Spaghetti Casserole

I didn't think that this would be good, but it turned out to be great!!  So easy...

Spaghetti Casserole
Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

• 1-8oz cheese whiz
• 1/2 C milk
• 7oz spaghetti, break into thirds, cook and drain
• 2 Tbs butter
• 10oz cooked broccoli
• 1 C chopped chicken or turkey (I used chicken and I actually used about 3 chicken breasts chopped up)
• 1-4oz can mushrooms, drained
• 2 Tbs chopped pimento (didn't use this...)
• salt and sage to taste

1. Combine cheese and milk, mix.  Toss spaghetti with butter.  Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Spoon into a 2qt casserole.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 mins.  Stir well before serving.

*Sides: Mashed potatoes and peas.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Tortellini

This one wasn't my favorite way to prepare torellini...I think I might just stick to the old fashioned way next time!!  Kids would love this one I think...

Slow Cooker Cheesy Tortellini
Time: 8 hours

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground sausage or beef
• 16oz of favorite pasta red sauce 
• 1-4.5oz can sliced mushrooms
• 1-4.5oz can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1-9oz package cheese tortellini
• 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 C shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Crumble the meat into a large skillet.  Cook over medium-high heat until browned, drain.
2. Combine the ground meat, pasta sauce, mushrooms and tomatoes in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.
3. Stir in the tortellini and sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the top.  Cover and cook for 15 more minutes on low or until the tortellini is tender.

*Sides: A salad or any frozen veggie

Chicken Casserole

I wasn't a fan...James liked it though! My problem was that it tasted pretty bland...

Ingredients:

• 1 roll of Ritz Crackers
• 4 Tbs butter
• 1-8oz tub sour cream
• 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 package shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large pot, boil the chicken until cooked all the way through.  
3. While the chicken is boiling, in a medium bowl, combine the sour cream and soup.  Mix thoroughly.  Put the mixture in the bottom of a small casserole dish.
4. After the chicken is done, cut into bite-size pieces.  Then place on top of the sour cream and chicken soup mixture.  Add shredded cheddar cheese on top of the chicken.
5. Crush the Ritz crackers and dot the butter over the top.  Cover and bake in the oven for 25-30 mins.

*Sides: Rice (just plain) and green beans (I used frozen to keep it cheap but obviously fresh is delish)

Slow Cookin' Stroganoff

Very easy and tasted wonderful (even over cooked...6 hour cooking time vs. 8 hour work day, go figure).

Slow Cookin' Stroganoff
Time: 6 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
• 1 C sour cream
• 1/2 C warm water
• 2 lbs lean beef stew meat
• parsley, to taste
• egg noodles or rice
• mushrooms, optional and to taste

1. In a slow cooker, mix first 5 ingredients until blended well.  Toss in raw stew meat making sure all of the meat is coated quite well.  Set slow cooker on LOW for 6 hours.  Toss in egg noodles and mushrooms and allow to cook for another 10-15 mins or until noodles are tender.  Garnish w/ parsley.

*Side: Frozen Mixed Veggies, cooked of course ;)

Spicy Chile Casserole

This was some excellent Tex-Mex!  Loved it and the leftovers were plentiful...

Spicy Chile Casserole

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs veggie oil
• 1 C chopped onion
• 3 Tbs flour
• 1 C chicken broth
• 1 1/2 C milk
• 1-4oz can diced green chilies
• 1-10 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 C cubed, cooked chicken meat
• 1 pkg tortillas, cut into strips (I only ended up using about 5)
• 1-8oz pkg shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1. In a medium sauce pan, cook onion in oil over medium heat until soft.  Stir in flour.  Add broth and milk; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.  Stir in chilies and tomatoes.
2. Coat a 9x13 pan w/ nonstick spray.  Place 1 C sauce in bottom of pan.  Layer half the chicken, half the tortilla strips and 1 1/4 C sauce.  Repeat w/ remaining ingredients.  Top casserole with shredded cheese.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Fiesta Cheese Rice

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 C uncooked instant rice
• 3 C water
• 1-10oz can diced tomatoes w/ green chilies, undrained
• 1 Tbs chicken bouillon granules
• 3/4 C sour cream
• 1 1/2 C shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

1. In a bowl, combine the rice water, tomatoes and bouillon; mix well.  Pour into a greased 2-qt microwave-safe dish.  
2. Cover and microwave on high for 10 mins.  Stir in sour cream and 1/2 C of cheese; mix well.  Sprinkle w/ the remaining cheese.
3. Cover and microwave for 1 minute or until cheese is melted.

Lime-Honey Glazed Chicken

I messed this up when I was making it...too much going on that night but it still came out tasting delicious!!

Lime-Honey Glazed Chicken
Time: 3 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbs honey
• 6 Tbs soy sauce
• 2 tsp grated lime zest (I omitted this...)
• 6 Tbs lime juice
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 8 pieces of chicken (skinless, bone-in or boneless, breasts or thighs)

1. Mix honey, soy sauce, lime zest, lime juice and crushed red pepper in a large bowl.  Add chicken; stir to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. About 20 mins before you are ready to grill, preheat the grill to medium (oven 400 degrees).
3. If cooking in the oven, bake for 20 minutes; if grilling, turn off one side of the burners and place chicken over the non-burning side close cover and roast for 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and boil until reduced by about half and thickened to a glaze (8-10 mins).
5. If in oven, coat the chicken with the glaze and continue to back another 10 minutes or until center is no longer pink; if on grill, rotate the chicken to other spots on the unheated portion of the grill to ensure even cooking and lightly brush with some of the glaze.  Cover and continue roasting, basting once more about halfway through cooking (10-20 mins).

*Sides: Potatoes and a pasta

Tijuana Torta

Turned out really good!  This is super easy and really yummy!  Surprisingly it holds up well as leftovers too!

Tijuana Torta
Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1-15oz can black or pinto beans, rinsed
• 3 Tbs salsa (or more to taste)
• 1 Tbs chopped jalapeño (I used the jar of sliced and did no additional cutting)
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 Tbs minced onion
• 1 Tbs lime juice
• baguette
• 1 1/3 C shredded green cabbage
• shredded cheese of your liking

1. Mash beans, salsa, jalapeño and cumin in a small bowl.  
2. Mash avocado, onion and lime juice in another small bowl.
3. Cut baguette into preferred lengths for sandwich.  Split each piece in half horizontally and pull out most of the soft bread from the center so you're left with mostly crust.
4. Divide the bean paste, avocado mixture and cabbage evenly among the sandwiches.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve!

*Sides: Spanish Rice (from the box, lol) and corn