Monday, February 01, 2010

Introducing Wendi's "I need help with dinner" contest

All righty folks. I need your help! I've decided to have a contest on my blog. And a contest only works if people participate. And that's where you all come in.

Now that the boys are getting bigger and eating a lot more (Elijah especially), and Isaac has gotten this egg allergy confirmed, I need to come up with some better dinner options. Usually I feed the boys at about 5:30. Then when JB gets home he cooks for the two of us. The next day, I will often give the boys some of our leftovers, but sometimes I can't if they are too spicy. We also let the boys try what we eat, and sometimes we all eat the same thing, but as a rule, the two dinners is how things work in my house because JB gets home so late.

So here's what I am doing. I am having a contest on my blog for healthy and easy dinner options. I am asking you to anonymously post a recipe on this blog for a kid-friendly dinner. Please remember that the recipes should be:
  1. Anonymous (this way I don't feel bad and no one gets their feelings hurt)
  2. Healthy (at least for the most part)
  3. Easy (thirty minutes or less preferably and keeping in mind that I am a kitchen-moron! Seriously. Be specific and detailed if you think I need it.)
  4. Kid-friendly (but it's a bonus if adults would like it too!)
  5. Egg-free (no egg products at all!)

Also please keep in mind that we are open to our kids trying new things. It doesn't have to be a "typical" kid-friendly recipe for you to win the contest.

Round one

In about a week, I'll go through each of the recipes listed on this post and I will choose some to try. I am not promising a number that will make it through round one since I don't know how many people will participate. However, you make it through round one if I choose to try your recipe. I may choose not to try some based on how difficult they look or it just being something I don't think our family would enjoy. And because they are anonymous, I don't have to feel bad!

Round two

I will try each meal and post the success or failure on my blog. I may even include some pictures of how the meal preparation and eating went. There will be four judges:

  1. Will-eat-anything-but-won't-cook-a-casserole JOHN
  2. Needs-easy-recipes-because-she's-an-idiot-in-the-kitchen WENDI
  3. May-choose-not-to-even-try-your-dish ISAAC
  4. Will-eat-anything-no-seriously-anything ELIJAH*

*Votes will not be weighted equally due to the fact that he really will eat anything.

After we try each of the dishes, I will then pick a winner (and possibly a 2nd and 3rd place winner depending on the number of entries.)

At THAT point I will ask the winners to step forward and tell us who they are (if they choose.) As an award, I would like to write a profile on them for my blog (including pictures and fun stuff like that) so we can get to know some of our blog readers. If you don't want a profile, I will think of something else fun to do as an award. So don't worry. I won't embarrass you if you don't want to be embarrassed.

All right, so there it is. I'll be linking to this blog again in the next week or so so that I can remind you to put your entries in. Since it is anonymous, no one will know if you enter multiple times. Feel free to enter as many times as you think you have a qualified recipe for.

PLEASE participate! I seriously need your help. I know there are websites out there, but it is overwhelming to make my way through. I'd really like to start with some recipes from people who know me.

Let the contest begin!

P.S. You can post anonymously by just choosing that option on the comment page.

73 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh gosh this sounds like fun! My recipe is loved by my ENTIRE family and even my friends! Goolash or better known to many of you as American chop suey. Simple as pie recipe and is even better the next day hot or cold.

You will need:
1 1/2 pound of hamberger
1 onion chopped small
1 green pepper chopped small
half a box to full box of noodles plain
2-3 cans of tomato soup
1/2 pound of American cheese

brown chopped onion and green pepper with a little salt and pepper in evoo or extra virgin olive oil butter works too

after put hamberger in with onions and green pepper until hamberger is browned. Drain and put back on stove. While doing this make sure your noodles are cooking and drain too. Put noodles in with the hamberger onion green pepper mixture. Put temp. Of cooktop on medium. Add tomato soup until it's covered everything and it's wet. After add cheese slowly until the entire 1/2 pound is melted in the mixture. Put everything in a casarole dish sprinkle with plain bread crumbs if you have them. Bake for 30 min. At 350 in oven. Eat and enjoy after cooled for a bit.

Anonymous said...

I should mention yellow cheese works better

Anonymous said...

Here goes!

Spaghetti pie. I know what you're thinking it is just spghetti, yes but with a twist. This is simple simple simple.....

Cook the spaghetti, drain it and place it in a bowl and add either ricotta or cottage cheese to it. I'm leaving out the egg, or you can use an egg substitute for a little additional binding agent for the mix.
Once it is all mixed place the spaghetti in a deep pie dish making walls and leaving a nice area in the middle for the sauce and meat of your choice.
Brown the meat, drain and add a jar of pasta sauce.
place meat and sauce mixture into the middle of your spaghetti pie as you would any pie filling.
top with cheese

You will need:

spaghetti or pasta your choice
1 small container of ricotta or cottage cheese
1 egg(substitute) but I have made it without the egg
1 lb of hamburger or ground turkey
1 jar of pasta sauce
top it off with mozzarella cheese or a low fat cheese if you prefer

variations: you can add mushrooms or any other spices to your taste

Preheat the oven to 350
Bake until the cheese is nice and melted

slice the pie up to serve like you would any other pie. interesting and fun to see a wedge of pasta
serve with your choice of veggie and salad.

TAV said...

i think i will steal recipes for me to make for myself :)

grama di said...

I'm w/ Tara!

Anonymous said...

Cornflake Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes

This recipe is always a hit for me! I always make extra when I'm serving it for people and they never fail to eat every last bit and ask for more!

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes
Red potatoes
olive oil
Garlic powder
Rosemary powder
salt and pepper

In a foil-lined (for easy clean up) casserole dish or cookie sheet, chop red potatoes into uniform (adult) bite-sized pieces. I eyeball how much I make... just fill the dish until it's one to two layers deep.

Drizzle olive oil over it then toss to coast evenly. Sprinkle garlic powder, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir again to coat evenly. Again, just eyeball it until it looks like all the pieces have some flavoring on them.

Bake on middle rack for 30 minutes.

Cornflake Chicken
-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cut them in half lengthwise, so they are thinner and will therefore cook faster.
-1 cup buttermilk
2-3 cups Cornflakes. Blend in blender until powdery crumbs then pour on plate. Add salt and pepper to crumbs if you want.

Spray foil-lined (for easy clean up again!) glass casserole dish with cooking spray.

Dip chicken in buttermilk, then coat with Cornflakes. Lay in casserole dish.

Put in oven next to potatoes for remainder of time they have to cook.

Usually by the time the 30 minutes is up, everything is done at the same time! If things aren't quite done, just cook for an additional 5 minutes at a time until they are.

In case you don't know, to see if the potatoes are done, use a fork to see if they are tender. No crunchiness! To see if the chicken is done, cut a slice down the middle and make sure the meat is not pink. It should still be a little juicy though as it will continue to cook a little after you remove it from the oven.

Add whatever veggie side dish you want! I usually do corn. :)

Anonymous said...

I LOVE easy meals that you can throw in the crock pot. It makes the house smell great and dinner is done. Beef Burgundy is one of the easiest. Put a crock pot liner in your crock pot for easy clean-up. Put 1-2 lbs. of beef stew meat in the crock pot with 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, fill the empty cream of mushroom soup can with burgundy and pour that in the crock pot. Also include 1 package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix. Let it all cook for the day in your crock pot and when you are ready to eat just boil a bag of wide noodles and toss together. It is so easy and so yummy.

Anonymous said...

I forgot to mention that my kids LOVE the Beef Burgundy too. They call it "Beefy Noodles." I also have one kid that will eat everything and one that is very picky. This is something that they both eat. ;)

Anonymous said...

Slow Cooked Pepper Steak

2 lbs beef round steak
2 T vegetable oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup onion, chopped
1 T sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground giner
2 large green bell peppers, cut in strips
1/2 cup cold water
1 T cornstarch

Cooked noodles or rice.

Cut beef into 3-inch x 1-inch strips; brown in oil in a skillet. Transfer to a slow cooker. Combine the next seven ingredients; pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours(I do it all day) or until meat is tender. Combine the cold water adn cornstarch to make a paste; stir into liquid in slow cooker and cook on high until thickened. Serve over noodles or rice.

Anonymous said...

Cheeseburger Bacon Casserole

1 lb ground beef
Macaroni noodles (or whatever shape noodle you would like)
Bacon (I usually just buy the little bag of Oscar Meyer bacon that is by the salad stuff)
Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup milk

Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain. Cook noodles in pot of water. Once noodles are done, mix together the ground beef and noodles in a 9x13 pan. Add milk to noodle/beef mixture and stir. Sprinkle bacon bits over mixture (however much you would like) and cover with cheese (again, however much you like). Bake at 350 for 20 minutes (or until cheese is melted)

Anonymous said...

4-5 chicken breasts
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
Poppy seeds
1 1/2 sleeves of Ritz crackers
1 stick butter

Boil chicken breasts in water until done (I usually put the water on high until it boils and then turn it down to low for about an hour to let the chicken cook). Chop chicken up once done. Mix together all of the ingredients with the chicken (except for the crackers and butter). Pour into 9x13 pan. Crush up crackes and sprinkle on top. Melt butter and pour on top of crackers. Bake for 35-45 minutes at 350.

Jennifer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

To me, these enchiladas aren't "really Mexican" but they are very delicious!

Chicken Enchiladas

3-4 cups cooked chicken, cut up/shredded into bite sized pieces
(to do this you could go the easy route and buy a rotisserie chicken and just remove all the meat. It will be just the right amount of meat)
4 cups (16oz.) shredded cheese (I like to buy the Kraft Mexcian already shredded in the bag)
10-12 medium sized flour tortillas
2 4oz cans of diced green chilies
1/4 cup diced onion
8 oz. sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350

1.Mix, in a large bowl:
Chicken, half of cheese, diced onion, 1 can green chilies, sour cream, 1 can of cream of chicken soup and season with salt and pepper. stir until well combined

2. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

3. Fill tortillas evenly with mixture and roll up. Place seam side down in the pan.

4. In another bowl, mix remaining soup, milk and green chilies to form a sauce.

5. Pour sauce evenly over the top of enchiladas

6. Cover w/ foil and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle w/ remaining cheese and continue baking, uncovered for 10-15 minutes more until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Here is a great side dish to go with it:

Calabacitas (squash and corn)

1 yellow squash, diced
1 zucchini squash, diced
1 medium onion, diced (I prefer vidalia or other sweet onion for this recipe)
1 can corn, drained (you could also use frozen, about 2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt, pepper

Heat 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and squash, cook for about 4 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle w/ salt and pepper while cooking. Add garlic, continue cooking, stirring for about 10 more minutes until onion and squash is soft and slightly browned. Add corn and heat through.

And here is how to make easy beans to go with it:

1 cup dry pinto beans, sorted and rinsed (you have to spread the dry beans on the counter and carefully look through them for any rocks)
4 cups water
These next three ingredients are optional, although make the beans quite tasty:
1 jalapeno, chopped
1/2 chopped onion
2-3 slices bacon, chopped

Add all ingredients to a crockpot. Cook on high 4-6 hours or until beans are very soft. I find that if I cook just beans and water, then it only takes 4 hours, if I add the optional ingredients, it takes closer to 5 or 6. (probably due to the salt in the bacon and the acid in the onions and jalapenos) When the beans are soft, add 1 1/2 to 2 tsp. salt to taste. DO NOT ADD SALT until the beans are soft or they will NEVER get soft!

Anonymous said...

Oops, forgot to tell you the name of the last one with the chicken. It is called Poppy Seed Chicken.

Also, you just sprinkle the poppy seeds in until it looks good to you. They have no flavor, but are more just for look.

Anonymous said...

Our family calls this Grandma Farlow's Salad, but I am sure there is another name for it.

1 lb ground beef
Lettuce
1 can roma tomatoes
1 can Mexican corn
Catalina dressing (to liking)
1 can Ranch style beans
Yellow onion (to liking)
Shredded cheddar cheese (to liking)
Corn chips (if desired)

Brown ground beef. Cut up lettuce, roma tomatoes and yellow onion. Mix together cooked meat, lettuce, tomato, onion, Mexican corn and Ranch style beans (all will be cold, but meat). Pour Catalina dressing over this and add shredded cheese. Serve by itself or with corn chips.

Anonymous said...

Well, my kids love this meal and it is so simple and I would say healthy in a way. It is called honey mustard chicken.

Ingredients:
Skinless chicken breasts (approximately 4)
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp curry powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Melt butter in a 9x13 pan
Add all other ingredients except the chicken to the butter and mix
Add chicken and coat on both sides
Then bake for 45 minutes to an hour turning half way through and coating with the glaze again.

I usually make rice and put the chicken and some sauce over the rice and then a vegetable.

Hope this is easy enough for you.

Joy Z said...

I make that honey mustard chicken too and it is fabulous! Wendi, you really must try that one. I like to serve it with steamed broccoli, carrots and cauliflower -Just seems to go nicely with the curry.

Wendi Kitsteiner said...

Yay! People are participating! PLEASE keep them coming. They all look AWESOME! How will I decide?!

Anonymous said...

Roasted Lemon Chicken

In Skillet:

Ingredients:
1 lemon
3 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
TBSP Lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 garlic cloves
8 chicken thighs
1/4 tsp rosemary
cherry tomatoes (how ever many you desire)
greek olives (can)

small red potatoes/pasta or rice to be served with it.



Lemons thinly sliced and placed in pan
add the rest of the ingredients and cook on stove top

Anonymous said...

My recipe is Chicken, Carrots and Potatoes
It is six ingredients and it is easy to make. All of my family which includes 5 children who are particular about what they eat really love this dish.

You will need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
a 1 pound bag of baby carrots
1 or 2 red potatos per person.
Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese
Italian salad dressing

Rinse off your chicken and place in the center of a baking dish.
Rinse off your potatos and cut them into small pieces and place them around the edges of the baking dish. Rinse off the baby carrots in a colander and then place them on top of the potatos.
Sprinkle Italian Seasoning over the top of everything in the dish.
Pour the entire bottle of Italian dressing over everything in the dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.

If you are going to cook right away then preheat your oven to 425 degrees and then put your dish in for an hour.

You can also put foil over the top and place in the fridge if you want to cook it later.

Anonymous said...

Very yummy and low cal

Classic Herb Chicken

Ingredients:

1 cup Toasted or Honey Crunch Wheat Germ
1 TBSP italian seasoning
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried minced onion
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup water
1 egg white (substitute with egg substitute for Isaac)
4 skinless chicken breast halves or a 3 lb. chicken cut up.

Preheat oven to 400.

combine wheat germ and seasonings, set aside

combine water and egg substitute

dip chicken into water/egg mixture and then into wheat germ mixture. coating the chicken thoroughly

non stick cooking spray the bottom of pan

place in ungreased baking pan 13 x 9

bake for 20 minutes for boneless chicken breasts or 45 minutes for bone in chicken

Serve with your choice of side dishes mashed taters, rice, pasta and veggie.

Anonymous said...

I noticed that you are getting a lot of chicken so to add a little something different.
My nephews favorite and one that can be so versatile in the way it is used. I have to make it every time he visits me.

Hot Beef Sandwiches

You will need the following:

1 large onion saute'd in butter
1/2 cup catsup
1/2 cup Worchestershire sauce
1 or 2 cans of tomates
1 can of water (use tomatoe can)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar (Cider vinegar)
1 green pepper (optional)
3 to 4 lbs chuck blade roast
salt and pepper to taste

Works great either way that you prepare it, either throw everything in the plan or crock pot together.
Simmer all together for 4 to 5 hours.
Break up the meet for sandwiches.

Variations:
can be put on toasted bread for open face
buns for a BBQ like sandwich
over noodles of your choice
with fries or sweet potato sticks
any vegetable as a side dish

Is really great the next day for leftovers.

Anonymous said...

Here's another slowcooker recipe: Chicken Stroganoff-
2-3# boneless/skinless chicken
(cut into bite size)
1 can cream of chicken soup
(Healthy Recipe works great)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
(Healthy Recipe works great)
2 t garlic pwdr or 2 garlic cloves
(chop garlic)
1/2 white/yellow onion - diced
1 Cup Sherry (cheap works well)
Pepper to taste
2-3 shakes of Worchshire

Line slow cooker with liner, fill with above ingredients, stir well. Cover & cook on Hi for 4 hrs or Low for 6-8 hrs. Great served over pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or dressing.

Anonymous said...

Try this with either white Fish (like tilapia or cod) or Chicken breast.
Cut in strips
Roll in melted butter (use 1 stick which =1/2 cup) melted for about 1 lb of meat)
Coat in either: crushed fine(you can crush them in a ziploc)cornflakes or bread crumbs.
Season with salt and pepper for kids-add more seasioning if you want for the grown-ups.
Cook in 425 oven (pre-heat) on a buttered (or use Pam) baking sheet for about fifteen/twenty minutes.

Both chicken and fish will be white inside when done-don't overcook.

Serve with Brocolli "trees" (just cut the tops off a handful of broc, leave a little stem, rinse, put in a bowl with a small amount of water and cover tight with saran wrap-microwave for only about 2 min) put butter and maybe little lemon on top)
You can also have some fries -sweet potato or reg or mac and cheese as another side dish
Have fun experimenting!

Anonymous said...

Sweet Ham and Yams. I Love that this gets made in a foil packet on the grill. Such easy clean-up!! For as simple as this recipe is, the taste is brilliant. Here's the recipe:
2 lb. boneless fully cooked ham
40 oz. can sweet potatoes, drained
4 apples
Ground cinnamon
5 T. plus 1 tsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup

Cut ham into small chunks. Cut each apple into 8 slices. Cut 8 (12-inch) squares of heavy-duty foil. Place an equal portion of ham and sweet potatoes on each piece of foil. Place 4 apple slices on top of each pack. Sprinkle each pack with cinnamon and 2 tsps. brown sugar, then drizzle 1 tablespoon syrup on top of each serving. Wrap foil in a tightly sealed tent pack around each serving. Place on grill over direct heat, close lid and cook for 10-20 minutes or until heated through and apples are tender but not mushy.

Anonymous said...

Easiest BBQ Chicken EVER!

-Chicken breasts (or tenders if you want it to cook faster)
-Italian Dressing (I like Ken's) to marinate chicken
-BBQ Sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ)

-Marinate Chicken with Dressing
-Cook at 350 for 30 minutes (if cooking breasts...shorter for the tenders)
-Warm BBQ Sauce then poor over chicken and serve with potatoes or rice or whatever sides you like with BBQ

My Son LOVES this, but he eats the chicken with ketchup instead of BBQ Sauce

Anonymous said...

Chili

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion finely chopped
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatos
1 can chili beans
1 Tblspoon chili powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried mustard
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground oregano

heat large kettle on stove.
place a small amount of oil in bottom and saute onions for a few minutes. Add ground beef, all the spices and 1/2 c. water. Cook until the meat is browned. (you don't have to add the water when browning the meat, but I've found that it helps break the meat down into smaller, more easily chewed pieces.) Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili bean with their liquid, and one can of water. Simmer.

Serve with crakers, sour cream and/or cheese.

Anonymous said...

Salsa Chicken

1 pkg boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1 jar of salsa
1 sm. pkg shredded colby/jack cheese
fresh cilanto (optional)
lime (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Heat frying pan with a little oil. Salt and pepper the chicken (I like to use garlic salt). Brown chicken on both sides (just a few minutes each). Place chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish. Pour salsa over chicken and sprinkle desired amt of cheese on top (I like cheese so I use a lot). Bake for 30 min to 1 hr. - until juices run clear. When serving you can place some chopped fresh cilantro on top and squeeze some fresh lime juice over it.

To add a different flavor you can marinade the chicken in 1/3 c. tequila and 1/3 cup lime juice with one or two cloves of garlic thrown in (peel the garlic and smash it open). Place chicken breasts and marinade in a plasitc baggie and place in fridge for 30 min before browning chicken. Discard extra marinade.

Anonymous said...

this was always one my mom made we loved it as kids and Jack now eats it... it is beyond easy!!!
Catalina Chicken....

Chicken breasts
bottle of catalina dressing
provolone cheese
rice
peas

Put chicken in a baking dish cover with the catalina dressing.
You can marinade it overnight or for an hour...it really doesnt matter.
Cook at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, just before it is done put the provolone cheese on top until melted...

My family always made rice and peas with it...you can have a salad too...

I just made pot roast last nite for dinner and that is another super easy one and jack loves it!! I am constantly asking my mom for some other 'family friendly' dinners...I have a few I can always email you more...they are all easy too!! Hope this is a good one!!

Anonymous said...

Butternut Squash Casserole (aka Healthy Mac n'cheese)

1/2 butternut squash peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (2 cups) (I cheat and buy the frozen squash that's already in cubes!)

2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2lb whole-wheat elbows
2 Tbs butter (I use Smart Balance)
2 Tbs flour
1 1/2 cups reduced-fat milk
1 3/4 cups low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded and divided

Preheat oven to 375 degreed. Toss squash with salt and oil on a foil-lined tray and bake for 20min or until tender

Cook pasta for 2 minutes less than package directions call for; drain and place in a bowl with squash.

Meanwhile, melt butter over low heat, whisk in flour and cook for 2 min. Slowly whisk in milk. Bring mix to a boil, then simmer. Cook 3 min, stirring occasionally. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese; stir until melted.

Stir cheese sauce into pasta and squash.

Put into greased baking pan, sprinkle on remaining cheese and bake until bubbly and golden on top (about 10min).

Anonymous said...

Easy (Yummy) Meatloaf
(no breadcrumbs, no eggs)

1 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, grated
1 package chopped spinach
4 oz sliced mushrooms (I used canned)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1lb ground beef
1lb ground turkey
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp mustard
1 small can tomato sauce

Heat oven to 350. In a large frying pan (coated with oil or cooking spray) saute onion, carrots, spinach and mushrooms until soft and wilted. Add soy sauce and continue to stir, cooking for a total of 8 to 10 min. Put meats into a large mixing bowl and mix with salt, pepper, mustard, and veggie mix until well blended. Put into pan. Cover meat with tomato sauce. Bake uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes.

(Note- combining the hamburger and the ground turkey cuts the fat in the hamburger, but keeps it from being too dry as it might be with just ground turkey. Also- you can use whatever combo of veggies you like- peppers, celery, etc.)

Anonymous said...

Homemade Chicken Veggie Soup

(The easy way)
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 bag frozen-steam-in-bag mixed veggies (carrots, baby potatoes, green beans, anything goes)
Chicken (canned or precooked)
1 stalk Celery
Wheat noodles (or regular)

Boil water, add noodles and bouillon. Heat veggies in microwave. Add veggies and chicken.

I like to serve with garlic biscuits (that come in the "just add water" bags).

Enjoy!

Anonymous said...

Crockpot Pulled Pork Sandwiches

1 2-3lb pork loin roast
1/4 cup apple juice
salt and pepper
1 bottle of favorite BBQ Sauce (we like sweet baby rays sweet and spicy)
favorite hamburger rolls

Cut off all visible fat from Pork loin roast. Place in crockpot on low heat. Pour apple juice over it. Salt and Pepper to taste. Cook for 6-8 hours. Shred Pork. Pour BBQ sauce until meat is well coated. (About 1/2 a bottle) Serve on Hamburger buns.

As I side dish we usually have either a veggie salad or veggie sticks (cucumber, celery, carrots)

Bon Appetit!

Anonymous said...

Wendi, you will love this. EASY EASY EASY and very kid friendly!

Mexican Lasagna
1lb. ground beef or turkey
1 pkg. dry taco mix seasoning
1 c. water
12 (6") corn tortillas
1 c. salsa
1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (4oz.) can sliced black olives, drained
1 (4oz.) can mild chilies, drained
2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown meat; add seasoning and 1 cup water. Cook until thick. Spray a 9 X 13 pan. Place 6 tortillas on bottom of pan, overlapping them. Mix salsa and tomato sauce; set aside. Top tortillas with half the meat, corn, olives, and chilies. Pour half the salsa and sauce mixture over this and sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat, finishing with cheese. Bake 20 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Anonymous said...

Hi Wendi-
I have a REALLY easy recipe for ya. My family loves this and I have picky eaters.
Shepards Pie

You can either make this in a crock pot on low for 5-6 hours or cook in oven til potatoes are done. I usually make in crockpot.

fry one pound hamburger
1 can corn
1 can green beens
1 can tomato soup
1 tsp basil
mix together leave on bottom
sprinkle chedder cheese over it(how ever much you like we do quite a bit bc we love cheese)
Then mix instant potatoes(don't heat just put on top) and put on top of that and cook. I usually makes the 6 serving size but you could make less if you'd like. It is awesome! Doesn't sound very appetizing but we love it!

Anonymous said...

Tortillini & Spinach

Ingredients:
-2 packages of Cheese Tortillini (dry found in the pasta aisle)
-1 small bag of fresh spinach
-1 pkg of grape tomatoes (sliced in halves)
-1 tsp diced garlic
-1/2 cup chicken broth
-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions
-In large saucepan heat garlic and chicken broth at medium heat (add pepper flakes as well if desired)
-In another pot heat water for tortillini and cook according to package directions.
-Once chicken broth and garlic is heated add tomatoes and spinach in pan, heat until spinach is wilted and tomatoes are cooked through
-Drain cooked tortillini and add to saucepan with the rest of the ingredients. Stir together for a minute to mix flavors and enjoy!

Anonymous said...

Sorry spelled Tortellini wrong!

Anonymous said...

Slow-Cooked Southwest Chicken (from Taste of Home)

* 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained
* 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
* 1 jar (8 ounces) chunky salsa
* 1 cup frozen corn
* 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 3 cups hot cooked rice

* In a 2- or 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the beans, broth, tomatoes, chicken, salsa, corn and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until chicken shreds easily with two forks.
* Shred chicken and return to the slow cooker; heat through. Serve with rice. Yield: 6 servings.

I like to add cheese at the end. you can also dial up or down the spice level, depending on the kind of salsa you use, and whether you used diced tomatoes with or without green chilies. Enjoy!

Becky said...

I am going to look through my recipes and see if I find something that will work.

I have to tell you the disclaimer about Elijah made me laugh out loud. Too funny!

Anonymous said...

Shrimp Scampi

8 oz. package angel hair pasta
1/2 c. butter
4 cloves minced garlic
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. dry white wine (can omit this and sub more chicken broth)
3/4 c. grated parmesan
1 T chopped fresh basil
2 small plum tomatoes, diced

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in pasta and cook 2-3 minutes. (I set the timer for 2 minutes) DO NOT OVERCOOK or pasta will stick together. Drain pasta, rinse with hot water and drizzle with olive oil and toss. Set aside
2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and shrimp. Cook, starring often for 3 minutes until shrimp is about HALF pink.
3. Stir in wine and chicken broth, cook 2 minutes longer or until shrimp is completely pink.
4. Mix shrimp w/ pasta in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle w/ parmesan, basil and tomatoes.
Serve immediately

Anonymous said...

I don't know what this is called: Oriental-broccoli-chicken-stuff

8 oz. angel hair pasta
2 cups broccoli florets ( I use frozen)
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1/2 c. Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
2 T soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/3 c. chopped dry roasted peanuts or almonds

Cook pasta as directed on box and add in the broccoli to the water while you are boiling the noodles.
Drain. Set aside.

Heat large skillet and spray with cooking spray or a little oil. Add chicken, cook 6-8 minutes or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing and all the seasonings; cook 1 minute.

Add chicken to pasta, mix lightly. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Anonymous said...

Sweet and Sour Pork

1 lb. pork tenderloin
2 cans (8oz. each) pineapple tidbits
1/3 c. ketchup
1/3 c. water
2 T. each: soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and cornstarch
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 tsp. ginger
2 T. oil
1 medium onion, cut into chunks
1 green pepper, cut into chunks
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
hot cooked rice

1.Cut the tenderloin into strips, set aside.
2.Drain pineapple, reserving juice in a small bowl. Set pineapple aside.
3. To juice, add ketchip, water, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, pepper and ginger. stir until smooth
4. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high (closer to high) Stir-fry pork and onions for 5-7 minutes or until pork is no longer pink.
5. Stir pineapple juice mixture; add to skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
6. Add pineapple and green pepper. reduce heat, cover and cook 5 minutes. Serve over rice

Anonymous said...

Chicken and Cashew Stir-fry

INGREDIENTS

2 chicken breasts, sliced thinly on the diagonal
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
6 green onions, sliced on an angle, 3cm lengths
150g snow peas, trimmed and halved lengthways
½ cup unsalted cashew nuts
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
115g packet baby corn
2 tablespoons salted black beans, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons cornflour
2 tablespoons honey
steamed rice, to serve
METHOD

Marinate chicken in combined garlic, soy and lemon juice while you prepare the vegetables.

Slice green onions into about 3cm lengths on an angle, trim and halve the snow peas lengthways.

Heat a wok over a high heat and add cashew nuts. Cook, tossing often until they are browned. Remove from the wok and set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in the wok and cook drained chicken in batches until browned and tender; set aside.

Add remaining oil and stir-fry onions, baby corn, snow peas and black beans until just tender. Return chicken to the wok and toss until mixed well.

Dissolve cornflour into the marinade and add to stir fry with cashews and honey; bring sauce to the boil, then simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened.

Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Anonymous said...

This Chili recipe is sweet, not spicy. Much more kid-friendly than its spicy relatives!

Kid's Favorite Chili

1 lb Ground Turkey
1/2 C Chopped Onion
1 can pork and beans
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can tomato soup, undiluted
1 Tbs Brown Sugar
1 Tbs Chili Powder

In large saucepan, cook turkey and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10-15 mins or until heated through.

*you can also brown the meat and then dump all the ingredients into a slow-cooker turned on low for a couple hours.

Either way, it's YUMMY!

Anonymous said...

Chili

(i'll post it as i make it, but you can leave out the meat if you wish, and you can make it as mild or as spicy as you wish when you select the beans and seasoning mix, or if you use your own.)

1 lb hamburger
onion, to taste (i use 1/4 - 1/2 onion, depending on what's available)
3 cans Bush's chili beans (nutritional label looks better, though it costs a little more than no-name brand)
1 can dark kidney beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 package McCormick's Chili Seasoning

Brown 1 lb of lean hamburger with onion, chopped; drain. Add Chili Seasoning; stir. Add tomato sauce and all beans with juice; mix well. Cook on medium heat until hot, stirring fairly often. Enjoy!

Makes approximately 6 adult servings. This chili is especially good as leftovers!

Anonymous said...

Baked Spaghetti

1 16oz box whole wheat spaghetti
1 lb lean hamburger
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
1 24 oz can crushed tomatoes
onion, to taste (about 1/4 or 1/2 onion)
garlic, to taste
oregano, to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
mozzarella cheese
pepperoni, optional (not as healthy, but a fun twist for kids)

While you cook the whole box of spaghetti, brown hamburger with onion in a large pot; drain hamburger. Add tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes; season to taste. Cook on medium heat until hot, stirring frequently.

Once spaghetti is done, drain. Layer sauce, spaghetti, mozzarella and pepperoni (optional) in a 13x9 dish (i usually get only 2 layers); top with cheese. Bake in over at 350 degrees until cheese melts. Stick some bread in the oven at this time if you wish.

While spaghetti is baking, clean up spaghetti pan and sauce pan. Now you only have one dish and your plates to clean up after supper!

This will generally feed about 10 adults. Put the dish in the fridge to cool, and this is very easy to cut into single-servings that you can freeze. Makes for quick and easy leftovers, whether you eat it all in a few days, or whether you freeze some for later!

Anonymous said...

Sopa Tarasca
(bean soup from Mexico)

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
garlic, to taste
2 14 oz cans pinto beans
onion (1/4 - 1/2 onion)
1 14 oz can stock (i prefer vegetable, but you can use chicken)
tortillas
muenster cheese

Pour a tablespoon or so of oil in a large pot; add diced tomatoes and garlic and cook (stir!) on medium for about 5 minutes. While this is cooking, puree pinto beans and juice with a hand-held mixer (like you use to make a milkshake). Add pureed beans to the pot; stir. After about 5 minutes, add stock. Cook on medium or medium-low heat until hot.

Take tortillas and cut into 1-inch strips. Fry in canola oil in pan on stove (just until they are crisp). Make about 1 tortilla per adult. Use muenster cheese to make quesadillas (just cheese on a tortilla, folded over in half).

Cube some of the muenster and put in bowls; pour soup over cheese. (this may be too cheesy, or messy, for the kids) Dip fried tortillas and quesadillas in soup and enjoy!

This serves 4 adults.

Anonymous said...

Hawaiian Chicken

Cook 2-3 lbs of chicken in boiling water. Cool and remove skin and bones and put pieces in a casserole dish. Pour 1/4 of melted butter over chicken.
Drain the juice from a 9oz can of pineapple chunks (I usually use the large 12 or 16oz size)
and mix with

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup of catsup
2 TBLS cornstarch
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce

Cook until thick, stirring constantly. Add pineapple chunks and pour over chicken.
Bake covered at 350 for 1 hour stirring occasionally.
Serve over rice

Anonymous said...

TATER TOT CASSEROLE
1# ground beef or turkey (raw)
2 medium onions
American cheese slices
1 can green beans (drained)
1 bag frozen tater tots

Put all together as layers, beginning w/ ground meat (bottom) and ending w/ tater tots (top) in casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 2 hour-uncover last 1/2 hour.

(can use any cheese you like and cut down onion or use minced onion. Sometimes use gorn instead of beans or 1/2 of each. Totally different taste from turkey or beef)

Wendi Kitsteiner said...

Oh my goodness! This is a lot of entries! Keep 'em coming. There are so many good ones!

Anonymous said...

Since we're talking about 2 children under the age of 2. This may be helpful for getting them to eat their veggies! It's healthy, quick & easy! My favorite combination!

Microwave a potatoe until soft.
Microwave or steam some cauliflower - or any other veggie
Mix the 2 ingredients in a food processor or by hand.
add a little milk, butter and salt and walaah! Delicious mashed potatoes and sneaky veggies!
My kids love this!

If you want you can stir in a favorite meat after the potatoe combo is mixed. Cubed Turkey Polish Sausage, or Ham is good.

Anonymous said...

Can't remember what this is called

Needed:

1 package of noodles
1 small package of sliced mushrooms
1 small container of half n half
dry cooking sherry
parmesan cheese
boneless chicken breasts (I use 3 sometimes 4)
*I add peas to mine to get a veggie in there

Cook the noodles, drain and set aside
par boil the chicken
take sliced mushrooms and add them to deep fry pan to saute with a little butter/or spray pam and then top off with a bit of cooking sherry in the pan to give them a nice glaze
cut up the chicken into chunks and add them to the pan with the mushrooms
add in the noodles
blend them together
pour in your half and half over the noodes/chicken/mushroom mixture and simmer & stir occassionally to check for thickening
add parmesan cheese when you see the mixture starting to thicken
add in peas if you so desire or use them as a side dish.

Anonymous said...

light fast quick easy meal is Fish Tacos

soft tortillas
*broccoli slaw (comes packaged in the veggie section of grocery store w/thinly sliced carrots)
fish
avacado
pineapple or mango salsa
shredded cheese
sliced black olives
sour cream
*refriend beans as a side dish or a black bean

For the fish I have used Tilapia, Swordfish, Mahimahi

*if you wish to switch out incredients for the slaw you can use lettuce or spinach, I just try to sneak in veggies wherever possible

cook the fish (I use a George Foreman - so easy)
prepare the tacos by layering incredients
I add the avacado like a mayo with it all smooth
dice tomatoes

simple salsa:
I use sometimes pineapple or mango
canned mango works well if you don't have access to fresh, sliced pineapple canned again if you don't have access to fresh
chopped together with a red onion, pepper, and tomato
hot pepper if you can stand it but I can't
cilantro

I like to put my ingredients in one of those lazy susan type containers on the table for everyone to layer their own

NOTE: With a George Foreman even with the fish frozen it only takes a matter of minutes and it is finished. I don't know why I've waited so long to try one of these machines but it really does take a lot of the work out of either pan frying or waiting for an oven to heat up to oven cook. I can't say enough about how nice it is to have any type of these machines available for a quick fast easy meal.

Anonymous said...

I suggest when you try to figure out which ones to try print them off and put them into meat categories to help arrow it down. I see that there are a LOT of chicken meals so that would be the hardest category for me to figure out which ones. Looks like you could have several weeks worth of recipes to try and not repeat a meal once. :)

Anonymous said...

Here's a few more recipes!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Stuffing
boneless chicken pieces
2 pkg. stove top stuffing
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
3 tbsp. margarine
1 tsp poultry seasoning or chicken bouillon powder
1/2 tsp sage
onions and/or celery, optional

Lightly grease slow cooker. Spread chicken pieces over bottom of cooker. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix remaining ingredients until all the stuffing is moist. Scoop mixture over chicken pieces in slow cooker and cook for 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

Easy Chicken Casserole

1 cup uncooked long grain rice
chicken pieces
1 tin cream of mushroom soup
1 2/3 cup water
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 tsp. paprika
chopped onion and mushroom, to taste

Put rice into a large casserole dish. Lay chicken parts over top.Sprinkle onions and mushrooms (and whatever other veggies you would like to add) over top of the chicken. In separate bowl, stir soups, water and paprika. Pour over chicken and veggies. Cover and Bake in 325 degree oven for 1- 1 1/2 hours until rice and chicken are cooked.

Easy Oven Stew

2lb. stewing beef (or farmers sausage)
1 c. carrots, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups canned or frozen peas or corn or beans or any combination thereof
1 can tomato soup
1/2 can water
dash pepper
salt to taste, although I like to use other spices instead like oregano, basil and parsley
1 bay leaf

Stir all meat and veggies together and in a separate bowl, stir soup, water and spices together.
Mix all together in a large casserole dish. Cook uncovered in oven at 275 degrees for 5 hours. (Or 300 degrees for 4 hours or 325 degrees for 3 hours or in a slow cooker at low for 6-8 hours or on high for about 4 hours works too!)
I like to serve this stew with corn bread but that's not required! If you want to try making corn bread, just buy some corn meal and there should be a simple recipe for it on the package.

Anonymous said...

My kids GOBBLE these up; well, we all do! Amazing! Fantastic!

Tuna Cakes
2 cans (6 oz. each) light tuna in water, drained, flaked
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese
3/4 cup water
1 carrot, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Sweet Pickle Relish

Mix all ingredients. Refrigerate 10 min.
Heat large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat. Use ice cream scoop to add 1/3-cup portions of tuna mixture, in batches, to skillet.
Flatten into patties with back of spatula. Cook 6 min. or until golden brown on both sides, carefully turning patties over after 3 min.

Anonymous said...

This is by far my all-time very favorite main dish, and the one I make the most often. I will often use the entire package of hot dogs (all 8 instead of just the 5 called for in the recipe).

Bunkhouse Beans
1 cup salsa
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
5 hot dogs, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 cans (16 ounces each) pork and beans, drained
1 can (16 ounces) chili beans, undrained
1 can (16 ounces) butter beans or lima beans, rinsed and drained

In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Stir in the beans; pour into an ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Anonymous said...

Chicken Broccoli Rice-a-Roni

1 package Rice-a-Roni (i use chicken flavor)
2-3 chicken breasts
16 oz bag of frozen broccoli flowerettes
mozzarella cheese
basil

i'm always afraid of cooking chicken, so i boil the chicken for about 20 - 30 minutes to ensure that it is done. the recipe actually says to put the raw chicken in with everything else to cook, but i can't do that. so...

boil chicken until done. after the chicken has boiled for about 15 minutes, prepare rice-a-roni in large skillet per directions on the box. once it is ready to simmer covered, remove chicken from water and cut into bite-sized pieces; add to skillet. Add basil, to taste. Add broccoli. When rice is cooked and broccoli is thawed, mix well and top with mozzarella cheese; cover until cheese melts. enjoy!

this recipe generally feeds about 4 adults.

Anonymous said...

crock pot meals are the best!

brown beans

put 4 cups cranberry / october beans in crock pot. fill with water; add salt and pepper. let cook on high for at least 5 hours. monitor water level if possible and add more if necessary. we make cornbread and chop onions to add to the beans; i use only ketchup on my beans.

roast

peel potatoes and carrots - enough to fill the bottom of your crock pot. cut large potatoes in half, cut carrots into whatever length you prefer. add enough water to just cover your vegetables. lay a roast on top of the veggies. slice an onion and lay slices on top of meat. salt and pepper meat to taste. cook on high for about 5-6 hours (i leave mine all day while i'm at work). yum! (the meat may not be as tender if you add more water, so be careful of that. you won't need a knife if your water only covers the veggies.)

cowboy beans

1 package 15 bean soup (flavor doesn't matter)
24 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 lb ground beef
1 polska kielbasa
onion

pour beans into crock pot with plenty of water. cook on high for 3-4 hours. you can prepare the meat before-hand, or at the time you add it... once beans are done, or mostly done, brown your hamburger with onion (1/2 onion) and add to crock pot. cut kielbasa into bite-sized pieces and add to crock pot. add crushed tomatoes; salt and pepper to taste. once all ingredients are added, it's ok to add more water if the crockpot allows. cook for another hour or so. we make cornbread to eat with this as well. enjoy!

Anonymous said...

Chesse Potato Soup

8 cups chopped baking potatoes
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 medium brick of velveeta
16 ounces sour cream
bacon bits
shredded cheddar cheese

Peel potatoes then chop them up into bite size peices. Put in pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender. DO NOT DRAIN WATER! Add both cans of soup and Velveeta (i cut up the Velveeta into chunks so taht it will melt faster). Stir frequently until Velveeta is melted. Add sour cream and stir until blended.

Serve up your soup and enjoy. As you are putting the soup into the bowls you can put the bacon bits and shredded cheese on top.

Anonymous said...

p.s....I hope Velveeta doesn't have eggs.

Anonymous said...

p.s.s My four kids love this soup.

p.s.s.s This is great as leftovers, too.

p.s.s.s.s You and John have had this before.

p.s.s.s.s.s. you better pick me.

Anonymous said...

Grandma's Vegetable Beef Soup (good cold or hot)

1-2 lbs. ground beef, browned (or cubed beef browned - left over roast works too)
i can tomato juice
6-8 cups beef broth
2 stalks celery (diced - about one heaping cup)
1 large onion diced
3 cups diced potatoes
4 cups frozen or fresh mixed veggies
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 Tbsp. sugar
Seasonings, garlic salt/powder, fresh garlic,salt and pepper or you can add Italian seasonings, put all together and simmer till potatoes and veggies are tender, enjoy (Very popular!!)

Anonymous said...

Skinny Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
--1 can (16 ounces) fat-free refried beans
--1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
--1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
--1-1/2 cups frozen corn
--1 can Rotel-Original
--1/2 cup water
----3/4 cup cubed cooked chicken breast (I buy the Tyson cubed Chicken Breasts in the freezer section)
--2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided
--28 tortilla chips, divided


Directions:
First brown the chicken following the directions on the back of the bag. Usually just three-five minutes.

While the chicken is browning combine the first six ingredients in a large pot. Add the browned chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup cheese; cook and stir over low heat until melted. Crumble half of the tortilla chips into soup bowls. Ladle soup over chips. Top each serving with two crumbled chips; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

This is a very easy and quick recipe that we love!

Anonymous said...

A Super Bowl favorite:

Baked Potato Skins

4 large baking potatoes, baked
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
4 green onions, sliced

Directions

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-in. shell (save pulp for another use). Place potatoes skins on a greased baking sheet. Combine oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, paprika and pepper; brush over both sides of skins. Bake at 475 degrees F for 7 minutes; turn. Bake until crisp, about 7 minutes more. Sprinkle bacon and cheddar cheese inside skins. Bake 2 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and onions.

These go great with any chili recipe

Anonymous said...

I need to apologize for sending you an egg laden recipe! Duh. I was having so much fun reading all the recipes and getting ideas that it inspired me to post one of my "go to" recipes and I failed to remember a very critical requirement for your home. My apologies. You might already follow this blog, but Missy has written a great series on her daughters food allergies (eggs being on of them). FYI

www.themarketingmama.com

Anonymous said...

Meatloaf Muffins with Barbecue Sauce (Rachel Ray 30 min. meals for Kids)

I normally can't stand meatloaf, but this stuff is delicious.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion
1 small green pepper
(I use a food processor and almost puree the onion and green pepper - no chunks for kids to see and say they don't like it)
a splash of milk
1 cup plain bread crumbs
2 T grill seasoning (I use one that doesn't have a lot of pepper in it. otherwise it gets too spicey)
1 C. smokey BBQ sauce (I use Famous Daves Sweet and Zesty)
1/2 c. tomato salsa
1 T Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 12-muffin tin with oil or use aluminum foil muffin cups (makes cleaning much easier)

Place gr. beef in med. bowl
Add onion and gr. pepper to food processor and chop fine. Add to the meat. Next add milk, bread crumbs and grill seasoning

In a seperate, small bowl mix salsa, bbq sauce, and worchestshire sauce together. Pour half of the mixture into the bowl with the meat and mix well. Using a spoon or a large ice cream scoop, fill muffin tins with meat mixture. Top each meatloaf muffin with a spoonful of reserved sauce. Bake 15-20 min.

I serve it with mashed potatoes and green beans.

My mouth is watering now.

Anonymous said...

I forgot one ingredient in my fish tacos recipe for the salsa.

I put in one complete juice of a lime.

*sorry about that*

Anonymous said...

Hamburger Mush

I made this up myself. It is a family favorite.

1 lb. browned groud beef
frozen mixed veggies*
2 cans cr. mushroom soup
cooked pasta (3-4 cups?)*
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
enough to fill your cass. dish...like I said I made this up!
Mix all ingredients, except crackers, in casserole dish. Crumble crackers over top. Bake in oven at 350 until ingreds. are warmed together, about 30 mins. Easy ONE dish meal!

Anonymous said...

Tortizzas

Homemade "pizza" using tortilla shells.

We simply use spaghetti sauce, favorite pizza toppings and cheese. broil to melt/warm all ingreds. together. Easy and Fun. When the boys get older they will love helping you make these. Everyone can make their own with their favorite toppings. We borrowed this idea from Tropical Smoothie!

Blessed Blackman Bunch said...

Taco Soup
Fam. fav. for fall and winter. My children even loved it when they were younger.

2 lbs.ground beef (browned & drained)
1 can rotel, mild
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cans white corn
2 ranch packs
2 taco seasoning packs
Dump all cans in slow cooker or large pot. DO NOT DRAIN CANS!! Add meat and dry seasoning packs. Allow to cook until all igredients are warmed together- 30-45 mins. I put mine in the slow cooker on low for the day or a few hours. Makes a TON!
Serve over tortilla chips or fritos topped with shredded cheese and sour cream. YUMMY!

Anonymous said...

ooops....I wasn't anonymous on the taco soup. :P

Blessed Blackman Bunch said...

Taco soup also freezes WONDERFULLY to pull out at a later date! :)