Ground Beef & Rice

When I was younger, my momma would make this dish. When she made it, she just used the ground beef and Beef flavored Rice a Roni then she'd sprinkle a little black pepper over it before she served it up.
We always had my grandma's homemade Bread n Butter pickles on the table. One night a little bit of the juice from the pickles leaked over in to my rice. When I tasted it, I thought it was the best thing ever! Funny how our tastes buds are when we're kids...we could eat the weirdest combination of foods.

But..to be honest...I'd still think it's delicious. Only thing is, I miss Ma's pickles. I haven't had them in a while and I haven't even tried to make them. Guess it's time that I did, huh? .

Momma called it Ground Beef & Rice...so that's the name that has stuck with this recipe over the years. I do add a few more ingredients now. Without the pickles, I felt like it needed a little extra flavor.

Ground Beef & Rice

1 lb ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup green bell pepper
1 1/2 tsp hamburger seasoning
1/2 - 1 tsp black pepper (depends on your tastes)
1 (6.8 oz) box beef flavored Rice a Roni

In a large skillet, brown ground beef, onion and pepper 

until beef is no longer pink and onion and pepper are soft.

Drain. 

Add hamburger seasoning and pepper.

Stir until seasonings are mixed in to the beef and veggies.
Remove beef mixture from skillet and in to a bowl.

Prepare the Rice a Roni according to directions on package. (step 1 and 2)

After you add the water and seasoning mix, add the beef mixture back to the skillet.
Stir until it's all pretty much covered with water.

Continue to cook according to pkg directions.

Serves 4 - 6

Serve with veggies and a dinner roll 
and call it supper!

Enjoy!

Gooseberry Patch cookbook Good-for-You Everyday Meals giveaway and review

 I try to eat healthier, but it doesn't always happen that way.
My rule has always been to eat in moderation. But, with the recipes in this cookbook, I don't have to worry so much. I know that I can have a good hearty meal with healthier ingredients.
It wouldn't hurt to have an extra serving from time to time.
I love meals like that!

In this new Gooseberry Patch   

Good-for-You Everyday Meals cookbook
you will find recipes that will ease your mind 

knowing that you are feeding your family 

delicious and nutritious meals. Meals containing ingredients such as....
  Quinoa, barley, flax seed, protein foods, whole wheat pastas, 
and fresh, frozen and organic fruits and veggies.

The contents in a cookbook is always the selling point for me.
I knew this cookbook was another real winner when I looked at the chapters listed.
I was sold even more when I browsed through the recipes....

Mom's Best Orange Muffins, Garden Bounty Egg Bake,

Healthy Strawberry Drink, Laurel's Nutty Granola,

Hearty Hamburger Stew, Citrus & Beet Spinach Salad,

Savory Barley-Mushroom Bake, Cherry Tomato Hummus Wraps, 

and Lemony-Fresh Dill Dip

I had a hard time choosing the recipes to prepare for you.
So, I asked my family what they were in the mood for...fish was it.
I found one of the yummiest recipes for Tilapia we've ever had. And of course I needed a veggie to go along with it and that's where the potato wedges come in. 

Let's start with the new seasoning recipe for my potatoes...

No-Salt Seasoning

submitted by Barb Rudyk    Vermillion, Alberta

1 T garlic powder

1 T onion powder

1 T dry mustard

1 T paprika

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

1/2 tsp pepper

Mix together all ingredients and place in a shaker jar.

Makes about 5 tablespoons.

This seasoning was perfect for Lori's Tater Wedges!

Lori's Tater Wedges

submitted by Lori Peterson Effingham, KS

And now for the main course...

Sauteed Tilapia in Lemony Butter Sauce

submitted by Shirin Blackwell Garden Ridge, TX

And we can't forget dessert!

Mom's Fruit Smoothies
submitted by April Haury  Paramus, NJ

How would you like a chance to win a copy of 
Gooseberry Patch's Good-for-You 
cookbook?
I knew you'd say yes...so here's how...

1. You must go to Gooseberry Patch's facebook page and 'like' their page, then come back and let me know.. 

2. You must leave a comment on this page. You have to leave, at least, your name and if you chose, you can also leave your email address.

You will then have TWO entries in the giveaway!

Winner will be announced on Saturday, March 22nd.
You will have 48 hrs to reply with your mailing address.
If I haven't heard from the winner by that time, a new winner will be chosen.
Best of Luck to you all!

*You may purchase this and many other Gooseberry Patch cookbooks on their web page HERE 
*Or from Amazon.com HERE 
~Looking for more recipes?
**Take and look at their cookbook index HERE!
**Do you Pin? Follow them HERE

Find even MORE from 
Gooseberry Patch online!

www.gooseberrypatch.com
http://www.gooseberrypatch.com/blog
www.facebook.com/gooseberrypatch
www.twitter.com/gooseberrypatch
pinterest.com/gooseberrypatch/
www.youtube.com/gooseberrypatchcom
www.scribd.com/gooseberrypatch

Gooseberry Patch has graciously furnished me with two copies of this cookbook. One for me to keep and review and the other to giveaway to the lucky winner of the giveaway.
All reviews are of my own opinion.

Giveaway will only be open for ten days.
It will end on March 22nd, 2014.
The winner will have 48 hours to respond.
At this time another winner will be drawn. 

Mom's Fruit Smoothies

Mom's Fruit Smoothies

submitted by April Haury  Paramus, NJ

1 1/2 cup frozen peaches or strawberries

1 ripe banana, sliced
(I used 2)

8 oz container, non-fat vanilla yogurt

Combine frozen fruit, banana and yogurt in a blender.
Process until smooth; pour into tall glasses. 

Makes 3 servings

Sauteed Tilapia in Lemony Butter Sauce

Sauteed Tilapia
in Lemony Butter Sauce

submitted by Shirin Blackwell Garden Ridge, TX

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 lb tilapia fillets

2 T olive oil

4 T butter, divided

juice of 1 lemon

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish.

Dredge fish in flour mixture; set aside. 

Heat olive oil and 2 TBSP butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Saute' fish in oil mixture for 3 minutes per side. 

Remove fish to a plate; wipe out skillet with a paper towel.

Reduce heat to low; melt remaining butter in skillet.

Add lemon juice; cook and stir for about one minute.

Return fish to skillet and warm through. 

To serve, spoon sauce from skillet over fish.

Makes 2 servings.

Lori's Tater Wedges

Lori's Tater Wedges

submitted by Lori Peterson Effingham, KS

4 baking potatoes, cut into 8 wedges each

1 T olive oil

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Optional: favorite seasoning blend to taste

Place potato wedges in a large bowl.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings. 

(I used 2 tsp No-Salt Seasoning)

Toss until evenly coated.

Arrange potato wedges in a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray.

Bake, uncovered, at 425* for 30 minutes, until golden.

Makes 4 servings

Seven Layer Cookies

This is another one of those recipes that most everyone has their own version of.  

25 yrs ago my mother-in-law gave this cookbook to me. That was the first time I had heard of these cookie bars. I've made them a lot over the years. 

They were one of my most requested recipes when serving them to company or at potlucks.

In the past several years, since I started food blogging,
I found out just how popular these cookie bars are.

Hmmm...now I'm wondering... did my mother-in-law start this recipe going around the world?
Did I? I did share it with a lot of military spouses.
Could she...or I...be responsible for this delicious cookie being so loved by so many?

Yea...although I'd love to believe that, I doubt very seriously that it's true.

But...it is true that they are delicious.
Seven layers of goodness all wrapped up in to one ooey - gooey cookie bar.

                                   This is the recipe that she had published in the cookbook.

It may be a little hard for some of you to understand the directions...

so here...allow me to translate for you.

Seven Layer Cookies/Bars

 1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine
1 cup finely rolled graham cracker crumbs

In a 9 x 13 baking dish/pan, melt margarine.
Sprinkle crumbs over the margarine, spreading them evenly.

Add the following ingredients in order...
1 cup coconut
1 12oz pkg chocolate chips
1 11oz pkg butterscotch chips
Sprinkle over each other until spread evenly.

Drizzle 1 can sweetened condensed milk over the top of the chips. 
Add 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (I use pecans)

Bake at 300* for 30 minutes.
Cool completely before cutting.

After 30 minutes, if the butterscotch chips are not melted, you can bake it for a few minutes longer. The chips are pretty soft, but keep their shape after 30 minutes, and that's the way we like 'em.  

 So, there you have it.
Some of the most delicious cookie bars
you'll ever taste!

Enjoy!