What's For Dinner? (An oldie and a new one: Easy Skillet Cornbread)

Tonight my house smells incredible and my stomach is growling in great anticipation of my husband's arrival home from work so we can devour the dish that's been cooking for a few hours in the crockpot and the cornbread that's baking as I type. Here's the original post about these incredible Calico Beans.

And my instagram of it just now in the crockpot, happily bubbling away.

Okay, so I'll share with you my secret for quick and easy skillet cornbread when it's already 6:39pm on a school night and your husband is scheduled to get off of work within the next hour and you've realized you are out of cornmeal and didn't realize it until you've already got the oven preheated and calico beans in the crockpot and now it's really necessary to get some cornbread ready to go alongside the beans or else life just won't make any sense anymore and you just can't let that happen so you turn to the trusty mix that grandma used to use and you sigh in relief.  It fills in the gaps, you see. In the bowl, in the stomach, in the menu…it's necessary. 

Being the good little Southerner that I am, I always keep some of this on hand:

It keeps for 6-12 months on the pantry shelf and it's delicious and easy so on nights like these I don't have to panic. And look how beautiful the result is! Mmmm…

Quick & Easy Skillet Cornbread

Makes 6-8 Servings

2 8.5oz boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix

2 eggs

2/3 cup of milk

2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Mix together cornbread mix, milk and eggs. Place butter in a 12" cast iron skillet and put in preheated oven for about 3-4 minutes until butter is melted and hot. Scrape batter into cast iron skillet, listening for that telltale sizzle that means life is about to be good. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden on top. Cut into pieces and serve.

Not really a true "recipe" considering it's on the back of the box (for muffins anyway), but hey, it's what works for me on nights like these so maybe it can help one of you too. :) Now, if only my hubs would get home so we can EAT! Have a great night,

Chicken Stuffed Shells

So this was absolutely delish, but if I could have my way, it would've had spinach in it. Since I have a couple picky eaters and we'd been out of town for several days prior, I knew everyone was starving for some good home-cookin'. So I decided to be nice and leave out the spinach. Next time though, [Annabelle] better put her game face on and be ready to ingest some spinach. ;) 

Makes 24 shells

1 box jumbo pasta shells
4 cups cooked, chopped or shredded chicken
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2 cans cream of chicken soup (I use my homemade substitute)
2 8oz packages of cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened
1 cup evaporated milk
2-4 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar this time but will def try mozzarella next)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Boil pasta in salted water 12 minutes; leave in the pasta water to avoid sticking. Meanwhile mix chicken, ricotta and seasonings until well mixed. Taste and add additional seasonings if desired. In medium saucepan, heat cream of chicken soup and cream cheese over medium heat until cream cheese has fully melted and incorporated. Stir in evaporated milk. Taste and add seasonings if desired. (My homemade cream of chicken substitute had plenty of flavor, but if I used the canned stuff, I'd want to add some salt, pepper, garlic, onion and oregano for sure.) Spread about a cup of the sauce in the bottom of a greased 13x9 baking dish. Fill shells with chicken mixture and lay evenly on top of sauce in pan. (Squish those babies in there if you need to!)  Sprinkle 1-2 cups of shredded cheese on top of shells, then pour sauce evenly over the top of all the shells, making sure it delves into those corners and hard-to-reach areas. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Bake for 25 minutes until bubbly. 

This recipe took me about 45 minutes from start to finish. Not bad at all! I put chicken breasts in the crockpot all day to cook so I'd have those ready by dinnertime. A rotisserie chicken would save some time and be delicious in this dish as well. Next time I want to stir in some shredded cheese and chopped, cooked spinach into the filling because I think it would be dynamite! This was a good, quick weeknight meal that our family loved. Those four remaining shells in the photo were taken by my older three kids for their school lunches the next day. Two birds, meet stone! Yes!! :)

Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole

Please tell me I'm not the only one who has way too many of these in my pantry!!

...rolled-up bags of chips that are 3/4 consumed, leaving a handful or so of chips and crumbs in the bottom of the bag! I don't know what it is about my kids, but apparently they're afraid to completely finish something. They leave handfuls of chips, half a cup of cereal, two gulps of milk, one slice of cheese, etc., etc., etc., in my pantry, fridge and freezer ALL the time! The chips almost always get tossed and it drives me crazy watching all that money and food go to waste. So one of my favorite ways to use up chip crumbs is to sprinkle them on top of casseroles. The oven bakes them up crispy again and they add a nice crunch and flavor to chicken, tuna or veggie casserole dishes. So Saturday night I was in the mood for a tasty, comforting casserole for dinner. I had about a cup of broccoli in the fridge from when hubs made his Ultimate Twice-Baked Potatoes and these FIVE bags of rolled-up chip crumbs in my pantry. So throwing together a few other yummy ingredients along with these resulted in a good, old-fashioned casserole like grandma used to make. Now, I don't claim this to be low-fat by any means. You could certainly cut back on the fat by using low-fat sour cream or plain yogurt and reduced-fat cream soups and cheese as well if you so desire. But this casserole certainly comes in handy for those busy nights when you need something filling that cooks up in under an hour!

Ready for its first bout in the oven!

On my plate about to be devoured...

Makes 6-8 Servings

16 oz egg noodles

2 cans of cream of chicken soup (or the equivalent of two cans of my homemade Cream of Chicken soup mix)

1 cup sour cream

2 cups milk

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked & cubed

1 1/2 cups of broccoli, cooked/thawed and chopped

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2+ cups of potato chip crumbs, any flavor you want

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Boil pasta for 7-8 minutes and drain. In a large bowl combine the noodles, sour cream, milk, soup and seasonings. Stir in chopped broccoli, chicken and 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese. Pour into greased 9x13 baking dish and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly. Take casserole out, sprinkle with remaining cheese, then top with potato chip crumbs and spread evenly. Bake another 10 minutes until chips are lightly browned on the edges. Serve.

Yet another one of those amazingly versatile recipes that you can really do so much with to create the flavor you're in the mood for. You could substitute peas for the broccoli. Adding in a half a cup of chopped onions would be amazing also. You could use tuna instead of the chicken or even cubed ham if you had some on hand and needed a quick dinner. Like I said, you can easily lower the fat content by using lower fat ingredients if you want. I always use fat free dry milk when making my cream of chicken soup mix, so that's already lower in fat than the original canned stuff. This was a hit and my kids all had seconds! Only a small serving, enough for one person, was put away as leftovers, so this will definitely be added to the repertoire of regulars! So what did everyone do this weekend? Happy Monday!

Rewind: Risi e Bisi (Rice & Peas)

One of my very favorite meals ever is Risi e Bisi, Italian for Rice & Peas, a side dish with rice, peas, ham and parmesan in it...yum! I first posted this recipe 6 years ago, but it's one of our favorites that just doesn't get the recognition it deserves so I'm featuring this beauty again today. :) My mom made it when I was a kid and now my kids love it too so it's a regular at our dining table. It's technically a side dish but we serve it as a main dish. After all, it has protein, carbs, vegetables...everything I need to meet my criteria for a one dish meal! It's really easy (isn't everything I make easy??) to throw together and doesn't take long at all, less than an hour to cook.  I make ours in the rice cooker, but it can be made on the stovetop as well. I actually had to prepare this batch on the stovetop since my rice cooker decided it didn't feel like reaching the boiling stage and kept shutting off. Fickle thing. It's a new fancy digital one and it doesn't hold a candle to our old basic one from the Asian market. Unfortunately the one from the Asian market took a bath in the sink thanks to a certain two (now four) year old and we thought we'd be improving by getting the fancy one. Nope! Oh well, it works. Just not as well. But it gets the job done, right? Right. Enough complaining, on to the EXCITING part, the recipe! I love recipes. I may have an addiction...

Makes 4 Servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup long-grain white rice
2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup diced ham
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Rice cooker: Plug in rice cooker and press "Cook" button. Put oil and onion in rice cooker pan and saute 4 minutes. Add rice, chicken broth, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir and cover. Cook until machine function switches to "warm." Add peas and ham and stir. Close lid and let rest for 10 minutes. Open lid and stir in butter and parmesan. Serve immediately. 

Stovetop: If you want to cook on the stovetop, use a deep saucepan and sauté the onion in the oil as directed, over medium heat. Add the 5 ingredients listed next, raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook until the rice has thickened and soaked up all the liquid and is almost done at al dente. Turn the heat off but leave the pan on the burner. Stir in the peas and ham, close the lid and let sit for 10 minutes. Stir in butter and parmesan and serve.

My daughter Annabelle loves this dish, she cheers when I tell her I'm making it for dinner and she requests it for her birthday dinner almost every year. This year she actually requested daddy's grilled cheeseburgers, my deviled eggs and chips and dip, an equally delicious meal if I do say so. I'm partial to my husband's grilled burgers. He works magic on that grill. So what are you doing with your Wednesday? Anyone going to see fireworks tonight? Me, I sit here with The Notorious B.I.G. blasting on my Pandora summer jams station, it's 11:30 am and my kids are just now starting their routine of running around the house and bickering at each other (late start, it's summer, they sleep in...I'm blessed. I know.) and I'm contemplating what daily craft to do today. Do I feel like baking or making some paints for the kids? Maybe not paints, those have to dry overnight. Maybe we'll make magnets today. Also on my to-do list (and has been for months awhile if I'm being honest...) is to reorganize my office desk in the middle of the family study which is right off of our great room. I don't have anywhere private to move it where I can write in peace (peace? what is that??) so the least I could do is make it more aesthetically pleasing and as zen-like in organization as possible. Who knows, maybe you'll be seeing a before and after tomorrow of my workspace...miracles could happen! Have a great Wednesday whatever you're up to today!

Rewind: Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

     Yesterday being Father's Day as well as a church day for us, I decided to again put my Crockpot Breakfast Casserole in the crockpot Saturday night so that when we all woke up, my hubs would have a yummy, hearty breakfast ready to be served up and eaten right away. (How do you like that dinosaur party plate? My son turned 4 last week and he insisted I use one of his plates for this photo...I couldn't resist that sweet face and how nicely he asked!) I've made it a handful of times since then, but it's been 6 years since my original post, so I thought it was time for a reminder of how awesome this casserole is! My boys like theirs with ketchup; me, I just like it plain as is. I changed a couple minor things, which I'll share with you today, and out of my whole 6 quart crockpot, we've only got maybe a serving left of it. 

Makes 6-8 Servings

1 lb. ground pork sausage, browned
1 20oz. package refrigerated shredded hashbrowns
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 8oz package cream cheese
12 eggs
1 cup half & half (or milk, if you prefer)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

Directions:

Place hashbrowns in the bottom of a greased crockpot. Sprinkle sausage evenly over hashbrowns. Slice cream cheese into about 1/4" thin slices and lay evenly on top of sausage layer, covering the layer as well as you can. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheddar and 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheeses over the cream cheese.  Whisk together the eggs, half and half, salt, pepper and ground mustard and pour over the cheese. Cover and cook on low 4 to 4 1/2 hours until set. *If your crockpot runs extra hot, like mine does, you can cook this on the "Keep Warm" setting overnight.*

     7 years ago when I first posted this recipe, I had an older crockpot...loved that thing, may she rest in peace...the crock dish broke and I couldn't find a replacement for it, so I bought a new, digital crockpot. I kinda hate it. It cooks SUPER hot, way hotter than my older one, apparently because of new food safety concerns...which I can understand, however, none of us ever got sick on my old one and she got plenty of use, so I'm still bummed about it. So with this one, I have to watch it VERY carefully, and if I think I'm going to be gone all day long and something's in there that doesn't need a long cook time, I'll put it on the keep warm setting, which I'm convinced is the same setting as my old crockpot's low. I'm telling you, this new crockpot will be boiling on low and end up burning the edges. Drives me crazy. This time around I added a layer of cream cheese which got all melty and delicious and warm and really helped keep the casserole from being too dry. Of course, my hubs and boys still doused theirs with ketchup, but what can ya do? I used one bag of refrigerated Simply Potatoes shredded hashbrowns and they were perfect. They are buy one get one free at Publix frequently, so I usually stock up on those for soups, casseroles, breakfast, etc. Such a tasty and versatile product!

Bacon & Veggie Quiche

Makes 8 Servings

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons butter
1 whole large red onion, chopped
1 package frozen broccoli, cooked and chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 pie crust dough round
7 eggs
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
1 cup grated parmesan
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Melt butter in a small-medium skillet. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes, until slightly softened. Toss in broccoli and heat for a minute, tossing to coat. Salt and pepper mixture lightly to taste, keeping in mind you'll also season the egg mixture. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, spread pie crust in a deep dish tart pan with removable bottom (a deep dish pie pan will work fine if you don't have a tart pan). In a large bowl, beat eggs with cream. Add cheeses, salt and pepper; set aside. Add veggie mixture and chopped bacon to eggs and stir until combined. Pour into pie crust and press with the back of a spoon to submerge ingredients. Cover loosely with foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, removing foil for last 15 minutes to brown. Check middle of quiche, and if it looks too jiggly, bake for up to 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. Remove bottom from pan and slice into wedges to serve.



Mmmm, quiche. One of my favorite things! The hubs and I like to make this for brunch a lot on weekdays where all four of the kiddos are at school and we want something yummy and substantial, but homemade. The kids like quiche also, so sometimes we make it on a weekend for a special treat, but then we have to make it without onions, so we like it better when we have it all to ourselves. YUM!

Cheesy Beef Vegetable Casserole

Makes 6 Servings

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
6 cups uncooked egg noodles
4 cups mixed vegetables, thawed
1-2 lbs ground beef
3-4 cups shredded cheese
salt
pepper

Directions:

Boil the noodles as directed. Brown the ground beef & season as desired (I use salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder). Spray a 13x9 glass baking dish. Drain the noodles. Melt the butter and slowly whisk in the flour to make a roux. Slowly stir in the milk to make a white cream sauce. Stir in the cheese, leaving a half cup or so our for the topping. Stir until cheese is melted and well combined and season with salt and pepper to taste. (I also like to add 1/4 cup or so of grated parmesan) Mix beef, vegetables, noodles and cheese sauce together in the baking dish then top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.



After reading a forum post about cheese sauce, I couldn't contain my craving for it and came up with this recipe in my head while driving to the mall...yes, I'm crazy like that! I whipped it up in about 20-30 minutes, and it was a huge hit. Everyone loved it and my husband's eyes lit up like it was Christmas! (He is a huge casserole fan.) For weeknights when you are so busy and want a quick, easy and best of all, ONE dish meal, this is your winner!

Phyllo Turkey Basil Pot Pie

Serves 16

4 cups cooked chopped or shredded turkey
4 cups chicken broth
4 small potatoes, peeled, cubed and cooked al dente
4 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons dried basil (or 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh)
1 package phyllo dough (40 sheets)
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour

Directions:

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan over low heat and toss in chopped onion, stirring and cooking until translucent. Set aside. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Sprinkle flour over butter and whisk well until smooth. Cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth, stirring briskly until well incorporated and smooth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in basil, salt and pepper, tasting and adding more if desired. Stir in vegetables (including onions) and potatoes and toss until well mixed. Stir in turkey and mix well. Allow to cool completely and stir in sour cream.

Spray 13x9 pan (glass or metal) with cooking spray. Place one phyllo dough sheet and spray. (*Can brush with melted butter instead if desired*) Repeat until 20 sheets have been placed evenly across the pan and each layer has been sprayed well, making sure to spray the top layer. Pour filling on top. Top with remaining 20 sheets of dough, again spraying each layer, including the final layer. Score or poke in several places to allow steam to escape. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.



Comfort food at its best! This is so delicious and pretty easy to make. You can also use chicken of course, and you can also use melted butter between the layers of phyllo dough if you'd prefer. You could also do this in two 9" pie pans instead of a large pan, but since the sheets are rectangle shaped, it's just easier to do them in that pan and not have to worry about cutting or folding the edges. We make a lot of turkeys in the crockpot around here, and we always use the resulting broth and leftover meat for this recipe. The flavor is to die for! If you have fresh broth from cooking your chicken or turkey in, use that for sure! But canned broth or bouillon cubes and water work well too. Cutting up the onions and potatoes and softening them can take time and be a pain, so you can always use canned or frozen instead if you'd rather. Other than those two steps, the rest is easy as pie and can make a super yummy weeknight meal that the whole family will love!

Southwestern Baked Ziti

Serves 8-10

16 oz ziti pasta
2 - 10oz cans Rotel tomatoes
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar (or monterey jack, or a combo of the two)
3/4 - 1 cup ranch dressing
1 lb. ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper

Directions:

Boil pasta as directed for "al dente". Brown ground beef with garlic, green pepper and onion, adding seasonings after beef is about halfway browned but still pink. Stir well to combine. Drain pasta and pour into large greased baking dish. Mix in tomatoes, 2 cups of cheese, beef and ranch dressing. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.



This is one of those recipes that I came up with on a night when we were short on time and overdue for a grocery trip so I needed to use things we had in the house already. I always have ground beef in the freezer and I always have cheddar cheese, ranch dressing and canned tomatoes on hand so this was what I decided to try out and it was delicious! I decided to give it a Southwestern flair when my eyes landed on the cumin and Cajun seasoning in my pantry. Then after I stirred the cheese, ziti, tomatoes and beef together, I felt like it needed something creamy but I didn't have any sour cream so I decided to try ranch dressing. That turned out to be a great idea because this casserole was SO delicious and even my kids loved it! If you don't like onions and/or peppers, you can always leave those out if you wanted. Also adding a can of corn is delicious, it adds a nice crunchy sweetness to it. You can experiment with different cheeses and if you don't like too much spice you can use regular diced tomatoes, but the mild Rotel was perfect for us. This took only about 45 minutes from start to finish...SO easy, so fast and definitely delicious. Doesn't get much better than that! ;)

Easy Lasagna Casserole

Makes 10 Servings

1 16oz box uncooked rotini pasta
1 32oz jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce, or 4 cups of homemade sauce
1 32oz container ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend (It usually has 6 cheeses: Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, Fontina, Romano and Asiago)
1/2 - 1 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Extra shredded Italian cheese blend for topping

Directions:

Boil pasta according to package directions and drain. Mix with a little sauce to keep from sticking and set aside. In a large bowl mix ricotta, shredded Italian cheese, parmesan, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir in pasta with sauce. Spread a couple tablespoonfuls of sauce in a large 13x9 casserole baking dish. Stir remaining sauce into pasta mixture and pour into baking dish. (Mixture will appear soupy.) Top with additional shredded Italian cheese and bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes until pasta is bubbly and cheese on top is melted.



This was my little "experiment"...I planned to make spaghetti and meatballs but discovered I was out of spaghetti. So I improvised. I made a lasagna filling and mixed it with the rotini and sauce and the result was amazing yumminess. It tasted like lasgana but without the hassle of layering and spreading and it was much easier to fork it up in big mouthfuls. It was a hit in my household, so this was definitely a keeper! I also had already mixed and rolled the scratch meatballs so we served those with the casserole and they were delicious together. Recipe for meatballs will be following shortly. Buon appetito!

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Makes 1 Pie (4-6 Servings)

2 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken
2 cans cream of potato soup
1/2 soup can milk
1 can Veg-All vegetables, drained
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pie crusts

Directions:

Mix everything together and pour into pastry-lined pie dish. Top with second pie crust and cut several slits in the top for venting. Bake 30-45 minutes at 350 until filling is bubbly and crust is nicely browned.



This is one of the quickest and easiest chicken pot pie recipes that I have. If you don't like using canned vegetables, you can certainly substitute 1 1/2 cups of thawed frozen vegetables. The thing I like about canned is that I can just make sure to have a can or two on hand in my pantry and they last virtually forever and when it's a weeknight and I forgot to start the crockpot or thaw frozen meat, I can easily throw this together in no time flat and get dinner on the table before my husband leaves for work that evening. I like to keep cooked thopped chicken in my freezer too so I always have the ingredients ready for mixing. You could also substitute any other cream soup if you'd rather. And of course if you don't like using cream soups, just Google a substitute and that will work fine too. This is always a big hit with my family and we never have leftovers. It is hearty and filling and a wonderful comfort food that just makes you feel at home.

Hashbrown Casserole

Makes 6-8 Servings

1 28-30oz bag frozen shredded hashbrowns, partially to fully thawed
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2-3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3-4 green onions, chopped
2 cups cornflake crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Mix soup, sour cream, salt pepper, green onions and cheese in a large mixing bowl, reserving some cheese for topping. Add hashbrowns and stir everything together well. Pour into greased 13x9 baking dish. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top. Mix cornflakes and melted butter together and spread evenly on top of casserole. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes until bubbly around the edges.



I have tried multiple hashbrown casserole recipes and this is the winner! It is moist and creamy and cheesy and delicious without being too salty. The cornflakes on top are delicious and give it that great crunch. This dish is a hit even with my kids, which is weird considering there are onions in it, but for some reason they aren't as picky about green onions as they are about others. I like to top mine with extra fresh green onions because I'm crazy about them.

Golden Green Bean Casserole

Makes 8 Servings

2 12oz bags frozen green beans or 4 cups fresh green beans
1 cup onions, diced
2 cans golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Dash pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 cups French's fried onions

Directions:

Microwave or boil on stovetop green beans for 4–5 minutes or until hot. Transfer beans to 4 quart greased casserole dish. Stir in onions, milk, soy sauce, pepper and soup until blended. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, then French's onions. Bake 10–15 minutes or until cheese melts, top is browned, and casserole bubbles around edges of the dish.



This is a slight twist on an old favorite that is delicious. The cheese goes really well with the green beans and the golden mushroom soup has a more unique flavor than the original cream of mushroom. Delicious!

Cheeseburger Macaroni

Makes 4 Servings

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups uncooked macaroni
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
pepper
dry mustard
2 cups shredded cheese
1 can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
Bacon bits

Directions:

Brown beef (or turkey) in large wok or skillet. Add 1-2 tablespoons butter, depending on how much grease is left after meat. Stir until melted and stir in flour with a fork until well blended and thickened into a paste around the meat. Slowly stir in milk, mixing constantly to avoid lumps. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese until melted and blended. Add seasonings to taste and stir well. In separate pot, boil pasta until al dente. Stir pasta into skillet with meat and toss to coat, adding more milk and/or cheese if needed. Stir can of stewed tomatoes into pasta. Cover with remaining shredded cheese and bacon bits if desired. Cover until cheese is melted and serve.



This is a fairly quick and easy recipe that my kids like. It makes a great weeknight casserole and as long as there aren't any onions in it, my kids will eat it right up!

Southwest Goulash

Makes 4 Servings

2 cups uncooked macaroni
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
1 10oz. can of diced tomatoes with chilies
1 15oz. can of tomato sauce
1 can chopped green chilies
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons parsley
2 cups shredded cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack are best!)

Directions:

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Brown the meat in a large skillet. Drain and return to skillet. Add minced garlic and both onions and saute until veggies are tender. Add rest ingredients except cheese and macaroni. Stir well and then stir in macaroni and 1 cup of cheese until well coated. Pour into a greased 13x9 dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
*NOTE: You can skip the baking step if you are short on time. Just simmer in skillet for 15 minutes and then sprinkle with cheese and serve.



This is a delicious and easy dish that I can throw together on a weeknight in 30 minutes or less. I serve it with either some fresh bread or cornbread and a salad. It is a tad on the spicy side, so if you don't like yours that spicy, you can easily omit the green chilies and the spicy seasonings. I have also mixed in 1/2 cup of chopped green peppers to mine, adding them at the same time as the other veggies. My husband likes to put sliced jalapenos on his. Delicious!

Chicken Enchiladas

Makes 8 Servings

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 jars salsa
1 - 8oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onions
flour tortillas
extra shredded cheese for topping

Directions:

Melt butter in skillet; add chicken and onions and saute until chicken is cooked thoroughly and onions are translucent. Add 1 of the cans of salsa and cream cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Add cheddar and let melt. Scoop into the flour tortillas and wrap into cylinders. Spread a little salsa on the bottom of a 13 x 9 sprayed pan. Lay wrapped enchiladas evenly in the bottom of the pan. Spread more salsa and shredded cheese on top. Put in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes--just until heated through and cheese melts. Serve with sour cream, salsa and chopped scallions, if desired.



This recipe is super-easy to make and very quick too. It is really easy to double and even triple if you have a big family like I do! We usually omit the chopped onions because we have picky kids who hate onions, but it's up to you what you like to add or omit. You can substitute different kinds of cheese or salsas, and even add more veggies if you like. I didn't put what size or how many tortillas you need, because sometimes I go through two packages, sometimes one. And sometimes we like the bigger tortillas, and sometimes just the smaller ones! It's up to you what your family likes the most. This recipe is freezable as well, and you can make it just as easily in the crockpot if you want to.

Crockpot Swiss Chicken Casserole

Makes 6 Servings

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 slices swiss cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
2 cups herb stuffing mix
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:

Spray crockpot with cooking spray. Arrange chicken breasts in the crockpot and top with cheese, layering if needed. Combine soup and milk, stir well and spoon over cheese. Sprinkle stuffing mix on top and drizzle with the melted butter. Cook on low 8 hours, or on high 4-6 hours.



This is another super-easy, crockpot meal that we love! You can even make it one-dish by adding some cut-up asparagus, green beans or broccoli to the crockpot before the stuffing. We usually just serve a salad or some steamed vegetables along with it, and it's very filling & very rich. A nice fruit salad for dessert would go great with it. The perfect weeknight meal!