Who would have thought....

that Jessica Simpson cooks? Well, she does and here is one of her favorites! It comes from one of her parent's church cookbooks and her mom used to make this all the time while she was growing up! I thought it would be perfect for this cold front that blew in! LOL - it's still in the high 80's!!! Now with football on TV, it really puts you in the mood for colder weather and comfort food! And this really fits the bill! And since my oldest requests this all the time, I thought it was time to put in on the blog. So, enjoy :O)

Jessica Simpson's Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

3 rolls of croissant rolls, divided
1 small rotisserie chicken, cubed (we cook a few chicken breasts instead)
1-2 cups frozen mixed veggies (my addition)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup chicken broth
Salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Roll out the cans of croissant sheets and separate into diamond shaped sections. Place a small handful of rotisserie chicken on each diamond, fold dough over and press ends together to create dumplings. Cut up any excess dough into strips. Line a 9x13" baking dish with one layer of dumplings. Toss in the frozen veggies in between all the dumplings. Pour the can of cream of chicken soup over the layer of dumplings, followed by the can of cream of mushroom soup, and then your chicken broth. Place strips in a crisscross pattern on the top of the dumplings and soup mixture, season dish with salt and ground black pepper and bake until the dumplings are tender and cooked through and the top is bubbly and brown, about 30 minutes.

**she does fat free of everything - but I of course took that off!!! ;-)

This cold weather has me in the mood for chili!!!

This recipe comes from my favorite Aunt Linda. She used to make this all time, but she used to call it Rice Enchilada Casserole. I have no idea why?! Last time I checked - there is no ranch style beans in enchiladas?! Well, whatever you call it - I call it mmm-mmm good!!!

My husband did not grow up in Texas, so he had never had Wolf Brand Chili before. He assumed it must taste like all other canned chili he'd had, dog-food as he described it once! Well, he couldn't be farther from the truth!!! The first time I made this, I made it for him and his brother! ;) Of course I did not tell them what was in it. Both of those guys went back 3 times!!! Finally, I couldn't hold it in any longer - I told them what was in it and they about spit their bite out!!! Funniest thing ever!!! After the shock wore off, they didn't care and kept on eating!!!

It is also a favorite of Cindy's husband!!! He asks for it all the time!!! I love it because it's so easy!!!! If you give it a try - I know you'll love it too!

Texas Chili Casserole

1 lb. Hamburger meat
1 cn. Ranch Style Beans
1 cn. Wolf Brand Chili
1-2 cups Cooked Rice
2 cups Cheddar Cheese

Cook your rice and set aside. Cook your meat and drain. Add your beans and chili to your meat and heat on medium for about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and add your rice a little at a time until mixed well. Put in a casserole dish and add your cheese on top. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Goes well on a rainy day with saltine crackers! Enjoy :O)

*You could even add toppings if you want, like green onions and sour cream. The possibilities are endless.

Hello November :o)

Talk about comfort food!!! I was so excited when I stumbled upon this over at Mommy's Kitchen! We did a couple of things different, but not much. This is truly perfect for our November weather that is finally here. Thanks Tina!!!

BAKED HAM RIGATONI

1 pkg (16 oz) rigatoni pasta
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (separated)
about 1/2 lb diced ham
salt and pepper
small pads of butter for top

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter over medium heat and start water boiling for pasta. Once butter is melted, whisk in flour. Add your milk, and continue to stir until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. When the water is boiling, add pasta and cook until just past the Al-dente stage. Just starting to get soft. When the white sauce is done add your seasonings, ham, and one cup cheese. Stir well, to get the cheese melted. Drain your pasta and add to the sauce. Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 pan, smooth the top and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese. Dot the top with your pads of butter and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and brown.

* we like to add 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, sauteed onion, and definitely more cheese on top!

I'm all about easy meals...

especially for the summer when the kids are home. We tend to get busy playing, and don't really want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. If you are the same, then give this recipe a try. I saw it in a Betty Crocker magazine while standing in line at the grocery store. My whole family really liked it!

Baked Chicken Panzanella

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I used Tyson chicken strips, cut up)
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic, onion, and oregano, drained
1/4 cup sliced green onions (about 4 medium)
1 pkg. (5 oz) Italian seasoned croutons
1/4 cup Italian dressing
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil leaves (I just sprinkled a little dry basil on)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In an ungreased 2 quart baking dish, layer chicken, tomatoes, green onions, and croutons. Drizzle with Italian dressing. Cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Uncover; top with cheese. Bake about 10 minutes longer or until hot and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with basil.

Chicken Tortellini Bake...

This is a great recipe that I found over at My Kitchen Cafe. The only changes we made were that we added garlic. Excuse the messy photo - I forgot to take the photo beforehand and that's all that was left!!!

Chicken Tortellini Bake

16 ounce package of cheese tortellini
1 tablespoon oil
2 cups (about 2 chicken breasts) chicken cut up into bite size pieces
3 green onions finely chopped, white and green parts
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 cup sour cream
2-4 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook tortellini for 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken for 1-2 minutes and add the fresh mushrooms, garlic and green onions, cooking until chicken is done and mushrooms are golden brown. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir until thickened. Mix in sour cream until mixture is creamy and slightly thickened. Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray. Pour tortellini in bottom of 9X13 pan. Sprinkle half the cheese over tortellini. Put cooked chicken/sauce mixture on top and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Bake covered with tin foil at 350 for 20 minutes, uncover and bake for additional 10-15 minutes until bubbly and golden brown around the edges.

An Award and Pizza Casserole...

Or what my kids like to call "Bubble Pizza"! This is so good that even the BIG kids in your house will love it!!! Yes, you're the BIG kid I'm talking about!!! ;)

Bubble Pizza

2 cups pizza cheese
16 oz. browned sausage (or pepperoni, hamburger, or bacon)
1 jar of pizza sauce
2 tubes buttermilk biscuits
*Note: I don't put veggies in this b/c my kiddos don't like them, but feel free to add whatever you would order on your own pizza.

Brown and drain the meat. Cut the 2 tubes of biscuits into quarters. Put the biscuits into a bowl along with the jar of pizza sauce. Add the meat and any other toppings you may have. Mix it all together. Pour into a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. After baking for 20 minutes, take it out and add your cheese. Now pop it back in the over for 10 more minutes. Enjoy!



Heidi, from Tried-and-True Cooking with Heidi was so sweet to send me the Kreativ Blogger Award. Thanks Heidi, I sure appreciate it!!! :o)

There are rules to this award, so here they are:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.


I don't know if anyone will find any of these things interesting, but here goes:

1. Been married to my best friend for 17 years!!! I know this is wierd... but I really love watching him do yard work! One would think it would be nice of me to help him out - nope, I just watch!!! I do visit with him to keep him company though!!! What a sweet wife he has!!! ;) lol...

2. I love summertime because that means I have all of my kids home with me! I hate it when school starts in the fall!!! I know, you're thinking I'm not normal!!! So, please forgive me for not posting more - I'm taking advantage of these precious few months I have my kiddos all to myself!!!

3. I HATE to shop! I hate going to the grocery store and Wal-mart weekly! And believe it or not, I even hate shopping for myself!!! Which is why I tend to not buy trendy clothes! I need things that will always be in style. I only really go what you would consider "fun shopping" twice a year - once for school clothes and the other is for Christmas gifts. And I try to do online shopping whenever I can get away with it! I know - I'm definitely not normal!!!

4. I hate getting shots but I don't mind getting them in the mouth from the dentist!!! Yes, I'm a wierdo!!!

5. I have a bad habit of eating ice! I know - pretty annoying!!! That just reminds me... it's time to schedule my dental appointment!

6. I'm donating my hair to Locks of Love at the end of summer!

7. I LOVE to eat and try new recipes. I don't eat low-fat anything!!! I eat what I want when I want - as long as I'm hungry for it. If you're interested, here's how I stay thin!

I would like to pass this award along to:
Jamie from Mom's Cooking Club
Penny from Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen
Tina from Mommy's Kitchen
Teresa from A Blog About Food
Delectable Dining
Rachel from Rachel VS. "The Kitchen"
Kim from The Ungourmet

New Southern Favorite in our House!!!

Supper was late getting on the table tonight, so we took a photo afterwards. I know it looks like a mess, but it was sooo good!!! I got two pretty important phone calls while trying to start supper, so No1here took over. Can anyone guess what that means? He changed the recipe up some!!! It was soo yummy... I was so hungry tonight but I don't think that's why it was so good -- it was just a darn good recipe!!! It came from Southern Plate, before it got tweaked a bit! ;) No1here said this reminded him of his mom's broccoli and rice casserole that we have at Christmas, minus the broccoli of course!!! All I know, is that it is a definite "keeper" in our house!!! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Cheesy Chicken And Corn Casserole

1 Box Yellow Rice - (I used a 10oz. bag)

1 Stick Margarine - (he only used 6 Tbs. in the rice mixture and 1 Tbs. to brown the chicken in)

1 Tbs. olive oil (for browning the chicken)

1/2 onion, chopped (his addition)

1 Can Cream Of Chicken Soup

1-2 Cups shredded, cooked chicken - (we used 2 breasts, chopped and fried)

1 can Whole Kernel Corn (drained)

1 1/2 Cups Cheddar Cheese

Cook rice according to package directions. Fry your chicken in some butter and olive oil, then set aside. Saute your onion in the same skillet with the chicken bits. Add rice and all other ingredients, except for 1/2 C of cheese, into a bowl and stir until well combined. Spoon into casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for about thirty minutes, or until bubbly.

Great for company...

This is a great dish to take over to a sick friend or when company's coming over! Or just half this recipe if you're making it just for your family.

Tara had a wonderful Tetrazzini recipe that I had years ago, but I can't find my copy anywhere and she lost her cookbook that it was in!!! ughh... So, I had to come up with my own. We had it this weekend and it was divine!!! YUMMMM!!!! Let me know if you give it a try!

Chicken Tetrazzini

16 oz. spaghetti, broken into pieces
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sherry
8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 lg. onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 15X10 inch casserole dish. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook your chicken breasts in butter/olive oil. Once chicken is golden brown and juices run clear, set aside to cool, then chop. Then saute your onion, mushrooms, and garlic until tender - in the same pan you used for your chicken. Then in a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in chicken broth and cream. Return to heat, and bring to a low boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add sherry, then stir in cooked spaghetti, diced chicken, mushroom mixture. Taste and add more salt and pepper according to your tastes!!! Then pour it all into the prepared baking dish, and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, covered with foil in the preheated oven. Then remove foil and cook another 10 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Serves: 8-10

Breakfast for Supper...

This is a 5 star recipe from Southern Living!!! I can't wait to give it a try!!! Looks great for anytime of the day!

(Photo via Confessions of a Plate Addict)

Country Grits and Sausage Casserole

2 pounds mild ground pork sausage
4 cups water
1 1/4 cups quick-cooking grits, uncooked
4 cups (1 pound) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Paprika
Garnish: fresh parsley sprigs

Brown sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles. Drain well, and set aside. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, and stir in grits. Return to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add cheese and next 3 ingredients, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in sausage and eggs. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish; sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour or until golden and heated. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired. Serves:10

Make-Ahead: Prepare grits mixture as directed above, but do not bake. Cover and chill overnight. Remove from refrigerator; let stand, covered 30 minutes. Uncover and bake as directed.

No1here loves Simply Recipes...

No1here's mother made the "soup can" version of Chicken and Rice for him as a child, so this recipe really caught his eye. While the "soup can" version is good, this recipe takes the dish to the next level. Our kids gave it a 10 out of 5 stars - even as leftovers!!! Every recipe that No1here has tried of Elise's has been wonderful. We are never disappointed!!! Next time he wants to add more rice, since we're all rice lovers!

No1here never follows a recipe exactly so down below is exactly what he did, but if you want to see hers go here.

Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
(photo via Simply Recipes)

2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces, patted dry

Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cream
1 cup raw, long grain, white rice
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika


Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high or high heat (hot enough to brown but not burn). Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown the chicken pieces on two sides, about 1-2 minutes per batch. Add more olive oil if needed after every batch. This will help prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan. Remove chicken pieces and set aside in a bowl. Note that the chicken does not have to be cooked through, only browned. In the same sauté pan add 1 Tbsp olive oil, lower the heat to medium, add the onions, and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cook 30 seconds more. Remove onions and garlic to a shallow (9 x 13 x 2) casserole dish. Raise heat to medium high, add the sliced mushrooms. Dry sauté them (no need to add butter or oil), allowing the mushrooms to brown lightly, and release some of their moisture. Add the mushrooms to the casserole dish. Add 1/4 cup dry sherry to the pan to deglaze the pan, scraping off the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the sherry reduce to about 1 Tbsp, then add the chicken stock and water, and remove from heat. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, the cream, and the sour cream. Add the raw rice to the casserole dish. Then pour the stock, sherry, cream, sour cream mixture over the rice. Add the Italian and poultry seasonings and paprika to the dish. Stir the rice, onion, mushroom, herb mixture so that they are evenly distributed in the casserole dish. Place the chicken pieces on top of the rice mixture (in a single layer if you can, they will be crowded). Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in a 375°F oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil. And cook for 10 minutes more to reduce the liquid - you really need to watch carefully these last ten minutes.

Serves 6 (with leftovers)

Mexican Potato Casserole

My boys absolutely love the Fiesta Potatoes at Taco Bell!!! So, when I came across this recipe - I knew we had to give it a try, but I did modify it to fit our own tastes. I originally found this recipe over at the Mennonite Girls Can Cook - and boy can they!!! Go over and take a "look see" - you won't be sorry!!! Thanks Judy, for passing on an awesome recipe!!!

Mexican Potato Casserole

4 medium potatoes, with peel
2 Tablespoons butter
2 1/2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup chopped peppers (red, green or yellow)
2 cups grated Mexican blend cheese


Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces and place in greased casserole dish. Sprinkle taco seasoning over potatoes. Melt butter, pour over potatoes and stir to coat well. Bake uncovered at 425 degrees for 40 minutes. Stir and then put back in the oven for 10 minutes longer. Brown beef with chopped onion and cook until soft...then drain. Stir in salsa and chopped peppers. Pour over potatoes. Top with grated cheese. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve with additional salsa and sour cream.

Cindy's Weekly Menu 4/28 - 5/2

Hi everyone! Here's my menu for the week!! Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Monday - Sausage-Potatoe Hash (from Tara's menu)....read review on her post.

Tuesday - Meatloaf, mac & cheese, green beans, salad and rolls

Wednesday - Oven baked chicken & gravy (we LOVE this one, it'll be a weekly one for awhile), rice, broccoli & carrots, salad, rolls

Thursday - Pork ribs....don't know about the sides yet, it'll come to me!!

Friday - Crock pot hearty stew!!!


TARA!! Here's my sausage/potato recipe:

2 links of sausage
2 cups of milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 medium potatoes
few sprinkles of garlic powder

Mix all together in 9x13 baking dish and bake on 375° for about 90 minutes. Will thicken into a gravy! This is yummy!!!!!!!! Only thing, can't remember if I cover it or not while it's cooking! LOL! I'll get back to you on this one!

hello again......

Well, as Kathy mentioned, we've been neglectful, some of us more than others....heehee! Anyway, tonight I'm making this recipe I tried at our local HEB...it's so yummy and easy (only 4 ingredients)!!!! AND, my kids tried it and are begging me to make it!!

Wednesday:
Tomato Basil Tortellini Casserole
1/2 jar canyon foods tomato basil soup (i've only seen this at the HEB cooking station)
3 cups cooked chicken (i'm using a rotisserie chicken)
2 bags tortellini (i use cheese ... frozen, but thawed)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, combine tortellini, chicken and tomato basil soup. Spread mixture in a 9x13 baking dish and top with shredded cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes till hot and bubbling.

YUM!!!!!!

This with crusty bread and a good salad!!

Thursday:
Beef with broccoli and shrimp fried rice

Friday:
Kathy's crockpot steak & gravy.....YUMMY!! Gotta wait for the hubby to be home for this yummy one!!!!

I will keep you posted with the coming weeks!!!!!

YUM YUM....

Corn Chip Chili Pie

This recipe tastes even better than it looks! I promise! No1here went back 3 times. I even had leftovers of it the next day - and I hate leftovers!!! If you give it a try, let me know if you love it as much as we do.


Corn Chip Chili Pie

For the chili:
1 lb. lean hamburger meat
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes, with juice
1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup water (optional)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar

For the crust:
6 cups corn chips, divided (I use Frito Scoop chips)
extra chips for the rim of the pie

For the garnish:
1/4 cup red onion
1 Tbs. fresh cilantro, minced
1 medium tomatillo, finely chopped (optional)


preparing the chili...
Cook your hamburger meat, onion, and garlic in a skillet on the stove. Add chili powder, flour, cumin, salt, and pepper and continue cooking for about a minute longer. Add tomatoes and beans to the skillet; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is blended and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. If mixture begins to dry out, add water.

preparing the crust...
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour 3 cups of corn chips into a pie plate. Using the bottom of a ramekin or coffee cup, crush corn chips into small pieces. Repeat this process with the other 3 cups of corn chips in a second pie plate. With extra Fritos, arrange around the edges of the pie plate to form a raised rim.

assembling & baking the pie...
spoon chili into crust, smoothing top. Sprinkle cheese evenly over chili. Bake pie until cheese is melted, about 10 mintues.

For the Garnish, sprinkle pie with onion, cilantro and tomatillo; serve.

Serves: 6

Keepers for a fortnight...

If anyone knows me - they know I absolutely HATE going to the grocery store!!! So, I usually try to shop for two weeks at a time. So, I'll go ahead and post my menu for the next two weeks in a minute, before I end up loosing my Weekly Planner sheet!!! ;)

Here's some "keepers", that we've made over the years, from AllRecipes. We'll be having these over the next couple of weeks, or as the Brits say - a fortnight...

Basil Shrimp

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/2 lemons, juiced
• 3 tablespoons brown mustard
• 1/2 cup minced fresh basil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt to taste
• white pepper
• 3 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
• skewers

DIRECTIONS

1. In a shallow, non-porous dish or bowl, mix together olive oil and melted butter. Stir in lemon juice, mustard, basil, and garlic, and season with salt and white pepper. Add shrimp, and toss to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat grill to high heat. Remove shrimp from marinade, and thread onto skewers. Discard marinade.
3. Lightly oil grill grate, and arrange skewers on preheated grill. Cook for 4 minutes, turning once, or until opaque.

Grilled Asparagus

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill for high heat.
2. Lightly coat the asparagus spears with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Grill over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or to desired tenderness.

Souvlaki

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 green bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
• skewers

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large glass bowl, mix together lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, oregano, and garlic; add pork, onions, and green peppers, and stir to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Thread pork, peppers, and onions onto skewers.
3. Lightly oil grate. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or to desired doneness, turning skewers frequently for even cooking.

We usually have this one night and then use the leftover meat for Gyros with Tzatziki sauce!




Spaghetti Casserole
(this comes from Fifi! It's an easy meal that tastes great and the kids love it!)

I can't find my recipe but basically you cook your spaghetti noodles, drain, and then stir in the spaghetti sauce of your choice. You then layer half of that in a casserole dish, then put a full container of sour cream next, then the rest of your noodles and sauce, then top with cheddar cheese. Pop it in the oven until heated through and just beginning to brown on top.

Chicken "Keepers"...

Chicken Spaghetti

1 pkg. chicken breasts, on the bone
spaghetti noodles
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Rotel
1 lb. mild Mexican Velveeta
salt and pepper to taste

In a dutch oven on the stove, stew your chicken breasts. When done, take the chicken from the broth and set aside to cool. Cook spaghetti noodles in broth. Debone chicken while noodles are cooking. When spaghetti is done, add all the other ingredients. Stir frequently so it doesn't stick. (It's also a good idea to reserve some of the broth after the spaghetti is done and then add back in as needed - that way you don't end up with runny spaghetti!) We eat this with garlic bread and a side salad! Yummm....

* This is another favorite of mine from my mother-in-law!!!!
** You can also turn down the heat by adding mild rotel.



King Ranch Chicken

2 cans chopped chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can rotel
2/3 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup water
1/2 pkg. crushed Doritos, but not too fine!
1-2 cups grated cheddar

Cook your chicken, cook, chop, then measure in one of the empty soup cans. Mix all the ingredients except for the cheese. Put the cheese on top and cook for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. (I usually add more Doritos because I HATE this casserole runny!!!)

* This recipe came from my college room mate's mother! She would always send Amy back to college with the most amazing leftovers or desserts!!! She was so sweet to share some of her recipes with me. She died several years ago from cancer but she is always in my thoughts every time I pull out one of her recipes. She was a wonderful woman!



I know these two are very similar. I've made both and they're both awesome! I'll have to make them back to back sometime and let y'all know the difference. Both are definitely worth a try!!!

Chicken Danielle

Chicken Marsala

More "Keepers"...

Beef Tips Cooked in Wine

2 lbs. beef tips
1 whole garlic, chopped
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 cns. golden mushroom soup
3/4 c red cooking wine
1/2 c water
1 (8 oz) can mushrooms, drained - or fresh mushrooms (the only way to go!)

Brown beef tips in butter in a large pot. Add the other ingredients, simmer on low heat, covered, for 2 hours or until beef tips are tender. Serve on bed of rice or noodles. YUMMM.... Soooo good!!! :)


Tortilla Bake

1 1/2 lbs. hamburger meat
1 cn. rotel
1 cn. enchilada sauce
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 tortillas
1 3oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 4oz. cn. diced green chilies
8 oz. pkg. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Cook beef and drain. Stir rotel, enchilada sauce, chilies, cumin, pepper. Cover and simmer 5 minutes or so. Warm cream cheese in microwave and spread over tortillas. Layer tortillas w/ cream cheese, then cover with meat mixture, and then repeat. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Spread cheese on top and bake 5 mintues more.

* This recipe belongs to my mother-in-law and is one of my husband's favorites! Unfortunately, the kids and I don't like a lot of spice - so I will usually buy the mild version of the rotel, the enchilada sauce, and the chilies. Sometimes I even omit the cumin and black pepper all together. I also add more tortillas and more cream cheese!!! Yummm...


Italian Meatball Sandwich Casserole

The idea of a meatball sandwich really grosses me out - but this recipe is out of this world! I can't even begin to tell y'all how good this is!!! No1here hates the mayo in this dish, so I usually just omit it from his side of the pan.

Taste Test Tuesday

Well, since we've entered the blogging world we've come across so many neat food blogs out there with tons of recipes we want to try. So, I've dubbed Tuesday our "Taste Test" day!!! Here's what we'll be experimenting with...

Cindy - No Peek Casserole (I already tried this and give it 4 out of 5 stars)
The Great Cobbler Debate, from the Pioneer Woman

Kathy - Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich, from The Pioneer Woman

Tara - The Best Lasagne. Ever, from The Pioneer Woman


As you can see, The Pioneer Woman is pretty popular! Stay tuned for our results...



No Peek Casserole

2 lbs. cubed round steak
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 cn. cream of mushroom soup
1 cn. mushrooms or 1 pkg. fresh mushrooms

Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 2 hours. (I copied this out of a friend's cookbook - Thanks Denise!)