With a title that contains beef, casserole and fried onions, I'm sure you can imagine how delectably comforting today's featured recipe is.  To be honest, there isn't much more than I can say about this dish other than, you've got to try this creamy, crunchy and hearty casserole delight. 

Note, while I've scaled the recipe down for two, this casserole does freeze well, so you can easily double, freeze and enjoy the leftovers at a later date. 

Beef Casserole Topped with Crispy Fried Onions 
Total Time: 55 minutes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes

What you'll need
For the Casserole
1 cup uncooked medium sized shell pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 can (8 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 can cream of onion or cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 - 2 cups of French's French Fried Onions

For the side dish: Roasted Cauliflower
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. 
3. Use an oven safe skillet or grease a small casserole dish.
4. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a skillet; saute onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. 
5. Add garlic and cook another minute.  Stir in ground beef; cook, breaking up the meat, until browned. Drain off any excess fat if needed.  Add the cajun seasoning and mix well.  
6. Using a pair of kitchen shears, chop the stewed tomatoes (or you can used diced tomatoes if preferred) in the can and add to the skillet along with the tomato sauce; bring to a boil, reduce and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until reduced and thickened. 
7. Stir in the soup and pasta until well blended.

For the side dish
1. Place cauliflower in a plastic bag with olive oil, salt and pepper.  
2. Make sure bag is securely sealed.  Shake until cauliflower is evenly coated in oil and seasonings. 
3. Spread cauliflower onto a baking sheet
4. Bake cauliflower and casserole (covered) for 30 minutes.  
5. Remove and scatter French fried onions over the top of the casserole and return to the oven (uncovered) for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Enjoy your tacos from the oven with this simply delicious take on a Tex Mex favorite.  You'll love how easy it is to simmer, mix and bake to create a hearty meal for two.  Once baked, you can also add your favorite taco toppings to make your meal even more delectable! 

Taco Bake
Total Time: 45 minutes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes

What you'll need:
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound lean ground beef or turkey
salt and pepper
1/2 package taco seasoning
8 ounce can tomato sauce (or you can substitute enchilada sauce and then omit taco seasoning)
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
1 small can of corn (or 1/2 cup frozen)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

Directions:
1. Add onion and olive oil to a medium skillet; saute over medium heat until slightly tender (about 3 to 5 minutes).  
2. Season ground meat with salt and pepper; add to skillet with onion.  Brown meat until no longer pink.  
3. Add tomato sauce, taco seasoning, corn and Rotel tomatoes.  Mix well.  Stir in cheese. 
4. Transfer mixture to a small baking dish.  
5. In separate bowl, mix together Bisquick, egg and milk.  Pour over the top of meat mixture.  
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown.  
7. If desired, serve with chopped tomato, shredded lettuce and sour cream.  Enjoy!

This recipe will have you stir-frying, mixing and wrapping all to create a wonderfully light and succulent dinner.  Have no fear though, you'll still be in and out of the kitchen in under 20 minutes.

Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps
Total Time: 15-17 minutes
Prep: 10 minutes 
Cook: 5-7 minutes

What you'll need
1/2 pound sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch strips 
salt and pepper 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1/2 red pepper, diced
4 scallions, finely sliced (both green and white parts) 
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 
1 tablespoon fish sauce 
1 tablespoon granulated sugar 
2 cloves garlic, pressed with a garlic press
1 teaspoon chile sauce 
5-6 large butter lettuce leaves

Directions
1. Generously season beef with salt and pepper. 
2. Heat oil in a Wok or skillet over high heat until very hot. 
3. Carefully add the beef and sear until it's lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes total.  Stir in the red peppers.  Continue to cook until peppers are tender and beef is cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine beef, peppers and scallions.  Mix well.
5. In a separate small bowl, combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, and chile sauce.  Stir until the sugar dissolves. 
6. Pour sauce over the beef mixture.  Toss well. 
7. Fill each of the lettuce leaves with the beef mixture as desired.  Serve and enjoy!

Today's recipe proves that it doesn't take a lot of ingredients or a lot of time to create a gourmet dinner.  Instead, it's all about finding the right combination of flavors to give you the impact you crave.  So while this dish appears simple on the outside, you'll love the surprising flavors it carries on the inside.  Bon appétit!

Sesame Beef Sirloin 
Total Time: 10 minutes + optional marinating time (30 minutes)
Prep: 5 minutes + optional marinating time (30 minutes)
Cook: 5 minutes

What you'll need
1/2 pound beef sirloin 
sesame oil 
pepper
sesame seeds
1/2 cup uncooked white or brown rice

For the Marinade
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, pressed with a garlic press  
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 

Directions
1. Cut beef sirloin into 1-inch thick strips.  Season generously with pepper.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine marinade ingredients together.  
3. Place sirloin strips into a large plastic bag.  Pour marinade over the meat.  Seal plastic bag and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 
4. While the meat is marinating, cook rice according to package directions (I mixed in yellow corn and white onion to the rice before serving to get some extra veggies in for the day).
5. Heat sesame oil in a Wok or large pot.  Once oil is hot, carefully add beef strip to the pan.  Stir-fry until beef is cooked to desired doneness (about 5 minutes). 
6. Place beef strips over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving. 

Garlic Butter Green Beans
What you'll need
2 cups green beans, cooked (I like to use the steam in the bag green beans)
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, pressed with a garlic press
salt and pepper

Directions
1. Add butter, garlic, salt and pepper to a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until butter is completely melted.  Carefully remove bowl from the oven; mix well. 
2. Pour butter and garlic mixture over green beans.  Toss well.  Serve and enjoy!

Today's featured recipe for two combines a man's love for beef, and a woman's love for salad, to create the perfect couple's dinner! And while both of these components are essential elements to the salad, the heart and soul of the dish resides in the Honey Dijon Dressing.  

Honey Dijon Steak Salad 
Total Time: 25-30 minutes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10-15 minutes

What you'll need
For the Salad
1 steak (I used Strip steak)
garlic salt
pepper
1 romaine heart, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1/4 onion, sliced or 2 scallions, diced 
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced in half
feta cheese

For the Dressing
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions
1. Generously season steak with garlic salt and pepper.  Grill until steak reaches desired doneness.  When steak is cooked, carefully slice into 1-inch thick strips.
2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.  
3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine dressing ingredients.  Whisk well until dressing ingredients are well blended. 
4. Drizzle dressing over salad as desired.  Toss well. 
5. Top salad with steak strips.  Serve and enjoy!

When craving beef, chose a cut you can feet good about -- beef tenderloin.  Not only is it a low-fat protein, but it is also a good source of zinc, B12 and iron.  

And by giving your meat a little extra TLC, I'll show you how you can turn an ordinary beef tenderloin into an extraordinary meal with today's featured recipe for two -- Caprese Tenderloins. 



Caprese Tenderloins
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 5-7 minutes

What you'll need
2 beef tenderloin steaks (4-5 ounces each, 1-inch thick)
2 french baguette slices (1-inch thick)
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, pressed with a garlic press
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons diced fresh mozzarella 
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil 
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 
garlic salt
pepper

Directions
1. Season tenderloins with garlic salt and pepper. 
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add steaks and bread to skillet.  Cook for 3 minutes. 
3. Turn steaks and bread; cook steaks for an additional 2 minutes and bread until it is toasted on both sides.   

4. Transfer bread to serving plates and place tenderloins on top of the bread.  Let the meat rest for 5 minutes. 

5. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and heat oil over medium heat.  Stir in garlic; cook for 30 seconds (be careful not to burn the garlic). 
6. Add tomatoes to the skillet; cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in red wine vinegar and cook for an additional minute. 
7. Top each steak with tomatoes, 1 tablespoon diced mozzarella and 1 tablespoon minced basil.  

8. Serve with a side of asparagus.  Enjoy!

In today's featured recipe for two I'm making "skinny tacos" by replacing taco shells with lettuce.  In doing so, I'm cutting out calories and carbohydrates, and I'm gaining a fresh, crisp way to enjoy yummy tacos. 

Skinny Taco Lettuce Wraps
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes

What you'll need
1/2 pound lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
6 large butter lettuce leaves
6 tablespoons yellow corn 
1/2 cup matchstick carrots
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 packet Taco seasoning
1/4 cup water
salsa

Directions
1. Add beef to a skillet and cook over medium heat until it is cooked through, about 10 minutes, while continuing to break down meat until it crumbles.  Add water and taco seasoning.  Continue to stir until liquid is absorbed.
2. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of taco meat to each lettuce leaf.  Sprinkle with corn, carrots and bean sprouts.  

3. Top with a dallop of salsa.  Serve and enjoy!

I'm changing up my typical beef taco routine by ditching the taco shells and incorporating egg roll wrappers instead, in today's featured recipe for two -- Taco Egg Rolls!  

I'll be serving the Taco Egg Rolls with a really simple avocado salsa dipping sauce, as well as an extraordinarily wonderful Cilantro-Lime Side Salad.  Yum!



Taco Egg Rolls
Total Time: 37 minutes 
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes

What you'll need 
6 egg roll wrappers
1/2 pound lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
1/2 cup matchstick carrots
1/2 bell pepper, diced 
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 can yellow corn, drained
3-4 scallions, chopped
1/2 taco seasoning packet
1/4 cup water 
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the dipping sauce
1/2 avocado, diced
1 cup salsa 

For the salad
lettuce
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 avocado, diced 
3-4 scallions, chopped

For the dressing
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Add beef to a skillet and cook over medium heat.  Continue to stir and break down meat until it is cooked through, about 10 minutes. 
3. Add water and taco seasoning to the skillet.  Mix well.  Let simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Top each egg roll wrapper with about 1 tablespoon of taco meat.  Sprinkle on carrots, bean sprouts, corn, bell pepper and scallions. 

5. Fold the bottom corner of the egg roll wrapper into the center of the roll. 

6. Fold both sides into the center. 

7. Roll the stuffed egg roll into the top flap to secure the sides. 

8. Brush the outside of the egg roll wrapper with olive oil. 

9. Transfer egg rolls to a greased baking sheet.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until egg rolls are browned and heated through. 

While the egg rolls are baking, you can create the dipping sauce and side salad. 

For the dipping sauce
1. Gently mix salsa and avocado together.  

For the Cilantro-Lime Side Salad
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and scallions. 
2. In a separate mixing bowl, combine vegetable oil, white wine vinegar, cilantro and lime.  Mix well.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add dressing to salad as desired.  Toss well.  Serve and enjoy!

The leftovers
You can use the leftover egg roll wrappers to create Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls. 

What you'll need
6 egg roll wrappers
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1/4 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
buffalo wing sauce
yellow corn, drained
1 cup broccoli slaw 
shredded cheddar cheese (or blue cheese crumbles)

Directions
1. In a small mixing bowl, combine chicken, onion, garlic and buffalo wing sauce.  Mix well. 
2. Top each egg roll wrapper with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the buffalo chicken mixture. 
3. Sprinkle on broccoli slaw, yellow corn and cheese.
4. Roll contents into the egg roll wrapper.  Coat the outside with buffalo wing sauce and a little bit of olive oil. 
5. Bake on a greased baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes at 400 degrees F.
6. Serve with a side of blue cheese or ranch dressing.  Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Egg Roll recipe adapted from Can You Stay for Dinner?

Are you in the mood for a juicy steak?  Well, I've got a great marinade recipe that will help give you just that in today's featured recipe for two -- Pepper Steak.

I'll be serving the Pepper Steak with a side of the other mashed potato -- Mashed Cauliflower.  Mashed cauliflower really can make it work on the dinner plate.  So much so, I didn't even miss the potato.  Therefore, these are a must try, especially if you are looking for a healthier way to enjoy mashed potatoes.  

What you'll need
2 small Ribeye, Round or Sirloin steaks 
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
1/2 teaspoon paprika 
1 teaspoon tomato paste 
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
ground black pepper

Directions
1. Generously season both sides of the steak with ground black pepper.  Firmly press pepper into meat. 
2. Mix together garlic powder, paprika, tomato paste and soy sauce.  Then, add red wine vinegar.  Mix well.  Pour over meat. 
3. Cover and refrigerate over night.  Turn meat in the morning. 

4. Grill or bake at 300 degrees F. for 1 hour or until meat is cooked to desired doneness. 

Mashed Cauliflower
Total Time: 30 minutes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

What you'll need
1/2 head of cauliflower
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 scallions, sliced
paprika
cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Chop the cauliflower and remove the stems.
2. Place the chopped cauliflower in a  medium size pot.  Add enough water to just cover the top of the cauliflower.
3. Bring to a boil.  Cook for 15 minutes.
4. Drain cooked cauliflower and pour into a large bowl.  Add butter, olive oil, salt and pepper.

5. Mash with a potato masher.  Top with cheese, scallions and a little bit of paprika.

6. Serve with Pepper Steak.  Enjoy!

Just saying the name Sloppy Joe reminds me of being a kid.  And while I haven't had a Sloppy Joe Sandwich since I was a kid, when I took my first bite, it was like we had never parted ways.  It seems that whether you enjoy a Sloppy Joe as  a child surrounded by friends or as an adult with your plus one, you'll never be disappointed by this family classic. 

Sloppy Joes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes

What you'll need
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
7 ounces ketchup 
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup water
2 hamburger buns

Directions
1. Brown meat, green pepper and onion in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. 
2. Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, brown sugar and water.  Mix well.  Let simmer for at least 30 minutes. 

3. Scoop sloppy joe mixture onto a hamburger bun.  I like to serve them with baked ruffles, as the ruffles make a great dipper for any leftover sloppy joe mixture.  Enjoy!