Baked Tortellini

I always have these great and grand plans to make the fabulous recipes that I have pinned on Pinterest or stumbled across and printed from the internet when I go grocery shopping. Then, real life happens and I come home from work tired and grouchy, or I'm the only one home to feed and cooking doesn't sound nearly as fun. So then, because I was such a good little grocery shopper and followed my carefully planned menu from my wish list of recipes I'm quite often left with ingredients that I am too tired to use as they were originally intended. This package of tortellini was in this category.

For whatever reason my kids have never really like spaghetti in any variety. I've tried different shaped noodles, tortellini, ravioli etc with sauce but it isn't ever received with loud shouts of praise. But, they do like lasagna type dishes. So, I dug through the pantry and refrigerator and did a dump and hope for the best kind of dinner. It was pretty tasty and for the energy challenged after work it was a win. It was good for lunches the next day too! Bonus!

Baked Tortellini

1 package refrigerated tortellini
1 jar marinara sauce
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 T. Italian seasoning
1 cup Ricotta cheese
2 cups Mozzarella cheese or Italian Blend

• Cook tortellini according to package directions, drain well. 
• In a med saucepan mix sauce, tomato sauce and seasoning and heat through. Pour over pasta and mix well.
• In a prepared 9 x 13 baking dish layer half the tortellini, the ricotta cheese, a good handful of mozzarella cheese and the remaining pasta. 
• Top the pasta with the rest of the mozzarella.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is gooey and melted.

BBQ Meatballs

I love the Pioneer Woman's website and visit every couple of days. I think it's great that she is proud of who she is and not ashamed to post hearty, everyday kind of dinners. This is an adaptation of her BBQ Meatball recipe. Thanks PW! Randy went on a business trip the day after I fixed these and I ate meatballs all week. They were still good at the end of the week! :)

BBQ Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 lb lean ground turkey
3/4 c rolled oats
1 c. 1% milk
9 T minced onion, divided (half in the meat, half in the sauce)
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 1/2 c. ketchup
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. vinegar
1 t. liquid smoke

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Combine all meatball ingredients in med bowl. Roll into med-small balls and place on cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in freezer for 5-10 min. (approx 42 meatballs)Remove from freezer and immediately dredge in unseasoned flour.

Brown meatballs quickly in a drizzle of olive oil, place in baking dish. Combine all sauce ingredients and pour evenly over the top of the meatballs. Bake for 45 min.

Cal 334; Fat 8 g; Fiber 1 g

Cookies and Cream Banana Bread

I know that I have posted another banana bread recipe but this is quite simply the best ever. I've made it twice in a week! Oh yeah baby!

Cookies and Cream Banana Bread

1 1/2 sticks margarine
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
4 medium bananas smashed well
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
15 Oreo cookies, broken into pieces (Brianne liked Double Stuff better than regular because it made it gooier)

Glaze:
1 C. powdered sugar
2-3 T. milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time mixing well. Add vanilla and bananas and combine
2. Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined
3. Gently fold in Oreos
4. Pour batter into 2 loaf pans sprayed with PAM
5. Bake 28-35 mins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
6. Turn out onto wire rack, cool
7. Whisk powdered sugar and milk together until drizzling (yes that is a word, I'm sure of it) consistency
8. Drizzle glaze over loaves

16 slices per loaf
Cal 131; Fat 6 g; Fiber .6g per serving

Comfort Eating and Strawberry Banana Bread

Last week was an exercise in comfort eating for me. Yes, I gained 3 lbs. No, it doesn't feel particulary better today with the cold, harsh light shining down on the bathroom scale, but at the time it filled a need.

One of the things that I indulged way too much in was Strawberry Banana Bread. I have a weakness for banana bread that does me in every single time I make it. No matter how much I give away I still manage to eat more than my share of warm bananay goodness! What can I say? I am weak.

This is totally yum with the strawberries. It's also good with blueberries or even just the banana bread by itself. Oh, and you really do have to cool it completely before you dump it out of the pan. It will totally disintegrate if you get too anxious!


Strawberry Banana Bread
Makes 2 loaves. 12 slices each

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups ripe bananas (about 6 medium-size) , mashed
4 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups flour
1-1/2 pounds frozen strawberries (I like to chop them into chunks rather than slices), thawed

Grease two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Incorporate the bananas and scrape the sides of the bowl with the spatula. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each one. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix tgether the salt, baking soda, and flour. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until fully incorporated.

Add the strawberries. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack before inverting onto a plate.


Nutrition Facts:
Calories 218; Fat 8.6 g; Cholesterol 51mg; Sodium 267mg; Total Carbohydrates 33.3g;
Dietary Fiber 1.2g; Protein 2.8g