Success!!: Sloppy Joe Casserole

Thank you Taste of Home Casserole Cookbook!!!! I know I can always come to you to make a good dish with leftovers.

Lately, I've had a series of bad experiences in the kitchen. Well, actually, they weren't bad experiences in the kitchen, so much as bad experiences after my husband tasted them. To make a long story (and many arguments) short, my husband has not been fond of the dishes I've made lately. Anyway, after this dish, I asked him how it was, and he said "It was ok," which for me, means SUCCESS!!!!! He even took leftovers for lunch the next day. I know it may seem odd to get excited about a simple "it was ok," but my husband is a picky eater, and anything that he doesn't have a bad opinion about means it was good. I also made a side dish for this recipe. It was very small, and not really worth it. It was called "In a Flash Beans", and while they were done pretty quickly, they weren't much different than if they had come straight from the can.

Sloppy Joe Casserole

(sorry, no picture)

1 lb ground beef

3 cups cooked rice

1-15 1/2 oz can sloppy joe sauce

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the rice, sloppy joe sauce, corn, and seasoned salt. Transfer to a greased 2 qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Notes: I used 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef and a little more than 3 cups of rice, so I used a slightly larger casserole dish. That's how I got so much left over. Also, the original recipe also calls for 1-4oz can of mushroom stems and pieces, drained to be added along with the rice, sloppy joe sauce and corn. We left that out.

In a Flash Beans

1-15 3/4 oz can of pork and beans

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green pepper, optional

In a large saucepan, combine the beans, bbq sauce, onion, and green pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through.

Pasta Carbonara

This meal was not my best. My husband found this recipe in one of my European cookbooks and wanted me to make it. I've always steered clear of carbonara recipes because I was afraid I would scramble the eggs in the sauce on accident. Well, thankfully, that didn't happen, but I did overcook the pancetta. Oh well, we still ate all of it, and I overcame my fear of all things carbonara.

Pasta Carbonara

400g (14oz) penne
1 tbsp. olive oil
200g (7oz) pancetta or bacon, cut into strips
6 egg yolks
185 ml (3/4 cup) heavy cream
75g (3/4 cup) grated Parmesan cheese
(as noted earlier, it was a european cookbook, gotta love the metric system!!)

Cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the pancetta over high heat for 6 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Beat the egg yolks, cream, and the Parmesan together in a bowl and season generously. Return the freshly cooked and drained pasta to its saucepan and pour the egg mixture over the pasta, tossing gently. Add the pancetta, then return the pan to very low heat and cook for 30-60 seconds, or until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta. Season with pepper and serve immediately.
Be careful not to cook the pasta over high heat once you have added the egg mixture, or the sauce risks being scrambled by the heat.

Notes: I think I will look for a recipe that calls for less egg yolk next time. My pasta was a color that very much resembled mustard (which didn't look appetizing to me). Also, you may have noticed that the picture above has green onions in it. That is because I looked for a picture on the internet that looked most like my pasta and this was it. I didn't take any pics the night I cooked it. Also, I would advise against adding any salt to the boiling water or the dish itself. The pancetta or bacon is already salty enough.