Macaroni with ground meat for me is Bolognese macaroni.  When I prepare that sauce, I do it for at least 8 instances and freeze 7 of them in portions.  It is always handy.

Spaghetti and garlic bread is what we're having for supper tonight.  My son is only home twice a week at suppertime, so I try and fix something he especially likes. 

Mary

How do you flavor the spaghetti, Mary?

MaryC, to me goulash is a pasta, ground beef, tomato concoction.  Not really mac and cheese, but cheese could be included.  I don't think I've ever made it, but I remember eating something like that at a Camp Fire Girls' camp when I was in my teens (long, long ago).

Mary Ann

Bubble....

For the meat sauce, I use mild Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, minced garlic, tomato sauce and tomato paste.

For the seasoning, I use an Italian seasoning mix, salt, pepper and a couple of bay leaves.  If I happen to be out of the seasoning mix, I use oregano, basil, thyme and a bit of sage.

I don't measure anything!  I'm a pinch of this, a dab of that, a dash etc.  I'm a taster - if it doesn't taste right, I add a bit more of this or that .

Mary

Mary. this sounds delicious.  I had never used sausage but I will certainly try it now.

Bubble, I forgot to mention I also add some dried parsley to the sauce.

Mary

Hi Bubble
Yes Courgette and Zuchinni the same veg.

That was my little joke, hence the smiley!

Kelly

Since French is my mother tongue, I had no problem understanding that.  It is called Kishoo in Hebrew.

I was introduced to goulash when we brought our twins home from the hospital.  The pastor and his wife showed up with supper, told all the neighbors to go home, they each rocked a baby while we enjoyed salad, goulash and crusty bread.  The goulash consisted of ground venison, macaroni, a tomato sauce and chili powder.  The kids loved it and asked for it often.  The venison was the tastiest but not always available. 

I never had goulash with venison, that must be the best.

I do cook lamb Osso Bucco  and that is tasty too.

I've had plenty of goulosh...and my mom made it the same as most of your recipes.  Oh, and macaroni and tomatoes.  I used to love that.  I haven't had any since...can't even remember.

This was not a great time to come read all your recipe posts.   I'm trying the JUDDD way of eating.  One day is eat as you will,(within reason) the next keep it to 300-500 cals.  Wouldn't you know...today is a down day.    I'll have a big salad later.

I used to love venison, and have some on hand, but my taste buds have changed I think.  I just can't tolerate even just a taste of the wild game.  When the kids were home, husband working and hunting,  we had it a lot.  I copied my mom and soaked small steaks (back strap) in egg.  Then dipped in flour and fried.  No gamey taste that way.    And she used to have lots of milk gravy to go with...and biscuits.  Oh...I better stop this. haha

I have discovered a simple, simple dessert that I absolutely love.  It's just cottage cheese and frozen fruit whipped up smooth in the blender.  My fruit isn't sweetened, so I do add a little stevia.  It tastes like cheese cake...so simple to make and hits the spot.

Hey Nita, that sounds like an easy to make dessert and I am sure it can also be made with fresh fruit.  I must try it.  Maybe add just a tiny drop of vanilla extract to it as well.

I haven't seen venison here in the store but bison is easily available.  Haven't tried it and maybe I won't ever because I'm not fond of the gamey taste either.

Nita, good luck with the JUDDD diet.  I googled it and have been reading about it.  I just bought some new clothes and decided instantly after trying them on that I need to lose some weight.  And the arthritis is sort of kicking up these days so I know the extra weight isn't helping that, either.  I like the idea that every other day you can eat what you want (reasonably) so I should give it a try but I'll admit my success rate with diets isn't too high.  But, I must not think negatively.  Positive thinking is the best way to start a diet.

I haven't had venison in years but did like it.  My niece made nachos one time with ground venison.  My daughter thought they were delicious until Tanya told her it was venison .

I can't tell bison from beef by taste.  It doesn't take gamey to me.

Mary

I love salad, I could eat that days on end and not wanting anything else.  Lettuce is my favorite.
In Israel a meal is not a meal without the Israeli salad of cucumber, tomato, onions, parsley with lemon juice and olive oil.

Your salad sounds good. Yummm

Bubble, I'll take your salad without the cucumber.  I also like salads.

Mary Ann

I'm sure you could use fresh fruit with the cottage cheese/fruit whip, but frozen fruit gives it a great texture and ice-creamy feel. Yes, I have added vanilla. Also strawberry flavoring with frozen strawberries.

Nita.   I will go and read the JUDDD Will not think of it as a diet as I hate that word. 
I have never been more than  about 130 lbs but all of a sudden lbs are coming on. I don't seem to eat a lot. (Bread, Butter, Potato's, cookies,  are my problem) along with to much milk..  I am getting a few little joints giving trouble also.  Hands mostly. Not enough walking this winter.  Can tell that the pounds are making a difference in energy.

So I am coming along with you.

We went out for dinner . Hubby 's tummy wasn't feeling good so he had a bowl of clam chowder , son had the Captain's Platter (assorted seafood )  .  I  had a wisdom tooth extracted on Wednesday
& I'm just now able to eat some regular food . I had 2 eggs , hash browns , 2 sausage patties & a huge carrot cake muffin .

Jeanne, glad to have you with me.  I was low carb for so long, that when I started adding back veggies, and even some bread, I went a little crazy on my up days. I read that happens in the beginning, but after awhile your body balances it all out.  now, after two weeks, I find I look foward to the simplicity of down days.  nOW.......if I can just stay with it.    If you find you want to stay with it, I can give you links to good ideas for down day eating.

Nita we don't see much frozen fruit in stores here. Of course one can freeze oneself at home, and I did that with mango for pies.  I love that fruit and it is only available for 3 or so months a year.  I wonder how frozen apricots would keep.  They also have a very short season

Nita, I would like to see the links you have for down day eating, please.

Maybe we could put some recipe here too for all to get new ideas.

This is a little off the beaten track of what you all have been talking about.

BUT, I just want to see if anyone has been eating the Butternut Squash.   Walmart and Weis stores sell packages of the butternut squash already cut up into chunks.   I found a recipe for roasting it.

I just mix some balsamic vinegar, honey and olive oil  and some salt and pepper and mix that with the squash and roast it in the oven until it is tender and starting to carmelize  Maybe a half hour or a little longer at about 400 degrees. You have to kind of stirring it around about every 20 or so minutes.

That has become my very favorite vegetable right now.  It is just soooooooo good !  It is even good cold. 

Just wanted to add my little 2 cents to the  conversation.

Joy

I have seldom done squash because I never knew what to do with it except dump it in the soup.  I'll try that next time I go shopping at the open air market.

No packages or ready prepared vegetables here except perhaps for boiled beet.

I've saved that suggestion.

Bubble, just remember if you have to buy the whole butternut squash, they are very hard to cut up.  You can look up to see how to make it easier to cut .  I know I have seen ways of doing it.  It has a hard outer rind that I think makes it hard to cut into.  Just be careful you don't cut yourself.

Joy

Bubble, here is a link to show you how to cut the squash after cooking it in the microwave for a few minutes.

http://www.chatelaine.com/in-the-kitchen/an-easy-way-to-cut-and-peel-butternut-squash/

Hope this will make it easier.  Just be very careful.

Joy

If they are big, they would sell part of it, half or quarter as they do for watermelon.