.  This take on the more processed dish contains whole mushrooms and onions for a boost in B and D vitamins, selenium, and antioxidants.

Give yourself a break on Thanksgiving by make this dish ahead of time.  Just stop before topping with onions, and finish by warming it up with the topping while your turkey is resting.  Store the topping separately from the dish, then add it right before you put it in the oven.

AllRecipes.com user ln

This cranberry sauce doesn’t come in the familiar wiggly can shape, but it offers tart whole cranberries and gets its sweetness from a little brown sugar, and super foods molasses, maple syrup and orange juice.

So what you lose in the traditional aesthetic, you gain more robust flavors that bring calcium, vitamin C, manganese, zinc, potassium, folate and phytochemicals to the table. You can also add walnuts for a nice crunch, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Make this ahead and store in the refrigerator for your big day.

AllRecipes.com

Sweet potatoes are loaded with beta carotene, vitamin A and fiber but often sweet potato casseroles are so loaded with sugar and fat they seem more like a dessert.

This version of the classic sweet potato casserole dials back the extras to deliver a flavorful and more healthy version of a traditional classic, without compromising the flavor.  The marshmallows are optional for those who miss that sweet traditional topping.

This dish is quick to prepare, but to save time, boil the sweet potatoes in advance, then complete the recipe the next day.