Lasghetti

Tonight was one of those nights where I didn't know what I was gonna cook and I'm pretty sure a new dish out of forced creativity was made!

Due to daddy working until 8pm or later, us all having the flu....needless to say I have not been to the store (or finished my Christmas shopping)...etc. lezzzbe honest I'm just trying to keep my sanity people! Being home 24-7 while you're sick, taking care of two sick very needy kiddos on your own is exhausting. It's practically a miracle supper gets made!

So tonight I took a lb of ground sirloin out the freezer and figured I could make spaghetti (didn't realize I didn't have any noodles until after I made the sauce...only noodles I had were no boil lasagna noodles...hence lasghetti was born)

I didn't take pics when I was cooking bc obviously was planning on this being that great of a meal!

So here's the recipe

Lasghetti

Sautéed onion, celery, bell pepper and carrots in olive oil. Pressed 4 garlics, once they were softened, added cherry tomatoes, let them cook down and smashed them. Season with salt, garlic powder, lemon pepper, red pepper, oregano and basil. 

Added 1lb of ground sirloin.

Let it brown.

Add 1lg 20oz can of crushed tomatoes. Reseason and add fresh basil if you have it.

Let sauce cook for a good hour...

Then this is where I got creative.

I realized..oh crap where are those spaghetti noodles...I have 1/4 bag of penne..but the girls don't eat penne that great...I need them to eat good...ohh I have a box of no boil lasagna noodles, could that work? Well let's try!

(Hope you enjoyed my thought process)

So I broke up the lasagna noodles a bit, spread them around in the sauce, added some milk (prob 1cup) for creaminess and a lot of Parmesan cheese!

Mixed it all up real good. Then put the whole pot in the oven uncovered at 350 for about 35 -45 mins 

This is what it looked like!

It was a big hit!

A new dish was made on a night when I thought it was gonna be a disaster!

My husband just got home from work and is currently on his third bowl!

And Lord help me get to the store tomorrow bc we literally have nOthing left to eat!

Garlic Meyer Lemon Chicken

Well we aren't 100% over the flu yet but we are over soup!!!!

I haven't had a chance to go to the store, so I had to make something with what I had.

Garlic Meyer lemon chicken

I took the bone in, skin on chicken breasts seasoned with Meyer lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons) and the zest of one, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, lemon pepper, red pepper, oregano and basil. 

I also put about 10 garlic cloves around the baking dish too. Did you know garlic is a natural antibiotic?? 

Baked at 350 for about two hours.

 

Goes great with a  over mashed potatoes  or just by itself with a fresh salad! 

Enjoy!

Lebanese Cucumber Feta Salad

The flu has hit our house:(!

I currently have two pots of soup in my fridge to help nurse us back to health-my old fashion chicken noodle and Mexico City style soup. But sometimes some salty comfort food sounds good!

Last night I cooked an easy Lebanese style comfort food supper.

Broiled kibbees I had in the freezer (a post in itself to come later), homeade French fries, big bowl of radishes (me and Giuliana are obsessed with radishes) and the perfect salad to compliment- cucumber feta salad. It's so easy and simple yet so delish and satisfying- the key is quality ingredients!

Lebanese Cucumber Feta Salad

Sliced 4-5 small pickling cucumbers

1/2 red onion

Crumbled feta- this is where quality ingredients come in. This is a high quality- unpasteurized goat milk block of feta I bought from Phoenician(Lebanese grocery store here) that I sliced and crumbled in.

Fresh basil

Juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon-again Meyer lemon makes it extra good! These are sweet tart lemons that are simply delicious I eat them like oranges!

Tossed with a little Tonys and olive oil.

Simple, easy and sooo good!

My girls love it too bc they love cucumbers and feta cheese! Warms my heart that they love our Lebanese food! #raisinglebanesebabies #sitteeslegacy

Mexico City Soup

I love chicken soup at Mexican restaurants and many if times I think it's called Mexico City soup - if not then I just made it up! Ha! But this is my version:

Mexico City Soup

I start it the same way I start my chicken noodle soup-

Boiling a whole chicken with lots of garlic.

Season with salt, garlic powder, lemon pepper, cinnamon and red pepper.

Then add

Chopped onion, celery and carrots

Let that boil for a good hour.

When chicken has fully cooked and made a good stock (at least one hour) take chicken out.

Then add the following

Chopped Roma tomatoes, zucchini, squash, Mexican squash and frozen corn.

Then add 1/2 cup of rice

Add back deboned chicken.

Cover, let simmer on med-low for about 45 mins to cook vegs and rice. 

I like to top it with pico, avocado and cheese.

I made a pico with avocado to top mine but I usually just but store bought pico 

My pico I made to top it 

The best parsley stem picker!

Enjoy!