Taco Soup

This is a recipe I've had forever, probably one of my first, and definitely a favorite in the fall and winter. Ann Teter is the original author.

Ingredients:
1 Pound Ground beef or Turkey
1 can (small) diced Green Chilies
1 Can each Red Beans, Pinto Beans, Stewed Tomatoes, and Corn
1 Package Ranch Dressing Mix
1 Package Taco Seasoning

Brown Ground beef in stewpot. Add remaining ingredients (Do not drain cans) and simmer until warm. Serve warm. Garnish with sour cream and shredded cheese if desired.

Grandma Sally's Dip

By Sarah Drake Bergendahl

Ingredients:
8 oz Cream Cheese
2 Tablespoons Russian Dressing
1/4 Cup Chili Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Onion Salt
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

Blend all together in Blender, chill, and serve.

Shrimp Spread

By Beverly Zaininger Esser

Ingredients:
1 Can shrimp, well drained, mashed with fork
1 Tablespoon minced Onion
1 Teaspoon minced celery
1 Teaspoon Green Pepper
2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
1/8 Teaspoon salt
Dash Black Pepper
4-5 Dashes Tabasco
1/2 Cup Mayo

Refrigerate draining shrimp over pan while chopping and preparing other ingredients. Combine all ingredients, chill overnight, and serve with hot dog buns sliced to bite size pieces or mild cracker.

Deviled Eggs

By Sarah Drake Bergendahl

Ingredients:
10 Eggs
3 1/2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
2 Teaspoons Sugar
2 Teaspoons Mustard
1 Tablespoon Pickle Relish
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Miracle Whip
Pepper to taste
Few Drops Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:
Hard Cook the Eggs, cut in two. Combine egg yolks with all other ingredients then stuff into egg whites.

Broccoli, Chicken, and Rice Casserole

Sorry I've been a little late getting this one posted this week. This was actually dinner on Tuesday night. I don't remember where I got this one...

Ingredients:
1 Box Uncle Ben's Broccoli Rice Au Gratin
2 Cups BOILING water
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts
1/4 teas Garlic Powder
2 Cups Broccoli
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese

Directions:
Heat over to 425 degrees. Combine Rice and contents of seasoning packet in a 13x9 baking dish. Add boiling water and mix. Place chicken in baking dish and sprinkle with Garlic Powder. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Add Broccoli and cheese, recover, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

He Man Spanish Rice

This one is from Dave's mom, Carol...

Ingredients:
1 LB Ground beef
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1/4 Cup Chopped Green Pepper
1 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 Can Tomato Soup
1 3/4 Cup water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2/3 Cup Rice (Not Instant)

Directions:
Cook beef, onion, green pepper, salt, chili powder, and Garlic powder in skillet until meat is brown. Stir frequently to separate particles. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir often while cooking.

Broken Glass Torte

I'm not really sure where this recipe fits, but it's yummy... This one is from my Grammy Davis

You need:
3 boxes fruit Jell-O (select colors to match season, like red, green, and orange for Christmas)
1 box Lemon Jell-O
1 1/2 Tbls Lemon Juice
30 Graham Crackers
1 cup + 2 Tbls Sugar
1/2 cup butter
8 oz Cream Cheese
1 teas Vanilla
1 Cup whipping Cream

Directions:
-Dissolve each of the 3 fruit jell-Os in 1 1/2 cup hot water and chill in a flat pan until well set (one flat pan per flavor)
-Roll graham crackers and mix crumbs with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 cup butter. Put in the bottom and sides of a 13x9 Pyrex dish, reserve some for garnish if desired.
-Dissolve Lemon Jell-O in 1 Cup hot water and cool until syrup stage. Add Lemon Juice.
-Beat cream cheese, 1 Cup sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add Lemon jello mixture.
-Whip 1 Cup whipping cream and fold into the Cream Cheese/Lemon mixture.
-Cube fruit Jellos and fold into Cream Cheese/Lemon mixture
-Pour into Pyrex dish to set
-Garnish with leftover Graham Cracker mix if desired.

Leftovers

Dinner last night was leftovers...planned leftovers which are different from regular old leftovers... let me explain.
When I was growing up, I hated leftover night (which didn't happen often) because it was just a jumble of little bits of previously really good food reheated in the microwave. Now that I am the one planning out dinners for a family, I understand how important those leftovers came be in the family budget. So, there are some meals in our family menu that I know make too much. When I make these recipes I make sure there is enough for at least 2 full meals and I freeze half of the results. By freeze half of what I make, I know that we don't have to repeat a meal twice in one week and I know that there is a night in the future where cooking will be easy.
One of the tricks I use for planned leftovers is reheating everything in the oven. That helps insure that everything is heated thoroughly and evenly without increasing our exposure to the chemicals released by reheating plastic. I also try to make sure that only one part of the meal is a leftover. If the main course was a planned leftover, I try to pair it with fresh side dishes so that it feels like a brand new meal instead of feeling like leftover night.

Chicago Chicken

This is a recipe Dave got from his Mom who got it from a neighbor... We love it! It's a great go to for entertaining small groups or family dinners. It also freezes and reheats well!

Ingredients:
6 to 8 bonless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz Russian Salad Dressing
2 Tlbs honey
1 - 16 oz can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 - 5 oz package Onion soup mix

Directions:
In bowl, combine all ingredients BUT the chicken
Place chicken in 13x9 baking dish and pour the mixture over. Cover with foil and back at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove foil and back an additional 15 minutes.

Goes great with brown rice, salads, and green veggies.

Grandmommie's Meat Loaf

I got this recipe from my Grandmother while I was in college. I haven't made it in a long time, so I've giving it another try tonight.

Ingredients:
1 pound Ground Beef
1 small chopped onion
2 eggs
2/3 cups quick cook oats
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp basil

Directions:
Combine all in a large bowl. Place in loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.