Minestrone Soup

This is super easy, and similar to taco soup.

1 lb. hamburger browned with onion, salt & pepper
3 cans Campbell's minestrone soup
1 big can pork & beans
3 c. water
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

Mix and simmer till warm.

Tater-tot Casserole

Brown one pound ground beef. Drain grease and put in casserole dish. Mix in one can drained green beans and one can Cream of Mushroom soup (I usually add about 1/2 can of milk too) Top with tater-tots. Bake at 350 until sauce bubbles and tater-tots are warm all the way through.

I like to eat this with ketchup as well.

Spaghetti Pie

Cook spaghetti, drain. (use 1 small package)
Mix together 1 Tbsp oil and two beaten eggs in small bowl, and then mix with cooked spaghetti.
Put half in pie plate, cover with mozzarella cheese,
Rest of spaghetti, rest of cheese. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Serve with spaghetti sauce.

Sesame Chicken

3 or 4 chicken breasts cubed (raw)
1/4 c. peanut oil
1/2 c. flour with salt & pepper (put in large ziploc bag and shake cut up chicken to coat)
Fry chicken in oil

1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. chives
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1/4 c. soy sauce
Heat to dissolve sugar (you can add this to the pan with the chicken or cook in seperate pan and then combine)

Serve over cooked rice.

Mexican Beef Sandwich Rolls

I grew up on these and just made for the first time this last weekend since I have been married. I had forgotten how yummy they are!

1 can sliced olives, drained (optional)
1 (7 oz.) can green chili salsa (I bought the La Victoria taco sauce and just used half of it)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili poowder
6 rectangular french rolls (my mom would just do a big one on a loaf of French bread)
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/4 lb. sliced mushrooms (I used canned)(optional)
4 oz. cheddar cheese, sliced
6 slices crisp cooked bacon

Cut rolls in half lengthwise. Scoop out most of inside. Lightly toast cut sides. Set aside. Brown beef. Add onion and mushrooms. Cook until limp. Stir in seasonings and salsa. Simmer until liquid is absorbed. Place beef filling in hollow rolls. Top with 1 slice of bacon and a slice of cheese. Place the top of the roll on and roll in foil. Heat at 375* for 12 to 15 minutes, or if chilled, 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

BBQ Ranch Chicken and Bacon Wrap

This has become Matt's and my favorite berfore church Lunch it is so quick and yummy.



12 Banquet Original Chicken Breast Tenders

1/4 C Ranch Dressing

2T BBQ Sauce

4 Flour Tortillas

1 C Shredded Lettuce

1/2 C Chopped Tomato

8 slices of Bacon, cooked crisp

1/2C Shredded Cheese



Cook your chicken Tenders. While cooking combine dressing and BBQ sauce in a bowl, spread over tortillas. Add all else

Picadillo

Recipe courtesy Daisy Fuentes (From the Rachel Ray on Food TV)

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, ( Iuse red pepper)
chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup stuffed pimento olives, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
Rice and beans, or tortillas,
for serving

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, and pepper in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ground beef and olives and continue stirring to break up and brown the meat. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. When beef has browned, add tomato sauce gradually while stirring. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer to incorporate sauce.
Serve with rice and beans or tortillas.
Cook's Note: For a slightly healthier alternative, use ground turkey or ground soy burgers instead of beef.

I have used this recipes a number of times so I have made some adjustments. I use hot sauce it adds a layer of flavor. If you like it hot used quite a bit if not just a couple of shakes to just add flavor. The other adjustment I started using is that I add the beans to the hamburger mixture and they cook more and when I serve it I top with sour cream. I am making myself hungry.

Vegetable Cheese Soup

I tried this recipe tonight, and we really liked it. It was super quick and easy. It is easy to lighten up with fat-free soup and cheese, too.

1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1/4 cup each chopped onion, celery and carrot
1 chicken bouillon cube
2-1/2 cups water
1-1/3 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cubed

In a large saucepan, combine the potato, onion, celery, carrot, bouillon and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender.
Stir in mixed vegetables and chicken soup. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in cheese just until melted (do not boil).
Yield: 5 cups

French-Style Chicken

I tried this recipe tonight and we really liked it!

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz. each)
3/4 tsp. lemon pepper
1-1/3 c. reduced sodium chicken broth
3 medium unpeeled apples, cut into wedges
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp. apple juice, divided
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
minced fresh parsley

Sprinkle chicken with lemon pepper. In a large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.

In the same skillet, combine the broth, apples, onion, 3 Tbsp. cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and remaining juice until smooth; stir into apple mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Top with chicken; sprinkle with parsley.

Tastes great with rice.

Asian Chicken Wraps

2 cups cooked chicken
1/2 head of romaine lettuce
1 pkg ramen noodles
1/4 c sliced almonds
Good Seasons Asian Sesame Ginger Dressing
Flour tortillas

Break apart ramen noodles. Spread noodles and almonds on cookie sheet. Toast in 350 degree oven for 5 - 10 mins (only 5 mins. if your pan is dark on the bottom). Don't use the seasoning packet that comes with the noodles.

Wash romaine and tear into small pieces. Use microwave to warm chicken and tortillas to at least room temperature. Mix chicken, romaine, noodles, and almonds in a bowl and toss with dressing. Place mixture inside tortillas and roll to form a wrap.

Optional: you can experiment with different ingredients such as mandarin oranges, chow mein noodles, matchstick carrots, and broccoli cole slaw.

Teriyaki Beef

3/4 pound sirloin tip steak, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup water
1 T Cornstach
1tsp. sugar
1 bag (16 oz) frozen vegetables mixtures Broccoli, carrots, and water chestnuts

Spray large skillet with nonstick cooking spray; cook beef strips over medium-high heat 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

combine teriyaki sauce, water, cornstarch and sugar; mix well

Add teriyaki sauce to mixture and vegetables to beef. Bring to boil; quickly reduce heat to medium.

Cook 7 to 10 minutes or until broccoli is heated through, stirring occasionally

Serve over rice

Makes 4-6 servings

Spanish Spirals

1 lb. Hamburger
1 med. Onion
1 can (28 oz.) Diced Tomatoes, undrained
2 cups uncooked rotini
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

In a skillet, cook beef and onion over med. heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes, rotini, salt, sugar, chili powder and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until rotini is tender. (Yield: 4-6 servings)

Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2-3 chkn breasts
1/4 C. diced onion
1/4 C. diced celery
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of cream of chkn soup
1 can of water
opt: corn, green chili's

chips
cheese


Heat oven to 350. cook and dice chicken. Layer bottom of 9 by 13 pan with tortilla chips. Mix all ingredients together, pour over chips, top with cheese. Bake for 30 min.

This will take longer than 30 min, but it's quick and delicious. If you like green onions, throw'em on top. Enjoy!

Black Bean Quesadillas with Corn Salsa

Cooking Light, MARCH 2004

Quesadillas:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tsp bottled minced garlic
1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Cooking spray

Salsa: (WARNING- I have never tried this version, read below for what worked for me)
1 cup frozen sweet white corn
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, chopped

To prepare the quesadillas, preheat the broiler. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup cilantro, and beans; cook 5 minutes
or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Place tortillas on a baking sheet coated with
cooking spray. Top each tortilla with 1/2 cup bean mixture and 3 tablespoons cheese; fold in half. Lightly coat tops with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts and tortillas begin to brown. Cut each tortilla into 3 wedges.

To prepare salsa, combine ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. (The first time I made this I did not have all of the ingredients so I made the salsa by defrosting the corn in the microwave, and added the cilantro, and lime. It was great; added a nice sweetness. So I have never tried the boiled salsa.)

Other salsas work great too. I usually make the kids regular quesadillas on these nights.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 quesadilla wedges and about 1/3 cup salsa)