Meat Sauce

This is a sauce that taste awesome, but you really must let it simmer away for several hours ... I generally make it on a Sunday, serve some that night & freeze the rest in 2 ziploc bags for 2 to 5 more meals (depending on number of people).

2 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 to 1.5 lbs of italian sausage, remove from casing
3/4 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp marjoram
1 large bay leaf, break in thirds (don't forget if an extra piece falls in!)
6 oz can of tomato paste (I've used 12 by accident, just add a little water)
6 regular size cans of either tomato sauce, crushed or diced (your choice, I use sauce as hubby hates chunky cooked tomatoes)
1 can water
salt & pepper to taste
1/3 c fresh basil, juilenned (have forgotten so many times that I don't know what the difference is)

In medium size stock pot, heat oil. Saute onions & garlic 1 minute or so, then add sausage and cook, breaking up as it cooks.

Cook, stirring occasionally til sausage is cooked, but not overly so. If there is too much fat at bottom of pan for your taste, drain and then add rest of ingredients, except the fresh basil, stir to combine. Bring to a boil, stirring all the while. Reduce heat to low simmer til just bubbling (perking). Simmer, uncovered 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

After an hour, stir in fresh basil (if you happen to remember!).

Serve, freeze, etc.

*Hubby loves when I have fresh italian bread for dipping as it cooks. Seems to be the best way to taste it ...

Soup - need a name

I have no room in my freezers ... none whatsoever. 3 freezers, jammed pack of stuff. To the point where I can't find what I know I have in one of them somewhere. So late this afternoon, I pulled out the bottom drawer of the main freezer and took out the following:

1 lb polish kielbasi
10 oz bag of broccoli florets
ziploc of chopped carrots
small ziploc of chopped red/purple onion
small ziploc of roasted turkey breast (something I've been looking for!)

I have NO chicken broth left in this house. Well, I take that back, I have the white wine stuff and the thai coconut stuff (which has almost 100% of your daily sodium level in ONE serving). So had to root around and find the chicken bouillon cubes. Thankfully I found them.

Poured 8 cups of water in large pot. Sliced sausage. Dumped everything else and 4 cubes of chicken bouillon in the pot. Season with black pepper and whatever else makes you happy. I just left it with the pepper. Cover, turn on medium low & let it sit & simmer for however long you feel is good. I did 1 1/2 hours.

Then I added one cup of white rice. Came back to check on it in 30 minutes and WHOA ... the rice soaked most of the liquid up. Turn off, let cool for a little (I didn't' and burned the heck out of my tongue!) Top with Parmesan cheese and chopped green onions if desired. Either way was yummy.

Not bad as a spur of the moment, totally irrational moment of make some room QUICK in the freezer.

I think as the leftovers, it will be a little more thicker than I'd like so maybe add some more broth if needed. I don't think I would use water.

Italian Beef - Crockpot

This is so easy, it's not even funny. Just a heads up though, if you do NOT like your food spicy, then do NOT dump the juice in from the pepperoncinis!

3 lbs or so of beef roast, sirloin, whatever you have on hand (never have used ground beef though)
small jar of pepperoncinis (save yourself some work & get the sliced ones - you can find these by the pickles - drain if a bit of you don't like it hot or all)
1/2 cup or so of beef broth (or you can use water & beef bouillon or cube)
about a tsp of chopped garlic
a tsp of oregano
a tsp of black pepper

Put roast in crockpot. Add all the rest of ingredients (drain the pepperoncinis if you don't want it hot)
Place lid on crock and fire it up. Let it cook 6 to 8 hours. Shred beef (that's when I know it's done) and serve on toasted rolls (hoagies, buns, etc.)

Iced Vanilla Coffee Milk – South Beach

Ok, I really don’t know why they label this as a dessert, maybe the whipped topping? This is Phase 1 approved.

3 cups strong brewed coffee, chilled (hey, this is what I have the picture of leftover vanilla coffee for!)1 cup fat free or 1% milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp splenda or other sugar substitute
Ice
½ cup fat free or light whipped topping
Pinch of cinnamon for garnish (optional)
4 cinnamon sticks for garnish (optional)

In pitcher, combine coffee, milk, vanilla & sugar. Stir well. Fill 4 glasses with ice and pour coffee over top. Spoon 2 tbs of whipped topping onto each. Stir gently to some topping mixes with coffee and rest remains on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon & add stick, if using.

Chilly Chocolate – South Beach

This is Phase 1 approved.

3 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbs splenda or other sugar substitute
Pinch of salt
3 cups cold 1% milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Ice cubes

In bowl, mix cocoa, sugar and salt. Slowly pour in 1 cup of milk & whisk til smooth. Whisk in remaining milk & vanilla.
Pour in to 4 glasses over ice.

I would say to toss in blender with ice & make it thick! ME - I'm planning on trying this in the Bullet ...

Taco Salad

It's kinda stupid, but you know, for a while there, I just could not get the hang of doing a taco salad. What the heck was up with that? Now, whenever I make tacos for hubby & sonny boy, I make mine a salad as I prefer it more ....


Ground meat (I've used chicken which was awesome, but most use beef or turkey!)
taco seasoning of choice (have not found a homemade that I prefer yet, still looking)

Of course, cook meat, breaking into smaller pieces as you go. OR you can do like I do 70% of the time and toss the cooked meat in the food processor & give it a whirl. Careful though, otherwise it can turn to paste.

Add taco seasoning & continue cooking per package (or recipe) instructions.

Shred lettuce (I'm assuming you washed it already, right??). Iceburg is the norm. Just cut in half and slice thin. Toss all in bowl. Dice some onions and tomatoes up, toss each in their bowl.

Shred some cheese (or think, CRAP I forgot to take the bag of shredded stuff out of freezer this morning!!). Get out the sour cream, black olives (if desired), tortilla chips (break them up into fairly bite size pieces) ... and beans. Any kind of beans. I prefer black beans. Rinse & drain the can well.

Now get yourself a plate (that you will eat off of), lay a layer of lettuce. Add some taco meat, top with cheese, tomatoes, onions. Top that with some cheese and sour cream. Add the tortilla chips around the edges. Add the beans around the edges (or under the meat if you want to incorporate all together to hide. Add whatever else you like, such as hot sauce, olives, etc.

You can always take the short cut and just use salsa instead of the tomatoes & onions.

My secret (for me) is to mix it up a little on the plate and try to get a little of the 'wet' stuff, like tomatoes, sour cream whatever in each bite.

Crab (or Lobster) Salad

This is South Beach friendly, and the recipe comes from The South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook but I've modified it a bit.

*If in Phase 1, do not use the roll. Phase 2 you can add the roll if desired.

2 8 ounce packages of imitation crab (or, if you are wealthier, 4 lobster tails cooked & removed from shells, chopped)
1 celery stalk, diced
1 tbs (more or less) of diced red or white onion
1 tbs mayo
1 tbs basil
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
red pepper flakes (optional)
I also add red or green diced peppers, cucumbers and whatever else I have to make it more 'bulky'

Mix all together. You may need to add more mayo to hold together, but remember, the SB Diet allows a minimal amount of fats.

Phase 1 - serve on a bed of salad greens.
Phase 2 - serve on a whole wheat hot dog roll, lightly toasted (if desired).

This will make 4 servings.