Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Taco Joes

1 pound ground beef ( I used 96/4)
1 10oz can reduced sodium condensed tomato soup
1 cup salsa
1 small onion chopped
1 tsp Nature's seasoning
1/2 cup taco blend cheese
brown ground beef with onion and seasoning until cooked through
add tomato soup (undiluted) and salsa 
stir together and bring to a boil
serve on hamburger bun topped with taco blend cheese

This is a new fun favorite for our family... I hope you enjoy!

Recipe:
1 pound ground beef
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheese
8 hamburger buns

Cook ground beef until no longer pink, add soup and salsa and heat through. Serve on buns topped with cheese.

Monday, May 31, 2010

Menu Plan Monday....

Back in the day when I could think straight I used to plan my menu a month in advance and literally do all my grocery shopping (except for fresh produce, milk, bread etc) in one day. Well I have kind of skipped that the past few months and I really want to get back on track with that... so this week I am joining my friends Pam and Megan who do a weekly blog thingie called Menu Plan Monday.

So here is my Menu Plan for this week on Menu Plan Monday:

Monday: Grilled Burgers and Brats w/ chips

Tuesday: Swedish meat balls over egg noodles

Wednesday: Polish Sausage, raw fries and corn on the cob

Thursday: Johnny Carino's Bowtie Festival w/ bread sticks and salad

Friday : Grilled Steak, sides unknown

Saturday: Ground Round Chicken Tortilla Soup w/ fresh Parker House Rolls

*thank you Megan for the awesome recipes for this week's menu plan*

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Freezer Meal... FAIL

A while back I blogged abut some amazing freezer meals that I had made with friends.... well the cheddar cheese meatloaf was LESS than a hit with my family. We have made this recipe several times and eaten it right away so the only thing I can think of is that the freezing some how made it less an likable for our family but lesson learned...won't be doing that again.

Easter Cake/ Veggie idea

OK... so this isn't a  'recipe' so much as fun ideas for the holiday... The first is an Easter cake that Shelby found in a magazine that she wanted to try out:

Simple cake mix in 9 inch pan and then 'layered'

Marshmallow rope around the bottom and the top

All 'roped' off

Green coconut for the 'grass'

Candy added, Jelly Beans and a chocolate bunny

 Can't forget the Peeps

Shelby's cheeseball veggie tray...

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Crazy Mama's Seasoning

I am sure that someone else has this combo in some variation at their house or probably in a recipe book somewhere but this is the 'standard' seasoning that is used at our house:

Crazy Mama's Seasoning

  • 1/2 cup iodized salt
  • 1/4 cup ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup onion powder
Mix together and store in an air tight container...especially with summer coming up.

This goes on EVERYTHING at our house.... :)

Mama needs a drink...

ok... so I don't "NEED" a drink but I do enjoy a cocktail from time to time and this one is certainly a CrazyMama favorite....

Bloody Ceasar (aka ClamDigger)
  • 2 oz vodka
  • 6 oz Clamato Juice
  • 2 dashes Tabasco
  • 4 dashes worchesterire sauce
  • ice
  • green olives
  • banana peppers
  • dash of celery salt
Put ice into glass, and add vodka.
Put in tobasco and worchesterire sauce, celery salt, and clamato.
Stir
Garnish with olives and Peppers....
And most important.... ENJOY!!!

Monday, March 15, 2010

MOMS Club Cooking Night

Tonight I was able to join some friends and make some freezer meals. You see two moms from my MOMS Club of Bismarck are expecting babies in the coming weeks and they wanted to be able to have some meals stashed in the freezer for when the time comes. We had a very productive time this evening and were able to make three meals and one side dish. I can't wait to try them all...

A special Thank you to Emily and Megan for the sharing of their recipes. I don't know where I would be without the two of you and your AMAZING yummy recipes. 

Chicken Taco Bake


2 c cooked rice
2 c cooked & cubed chicken
1 can tomato sauce (doesn't say - I think this is the little one though)
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
1 c shredded cheese, reserved.

In a 1 gallon freezer bag, place cooked rice. In a bowl mix taco seasoning & tomato sauce. Add chicken and coat well. Add to bag and freeze.
After thawing: place rice and chicken mixture into a 9x13 pan and frost the refried beans over the top. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. For this recipe I just 'dumped' all the ingredients into a bag and threw it in the freezer. I will thaw the mixture, and then use it to fill tortilla shells. I will then place them in a baking dish and cover with enchilada sauce and top with cheese and bake until heated through.

White Chicken Lasagna

White Chicken Lasagna 
SERVES 12
1 (9 ounce) box of barilla no-boil lasagna noodles
2 eggs
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (optional)
1 lb cooked, bubed chicken.
2 (27 ounce) jars alfredo sauce
Preheat oven to 375.
In bowl, combine beaten eggs, ricotta cheese and TWO cups of the mozzarella cheese and parmesan.
If you choose not to use the parmesan, just add more mozzarella.
Set aside.
In a 13X9X3 pan, spread 1 cup of sauce on bottom of pan.
Layer in the order, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles (they will overlap), then 1/3 part of the ricotta cheese mixture, half the browned meat, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1 cup of spaghetti sauce.
Next layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, 1/3 part of the ricotta cheese mixture, and 1 1/2 c. sauce.
Next layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining ricotta mixture and remained meat, 1 cup of sauce.
For top layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining sauce, and remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
Bake covered with foil for 50-60 minutes.

Baked Corn Casserole


Jiffy Corn Muffin mix, 8.5oz. 1
Sour cream 8 oz.
Canned corn, drained 15 oz.
Canned creamed corn 15 oz.
Egg 1
Margarine, melted 1/4 C.
Shredded Cheddar cheese 1 C.

Assembly Directions:
In a large bowl, add the muffin mix, sour cream, corn, creamed corn, egg, margarine and cheddar cheese. Stir by hand until thoroughly mixed. 


To Serve: Thaw bag overnight in the refrigerator. Pour into a greased 1.5 quart casserole dish, or a greased 8x8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. To test for doneness, a knife inserted in the center should come out wet, but clean. Serve hot.

Cheddar Meatloaf

Cheddar Meat Loaf
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup cheddar cheese
3/4 c quick cooking oats
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb ground beef
2/3 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 & 1/2 tsp mustard

In a large bowl, wisk egg and milk. Stir in the cheese, oats, onion, carrots and salt. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 8 loaves. Place in a 9x13 baking dish coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Spoon over loaves and freeze I personally store the ground meat mixture in a freezer bag rather than splitting it right away... it works better for my family this way. I rarely make the 'sauce' until the night I am making the meatloaves.

When it comes to thawing, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees 30-45 mins

White Chicken Chili


2 cans navy beans (I did do this)
1 onion, chopped (I used that too)
1/2 butter (light margerine)
1/2 c flour (more or less.... I just dumped from the bag)
16 oz half & half (used about 3/4 of a pint of whipping cream)
1 t salt (omitted)
2 cans mild green chiles (used 1)
1 tsp tabasco (just dropped some in)
1 1/2 t chili powder (sprinkled some in)
1 t cumin (sprinkled...)
3/4 c chicken broth (I used a tsp of the powder, but did not add the water, I like my soups thick)
1 t pepper (sprinkled)
1 1/2 c monteray jack cheese (used most of a bag of mexican shredded)
1/2 c sour cream (tried to dump about that much in)
5 chicken breast, cooked and cubed. (I used 2)
I almost forgot, I also added corn. I filled a cereal bowl and nuked the corn to warm it - them mixed it in.

Cook onion in 2 T butter until soft. In a pan mix butter and flour. Stir in onion, half and half and chicken broth. Stir 5 min or so until thick. Stir in Tabasco, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Add beans, chilies, chicken and cheese. Cook over low heat 20 min. Stir in sour cream and serve.