Olive and Caper Meatballs with Snap Peas – Low Sodium Version

Mix together the capers, sliced olives, ground beef, oregano, marjoram and black pepper until well blended.

Roll into meatballs. This should make 12 meatballs.

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Place the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium high heat. Add the meatballs. Brown on all sides.

Add the mushrooms, onion and tomato paste to the pan.

Cover and place in the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes and stir. Bake for another 10 minutes and stir. Add the snap peas. Stir and return to the oven for 5 minutes.

Serve over the Romano Grits.

Olive and Caper Meatballs with Snap Peas

Mix together the capers, sliced olives, ground beef, oregano, marjoram and black pepper until well blended.

Roll into meatballs. This should make 12 meatballs.

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Place the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium high heat. Add the meatballs. Brown on all sides.

Add the mushrooms, onion, tomato paste, and salt to the pan.

Cover and place in the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes and stir. Bake for another 10 minutes and stir. Add the snap peas. Stir and return to the oven for 5 minutes.

Serve over the Romano Grits.

Mushroom Cheddarburgers

Place the olive oil in a medium skillet over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are well caramelized. Place the mushrooms in a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for ten minutes.

While the mushrooms are cooking, in a small bowl mix together the Worcestershire sauce and the mustard.

When the mushrooms are cool, chop them into a small dice and add them to the bowl with the Worcestershire/mustard mixture. Add the ground beef and the cheese, then mix thoroughly and pat into 2 burgers.

Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat and when the pan is hot, add the burgers. Cook on one side for 5-8 minutes, turn over, and cook for another 5-8 minutes.

Serve on a whole wheat or gluten-free hamburger bun with lettuce and tomato, if desired.

Meatloaf

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Line an oblong Pyrex dish or large skillet with aluminum foil.

Mix the ground beef together with the bread crumbs, oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper until well blended.

Roll the mixture into a large ball and then shape into a loaf. Place the loaf in the aluminum foil lined pan. Continue to shape until the loaf is firm by pressing it together.

Place the pan in the oven. Cook for about 30 minutes and top with the marinara sauce. Return to the oven and cook for about 20 minutes until the internal temperature is 150°F. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 – 10 minutes before slicing.

Meatballs

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place a large skillet in the oven.

Mix the ground beef together with the bread crumbs, oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper until well blended.

Roll the mixture into a large ball and cut in half.

Roll each into two balls and cut each of those in half.

Continue until there are 16 meatballs, rolling them between your palms until they are smooth and round.

Spray the hot skillet lightly with olive oil.

Place the meat balls in the skillet and return to the oven.

Cook for about 12 – 15 minutes until they are firm to touch. Shake the pan occasionally so the meatballs cook on all sides.

Lasagna

Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the green pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes. Toss frequently.

Add the ground beef, tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable stock, basil, oregano, marjoram, tarragon and Worcestershire sauce.

Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the sauce is thick.

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Line a 9 inch square Pyrex dish with aluminum foil.

Place a layer of the lasagna noodles in the bottom of the pan (use 1/3 of the noodles).

Place 1/3 of the meat sauce on top of the noodles.

Add a layer of lasagna noodles (use 1/3 of the noodles).

Place 1/3 of the meat sauce on top of the noodles.

Top with 1/2 of the sliced cheese.

Top with the remaining lasagna noodles and then the remaining meat sauce.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and top with the remaining sliced cheese and bake for 10 minutes.

Serve.

Jalapeno and Cheddar Stuffed Hamburger

Place the cheddar cheese, cilantro and jalapeno in a bowl and fold together until well blended.

Form into two small discs.

Place the ground beef, chili powder and cumin in a bowl and fold together until well blended.

Pat the hamburger mixture into 4 discs.

Place one of the cheese discs in between two of the hamburger discs.

Pat together to seal the cheese inside the burger.

Chill well.

When ready to cook, grill over a hot grill or under a broiler. Serve with lettuce, tomato and a hamburger bun.

Low Sodium Cottage Pie

Place the water in a large stock pot over high heat.

Quarter the potatoes and add to the stock pot. Cover with water by about an inch. Bring to boil and then reduce heat until the water is simmering.

Cook the potatoes about 15 – 20 minutes until slightly soft in the middle. They should give when squeezed.

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

While the potatoes are cooking, place the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 3 minutes until they begin to soften.

Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, until browned.

Sprinkle the cornstarch over the ground beef and stir in. Add the carrot, celery, tomato paste, salt, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Stir, cover and place the pot in the oven.

When the potatoes are done, remove from heat and drain the water. Pass the potatoes through a ricer or mash gently with a fork until smooth.

Add butter, buttermilk, milk and 1/8 salt and stir in. Add ground black pepper to taste.

After an hour of cooking in the oven, remove the beef and divide between two bowls (you can make this in one pyrex dish also). Top with the potatoes and return to the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes and serve.

Cottage Pie

Place the water in a large stock pot over high heat.

Quarter the potatoes and add to the stock pot. Cover with water by about an inch. Bring to boil and then reduce heat until the water is simmering.

Cook the potatoes about 15 – 20 minutes until slightly soft in the middle. They should give when squeezed.

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

While the potatoes are cooking, place the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 3 minutes until they begin to soften.

Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, until browned.

Sprinkle the cornstarch over the ground beef and stir in. Add the carrot, celery, tomato paste, salt, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Stir, cover and place the pot in the oven.

When the potatoes are done, remove from heat and drain the water. Pass the potatoes through a ricer or mash gently with a fork until smooth.

Add butter, buttermilk, milk and 1/8 salt and stir in. Add ground black pepper to taste.

After an hour of cooking in the oven, remove the beef and divide between two bowls (you can make this in one pyrex dish also). Top with the potatoes and return to the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes and serve.

Cajun Cheeseburgers

Place the olive oil in a small skillet over medium high heat.

Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the green pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the Creole spice blend and cook for 1 minute. Stir frequently.

Add the water and cook for about 1 minute until the water evaporate. Stir frequently.

Remove the onion and green pepper mixture to a mixing bowl and chill well.

When the onions and peppers are cold, place the ground beef in the mixing bowl and add the salt and pepper.

Using a fork, blend in the seasonings well.

Divide the ground beef in half and pat into two patties.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Place a medium sized skillet in the oven.

When the oven is hot add the burgers to the pan.

Cook for about 5 minutes on one side and turn.

Top each with half of the sliced cheese and cook for about another 5 minutes.

Serve on the hamburger bun.

Top with lettuce, tomato and onion as desired.