Spinach Artichoke Dip

This fabulous side dish is brought to you by Jackie. I've sampled (ate nearly the whole dish) this stuff and it is g.o.o.d.!!

1-8oz pack cream cheese
½ cup frozen chopped spinach (1/2 cup after defrosted and drained)
¼ cup mayo
1 garlic clove (minced)
¼ cup mozzarella cheese
1-14oz can artichoke hearts (drained and coarsely chopped)
½ cup fresh parmesan cheese (grated)
½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350*

Allow cream cheese to get to room temperature. Cream mayo, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic and basil. Add garlic salt. Mix well. Add artichoke hearts and spinach. Mix until blended. Spray pan with Pam. Pour mixture into pan and top with mozzarella. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes until top is brown.

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.

Easy Chicken salad

It's been a while since I posted, so I thought I'd share a little quick and easy chicken salad. It's great on crackers, whole wheat bread, a bagel or just by itself. It takes 5 mintues to whip up and lasts for a few days depending on how hungry you are! I love it on toasted bread with some lettuce and a tomato. YUM!

Easy Chicken Salad
1 can chicken-drained and shred with a fork
1/2 small red apple-diced
2-3 Tbsp sliced almonds
2 Tbsp mayo
salt and pepper to taste

See, easy. Enjoy!

Week 2 Ingredients: Ground Beef, Pasta & Corn

The Menu & Recipes:

Southwest Baked Ziti

Stuffed Bacon Cheeseburgers & Pasta Salad (make your own recipe and add 1/2 cup corn)

Shepherd’s Pie

Taco Soup

The Plan:
Brown 3 pounds ground beef in skillet over medium heat. Drain and cool. Separate into thirds and freeze each pound in Ziploc bags for use later in the week. Boil 6 ears of white or yellow corn for 12 to 16 minutes or until tender. Remove from water and cool. Remove kernels from corn, reserve 1 cup and freeze the rest in Ziploc bags for use later in the week.

Prepare Cheeseburgers & Pasta Salad with remaining (uncooked) ground beef and reserved corn.

Southwest Baked Ziti

Ingredients
• 1 pound ziti noodles
• 1 pound ground beef, cooked through
• 2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with seasonings (green pepper and onion or garlic and oregano, or any flavor you want)
• 1 cup yellow or white corn
• ½ cup sliced black olives
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 4 cups grated mozzarella cheese, reserve 1 cup, for topping
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat ground beef in a hot skillet over medium. Add tomatoes, corn, olives, thyme and rosemary and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and garlic powder and mix well. Spoon 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish. Top with half of the cooked ziti. Top with half of the cheese mixture. Top with 1 cup of the tomato sauce. Repeat layers (remaining ziti and remaining cheese mixture). Top with remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese over top. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Stuffed Bacon Cheeseburgers

Ingredients
•1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack
•4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
•1 pound ground chuck
•Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
•4 large hamburger buns, split
•Ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard, for serving
•Lettuce, sliced tomato, onion, and avocado, for serving
Directions
Combine the jack cheese and chopped bacon in a bowl. Put the beef in another bowl and season with salt and pepper; use a rubber spatula to mix it in. Flatten 1/4 of the meat mixture in the palm of your hand. Squeeze together about a tablespoon of the cheese and bacon mixture to make a little nugget; put it in the center of the ground beef. Bring up the sides of the patty over the filling, making sure the cheese is completely covered by the meat. Flatten slightly for a nice patty shape. Set them side by side on a platter in the refrigerator while preparing the grill.
Place a large grill pan on 2 burners over medium-high heat or preheat an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue and get it very hot. Brush the grates with oil to keep the burgers from sticking. Grill the burgers for 8 minutes per side for medium. (The USDA recommends cooking ground beef until it is no longer pink and the internal temperature is 160 degrees F.) Remove the burgers to a clean side plate while you toast the buns.

Rub the grill rack with more oil and place the buns cut-side down, toast for 1 minute. Serve the burgers with your favorite condiment and any garnish you like, such as lettuce, sliced tomato, onion, and/or avocado.

Sheperd's Pie

Ingredients

• 1 small onion
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups mixed vegetables or niblet corn, prepared
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 to 10 medium red new potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 12 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups instant biscuit mix

Directions

Beef Layer: Saute onions in 2 tablespoons butter. Add ground beef. After beef is browned, add tomato sauce; Mix in vegetables. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Potato Layer: Peel and slice potatoes 1/4-inch thick. Cook in boiling water for approximately 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Whip potatoes with electric mixer; mix until moderately smooth. Don't over beat them; a few lumps are nice. Add 1/2 cup heated milk, 1/2 cup butter, and sour cream. Salt and pepper, to taste. Whip until mixed. Adjust thickness by adding more milk, if desired.

Biscuit Layer: Combine biscuit mix and 1 cup milk. The mix should be thinner than normal biscuit mix but not runny.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 9 by 9 by 2-inch pan, or any similar casserole dish. Layer half way up with the mashed potatoes. Next, spread a layer of mixed vegetables or niblet corn on top of potatoes. Then add a layer of the meat. Pour biscuit mix over meat. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over top. Bake for approximately 35 to 45 minutes until top is golden brown.

Note: Leftovers make this dish easy to put together. So if you have leftover pork roast or beef roast with gravy and mashed potatoes from Sunday dinner then this is an easy mid- week meal that will take only a few minutes.