Spaghetti and Meatball Soup | Italian Wedding Soup | Cooking for Two

Now that the kids have grown and flown, it's just the hubby and I home for dinner. A nice bowl of homemade Italian Wedding soup , along with some homemade bread is just the answer for dinner.

Italian Wedding Soup

There are many recipes I make with spaghetti, that thin Italian pasta. Spaghetti doesn't always have to be covered with red sauce, or as some say, gravy. I make my mother-in-law's favorite Irish Spaghetti Casserole, made from ham and spaghetti and an easy and quick weeknight supper. It also happens to be my oldest daughter's requested favorite birthday meal! For real!

Try this easy version of little meatball soup for lunch or dinner some night with homemade bread.  This soup can also be made Mediterranean Diet friendly.

If you enjoy your pasta with authentic Homemade Spaghetti Sauce (also known as Red Gravy) here in the Northeast, check out my favorite recipe.  It can also be used on Homemade Pizza.

Easy kitchen clean up with my Handmade crochet Reusable Handmade Dish Cloths from my Moomettes Crochet shop!

Spaghetti and Meatball Italian Soup

1/2 lb. Hamburg (ground beef or ground turkey)
1 c. Bread Crumbs (Whole Wheat if following Mediterranean Diet WOE)
1 Carrot, grated
1 Onion, chopped
1 Egg
salt, pepper (to taste)

Chicken Broth 
Orzo (Whole Wheat Pasta can be used)

*Meatballs:*

Combine hamburg (or ground turkey or ground chicken), bread crumbs, onions, carrot, egg, salt and pepper.  Roll into small, mini meatballs.

*Broth:*
Simmer the chicken broth with meatballs, tomatoes and spices until the meatballs are cooked.  Add zucchini, cook 15 minutes.  If you have homemade broth, that's even better. Then add pasta of your choice, cook 5 minutes more.

Like my Recipes?  Buy me a Bag of Flour

© Frugal New England Kitchen 

Adapted from: Never Enough Thyme

Ham and Spaghetti Casserole | Easy Ham Casserole Recipe

Here's a family favorite easy and quick skillet supper pasta casserole recipe for a weeknight using ham steak, canned stewed tomatoes and spaghetti. It's pretty inexpensive to make, and I like to keep the canned ingredients on-hand for a hurry-up dinner .  

This is an easy way to use up leftover ham from your Holiday dinners - Easter or Christmas!

Easy Quick Night Supper

My mother-in-law was Irish and never cooked spaghetti and meat sauce. If my husband and his siblings wanted Italian pasta, they had to order it out!  This is my mother-in-law's version of pasta that we fondly refer to as "Irish Spaghetti Casserole."  It works well using either leftover ham and then use the ham bone to make pea soup!  You can also use canned ham or a ham steak in this casserole recipe.

I like to look for Smithfield Ham Steaks when they're on sale - this is such a great way to feed a crowd and watch your pennies with the cost of food today.

I have a new cast iron skillet to replace an old fry pan, and this will be perfect to cook it in for skillet dinners.

It's even easier to make if you do OAMC freezer cooking. I've been putting up quite a few make-ahead freezer mixes to simplify mealtime preparation. Here's one of the ham meal starter mixes that I put together using a freezer recipe from The Family Homestead eBook cookbook.

If there's any leftover, I often turn this into soup for lunch by adding some beef or veggie broth

Check out my other week night easy casseroles for dinner -
American Goulash Casserole
Classic Macaroni and Cheese
Polish Beef and Cabbage Casserole (Deconstructed Goumpki)
New England Shepard Pie Casserole

Easy cleanup with Handmade Kitchen Dishcloths from Moomettes Crochet Shop!

Ham and Spaghetti Casserole

1 ham steak, cut into cubes
2 cans (16 oz.) stewed tomatoes (or 1 can stewed tomatoes, 1 can regular tomato sauce)
1 large green pepper, seeded and cut into cubes
2 - 3 tbl. cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste
Italian Seasoning, to taste
parmesan cheese, to taste
1 lb. cooked spaghetti pasta

In a large sided frying pan, add oil, and saute cut up ham steak until golden brown.
Add cut peppers and saute until tender.
Add stewed tomatoes, (including the juice).
Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions separately.
Drain and add to ham mixture. You may not want to add all at once so as not to use up all the juice.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add parmesan cheese if desired.
Serve with crusty garlic bread.

Like my Recipes?  Buy me a Bag of Flour

© Frugal New England Kitchen 

Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore | Easy Freezer Meal Recipes for Slow Cooker

By using your crockpot or slow cooker more often, take advantage of sales on beef and chicken, and try making several cheap crock pot recipes such as this Freezer Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore.

                                                

Freezer Meals Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

I've been trying to take advantage of B1G1 grocery sales on meat and chicken lately to make ahead using easy freezer meal recipes. Oftentimes I find some great buys on chicken at my local Aldi.

Usually I cook dinner for two at night, but even though my family is grown, our grocery bill expenses haven't gone down since when the kids lived at home.  I still prepare most of my large meals on the weekends, and have everyone over for Sunday dinner, holidays and special occasions. How many trips do you make to the grocery store each month? How many of those are planned? You could be spending extra money each month by taking those unplanned trips.  Planning your meals ahead of time can take the impulse shopping out of your grocery budget.

Meal Planning Helps Lower The Grocery Bill

Another kitchen tip is that I've been doing some OAMC and preparing some frozen meals starters ahead and put them in a freezer bag. Saves me time as most of the prep work is then done ahead.

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

 Kitchen cleaning is easy with my crochet Handmade Dish Cloths that I make. Find them at my Moomettes Crochet Shop!

Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

 3 lbs chicken breasts, cut up in pieces; or boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
6 ounces (one can) sliced mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 green zucchini squash, chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 can Diced Tomatoes
2 -4 garlic cloves, minced
1 package Good Seasonings Italian Salad Dressing Mix
1 Tbl. Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1 Tbl.Old Bay Seasoningfor Poultry mix
2 Tbl. Kraft Minute Tapioca
Cooked, pasta, spaghetti, linguine or egg noodles (if desired)
2 one-gallon Zip-Lock Freezer bags

Trim any fat off chicken. Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes.
Chop and dice veggies
Divide into two portions and add everything to freezer bags, shaking well.
Release air from freezer bags.
Mark freezer bags with date and type of meal.
Cook in slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours
Serve over pasta of choice 

Like my Recipes?  Buy me a Bag of Flour

© Frugal New England Kitchen