Enchiladas

1lb ground beef
8oz pkg cream cheese
15oz can enchilada sauce (I prefer green over red)
8-10 flour tortialls
1c shredded co-jack cheese (or whatever you have on hand)

Brown ground beef and drain the grease. Heat beef, cream cheese and 1c enchilada sauce in skillet over low heat until well combined. Put a small amount of enchilada sauce on bottom of 9x13pan; just enough to cover the bottom. Divide the beef mixture into the 8-10 flour tortillas and roll up. Place in dish with seam side down. Pour remaining suace over tortialls. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 about 30min or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Serve with rice, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, extra cheese etc.

Recipe is from my mom.

Fish Tacos

Crema:
1/4c thinly sliced green onions
1/4c chopped fresh cilantro
3T mayonnaise
3T sour cream
1t grated lime rind
1 1/2t fresh lime juice
1/4t salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Tacos:
1t ground cumin
1t ground coriander
1/2t paprika
1/4t ground red pepper
1/8t salt
1/8t garlic powder
1 1/2lb red snapper fillets (or tilapia)

Tortillas, shredding lettuce or cabbage

Preheat oven to 435.
Crema: Combine all the crema ingredients in a bowl.

Tacos: Combine cumin and the next 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle spice mixtures on both sides of the fish. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 9 min or utnil fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish in a bowl. Break into pieces with a fork. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Top each fish taco with lettuce and crema.

Notes: I'm not a fan of leftover fish dishes so I usually made this when there were at least 4 people eating. It is about 2 tacos a piece.

Recipe is from my friend Colleen.

Broccoli Packets

2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1/2c carrots, chopped and soft (either cook them or use canned)
1c broccoli, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans of fat crescent rolls
1 can broccoli cheese soup
1c shredded cheddar cheese

Mix everything except the cheddar cheese. Unroll crescent rolls and arrange flat on a cooking stone, points toward center. Spoon mixture into crescents and sprinkle with the cheese. Pull points of crescent over the mxiture. Cook according to the driections on crescent  package.

Notes: One of my husband's favorites.

Parmesan Chicken

Place 4 chicken breasts in a greased pan.

Mix 1/2c miracle whip
       1/4c Parmesan cheese
       1t oregano

Spoon mixture over the chicken.

Bake 45min at 375.

Recipe is from my mom.

Lasagna Roll-Ups

Lasagna Noodles
1lb ricotta cheese
1c grated mozzarella cheese
1T parsley
1 1/3c Parmesan cheese
1/4t oregano
1/2t basil
1/2t garlic salt (or powder)
1 egg yolk
1 jar of spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350
Cook, drain noodles.
Mix together all other ingredients except for the spaghetti sauce.
Spread mixture the length of the noodles.
Roll them up an dput them in greased 9x13 pan.
Cover with spaghetti sauce.
Bake for 30 min.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese after baking.

Recipe is from my friend, Emily. It is a fun alternative to the normal lasagna.

Notes:
The rolls can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to cook.

Cookie Dough Brownies

Brownie Layer
2c sugar
1.5c flour
1/2c baking cocoa
1/2t salt
1c veg. oil
4 eggs
2tsp vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients together.  Add the wet and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.
Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 min oruntil done. Cool completely.

Topping:
1/2c butter, softened
1/2c brown sugar
1/4c sugar
2T milk
1t vanilla
1c flour
1c mini chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars. Add the milk and vanilla. Mix. Beat in flour. Stir in chips. Spread over cooled brownies. Chill until firm.

Recipes is from one of my best friend's mom. I fixed this when I was pregnant and craving cookie dough.

Persimmon Pudding

1. Cream: 1c sugar
               2T butter

2. Mix 1 egg
          1/2c milk and add to the cream in step 1.

3. Combine 2t baking powder
                   1/2t cinnamon
                   1c flour

4. Combine 1/2 buttermilk (can substitute 1/2T lemon juice and add milk until 1/2c)
                   1/2t baking soda

5. Alternate adding steps 3 and 4 to the cream and egg mixture.

6. Add 1c persimmon pulp and 1/2t vanilla

7. Pour into greased 8x8 pan.

8. Bake @ 350 for about 45min.

Recipe is from my grandmother. One of our favorites growing up. Definately worth the effort to dirty all those bowls.

Chipotle-Barbecue Chicken

6T butter/oil
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 onion chopped
1/4c chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
3/4c ketchup
3T cider vinegar
2T brown sugar
1T worcestershire sauce
~2lbs chicken thighs, breasts

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a deep skillet, heat 3T butter/oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently - about 3 min. Remove garlic. Add onion and cook with stirring (~8min) until golden.
2. Add the chiles in adobo sauce to the skillet, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, worcestershire, and garli and cook until thickened (~5min)
3. Coat the chicken in the sauce and place in baking sheet. Bake until chicken is cooked (~30min).

Tips: I used ~4 chicken breasts and just halved everything. It is a bit spicy, but that is what we like. This is a good one to fix the same week as ATK's chili because you can use half a can of the chipotle chiles in adobo sauce for both. And make this pork taco recipe.

Recipe is from Rachel Ray.

Bell Pepper Slow Cooker Pasta

1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 green pepper
1 medium onion
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans tomato paste
2T garlic, minced
1/4c olive oil
2t basil
2t oregano
1/2t red pepper flakes
1lb pasta, cooked
6T shredded Parmesan Cheese (opt)

Chop peppers into 1inch pieces.
Dice onions.
Add ingredients except pasta and cheese to the crockpot. Cook on low for about 7 hours. Mix in pasta. Add cheese when serving.

Optional: 1lb sausage, brown add when you add the pasta for non-vegetarian dish.

Cake Mix Cookies

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or other goodies (oatmeal, pb, toffee bits etc)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix and baking powder. Add eggs and oil, then mix until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips, or your choice of additions. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Bake less for chewy cookies and more for crispy cookies. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies don't stay around very long at our house.

Persimmon Bread

1 cup persimmon pulp

2 teaspoons baking soda

3 cups white sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2/3 cup water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped walnuts (opt)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 6x3 inch loaf pans. (or equilvalent)
1. In a small bowl, stir together the persimmon pulp and baking soda. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken the pulp.
2. In a medium bowl, combine sugar, oil, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Blend until smooth. Mix in persimmon pulp and water alternately with flour. Fold in nuts. Divide batter into the prepared pans, filling each pan 2/3 full.
3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Slow Cooker Chili

Adapted from American Test Kitchen

2T oil
1-3 medium onions, minced
6 minced garlic cloves
1/4c chili powder
1 - 6oz can tomato paste
1T ground cumin
1/2t red pepper flakes
Salt
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes (I prefer to use ones with chilis in it to give the chili more heat)
2lb ground beef (I prefer 1lb beef and 1lb sausage)
1-2 (15.5 oz) cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained.
1 (28oz) can tomato puree
2-4T minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
3T soy sauce
1T fresh oregano leaves or 1t dried
1T brown sugar
Lime wedges for serving

Heat everything from oil to pepper flakes until onions are soft (10-15min)
Stir in diced tomates with their juice.
Transfer to slow cooker.
Brown the meat and drain the grease.
Transfer to slow cooker and add rest of ingredients.
Cook on low for 8-9 hours.
Serve with lime wedges, fritos, sour cream, cheese.
Can freeze.

Notes: Make the same week as Chiptole Barbeque Chicken to use up the can of chiptole chilies in adobe sauce. Also can make pork tacos that use 1-2 chiptole chilies.

Chicken Fajitas

2 green peppers, sliced in strips
1 red pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts; thinly sliced
4T soy sauce
3-4T lime juice
1T chili powder
1/2t ginger
1-2t crushed red peppers

1) Combine chicken and everything below in a ziploc bag to marinate overnight or at least 2 hours.
2) Saute peppers and onions with evoo and salt. Set aside in foil to keep warm.
3) Chicken and marinate to the pan and cook until done
4) Serve on tortilla shells with all the normal fixings: cilantro, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, fresh lime juice, lettuce, avocado...

Notes: One of my husband's favorite Mexican dishes.

Recipe is from my friend, Colleen.

Upsidedown Pizza

1 pound lean ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Brown beef, onion and garlic in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Once browned, drain fat and stir in spaghetti sauce.
3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread a layer of sauce. Top with 1/2 of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, another layer of sauce and the rest of the cheese. Top with crescent rolls, pinching seams together.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown.

Recipe is from my mom.

Rio Rancho Taco Meat

A great alternative to the normal tacos:

1 med. onion, diced
1-1 1/2lbs ground beef
1c salsa
1pkg taco seasoning (or make your own HERE.)
1 1/2t brown sugar
1 - 4oz diced green chiles
1t garlic powder or 2 cloves minced garlic
1/2t salt
1/4t pepper
1/4t red pepper, ground or flakes
3/4c water

Brown onion, beef until no longer pink. Drain grease. Add salsa, taco seasoning, brown sugar, green chiles, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper. Stir until well mixed. If you like your meat hotter, add more red pepper. Add the water and simmer on low for 30-45min until mixture has thickened. If too thick add some more water and adjust seasonings. Cool. Freeze in a freezer bag.

Serving day:
Thaw meat mixture. Heat through and serve in taco shells, tortillas, etc. Top with cheese, lettuce, sour cream etc.

Recipe is from Don't Panic Dinner's in the Freezer cookbook.

Meatloaf

Adapted from Don't Panic Dinner's in the freezer cookbook

1T oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1t thyme
1/3c milk
1 egg
1/4c ketchup
1/2c bread crumbs
1/2t salt
1/2t pepper
1lb ground beef
1lb ground sausage

Heat oil and cook onion until soft, ~5min. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more; set aside. Combine milk, egg, and ketchup. Stir in bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Crumble in meats and add onion mixture. Stir unitl well combined. Freeze meat into 2 loaves, using foil and plastic wrap.

Serving Day:
Thaw loaf and place in baking dish. Bake at 350 for ~1hour to 1 1/2hours. Mix 1/2c ketchup and 2T brown sugar to create sauce and pour over meatloaf for last 1/2 hour of baking time.

Notes: Orginal recipe calls for 1/2lb each of beef, pork and veal. Since I rarely have the latter two on hand I just use beef and sausage.  I used to not be a fan of meatloaf, but this recipe has changed that!