Food Friday - Semi-homemade

Hi everyone!

I'm resurrecting an old idea of mine and starting it again this week. Fridays are Food Fridays, a day where I share recipes that have some common theme.

This week's theme? Semi-homemade.

I'm not much of a cook. I can cook things from scratch, but I don't do it often. One of the big things I've become known for is doctoring pre-made stuff into semi-homemade dinners.

Veggie Mix Spaghetti with Sausauge

1 large can or 1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 pkg sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, diced
1 c. shredded carrots
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 small zucchini, sliced (thin half moon shapes or diced if you prefer it smaller)
1 kielbasa or other smoked sausage, cut into 1/4" slices or chunks
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
Pasta, cooked and drained
Olive oil
Shredded parmesan or mozzarella cheese (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a pan. Throw in the sausage and start browning it. Add onions and mushrooms and cook until onions are translucent. Set to the side. Pour spaghetti sauce into sauce pan. Turn on to medium heat. Add canned tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, and spices. Stir together and let cook for fifteen minutes, or until zucchini is cooked. Add sausage, mushrooms, and onions and stir together. Let cook for another five minutes so flavors blend. Serve with your favorite cooked pasta. Top with shredded cheese if preferred.

Salad with homemade Ranch dressing
1 package spring greens
1 package chopped romaine
Handful grape tomatoes or one medium sized tomato, diced

Homemade Ranch Dressing
1 c mayonnaise
1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp dried chives
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the salad dressing until mixed smooth. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. When it's time to serve, use the salad recipe or your own preferred salad and serve with the ranch dressing.

Cheese Garlic Biscuits
2 c. Bisquick Biscuit mix
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
2 T butter or margarine, softened
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Heat oven to 450 F. Stir Bisquick mix, milk, and cheese until soft dough forms. Drop dough by nine spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Stir together butter and garlic. Brush over warm biscuits.

Freaky Food Friday - SPAGHETTI

Hello my lovely foodies!

This week, my Friday spiel is on SPAGHETTI.  I don't mean just the typical spaghetti noodles and sauce.  Any noodle with a tomato based sauce, in our house at least, is called SPAGHETTI.  I've eaten a lot of this over the last few months and I've learned several ways to liven it up.  So I thought I'd share.


Vegetable Medley Spaghetti
1 can/jar plain spaghetti sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 package frozen stir fry vegetables (our fav is either the asparagus blend or the broccoli blend)
2 cans mushrooms
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt & pepper to taste
1 package spaghetti, angel hair, or linguini noodles

Cook pasta as directed.  Drain pasta.  Take all the other ingredients and dump them together in a big pot.  Cook on medium heat until veggies are hot all the way through and sauce is a little bubbly.  Mix pasta and sauce in the large pot.  Serve.  (You can also serve pasta and sauce separately.  We just dump it all together.)


Spaghetti with meat sauce
1 can/jar plain spaghetti sauce
1 can stewed tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
1 lb. ground beef, italian sausage, or chopped beef, browned
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
Garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste
1 package pasta, cooked & drained

Brown the meat with the herbs and spices.  Drain the meat.  Heat up the sauce and toss in your tomatoes.  Wait until bubbly and then add the meat.  Mix the pasta and sauce together, or serve separately - all based on your tastes.


Spaghetti, realistically, is another one of those meals that has infinite potential when you're living on a budget.  Substitute chunks of sausage or ham and you've got a smokier flavor for your sauce.  Don't like meat?  Don't use it.  Don't like frozen stir fry veggies?  You can use fresh or frozen whatever you like.  How you dress up spaghetti sauce is all up to you and the tastes of those who are going to be eating it.