Ham & Swiss Casserole

Tonight I tortured the family with a new recipe and it went better than expected--despite issues with a particular ingredient.  You see, the original recipe calls for cream of celery soup. This particular soup is persona non-gratis in this house, no one likes it. I am willing to bet even the dog would turn up her nose to this creamy toxicity.

As I was leaving the house this afternoon to pick up Miss M from school I took a quick peek over at my storage shelves in the garage. From the driver seat of the mom-mobile it appeared we had the cans of cream of mushroom I planned as a substitute. I made a point of my quick check because I was planning to brave the commissary after picking up the littlest Wheeler. (We survived the trip to the commissary because I gave Miss M the job of crossing things off mom's list.)

After returning home and putting away the groceries I decided to start dinner. Out to the garage I go to retrieve my cream of mushroom soup. A quick look to the bottom of the can I discover that soup expired in 2010! Yikes! Peel the label off for the Campbell soup points for the PTO and back out to the garage for the last can of cream of mushroom soup. Checking the bottom of that soup I learn it expired in 2011. Growling I remove that label for the PTO and stomp out to the garage. My choices now are cheddar soup or cream of chicken. I grab both cans of the cheddar soup, surely one of those has yet to expire. Wrong. One expired in 2011, and the other in 2009. Not only is throwing four cans of soup in the garbage sad, but add to it the fact that at least one of those cans of soup made the move from Utah to South Korea and then back again. I really need to 1) come up with a better system rotating can goods, 2) check expiry dates on can goods BEFORE the packers come to pack us for a move, and 3) check them again when unpacking. I suppose the best option would to channel my friend Denise, she makes her own cream of *fill in the blank* soups for use in casseroles.

After the great soup massacre, my only choice was to use cream of chicken. That soup is a common one used around here so I KNEW none of those were expired.  I did worry about how the cream of chicken soup would taste in a ham dish. It proved to be a mute point as I received a thumbs up from Hero and a double thumbs up from Miss M.

Below is the recipe, as always changes and thoughts are in red.

Ham & Swiss Casserole

• 8 oz. package of egg noodles (The egg noodles in our commissary are in 12 oz. pkgs, so I just used the whole package.)
• 2 cups cubed ham (I found my ham in the meat section already cut, the packages were 8 ozs., so I used two for this recipe.)
• 1 can cream of celery soup (After discovering almost all of my "Cream of" soups had expired, the only option left was to use cream of chicken, turned out just fine.)
• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese.
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 1/2 cup diced green pepper (I only had red, yellow, and orange in the crisper, so I used the orange one.)
• 1/2 cup diced onion

1. Boil the noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain, rinse and set aside. 
2. In a bowl mix together the soup, sour cream, pepper, and onion.
3. Grease a 13"x9" baking dish, I use Pam and just spray the pan while on the inside of the open door of the dishwasher this way the next time I run the dishwasher any over spray is washed away. Just make sure your dishwasher is empty of any clean dishes. 
4. Layer the bottom of the pan with half the noodles.
5. Add half the ham and then half the cheese.
6. Spread half of the soup mixture. 
7. Repeat with the second half of ingredients. 
8. Bake uncovered at 350*F for 30 to 45 minutes until heated through. 

Final thoughts: This made a rather large casserole for my small family. In the future I will make this dividing the recipe into 2-8"x 8" pans--one for that night and the other for the freezer. Keep in mind that when reheating frozen pasta it tends to get mushy, so under cook the pasta just a bit to help prevent this. Also, instead of layering the ingredients I will mix them with half the cheese, putting that into the dish and then topping with remaining cheese. By layering we found that some of the noodles on the bottom and around the edge became hard and not that yummy lasagna corner hard either. I might even add a vegetable such as peas or broccoli the next time. The final change I will make is using perhaps two cans of soup or adding just a bit of milk to make sure there is enough sauce to coat all the pasta. 

Enjoy!

Potatoes and Sausage

I am back. Back to menu planning, back to torturing trying new recipes on my family, I am back. Last week I tried this recipe for spicy chicken stew. It was a crock pot recipe, and it did make the house smell scrumptious. However, it was not received well, even the dog turned up her nose. After dinner the rest of the dinner was bid a farewell into the garbage disposal. It is very rare around here that a fail goes straight down the drain without passing go, without becoming a science project in the refrigerator.

Tonight's new recipe was a much bigger hit. In fact, I got the green light from Hero to try it again with chicken instead of sausage. (He'd rather I not cook sausage at all, but Mama loves sausage so he tolerates it on occasion.) When I first came across this recipe in a grocery check out recipe magazine there was an ingredient and a step that threw me off for a bit, but it proved to be a pleasant surprise. As always, my thoughts, and changes to the recipe are in red. Since I doubled the recipe that is the way I will share the recipe with you.

Potatoes and Sausage

• 1 pkg. Kielbasa, sliced into 1-inch pieces, I like to use the skinless variety
• 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced
• 1 medium sweet bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces, I completely forgot this ingredient and it still tasted delicious
• 8 red potatoes cut into fourths, I left the peels on, removing any eyes or blemishes on the potatoes
• 4 cloves of garlic chopped
• 4 TBsp olive oil, I just used the canola I had in the cupboard
• 1/4 tsp salt, I didn't measure and I probably put in closer to 1/2 tsp
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, again, I didn't measure and probably used closer to 1/2 tsp
•  1 TBsp of dried thyme, I didn't measure this either, just eyeballed it in my palm
• 1 TBsp of dried rosemary, I didn't measure this either, just eyeballed it in my palm
• 1/2 C. heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. I used a mortar and pestle to crush up my dried herbs. 
3. Mix all the ingredients, except for the cream, in a bowl. Then pour into a greased 2-qt. casserole dish.
4. Bake covered for 45 minutes.
5. Stir in the cream, mix well, continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes until potatoes are cooked and most of the cream is incorporated. 

This casserole fed my family of three with some left overs. Meghan and I each had a small portion, while Hero had a couple of servings. I think this would feed a family of six with no left overs, but be sure to have plenty of sides just in case. The next time I make this I think I will substitute the sausage for cut up chicken breasts, and I will try using my favorite seasoning, Cavender's Greek Seasoning. 

Enjoy!

Beans and franks bake

We had this for dinner the other night and it was almost a hit with everyone, Phillip wasn't too fond of having the corn bread on top. The extra casserole I put in the freezer does not have the corn bread batter on top, we will baking corn bread separately.

I got this recipe from a "Taste of Home" cookbook that you can find at the checkout counter. I love those and used to have a serious addiction to collecting them. I have managed to cut my impulse to buy new cookbooks drastically much to my husband's delight.

Yields: 2 Casseroles (4 servings each) (This casserole fed my family two meals)

• 2 packages (8-1/2 ounces each) corn bread/muffin mix (the recipe doesn't say this, but be sure you have the ingredients needed to mix the corn bread and follow the directions on the package.)
  
• 1 can (28 ounces) baked beans(I did not have baked beans on hand so I just used Pork n' beans, I am glad I did because if I had used baked beans it would have been too sweet for my family)
  
• 4 hot dogs, halved lengthwise and sliced (I used a whole package of hot dogs and just sliced them, we like hot dogs)
  
• ½ pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
  
• 1 cup ketchup
  
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
  
• ½ cup chopped onion
  
• 2 cups(8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  
• The recipe does not call for this…but we like a little bit of mustard in our baked beans, the next time I make this recipe I will either put in a couple of tablespoons of prepared mustard or about 1 teaspoon of dry mustard in the mixture.
  

1. Prepare corn bread batter according to the package; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the beans, hot dogs, bacon, ketchup, brown sugar, and onion. Transfer to two greased 8-in. square baking dishes. Sprinkle with cheese; top with corn batter.
   
2. Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Bake the second casserole, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
   
   
   To Use Frozen Casserole: Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through.
   

Cheddar Turkey Bake

Cheddar Turkey Bake

Another wintry day, another casserole…

This is another "Taste of Home" recipe.

Yield: 2 Casseroles (4-6 servings each)

• 2 cups chicken broth
  
• 2 cups water
  
• 4 teaspoons dried minced onion
  
• 2 cups uncooked long grain rice
  
• 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
  
• 4 cups cubed cooked turkey ( I used two breasts)
  
• 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
  
• 2 cups milk
  
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups finely crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 60 crackers) (I just used crackers we had in the house, the wheat Sociables. It took about one full sleeve of crackers per casserole.)

1. In a large saucepan, bring the broth, water, and onion to a boil. Reduce heat. Add rice; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork.
2. Divide rice between two greased 9-in. square baking pans. Sprinkle each with peas and turkey. In a bowl, combine the soup, milk, and salt until smooth; pour over turkey. Toss the cracker crumbs and butter; sprinkle over the top.
   
3. Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months (if you vacuum seal your casserole after it is frozen it will last longer). Bake the second casserole, uncovered, at 350F for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
   

To Use Frozen Casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Bake uncovered, at 350F for 45 – 50 minutes or until heated through.

Enjoy!

While we enjoyed this recipe I will be making the following changes the next time I make this recipe:

• I will use three cans of soup instead of two, and keep the milk at 2 cups
• I will be bringing some more flavor to the party with some garlic powder and a few shakes of pepper sauce into the soup mixture.  We love flavor in this house, bland is a bad word!
• Instead of layering the rice, meat, peas, and soup I will be mixing them in a large bowl and then dividing it between my two pans.
• I will be adding some shredded cheese, most likely cheddar to the mixture.
• Lastly, Phillip thinks it would taste better if made with chicken or pork.

Smoky Potato Skillet Casserole

Smoky Potato Skillet Casserole

This is another "Taste of Home" recipe.

• 1 package (16 ounces) smoked sausage links cut into 1-inch pieces (I used Turkey Kielbasa…because, well I love Kielbasa)
  
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 1 TBsp butter
  
• 2 cups water
  
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 package (5-1/4 ounces) au gratin potatoes (the recipe encourages the use of other flavors, so I am using cheesy scalloped potatoes)

1. In a large skillet, sauté the sausage, celery, and onion in butter until vegetables are tender. Stir in water, milk, and contents of sauce mix from potatoes; bring to a boil.
2. Stir in potatoes. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring once.
   

Enjoy…this is a new one for us, so I will have to let you know how it is received in this house. I am sure I will like it, what is not to like about sausage, cheese, and potatoes. My family on the other hand tend be a bit choosier.

Couple of days later…….

Even though we all ate it, Phillip and I agreed that this is not a favorite recipe and will not be used again. Maybe your family will enjoy it more than we did.

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

Chicken Stuffing Casserole
"Taste of Home" recipe
Yields: 2 Casseroles(6 servings each)

• 2 packages (6 ounces each) chicken stuffing mix
• 2 cans(10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1 cup of milk
• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 cans (8 ounces each) mushroom stems and pieces, drained (canned mushrooms are food non gratia in this house, so I just rough chopped a couple handfuls of button mushrooms)
• 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Prepare stuffing mixes according to package directions.  Mean while in a large bowl, combine soup and milk; set aside.  Spread the stuffing into two greased 8-in. square baking dishes.  Layer with chicken, corn, mushrooms, soup mixture, and cheese.
2. Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months.  Cover and bake the second casserole at 350F for 30 - 35 minutes or until cheese is melted.
3. To use frozen casserole:  Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking(do not thaw).  Bake at 350F for 1-1/2 hours.  Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through.

This is tonight's dinner, so I will let you know how it goes.

Enjoy!

Creamed Chicken & Biscuits

I did not take this picture...I scanned it off the recipe card

This recipe comes from a recipe card I got in the mail over a decade ago. You know the kind you get in the mail in hopes that you will subscribe and pay an outrageous price for the rest. I have been holding on to it for years and figured it was about time I tried it out.

Hero doesn't like chicken and dumplings; this recipe reminded him too much of the dish he dislikes. This was not a hit with him. However, Miss M and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Prep time: 28 minutes Baking time: 35 minutes Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large onion
• 1 1/2 tsp butter
• 4 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chopped pimiento
• 1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese, divided
• 6 frozen biscuits, thawed
• I had a handful of fresh mushrooms that I wouldn't use before they went bad, I quarted them and added them to this recipe. I thought it was good, but then again I like mushrooms.
• I also added a clove of garlic to this recipe...we are garlic people.
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 11x7-inch baking dish.
2. Chop the onion. Heat butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Stir in onion. Saute until tender. At this point I added the chopped mushrooms and sauted them for a few minutes with the onions. I also added one clove of fresh garlic at this point.
3. Combine onion, chicken, soup, sour cream, milk and pimiento in a medium bowl and mix well. Soon mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
4. Sprinkle baked layer with 3/4 cup of the cheddar. Arrange biscuits is single layer over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar.
5. Bake until biscuits are golden brown and the sauce is bubbly. About 20 minutes longer. Serve immediately.
   

We are a small family of three and I didn't really want to have this as left overs right away. So I made the recipe as it reads up to the cheese. I used about double the cheese, and instead of frozen biscuits I used the Pillsbury Grand biscuits that come in a tube of eight biscuits. I split the chicken mixture between two 8x8 inch pans. I baked both casseroles for the initial 15 minutes. Added the cheese and biscuits to both casseroles as directed. One casserole went back into the oven to finish baking for dinner that night. The other casserole cooled and was then frozen before being vacuumed sealed for another night. All that needs to be done with the second casserole is thawed and then baked for that last twenty minutes.

Red Rice and Sausage

I got this recipe from www.allrecipes.com in January of 2006. Sorry, I forgot to get a picture of this one.

Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 2 Hours Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 4 cups water
• 3 slices turkey bacon
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) package smoked turkey sausage, halved and sliced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, drained
• 1 (14 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• dried Italian seasoning to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine the rice and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender and the water has been absorbed. Set aside. (I use my Pampered Chef microwave rice cooker)
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (175 degrees C)
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon, and brown on each side. Add the onion, garlic, and green pepper to the skillet, and cook until soft, stirring frequently. Mix in the sausage, and cook until hot, then pour in the tomatoes. Cook just until heated through. Stir in the cooked rice and spaghetti sauce. Season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Transfer to a large casserole dish, and cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
4. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, then remove the lid and cooked for an additional 15 minutes.
   

Spanish Chicken

I got this from a Taste of Home check-out counter cook book...sensing a pattern here? I must confess, my name is Lynn and I am a check-out counter cookbook addict.

As always any changes, hints, and opinions are in red.

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves...this is what the recipe calls for, and it is what we like in this house...but I bet it would work with your favorite chicken part just as well
• 2 TBsp canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 can, 14.5oz diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules (we didn't have any so I just left this out and used 1 cup of chicken stock instead of the water.)
• 1 to 3 tsp chilli powder...I used 1 1/2 tsp when I made this, I think we would like it with more
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cumin...we would like it better with a tad bit more cumin, next time I think I will use 1/4 tsp
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup picante sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese...i didn't have any of this either, so I just used a cheddar/jack blend
• 1 can (2.25oz) sliced ripe olives, drained....I forgot to add these...oops

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute onions, green pepper, and garlic until tender. Add garlic when onion is almost cooked, you don't want to burn it, it will taste bitter. Stir in the tomatoes, water, rice, bouillon, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. I added the seasonings to the onions, peppers and garlic first to "toast" them, then added the rest of the ingredients...a trick I learned watching the "naked chef" in the UK. NO, he was not really naked!
2. Pour into a greased 11x7x2in. baking dish, top with chicken. Cover and bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes or until rice is tender. Uncover; spoon picante sauce over chicken and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Garnish with olives.
   

Italian-Style Shepherd's Pie

Unforturnately this recipe and a few more to follow don't have an y corresponding pictures. I will try to do better in the future at remembering to get pictures before I am doing dishes and dinner is all done. Sometimes I get so caught up in hurrying up and feeding my family, that I forget to take pictures.

I got this recipe from a Betty Crocker check out stand cookbook. As in the past I will note any changes I made to the original recipe in red.

Prep Time: 20 Min. Start to Finish: 50 Min.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb beef boneless sirloin, trimmed of fat, cut into 1-inch cubes. DO NOT use stew meat, this does not cook long enough to make the meat tender.
• 1 cup sliced onions (about 1 medium)
• 2 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 jar (14oz) tomato pasta sauce (any variety) (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 package (7.2oz size) Betty Crocker roasted garlic mashed potatoes (1 pouch) Phillip doesn't like instant potatoes, so I used a package of Ore-Ida steam in a bag potatoes that I had in the freezer. I think they were a garlic mashed type flavor. It was more than the recipe called for, but I used the whole bag. Followed the directions on the package to make the mashed potatoes and then used them in the recipe as directed.
• 1 cup hot water (this is for the potatoes that I didn't use)
• 2/3 cup milk (for the potatoes I didn't use)
• 2 TBsp butter or margarine (for the potatoes I didn't use)
• 2 TBsp shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375F. Spray 2 quart casserole or 11x7 inch glass baking dish ith cooking spray. Heat 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onions, and carrots to skillet; sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently until beef is brown.
2. Stir in mushromms and pasta sauce. Heat to boiling. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occassionally. Spread in casserole.
3. Make potatoes as directed on package for 4 servings, using 1 pouch Potatoes and Seasoning, water, milk, and butter. Spoon into 8 mounds around the edge of hot beef mixture. Sprinkle cheese over all. I had more potatoes than needed, so I just layered them in one layer on top of my meat mixture.
4. Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and potatoes are light golden brown. 4 servings (1 1/2 cups each)

Mexican Lasagna

I got this recipe from www.sparkpeople.com, you can find the recipe here. This is another of our favorite meals that we enjoy eating and freezing.

As in the past, I will notate the changes we make to the recipe in RED.

1 lb. ground turkey (I use lean ground beef because Phillip doesn't like ground poultry.) 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 garlic cloves, minced (Today I used 5 cloves, but we LOVE garlic in this house) 2 onions, chopped 2 10 oz. cans black beans, drained and slightly mashed (my cans of beans were larger, but that's okay because we like this recipe with more beans, I think the cans I had were 14.5oz) (in the past I have used one can of black beans and one can of Rosarita Black Bean refried beans, and it turned out great) 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 cups tomato sauce (my can of tomato sauce was 15oz, I figured that was close enough) 1 10 oz. can stewed tomatoes, coarsely chopped (I never seem to have stewed tomatoes in the house when I need them, so I just used diced.) 6 medium whole wheat tortillas (I cut my tortillas in half to enable me to put them in the pan with the cut edges along the side of the pan, therefore getting better coverage) 1 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese (along with garlic, we LOVE cheese, so I use way more than this, about double if not more)

Directions

1. Preheat oven 350 F.

2. Saute 1 onion, 1 garlic clove on high heat while breaking up meat. Cook until meat is no longer pink. Stir in black beans. Set saute pan aside.

3. Heat oil in another saute pan over medium heat. Saute remaining onion, until soft. Add remaining garlic, chili powder and cumin, saute for 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce and tomatoes with juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer partially covered for 20 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Transfer all but 1/2 c (I usually set aside 3/4 cup) sauce to meat and beans; Mix well.

4. Dip half the tortillas, one at a time, in the hot tomato sauce. Lay tortillas in the bottom of an 8.5 x 11 casserole dish.


Spread half meat and bean mixture over tortillas. Sprinkle half the cheese over meat and beans.

5. Add another layer of tortillas and meat & beans mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 35 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes. (Today I made the lasagna in the morning, stopping at the I would bake. Instead I put the lasagna in the refrigerator and will bake for about 45 minutes before serving.)

Serves 6.

Freezer tip: We like to eat on this for two nights, and then freeze the rest. What I do is cut the lasagna into thirds. After the baked lasagna has been in the fridge overnight and before I reheat it I put 1/3 of the lasagna on a sheet of tin foil that I placed on a cookie sheet. Removing the lasagna from the pan works much better if you use two spatulas. I then wrap the lasagna in the tin foil I set it on and place the cookie sheet with the lasagna in the freezer. Usually I let it freeze overnight. The next morning I take the cookie sheet with the frozen lasagna on it out of the freezer and vacuum seal it using my food saver. When I want to eat it, I take it out of the freezer and set it on the counter for about 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes I carefully remove the lasagna from the vacuum sealer bag and the tin foil. Then I place it in a small pan coated with cooking spray. Top the pan with tin foil and put the pan in the refrigerator to finish dethawing.

Hope you enjoy!

Taco-Filled Pasta Shells

I got this recipe from the Taste of Home, "No-Fuss Freezer Meals", Fall 2008 book. This recipe comes from a Marge Hodel of Roanoke, Illinois.

I will give the recipe as it is on the recipe card. However, I cut the menu in half to test whether or not we liked it before we make a bunch to freeze. We liked it so I will be making a full batch to put in the freezer for Phillip and Miss M for after I have my WLS.


You will need:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 envelopes taco seasoning (we use the low-sodium kind in this house, and I was glad I did, I think it might have been too salty otherwise)
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese cubed
• 24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Additional Ingredients (for each casserole)

• 1 cup each salsa and taco sauce
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (4ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I just used the Cheddar and Jack blend shredded cheese you can buy in the dairy case)
• 1-1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 3 green onions, chopped

1. In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add taco seasoning, prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese, cook and stir for 5-10minutes or until melted. Transfer to a bowl; chill for 1 hour.
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain. Gently toss with butter. Fill each shell with about 3 tablespoons of meat mixture. Place 12 shells in a freezer container. Cover and freeze up to 3 months.
3. To prepare remaining shells, spoon salsa into a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Top with stuffed shells and taco sauce. Cover and bake ay 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses and chips. Bake 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve with sour cream and onions.

TO USE FROZEN SHELLS: Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours (shells will be partially frozen). Spoon salsa into a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Top with stuffed shells and taco sauce. Cover and bake ay 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue as above.

I forgot to add the tortilla chips. When we sat down to eat I realized I for got them. Phillip just crushed chips over the top of our dinners. I had a bite before he did this, the chips make a difference for the better. I served this over a bed of shredded lettuce...Yummy!

Guess my secret is out of the bag with this picture...I really don't like my food to touch.

Enjoy!