EASY TACO CASSEROLE

EASY TACO CASSEROLE
1 pound ground beef
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup salad dressing
2 tsp chili powder
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Colby cheese
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 cups shredded lettuce

In a saucepan, brown ground beef; drain. Add salsa, salad dressing and chili powder; mix well. In an ungreased 2-qt baking dish layer half of the meat mixture, chips and cheeses. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Just before serving, top with tomato and lettuce.
YIELD: 6 servings.

MANDARIN CHICKEN SALAD

Summertime IS approaching. Time for some yummy pasta-ish salads. -- Cathy

MANDARIN CHICKEN SALAD
2 cups cooked chicken
1/4 tsp. onion pwd
1 tsp salt
1 cup grapes (halved) green or red
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup mandarin oranges
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup macaroni rings (or shells)
1 cup salad dressing

Serves: 12

*This is totally a "revisable" recipe. If you want more substance, add more chicken; more or less "fruity," increase or decrease the grapes and oranges. Use this as a starting base and do a taste test and add/subtract as desired

Chicken Pot Pie

I will be sharing a series of 3 recipes that sweet young friend Rita masterfully cooked for my family not long ago. I have gotten her permission to share these gems. -- Cathy

CHICKEN POT PIE
Pastry for 2 crust 9" pie (can use Pillsbury refrigerated crusts)
4 Tbsp butter or margarine
4 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp thyme
onion
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half and half (or whole milk)
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
2-3 medium potatoes, cooked and cubed
8 oz. frozen mixed peas and carrots, cooked.

Melt butter in large pan over medium low heat. Add onions and saute' until soft. Blend in flour, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook over low heat until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in chicken broth and half and half. Return to heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir one minute. Precook chicken, potatoes, and peas and carrots, all separately. Add the chicken, potatoes, and peas and carrots to the sauce. Stir. Put bottom pastry in pie plate. Add chicken mixture. Put on top crust, venting with knife. Seal and flute edges. Cover edge with foil. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15-25 minutes.

One word: YUMMO.

Goulash

Quick and easy and tasty supper tonight.....Goulash. A friend of mine brought this over for us to have for supper after Peteyo was born. It became a regular meal for us. -- Cathy

GOULASH

1 pound hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 cup elbow macaroni
1 can tomato soup.
1 can of water.
Salt and Pepper

Brown hamburger and onion. Drain. Add macaroni, soup, and water. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Cover and let simmer until macaroni is done. Goes great with some biscuits, a bowl of peaches, some green beans.

Chicken Chow Mein

Cathy is on an Asian inspired roll! -- ml

CHICKEN CHOW MEIN

Boil boneless/skinless chicken breasts (approx 3-4) and set aside

1 bunch celery (cut up)
1-2 onions (cut up)
sauté in oil

ADD:
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups water

ADD:
1 can water chestnuts
1 can bean sprouts
cut up chicken (cooked and in pieces)
Before serving mix in 4 Tbsp cornstarch plus 4 Tbsp water to thicken

DON'T FORGET THE RICE!!!!!!!

Turkey Tetrazzini

Anything with the word "tetrazzini" in it is sure to be a hit at our house! -- ML

Tasty recipe that I honestly do not make enough.

TURKEY TETRAZZINI

1 pkg (7 oz) thin spaghetti, boken in half
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
3 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp ground mustard
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
Minced fresh parsley

Cook spaghetti according to pkg directions. Drain and place in a greased 11 x 7 x 2 baking dish. Top with turkey; set aside.

In a skillet, saute the mushrooms and onion in butter until tender. Whisk in the soup, milk, poultry seasoning and mustard until blended. Stir in the cheddar cheese; cook and stir over medium heat until cheese is melted. Pour over turkey.

Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses (dish will be full). Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with parsley. Yield: 4-6 servings

Cream of Broccoli Soup

It's extremely cold here. I mean cold for even the heartiest Minnesotan. We need solid warm food just to stay alive. Today Cathy is making soup. -- ML

A recipe I had at a friend's house in the summertime. It's a delightful soup that is light, yet satisfying. :-)

CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP

3-1/2 cups milk
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen broccoli or fresh cooked
1 envelope Lipton's Chicken Noodle Soup
1 Tbs flour

Combine broccoli and milk. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add dry soup and flour. Simmer 10 minutes until soup is slightly thickened. YUMMY!

Fish Tacos

Today's recipe is stolen off my friend Molly's Facebook page. It was posted there by my friend Jeremy J and I think he stole it from Tyler Florence, another of our Food TV idols. Pete Seegar said, "plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery." Pete might have been quoting someone else. I actually really enjoy a fish taco as long as it's not too slimy. -- ML

Fish tacos are all about the mayo and the salsa. Here are the details from my newly found recipe:

Pink Chile Mayonnaise:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
3 chipotles in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce
1/2 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mango-Radish Salsa:
2 limes - cut into "supremes"
2 mangoes, diced
4 to 5 ... Read Morered radishes, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add in some corn tortillas, shredded cabbage, and some penko-coated fried fish and you've got a great meal.

Cheesy Tuna Macaroni

Last week while you were innocently making Barbecue Beef Cups, Cathy was in the hospital. (If you're really paying attention, that is why she was cooking and freezing. ) She is absolutely fine and has returned to work this week. -- ML

This next recipe is one I just received from friend, Jody Dahlseid. I put this hot dish together before going into the hospital for my surgery, so Dean just had to throw it into the oven. This one is funny because my boys are SURE they do not like tuna. I don't know why this is, they used to eat tuna fish sandwiches when they were tots and liked them. Anyway, I asked them if they liked this hot dish and they had a unanimous "YES!" My first night back from the hospital we had the leftovers of this hot dish for supper. I asked them what they thought the "meat" was in the dish, they thought chicken. I chuckled and told them it was tuna. They didn't respond. :-)

Cheesy Tuna Macaroni

1/2 pound elbow macaroni -- cooked and drained
1 can cheddar cheese soup, condensed
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup Swiss cheese -- shredded
1 can tuna in water (I used the 5 oz can, but will use the 12 oz can next time)
1-1/2 cups french fried onions
1 cup celery -- chopped
1 tablespoon green olives -- chopped

Combine soup, milk, seasonings, 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, tuna, 1 cup fried onions, celery and olives. Stir in macaroni and mix well. Pour into 2 qt baking dish and bake covered for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Top with remaining cheese and french fried onions, bake uncovered 5 minutes.

Chili

Chili can be a controversial thing. Too hot, too spicy, too bean-y. Here Cathy shares with us a recipe for simple, non-threatening chili. -- ML

Simple, simple, simple recipe for supper tonight. Chili. This is pretty basic chili. It's the chili I grew up on, and being majority Swede, it's pretty M-I-L-D. The husband carries his bottle of Tabasco to the table with him.

Chili

Brown and drain:
1 pound of ground beef
1 large onion (sliced/chopped)

Add:
1 can stewed tomatoes (16 oz)
1 can kidney beans (16 oz)
2 cans tomatoes (16 oz each)
Some diced green peppers to your taste buds' pleasure.

Simmer about 1-1/2 hours for good flavor.

Garlic Roast Chicken

It will pain my stepdaughter to read this but my great Food TV love is Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. Sure she lives in the Hamptons and says things like, "use a teaspoon good vanilla" as though we would try to sneak in that woodpulp when she wasn't looking. Many of her recipes are straight forward and just plain tasty like this one for a garlic roast chicken. It's a favorite at our house, and I've stolen it straight off the foodtv.com website. -- ML


GARLIC ROAST CHICKEN
1 (5 to 6-pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 heads garlic, cut in 1/2 crosswise
1 lemon, halved
1/2 large Spanish onion, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut diagonally into 2-inch chunks
2 large Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 6 pieces
4 tablespoons butter, melted


As soon as you get the chicken home, salt it inside and out, wrap it and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. (Oh, please, Ina, apparently you aren't trying to keep a toddler out of the yogurt as you put the groceries away.)

When you are ready to cook the chicken, first preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken and stuff the cavity with the all the garlic and lemon. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place it in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it and the vegetables. Scatter the onion slices, carrots and potatoes around the chicken. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil. Place the vegetables back in the oven and continue cooking for an additional 15minutes.

When the vegetables are cooked, carve the chicken and place the slices on the platter surrounded by the vegetables. (Or slap it on plates and yell, "Get your butt to the table now!! I'm not going to yell again!!) Drizzle some pan juices over the chicken and vegetables.

Barbecue Beef Cups

I was just reading that one of the big predictions for 2009 is that we will be eating out less. No kidding. Thank you, big time economist. You and I both know we are addicted to Food TV and cooking shows in general and that we have been searching our local markets for things like anchovy paste. Good for us! Today, Cathy shares a recipe from her favorite little cooking diva! -- ML


Here is a yummy recipe from my good friend (HA!!), Rachael Ray.

BARBECUE BEEF CUPS

3/4 pound ground beef (I just use an even pound)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 - 16.3 oz can refrigerated biscuits (I use Pillsbury Grands)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a skillet, brown the beef over medium heat; drain off excess fat. Remove from the heat and stir in the barbecue sauce and brown sugar. Grease a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan and place a piece of biscuit dough* in each cup, stretching the dough up the sides. Divide the beef mixture among the biscuit cups, sprinkle each with cheese and bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

*The biscuits come 8 to a container; therefore, I lay out 6 biscuit doughs on a cutting board (or you can use clean counter top). I cut the remaining 2 biscuit doughs in thirds and put one-third on each of the 6 biscuit doughs. I then smash each of the 6 biscuit doughs to blend that added one-third dough, plus getting it kind of flattened BEFORE putting it into the muffin pan is a bit easier.

Chicken Deluxe

Well, Happy New Year from Dinner at Cathy's!! Cathy and I both wish you a very healthy and blessed new year! In the kitchen, Cathy is STILL cooking and feezing. Hooray -- ML

This is one of my fam's favs. It reminds us of a pot pie. AND you can make it healthier by substituting healthy versions of the soup and evaporated milk! :-)

CHICKEN DELUXE

MIX: 4 cups Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing (not the cubes) - mix with 1/2 cup melted butter.

Press 1/2 mixture on bottom of 9 x 13 pan.

COMBINE:
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup (or Cream of Chicken & Mushroom)
1 large can of evaporated milk (NOT condensed)
3 cups cooked chicken or turkey
1 - 10 oz pkg frozen baby peas
2 Tbsp. onion - cut fine
1 (or 2) large jar pimento.

Pour over stuffing mixture top with remaining stuffing.

Bake at 350 degrees for an hour.

May freeze before cooking then bake about 2 hours. You can also divide the recipe into 2 pans and bake one, freeze one; bake both; freeze both. So many options :-)

Cheesy Mostaccioli

Cathy continues to cook and freeze with this pasta dish. -- ML

CHEESY MOSTACCIOLI

1 pound Mostaccioli pasta, cooked.
1-1/2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained.
1 can Cheddar Cheese soup
1 jar (30 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 cups (12 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine pasta, meat, soup and spaghetti sauce. Add pepper, seasoning, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Mix to combine. Place in large casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese on the top. Bake for 25 minutes. Makes 8 - 10 servings.

NOTE: Again, I usually make this all up and divide it into 2 baking dishes and freeze one for a future supper OR if you make the whole recipe, divide into 2 dishes, bake, and deliver one of them to a neighbor! That is how we first were introduced to this meal. A friend delivered it to us!

This tastes deliciouso with a lettuce salad and garlic bread.
YUMM-O!

Souperior Meat Loaf

There have been a few moments in my homemaking career when I was smart to plan well enough ahead so that I could make and freeze meals. It is an amazing time saver. One time I did a month of meals in one day. (Frankly, that was too much for me, but I know it works very well for some people.) At any rate, Cathy has been cooking and freezing and she offers the following recipe. -- ML

SOUPERIOR MEAT LOAF
1 envelope of Lipton Recipe Secrets Beefy Onion Soup Mix
2 pounds ground beef
1-1/2 cups bread crumbs
2 eggs
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients. In 9 x 13 pan, shape into loaf. Bake uncovered 1 hour or until done. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes about 8 servings.

NOTE: I have never just put 1 loaf in a 9 x 13 pan. I use 2 small bread loaf pans (4 x 8) and divide the mixture between the 2. THEN, I am able to freeze the pan I do not use. Mashed potatoes and corn are ALWAYS a hit with this meal.

Chicken Parmesan

Perhaps you've had your Christmas already. Maybe you're having it this weekend. At any rate, you're probably ready for a nice chicken dish as a change of pace from the cookies or any of the salty/sweet snacks Cathy and I have been making. Here Cathy offers us an easy, tasty, cheesey break.

We are having Chicken Parmesan tonight, or as my children called it when they were young "sandy chicken," which I'm not sure is a very complimentary name for it.

Chicken Parmesan

4 chicken breasts (I use boneless skinless)

Mix together:
2 cups bread crumbs
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp oregano
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup parsley flakes
1 tsp pepper

Put a light (just a covering) layer of bread crumb mixture in bottom of baking dish. Dip chicken breasts in a beaten egg, then bread crumb mixture. Put in baking dish. I sprinkle a bit more bread crumb mixture on each chicken breast after they are in the baking dish. Put a lil' pat of butter or two on each breast. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour (until chicken is done).

Please note the bread crumb mixture accommodates more than 4 chicken breasts, sooooooo, you can either add a couple more chicken breasts OR if you just pour some of that mixture into a baggie and coat chicken that way (so you don't get egg on all of the mixture), you can freeze the excess bread mixture for another time! (It freezes great and is so handy to have on hand.)

I like to serve this with some Uncle Ben's Wild Rice and some green beans and a jello salad; perhaps lime jello with pears in it or strawberry jello with strawberries and bananas in it. Just some suggestions. :-)

German Pancakes

Cathy is mom to two strapping teenagers. On the night she was making this, she reported she was making her son Pete very happy. I often enjoy making dinner for breakfast and think this would make an awesome Christmas Eve eve dinner.

This is a yummy dish. I serve with lemon wedges and powdered sugar. Serving this with bacon, sausage or ham is a wonderful addition to this meal.

German Pancakes
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
Buttermilk

Syrup:
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar

Place eggs, milk, flour, and salt in a blender; cover and process until smooth.

Pour the butter into an ungreased 9 x 13 baking dish; add the batter.

Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the first 5 syrup ingredients; bring to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. BE CAREFUL. If you don't watch your syrup, it will boil over causing a mess on your stove. (I speak from experience)

Dust pancake with confectioners' sugar; serve immediately with the syrup.

Yield: 8 servings.

NOTE: A little syrup goes a long way on your German pancake. :-)

*For OUR family (with 2 teenagers), however, I make 1-1/2 times the German pancake portion of the recipe.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

If you're like me, you want to befriend your slow cooker as much as possible. It's just a beautiful things to pop the ingredients in earlier in the day when you have time, leave it alone and come back to a tasty dinner.

Cathy offers us this recipe for slow cooker lasagna. I haven't made it yet, but certainly plan to next week when there will be a lot of people coming and going due to the holidays.

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (29 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 package (8 oz) no-cook lasagna noodles
4 cups (16 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1-1/2 cups (12 oz) small-curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomato sauce, water, tomato paste, salt, and oregano; mix well. Spread a fourth of the meat sauce in an ungreased 5-qt. slow cooker. Arrange a third of the noodles over sauce (break noodles if necessary). Combine the cheeses; spoon a third of the mixture over noodles.Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining meat sauce.Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until noodles are tender.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings. YUMMY!

Porcupine Meatballs

It's cold out. We need something lovely and meaty for dinner.

1# hamburger
1/2 cup raw washed rice (yeah, like I spend the time to wash it..HA!)
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cans of tomato sauce (8 oz each -- I just use 1 15 oz can)
1 cup water

Mix up the meat, rice, onions, salt & pepper and make meatballs. Brown in oil, then add tomato sauce and water.

Simmer for 45ish minutes.