Macaroni that big people can love!

This came in my latest Kraft Food & Family magazine and I loved that it combined Melody's
favorite food with some 'big people' taste. Be forewarned that this recipe makes a TON! Jared usually has two servings, the girls and I will each have one and there is still enough for everyone to have lunch the next day. Good Saturday night meal so that lunch is ready when you get home from church (or before you go ;p) I also like this one because Melody is able to help make it. She adds the noodles, the pizza sauce and the extra cheese (I have to do the cheese sauce, she gets a little crazy!)

Pasta Pronto Italiano

1 pkg. (7-1/4 oz.) KRAFT Macaroni Cheese Dinner
1 lb. lean ground beef 1 jar (15 oz.) pizza sauce
1/2 cup KRAFT Pizzeria Shredded Four Cheese

PREPARE Dinner as on directed on package. Meanwhile, brown meat in large skillet; drain, if necessary.

ADD Dinner and pizza sauce; mix lightly. Sprinkle with shredded cheese; cover. Reduce heat to low; cook 2 min. or until shredded cheese begins to melt.

See? Easy peasy!

P.S. here's a simple, and so so yummy pizza sauce recipe I got over at the my kitchen cafe blog. In case you hadn't noticed I heart her blog!

Homemade Pizza Sauce

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
Oregano
Garlic powder
Italian seasoning
Crushed red pepper (optional)

Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until desired consistency. I leave mine slightly chunky. On the seasonings, I just sprinkle them in to taste. If I use crushed red pepper, I only use a few flakes because my kids don't like spicy things, but it definitely adds a nice kick to the sauce to use it. I also substitute for whatever I don't have: basil leaves for oregano, garlic salt for garlic powder, etc. This recipe is open to interpretation. Use what you like and it will be delicious.

Mexican Meatloaf

I'm not a huge fan of meatloaf, but this one sounded kinda good so I thought I'd try it. I told Jared it was converging our heritages into one meal, the spicy salsa and the traditional meatloaf . He didn't laugh, but then he usually doesn't laugh at my jokes! :0)

Fiesta Meatloaf

2 lb. lean ground beef 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken 1 cup water 2 eggs, beaten 2 tsp. chili powder 1/2 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa, divided 3/4 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese

HEAT oven to 375°F. Mix all ingredients except 1/4 cup salsa and cheese.

SHAPE into oval loaf in 13x9-inch baking dish; top with remaining salsa.

BAKE 1 hour or until done (160ºF). Top with cheese; bake 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve.

Kraft Kitchen Tips

Serving Suggestion Serve this comfort food with mashed potatoes and a hot steamed vegetable, such as broccoli.

Fiesta Meatballs Mix together meat mixture as directed; shape into 48 meatballs. Cook, in batches, in large skillet on medium heat 12 min. or until evenly browned and done (160°F), turning frequently. Spoon onto serving platter or into large bowl; top with additional 1 cup salsa. Sprinkle with cheese. Makes 8 servings, 6 meatballs each.

Fiesta Burgers Mix meat mixture as directed; shape into 8 patties. Grill, broil or pan fry until done (160°F), topping with the remaining salsa and cheese for the last 2 min. Makes 8 servings.

Sweet-N-Sour Meatballs

Yum! This one is very easy and I just love it! I use the walmart brand frozen stir-fry veggies and if I have some fresh ones on hand I'll add those too. Usually I add extra snap peas also because Melody and Katelynn really like them. I buy the frozen prepared meatballs because it costs about the same as making my own and the frozen ones taste better! I usually just throw in four meatballs per person eating. I also double the sauce and let it reduce while cooking the meatballs so it's a little thicker. Then after the meatballs are cooked through, I add all of the veggies. If using fresh veggies I steam these separate and add at the end. If you add them all together they'll end up mushy or not all the way cooked depending on the vegetable. I've always served this over brown rice, but I think I may try noodles next time. Enjoy!

Sweet-N-Sour Meatballs

Prep Time:5 min Total Time:25 min Makes:4 servings

3/4 lb. (3/4 of 16-oz. pkg.) frozen prepared meatballs 1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen stir-fry vegetables

1/4 cup apricot jam 1/4 cup KRAFT CATALINA Dressing 2 Tbsp. soy sauce

COMBINE all ingredients in large skillet; cover. COOK on medium-high heat 10 min. or until meatballs and vegetables are heated through, stirring occasionally. SERVE over hot cooked rice or pasta, if desired.

And here we begin!

I have been wondering how to start this blog and what recipe I should use. Tonight I had a victory and thought it would be good to start with one of those since they are so few and far between! Let me start by saying that most of the recipes I'll be posting on here will come from the Kraft website because their recipes are supper easy and supper fast! Both necessary for my life. I told Jared that the longer the recipe takes to make the more time it gives me to screw it up, so for now we're going to stick to the simple ones! Tonight I made Barbecue Beef Filled Biscuits and I think the thing I liked best about it is that Melody was able to help make it. I'm always looking for recipes that will allow her to help because she LOVES to cook. How yummy do these look! (by the way this is the pic from the website, not the ones I made!!)

Barbecue Beef Filled Biscuits

Prep Time:10 min Total Time:24 min Makes:4 servings, 2 each

1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef 1 medium green pepper, finely chopped 1 medium carrot, shredded 1/3 cup BULL'S-EYE Original Barbecue Sauce 1 can (7.5 oz.) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits 1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese

BROWN meat in medium skillet; drain. Add green pepper; cook and stir 5 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender. Remove from heat. Add carrots and barbecue sauce (I cooked my carrots for a minute); mix well. SEPARATE biscuits. Press 1 biscuit onto bottom and up side of each of 8 medium muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. (I used jumbo biscuits so they only came with eight, but if you use regular biscuits there is enough filling for al 10. I had to over stuff mine.)

SPOON meat-vegetable mixture evenly into biscuit cups, pressing filling into cups with back of spoon. (Filling will be mounded.) BAKE at 375°F for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Continue baking 3 to 4 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and cheese is melted.

I used red pepper because I didn't have a green one handy and I also added corn because I had some hanging around in my fridge that needed to be used! :op Also instead of shredded carrots I used the matchstick ones. I was going to serve this with a side salad and a fruit salad for dessert, but we were in a time crunch.

I made a double batch and froze what we didn't use for a quick meal later. I just heat them up in the oven at 375° for 3-5 minutes, but let them thaw most of the way first. I try to do this with the meals I know will freeze well, so on those nights that cooking is just not going to happen my family doesn't have to starve! :op

Please let me know how this turns out for you and if you have any of your own tips or tricks to add.