Mexican Lasagne

Mexican Lasagne

8 corn tortillas
1 lb. shredded taco cheese or mexican blend
1 can chili beans in sauce
1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 bag success rice, prepared
1 lb. ground chicken, turkey or beef, cooked

1. Spray a 9x13 glass pan with cooking spray.
2. Mix cooked rice, ground chicken, tomatoes,and beans in a large bowl.
3. Layer 3 or 4 corn tortillas on the bottom. Spread 1/2 the cheese over the tortillas.
4. Spread all of the rice, beans, meat mixture over the cheese.
5. Layer 3 or 4 corn tortillas over the mixture. Sprinkle the rest of the chees on top.
6. Cook at 350 for about 30 minutes.

So easy! You might want to use seasoned ground chicken or season it as you cook it - I used garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and cumin. You could probably substitute tortilla chips for corn tortillas with similar results. The best part is the crispy, cheesy, top tortilla layer! Yum!!

Beef Stroganoff in a Crock Pot

Just a few ingredients ... and delicious!

Beef Stroganoff

2 - 3 lb. round steak, sliced, or I used beef for steak tips
1/4 c. bisquik or corn starch
2 med. onions, sliced
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 can beef broth
1/4 c. red or white wine (optional)
1 cube beef bouillon
1 1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. flour or 1/4 c. corn starch

Egg Noodles, prepared right before eating

DIRECTIONS ...

1. Toss beef in bisquick (or corn starch if you are making this recipe gluten free) and put in crock pot.
2. Slice onions and mushrooms. Layer mushrooms and onions on top of the beef .
3. Add beef broth and wine.
4. COOK ON LOW FOR 7 to 9 hours.
5. Before serving, mix flour (or corn starch) with the sour cream and stir into the crock pot.
6. Serve beef stroganoff over cooked egg noodles.

Baked Macaroni

This recipe is so family friendly. Very much comfort food - great for a cold day! When my dad was growing up, both his parents worked and there were five children - very conveniently, one child was responsible for dinner one night a week ... this was my dad's dinner of choice! When you see how easy it is to make, you will understand why!

BAKED MACARONI

1 large can tomato puree (or a jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce)
1 can tomato paste (preferably Italian seasoned)
1 box large macaroni shells, cooked
8 oz. block extra sharp cheddar, cut in small chunks
Italian seasonings ... oregano, thyme, garlic
Shredded Mozzarella (optional)

Cook the pasta. Set aside. In a large dutch oven, or similar oven proof pot, heat puree and tomato paste. Add seasonings. Add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Toss the pasta in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese if you want the top extra cheesy. Cook for 1 hour at 350.

Serve with a green salad and garlic bread. Yum!

Spinach Lasagne

Spinach Lasagne

9 lasagne noodles
1 package frozen stouffers creamed spinach (defrosted)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 small container ricotta cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 lb. italian sausage (optional)

Cook lasagne noodles as directed - I make this gluten free so I use Tinkyada Joy Rice Lasagne Noodles and cook them a little underdone. They continue to cook in the oven.

If you choose to make this lasagne with meat, any ground meat will do, but I prefer to use a little italian sausage to add a little more flavor. First, cook the meat and drain it.

Mix the ricotta, spinach, egg, and parmesan.

Pour a little sauce on the bottom of the 9 x 13 glass pan. Layer three lasagne noodles. Spread 1/2 the ricotta spinach mixture over the noodles. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce over the cheese. If you are using meat, use 1/2 the meat here. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese. Layer three more noodles. Spread the rest of the ricotta. Pour 1/3 of the sauce. Layer the rest of the meat. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Layer the last three noodles. Pour the rest of the sauce and cover with the remaining mozzarella.

Cover and cook at 350 for 30 minutes. Take the foil off and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes if you like it a little crispy on top.

If you want a delicious sauce for this recipe ... try Newman's Own Roasted Garlic! Fabulous!


Pour some sauce on the bottom of the 9 x 13 glass pan. Layer three lasagne noodles.

Beef Braised in a Crock Pot

Wow was this easy and delicious!!! First off, my dad brought home a cut of meat that I had never seen before ... it said it was a Boneless Beef Chuck Eye Steak ... yikes. He suggested I braise it because it was a tougher cut of meat. I had no idea what braising truly meant ... so I looked it up.

Braising is similar to stewing except that when you braise meat you sear the meat on all sides and then cook it in liquid that only comes halfway up the cut of meat. When you stew meat, you sear the meat on all sides and then cover the meat in liquid. Who knew?

Beef Braised in a Crock Pot

4 slices of bacon
2 - 4 large cuts of boneless beef chuck eye steak (or similar)
salt and pepper
garlic powder
onion powder

2 medium onions, cut in half and sliced
2 large carrots, chopped
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 bay leaves

1 can beer

Cook the bacon in a large frying pan. Remove the bacon and put it in the crock pot (without the drippings). Season the steaks with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder -- rub the seasonings into the meat. Sear the seasoned side down on high heat for about a minute or two and season the other side, rub in the seasonings. Flip the steak. Sear for a couple minutes and put it into the crock pot. Repeat for all the steaks.

After searing the meat, saute the onions, carrots, and mushrooms in the same pan - until the onion starts to get translucent. Cover the steaks in the crockpot with the vegetables. Pour a can of beer over everything and add two bay leaves.

Cover and cook on high for 4 1/2 hours. Enjoy!

This is great served over rice. You know the steaks are done when they fall apart with just the touch of a fork. Definitely use the delicious "au jus" created by the seasonings while it simmers!