Salsa Chicken

This is one of my new favorite crock pot recipes.
 
Ingredients:

• 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup salsa 
• 1 can corn, drained (optional)
• 1 can of black beans, drained (optional)
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 3/4 to 1 cup sour cream depending on how spicy you like it
• cooked rice

Preparation
Put the chicken, soup, salsa, corn and beans in the slow cooker, and cook on low for 6 hours.  Remove the chicken and shred it, then return back to the slow cooker.   Mix in the sour cream and heat just until mixed and heated through.  Serve over rice.

If you don't have 6 hours, cook the chicken ahead of time, and then either cook everything (minus sour cream) in a pot on the stove for 30 minutes, or cook it in the crock pot for a couple of hours.

Mom's Mexican Lasagna

Note:  this recipe takes some time to prepare and assemble.  For this reason it's not a bad idea to prepare everything ahead of time and keep covered in the refrigerator, and then just bake before serving.

Ingredients:

• 8oz. cream cheese
• 1 med. onion, chopped
• 8 green onions, chopped
• 8oz. shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 tsp. cumin, divided
• 3 c. cooked chicken, diced
• 1/4 c. butter or margarine
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 1 c. shredded Montery Jack cheese
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1 can chopped green chilis
• 1/8 tsp. thyme
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 9 6-inch flour tortillas

Preparation:

1. Saute onions in a skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, just until turning translucent.  Add a bit of oil if they begin to stick to the pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine onions, cream cheese, 1 1/2 c. Mexican cheese blend, garlic, and 1/4 tsp. cumin.  Stir in chicken.  Set aside.
3. In saucepan, melt butter.  Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add broth.  Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Remove from heat.  Stir in Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, chilies, thyme, pepper, and remaining 1/2 tsp. cumin.
4. Spread 1/2 cup of cheese sauce into bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.  
5. Top with six flour tortilla halves, a third of the chicken mixture, and a fourth of the cheese sauce.
6. Repeat the layers in step 5.
7. Top with remaining tortillas, cheese sauce, and Mexican cheese.  
8. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
9. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes longer.
10. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Blond Brownies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. butter, softened
• 3/4 c. white sugar
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 c. peanut butter chips

 Preparation:
Mix all ingredients together.  Bake at 350 degrees in an un-greased 9x13 inch baking dish for 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then cut into bars and serve.

Mexican Mountain

This was one of my childhood favorites.  My family often made this when having company with children, because it's easy to make a lot, and kids and adults alike love it!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 3-4 14 oz. cans tomatoe sauce
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning 
• 1 8 oz. pkg. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 T. butter
• 2 T. flour
• 2 c. milk
• small Fritos
• Cooked Rice
• Lettuce, torn
• Tomatoes, diced

Preparation:

1. Make Meat Sauce: brown ground beef.  Drain.  In saucepan, combine and heat cooked ground beef, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning.  Set aside.
2. Make cheese sauce: Melt butter in saucepan.  Stir in flour and cook on low heat until smooth and bubbly.  Add milk gradually and cook, stirring, until thickened.  Keep stirring so that it doesn't burn.  When thickened, turn off heat and stir in the cheese.  If too thick, add a little milk.
3. Pile onto plates (forming a mountain on each plate): Fritos, cooked rice, lettuce, tomatoes, meat sauce, cheese sauce.

Sloppy Joes

This is my mother-in-law's recipe for Sloppy Joes and it's fantastic.  No wonder my husband has never been impressed with any other version!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef, browned
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 c. celery, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 c. catsup
• 1 T. vinegar
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 1 T. mustard
• 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 T. Soy Sauce
• Hamburger buns

 Preparation:

1. Combine cooked ground beef, onion, celery, and garlic in a large pot, and cook on medium heat until onions are softening.  
2. Add all remaining ingredients (except hamburger buns).  
3. Cover and simmer for 1 hr.  
4. Serve hot with hamburger buns.

Super - Duper Chili

This is my mom's chili recipe that is seriously the best I've ever had.  It's VERY filling and wonderful with the large dips corn chips.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. bulk pork sausage (I like regular Jimmy Dean's)
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 cans chili beans (I use mild)
• 16 oz. jar salsa
• 1 can of sweet kernel corn, drained
• 1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 8 oz. can tomatoe sauce
• 8 oz. velveeta cheese, cubed
• 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and corn chips (optional)

Preparation:

1. In soup kettle or dutch oven, cook sausage and beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients (or transfer everything to a crockpot and cook on low for a few hours)
3. If using a pot on the stove, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and corn chips.

 Yield: 8-10 servings

BLT Pasta Salad

This is a yummy pasta salad that also has romaine lettuce in it.  Because of the lettuce it is best when fresh, although it is still good the 2nd day.  If you're making a batch that you'd like to last longer than this, you may choose to leave the lettuce out, and just mix some in when serving it.

Ingredients:

•  6 oz. corkscrew pasta
• 1/4 c. milk
• 6 oz. lean bacon
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (if I don't have this, I use ~ half as much ground thyme)
• 1 clove garlic
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 2 T. mayo
• 2 T. plain yogurt
• 2 T. sour cream
• 2 T. chopped chives (optional)
• 2 1/2 c. chopped romaine lettuce
• 2/3 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
2. Drain and toss with milk in a large bowl.  Set aside.
3. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp.  Set bacon on paper towel to dry and cool, and drain and discard all but about a tablespoon of the drippings.
4. Add the tomatoes, thyme, and garlic to the pan with drippings and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper.
5. Crumble the bacon and set aside some for garnish.  Toss the rest and the tomato mixture with the pasta.
6. Mix the mayo, yogurt, sour cream, and chives with the pasta until evenly combined.  Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add the lettuce; toss again to coat.
8. Garnish with the reserved bacon.
9. Serve at room temperature, or chilled.

Pineapple Cheddar Cheese Ball

Ingredients:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 1/2 ounces crushed pineapple, drained
10 ounces grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups chopped pecans

 Preparation:
Mix everything together except for the pecans, and roll into a ball.  Then roll the ball in the chopped pecans.  Enjoy with your favorite crackers!

Taco Soup

Ingredients:
1-2 lb. ground beef, browned
1-2 28 oz. cans of tomatoes, diced or very small
1-2 10 oz. cans of rotel tomatoes (you can use as spicy or as mild as you'd like)
2 cans of corn, drained
2 cans of black beans, drained
1 cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cans of white beans (northern or navy), drained and rinsed
2 pkgs of hidden valley buttermilk ranch seasoning
1 pkg of taco seasoning

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to boil for about 10 minutes. Let simmer for an hour or so, or until flavors meld together.

**The longer you let it sit / simmer, the better it tastes.  Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

Southern Apple Crumble (Betty Crocker Recipe)

Filling

3 large apples, peeled, coarsely chopped (about 3 cups)  

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1/4 cup packed brown sugar 

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

1/4 cup cold butter or margarine, cut into small pieces 

 

Topping

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans

 Preparation

1. Heat oven to 300°F. Spray bottom and sides of 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, toss filling ingredients. Spread mixture in baking dish.
2. In same large bowl, stir cookie mix and melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling.
3. Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with pecans. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.