1.02.2007

Taco Twist

1 pound of cooked meat (You can roast the chicken on the bone and pull the meat off, or use rotisserie chicken, leftover grilled chicken. You can also use 1 pound of ground beef or turkey.)

1) 15 oz can of tomato sauce

1) Package of taco seasoning

8 oz+ sour cream

3 cups uncooked corkscrew pasta, yield about 6 cups cooked

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Mix the cooked chicken, sauce and seasoning. Boil the pasta. While the pasta is still hot mix in the sour cream and about ¾ cup of cheese – just make sure that all the pasta is really well coated in sour cream, so you may need a bit more than 8 oz. Pour this mixture into a baking dish. Top with the meat and sauce mixture. Top with the remaining cheese and bake at 350 for about ½ hour.

Taco Bake

1 Box Mac and Cheese
1 Lb Ground Beef
1 Package Taco Seasoning
1 Cup Chunky Salsa
Shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare ground beef in skillet with taco seasoning (as per directions on taco seasoning package)
Prepare Mac and Cheese as directed on box

Grease or spray baking dish. Layer Beef, mac and cheese, and salsa. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil


Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Sloppy Joes

1 pound lean ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard

3/4 cup ketchup

3 teaspoons brown sugar

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste


In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.


Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Loaded Potato Soup

8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
8 cups milk
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste



Place cubed potatoes into a glass dish, and cook in the microwave oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until soft.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour until smooth, then gradually stir in the milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Stir in the potatoes and onion, and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in the sour cream and Cheddar cheese until melted and well blended. Season with salt and pepper.

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

8 oz. elbow mac, cooked and drained
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 can evaporated milk
1 and 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
salt and pepper

Spray Pam in your crock pot, add macaroni. Reserve 1 cup of cheese and add the rest of cheese and other ingredients to pot and mix well. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Do not remove cover or stir while cooking!

Chili Dip

1 8X8 baking dish
1 package of Philadelphia cream cheese
1 can of chili WITHOUT the beans
1 small bag shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In layers, add the cream cheese (spread it to evenly cover the bottom of the pan), chili WITHOUT the beans, and mozzarella cheese.

Heat on 350 degrees until the mozzarella is melted (approximately 10 minutes).
Serve with corn tortilla chips or Fritos.

ENJOY!

To make MORE of this dip (for a party/gathering) just adjust the amount of ingredients to the size pan you use. Suggested: For an 11X13 baking dish add two packages of Philadelphia cream cheese, two cans of chili WITHOUT the beans, and enough mozzarella to cover the top.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup sour cream (I double the sour cream)
2 tbsp of butter/margarine
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp chopped chilis (I use the whole can)
8 small corn of flour tortillas (I use flour, corn falls apart in a casserole)
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese (I use Colby jack and use a lot more than 1 cup)
2 10oz cans of chicken (I use rotisserie or whatever cooked chicken I have, chopped)

Mix soup and sour cream in a bowl. Put a few tbsps in bottom of casserole dish

Sautee onion in the butter, add chilis, chili powder and 2 tbsp of soup & sour cream mix

Put 2 tbsp of chicken mix in each tortilla, roll it up and place in casserole.

Cover with remaining sour cream mix, cover with cheese, cover with foil

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 cups cooked chicken-chopped,
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
1 block cream cheese
1/2 cup buffalo sauce
3/4 cup bleu cheese dressing

Mix ingredients together and top with cheese.

Bake @ 350 for 20-30 minutes

Baked French Onion Soup

6 large white onions, thinly sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
9 cups beef broth
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 slices white bread
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
8 slices provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove the crusts from slices of white bread. Bake bread pieces 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden and crisped. Set aside.

Sauté sliced onions in olive oil over medium heat until onions become translucent but not brown. Add minced garlic cloves to onions during last few minutes, making sure garlic does not brown.

Stir in beef broth and seasonings. Minor’s concentrated beef stock works well for this recipe. If using, follow directions on label for reconstituting. Otherwise use canned or homemade beef broth.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste adding salt and pepper as required. Remember that Parmesan cheese is salty, so don't overdo with the salt.

Ladle the soup into ovenproof serving bowls, one for each serving. Cover soup with a slice of bread. Top with provolone and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Place serving bowls under broiler set on high. Broil six to seven minutes or until cheese is bubbly and has some browning.

Serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling at table.

Makes about eight servings.

Asian Short Ribs

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, peeled & smashed
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
8 beef short ribs (approx 4 lbs)
4 med carrots, peeled & halved
1 small head of cabbage (approx 1 lb), quartered
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sesame oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced

In a crock pot combine first 6 ingredients, mix to combine, add short ribs & carrots, lay cabbage on top. Cook, covered, on high for 5-6 hours. Remove cabbage, ribs, carrots, skim off any fat. Whisk cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water, whisk into liquid, stir in sesame oil, spoon over ribs & veggies, sprinkle with scallions.

*As always, I doubled the sauce.

7-Layer Mexican Dip

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened

1 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning Mix

1 cup guacamole and/ or sour cream

1 cup Salsa

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 Tbsp. sliced pitted ripe olives



Mix cream cheese and seasoning mix until well blended. Spread onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish.


Layer remaining ingredients over cream cheese mixture; cover. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.


Serve with tortilla chips.