Mexican Casserole

Adapted from Kelly Jones

4 cups rice, cooked

3 ½ cups Salsa, divided (replace ½ the water with salsa for the rice.)

1 large can Refried Beans

1 can Black Beans

1 can Corn

1 lb. Ground Beef, browned

Taco Seasoning

1-2 cups Cheese, shredded

Onions, diced *optional

Bell Peppers, diced *optional

Carrots, shredded *optional

Sour Cream *optional

Guacamole *optional

Cook rice, replacing half the water with salsa or picante sauce.

Brown beef and add taco seasoning.

If using onions, bell peppers and/or carrots, sauté them for a minute or two, until just softened.

Layer in a 9x13 pan: rice – beef – optional veggies - refried beans – black beans – corn – salsa – cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with Guacamole and/or sour cream on top and use tortilla chips to eat it.

*Make meatless, just season either the rice or beans with taco seasoning instead.

Kids love to eat this with chips!

Potato Onion Frittata

This is from:

http://www.5dollardinners.com/2010/03/potato-onion-frittata.html

Ingredients
4 – 5 potatoes, baked, cooled, peeled, and cubed or sliced
3 tablespoons of oil
1 onion chopped finely
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 eggs, whisked
½ cup sour cream

Directions

In an oven proof skillet, cook onion in oil until tender. (I like to use my cast iron pan.) Add potatoes and stir until potatoes are slightly browned. Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, sour cream, and cheese. Pour over the potato onion mixture.

Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until eggs are done. Cool about 5 minutes and cut into wedges and serve.

I was surprised how easy and yummy this was!

White Sauce Spaghetti

1 lb. Mild Italian Sausage, browned
2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Evaporated Milk
1-2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, optional
1-2 cups of Milk
1 lb. Spaghetti noodles, al dente
Brown sausage, add soup, evaporated milk, cheeses and milk. Stir until hot. Thin with milk to get consistency wanted.
Serve over spaghetti.

Bagel Pizzas

4 Bagels, split in half
Pizza Sauce, 1 small jar will do aprox. 16 bagel halves.
Mozzarella cheese
Pepperoni.

Spray cookie sheet with Pam.
Place Bagels with split side up and spray with Pam.
Spoon Pizza Sauce onto bagels and spread around.
Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese over the sauce.
Place 4 Pepperoni's on each slice.
Sprinkle more Mozzarella cheese over the Pepperoni's.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Mac & Cheese

I've started to make my own Mac & Cheese. It is way yummier than the box kind and cheaper for my large crowd. But the kids are having a hard time transitioning from the bright orange color to the very muted home made version. I'm going to mix it with a cooked and mashed sweet potato to add color, flavor and nutrition!

Cook elbow noodles, al dente. (About 6 cups cooked)
Sauce:
melt 1/4 stick of butter
mix in 1/4 cup of flour to butter, stir constantly for 1 minute.
add Milk, aprox. 3 cups, whisk together until mixed thoroughly.
add a couple of shakes of ground black pepper.
add in 1&1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
add in 1&1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Add in 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
Add 1 mashed/cooked sweet potato
Add salt if needed, wait until cheese is mixed in before adding salt.

Mix together until cheese is melted and it is the consistency you desire. You may need to add more milk to thin it down.
I'm guessing on the amounts since I make this without any real measurements, just until it looks right.

Optional: crush Ritz crackers over the top. If making to freeze, put mac & cheese in your casserole dish then melt 1 stick of butter and mix with 1 package of crushed Ritz crackers, spread over top then cover and freeze. Or bake until crackers are browning and it's bubbly throughout.

Note: If you are getting a strong flour taste from your rue, just mix in a little ground mustard and it will come out just fine. Thanks Jaidi's sister, this is a great tip!

BBQ Beef Pot Pie

2 cans Pillsbury Pizza dough
Leftover BBQ Beef
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
2 Celery stalks, diced
1/2 onion, chopped and saute
3 potatoes, diced
1 can green beans
2 cups baby spinach
Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam.
Shape one can of dough to bottom of pan, coming up the sides.
Mix all the other ingredients together, season to taste.
Pour mixture in pan over dough.
Place other can of dough over the top and then shape down the sides to "seam" the top and bottom crusts together.
Cut a couple of venting slits in the top crust.
Bake 30-40 minutes or until the crust is done and vegetables are fork tender.

Leftover Stroganoff

Leftover pot roast, thinly sliced or cut into bite size pieces
Onion, diced
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Butter
Tarragon
Nutmeg
Salt & Pepper
Milk
Sour Cream, Chives, Bacon, frozen peas (optional)

Saute onions in 1-2 Tbsp butter until they just begin to brown. Add pot roast and stir around a bit to warm up the meat. Add the cream of mushroom soup, add in a dash of milk to thin if you want. I like it on the creamy side, so I just used a splash of milk. Add 1/2 tsp Tarragon and 1/8 tsp of Nutmeg, season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir and heat through. If adding peas, add them at the end just before serving, allowing just enough time to warm up.

Serve over buttered egg noodles, potatoes, rice, a thick/crusty bread or anything else that hits your fancy.

Throw a dollop of sour cream on top and chives and bacon if you are so inclined.

This is one of those throw together meals with what you have on hand, so amounts will vary. I had a half of a roast, and used one family size and one regular size cans of cream of mushroom soup. After making it I decided that chives, bacon and peas would really be excellent with this as well. I could have eaten the buttered egg noodles all by themselves. You will want to use a more substantial noodle, etc. because the sauce is heavier and meaty. This ain't delicate, it's filling and yummy and warm on a cold night.

P.S. The 3 year olds loved it!

Shepherd's Pie Ann style

6-8 potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 cans green beans
Worcestershire Sauce
Ketchup
Mustard
Salt and Pepper

Chop the onion and garlic, cook until tender in a bit of olive oil. Add hamburger and brown. Add Worcestershire sauce (to taste, aprox. 1 Tbsp.), ketchup (I squirt enough out to cover the hamburger, aprox. 1/4 cup), mustard (to taste, aprox. 2 Tbsp.), salt and pepper to taste. Mix and let simmer on low while you do the potatoes and green beans.
Peel and cut up potatoes; boil until tender; mash with sour cream and butter, season with salt and pepper.
Heat up green beans.
To serve: Put a mound of mashed potatoes, then the hamburger mixture, then the green beans.
Using potato pearls, or any instant potato mix you like, makes this an even faster dinner.

Kielbasa Sausage with Carmalized Onions and Skillet Potatoes

1 Kielbasa Sausage, thinly sliced
3 large onions, thinly sliced
3 large bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 cups beef broth
2 tsp. garlic
2 Tablespoons honey
1 cup dry sherry, or cooking sherry
Salt and Pepper
Butter
Olive Oil
4 potatoes, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add onions and peppers, cover, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove cover, add garlic and honey, and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Remove pot from heat and add sherry. Return to heat and stir to remove browned bits from bottom of pan. Reduce sherry by half, then add beef stock and cook until almost all liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat.
Place potatoes in a microwave safe container, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper, cover the container tightly with either the lid or plastic wrap. Microwave for 3 minutes, take out and shake around, then microwave again for 3 minutes. Careful the container will be very hot.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pan (cast iron works best). Put potatoes in skillet and press down to make an even layer. Let them cook, and don’t move them, for 10-15 minutes, check to see if getting a crust on the bottom, if not keep cooking.

Steak Salad

1 Steak
1 tomatoe, cut into wedges
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 onion, thinly sliced
1-2 tbsp. Butter
Olive Oil
1 tsp. Molasses
Spinach or lettuce of choice
Dressing of choice, We really like Vidalia Onion Vinegarette by Virgina Brand, or as I call it the Sam's Club dressing.

You can make the steak two ways...the first is to cook it under the broiler on high to your preference. Rub with olive oil, place in pan as close to broiler as you can get it without touching. Cook for 4-6 minutes, turn and cook another 4-6 minutes, again depending on if you want it rare, medium, well done. Remove and season with salt and pepper. Let rest for 5 minutes then slice thinly.
Or you can slice your steak and brown in a skillet with olive oil, remove and set aside. Heat butter up in skillet, thinly slice onion and add to skillet. Saute until beginning to brown, add 1 tsp. of molasses (or more depending on how sweet you want it) and continue cooking for a minute or two more. Add steak back in and heat through.
Place spinach on plate, add steak and onions, tomatoes, red onion, and walnuts drizzle with dressing.
I've made this with and without the caramelized onions, I really prefer it with, but it is just great without too.
Makes 2 servings.

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches

2-3 lbs. Thinly sliced or shredded beef
1 Large Onion, thinly sliced
1 Container of Mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 Large Green Pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
8 slices Provolone Cheese
4 Hoagie Rolls/Deli Rolls
Lawry's Seasoning Salt
Butter

Melt 1/4 stick of butter in a heavy skillet. Add onions, green peppers and mushrooms, saute until caramlized. Remove from pan.

Melt 2 more TBSPs of butter in pan, add beef, season with Lawry's Seasoning Salt to taste, cook until nicely browned and cooked through or as desired.

Add 1/2 cup of Worcestershire sauce and 2 TBSP more butter and the onion/peppers/mushrooms, mix together. Cook down a bit

Halve and butter the rolls, brown them in another skillet.

Pile the beef/onion mixture onto the roll, layer generously with Provolone Cheese and microwave for a few seconds to melt the cheese. Or put under the broiler until bubbly and brown. Put on top half and enjoy.

Additions:
After browning the rolls, spread with cream cheese then assemble as above.
Add a layer of cheese in the middle of the meat/onions and then again on top.
I make a chuck roast in the crockpot so it's nice and tender and then use a 1/4 of it shredded for aprox. 4 hoagies.

Dad's Chili

2 lb. hamburger
2 medium or 1 large onion chopped
2 cans Garbanzo Beans or Chili Beans
2 cans Kidney Beans
2 cans Pork and Beans or Bush Beans
2 quarts diced tomatoes
1 shredded carrot (regular sized, not baby carrots)
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbsp Chili Powder (increase or decrease according to your personal preference for heat, if children are going to eat the chili cut the chili pepper in half)
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tsp. Garlic Salt (optional)
Cook 2-3 hours

Brown hamburger and onion, drain garbanzo and kidney beans, mix all ingredients together in crock pot or large pot and cook 2-3 hours. If using fresh tomatoes, do not drain off the beans.

Ingredients:

This filled my 6 quart crock pot! mmmmmm can't wait!

Party Pita Pizza

Pita's
Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Pizza Sauce or
Tomato Sauce
Basil
Italian Seasoning
Garlic Powder
Any other toppings you desire.

Ingredients:

Mix seasonings with tomato sauce.

Place Pita on plate.

Spread sauce over pita.

Sprinkle lots and lots of Mozzarella over top. (Add any other toppings as desired)

Put in microwave, cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, watch it, it bubbles fast.
To entertain the kids let one "blow up" by cooking it a few seconds too long :).
(It won't really blow up, just get puffy like a marshmallow)

This is what you'll have!

Cut into pizza slices.

Feed to kiddo!

Have a party because dinner just took like 2 minutes!

Note: if you cooked them under a broiler or in a toaster oven you would get that nice brown toasty topping with the cheese.

Bestest Fettucine Alfredo with Broccoli and Chicken

1 8 oz. pkg. Cream cheese
6 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 ½ cups milk
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Pepper to taste

Cook cream cheese and butter on med-low heat and add milk slowly.
Continue stirring until thoroughly blended. Add Parmesan cheese, garlic and pepper. Continue stirring until cheese is melted.

1 lb. Fettuccine Noodles, cooked al dente
1 bag frozen broccoli florets, heat through
2 Chicken breasts, grilled and cut into bite sized pieces (season with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste)

Toss noodles, broccoli, chicken and sauce until coated.

This recipe is originally from Kristen Lindorf! And as always, you will love it, it's from Kristen after all :)!

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

3 lbs. chicken breasts
1 (16 oz.) carton sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups rice
4 cups water
1 pkg. Frozen mixed vegetables
1 1/2 c. crushed Ritz crackers (one pack)
1 stick butter
2 tbsp. poppy seeds
Curry

Boil chicken 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Mix chicken, sour cream, rice, water, vegetables and soup together. Spread thinly in greased casserole dish.
In separate dish mix together: crushed crackers, melted butter and poppy seeds. Sprinkle this mixture on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 3 hours.

I actually grill the chicken and season it with salt, pepper and curry powder. I also precook the rice and then heat until bubbly, about an hour to hour and half.

Kielbasa Sausage and Caramelized Onions

1 Kielbasa Sausage, sliced into bite size pieces.
1-2 large yellow or white onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. Honey
1 Tbsp. Garlic or to taste
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
4-6 servings Hash browns

Add oil and butter to skillet over medium-high heat add onions. Cook until beginning to turn brown, stir in honey and garlic. Cook until nicely browned. Add Kielbasa and heat through.
Cook hash browns according to package directions.

Serve Kielbasa and onions over hashbrowns.

Crockpot Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
29 oz. tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning, or to taste
1 package 8 oz. lasagna noodles (not cooked)
4 cups mozzarella shredded
1 & ½ cup cottage cheese
½ cup parmesan cheese shredded

Cook beef, onion and garlic, drain.
Mix tomato sauce, water, tomato paste, salt, oregano, italian seasoning together.
Mix cheeses together.
Layer 3 times: sauce mixture
Noodles
Meat mixture
Cheese mixture
Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Note: I mix the sauce and meat together so my layers are: sauce/meat mixture then noodles then cheese mixture.

Chicken Rolls

Cara Parker

Rolls:

3-3.5 cups flour

1 pkg yeast

heat 1 ¼ cup milk, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup Crisco until warm

1 egg

1 tsp salt

Stuffing:

1-2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded

Mix with 1 pkg. cream cheese

Sauce:

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can of milk

Roll out dough in a circle. Butter inside of dough. Cut into crescents (cut like you would a pizza). Put 1-2 Tbsp. of stuffing into each roll and wrap/roll into a crescent shape. Butter the outside of rolls and roll in crushed ritz crackers.

Bake 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with warm sauce.

Notes:

*Add finely chopped vegetables to the stuffing, it adds color and texture.

*To save time you may use store bought roll dough.

*I use a little of the warm milk mixture to proof my yeast.

*If you don’t want to take the time to let the milk/Crisco cool then melt the Crisco in the microwave and then add it to the milk and sugar. Can substitute regular oil for the Crisco.

Variations:

Sausage Rolls: Make rolls per normal. For stuffing: brown 1 lb. sausage, mix 1 8 oz. brick of cream cheese and 1 can Rotel until cheese is melted. Prepare as above. Make a milk gravy to serve over the top.

BBQ Cupcakes

This was posted by Ann...Just so you know!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, cooked
1 cup bbq sauce or sloppy joe sauce, whichever you prefer
1 can of LAYERED refrigerated biscuits (not the little tiny packages, the bigger one. I use Grands.)
About 1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:
Cook beef, drain, mix with bbq sauce. Set aside.

Carefully pull apart layers of biscuits, so that each biscuit is now in two pieces, like this:

Roll out layers with a rolling pin, until they make a 10-12" circle.

Spray the insides of a muffin pan. Insert one flattened biscuit into each cup, like this:

In each little pastry shell, spoon in about 1 tbsp of beef mixture. It will look this:

Afterwards, sprinkle cheese on top, because if a recipe doesn't say "sprinkle cheese on top", then you should run the other way:

Bake in a 350 oven for 8-12 minutes, take it out, and then you just tell me this isn't the cutest little thing you've ever seen:

I got this from Rocks in My Dryer, and it looked easy and awesome, so I copied it here.