Homemade vegetable beef soup

I have wanted to find a favorite vegetable beef soup recipe for some time now, and I think I finally have. I had the best vegetable beef soup at a restaurant this past fall, and asked the waiter what all they put in it. After looking around online and including what they mentioned, I played around with a recipe that I've now made twice, and we all love it. It's just a traditional vegetable beef soup but I love the flavor. The combination of chicken and beef broth along with vegetable juice is one I love because it gives a great flavor but isn't too beefy or tomatoey. I also used a sweet potato instead of a white one, not knowing how it would turn out, and we loved it. It adds a subtle sweet yet savory flavor to the soup, but is not at all overwhelming- just a good, healthy addition that I'll use from now on. This soup is very quick and easy to make and it makes enough for the four of us to have for two meals.  Pasta could also be added to make it go further. I didn't measure out my spices but sprinkled them generously over the soup. We had this for dinner but it also makes great leftovers for lunch. I would love to double this next time and freeze half of it.

Vegetable beef soup

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 Tbsp XVOO (could also use vegetable oil, I just use olive oil because it's healthy)

1 medium-large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb beef

28 ounces tomato (roughly chop up a can of whole tomatoes or buy diced), drained

15 oz chicken broth

15 oz beef broth

1 Tbsp. better than bouillon chicken base  (I know this stuff isn't nutritious but it gives great flavor!)

1/2 Tbsp. better than bouillon beef base

1 1/2 cups vegetable juice, like V-8

28 ounces frozen vegetables (I used a mix of corn, green beans, peas, carrots, etc)

1 cup frozen lima beans (you can also add more of other frozen vegetables, too)

1 sweet potato, diced

dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper (add more if you like)

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Oregano, dried

Basil, dried

Parsley, dried

Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle on top of soup

Ciabatta or any other good bread, or crackers for serving along with soup.

D I R E C T I O N S :

Heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté onion and garlic until onion is translucent and garlic is turning a golden color. 

Add ground beef and brown until completely cooked. Drain all excess oil.

Add tomatoes, broth, chicken and beef bases, vegetable juice, vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to pot. Generously sprinkle remaining spices over the soup (going a little lighter on the garlic and onion powders). Bring back to a boil on medium heat, and then let simmer on medium-low for 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. 

Adjust seasonings to taste.

I find it best to let the soup sit on low for a little while to continue to let the flavors combine, so I'll make this a couple of hours before dinner. 

Top individual bowls with a small amount of parmesan cheese, and serve with bread or crackers. I took a loaf of ciabatta, cut it in half to make two long slices, and brushed it with melted butter before sprinkling it with a very small amount of garlic powder and salt and topping with a little parmesan. I baked it on 350 for 10-15 minutes until the edges were just turning brown, and it was a great addition to the soup. 

Classic Spaghetti Sauce

Every cook has their own version of spaghetti sauce, and after trying some different kinds over the years, I made this one the other day. I looked at some different recipes, including this one from my friend Amber's blog, and then threw my adapted version together. Like Amber, instead of using a packaged spaghetti seasoning packet, I looked up recipe substitutes and then adjusted it in my recipe according to my preference. The great thing about a sauce like this is that you can adjust it according to your taste as you go. We loved the flavor and had enough left over to freeze for a future meal. 

Classic Spaghetti Sauce

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 Tbsp. oil

1.5 lbs ground beef (I use mostly lean beef-I think it was 94% lean)

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

15 ounces tomato sauce

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, liquid drained

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. dried basil

1 1/4 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. garlic powder

3/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. dried rosemary

1/8 tsp. dried red pepper flakes

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. sugar

D I R E C T I O N S :

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, cook onion and garlic until tender and transparent. Remove, and set aside (or, you could just leave them in while the beef cooks. I don't think it really matters).

Turn heat to medium-high/high and brown beef until cooked through, stirring constantly to crumble. 

Drain any grease.

Combine beef, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, drained tomatoes, water, and remaining ingredients to the sauce pan. Cook on medium heat, reducing heat to low once it reaches a gentle boil. Simmer, covered,  on low for a while (20-30 minutes if you need it quickly, or you can let it sit on low for longer to let the flavors combine even more). Adjust seasonings to taste.

Sloppy Joes

Oh, come on and admit it. It's okay; you don't have to be ashamed. You know you like a good sloppy joe every now and then! This was my first attempt at making sloppy joes, and I decided to give it a try after a friend sent me a recipe she loves and I thought it would be a good meal to make a freeze part of for after the baby. I ended up adjusting quite a few things in the recipe, so hopefully I'll be able to remember what all I did...but when in doubt, just adjust amounts according to your taste. This was a good meal and my husband loved it. I think he would rather eat something like sloppy joes over a fancy meal any night!

I did not get a picture, but really, let's admit it: Sloppy joes may taste good, but they aren't pretty.

Sloppy Joes

Original recipe here from allrecipes.com

I N G R E D I E N T S :

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2-3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (add a little, and then add more if you think it needs it)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (I ended up using a little bit more)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (this is an estimate-original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp but I added more after tasting it)
• Onion powder (I sprinkled some over the top as it was cooking)
• Hamburger buns

D I R E C T I O N S :

• Cook beef in a large skillet over medium-high until evenly browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion and celery, cover pan, and cook until transparent. The original recipe says this takes about 5 minutes, but it took me a while longer to get the celery and onion to desire softness. Drain off any grease.
• 
  
• Stir the tomato soup (undiluted), ketchup, water, vinegar, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce into the beef mixture. Season with salt, garlic powder, and onion powder, adjusting to taste. Heat to a simmer over low heat, and cook until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently to prevent it from burning on the bottom. If your onion and celery still needs to soften up, you can cook it for longer. I let the mixture simmer on low for a while, and was more and more pleased with the results after letting the flavors combine for longer.
• 
  
• Spoon the hot beef mixture onto buns. 

Inside out Ravioli

This is a very simple dish to make. The recipe calls for store-bought sauce, which I don't normally use, but I have to admit that it was a huge time saver. Rather than making one 9x13 dish, I made two small round pans and froze them because I'm having a baby in May and am currently stocking my freezer for meals in preparation. While we haven't actually had this meal yet, the few bites I sampled before freezing the dish tasted good, so I'm looking forward to trying it out in a few weeks!

Inside Out Ravioli

adapted from a recipe in The Christmas Cottage Cookbook

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 (10-oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, cooked acc. to pkg. directions-reserve the water from cooking.

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (15-oz) jar spaghetti with mushrooms (I used Ragu super chunky mushroom)

1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce

1 (6-z) can tomato paste

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs (all I had was panko so I used that, but any is probably find)

1/4 cup oil

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 (8-oz) pkg. shell macaroni, cooked

D I R E C T I O N S :

Bring a pot of water to a boil, and cook macaroni shells according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cook spinach according to package directions; drain well, reserving liquid. Set aside.

Brown ground beef with onion. Once finished,  add spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and spinach liquid. Simmer 10 minutes.

Combine spinach with bread crumbs, oil and cheese. Mix well and add to cooked macaroni shells.

Pour meat sauce over top of shell mixture, and stir until combined.

Spread in 9x13 baking dish (or two 8x8 or small around pans). 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Serves 6-8.

autumn vegetable beef soup

With fall quickly approaching, I am getting excited about the thought of warm meals perfect for those soon to be crisp evenings. There is something so nice about coming in from a brisk fall day to a warm bowl of soup, so I decided to make a vegetable beef soup from leftovers of the roast I made last week. This meal is a perfect way to use up those leftover scraps to add flavor and depth for a good, hearty meal. The leftover vegetables and liquid make a savory broth base for this, and the meat adds flavor and protein. The great thing about soups and stews is that you can throw in what you have and adjust the amounts to your taste, as I did when I made this, instead of having exact amounts of ingredients. I made a large batch of this and froze it in several small batches for us to enjoy throughout the coming months. 

If you do not have a roast to use as part of this stew, simply buy some stew meat and extra beef broth. Saute the stew meat in some oil (you can coat it in flour if you prefer), along with the onion and garlic, dice up some extra carrots and potatoes, and prepare as follows.  This soup is great when served with cornbread.

Vegetable beef soup

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 Tbsp. XVOO

1 Onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

28 oz diced tomatoes

Liquid from previous roast (I had around 1 1/2 cups)

Beef and vegetables remaining from previous roast

4 additional carrots, diced

4 additional potatoes, diced

1 cup water plus 2 cubes beef bouillon (I used 2 tsp. of Better than Bouillon paste), or 2 cups beef broth 

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen green beans

1 bay leaf

2 splashes Worcestershire sauce

basil, oregano, basil, and parsley to taste (I just sprinkle some of all of them over the stew to add flavor)

D I R E C T I O N S :

In a large pot or dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in XVOO over medium-high heat until soft and transparent.

Add tomatoes, along with liquid you have from previous roast (I actually pureed 1 cup of the leftover vegetables with the liquid for a thicker base). If you do not have a roast, use 2 cups beef broth in place of this liquid. Add another cup of water along with bouillon cubes (or 2 tsp. better than bouillon), or two additional cups of beef broth.

Cut up leftover beef from roast into 1/2" squares, and add to liquid. If you do not have leftover roast, this is where you would add freshly cooked stew meat in.

Dice carrots and potatoes, and add to pot. If you have leftover vegetables from the roast, add these, too, because they give added flavor.  If you don't, you may want to add in some extra carrots and potatoes, depending on how thick you want your stew. Add corn and beans as well.

Add bay leaf, 2 splashes Worcestershire sauce, and oregano, basil, and parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. 

Bring to a boil on medium heat and quickly lower to simmer on low, covered for 1 hour or longer. 

Adjust seasonings, salt, and pepper as stew cooks. 

mexican lasagna

The picture just doesn't do this dish justice!

Have you ever had mexican lasagna? I never had, but I thought it sounded good. I searched for the right recipe, but just never found one that sounded exactly like I wanted. So, I looked at several variations, thought about how I would want one to taste, and came up with my own. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but I knew we would would either love it or hate it! So, I was pleasantly surprised to hear my husband immediately say how much he loved it, and that he could eat it all the time. Yay! He even said, "you need to put this one on the blog!". That said, I knew it must be worthy of a post. This lasagna has the basic makeup of a traditional lasagna, but uses southwestern and mexican flavors and ingredients instead. This recipe makes 1 9x12 lasagna, but I divided it up into 8x8 pans and somehow managed to get 3 8x8's out of it by using slightly thinner layers. Two went into the freezer and we can't wait to eat them soon, and I will definitely be making this again!

Mexican Lasagna

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 Tbsp. oil (I used XVOO)

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper chopped

1 lb ground beef

Taco seasoning-one package, or click here for a make-your-own substitute

1/2 cup water

28 ounce diced tomatoes, drained (you might leave a little water, but drain most of it)

1 14-oz can of tomatoes and green chilis (rotel...and I used mild because I didn't want a lot of heat)

1 cup salsa, divided into two 1/2 cups

15 oz ricotta (I know, this is an italian ingredient, but the flavor and texture does go well with the dish)

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

8 tortillas (i used whole wheat, but just use whichever type you prefer)

16 oz monterey jack cheese

D I R E C T I O N S :

In a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat, saute onion, garlic, and bell pepper until tender. 

Add in ground beef, and cook thoroughly. I usually turn the heat up to high halfway through, and I also stir it the entire time so it will break up well. Once beef is completely cooked, drain off fat. 

Add taco seasoning, 1/2 cup water, and turn heat to low, stirring and letting simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, rotel, and 1/2 cup of the salsa. Let everything simmer for around 15 minutes, or longer. I let it simmer uncovered so that the liquid will reduce. If you don't have much liquid, then you can cover it and let it simmer.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine sour cream, remaining 1/2 cup of salsa, and 2 cups of corn together, and stir well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Once the sauce has had time to cook and reduce a little, begin assembling your lasagna. Using a slotted spoon for the sauce, place a small layer of sauce in the bottom of your baking dish. 

On top of the sauce, make a layer of tortillas (where you would normally use lasagna noodles). I used 1 large tortilla for every layer in my 8x8 pans, but if you have a 9x12 you will need two large tortillas, side by side. You can break them up into strips, or leave them whole (I left them whole because they get cut up anyway). 

On top of the tortillas, place a thin layer of the ricotta/salsa/corn mixture. Then sprinkle some of the monterey jack cheese. Repeat layers in the following order: Tortillas, meat sauce, ricotta mixture, and monterey jack. You'll make 3-4 complete layers, depending on how much of everything you use per layer and how many tortillas use have (just like a lasagna). You should end with one last layer of tortillas, sauce, ricotta mixture, and then a generous layer of monterey jack.

Place in oven, and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly but not overly browned.

This is a great dish to freeze, so if you are making it for just 2-3 people, you can always break it up into 2 or 3 8x8 pans and freeze some of it instead of just keeping it around for leftovers all week. 

Lasagna

This past week was my turn to host and serve the main course for a cooking club I've been part of. We have gone through Tables of Content, by the Junior League of Birmingham, so everything we made is in it. Here is the lasagna recipe. It was tasty and not at all complicated. I made the meat sauce the day before I prepared it, so it was really easy to put together. Sorry...no picture. But we all know what this stuff looks like!

Lasagna
From Tables of Content
by the Junior League of Birmingham

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 pound ground beef
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
3 tomato paste cans water
1 envelope spaghetti seasoning mix  (I used McCormick's brand)
3 cups cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. fresh parsley (I just sprinkled in some dried parsley)
8 no-boil lasagna noodles (Use these-trust me. They are your friend!)
1 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced (I used shredded)
Grated parmesan cheese to taste

D I R E C T I O N S :

Brown the ground beef with the garlic in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until the ground beef is crumbly; drain.
Mix the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water and seasoning mix in a bowl and add to the ground beef mixture.
Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the cottage cheese, egg and parsley in a bowl.
Spread 1/3 of the ground beef mixture in a 9x13-inch baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Layer with 1/2 of the noodles, 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture and 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese.
Top with 1/2 of the remaining ground beef mixture, the remaining noodles, remaining cottage cheese mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for 30 minutes longer.

Delicious Chili

If you don't have a good go-to recipe for chili, I recommend trying this one. This is my favorite chili ever-not too hot or spicy (unless you want it to be), full of flavor, with just a slight sweetness to it, and overall very healthy as long as you use lean meat. I LOVE this chili. I got the recipe from my friend Anne who used to make it for get togethers when we lived near each other. Every time she would make it, I would think about how I just had to get a copy of it! And I'm so happy I can share it with you, too! I'm pretty picky about chili, but I love this one. I love the flavor and that it's so satisfying while being healthy. It's perfect for a fall or winter day, by itself or with baked potatoes.

I apologize for the lack of pictures lately...I hope to get back to that soon.

Chili
by Anne's mom, Kathy

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 lb. ground beef (i actually use ground turkey most of the time, but either is great)
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp. garlic, chopped
1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped (you can usually find these in jars near pickles and olives in the store)
1 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. black pepper
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes (regular, or the "for chili" kind by Hunts if you can find them)
3 cans kidney beans
2 Tbsp. chili powder (or less if you don't want it as spicy. I usually only use 1 Tbsp.)
2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
Salt, to taste

D I R E C T I O N S :

Saute onion, red and green peppers, and garlic until tender. Set aside.

Brown beef or turkey, then add the sauteed vegetables back into the pot along with the remaining ingredients.

Heat slowly so the sauce can thicken.

Best cooked and chilled overnight and then reheated.

spaghetti with simple bolognese sauce

(*not all of the ingredients are shown here.)

I wanted to try a new recipe for meat sauce, so I went with this one from Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian cookbook. This was a great change from my ordinary meat sauce: This robust sauce is practically bursting with flavor and definitely satisfying. I will make this one again, for sure.

In an effort to make dinnertime easier, I made this early in the day and let it simmer in my slow cooker rather than a shorter cooking time on the stovetop. It was so nice to come home to the aroma of dinner practically waiting to be served, as all I had to do was cook the pasta, along with a couple of quick vegetables. The next time I make this, I'll likely double or triple the recipe to freeze some for future meals, because there was just a small amount of sauce left over after my husband and i were finished (we did have generous seconds and like a lot of sauce...this recipe usually serves 4). The only thing I think I would adjust is the salt: I didn't have any celery and decided to substitute celery salt so I wouldn't have to buy a whole bunch of celery just to use one stalk. Since I used celery salt (it was all I had), I felt like the sauce was just a teeny bit saltier than I would have liked it to be. I think using the celery would have been a better choice, or even using celery seed. That said, I recommend seasoning the sauce with salt after it's simmered for a while and you've tasted it, so you can adjust it to your liking. Other than that, it was great!

Simple Bolognese by Giada De Laurentiis
Courtesy of Everyday Italian
the recipe may also be found online here.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 pound ground chuck beef
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano Cheese(i used parmesan cheese)


D I R E C T I O N S :

stovetop directions:
In a large skillet heat the olive oil. When almost smoking (i suggest cooking it over medium heat), add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until the onions become very soft, about 8 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and saute for 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and add the ground beef. Saute, stirring frequently and breaking up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. This will take approximately 1/2 hour. Finish bolognese with Pecorino Romano Cheese (*or parmesan)

slow cooker directions:
Cook onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and beef on the stovetop according to the above directions. After the beef is cooked thoroughly and the vegetables are tender, transfer everything to your slow cooker and add the remaining ingredients, minus the cheese. Cook on high 4-6 hours or high 8-10 hours. Wait to add the cheese until just a few minutes before serving, stirring so it can melt into the sauce.

beef pot roast

i made this in the slow cooker sunday so that it would be finished after we returned from evening church. i hadn't made a roast in a while, but there's just nothing like one every now and then! so satisfying and a one dish, low-fat, comfort food! and i wanted to make one before it gets too warm outside.

i completely forgot to take a picture, but i also made honey yeast rolls and i do have a picture of those :).

i got this from my trusty better homes and gardens cookbook, which has options for cooking on the stove, in the oven, or in a slow cooker. since i used the slow cooker, i'm only going to take the time to type out those directions for you :).

beef pot roast

from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook: Celebrating the Promise Limited Edition

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 2 1/2-3 pound boneless beef chuck pot roast
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. instant beef bouillon granules (i used one cube)
1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pound tiny new potatoes or 4 medium potatoes or sweet potatoes (I used regular sized new potatoes, left the skin on, and cut them in half)
1 pound carrots or 6 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (i used carrots)
2 small onions, cut into wedges (i forgot these and it still tasted good but i really missed them-so don't forget them!)
2 stalks celery, bias-sliced into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
black pepper (optional)

Trim fat from meat. In a 4-6 quart Dutch oven brown meat in hot oil. Drain off fat. Combine 3/4 cup water, worcestershire sauce, bouillon granules, basil, and salt. Pour over meat in a slow cooker, and cook for desired time interval, depending on your day. I think I cooked mine for 8 hours on low heat. i did not make gravy, but here are the instructions if you wish to make it:

for gravy, measure juices; skim fat. if necessary, add enough water to juices to equal 1 1/2 cups. return to Dutch oven. in a small bowl stir the 1/2 cup cold water into flour until smooth. stir juices into pan. cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. cook and stir for one minute more. if desired, season with pepper. serve gravy with meat and vegetables.

lasagna

I like to make a big batch of meat sauce and freeze it in small amounts. That way, when I want to make lasagna or spaghetti, I can simply take the already made meat sauce out of the freezer, add a couple things to it, and then make the rest of the dish. This is much easier than making the sauce every time. My husband's granny gave me the recipe for her meat sauce, so I've been doing this since we got married.

This meat sauce has been a staple for us. It's tasty, easy to make, great to store in batches, and doesn't have any expensive ingredients. I know everyone has their own meat sauce, but if you don't, you are welcome to try this one!

This was a great meal with some corn, fall harvest salad, and also the french bread I made.

LASAGNA

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 cups meat sauce*
1 8-oz can of tomato sauce from store
1 quart of (32 Oz.) tomatoes (I love to use granny's canned tomatoes, but store bought works really well, too)
1 Small tub ricotta or cottage cheese (I use ricotta)
1 bag of mozzarella cheese
1 package of lasagna noodles
Dried Parsley

D I R E C T I O N S :

Combine 2 cups prepared meat sauce, canned tomatoes, and store bought tomato sauce.

Cook over medium heat for around 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook one package of lasagna noodles, and drain. They will be hot, so you may need to let them cool for a couple of minutes.

For the lasagna, you can either use 1 9x13 pan or 2 8x8 pans. I like to use the 8x8 pans and freeze one when I make lasagna just for just the two of us.

Begin layering by spreading small amount of sauce for bottom layer

Add layer of noodles, then dot with either cottage cheese or ricotta

Add thin later Mozzarella cheese

Repeat sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella

End with last noodles, ricotta, sauce, then cover lasagna with Mozzarella. Finish by sprinkling some dried parsley for garnish.

Cook on 350 30–40 minutes

*MEAT SAUCE:

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 ½ lbs ground round or beef
2 large green bell peppers, chopped (Use less if you don't like much bell pepper in your sauce)
2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped
1 Qt. (32 oz.) tomatoes
12 Oz. tomato paste
3 or so shakes Worcestershire sauce
4 bay leaves
Sugar to taste
Some salt and pepper
Fresh herbs, like basil, marjoram, parsley, and/or oregano

D I R E C T I O N S :

Sauté onion and bell peppers in small amount of oil and set aside.

Cook meat on medium heat until it begins to brown, and then stir constantly-should be in small crumbs.

When the meat is finished, add back the peppers and onions.

Add tomatoes and tomato paste

Add Worcestershire, bay leaves, sugar, salt, pepper, and herbs to taste.

Turn heat on low and simmer for 2 hours.

Freeze in 1-2 cup amounts.