Tater Tot Casserole

Tater Tot Casserole

1 1/2 lbs browned hamburger meat
1/2 bag tater tots- maybe a little more
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can milk
2 cups cheese

Pour enough tater tots to cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle hamburger meat on top. Mix soup and milk together and pour over meat and tots. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 mins. Yum yum yum!

Manicotti Roll Ups

Don't these look delish?????
It's a different spin on an old fav.
Manicotti is one of our favorite dishes and I'm always trying to find ways to make our favorite foods easier. I'm pretty sure I succeeded and it was a hit. I actually think I prefer them like this.

Manicotti Roll Ups
10 lasagna noodles cooked as directed
1 small container ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 mushrooms washed and diced into small pieces
1/2 zucchini washed and diced into small pieces
handful of parsley chopped
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 jar Marinara sauce ( I prefer Ragu)

Saute mushrooms and zucchini with 1 Tablespoon of butter. In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, and half the cheese. Add mushrooms and zucchini and mix. Spread mixture onto lasagna noodles and roll up. In a 9x13 pan, pour a little marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan then place the roll up on top. Pour the rest of the marinara sauce on to roll up and sprinkle remaining cheeses on top. You may want to use more if you'd like. Bake at 400 degrees, 12-15 minutes.  

Rigatoni~a yummy Italian dish

Rigatoni


1 1/2 pounds browned hamburger meat
1/2 box Rigatoni noodles, boiled and drained
8 oz block mozzarella cheese cut into cubes
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 jar spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine noodles, hamburger meat, cubed mozzarella cheese, and spaghetti sauce. Pour in a 9x9 baking dish. With your fingers, pull apart chunks of cream cheese and distribute evenly on top. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Bake 10-12 minutes, or till cheese on top is melted. Enjoy!

Dinner in a biscuit

This is a quick an easy dinner when you need something quick and easy!

Dinner in a biscuit
1 1/2 pounds hamburger meat
1/2 pkg taco meat seasoning
1/2 small can tom sauce
1/2 c. cheese
2 containers biscuit dough (you will only use part of 1 can)

Preheat oven to baking temp of biscuits, 350 or 375.  Add taco seasoning and tom sauce to meat.  In a cupcake pan, mold dough inside leaving a spot for the taco meat. Fill each biscuit with taco meat. Bake for 10 minutes. Take out then sprinkle the top with cheese. Bake another 3-4 minutes. You can top these babies with sour cream, salsa, tom, avocado. Super easy and super yummy!

Crock Pot Lasagna

My kids have ball games starting at 5:15 a couple days out of the week. It's too early to eat dinner at 4:30, but by the time we get home it's almost 7pm leaving no time to make dinner. Not wanting to always stop for fast food I decided using the crock pot was the next best thing. We all LOVE lasagna and I found this recipe in a church cookbook. It was delish and a perfect ending to a sweet ball game!

Crock Pot Lasagna
1 1/2 pounds browned hamburger meat
1/2 jar spaghetti sauce (add more if you like it more saucy)
1/4 c. water
6 dry lasagna noodles
1/2 carton cottage cheese
1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese

Mix meat, sauce and water. Spray your crock pot with pam cooking spray.  Spoon a thin layer of meat onto the bottom of crock pot. Spoon a little cottage on top. Sprinkle 1/3 of both cheeses on top. Break 2 noodles into small pieces in top of cheese. Repeat 3 layers. Cook on low 5-6 hours or high 2-3 hours.  Enjoy!

Italian Baked Chicken

"Mom! I just can't stop eating this!"

Needless to say, this one is a keeper!

Italian Baked Chicken
5 boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
1 envelope dry Italian dressing mix
1/2c. water
1 8oz cube cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 box chicken stuffing
1c. Mozzarella cheese
2c. bowtie pasta noodles
Mix Italian dressing with water.  Place chicken in a crock pot. Pour dressing over chicken and cook for 3 hours.  Shred with a fork.  With a hand mixer, blend cream cheese and cream of chicken soup. Pour over chicken and cook for 1 more hour.  Boil noodles and prepare stuffing the last 15 minutes of the hour. Drain noodles and place back in the pan.  Pour chicken sauce over the noodles and then pour into a 9x9 baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese and spread stuffing on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers

Oh my heavens this is a goodie!
I found this recipe while cutting coupons. I knew coupon cutting was worth it! And this recipe is!

Stuffed Red Peppers
4 lg red bell peppers (I'm sure green would work too)
1 c. minute rice, uncooked
2 Tbs Mrs Dash Tomato Basil Garlic seasoning
1 pound browned ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. bread crumbs (Italian style is delish!)
1 jar marinara sauce
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Remove tops and seeds from peppers. Place in a 9x9 baking dish.
Combine uncooked rice, seasoning, beef, egg, and bread crumbs. Mix well. Stuff mixture into peppers.
Pour sauce over peppers and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or till peppers are tender.

What's for dinner

We'll be having this.

You can get the recipe here.

I LOVE Picky-Palate.

I'll probably put my own spin on it, cuz that's what I do.

I'll let you know how it all turns out.

I'm already drooling!

Tamale Pie

1 1/2 lbs browned hamburger meat

1 small can tomato sauce

1 cup corn-frozen or canned, drained

1 small can sliced or chopped olives-drain if needed

1 small can green chili's

2 cups shredded cheese

1 pgk taco seasoning

2 pkgs crescent rolls

In a greased 9x13 pan, place 1 can of rolls. They roll out like a square, so you just need to spread to the sides. They may come apart a bit, but that's okay. Mix together meat, tomato sauce, corn, olives, green chili and taco seasoning. Spread on top of rolls. Top with cheese. Place the other can of rolls on top of meat mixture. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Top with sour cream.

Salsa Verde Enchiladas

This recipe freezes REALLY well for up to 3 months. See instructions below on how to thaw and reheat. Ingredients
•1 rotisserie chicken
•1 jar (16- to 17.6-ounce) mild salsa verde
•3 green onions, thinly sliced
•1/8 cup fresh lime juice
•1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
•8 (6-inch) corn tortillas •1/2 container (8-ounce) reduced-fat sour cream
•1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
•1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions
1. Remove meat from chicken and coarsely shred; place in medium bowl (you will need about 2 cups; reserve any extra for use another day). Discard skin and bones. Stir 1/4 cup salsa verde into chicken to evenly coat.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 13" by 9" glass or ceramic baking dish; set aside. In 12-inch skillet, heat remaining salsa verde, green onions, and lime juice to boiling on medium-high. Boil 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 tablespoon cilantro; keep warm over very low heat.
3. With tongs, place 1 tortilla in salsa verde mixture; heat 10 seconds. Place tortilla on waxed paper; top with about 1/3 cup shredded-chicken mixture. Roll up tortilla and place, seam side down, in prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture.
4. Stir sour cream and broth into remaining salsa verde mixture in skillet; spoon over filled tortillas. Cover baking dish with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese and 1 tablespoon cilantro. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese melts.

From freezer: Thaw overnight in covered container. Heat, loosely covered, at 350 degrees F 45 minutes; uncover and heat 10 to 15 minutes longer.

White Chicken Chili

I'm in a rotisserie chicken phase and have been looking for quick and easy recipes to use it up. This one was FABULOUS! More like a hearty soup than a chili, it is very filling and VERY health-conscious.

• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups cooked, diced Rotisserie chicken meat
• 1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. oregano
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
• 4 sliced green onions (optional)

Heat oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or heavy saucepan. Add onion and garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes. Process one cup chicken broth and 1 can cannellini beans in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add to onion and garlic mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to medium-low. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Top with cheese and green onions.

Baked Chicken Chimichangas

This meal was super easy and used up part of a rotisserie chicken, which I love. The filling was so good, I'm tempted to use it atop a green salad for a quick fix.

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, roughly chopped (I used half a rotisserie chicken)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
5 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup drained & rinsed black beans
2 tblspns chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup salsa
8 oz shredded cheese
7 flour tortillas
oil for brushing

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, scallions, black beans, and cilantro. Add the salsa and cheese. Stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Brush tortillas on one side very lightly with water then stack on a paper towel. Wrap twel around tortillas and microwave about 25 seconds.

Remove one tortilla from towel and add 1/3 cup of filling to center. Wrap like you would a burrito. Take care not to roll too tightly or the tortilla will tear or burst during baking. Place chimi seam-side down on foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat with other tortillas.

Brush tops and sides of each chimi with oil. Bake for 23 to 26 minutes or until golden and crispy. Serve with additional salsa, cheese, guacamole and sour cream.

Spuds

Here's a new spin on my fav potato casserole. I'm always looking for ways to create something delish, but not spend a lot time in the kitchen preparing. I don't mind if it takes a bit to bake, I just don't like too much prep time. Usually you slice the potatoes and layer it. I was in a hurry to just get it in the oven that I decided to dice, mix and bake and it was perfect!

Potato Casserole

4 med baking spuds diced and rinsed

1 1/2 pound browned hamburger meat-season with dry onions, salt and pepper

1 can tomato soup

1 1/2 c. shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together diced spuds, hamburger, tom soup and 3/4 c. shredded cheese. Pour in a greased 9x9 baking dish. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. It's really good with ketchup on top.

Lasagna

I totally forgot to take a picture of this dish. I'm so bummed because it is so good! And did I mention super easy? Now that's what I'm talking about!

Lasagna
1 1/2 pounds browned ground beef
1 jar Prego, Ragu or store brand spaghetti sauce
1 8oz pkg shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 8oz container cottage cheese
1 box oven ready noodles or reg. lasagna noodles cooked as directed

Mix together mozrella and cheddar cheese. Set aside.
Mix together meat and sauce. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 425. Layer 4 noodles (oven ready or cooked. I use oven ready because it's so fast!) in a 9x13 pan. There will be some space at the end, so break another noodle in half and fill the space. Spoon 1/2 of the cottage cheese onto the noodles. Pour half the meat mixture onto noodles and sprinkle half the cheese mixture on top. Layer again and repeat. Cover with foil and cook for 1 hour. If using boiled noodles, bake for 30 minutes or till bubbly.
Serve with garlic bread or Texas toast.

Chicken Pot Pie in a Biscuit

2 cans (10 ¾ oz each) cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

¼ tsp dried thyme leaves, crushed

¼ tsp pepper

4 cups cooked diced vegetables (broccoli, carrots, potatoes, peas, your choice)

2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey

1 can (10 oz) refrigerated biscuits

1. In 3 qt baking dish combine soup, milk, thyme and pepper. Stir in vegetables and chicken.

2. Bake at 400^ for 15 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble. Meanwhile, cut each biscuit into quarters.

3. Remove dish from oven; stir. Arrange biscuit pieces over hot chicken mixture. Bake 15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Cup finely chopped onion
1 lb ground turkey breast
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
1 12 oz bag of Broccoli Slaw
1 small can drained water chestnuts
½ Cup Teriyaki Sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Approximately 15 Butter Lettuce leaves (you can also use iceberg lettuce leaves)

1. Place oil into a large 5 qt skillet or other large pan over medium heat. When hot, add onion and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add ground turkey, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Brown and crumble until cooked through.

2. When turkey is cooked, stir in broccoli slaw, water chestnuts, teriyaki sauce and sesame oil. Cook for another 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Reduce heat to low until ready to serve. Serve spoonfuls inside lettuce leaves. Enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana (knock off from Olive Garden)

I think we all know by now that I am a soup junkie. Here is my latest fave for all you soup fans out there. This one is good. Mad good. And good for you! I compiled it from a few websites and added my own twist to get it just the way I like it.

1/2 lb. spicy Italian sausage - crumbled
1 qt. water
(2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth

2 lg. russet potatoes - scrubbed clean, cubed
2 garlic cloves - peeled, crushed
1/2 med. onion - peeled, finely chopped
2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard
1 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper - to taste (the sausage provides a nice salt content, so you shouldn't need much).

freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish

-In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.
-Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
-Add sausage to pot; simmer for 10 minutes.
-Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

Taco Soup

Ingredients
•1 pounds ground beef, cooked and drained
•1 cups diced onions
•1 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans
•1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans
•1 cup yellow or white corn
•1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
•1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
•1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles
•2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chiles
•1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional
•1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
•1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
•Corn chips, for serving
•Sour cream, for garnish
•Grated cheese, for garnish
•Chopped green onions, for garnish
Directions
Sauté onions over medium heat in stock pot. Add in cooked ground beef, beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese and green onions.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This recipe is so simple and easy~~~no frying at all! The whole coating with corn starch then frying was always such a turn off to me because half the time the corn starch would come off. This recipe is just as delicious and totally simplified!

Sweet and Sour Chicken
1/4 c. butter
1/2 brown sugar
1 c. chopped green pepper
1/2 c. shredded carrots
2 Tbs. vinegar
1/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. ketchup
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 can crushed pineapple
2-3 lg chicken breast or 4-6 chicken tenderloins (cooked and sliced-I boil mine.)
salt
pepper
garlic salt

Saute first 4 ingredients. Stir in everything else, except the pineapple and chicken. Season with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Cook and stir till mixture boils. Add pineapple and chicken. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over rice.

Fettucine Alfredo

This was really good I got the recipe from here. I used a parmesan cheese mix, but I would suggest using just plain parmesaen cheese. I also used tiny bow tie noodles. I like to spice things up a bit!

1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 pint heavy cream
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt
black pepper
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (preferably fresh)
1 lb fettuccine, prepared as directed -or any other fun noodles
4 boneless skinless chicken tenders grilled and sliced

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter.
2. When butter is melted, add cream cheese.
3. When the cream cheese is softened, add heavy cream.
4. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
5. Simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly.
6. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan.
7. Serve over hot noodles.
8. Add chicken on top.