Easy Olive Garden Spaghetti Sauce

I've been using this recipe for spaghetti sauce for years now. This is so simple and gives a jar of spaghetti sauce a little extra perk. I'm all for easy!

This is also best if simmered in the crock pot all day. Could it be any better?



Olive Garden Spaghetti Sauce

2 lbs ground round
1 can stewed tomatoes, chopped
6 ou V-8 juice
16 ou purchased Spaghetti sauce
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/3 cup grape jelly

In a large skillet, brown beef. I usually add chopped onions. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes.

If I have time, at this point, I place everything in the crockpot on low...and simmer until our evening meal. It's one of those things that tastes even better the next day!



You may notice in the pic...I'm missing V-8 juice. I was out. I add an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce if I'm out.

Sharing this with:
Monday Made with Love
Hunk of Meat Monday
Monday Melt in your Mouth
Tuesday At the Table

Delectable Tuesday
Tuesday Time Out
Dr. Laura Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday 
Tuesday to Do  
Made From Scratch Tuesday


 Wow Us Wednesday
What I Whipped up Wed

Wed Share the Wealth
Thursday Somewhat Simple
Friday Foodie
Friday Potluck
Sunday Well Seasoned

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Yummy Lime Grilled Chicken Breast

Ingredients
4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup soy sauce (I use low sodium)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 cup lime juice (at least 2 limes)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (we're in LA so I use a little more)
2 teaspoons garlic, minced 

Mix all ingredients together. I love fresh limes and getting to use my jadite juicer is always a plus. I feel like a real cook when I use my vintage cooking gadgets. 


Doesn't this lime just make your lips pucker?

Place chicken breasts in large ziplock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and seal well. "Seal well" is very important! I'll show you the pic but honestly....raw meat just isn't that appetizing is it?

Marinade at least a couple of hours in your refrigerator. 

TIP: Make sure the bag is sealed well. I turn these over in the refrigerator every few hours if I think of it. This time...you see this coming don't you? Yep, when I flipped it over, out came some of the marinade. It either wasn't sealed well or the pressure forced it over. Learn from my mistake.

My refrigerator needed a good cleaning anyway.

I marinaded mine early in the morning and then Mr. Dumpling grilled them that evening. Wonderful flavor and very moist and tender.

TIP: I marinaded at least 8 chicken breasts...doubled the marinade. We grilled all of them and then sliced/chopped the leftovers. I put 3 chicken breasts into each zip lock bag. These will come in handy for so many recipes.

I served these with a baked potato and cornbread salad. I'll follow up with the recipe I use for Cornbread Salad in another post. Yummy good!

I usually post on these "parties"

Monday Made with Love
Mouthwatering Monday
Homemaker Monday
Hunk of Meat Monday
Monday Melt in your Mouth
Delectable Tuesday
Tuesday Time Out
Dr. Laura Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday 
Tuesday to Do  
Made From Scratch Tuesday
Totally Tasty Tuesday
 Wow Us Wednesday
What I Whipped up Wed
Whatever Goes Wed
Wed Share the Wealth
These Chicks Cooked

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Tasty Tues. and Tempt my Tummy - 3/17

This is a "two for one" post for Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday! There's some great cooking going on at these sites! Be sure to check out both of those blogs for some delicious recipes!


Today's recipes are so simple and are old as Methuselah! Considering he lived to be 969, that's pretty old eh?



Impossible Mexican Pie

l lb ground round
1 env. taco seasoning mix
1 - 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 cup grated Mont. Jack cheese (I use whatever I have on hand)
1 1/4 cup milk (I use 1%)
3 eggs
3/4 cup Bisquick mix
1/8 tsp. red pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion

Heat oven to 400. Cook ground round and onions in a 10" skillet until beef is brown. Drain. Stir in taco seasoning.

Lightly grease (I use Pam) a 10" pie plate. Spread beef mixture in the bottom. Sprinkle with chilies and cheese.

Beat remaining ingredients until smooth using an electric beater for 1 min. Pour into the pie plate.

Bake until golden brown approximately 30 minutes.



Cream Cheese Corn

1 large bag frozen whole kernel corn
4 Tablespoons butter
1 3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

Cook corn in microwave until partially cooked. I just cook it in the bag per instructions. Remove from bag and add butter and cream cheese. Stir and heat in microwave.

So creamy and good!

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Birthday Slushy Punch - 3/3

I just found Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and this looks like fun! Be sure to check out both of those blogs for some delicious recipes!



We celebrated my mother-in-laws 90th birthday this past Sunday. I made my favorite punch. This is an easy punch recipe and I love it because you make it ahead and freeze it.



Birthday Slushy Punch

3 (3 ounce) packages raspberry gelatin (or whatever flavor you prefer)
9 cups boiling water
4 cups sugar
4 cups water
2 (46 ounce) cans pineapple juice
6 ounces frozen orange juice
1 15 ounce lemon juice
1/2 small bottle almond extract
1 (2 liter) bottle ginger ale

Heat the gelatin and sugar in 4 cups water until both are dissolved.

Add the pineapple juice, orange juice and lemon juice. Cool.

Pour into plastic containers and freeze. I used drinking water jugs.

Set out about 3 hours before serving. If you forget (as I did this time), put hot water in your sink and set jugs in hot water.

Add the ginger ale just before serving. It will be a nice slushy punch.
Serves 35 - 40.

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