M is for Macaroni and Mexican...

    There were 6 people in our family when I was growing up. Momma, Daddy, 2 growing boys and 2 girls (and us girls could eat just as much as the boys could) So my mom was always looking for ways to stretch the food budget. This was a good one to make to help that out. The ring presentation may have made an appearance the first time, but after that it was just dump it all together and dish it out. She had four hungry kids, who were more interested in eating than looking.

Artwork by Pamela Jo

Macaroni Mexicaine

Ingredients:

1 (8oz) pkg  elbow macaroni
1 lb      ground beef
½ c      chopped onion
2 Tbs   butter or margarine
1 tsp    salt
1 Tbs   flour
1 c       water
2 c       canned tomatoes
1 c       diced celery
2 Tbs   chili powder
2          bay leaves crumbles
¼ c      chopped parsley

Directions:

   Saute the onion in butter.  Add beef and salt.  Continue to cook until browned.  Add the flour to the
water and mix well.  Pour into beef mixture and cook until thickened.  Put in the tomatoes, celery,
chili powder and bay leaves.  Cover and cook until well done.  Add parsley 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
   Cook macaroni according to package directions.  Drain and make a ring on platter.  Pour meat mixture into the center and serve.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Artwork by Pamela Jo

Okay so it is an international meal...Italian and Mexican..


This would be great to serve this in don't ya think.

L is for Lasagna...

   My mother made lasagna for us, when she had the time and wanted to cook a special meal. You gotta agree with Garfield on this meal. We loved it and wouldn't have minded if everyday was special. Then again, it wouldn't have seemed so special would it.

Artwork by Pamela Jo

Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 lb        ground beef
2 Tbs     olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 (20oz) can tomatoes
1 ½ tsp   salt
½ tsp      oregano
¼ tsp      pepper
½ lb       lasagna noodles
½ lb       Mozzarella
¾ lb       Ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
½ c        grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

   Brown beef in skillet with olive oil and garlic.  Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, salt, oregano and pepper.  Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, cook noodles in boiling salted water until tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain and rinse.  Fill a rectangular casserole dish with alternate layers of noodles, sliced mozzarella, ricotta or cottage cheese, tomato-meat sauce, and grated Parmesan.  End with a layer of sauce and top with some Parmesan cheese.
   Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until heated through and bubbly.

Makes 4 to 5 servings.

A is for Asparagus....

   On my There's Just Life Blog I have entered the A to Z Challenge.  So I decieded to do so here too.  Everyday in April (except Sundays) is a different letter. So for each letter I reached into my Mother's gray metal recipe box and pulled out a recipe for that letter. Here is the one I pulled out for today.

Asparagus Casserole

Ingredients:

2 sm Cans   Asparagus tips
1 ½ cups     Grated American Cheese
1 can           Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 sm Can     Evaporated milk
Bread Crumbs

Directions:

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   Drain Asparagus and place in a well greased Casserole Dish.  Cover with cheese.
   In a small bowl mix soup and milk together. Pour over cheese and asparagus. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top of casserole.
   Place casserole dish in preheated over and bake 35 – 40 minutes or until breadcrumbs are brown. Remove from oven and serve.

Quick Tortilla Soup

  I know it has been a while since I posted.  No I have NOT run out of recipes, quite the contrary.  I have found more.  We don't have heat in the office... so cold weather sends me flying to covers and a cup of hot something (coffee, tea, cocoa...I'm an equal opportunity drinker).  The cold also gets my mind thinking about soups, stews and chilli.  So here is a quick Tortilla Soup recipe.  Grab the soup pot and whip it up tonight.

Quick Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
4 TB oil (split in half)
1 medium onion, minced and chopped finely
1 garlic clove, minced or chopped finely
1 bell pepper, minced or chopped finely
1 jalapeno or other spicy pepper, diced (remove seeds and veins
  to make a milder soup)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 TB tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock (low sodium)
2 1/2 -3 cups cooked chicken ( we used leftover Thanksgiving Turkey)
1 lime, juiced
8 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4 inch thin strips
Fresh Cilantro, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped (optional)
1 avocado, chopped (optional)
Grated Monterrey Jack cheese
Sour Cream

Directions:

  In a large pot, heat 2 TB oil over medium high heat. Add tortilla strips and cook until golden and crispy about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt while hot. Set aside.
  In the same large pot, heat another 2 TB oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, peppers, salt, cumin, and coriander, and cook until vegetables are soft and translucent. About 5 minutes.
  Add tomato paste and cook one minute longer.
  Add stock and bring to boil. Once it reaches boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chicken and juice from the lime and cook for 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
  Ladle soup into bowls and top with fresh tomatoes, avocado, grated cheese, tortilla strips, and sour cream and cilantro.

Mexican Chicken...

   Here is a quick and easy chicken skillet meal.  If you like your chicken with a little heat to it, dice up a couple of Jalapeño peppers and add to the skillet.  You can make this dish as hot or as mild as you like it.

Image by Pamela Jo

Mexican Chicken

 Ingredients:

1 chicken, cut up into pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup onion, minced
2 green peppers, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup rice
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 can chicken broth

Directions:
   Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  In large skillet, brown chicken in oil.  Remove chicken and set aside.  Add onion and green pepper to hot oil, cook until tender.  Add rice, garlic, tomatoes, chicken pieces and chicken broth.  Cover skillet and cook 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is done.

Image by Pamela Jo

Chicken and Corn Tamale Loaf

    Today we are going to heat up the oven and get cookin'.  This is a chicken main dish with a Mexican Flair.  You will need your skillet and a loaf pan for this one.  This recipe takes a little time to cook, but it is well worth it.

Image by Pamela Jo

Chicken and Corn Tamale Loaf 


Ingredients:

1 medium onion, minced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
¼ cup cooking oil
1 ½ cup yellow cornmeal
1 ¾ cup hot chicken broth
1 ½ cups cooked chicken, diced
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 eggs, beaten
1 can cream style corn
1 Tbsp butter
green onion, chopped for garnish (optional)

Directions:
   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
   Saute onion and garlic in oil, until tender.  Mix with cornmeal, chicken broth, chicken, tomato sauce, chili powder, salt, pepper and eggs.  Mix thoroughly.  Pour mixture into well greased 9 inch baking dish.
   Set baking dish in pan of hot water in oven.  Bake for 1 hour or until firm and brown.  Remove from oven and turn out onto serving platter.
   Heat corn with butter in a small sauce pan.  Pour over top of meat loaf.  Garnish with green onion if desired.

SamJacks...

   Wow!  Am I behind on this blog.  I just got busy on other things.  I will try to do better.  I have got so many recipes to share and we are coming into the heavy cooking season.  Nothing says cookin' like cool days and frosty nights.  So let's get started with a good breakfast.  Pull out the skillet or griddle.  Warm up the stove and let's cook. 

Image by Pamela Jo

SamJacks


Ingredients:

1 can Spam, sliced
Pancake batter, mixed and ready to cook

Directions:
   In large skillet, brown slices of Spam.  Pour pancake batter over and around browned slice.  Cook as you would regular pancakes.  Serve hot.

Salisbury Steak

  Autumn is coming and with it cooler temperatures. I don't know about you but I am more than ready.  It's time to fire up the old stove and bring out the comfort food.  Here is a very easy recipe for Salisbury steak.  This is a great go to recipe for those nippy nights.  Serve it with rice or potatoes, and the veggie of your chose.  Now that is comfort food.













Salisbury Steak

Ingredients:

1 can mushroom soup
1 lb hamburger meat
½ cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
¼ cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup water

Directions:
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   Mix ¼ cup soup, meat, bread crumbs, egg, and onion. Mix thoroughly.
Shape into 6 patties.  Place in shallow baking dish.  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Spoon off fat.
   In small bowl, mix remaining soup and water.  Pour over meat in baking dish.  Bake an additional 10 minutes.  Remove and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Meat and Potato Casserole

   Here is a casserole with under 5 ingredients.  It goes together fast and tastes great.  If you got a meat and potatoes man in the house, this is perfect. If you want you can always add your own special touch to this recipe too.  Add a vegetable or saute up some extra mushrooms.  Your imagination is the limit.

Meat and Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 can mushroom soup and 1 can water
4 medium potatoes
1 medium onion, chopped

Directions:
   Preheat oven  to 350 degrees.
   Brown beef and onions in skillet until meat is almost done.  Add soup and water.  Cook over low heat until blended.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
   Peel and slice potatoes into thin round slices.  Arrange in casserole dish, layer on layer until all potatoes are used.  Pour beef and soup mix over potatoes.  Cover and bake in preheated oven until potatoes are tender.

Make Ahead Casserole

   Fall is the time for get pot luck dinners and festivals.  If you have a busy schedule at this time of year why not try out this casserole.  You can make it ahead of time store it in the refrigerator, then pop it in the oven to cook while you get everything else together.  No trying to chop mix and find shoes and socks at the same time.  What a relief. 












Make Ahead Casserole

Ingredients:

1 package (7 oz) macaroni, don't cook
2 cups milk
1 can celery soup
1 can mushroom soup
½ lb American cheese, cubed or grated
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
½ tsp salt
1 small onion, chopped

Directions:
   Mix all ingredients in large bowl.  Cover and let stand in refrigerator overnight.  Remove 1 hour before baking.
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   Stir well and pour into a 2 ½ quart casserole or large baking dish.  Bake 1 hour in preheated oven, or until brown and bubbly.  Remove and serve.

                       What do you mean that's the only one you can find???

Skillet Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

   This is a really good recipe for cooking a roast on the stove. You need a heavy skillet with a lid for this one, possible a cast iron skillet.  This is a one dish meal, and it is easy but I wouldn't say it is quick.  But we all know good things come to those who wait, right.  Roast with potatoes and carrots is one of the ultimate comfort foods, and makes the house smell so good.   











Skillet Roast with Potatoes and Carrots


Ingredients:

2 lbs steak, cut in cubes
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
Water to cover
Potatoes, cubed
Carrots,  1 inch cubes

Directions:
   Brown steak in heavy skillet. Pour off grease.   Add soup mix and water to cover steak.  Cover skillet and bring to a simmer.  Add carrots and potatoes.  Return to simmer, and cook for about 1 ½ to 2 hours.  Add additional water as needed to keep it from going dry.