Ole'!

Recipe: Mexican Stuffed Shells
Source: Renea Hubbell

"These are great to make in advance and as with most pasta dishes, it tastes better the next day."

24 jumbo pasta shells

1 lb lean ground been

2 C salsa

1 8oz can tomato sauce

1 C frozen corn (thawed)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 C shredded Mexican cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In a non-stick pan cook beef; drain. Stir in salsa, tomato sauce, corn and beans. Spoon into pasta shells. Place in a 13x9x2" baking dish coated with non-stick spray. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve topped with black olives, sour cream, green onions and extra salsa.

Cheesy Sausage and Potatoes in the CrockPot

Meal- Dinner
Recipe Source- Liz Reimer
Reason I like this dish- This meal is simple and delicious! Give it a try and it will become one of your new "comfort foods".

1 package O'Brian frozen potatoes (or any cubed hashbrowns)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 lbs kielbasa sausage, sliced

2 cups shredded cheese

Add all to crockpot and cook on high 4 hours. It's as easy as that.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

Type of Recipe - Dinner
Source - Simple and Delicious Magazine, February 2009
Why I Like This Recipe - It makes a double batch. Eat one and freeze one. Super easy, and the kids loved it!! You can be fairly flexible with amounts of meat and cheese, depending on what you have on hand.


2 pkg. (6 oz each) stuffing mix
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup milk
8 cups cubed chicken (I just slow cooked some boneless chicken breasts and shredded them)
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 lb sliced deli ham, cut into 1 inch strips
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Swiss cheese (I had some leftover Swiss cheese slices from sub sandwich night, so I just cut them into strips and used that rather than shredded)
3 cups (12 oz) shredded cheddar cheese


Prepare stuffing mixes according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine soup and milk; set aside. Divide chicken between two greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dishes. Sprinkle with pepper. Layer with ham, Swiss cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese, soup mixture and stuffing. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover, bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover, bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Chicken with Mushrooms and Peas

Meal: Dinner
Menu: Chicken with Mushrooms and Peas
Recipe Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray (with Becky's take on it here and there)

I made this the first time several weeks ago, not sure how the kids would like it. They loved it! It's now on the list of family favorites, and we had it again a few days ago. Yummy, very simple, good for (when you take the skin off, as I do) and the bonus - it's a fairly inexpensive meal to make. Win, win, win, win.

8 chicken thighs (I actually use 4 or 5 chicken quarters, separate them, and remove all the skin)
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (I just eyeball an appropriate amount of dried thyme...enough to give it a nice speckled look)
salt and pepper
8 oz mushrooms, halved (I use more...because I love 'em)
1 onion, coarsely chopped
one 10-ounce package of frozen peas (Again, I use more - 16 oz does our family a little better)

1. Position a rack in the upper third of the over and preheat to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the chicken with 1 TB olive oil, the thyme and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the mushrooms, onion, peas and the remaining 1 TB olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the vegetables to the chicken and cook for 25 minutes more.