--unstuffed pepper bake--

We had this for dinner last night and the kids requested the leftovers for lunch today because "It was so awesome yummy mom!" (-Dalton)
It's a recipe I received in a Smith's coupon/recipe booklet.  I have been wanting to try it for sometime now.  I love stuffed peppers but don't like making or baking them...they never really turn out.  I really think it's going at the top of my favorite list:)

Unstuffed Pepper Bake -
1 lb. ground beef
1/3 cup onion - I used a sweet wala wala
1 1/2 cups diced peppers - use red, orange and yellow, 1/2 of each
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (14.5 oz.) can Petite Diced Tomatos, drained
1 1/2 c. brown rice (white works too)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 (8 oz.) pkg shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 375*
Saute beef, onions, peppers and garlic powder until beef is browned and veggies tender.  Drain off excess fat and season with salt and pepper
Stir in tomatos, rice, Worcestershire sauce and Italian seasoning.  Remove from heat and add 1 c. of the shredded cheese.
Spread mixture into 13x9 pan and top with tomato sauce and remaining cheese.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.
Let stand for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.

*Tip:  I may cook rice before hand next time as our rice was still crunchy.  The recipe never called for cooked rice though.*

Dinner in a PUMPKIN

I was so excited when Our Family Treat posted this recipe.  I had been searching the internet for days and the ones I found didn't sound good.  But believe me when I say this one is so YUMMY!!

Only thing we did differently was add fresh green beans (Seriously check into Bountifyl Baskets in your area if it's available - they are wonderful).  And we omitted the celery, green onion and mushrooms - sorry not a fan!!  I know I am a little late getting this posted for Halloween but pumpkins are still available and this meal is great for the colder days ahead:P

Dinner in a Pumpkin -
Ingredients:

1 medium pumpkin, remove top and clean insides out
1 1/2- 2 lbs of ground beef 1 cup chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
3 c. cooked rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup1/2 cup chopped or sliced mushrooms (omit if you aren't a mushroom fan)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper

Brown hamburger. In another pot, cook rice (white or brown) as directed on package. Chop and saute celery, onion, and green onion. Once tender combine vegetables with hamburger, cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, mushrooms, brown sugar, soy and salt and pepper. Mix well.

Put mixture inside the pumpkin, replace lid. Place on baking sheet and into a 400 degree oven. Bake until pumpkin is tender (1 1/2 to 2 hours). Scoop out to serve, scraping sides of pumpkin to get the cooked pumpkin in the mixture. It is so good it melts in your mouth!

Easy "Pleasey" Taco Salad

Ok I know everyone has  probably had or made Taco Salad but I am going to post my recipe since it's become our favorite.  I used to have it at my SIL Jodie's a lot in the summer and just never really made it till now.  And my family LOVES it...we have made it every week for the past month.  It's so YUMMY!!

Taco Salad:

1-2lbs. browned hamburger seasoned with a little taco seasoning
chopped head of lettuce or 1-2 bags of favorite salad
Cheese flavored Doritos
2-3 cups Shredded Cheese
1 can Black Beans - rinsed and drained
1 can Corn  - drained (optional)
Favorite Salad Dressing -- we LOVE Ranch or Thousand Island
Other Toppings:
Salsa
Olives
Tomatoes

You can mix all of it together and pour desired amount of dressing over top and toss.  But since it makes a lot and the chips go soggy the next day if we have leftovers I just mix hamburger, cheese, black beans and corn in the pan after browning my hamburger.  Than we crush desired amount of Doritos into a seperate bowl, add lettuce, meat mixture and drizzle with dressing & top with a lid and shake!!  We do it in a small bowl for individual servings...this way each person can add what and how much they like.  The kids really have fun with this part and they get to eat what they want on it:)  You could add chicken instead of beef if you prefer.
ENJOY!!

=TaCo BaKe=

Years ago I was in a Freezer Meal Food Group...I LOVED it!!  We would spend ALL day one Saturday a month cooking, preparing and wrapping 12 meals that we would stock our freezer with.  I really miss it:(  But I still enjoy fixing all the recipes that we made, because they are so easy.  This is one I haven't had or made since than and I really regret not making it more often.  It is so so YUMMY!!  Last night my son devoured his and my daughter said she wanted to eat the whole pan...so it's definitely a good one for kids:)

Taco Bake:

1-2 lbs. ground beef
1 sm. onion or 1-2 Tbl. dried onion
1-2 tsp. taco seasoning
1 can tomato soup
1 c. grated cheese
1 pkg. flour tortillas, cut into bite size pieces (I use my pizza cutter)
1 c. salsa
1/2 c. sour cream or milk

Cook hamburger, onion and taco seasoning.  Then add soup, salsa, sour cream or milk and half of the cheese.  Pour into pan, add cut up tortilla's and mix well.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese (I add lots more than 1/2 c. because we LOVE cheese).  Bake at 400* for 30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Tip:  Make in disposable pan, cover with tin foil and freeze.  Thaw and bake as instructed when ready to eat!!

○Tator Tot Casserole x2○

My family loves Tator Tot Casserole but my husband is not a fan of mushrooms so I don't make it very often.  Which is funny because he LOVES this and he's willing to pick out the mushrooms while eating it...funny huh:)  So here is my version of a popular recipe and my friend Sara sent me another way her family enjoys it that I can't wait to try...

TATOR TOT CASSEROLE:
Brown 1-2lbs. ground beef with chopped small onion**
Place in 9x13 baking dish.
Pour 2 cans cream of mushroom soup** with 1/2 c. milk over top and mix well.
Arrange 1 pkg. Tator Tots over top of mixture.
Sprinkle 1 pkg cheese over top.
Cover and bake 350* for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.  Enjoy!!

**My tips --
We found Kroger brand tator rounds that have a strong onion flavor so we omit the onion and use those.
Since my husband doesn't like mushrooms I substitute one can of mushroom with one can cream of chicken (still tastes good).
I also uncover mine after 30 minutes and continue baking to give the tator tots a more crunchy flavor that my family enjoys.
This can be made in a disposable pan, covered well and frozen.  Just thaw and cook as instructed.

TATOR TOT CASSEROLE #2:
Brown in a large pan -
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped

Then add -
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups canned milk
2 pound package tater-tots

Mix lightly. Simmer 25-30 min.
Serve over rice.

--My Favorite Meatballs as seen on GTU--

This recipe was featured today on Good Things Utah and looks delicious. Check out Jenny Stanger's book called Dinner on Ice at her website FreezerDinner.com for more great tips and meals. I love bulk freezer cooking and can't wait for my copy to come in the mail to get more good ideas.

My Favorite Meatballs
Yield: 20 meatballs, Meatballs will last up to 4 months frozen

Ingredients:
1 large onion, finely diced
1 C seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 C water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
2 T parsley flakes
1 C grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 large eggs
2 t salt

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a hot skillet sauté diced onions with olive oil and cook for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. In a large bowl, mix together the meat, eggs, cheese, parsley and bread crumbs. Add the onions and season with salt. Use your hands to mix it together. Add the water, it should be quite wet. Shape into golf ball size balls. Place meatballs in a hot skillet to brown the sides. Then place them on a cookie sheet and bake them for about 15 minutes. Cool and then use some right away and freeze the rest. Freeze on a cookie sheet for 1 hour (flash freeze) then pour all meatballs into a large zip top bag, label and freeze.To serve: Warm meatballs in the microwave and serve with spaghetti sauce on bread, over noodles, with a sour cream sauce or served as appetizers with a BBQ sauce etc...

Swedish Meatball Sauce:
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:
6 oz sour cream
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken (or mushroom) soup
1 Cup of water

Method:
Mix together the sour cream, soup and water in a medium sauce pan and stir until boiling. Salt and pepper to taste (you can add in crumbled bacon and sliced green onions for freshness and flavor) add 8-10 defrosted meatballs to the sauce and serve over a cooked pasta of your choice.

Our new "Favorites" at our table...

Easy Southwest Chicken

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 jar Salsa
5 boneless, skinless frozen Chicken Breasts
Mix the soup and salsa together. Pour over chicken in greased slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice and sprinkle with shredded cheese. It would even taste good with black beans and corn mixed in. This is very YUMMY and will quickly become a family favorite.


Mexican Manicotti

1 lb. Ground Beef
1 16 oz. can Refried Beans
2 1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
1 1/2 tsp. Oregano
1 8 oz. pkg. Manicotti
1 19 oz. can Enchilada Sauce
2 cups Sour Cream
2 cups Mexican style shredded cheese
Cook Ground Beef. Boil Manicotti according to package (suggestion: cook them on the tough side, easier to fill and they will continue to cook in the dish). In a bowl combine beef, beans, chili powder, and oregano. Spoon into shells and arrange in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour Enchilada sauce over top. Cover and bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Uncover and spoon sour cream over top (personally we didn't like the sour cream cooked on it, we would prefer to spoon on top after you melt the cheese) and sprinkle with cheese. Bake additional 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted. Other toppings: diced green onions, tomatoes, sliced olives, etc.
This reminds me a lot of Mexican Lasagna just not all the work. We absolutely love this...especially Dalton who gobbled it up and had 3 more helpings. :)


Slow Cooked Mac and Cheese

1 16 oz. pkg Elbow Macaroni
1/2 c. Melted Butter
2 Eggs, beaten
1 12 oz. can Evaporated Milk
1 can Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 c. Milk
4 c. shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 tsp. Paprika
Cook Macaroni according to pkg. directions. Drain and place in Crock Pot. Add melted butter. In a bowl combine eggs, evaporated milk, soup, milk, and 3 cups of cheese. Pour over top of noodles and stir to combine. Cook on low for 4 hours. Sprinkle with reamaining cheese and cook additional 15 minutes till cheese melts. Sprinkle with paprika. So yummy and reminds me of good homemade mac and cheese.


Chicken Spaghetti

4-5 Chicken Breasts, cooked and cubed
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 cans diced Italian Tomatoes
1 lb. Velveeta Cheese
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Mushrooms with Juice (Thanks to my husband we don't add this but still tastes good)
Combine above ingredients in Crock Pot and cook about an hour on Low.
Then Add:
1/4 tsp. Garlic Salt
1 tsp. Dried onion
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Season Salt
1/2 tsp. Salt
Cook an additional hour. Serve over Spaghetti Noodles.
OoOH this is so so good. Very creamy, flavorful, and delicious!!

Taco Soup....

This has become a family favorite and great to have on a cold winter night. Hope you enjoy....

Easy Taco Soup -
1 lb. hamburger browned with small onion (I sprinkle 3-4 tbls. dried onion cause doug doesn't like real onion)
Drain meat and pour in remaining ingredients:
28 oz. stewed tomatoes chopped
16 oz. kidney beans with liquid
17 oz. canned corn with liquid
8 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 pkg. taco seasoning
Bring to boil and than reduce heat to medium/low and simmer - the longer the better (about 1/2 hour). Top with toppings similar to tacos, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, olives, and use Fritos to scoop with or crumble in soup. Enjoy!!

This is great the next day...in fact we think it's better! I usually make it the day before and heat in crock pot the next day!

3-4 Ingredient Recipes

These are three of our favorite recipes that I feel are extremely easy. Can't go wrong with only a few ingredients and a crock pot...

Creamy Crock-pot Chicken
- 4-5 Frozen Chicken Breasts
- 2 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup
- 1 pkg. Dry Italian Dressing
- 8 oz. Cream Cheese
Place chicken in crock-pot, mix other ingredients, and pour over chicken. Cook on low for about 6 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Serve with rice (our favorite) or mashed potatoes.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- 25-30 Frozen Meatballs
- 1 Jar Salsa (mild)
- 1 Can Cranberry Sauce
Place meatballs in crock-pot, mix ingredients, and pour over meatballs. Cook on low for about 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Serve over rice.

Crunchy Ranch Chicken
- 4-5 Chicken Breasts (1 1/2 lbs.)
- 3/4 C. Corn Flakes (crushed)
- 1/2 C. Fresh-grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/3 C. Butter - melted in bowl
- 1 envelope Dry Ranch Dressing
In shallow pan mix together the flakes, cheese, and dressing. Dip Chicken in butter and than press and coat into the corn flake mixture. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. YUMMY!!

ENJOY! Let me know what ya think?