Taco Casserole

This is a wonderfully easy dish and my kids just eat it up!
I serve it with homemade ranch dip but you could just use sour cream and it would be great. Served with a side of pinto beans ( in Texas we use Ranch Style Beans ) and a salad your good to go!



Taco Casserole
1 pound ground beef
3/4 Cup Pace Picante Sauce, extra chunky(this also eliminates having to add onions and bell peppers saving time)
1 pkg taco sauce
1/2 cup water
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, or monterey jack blend would work great
1/2 bag tortilla chips, we use Santinos
1 can fat free cream of mushroom soup

Saute hamburger and then add taco seasoning, water and pace and cook down the liquid. Stir in soup and turn off heat.

Spray 8x8 pan with Pam and crush chips and cover the bottom. Layer meat and then add cheese. Repeat one more time and then you will have cheese on the top. Spray the top of the foil that you will use to cover it with Pam.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and dish is bubbly.

Hot Fudge Cake

YUMMMMMMMMM


Hot Fudge Cake
1 cup Flour
¾ cups Granulated Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cocoa
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
sprinkle of cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Salt
½ cups Milk
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Brown Sugar
¼ cups Cocoa
1-¾ cup HOT TAP WATER
Preparation Instructions
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix first six ingredients (flour through salt) in an ungreased square 9 x 13 pan. Mix in milk, oil and vanilla and stir with whisk until smooth. It will look like brownie batter. Spread evenly in pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar and 1/4 cup of cocoa. Pour the hot tap water over the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until center is almost set. Let rest about 10 minutes. While still warm, spoon into dishes and top with ice cream. Spoon sauce from the pan over the cake and ice cream.

Taco Meatballaroni

Lol! This is a combo of my taco macaroni but with meatballs like spaghetti and meatballs.

My kids love any kind of macaroni and cheese and when I add taco meat they eat it up. I thought it would be fun to make little meatballs and toss in my usual :)



Taco Meatballaroni
Meatballs
1 lb ground sirloin
1/4 cup mild pace CHUNKY picante sauce
1/4 cup mild taco sauce
10 crushed ritz crackers ( or can use bread crumbs )
salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder (season to taste)

Mix all together in a bowl and make little mini meatballs. Drizzle the pan with canola oil and saute until COOKED THRU or you can do like I did and brown really good on each side and then put in warm oven until ready to serve.

Ez, no bake Mac & Cheese
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup milk
8 oz. VELVEETA cut into cubes
2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked, drained
seasoned salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (for this recipe i used a colby/montery jack combo shredded cheese)

While macaroni is boiling, mix together butter, milk, seasonings and velveeta in glass bowl. Microwave until cheese is melted and then stir. Toss in your macaroni and the shredded cheese and stir.

Then to make the taco meatballaroni, toss in your meatballs into the bowl and EAT!

BBQ Bisquits

9 years ago my husband came up with this and its a favorite esp once we had kids!!



BBQ Bisquits
2 cans bisquits (one can yields 10 but you will have meat left over so if you use 2 cans, you will have bisquits left over which is ok because I fry them up for donuts or use them the next day for breakfast)
1 lb ground sirlion or turkey
1 can corn
2/3 cup your fav bbq sauce, we use stubbs
1/4 cup water
1/4 small onion
1/4 small green bell pepper
seasoned salt, ground black pepper, cumin, garlic powder
2 tbs worchishier sauce (won't ever learn how to spell that or say it right)
shredded cheddar cheese

Saute meat and season well. When almost cooked add your onion, bell pepper and worchishier sauce.

While thats cooking, spray your muffin tin ( I used one 12 and one 6 but you can cut this down, we freeze leftovers) and place a bisquit in each hole. press down and around sides just a bit. Sprinkle a tiny bit of cheese on bottom.

Once meat is cooked add in bbq sauce, water and corn and cook until combined and not runny.

Fill muffin pan with meat/corn mixture and the top with shredded cheese. Bake at 400 until cheese is melted and the bisquit is browned ( you won't be able to tell if it is until you remove with a spoon and see if its brown ) Takes about 10 to 12 minutes.

Cheesy Squash

This is a super easy dish that is super creamy and yummy! We have an abundance of squash this year so this is a great way to utilize it.


Cheesy Squash
2 to 3 medium squash cut into half moons
4 oz velveeta
1/4 of a small onion
3 tbs butter
1 drizzle of the pan of canola oil
salt & pepper to taste

Add your squash and onion to the pan you've drizzled with canola oil. Salt and pepper it to taste. Place little pinches of butter all around the top of your squash. Sautee until soft and tender. When cooked add your cubes of velveeta and stir until melted. Serve.

Fresh Blueberry from scratch waffles

These are crispy and the waffles pop in your mouth. Just the right amount of blueberries. YUM!





This recipe is a very easy and versitle recipe to use!

HOMEMADE WAFFLES

1 3/4 c. flour
1 tbsp. baking flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. milk
1/3 c. canola oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Preheat waffle iron. In large bowl mix first 4 ingredients; add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. Can use any add ins.

I just tossed in about 1/2 cup of fresh blueberries and I hit them with my whisk while I was mixing batter. But during the cooking process they cook down perfectly and melt in your mouth.

Sugar N Spice Donuts

Super easy and my mom always made them growing up. My kids just love them and I always make little donut holes for them.
On the back of the biscuits, there was a recipe that said you could bake them. That sounds like a good idea. Although if its not fried then its not a southern recipe hahah!


Sugar N Spice Donuts
Canola Oil
1 - 2 cans buttermilk biscuits
1/4 c Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon

Heat about 2 inches oil in a large pot I use my spaghetti pot to 350 degrees. I learned a really cool trick from Sara Molten, you take the end of a wooden spoon and put in the center of your pan and oil and when bubbles come up all around really fast, then your oil is ready.

Take your dough and punch a hole in the center with your finger and spread a bit. Fry until golden brown on each side. Drain on paper towels and then toss in your sugar and spice mixture. To make the holes, just pinch off lil pieces and roll in your hands until a smooth ball forms.

Nana Nut Muffins

So much faster than actually waiting for 2 loaves of bread to cook!
Great for breakfast. I actually got 24 out of this recipe.




BANANA NUT MUFFINS

1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. bananas, mashed
1/2 c. nuts

Cream together sugar and shortening. Put dry ingredients in bowl and whisk. (Martha Stewart says thats the best and fastest way to sift) Add the rest of ingredients and mix well. Spray muffin pan with Pam. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

What's for dinner?

Tator Tot Casserole (going to try a different recipe than mine to see if its better), Duggars Family Rolls (cut in half) and fresh steamed brocolli.


Hmmmm I'm thinkin I like my recipe better than this one :/

Tator Tot Casserole
Ingredients
1 1/2 - 2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 large onion diced
1 pkg tater tots (32 oz)
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
3/4 empty soup can of milk
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
salt
pepper
season salt
garlic salt

Brown ground beef and diced onions, adding salt, pepper, seasoning salt and garlic salt to taste. Drain.
Pour ground beef & onion mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
On top of the ground beef layer spread the tater tots.
In a seperate bowl (or the pan you browned the beef in if you don't want to dirty any more dishes) mix together the soup and milk.
Pour the soup mixture over the tater tots, spreading it evenly, trying to cover them all.
Sprinkle the grated cheese over the entire casserole.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake 10 more minutes until the casserole is bubbly and cheese is completely melted.

These are fantastic! I didn't follow her instructions tho, I pinched mine off instead. Actually got 24 small rolls and they didn't look like the picture lol. But they were easy and yummy. I bet if I had let them rise longer they would have been even better.

DUGGAR FAMILY ROLLS
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 pkg. yeast
5 cups flour, divided
2 eggs
Combine shortening, sugar, salt, yeast and 2 cups flour in large bowl & cut with pastry cutter. In a 2 cup measuring cup beat 2 eggs and then fill cup to 2 cup mark with hot water. Pour over dry mixture. Slowly add: 3 c. flour. Cover. Let Rise 20 minutes in warm oven. Pour onto floured surface.Knead. Flatten with hands into large pizza shape. Cut with pizza cutter into16 slices. Roll up from wide end to point. Place in greased pans leaving space for rolls to double in size. (can shape like crescent or lay on side where swirl shows.) Cover. Let rise in warm oven at least 20 min. Remove from oven. Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 375. Bake 20-30 min. depending on how dark you prefer. Immediately brush with 1 stick (1/2 c.) melted butter. Makes 16 Rolls in 2-9”x13” pans

Popeyes

OHhh brings back memories. My mom used to make these and I love them and my kids do toooooo!

Popeyes
Bread, we use sara lee whole wheat white
1 whole Large Egg
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 pinch(es) seasoned Salt
1 pinch(es) Pepper
Preparation Instructions
1. Butter one side of the bread. Using a large biscuit cutter or glass, cut a round out of the centre of the bread. Leave the round in the bread crust frame.

2. Put the bread, buttered side down, in a frying pan over medium heat. Butter the top side of the bread. Crack egg into hole and season it.

3. Fry until the underside of the bread starts to turn golden-brown, then flip. Move the bread circle elsewhere in the pan.

5. Cook 1-2 minutes, until the egg starts to set, then flip and cook another 1-2 minutes. The white should be cooked through and the yolk still a little runny (though you can cook it longer if you don’t like runny eggs).

6. Serve on a plate with the bread round, which is great for soaking up and eating the runny yolk with.

The perfect omelet!

It took me forever to master it but I finally did. Each and everytime. I found a site that can help you. I basically taught myself but since I don't have the patience nor time to show you step by step here are my pics and some instructions that will work just fine.

We had bacon, cheese and chive this morning. I made the mistake of thinking one 3 egg omelet would feed all 3 of the kids. Um no, try 2 three egg omelets! And they still wanted more. But big mama's kitchen is closed!



OH look, all the cheese is in this one bite..shame shame..


If only I had found this long ago, I might have shaved months off trying this bad boy!

http://www.pineapple-girl.com/omelet.htm

Homeade Spanish Rice..yes again..

A must have!!



http://sugardumplins.blogspot.com/2008/05/easy-peasy-spanish-rice.html

The BEST Egg Breaker on the Block!

She did wonderfully and so now I actually officially recruited her as my egg breaker lol

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

I'm gonna serve this with fresh strawberries. MMMMmmmm.
On the way into the oven. I wasn't sure how much this would rise so I used a bundt pan and one loaf pan. I'm thinking 2 loaf pans would have worked. Once I get it out of the oven I will find out for sure if it was neccisary to have a bundt and loaf pan. Better safe than sorry!


Cream Cheese Pound Cake
3.5 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter, room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
6 eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Sift flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
Using a mixer, cream butter, cream cheesea nd sugar for about 6 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add vanilla and milk until combined.
Add flour mixture until completely combined.

Pour into two greased and floured 9 X 5 loaf pans.


Bake for about 60 minutes or until done.




I opted for a general powdered sugar glaze laced with apricot preserves!

Using left over roast juices to make my own brown gravy

We buy large amounts of brown gravy mix but there are times when I'm out and times when I have tons of liquid left from roasts and things.

So I usually just ladle it in a pan and then use a basic cornstarch slurry for it. I usually make 3 tbs cornstarge to 3 tbs cold water and mix. Then I add as much as I think the sauce needs. Remember once it reaches a boiling point, its thick.

What's for supper?

Oh thats right.. A classic that we have once a month.

To die for crock pot roast..
MMMMMmm.



Here's a tasty reminder..

http://sugardumplins.blogspot.com/2009/06/to-die-for-crockpot-roast.html

HERSHEY'S "RIDICULOUSLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

This cake is to die for but its soo rich! You will have a DEFINATE LOVE HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH IT. You will hate how rich it is and that it makes you sick, but you will love how good it tastes!
Right out of the oven before the stupid stupid icing..
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HERSHEY'S "RIDICULOUSLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.


"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Squash Casserole

I usually use Paula Deen's recipe but I didn't have all the ingredients so I just decided to wing it. This is one of those receipes ( you know me, i rarely measure so when i write a recipe i estimate for you guys ) that I just tossed in.. So you may have to adjust the quantity. I apologize for this being such a rough estimate!

Before Oven


Easy Squash Casserole


2 large squash sliced thin
4 oz of velveeta, sliced in tiny cubes
4 tbs butter, cubed into tiny pieces or I ended up using country crock since I'm out of stick butter
1/2 cup milk
1 small onion
1/3 cup or so italian dressing
salt, pepper

Spray 9x13 with pam. Layer thin slices of squash with onion, salt and pepper, dot with butter here and there, add tiny cubes of velveeta, drizzle with italian dressing and repeat layers. Drizzle milk over the top to make sure it has some standing in bottom of casserole.

Cover with foil and bake at 400 for about 20 to 30 mins. When its bubbly and the squash is tender.

Country Salsbury Steak

This is a great recipe and made 8 pretty decent sized patties. The rest I rolled into meatballs and put on a cookie sheet until frozen, then put in a ziplock to use for another meal idea (which is the salsbury steak meatballs, with brown gravy over egg noodles, when I do I will post. It's just an idea I have)




I make this often and its soooo good!
Country Salsbury Steak
1 lb. extra lean ground beef ( i use ground sirloin )
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped onions
salt, pepper, and cumin to taste

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

MIX meat, stuffing mix, water, seasonings and onions until well blended. Shape into 8 patties.

BAKE 30 min. or until patties are done

MEANWHILE take store bought brown gravy mix and make to serve over patties.