Bushaloni in Red Gravy

Description: I grew up with an Italian mother who referred to marinara as red gravy. Don't ask, I have no idea why! It is SO easy and delicious despite it's simplicity and inexpensive cut of meat.

Ingredients:

4 cups marinara

1 or 2 round steaks

1/2 onion sliced thin

1/2 bell pepper sliced thin

salt and pepper

cooking thread

Preparation: Lay steaks flat on cutting board and remove excess fat from sides. Season with salt and pepper, flip over and season other side. Then spread a thin layer of onions and bell peppers on top. Roll meat from one side to the other like a burrito. Tie up with cooking thread and drop into a pot of marinara. This will need to cook for 4 hours or longer. It works wonderfully in a crockpot! The meat will be so tender that you can cut it with a fork. You can serve this over spaghetti, spaghetti squash or rice noodles. Enjoy :)

Alternatives: If you don't have a dairy allergy go ahead and sprinkle parmesan cheese on the steak before you roll it up. (That is how my mom used to make it.)

Rating: This gets 5 stars from my family and is frequently requested during the week. What does your crew think?

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Description: These meatballs are packed with butternut squash, but you wouldn't be able to tell if I had not just told you! I get a request for these at least once a week, that's how good they are! This recipe makes enough for 2 meals worth of spaghetti and meatballs. We eat it one night and freeze the other half for a busy night.

Ingredients:

4 cups marinara

1 pound ground meat

1 pound ground turkey

1 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs (check ingredient list, the only brand I have found to use is found at Kroger called Panko)

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. dried parsley

2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 cup butternut squash (roasted and pureed)

1 Tbsp. wheat germ

Preparation: Preheat oven to 425. Combine all ingredients, except marinara, in a large bowl and mix well. If you like large meatballs use a large scooper to get equal sized meatballs. For smaller ones use a small mellon baller for equal sized meatballs. We use the smaller one because we have young kids and it is easier for them to eat. But do whatever you like! After rolling all the meat into balls, place on foil lined baking sheet and put in oven. Cook for 5 minutes and then remove pan to turn them and cook for another another 5 minutes. Larger meatballs will cook for 10 minutes before turning and then for another 5-10 minutes depending on size. When cooked, remove from pan and put into a pot of marinara to absorb a little of the sauce for about 30 minutes on simmer. They are cooked and ready to serve whenever you are.

Alternatives: To make this a wheat free meatball simply switch out the breadcrumbs for Holgrain brown rice crumbs or wheat free crackers crushed up and remove the wheat germ. You can serve it over spaghetti squash or rice noodles as well for a wheat free meal.

Rating: This also gets 5 stars from my crew. I have to cook them when my husband is not home because he will devour half a dozen before I can get the food to the table.

Magic Meatloaf

Description: I call this magic meatloaf because all 5 people in my family clean their plates, ask for seconds and clean their plates again. It is a favorite in our house!

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey

1 pound ground meat

2 cups Panko breadcrumbs (Check the ingredient list, the only brand I buy is at Kroger and it is called Panko.)

1/2 cup marinara sauce + 4 Tbsp. marinara (reserved)

1/4 onion chopped, finely diced

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup carrots, steamed and pureed

1 Tbsp. wheat germ

Preparation: Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together except for the 4 Tbsp. marinara in large bowl. Shape into loaf. (I use a corningware piece instead of a loaf pan because it tends to cook better that way.) Pour remaining marinara over top and bake in oven for about 1 hour. The internal temperature should be around 155-160 degrees. I cook one large loaf and we eat half of it. So this gives us 2 meals, one to eat and the other to freeze or eat later in the week. (I will publish my marinara recipe this week as well; it is my most requested recipe from friends and family.)

Alternatives: To make this wheat free all you have to do is change out the breadcrumbs and remove the wheat germ. There are rice breadcrumbs called Holgrain found at at Whole Foods that you could use or a wheat free cracker crushed up in the food proccesor.

Rating: This gets 5 stars from my crew, how about yours?