Heart Skillet Meal

From the Best of Mennonite Fellowship Meals Cookbook Serves 4

1 lb cubed beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced potatoes
1-2 cloves garlic
1-1 1/2 cups water2 T soy sauce
1/4 t pepper
salt to taste

Saute beef and onion. Stir in rice, carrots, potatoes and garlic. Add water, cover and simmer on low heat for 40 minutes or until rice is tender. Right before serving stir in soy sauce salt and pepper.

Brazilian Fried Rice

2-4 T olive oil
1 medium onion
2-4 cloves garlic
2 cups rice
4 1/2 cups water
salt

Finely chop onion and garlic and sautee in olive oil until clear. Take care not to burn garlic. Add rice and brown. It won't get toasty brown, but it will change color. Carefully add water, it will sizzle and make lots of noise! Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste and simmer covered until rice is tender and moisture is absorbed.

Aaron's grandmother is from Brazil and taught me how to make this. I don't use an exact recipe so hopefully what I have listed here is about right!

Butternut Squash Soup

2 large butternut squash
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot or 5-6 baby
carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
water
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds. Place squash face down on a baking pan and pour approximately 1/2 cup water into pan. Place in oven and bake until tender, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop squash out of skins. Reserve squash and discard skins.

While squash is baking, heat oil in large stock pot. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic and sauté over medium heat until colored and softened, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups chicken broth and reserved squash. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer until everything is tender.

Transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add water to reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The first time I made this the kids wrinkled their noses, but I gave them straws to drink it with and they loved it, not drinking it with straws, but the flavor!

Swedish Meatballs

1 lb hamburger
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup rice
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/3 cup milk
1 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/4 t poultry seasoning
1 c cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients except soup and water. Form into meatballs. Mix soup and water and pour over meatballs. Bake at 350 1 1/4 hours. Serve over rice.