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???

Jalapeño Cornbread with Ground Meat

   If you like cornbread, you will love this.  This casserole is not only very filling, it looks great when you plate it up.  You can serve it alone or with a side order of your favorite style of beans and guacamole.  Now that is a full meal.  Cue the Mariachi band.  Dinner is on the table.

Jalapeño Cornbread with Ground Meat


Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger meat
1 package taco seasonings, or chili powder
1 large can cream style corn
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup milk
¼ cup bacon drippings
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
2 eggs
grated cheese
1 large onion, chopped
5 canned jalapeños, chopped

Directions:
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   Combine corn meal, milk, eggs, salt, bacon drippings, and corn in medium bowl.  Mix well and set aside.
   Mix taco seasonings or chili powder with hamburger meat.  Brown meat in skillet and drain on paper towel.  Pour half of cornbread battter into well greased baking dish.  Add meat, sprinkle with onion and jalapeño over meat.  Sprinkle some of the cheese on rest.  Top with remaining cornbread batter.  Bake about 45 minutes in preheated oven.  Sprinkle remaining grated cheese over top after about 25 minutes of cooking time.

Notes:  If using cornbread mix leave out the baking soda.

                                   Now that is a real call to the table...

Italian Chicken Spaghetti Sauce

   This recipe takes a while to cook, but it is worth it.  You can always double the recipe and freeze half of it for dinner another night.  Serve this Italian Chicken spaghetti sauce with garlic bread and a salad.  Talk about comfort food.  What's more comfortable than pasta...













Italian Chicken Spaghetti Sauce


Ingredients:

1 chicken cut into pieces and boiled
1 large can tomatoes and 1 can water
1 can tomato sauce and 1 can water
1 cup celery, diced
1 bell pepper, chopped
½ tsp garlic powder
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp Italian seasonings
1 Tbsp mustard
salt and pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Spaghetti, cooked and drained


Directions:
   Boil chicken and set aside. 
   In large sauce pan, cook celery, bell pepper, and onion in small amount of shortening or oil until tender.  Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, mustard, salt and pepper. 
   Simmer sauce for 2 to 4 hours, the longer the better.  Keep adding water to keep from sticking.  About 45 minutes before serving time, take chicken off of bones.  Add to sauce along with mushroom soup.  Cook amount of spaghetti needed, and drain. 
   Put spaghetti in large bowl and pour sauce over the top and serve.

Beef Royal

   This recipe is a good one to use with the less expensive cuts of meat.  The longer cooking time gives the meat time to tenderize.  Serve this over steaming rice and you have your self a really good meal.  Good enough for Royalty or at least your friends.













Beef Royal

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs steak
dash of black pepper
flour
2 cups water
¼ tsp paprika
1 green pepper
1 package onion gravy mix
oil or shortening

Directions:
   Flour steak and brown in skillet in small amount of oil or shortening.  Remove steak and cut into small squares.  Return steak to skillet.  Mix gravy mix, water, black pepper and paprika.  Pour over steak in pan and simmer 1 ½ to 2 hours.
   Cut green pepper into strips and add to steak for the last 30 minutes of cooking time.