Taco Soup

I have been making this recipe for years.  A quick and simple soup that the family enjoys.  I usually top it with grated cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Taco Soup

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

• 1 1/2 cups water

• 1 (15 ounce) can mild chili beans

• 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes

• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers

• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies

• 1 (1 ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven or large kettle, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add taco seasoning and mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Apple Pie (Quick & Easy)

This is a simple, yet delicious recipe for apple pie. 

Apple Pie

recipe by Allrecipes

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.  Stir in cinnamon.
2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Gently pour 1/2 the sugar and butter liquid over the apples. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the remaining 1/2 sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

This is a great recipe from Pampered Chef. 

Apple Danish Braid

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 pkgs. refrigerated crescent rolls
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1 TBS. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar until well blended. Add egg mixing until smooth.
3. Unroll 1 pkg. of crescent dough; do not separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of 12" x 15" rectangle baking stone or cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining pkg. of dough. Roll dough to seal perforations.
4. On longest sides of baking stone, cut dough into strips 1-1/2 inches apart, 3 inches deep using pizza cutter (there will be 6 inches in the center for the filling).
5. Spread half of cream cheese mixture evenly over middle of dough.
6. Peel, core and slice apples. Cut slices crosswise in half; evenly arrange apple slices over cream cheese mixture.
7. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over apples.
8. Scoop remaining cream cheese mixture over apples; sprinkle with pecans.
9. To braid, lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip one turn. Continue alternating strips to form a braid. Tuck ends under to seal at end of braid.
10. Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from oven. Cut & serve.

Note: I halved this recipe in the picture above.

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Homestyle Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 large can Italian style green beans (We love Allen’s brand)

• 1/4 sweet onion, chopped

• 2 slices of bacon, chopped

• Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Sauté onion and bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until bacon is browning and onion is translucent.  Stir frequently. 
2. Pour can of green beans into sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve.  Pepper to taste.

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This is another family favorite.  The kids love it as much as we do.  Super simple.  I typically serve with a salad or green beans and corn.  The original recipe calls for poppy seeds but I never include them because I don’t have those on hand. 

Ritz Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 package of chicken, cooked and chopped

• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (1 sleeve)

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with Pam or butter. In a medium bowl, stir together the soup and sour cream. Add chicken and stir. Pour into baking dish.
3. Place the Ritz crackers in a large plastic bag.  Crush the crackers using a rolling pin.  In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken mixture.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly.

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Chicken Pot Pie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 cooked Rotisserie chicken

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 soup can of cream or milk

2 (15 ounce) cans mixed vegetables, drained

1 box refrigerated 9 inch double crust pie

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Lightly oil, salt & pepper chicken.  Bake the chicken breasts for about 30 minutes until done. Dice.  If you using Rotisserie chicken, then debone and dice.

 

Mix together undiluted soup, canned vegetables, and diced chicken. Pour mixture into pie shell, and cover with the second crust. Crimp the edges, and make slits in the top crust.

 

Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

 

Note:

In lieu of canned vegetables, I will sauté diced onion, celery and carrots in a skillet until soft.  Then I add a cup of frozen corn & a cup of frozen peas to the mixed vegetables.

 

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Breakfast Hash Brown Casserole

This is a delicious breakfast casserole.  The hash browns with ham and cheese topped with scrambled eggs taste great.  I usually serve this with biscuits. 

Hash Brown Casserole

recipe by Steve & Sue Packer

Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter + 1 tb butter

1/2 bag frozen hash browns

1/2 onion, chopped

1 cup diced ham

salt & pepper

1 – 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

8 eggs

dash of milk, cream or half & half

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray baking dish (pie pan or 8 x 8 square baking dish) with pam.

Melt 1/2 stick butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until clear.  Add hash browns and ham to onions.  Salt and pepper the hash browns.  Cook about 5 minutes, then turn and cook another 5 minutes.  The hash browns should be lightly brown.   

Remove from heat and transfer potatoes into prepared baking dish.  Top with 1/2 – 3/4 cup shredded cheese.  Place in oven for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in pan.  Crack eggs into a separate bowl, add a dash of milk or cream or half & half.  Salt and pepper.  Whisk eggs until smooth.  Pour into pan.  Cook until eggs are a soft scramble.

Pour eggs over the cheesy hash browns.  Top with remaining cheese.  Place in oven for 2 minutes until cheese is melted.  Remove from oven and enjoy!

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