With this hero sandwich, I am the real hero. My kids love spaghetti. In fact, I believe they would eat it for dinner every night if I would allow it. For a change of pace mostly for the sake of my husband and I, I will use similar spaghetti ingredients in a different way. This recipe allows the meal to be ready when I am ready for it. In fact, I think the first time I ever used my broiler and broiler pan was for this recipe. I never knew who used the mysterious "broil" button on their stove until I figured out what a great function it is.
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1/3 C. bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. garlic
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 C. milk
1/4 C. beef stock
Jar of spaghetti sauce
Provolone cheese slice
Loaf of french bread, or a bread you like for sandwiches
In a bowl, beat egg, then add beef, bread crumbs, milk and seasoning. Form into small bite sized balls and place into crock pot. Cover the balls with beef stock and let cook on low for 4 - 6 hours. When the meat is fully cooked, cut bread, insert meat balls, cover with your preferred amount of sauce and cheese. Turn on broiler on low, then pop in for about 3 - 5 minutes, keeping an eye on them while broiling.
Pie... Pie... Did someone say pie? I have learned that my kids will eat anything if it sounds like a dessert. To be honest, I love spinach, whether it is fresh in a spinach salad, or baked in some kid of casserole or dish like this one. My recipe for spinach pie came from my mother-in-law. It is extremely easy to make, and it is a great side dish for a meat. We often have this next to my state's famous Iowa pork chops. Spinach pie is a great, easy dish to have if your are looking for something warm and comfortable when it is cold out side, or it is perfect on a warm night when grilling too. This has become one of my favorite meals to make when I am bringing a "congratulations, you just had a baby" or "welcome to the neighborhood" dish. It is great reheated too!
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| Spinach Pie |
3 eggs (beaten)
3 Tb. flour
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz. cottage cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach (make sure to drain all excess water really well)
1 frozen deep dish pie shell
Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Place in frozen pie shell and bake at 375 degrees until golden brown.
Every couple of weeks, my friends and I get together for a cooking club. We browse over a collection of recipes, select one for that month, and then make enough to share one with each club member. This get together, one of my friends chose the pepperoni stromboli. My family will love any recipe that includes pepperoni, so I knew this would be a hit. I enjoyed it because I used a frozen whole wheat bread loaf, rather than the refrigerated crescent roll dough that many recipes like this call for.
I modified the recipe to fit with what my family enjoys most - below is my recipe for pepperoni stromboli!
1 frozen bread dough loaf - I like whole wheat
1 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1 T. dried parsley
1 T. dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 oz package pepperoni
2 C. cups shredded mozzarella
1/4 C. sliced mushrooms
1/4 C. chopped onion
1/4 C. diced green pepper
1/4 C sliced black olives
15 oz. can of pizza sauce
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 350. On a greased baking sheet, roll out thawed dough into a 15 X 10 in rectangle. In a small bowl, combine spices with 1/2 egg mixture. Spread the egg/spice mixture all over the dough rectangle. Next, top with pepperoni and toppings. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting with long side. Pinch seam to seal and tuck ends under. Place seam side down and brush with reserved beaten egg. Top with a little more mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown. I serve sliced loaf with warmed pizza sauce for dipping.
