Cowboy Cornbread Hash

1 - 1.5 lb ground beef
1 can pinto beans (15-16 oz)
1 can whole kernel corn (15-16 oz)
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 pkg cornbread mix
salt
pepper
2 TBSP Worchestershire sauce (or a little more)

Brown meat in iron skillet--or any skillet that can go into the oven. Drain. Salt and pepper to taste. Drain corn and beans and add to meat along with Worchestershire and tomato sauce. Mix cornbread according to package directions. Pour over meat mixture and bake according to cornbread package directions.

Mexican Cornbread Casserole

Ok, here's what I made last night for supper. It is SO easy, it's ridiculous. And it is a huge hit in my family... complete with leftovers for lunch the next day. I am a stickler for having a veggie with each supper I make, so I force David and myself to eat some green beans or broccoli or something on the side. But what I really just want is chips and salsa!

Needed:

1 lb ground beef or turkey (I use turkey and it is just as good)
2-ish cups of grated cheddar
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can of corn
1 package of Sweet Yellow Cornbread and the ingredients to go in it (usually milk and egg)

Brown the meat, having seasoned it however you like (garlic, salt, pepper, etc). I like to put in some red pepper flakes with the meat to give it extra spice, or chopped jalapenos. Drain the meat. Add the can of Rotel, drain and add the can of corn. Pour meat/tomato/corn mixture into a greased 13X9 pan. Top the meat mixture with the cheese. Mix the cornbread according to the directions on the package and pour over the cheese. It never looks like there will be enough cornbread, but there is. If it doesn't ooze (sorry, that word sounds gross but I can't think of another one...) down into the meat a little bit because the cheese is so yummily taking up room, kinda smush it with your spoon. Bake according to the directions on the cornbread package.

Dressed up chocolate cake...

The girls and I wanted to make a chocolate cake a few weeks ago and realized we didn't have everything we needed to make icing, so here's what we did. While the cake was baking, we made some chocolate cook & serve pudding (1 package). When we took the cake out, we poured the pudding on top. We then crushed some Oreos and spread those over the top. We put it in the refrigerator till after supper and then topped it with fresh whipped cream. The longer it lasts, the moister it gets. Y'all take care!

Homemade chicken/ ham cheesy pockets

Okay, I tried this today for lunch, and everybody ate it good, so here it is. It was so easy.

You'll need:

1 big can of chicken (cooked)
1 cup of diced ham
1 - 1 1/4 cups cheddar jack cheese (depends on how cheesy you want it.)
2 things of crescent rolls (I used fresh bread dough, but I think the crescent rolls would be real good. I don't think one package would be enough for all the mixture.)

2 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup diced onions and peppers (optional)

Mix the chicken, ham, cheese, butter, and onions/peppers together.
Unroll the crescent rolls.
Spoon the mixture onto the rolls and fold them over it, pinching the sides up good. It doesn't take much of the mixture for each one.
Place the pockets on a cookie sheet.
Cook at 350 degrees until the rolls are done.

You could also add broccoli to this, but you would need to steam it first. There you have it!

Chicken Salad

4 cups of diced chicken (or two cans of chicken cubed, looks like tuna but it's CHICKEN)

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup of mayonnaise (I use Hellman's)

1/2 cup of sour cream

1 tsp of salt

1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Combine the chicken, pecans, green onions and celery in large bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, salt and pepper. Stir into the chicken mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

I serve with fresh croissants or Healthy Nut Bread and slices of tomato.

You can also try to mix in green chillies, green olives to put a different spin on the whole thing. Jeff likes it when I do it this way instead of celery and pecans and mix in few jalapenos.

I prefer the way above but I also squeeze a little bit of fresh lemon to give it an extra kick or pour 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar to make it not as dry.

I figure both or our ways are subject to individual preference so that is why I just listed the basics above.

Turkey Spinanch Lasagna

What You Need:

1 lb ground turkey (can sub ground beef if you want to die of a heart attack!)

2 large garlic cloves, crushed or 2 large spoonfuls of minced garlic from a jar

1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (I use Bertolli Marinara or Ragu works)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 (12 ounce) container of cottage cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons pepper

8 lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 (10 ounce) package of spinach, thawed and drained (make sure you get all the juice out otherwise it is super gross after cooked!)

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Brown ground turkey (or beef) with garlic in large skillet over medium heat. I add pepper and salt to taste during this time as well. Drain the meat and put back in skillet to add spaghetti sauce.

Combine egg, cottage cheese, and pepper.

Spread 1/2 of meat sauce in a 12 x9x 2 inch baking dish. Top with half each of uncooked noodles, cottage cheese mixture, spinach, meat sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, and cover with foil.

Cook for 50 minutes, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cook uncovered 10 more minutes

Let stand 10 minutes before serving

Give yourself a full hour and a half to prepare this dish. (30 minutes prep, one hour to cook)

Serves: 6

Choco-Holic Cake

For all you chocolate lovers out there, here is a cake I tried recently and it was a huge hit with my friends at school. The best thing about it is that it is relatively easy.

CHOCO-HOLIC CAKE

CAKE
1 chocolate cake mix of your choice (I used Pillsbury Chocolate)
1 small pkg. chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans and toasted them a little first.)
2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

GLAZE
2 oz. piece of Nestle Toll House Unsweetened Chocolate Baking Bar (it will be a small block)
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
3 Tblsp. butter
1-3 Tblsp. water (I had to use more to make it easier to drizzle.)
1 tsp. vanilla

FOR CAKE:

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-inch Bundt pan or other tube pan. (I use the Crisco with Pillsbury flour spray. It takes less time. Just make sure you coat the entire pan.)

COMBINE cake mix, pudding mix, milk, sour cream and eggs in large mixer bowl. Beat on low speed just until blended. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in morsels and nuts. Pour into prepared baking pan.

BAKE for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean.

COOL in pan for 20 minutes. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely.

FOR GLAZE:

MELT baking bar and butter in small heavy-duty saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar alternately with water until desired consistency in reached. Stir in vanilla extract.

POUR glaze over cake. (I sprinkled some chopped toasted pecans on top just for looks.)

Sweet and Sour Meatloaf

I made this last night for supper, and it is one of my favorite, easy, down-home cooking recipes. Some people don't really like meatloaf, but have said they like this one. Just FYI. :)

Needed:
1 lb ground beef (can use 1 and half, but cook a little longer)
3/4 c bread crumbs (I like the italian style)
1 chopped onion (I use minced onion sometimes too)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 of 8oz can tomato Sauce
1 egg

Mix above ingredients and form into a loaf.

Sauce:
1 1/2 can of tomato sauce
3 Tbsp vinegar
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp yellow mustard
2 tsp Worchestershire sauce

Mix together and pour over loaf. There will be TONS of sauce, so I rarely use it all. But it keeps the meatloaf from getting dry.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour 15 minutes. (1 1/2 hours if more than 1 lb of beef)