Mexican Goulash

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground beef or turkey
• 1 c. diced onion
• 1 (14) oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 (8) oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 can corn
• 2 c. water
• 1 1/2 t. Chili Powder
• 1 t. oregano
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 c. elbow macaroni noodles, uncooked
• Chopped squash
  
• Shredded cheese (optional)
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown the meat and onion together. Season with salt and pepper.
   
2. Add in all other ingredients excluding the noodles, squash and cheese. Bring to a boil.
   
3. Add in the noodles. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 5 minutes. Give it a stir. Add in the squash. Cover and cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until the noodles are cooked.
   
4. Serve over a slice of bread and top with cheese. SUPER GOOD bread recipe HERE.
   

Wonton Fill-ups (revisited)

Ya'll remember THIS recipe I posted for the wonton fill-ups? ..... Fill a wonton wrapper with a meat mixture... fry it in oil and serve with salsa. WELL this last time I made them I wanted to try them baked. SO I fried up half of them and the other half I put in a muffin tin. SUCCESS! Much better than getting splattered with oil AND it's a super quick and easy dinner!! bonus.

These babies are gonna taste better fried... that's just the way it is, BUT they still taste great baked. So if you wanna try the healthier version then bake them.

Spray the pan well with oil. Put 2-3 wonton wrappers in each hole. 2 works, but 3 is better. I'm gonna check out the egg roll wraps for next time. I'm sure 1 of those would work the same.

Fill up with the meat mixture.

Fold the wonton wrappers over. Doesn't need to be pretty or sealed shut. Spray the tops with oil.

Bake....

Shoot you guys. I can't remember how long I baked them for! I wanna say around 25 minutes. Just watch them and check for doneness.
I actually ended up putting this batch below back in the oven for longer. Wasn't quite done.

Serve with salsa or green taco sauce.

Super Slow Sloppy Joes

I got this recipe from my Rival Slow Cooker cookbook.
My hubs looooves Sloppy Joes. It hasn't ever been my favorite, but I do really like this recipe!! It is WAY better then the canned stuff!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 lbs lean ground beef or turkey
  
• 1 c. onion, chopped
  
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1 1/4 c. ketchup
• 1 c. chopped bell pepper (red or green)
  
• 5 T. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 3 T. vinegar
• 3 T. mustard
• 2 t. chili powder
• Hamburger Buns

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown the meat with the onion and garlic in a large skillet over med-high heat. Brown in 2 batches if needed and stir to separate the meat. Drain the fat.
2. Combine all other ingredients (excluding the buns of course) in the crock pot. Add in the beef mixture.
   
3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve on hamburger buns. May add cheddar cheese on top if you prefer!

*I add in an additional 1-2 T. mustard for extra tang. I'm sure you can heat this all up on the stove if you didn't put it in the crock pot earlier in the day. I would just simmer it all for at least 20 minutes after browning the meat. It really tastes great in the crock pot though! It's tender and flavorful.

sloppy joes. slop. sloppy joes.... yum.

Burrito Burger

I like my buns on the burnt side. OK not really... just got distracted with 3 kiddos in the kitchen.

This is a tasty Burger! A nice switch up from the traditional hamburger. My husband is a burrito lover and I'm an avocado lover, so I knew it would be a hit. My kids loved it too! I saw this on Rachel Ray's cooking show. You can find her recipe HERE.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground beef (I used turkey)
• 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed
  
• 1/2 c. leftover white or brown rice, cold
• 1 T. grill seasoning
• 1 T. chili powder
• 1 1/2 t. ground cumin
  
• 1 1/2 t. ground coriander (I didn't use this)
• 4 crusty rolls, split
• 4 leaves red-leaf lettuce
• 1 tomato, sliced

INGREDIENTS for the Gauc spread:

• 1 avocado, mashed
  
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, grated
  
• 1 lime juice and zest
• 1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a bowl, combine the beef, beans, rice and seasonings. Form into 4 large patties (You really can make 5-6 good size patties). In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook, turning once. Should only take around 10-15 minutes.
2. While the burgers cook, in a medium bowl, mash together the avocado ingredients. Stir in the sour cream lastly.
3. Fix your burrito burger the way you like and spread the Gauc dip on the buns. yum!
   

*I used pinto beans because that is what I had in the pantry. Wish I had red onion on hand... love red onion! I used green onion and it worked fine. This recipe is great for using up the leftover rice in the fridge. I had these burgers fixed up in no time! I cooked it up on my large griddle. Had the buns toasting on one side and the meat cooking on the other. I also melted mozzarella cheese on top of the patties. :) Great recipe.

Spaghetti with Meatballs

This recipe is Pioneer Women's and it is so tasty! You probably notice that there aren't any noodles on my plate. That is because THIS easy bread stick recipe is just so dang good! My hubs and I like to leave out the noodles and dip the bread sticks in the super delicious sauce. YUM.

Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. It is easy and well worth the wait!

INGREDIENTS FOR MEATBALLS:

• 3/4 lb ground Beef
• 3/4 lb ground Pork
• 3 Garlic cloves, minced
  
• 3/4 c. bread crumbs
• 3/4 c. Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 c. Parsley
• 1/4 t. Salt
• Pepper
• lil Milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
  
• 1/2 c. Oil for browning

INGREDIENTS FOR SAUCE:

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
  
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can whole Tomatoes
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed Tomatoes
• 1/4 t. Salt
• 1 t. Sugar
• Pepper
• 1/4 c. Parsley
• 2 lbs Spaghetti Noodles
• Top with Parmesan Cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix meatball ingredients and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place in freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up and make browning easier.
   
2. Brown all sides of meatballs, 8-9 at a time in a large pot. Set on paper towels to dry. Keep oil on heat.
   
3. Sauce: Saute onion and garlic in the same large pot until tender. Then add in all sauce ingredients. Excluding last 2. Simmer on low for 20 minutes.
4. Add meatballs to the sauce. Cover and simmer on low an additional 30 minutes until meatballs are cooked through. Stirring occasionally.
   

*Perfect! The only thing I do differently is I use only ground Turkey meat. Turns out great! I also use whatever tomatoes I have in the pantry. This time I used petite diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Also, if using dry Parsley you do not need to use a 1/4 cup. Just add 1-2 T or to taste.

Enjoy! :)

Taco Soup (revisited)

This is another great soup recipe. SO easy and very tasty. I revisited this one because I have switched things up just a bit. HERE is my old taco soup recipe if interested.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 onion
• 1 can pinto beans (or whichever you prefer!)
• 1 can petite diced zesty Tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 (14 oz) can Tomato sauce
• 1/2 (6 oz) can Tomato paste (taste & add more if want)
  
• 1 can Corn with liquid
• 1 c. Chicken broth
  
• 1 pkt Taco Seasoning
• 1 pkt Ranch dressing

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown the ground beef and onions in pan.
2. Pour all ingredients into Crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours.
   
3. Serve with sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips.

*I like to use my crock pot so I don't have to make dinner in the evening and the flavors really incorporate well, but you may also just simmer the soup in a pot until heated through. :)

Wonton Fill-ups

Sorry, not the greatest picture. I wanted to show how to seal the wontons.
This is another recipe from my MIL. My husband loves these little babies. He likes to dip them in green taco sauce. I like them because 1. it is something different and 2. they are just so good!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb beef
• 1 Green Pepper
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 small onion
  
• 2 cans tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 t. Oregano
• S & P to taste
• Wonton Skins

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown meat in petite diced veggies until done.
   
2. Add sauce and seasoning. Heat through.
   
3. Fill the wontons and seal with water.
   
4. Fry in oil until golden brown.

*These are great dipped in Salsa!

Taco Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• beef
  
• onion
• 1 can tomato soup (10 oz)
  
• 1 pkt. Ranch Dressing
• 1 can Chili beans
• 1 can Kidney beans w/liquid
  
• 1 can Corn w/liquid
• 1 cup water or chicken broth
• 1 can Southern Style diced tomatoes
• 1 can Diced tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown beef in a pan with the taco seasoning.
2. Pour all ingredients into the Crock Pot and cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Top with sour cream and cheese and serve with tortilla chips.

TIP: If you like an extra kick to your soup you can add the Fiesta Ranch seasoning packet. It was almost a little too spicy for me, but my husband loved it!

Goulash (revisited)

Tyson's Dad makes this goulash and it is a favorite in our house!

INGREDIENTS:

• Potatoes
• Onion
• (2) zucchini
  
• 1/2-1 lb ground Turkey
  
• 1/2 cup Salsa
  
• 1 can Minestrone Soup
  
• 1 can String Beans
  
• 1 can Cream of Celery
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel and dice potatoes. Also dice onion and zucchini.
   
2. Put in pan with a little water and cover. Steam for 10-15 minutes. Watch the potatoes carefully because you do not want to cook them completely. (I wait to add the zucchini so it doesn't get mushy)
   
3. Cook the meat in separate pan while the vegetables steam. Season meat with pepper and seasoning salt.
   
4. Add remaining ingredients to vegetables and heat through. Add water if needed for desired consistency.
   
5. Spoon the Goulash over sliced bread and serve! Fast, Easy and so DELICIOUS!

* I had to revisit this recipe because I have added Zucchini and salsa to the recipe and it is SO yummy! Really you can add whatever vegetables you like to this recipe and it will taste good.

Indian Tacos

INGREDIENTS:

• Rhodes Texas Dinner Rolls
  
• 1 lb. Ground Beef or Turkey
• 2-3 potatoes (grated)
• 1 pkt. Taco Seasoning
• 1 can Refried Beans (Green Chili and Lime)
  
• Toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, avocado, sour cream...

DIRECTIONS:

1. Thaw the rolls and let rise twice.
2. Cook meat. When the meat is almost cooked through add the grated potatoes. If cooking Ground Turkey meat spray a little oil on it so the potatoes won't stick. Don't cook on low heat and too long because the potatoes will turn into mush. Stir in the taco seasoning and turn off heat.
   
3. Stretch the rolls out and fry them in oil.
   

* My hubby told me that his Mom would add grated potato to the meat to make it go further. I think it is a brilliant idea! You can't taste a difference and you will be able to make twice as much when adding potato. It really tastes good! My cousin Danila (link is to the side of my blog) has a taco seasoning recipe. I wanted to try it out last night, but I didn't have time because I made tacos at 9:30 at night before Tyson left for work!! Looks like a really good recipe!


* Another TIP: My SIL bakes her taco salad bowls in the oven. You place small glass bowls upside down on a baking sheet and spray them with oil. Lay the tortilla over top. Bake at 350? and take out when they turn a little golden brown. Sorry it has been awhile since I have made them, so I don't remember the exact oven temp and baking time.
These are not my pictures- sorry!

Easy Meatloaf

I don't make Meatloaf, so I don't have a recipe for it. My SIL Cami made it for us on Sunday and it was really good. She told me she got the recipe online from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Meatloaf/Detail.aspx. If I were to make meatloaf- I would use this recipe because it looks really easy to make and it was tasty!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup dried bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 1/3 cup ketchup

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine the beef, egg, onion, milk and bread OR cracker crumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste and place in a lightly greased 5x9 inch loaf pan, OR form into a loaf and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a separate small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard and ketchup. Mix well and pour over the meatloaf.
3. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Sunny's Stroganoff

Haha... I was looking for a beef stroganoff picture
online and this picture came up!

I thought it was cute!!

I made Beef Stroganoff for dinner last night and it was SUPER delicious. I think I liked it even more because it took me like 10 minutes to make!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. Ground Beef
• Seasoning Salt & pepper
• Onion (optional) I didn't have onion, so I used onion powder and dried onion for added flavor.
• 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
• 1/2 soup can of Milk
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• Wide Egg Noodles or the spiral kind

DIRECTIONS:

1. Boil Water in large pot for Noodles.
2. Cook the ground meat with the onion and seasonings. Drain off fat.
3. Add the soup and milk to the meat and heat through.
4. Stir in the sour cream just before serving. Do not boil.
5. Serve over top of the noodles.

Beef Casserole

This reminds me of a tin foil dinner. Sorry not the most
appealing picture, but it did taste really good!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 3-4 Potatoes
• 1 pkt. Dry Onion soup mix
• 1/2 Onion
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 2 Carrots
• 2 stalks Celery
• salt and pepper
• Cheddar Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook meat, onion and onion packet in sauce pan. Drain off the grease! Pour meat into 9 x 13 inch dish.
2. Slice all Vegetables.
3. Layer potatoes over meat and then celery and carrots. Season with Salt and Pepper. Spoon the Cream of mushroom soup over the top.
4. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Top with shredded cheese. (I don't always top it with the cheese, but it is good either way)

Lasagna

(This picture doesn't look pretty, but it tasted good!
I didn't have mozzarella cheese tonight.)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box Lasagna Noodles
• 1 lb Ground Beef or Turkey
• 1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce (I use 1 1/2)
• 1 container of Cottage Cheese
• 1/2 container of Sour Cream
• 1/2 box Frozen Spinach (optional)
• Shredded Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Boil Noodles until soft. Cook meat.
2. Heat Spinach in microwave and drain
3. Mix Cottage Cheese, Sour Cream & Spinach together. Combine Sauce and Meat together.
4. Layer Noodles in 9x13 dish. Then meat sauce, then cottage cheese mixture. I sprinkle the shredded cheese on the bottom and top layers. Repeat layers, 4 noodle layers should fill to the top.
5. Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes. It makes good leftovers!

TIP: I broil the garlic bread for 6 minutes or until a little crispy, before I preheat the oven for the lasagna. This way it doesn't get dried out from the hot oven (after cooking lasagna) and I don't have to preheat the oven for the lasagna.

Mom's Shepherds Pie

I think this pic was with half the potatoes, 1 can cream of mushroom soup and 1 cup milk.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 Potatoes (medium sized)
• 1 lb ground beef
• Seasoning Salt & Pepper
• 2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 can Cut Green Beans
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese (optional)
• I add a splash of worchestire sauce too, just add to taste!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel and dice potatoes. Boil until tender. Mash.
2. Brown meat in sauce pan and season with seasoning salt and pepper. Drain off fat. Return to heat. Add soup, milk and green beans. Heat through.
3. Pour meat mixture into 9x13 dish. Spread mashed potatoes on top. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. OR just broil til cheese is melted.
   

* We have switched to Ground Turkey Meat and we cannot taste the difference.

*In hurry just top them with Tator Tots instead of the mashed potatoes.