Chicken & Black Bean Casserole

This recipe comes from the web site of gardenmatter.com/

Ingredients

• 1 lg onion chopped
• 1 lg green pepper chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1 (15 oz) bottle of chunky salsa
• 1 lg can (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
• 1 T. cumin
• 1 t salt
• 1 t black pepper
• 1 t red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped into bite sized pieces
• 2 cans of black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 package 8-10 count flour tortillas
• 4 cups shredded Mexican cheese

Instructions

1. Saute onion, green pepper and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add cumin, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, beans, salsa, tomatoes and chicken. Simmer on medium to low heat for 10 minutes.
2. Spoon some of this mixture into a 13 x 9 baking pan or two 8x8 pans.
3. Cut the tortillas in half.
4. Line the pan with the tortillas by placing the flat cut side against the sides allowing the center to overlap.
5. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the cheese on top of the tortilla layer.
6. Spoon half of the chicken and bean mixture on top.
7. Place another layer of tortillas on next followed by cheese and the remaining chicken & beans.
8. Finish with the remaining cheese.
9. Cover with foil and cook for 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
10. Serve with chopped lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Most of the recipes on my blog are from family or are ones I find on the internet and post to my Pintrest site to try at a later date.  If I post them here I have tried them and my family says they are keepers.  I made these for dinner the other night when the kids were her.  Even my four year old grandson ate one.  The recipe comes from the following blog    http://www.melskitchencafe.com/

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (or other leftover meat, like shredded pork or beef)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)

1/2 red or green pepper, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 cups shredded cheese (I use a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar)

Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS:

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: I like to dollop little bits of sour cream over the cheese before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center - it makes the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open and slightly flatten the wraps with the palm of your hand. Spray seam-side of the wrap lightly with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange wraps, seam-side down, in pan or griddle and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Cooking them seam-side down first helps seal the long edge so they don't fall apart. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve warm.

Southwest Chicken Chili Mac

Pasta is a favorite around here.  It cooks up quickly and my grandson eats it.  This good recipe came from a Pinterest  post.  It originated with a blog called Picky Palate. http://picky-palate.com/2011/08/25/southwest-chicken-chili-mac-skillet-style/  This another keeper in the family.

Ingredients

8 ounces wagon wheel pasta noodles

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped white onion
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet peppers (or bell peppers)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
1o ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes, mild
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup corn, fresh or canned
1/2 cup white beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dry Ranch seasoning from packet
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cool water to stop cooking. Heat oil in 9 inch deep cast iron skillet. Add onions and peppers, cook stirring until softened about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook stirring for 1 minute. Add chicken, tomatoes, broth, corn, beans, 1 cup wagon wheel pasta, chili powder, cumin, Ranch seasoning and cilantro. Stir until well combined. Reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve

Taco Pasta

This recipe comes from a blog called The Girl Who Ate Everything.  http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/07/taco-pasta.html Great recipes.  Another keeper as my wife would say.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef or turkey
8-12 ounces medium pasta shells or other small dry pasta shapes
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, drained (if making this for kids you might want to use just plain diced tomatoes)
1 packet (4 tablespoons) taco seasoning
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper

Instructions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the meat is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the meat is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.

Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit if it is still too thin.

Chili & Cheese Macaroni

This recipe comes from the following blog: http://joelens.blogspot.com/2011/04/chili-cheese-macaroni.html  Check out her blog.  Lots of good recipes.  Made this for the family and they lovedit.

Ingredients

table salt
1/2 pound elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked pasta)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
2 medium onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
12 oz Colby Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and add dry macaroni; cook until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

Using the same large pot, wipe dry and heat over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering. Add ground beef and break it up in pieces to brown. Once browned, remove from pot and discard drippings. Set beef aside.

Add remaining oil to the same large pot and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, garlic, red pepper, chili powder, and cumin; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and begin to brown.

Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, reserved 3/4 cup pasta water and beef to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until flavors have blended.

Stir in the cooked pasta, 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to a 9x13 baking dish and smooth over with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Remove from oven and sprinkle the top of the dish with the remaining shredded cheese. Return the dish once again in the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese begins to melt and brown. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

This recipe and picture came from the recipe collection at the Better Homes and Gardens web site.  It is very good and again the family said this is a keeper.

Ingredients

1 12 ounce package dried jumbo shell macaroni
3 large green and/or red sweet peppers, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped red onion
1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 16 ounce can refried beans
1/2 1 1/4 ounce package taco seasoning mix (3 Tbsp.)
2 10 ounce can enchilada sauce
1 8 ounce shredded Mexican-style four-cheese blend
1 cup sliced green onions
2 cups nacho cheese-flavored tortilla chips, crushed (2 oz.)
Avocado dip and/or sour cream

 
Directions
 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse; drain and set aside.

2. In skillet cook sweet peppers, onion, jalapeno, and 1/4 tsp. salt in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in chicken, beans, taco seasoning mix, and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce. Cook and stir 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup each of the cheese and green onions.

3. Divide filling among shells. Spread 1 cup of the remaining enchilada sauce in 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange shells atop sauce. Drizzle with remaining enchilada sauce.

4. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chips and remaining green onions. Serve with avocado dip and/or sour cream. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Chili Dog Casserole

This recipe and picture come from a blog called Peace, Love & Understanding.  Check it out here:
http://thatchbo.blogspot.com/2010/06/chili-dog-casserole.html

I was in a hurry the other night and found this recipe on Pinterest, and thought why not.  I had everything on hand and that made it real easy.  The family seemed to enjoy it, especially my grandson since he loves hot dogs.  It is just a twist on a chili dog.  It is amazing what my wife, daughter and son-in-law will eat when someone else does the cooking.


Ingredients

2 (15 oz) cans chili with beans (I like Hormel Hot & Spicy)
1 (16 oz) package beef frankfurters (I prefer Ball Park)
10 (8 inch) flour tortillas (the fajita sized ones)
1 (8 oz) package Cheddar cheese, shredded


Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Spread 1 can of chili and beans in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Roll up franks inside tortillas and place in baking dish, seam side down, on top of chili and beans. Top with remaining can of chili and beans, and sprinkle with cheese.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

Skillet Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe and picture came from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  Here is her Internet address:

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/03/skillet-creamy-macaroni-and-cheese.html

Check it out.  It is a great site with a lot of good recipes.

My grandson's favorite food is macaroni, peas and cheese.  His idea of mac and cheese comes from a blue box, so this wasn't mac and cheese to him, but when we called it something else he ate it.  My daughter loved it because she said it tasted like it was made from Velveeta Cheese and she loves that stuff.  My wife prefers baked mac and cheese.  I cann't win for losing sometimes.

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/2 cups water, plus extra if needed

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
12 ounces (about 3 cups) elbow macaroni
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks
Ground black pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS:

Bring 3 1/2 cups water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the macaroni, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid has thickened, 9 to 12 minutes.

Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, the cornstarch, mustard and hot sauce together in a small bowl, then stir into the skillet. Continue to simmer slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Off the heat, stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce (I didn’t need any additional water when I made it). Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Crockpot Chicken and Noodle Soup

The recipe for this soup and the picture come from the following site:
http://www.creativelydomestic.com/2010/10/guest-post-crockpot-chicken-and-noodle.html
It is well worth checking out.

I made this soup for my family tonight.  They are surfing from colds and nothing is better than Chicken Noodle Soup.  They all loved it.  My wife said next time she would like to have rice instead of noodles though.  And I did add frozen peas.  This one is on the keep list.


Ingredients

5 cups of chicken broth (boxed or can is fine)
One 10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup onions, chopped fine
1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
1/2 cup carrots, chopped fine
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
One 15 oz can of whole kernel corn, drained
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup Egg noodles
2 cups cooked chicken chopped or 2 cans canned cooked chicken

Directions

Add everything but the noodles and cooked chicken to the crock pot on Low for 5-6 hours, the last hour turn on High, and add noodles and chicken. Remember, if you do this in the morning, and don’t have a timer on your crock pot, use a lamp timer, they work wonderful.

Cowboy Casserole

This recipe comes from: http://thecuttingedgeofordinary.blogspot.com  I made this a couple weeks ago for my daughter and her family shortly after she had her twins.  It was very good and my grandson loved it.  I will make this again.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I used 80/20)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (15.25oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 bag (30 oz) frozen tater tots (I used Ore-Ida Crispy Crowns)

Directions

In a large skillet cook the onion until tender and translucent. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the beef and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain the mixture and place into a large bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the soup, milk and sour cream. Whisk until smooth. Add to hamburger mixture and stir to combine. Add corn and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Gently mix to combine.

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer half of the Crispy Crowns on the bottom, pour the hamburger mixture over the top and then layer with the other half of the Crispy Crowns. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.

Chicken & Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

I made this for dinner recently and my wife said this is a keeper.  It comes from: http://www.sweettreatsmore.com  She has some great recipes on this blog.  There are several more I want to try.







Igedients:

2 cups diced or shredded chicken breast meat (or for extra lazy days use a rotisserie chicken)½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chili peppers, drained
1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 (8 oz) container sour cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and spray with vegetable cooking spray. Sauté chicken with cumin and coriander until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and green chili peppers.

Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11x7 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream.

Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas.

Cover dish with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.

Remove the cover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with sour cream. Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Skillet Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

I made this the other night thinking Isaac, who always wants macaroni, peas and cheese would love it.  After he ate about half of it, he asked "Grandpa, is there pepper in it?"  when I said yeas, his answer was I don't like pepper.  I sat with him a fed him and he ate it all.  The next day when his mom warmed up the leftovers he asked her if it and salt in it and when she said yea, he reponded he didn't like salt, but again he ate the whole luch.  My daughter and son-inlaw loved it because they said it tasted like it had Velveeta Cheese in it and my wife wasn't crazy about it because it tasted like it had Velveeta Cheese.  The recipe comes from: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/03/skillet-creamy-macaroni-and-cheese.html
She has a lot of great recipes on this blog.  Check it out.

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/2 cups water, plus extra if needed
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
12 ounces (about 3 cups) elbow macaroni
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks
Ground black pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS:

Bring 3 1/2 cups water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the macaroni, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid has thickened, 9 to 12 minutes.
Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, the cornstarch, mustard and hot sauce together in a small bowl, then stir into the skillet. Continue to simmer slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
Off the heat, stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce (I didn’t need any additional water when I made it). Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Skillet Tomato Beef Pasta

I made this last night for my daughter and her family.  She is expecting twins in a few short weeks and wasn't up to making dinner, so I put this together very quickly.  She said it was good.  It comes from the Del Monte site: http://www.delmonte.com/recipes/detail.aspx?id=561.  I did top it with cojack cheese instead of  Parmesan.

Ingredients

1 can (14.5 oz.) Del Monte^® French Style Green Beans-No Salt Added, drained

1 can (14.5 oz.) Del Monte^® Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano-No Salt Added

6 oz. dried pasta (such as penne, spirals or macaroni), uncooked

1 lb. lean ground beef or ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

(Optional) salt

(Optional) pepper

(Optional) parsley

(Optional) Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain well.
2. Brown beef and onion in large skillet while pasta is cooking; drain.
3. Add beans and undrained tomatoes; mix well. Add pasta and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley, and serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Red Beans and Rice

This recipe comes from a blog by Amanda.  Check it out at: http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/.  Made this for the family and it went over well.

Ingredients:

1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups hot water
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pkg (14 oz) smoked sausage
1 can red beans
Zatarains Creole Seasoning

Directions:

Add the rice, water and salt to a sauce pan with a lid. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, then cover & simmer for 15 mins. Meanwhile, thinly slice the sausage and drain the juice from the red beans into the sink. Add 2-3 tbsp olive oil to to a large skillet and begin heating over medium heat. Add the sausage, give a sprinkling of creole seasoning and stir occasionally for about 7 mins until the sausages start to get sizzly on both sides. Add the red beans and stir until warmed through. About this time, your rice should be done too. Serve the beans and sausage over the rice. Add extra creole seasoning as desired at the table. Serves 2-3.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This recipe came from Amanda Formaro.  Her blog is http://www.amandascookin.com/.  Check it out.  I severed this twice in the last couple of weeks to great reviews.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 (4 pound) pork shoulder roast
1 cup barbeque sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 extra large onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
8 hamburger buns, split
2 tablespoons butter, or as needed

Directions

Pour the vegetable oil into the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the pork roast into the slow cooker.

Combine the barbecue sauce, rice vinegar, and chicken broth and whisk together. Add the brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic, and thyme. Whisk everything together and pour over the pork roast.

Cover and cook on high for 5 hours. Let roast sit in crock pot on warm for up to an hour, then shred the meat with 2 forks.

Strain the sauce and discard solids. Mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with a small amount of water to make a paste. Continue adding water, a little at a time, to make the cornstarch mixture thinner. Add cornstarch mixture and strained sauce to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer ten minutes or until slightly thickened.

Pour half of the sauce into the shredded meat and combine. Add more if needed, serve the remainder on the side.

Optional: Spread the inside of both halves of hamburger buns with butter. Toast the buns, butter side down, in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Spoon pork into the toasted buns.

Creamy Tortilla Soup

This recipe is from my wife's cousin.  It is very good.

Ingredients

2 cans (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with chilies
2 cans (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
1 can refried beans
1 cup canned corn- (I put in the whole can)
2-3 cups cooked chicken shredded or cubed
cilantro, sour cream, Monterey Jack Cheese

Directions

Combine tomatoes and broth. Stir in beans and corn. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add Chicken and heat through- Top with sour cream, cilantro, cheese, chips

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe came from: http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/. I made it last night and my wife loved it. My daughter stopped by today and had two bowls of it. I will definitely make this again.  I added two cans of black beans to it.

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. oil
1 onion, chopped
½ tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 (14.5oz) can chicken broth
2 cans corn (drained)
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice(or both!)
1-2 c. salsa
1 c. tortilla chips
½ c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 avocado

Directions:
 
In large pot boil chicken for about 25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken, cool, and shred. In a large skillet cook onion, garlic in the oil and add cumin. Cook until onions become clear. Drain water from the pot you cooked the chicken in add chicken broth and onion & garlic mixture. Add shredded chicken,corn, chili powder, lemon (or lime) juice and salsa to the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-40 min. Top with corn chips, cheese, avocado, and a little sour cream.

Simmered Tuscan Chicken

This recipe comes from my mother-in-law.  She was a great cook.  I inherited her recipe box and recipe book when she passed away.  What a treasure.

Ingredients

1 lb skinless and boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbls olive oil
4 med potatoes, cut into 1/2 in cubes
1 med red bell pepper, diced
1 lb fresh or frozen cut green beans
1 jar (27 oz) Ragu Old World Style pasta sauce
1 tsp diced basil
Salt
Pepper

Directions

In a dutch oven, saute chicken and garlic in olive oil until chicken is lightly browned.  Add potatoes and red peppers, continue to cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the sauce, basil and green beans.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer about 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked and potatoes are tender.

Mexican Beef Skillet

I made this the other night for dinner.  We liked better as a left over, but either fresh or left over it is good.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. Ground beef
1-2 cups Salsa
1 can Beef broth
1 Large green pepper, chopped
1 Med. onion, chopped
1 tbsp. Light olive oil
1 Packet taco seasoning
8 oz. Sour cream
8 oz. Noodles (egg noodles, rotini, maccaroni, whatever is on hand)
2 cups Cooked corn (optional)
Sliced black olives (optional)
1-2 cups Shredded Cheddar or Mexican Blend Cheese
1 Tomato, chopped (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large skillet, cook and stir ground beef until browned. While it is cooking, chop the green pepper and onion, and put the water on to boil for the noodles.

2. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Saute the green pepper and onion with olive oil in a small skillet.

3. Stir in salsa, taco seasoning, beef broth, green pepper, onion, corn, and black olives with the ground beef.

4. Stir in noodles and sour cream. Sprinkle liberally with cheese. Cover with a lid until the cheese has melted. Serve with chopped tomatoes on top.

Pigs In A Blanket (Cresent Dogs)

We were at my mom and dads house a short time ago and my mom made a pig in the blanket for my grandson.  This brought back memories of when I was small and mom would make a bunch of these and we would go to the drive in movie as a family.  We would also take along popcorn and as my dad called it swamp water.  Swamp water was a mix of purple and green kool aid and lemonade.  It made for great times.

The recipe come from the Pillsbury site.

Ingredients

8 hot dogs

4 slices (3/4 oz each) American cheese, each cut into 6 strips

1 can (8 oz) cresent rolls

Directions

1 Heat oven to 375°F. Slit hot dogs to within 1/2 inch of ends; insert 3 strips of cheese into each slit.

2 Separate dough into triangles. Wrap dough triangle around each hot dog. Place on ungreased cookie          sheet, cheese side up.

3 Bake at 375°F. for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.