Mini Meatloaves

Here's a fun twist on the same ol', same ol' Meatloaf recipe. The recipe is actually quite simple, but the meat is baked in a muffin pan instead of a loaf pan! It was so easy and made such a delicious dinner. My 3-year-old loved it because they looked like big meatballs (she LOVES meatballs!). I made it a complete dinner by adding Au Gratin Potatoes, Green Beans and Crescent Rolls. Enjoy!

Mini Meatloaves (from e-mealz.com)

1 lb ground sirloin (could substitute with ground turkey!)

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

2/3 C italian breadcrumbs

1/3 C lemon juice (I did not have a lemon so I left it out)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

Mix meat, onion, breadcrumbs, lemon juice and egg in large bowl. Pack mixture evenly into 6 greased cups of muffin tin. Distribute cheese evenly in a mound, over each mini loaf. Bake for 30 min @ 350 degrees, until done.

Bow Tie Lasagna

Here's a good, easy, cheap and quick recipe for your repertoire. I always have pasta on hand and I'm always looking for new ways to use it besides boiling it and adding meat and jarred sauce. This is like lasagna, just de-constructed and you can make it all in your skillet! I also love the idea that you can use fun pasta shapes like bow ties! Use whatever you have! Sounds good, right? Add garlic bread and a salad and you've got a meal to be proud of! Just don't freeze this because it has sour cream in it!

Bowtie Lasagna (from TastyKitchen.com)

1 pound Ground Chuck

5 cups Bow Tie Noodles

3 cups Spaghetti Sauce (or Pizza Sauce, Whatever You Prefer)

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoons Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (or More, Make It To Your Taste)

½ cups Mozzarella Cheese

½ cups Sour Cream

Fry ground chuck in small pan. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.

After noodles are cooked, drain and drizzle with olive oil. Mix in your spaghetti sauce.

Add your fried hamburger, seasonings, cheese, and sour cream. Fold together and allow it all to combine and melt together, over low heat, for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve to your family and be prepared to have it disappear before your very eyes.

Ranch Burgers - Craving Fulfilled!

Well I'm pregnant and I have cravings from time to time. One of them lately has been a big, juicy hamburger! I don't care for burgers that often; if I have to choose between a burger and a hot dog, the hot dog always wins. But, the baby wants it so I found a recipe that sounded easy and yummy and went for it. It truly was easy and very quick. I cooked them on my George Foreman grill and they were perfect - but you can use your outdoor grill or even the stove top.

It's important for me to make meals that my whole family loves, so I'll usually tell you what my 2-year-old thinks of what I made. Just to give you an idea, she's been sick with a throat infection for a few days and hasn't wanted to eat anything. She's had next to nothing all day, but tonight, she ate (most) of the burger! I told her it was like a big meatball and I think that's how I sold it..haha. Good luck!

Ranch Burgers (from E-Mealz.com)

(makes 4-6 burgers, depending on how big or small you like them!)

1 lb ground round (or lean ground beef or ground turkey!)

1 packet ranch dressing mix (I used Hidden Valley)

2 T honey dijon mustard (I couldn't find honey dijon so I bought regular dijon and mixed in honey)

1 C mexican shredded cheese

Hamburger Buns

In medium bowl mix together ground meat, dressing mix, mustard & cheese. Shape into 4- 6 patties. Cook on stove or grill until juices run clear & center is no longer pink. Place patties on hamburger bun with desired condiments.

You can serve this with chips or fries and maybe even some cold fruit, like watermelon, if it's summer time.

Hi! And Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

Wow, so a whole year went by! Well, I'm back and I've got a new recipe for you to try. It was a hit with my family tonight - even my 2-year-old ate it! I think it would be a good meal to make for a crowd - it's easy and delicious.

I got it from E-Mealz. It's a meal subscription web site that's super cheap. You pick the store you shop at, specify how many people you are feeding and sign up for a meal plan. E-Mealz will prepare a 5-day meal plan including ingredients and coupon deals. The best part is that they plan the meals around what's on sale at your grocery store that week. I've been a member for a while now and I mostly like this. I like that it's cheap ($5 a month) and that I'm saving money each week during my grocery shop. The meals we've tried have been really good. Sometimes I'll see a meal and know my family won't eat it, so I'll take some of the ingredients and make something I know we'll like. Check it out and see if it will work for your family!

Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry (from E-Mealz.com)

1 T cornstarch

1 T water

1⁄4 t garlic powder,

zip bag

1⁄2 lb boneless top sirloin steak, cut into 3" strips

1 T vegetable oil

2 c fresh broccoli florets (I used a frozen bag of microwave steam broccoli and added it after I cooked the onions)

1 c onion, cut into wedges

1 T vegetable oil

1⁄3 c soy sauce

2 T brown sugar

1 t ground ginger

1 T cornstarch

1⁄2 c water

1 bag egg noodles (or rice, your choice!)

In zip bag combine cornstarch, water & garlic powder. Add beef. Seal bag and turn to coat. In large skillet or wok over med-high heat, stir fry beef in oil until no longer pink; remove and keep warm. Stir-fry broccoli & onion in oil for 4-5 min & return beef to pan. In small bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, ginger, cornstarch, and water until smooth; add to pan. Cook and stir for 2 min until thickened. Serve over noodles.

Cook egg noodles according to pkg directions. Season w/ salt to taste.

Oven Ready Lasagne Noodles?!

Such a thing exists?! Actually I knew it did but had completely forgotten until I saw them at Target this week. I hate making lasagne, absolutely hate it. I hate getting out my huge pot that takes 60 years for the water to boil, then waiting for all the noodles to get soft enough to start falling into the pot and boil, then waiting for them to cool so I can touch them...the whole process is very frustrating to me. I know, I'm making it a big deal. But it's enough for me to never make it...and I don't. UNTIL TODAY!

All I had to do was brown my ground beef, add sauce, mix the ricotta cheese with eggs, mozzarella and parmesan and set up the assembly line! It was a cinch and ready in an hour. I served it with a pre-packaged Caesar salad and got out a baguette I had in the freezer, cut it up into slices, drizzled olive oil over it and stuck it in the oven on broil. When it was nice and browned, I scraped a clove of garlic over each slice. The result=delicious home made garlic bread the cheap way! Woot!

So, even though Barilla isn't paying me to say this (although I wish they were....free pasta?! AMAZING!)....go get yourself a box of Oven Ready Lasagne!!

Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad

Here is a great summer salad. The strawberries are cheap and super juicy and delicious right now so take advantage and make this! This recipe comes from my friend Ashley Carlson! She was kind enough to share this recipe with me after she made it for our friend Sarah's baby shower. We all loved it and I knew I had to share it with you all!

This salad is sweet but not overbearing. The almonds and the brie cheese really balance it all out. You have got to try this. Make it a meal by adding some grilled chicken or shrimp. Yum!!

Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad

2 heads romaine lettuce
– chopped 2 qts. strawberries, sliced
1 Brie cheese – cubed and peeled
1 cp. toasted slivered almonds (sauté almonds in butter and sugar – to caramelize)

Poppy Seed Dressing:
¾ cup sugar
1 tbsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp salt
½ cup white vinegar
1 ½ tbsp. grated onion
1 cup vegetable oil
1 ½ tbsp. poppy seeds

Make the dressing the night before. Mix in a blender then pour into a jar so it can be shaken just prior to pouring over the salad.

Baby Showers & Italian Pasta Salad

It's baby shower season in my life right now! It comes in waves, I think. Today was a baby shower for my dear friend Sarah who is having a baby boy named Nathaniel in August! I am so happy for her! Wish I had taken a picture today but I was so busy I forgot to! My friend Kristin and I threw the shower at Kristin's home. It was beautiful and we had TONS of food! Here's a breakdown of what we had:

• Tuna/egg salad sandwiches
• Crackers with cheese and salmon spread
• Fruit
• Italian Pasta Salad (see recipe below!)
• Sweet & Sour Meatballs (click for recipe!)
• Veggies w/ ranch dressing
• Strawberry/Poppy Seed Salad
  
• Cake
• Brownies
• Meringues

Quite a spread, don't you think? We had a blast. Our theme was "meal time" so we pretty much had the food covered! ;) Sarah got lots of very nice gifts and ones she can use for feeding her new baby very soon. Congrats Sarah!

Here's the recipe, which is an adaptation from my friend Carla! You can make this a thousand different ways with any and all ingredients you want. Just have fun with it! This isn't even a recipe, just a method. Here's what I did today:

Italian Pasta Salad

• 2 lbs pasta (I use the bowtie pasta)
• Lots of olive oil
• 1-2 jars prepared pesto - I used two but I like a lot of flavor, just use it to taste(or make your own if you're ambitious!)
• Lots of parmesan cheese - I bought a container of shaved parmesan cheese!
• Almonds - again, to taste - but you need it for the crunchy factor
• 1/2 jar of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (I love the chewy, tangy flavor of these but if you don't, leave them out!)

Boil pasta according to the box directions, or until al dente. Drain. Pour olive oil liberally over pasta and stir to combine. Pour in the pesto and combine to your taste. Add parmesan cheese & almonds but reserve some for the top when you are finished. Add sun-dried tomatoes & combine. Before serving, drizzle some more olive oil to avoid dryness, then top with remaining parmesan & almonds. Serve warm, room temp or cold! Enjoy!

Baked Swiss Chicken

Here's a great, easy casserole. Our family fell in love with this one! The cheese really makes it. If you don't care for swiss cheese, try mozzarella or anything you like. The one thing I would change is to use 2 boxes of stuffing insted of 1. Enjoy!

Baked Swiss Chicken (from RealMomKitchen.com)

• 3-4 chicken breasts (just depends on how big you chicken breast are)


• 6-8 slices Swiss cheese


• 1 can cream of mushroom soup


• 1 c milk


• 1 box Stove Top Stuffing (or other similar boxed stuffing mix) -- I used two!


• 1/4 C butter melted
  

1. Pound chicken breast to even out the thickness of the chicken. I place the chicken in between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a rolling pin or the flat side of a kitchen mallet) Cut each breast in half.


2. Place chicken breasts in a sprayed 9 x 13 inch baking dish.


3. Top chicken with slices of Swiss cheese.


4. In a bowl, mix soup and milk until well blended.


5. Pour soup mixture over chicken.


6. Then top the chicken with the dry stuffing mix. Drizzle stuffing with melted butter.


7. Baked covered with foil at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5-10 minutes longer. Serves 6-8

Caribbean Chicken

This dinner was super easy, quick and delicious! The hubs loved it; and that's all that matters! Try this and I think it will become part of your repertoire.

I did add two things to this for our personal tastes: onions & garlic. I love onions, so I cut half of a large onion into thin strips from the root to the end and sauteed them with the chicken until they were browned & carmelized. I also grated 1 clove of fresh garlic into the sauce mixture. If you don't have a grater, just finely mince the garlic and add it! Enjoy!

Caribbean Chicken (from RealMomKitchen.com)

• 1 T olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (*Note: I only used 3 because they were pretty large)
• 1 1/4 C salsa (*Note: Use your favorite here. I used Pace Medium salsa and it added a kick to the sauce! Use the mild if you don't like things so spicy)
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, finely minced or grated
• 1/2 C marmalade (*Note: I used orange marmalade)
• 1 1/2 T brown sugar
• 3 T fresh lime juice (*Note: I just used a whole lime)
• 1/4 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t ground cloves
• Cooked white or brown rice

1. While the rice is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet at medium high. Add chicken; cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink (about seven minutes). If any juices remain in the pan after cooking the chicken, drain off the juices.
2. Add the onion to the pan with the chicken and cook over medium high heat until the onions are soft and slightly brown (add salt to the onions to help them along)
3. In a medium bowl, combine salsa, marmalade, garlic, brown sugar, lime juice, cinnamon, and cloves. Mix well.
4. Add to chicken; mix well. Bring it all to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer five to ten minutes stirring occasionally.
Serve over hot rice. Garnish with lime and orange wedges if desired.

You may substitute allspice in place of the cinnamon and cloves.

Sloppy Turkey Joes

This recipe is fun, delicious and great to make if you have kids! I made this so much the first time I got the recipe that I kind of wore it out at my house! It's that good. This is a meal you can feel good about. It uses fresh ingredients and the sauce is from scratch - none of that Manwich stuff! Yuck! This will be a family favorite for sure!

My notes: Hence, the title, this is a ground turkey recipe. I suppose you could make it with ground beef, but why? The turkey is so much better for you and I can't even tell the difference between the two when I cook anymore. The recipe is from Rachael Ray and it's written for a kid to cook with their parents, so just keep that in mind! It also includes Cheese fries and veggie sticks. I usually serve it with some frozen fries or chips. Enjoy!

Sloppy Turkey Joes (from FoodNetwork.com)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 package, 1 1/3 pounds, ground turkey breast or lean ground turkey
1/2 red onion
1/2 red bell pepper
1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend (recommended: McCormick Montreal Grill Seasoning or Mrs. Dash seasoning for poultry)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup tomato sauce,( 8- ounce) can
4 crusty sandwich rolls, split

Have a GH (grown helper) place a big skillet over medium high heat for you. Use some kitchen scissors to cut the turkey package open. Add some extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a nice, slow stream. Have the GH add the ground turkey to the pan, in case it spatters. Break the turkey up with a big wooden spoon as it starts to cook. If anyone touches the raw turkey, they should go wash their hands.

If you are a really good chopper, using a small, sharp knife chop up some red onion. Remember when you are chopping to keep the fingers that are not holding the knife all tucked in and curled under. Have a GH help you. You need half a red onion chopped up small. Pull the seeds and white membrane and the top out of a half red bell pepper and chop that up small too. Add the veggies to the cooking meat and stir it all together.

Next, mix in a small bowl: grill seasoning blend, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and the tomato sauce. This will make your special sauce. When all the ingredients are combined, pour the sauce evenly over the meat and stir everything together really well. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook the sloppy mixture for 10 minutes. Blow on a spoonful until cool and taste it to see if you need to adjust the seasoning.

Have the GH help you serve. Place a bun bottom on a plate. Use a big ice cream scoop to get a pile of sloppy meat onto the bun. Put bun top in place and serve with french fries or chips.

Creamy Tomato Soup

The weather where I live is pretty hot all year-round so when we get even a touch of cool, dry air, we pull out the "winter" clothes, open all the windows and break out our favorite soup recipes. I mean, soup just doesn't taste the same when it's 90 degrees out. I made this soup on one of those rare cool days and we practically licked our bowls clean. In fact, I wish I had made more to freeze because we've had about 5 cool days in a row and it's been marvelous! Next time. This soup is just the right amount of tangy and creamy and not too acidic. You'll love it!

My notes: As I said before, I wish I had made more if this, so I would double the recipe and freeze the left-overs. The recipe will feed a family of 4, though. I had to puree the soup in a few batches because it was so hot, so I equally added the cream cheese with each batch, a little at a time, and it worked out well. I didn't have fresh basil, so I used a few teaspoons of dried basil and it was great. I would definitely serve this with a fancy grilled cheese panini! Or, use it as an appetizer to your meal! Either way, this is a winner.

Creamy Tomato Soup (from OurBestBites.com)

1 T real butter
1 C chopped onion
¾ C shredded carrot
1 T minced garlic
1 tea sugar
¼ tea pepper
¼ tea salt
4 Fresh Basil leaves plus some for garnish (or substitute 1-2 t dried basil, see note below)
1/2 C sliced sun-dried tomatos, packed in oil with herbs
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14oz) can chicken broth
3 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, shredded carrot, and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently.
2. Add sugar, pepper, and salt and cook 2 more minutes. Then add sun-dried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and 4 basil leaves.If you're substituting dried basil, the rule of thumb is 1/3 part dried herb = 1 part fresh so for this recipe you can eyeball it, but I'm guessing you'd want to add about 1-2 t dried basil
3. Stir to combine and finally add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat, and simmer 30-40 minutes.
4. Remove from heat. Place soup in blender (do this in 2 batches if necessary). Add cream cheese. Remove center piece of blender lid to allow steam to escape, but place a paper towel over opening in blender lid to avoid splatters. Process for a couple of minutes until very smooth.
5. Divide soup among bowls and garnish each serving with a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan cheese and a basil leaf.

Panko-Crusted Chicken with Mustard-Maple Pan Sauce

Sounds fancy but it's so easy! This is definitely a crowd-pleaser and you will want to make it again and again. I got this recipe from Epicurious.com. Enjoy!

My notes: You can find Panko breadcrumbs in Publix near the other breadcrumbs. If you can't find them, ask - you definitely can't subsitute with regular ones! This recipe makes a lot of sauce so I double the chicken. I cut the breasts in half to make smaller pieces and pounded them very thin. I think I had 8 altogether. I also added a little more syrup than the recipe called for because when I tested the sauce it was a little more mustardy than sweet. Just adjust if necessary. This is an amazing meal! You could serve it with roasted potatoes and vegetables and a small salad.

Panko-Crusted Chicken with Mustard-Maple Pan Sauce (from Epicurious.com)

2 8-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise in half
1 large egg
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon coarse-grained mustard
1 tablespoon chilled unsalted butter

Using meat mallet or rolling pin, pound chicken in resealable plastic bag to 1/3-to 1/2-inch thickness. Whisk egg, parsley, and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard in large bowl. Place chicken in egg mixture; turn to coat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each chicken piece in panko; turn to coat. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, whisk broth, syrup, coarse-grained mustard, and remaining 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard in glass measuring cup.

Transfer chicken to plates. Add broth mixture to skillet; boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add butter; whisk until melted. Spoon sauce alongside chicken.

Asian Chicken with Pasta

This recipe is sort of my own concoction but it turned out pretty well! I got the general idea for it from this blog. I think I will make that exact recipe at some point but last night I really wanted something hot so I changed it up a bit.

Asian Chicken with Pasta

1-2 cups ditalini or orzo pasta (use however much you want...I used 2 cups)
2 cups cooked chicken (I used half the meat from a rotisserie chicken that I had shredded and frozen earlier)
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 a large or 1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz edamame or sugar snap peas (you can throw them in frozen)
4 tablespoons canola oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon grated or minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup peanuts or almonds

First, boil some water for the pasta and cook till al dente. Rinse and set aside. Meanwhile, chop the onion, pepper and sautee it in a skillet in a little bit of oil till softened. Add in the chicken to heat up (if you're using raw chicken, cook that first, then add the onion & pepper). In a small bowl combine the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Pour into skillet and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Add in edamame and peanuts or almonds and cook till edamame is no longer frozen. Serve! You can also sprinkle some nuts on top. Enjoy!

Chicken Parmigiana Quesadillas with Cheesy Marinara Rice

My friend Carla and I found this recipe about 2 years ago. It comes from Publix Apron's Meals and it couldn't be easier. Plus it's delicious and if you're in a hurry, it takes probably 15-20 minutes to make! This is a great meal to make if you have kids because the chicken is actually breaded chicken nuggets and what kid doesn't like chicken nuggets?! You could puree or shred some zucchini and hide it in there for added nutrition or add some chopped peppers! These are a hit as a week night dinner or as hors d'oeurves. The cheesy rice is a great addition. I use it all the time to complement other dishes too. Tip: Heat up the extra marinara sauce to dip your quesadillas in! Enjoy!

My notes: I use my favorite jarred marinara sauce (I like Bertolli or Prego, personally). I have a small George Foreman grill that I use to make these but if you don't have one, just use a wide skillet and flip once after the first side is browned & the cheese is melted. For the rice, I use Uncle Ben's 90 second microwaveable rice - it's called Cheesy Rice, I think. That is what you want for this! Again, I just use the same jarred sauce for this that I used for the quesadillas. I've used fresh & pre-minced garlic - it doesn't matter. I don't have a garlic press so I grate it into the rice or just use the pre-minced - it isn't as strong as raw garlic anyway.




Chicken Parmigiana Quesadillas (rice recipe below)

10 ounces frozen breaded chicken tenders or strips
8 medium-size flour tortillas
cooking spray
1 cup shredded Italian-blend cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups tomato pasta sauce with olives, divided (I just used my favorite jarred sauce - I hate olives)

Preheat two-sided tabletop grill. Place chicken tenders on plate (may be paper). Microwave on HIGH 3-5 minutes or until heated. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Lightly coat one side of the tortillas with cooking spray. Arrange 4 of the tortillas on clean work surface (sprayed side down). Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the cheese over each tortilla, then one-fourth of the chicken. Spoon one-fourth of the marinara sauce over the chicken; then sprinkle with 2 more tablespoons of the cheese. Cover each with remaining tortillas (sprayed side out).

Place one or two quesadillas on grill (depending on size of grill). Cook 4-5 minutes or until golden. Let stand 2-3 minutes before cutting. Cook remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve.Note: Quesadillas may be cooked in large sauté pan preheated on medium. Double cooking time, turning once.

Cheesy Marinara Rice

1 (8.5-ounce) pouch pre-cooked rice with cheese
1 cup tomato pasta sauce with olives
3 fresh garlic cloves
4-5 sprigs fresh Italian parsley (rinsed)

Combine rice and pasta sauce in small saucepan on medium. Crush garlic, using garlic press, into rice. Use knife to remove garlic from bottom of press. Chop parsley finely (1 tablespoon); stir into rice. Cook 2-4 more minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thoroughly heated. Reduce heat to warm; cover until ready to serve.

HoBo Special

This is an old family recipe that I love to make when I a) have no money or b) have no time. You could make this meal for less than $5 and in about 10-15 minutes! It's not gourmet by any means but it's not supposed to be. I mean, it's called "HoBo Special" for a reason! It's one of those feel-good, comforting meals. My Great-Grandma made this during the Great Depression, so it's time-tested and approved!

My notes: I almost always make this meal a little differently than the time before but I will give you the classic recipe. You can swap out ground beef for ground turkey if you'd like. It would save some calories and some $$. You can also substitute whole wheat pasta for regular pasta, but that will up the price. I don't measure the garlic powder...put in a good amount and then keep tasting. You don't want it too garlicky but you want flavor. I usually put in a few shakes of Tabasco or even some red pepper flakes for a little heat. The hubby likes it hot! You can serve this with a small salad and garlic bread.

HoBo Special

1 lb ground beef
3/4 lb elbow macaroni
2 14oz cans of Campbell's Tomato Soup
Lots of garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Start by boiling some water in a small pot. Pour in the elbow macaroni until it's al dente. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef/turkey and drain out any excess fat. While still on the heat, pour in the 2 cans of tomato soup and stir to combine. Add in the garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Add the macaroni and stir to combine. Top with parmesan cheese if desired.