Mexitot Casserole

Last week I made a casserole my family absolutely loves. I make it at least once a month, I make a lot, and there's never any left. Cheeseburger and French fry casserole. I'll post that one soon, I promise, but while I was making it, my husband had an idea. Tacofy it.

I'm sure most of you have heard of the Dorito chicken casserole...It's very good and my family loves it, too, but I like to make a lot so we have leftovers. My husband takes them to work for lunch and when our sons are home, it gives them something to eat that doesn't use up all my groceries. The thing is, once the Dorito chicken casserole is cold, it doesn't reheat well. The chips are soggy and it's just kind of gross.

So! The hubs suggested  changing the cheeseburger casserole into a taco casserole. It's very good and reheats great! If you're from the southwest, you know places like Taco Bell sell seasoned tater tots (Mexitots). I'm from the Midwest, and the closest I've found is Taco John's potatoes ole, and I didn't find a Taco John's until we moved from Utah (hub's home state) to Iowa.

I took ground beef and seasoned it with store bought taco seasoning, but you can use homemade if you prefer. I also tossed a bag of frozen tater tots with a packet of taco seasoning. I mixed the meat with refried beans, topped it with canned soup and the seasoned tots, baked it, then added cheese. Really freaking good!! Not healthy, but...
If you prefer chicken, you can use it...Cooked and chopped, shredded, or ground. Just replace the beef with your choice.

Oh! It just popped into my head! Rotel! Mixed in with the meat! Ohhh! Gotta try that next time!

Mexitot Casserole 
Serves 8-10 (may be halved)

2 pounds ground beef
2 packs taco seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 C water
1 can refried beans (15oz)
2 lbs frozen tater tots, semi-thawed (let them sit out for an hour before using them)
2 C shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese
1 can nacho cheese soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 C milk

Heat oven to 350°F

Place tots in a large bowl and sprinkle with about half of a seasoning packet, gently toss to coat.

Brown beef and onions untill meat is cooked through. Drain and rinse with hot water. Put meat back into the skillet. Stir in 2 seasoning packets and water. Heat to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in refried beans.

Spread meat mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13" baking dish.

Combine soups and milk, whisk until well blended. Spread over meat mixture.

Arrange tots in a single layer over soups.

Bake 20 minutes, until tots start to brown. Top with cheese and bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Serve with sour cream, chopped onions and tomatoes, and shredded lettuce.

Dirty Rice and Dragons

*gigglesnort* that title sounds like a really, really bad movie. It pretty much sums up my evening, though. Made a cross between dirty rice and red beans and rice for dinner tonight and have been working steadily on my cross stitch.

Dinner wasn't as pretty, but I'm pretty sure it tasted better than the cross stitch would have. Kidney beans, rice cooked in chicken broth, smoked sausage, onions, garlic, and spices vs. cotton fabric and thread...Hmmm...

Oh! And the new crochet hook I ordered came today! Such excitement! Yep, that's my life, one thrill after another.

Cajun Rice Dinner

3C. Uncooked rice
6C. Chicken broth
1lb smoked sausage, sliced
2 T oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 t paprika
3/4 t salt
1/2 t oregano
1/4 t thyme
Sprinkle cayenne (more it you like it hot)
2 T Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed.

Bring broth to a boil, add rice, cover, and cook 20 minutes, until broth is absorbed and rice is tender.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and sausage, cook until onion is tender and sausage is browned. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add beans and seasonings and stir together.

Stir sausage mixture into the rice. Add more Cajun seasoning as needed.
You may add 2 stalks sliced celery and/or 1 chopped bell pepper to the skillet when you cook the onion if you like, my family doesn't care for them.

Goulash!

We have lived in Iowa for seven years now and, until now, I haven't made goulash. I *love* goulash. So why haven't I made it? Because my dear husband said he didn't like it. My dear husband who claims not to be picky. Yeah. I made it while we lived in Utah because he worked 6pm to 6am and rarely had time to eat anything more than a bag of chips. He's been on days since we moved, so I try to accommodate. But, enough was enough!

I never liked goulash as a kid. What my mom called goulash, anyway. Macaroni and hamburger with stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce. I loved my mom, don't get me wrong, but cooking wasn't her thing. She hated cooking, but did it because she was wife and mom, and she considered it her job not to let us starve. I learned to cook early in self defense!

My goulash starts a bit differently than most. I found a recipe online about fifteen years ago that had you cook the pasta in tomato juice rather than water. Makes ALL the difference! I lost that recipe long ago, but remember that part. This way, the tomato flavor is IN the macaroni, not just on it. The flavor is much richer. This makes a big pot, so feel free to halve it!

Oh, and Mr I Don't Like Goulash? Ate two helpings.

Goulash

2 lbs lean ground beef

16 oz uncooked macaroni

1 can corn, drained (frozen may be used, thaw first)

1 large can tomatoes (stewed, diced, whole, whatever you like), undrained

46 oz tomato juice (V8 may be used if you like)

1 large onion, chopped

2 T paprika

1 t salt

1 t black pepper

1/2 t garlic powder (NOT garlic salt!)

1/2 t onion powder (NOT onion salt!)

In a large skillet, cook beef and onions. Drain and rinse. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat tomato juice and macaroni over medium high heat. Add tomatoes, corn, and seasonings. Stir often to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The macaroni will absorb most of the juice as it cooks.

When the pasta is tender, add the beef and onions. Turn heat to medium low, stirring often, until beef and onions are hot.

Serve with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top.

Taco Corn Chip Casserole

It's been a while since I posted, I know. I apologize. Things just seemed to pile up and I needed time to dig my way out. I'm going to do my best to keep up with this, this time.

I need to get my act together...seems every time I cook or crochet something new, I don't have a camera near. I did get a picture of tonight's dinner, but used the camera on my tablet and it leaves a lot to be desired.

Right now, there are four adults here, our two sons are home while they go to school, so I'm still cooking for an army. This recipe is easily cut in half for normal people. Not only do my boys pack it away, they also like leftovers for lunch the next day or so, so even though I make a lot, it's very seldom that any goes to waste.

As usual, substitutions are great. Make it to suit your family. This calls for kidney beans, but I think next time, I'll use black beans. I meant to add some Rotel, but forgot until I was adding the last layer of cheese, so... maybe next time.

Taco Corn Chip Casserole

2 lbs lean ground
2 cans (15oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 large can (28 oz) tomato sauce
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can corn, drained
1 small onion, chopped
3 C. Shredded cheddar cheese
2 bags (9oz) corn chips

Heat oven to 350°

Cook beef and onion in a large skillet. Drain and return to skillet. Add taco seasoning, tomato sauce, beans, and corn; mix well.

In a 10x14” baking dish, cover bottom with a layer of chips. Top with half the meat mixture, then half the cheese. Top with another layer of chips. Repeat layers, ending with chips.

Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes.


**This recipe may be halved**

Taco Bake

So, it's winter and the local grocery stores have ground beef on sale. For the last 2-3 weeks! Move on, we all have enough hamburger! *sigh*

Me being cheap, have had to get creative with the menu because you can only eat so much meatloaf, tacos, and hamburgers. I had a bag of tortilla chips left from the last time we had tacos and I made pico. I certainly had the ground beef. And I always have taco seasoning, sour cream, cheese and onions...hmmm...

I made it without the refried beans because, genius me, I didn't think about them until the casserole was in the oven. If you don't like refried beans, you can use a can of drained black beans or red beans or pinto beans. Or you can just leave the beans out altogether, but they would bulk it up a bit.

Now, as usual, I made enough for an army, but food doesn't last long here. I used a huge 10x14" baking dish. We have leftovers, but not as many as you might think! And they'll be gone by the weekend. If you don't have a houseful of big eaters like I do, you can easily halve the recipe. I don't recommend freezing this because of the tortilla chips, but if you used torn corn tortillas instead, in the one you freeze, it should work...it just won't have the crunch 

If you like it hotter, add some peppers, milder, use canned diced tomatoes rather than the Rotel.

Taco Bake

2 lbs ground beef (80-85% lean)

1 chopped onion

2 cans Rotel, undrained

1 C. sour cream

1 small can sliced black olives, drained

1 packet taco seasoning

1 15 oz can refried beans

3 C. shredded cheddar cheese

1 large bag tortilla chips

Heat oven to 350°.

Cook meat and onions till onions are soft and meat is no longer pink. Drain and return to skillet.

Stir in Rotel, sour cream, taco seasoning, olives, and beans. Simmer over medium heat 10 minutes.

Coarsely crush half the chips into the bottom of a 10x14" baking dish. Spoon half the meat mixture over the chips. Sprinkle half the cheese over the meat. Repeat layers, making sure the cheese is the last layer added.

Bake 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.

Taco Cornbread Bake

I was hesitant about making this, even with the changes, but I'm glad I did!  Everyone loved it.  For me, anyway, it has just the right amount of zip.  I like spicy foods, but sometimes you don't want to need a gallon of water with your dinner!  And you can alter the amount of zip by the kind of salsa you use.  We always get medium, but you can go hotter or cooler.  If that's not hot enough, add a can of diced green chili peppers.

I really thought it would be bland, but the salsa does the job.  This can be halved, if you don't live with eating machines like I do.  Of course, I forgot to get a picture till it was almost gone...*sigh*  I'll get my head out of my butt one day, I swear!

Taco Cornbread Bake

2 pounds ground beef
1t. dry oregano
1 1/2 C. salsa
2 16 oz cans tomato sauce
2 cans corn, drained
2 boxes cornbread mix and the ingredients to make them
2 C. shredded cheddar

Heat oven to 375.
Brown beef with oregano.  Drain.  Add salsa, tomato sauce, corn, and 1 C. cheese.
Pour into a 9 x 13" baking pan.
Mix cornbread mix with required ingredients.  Pour over meat mixture and spread evenly.  Top with remaining cheese.
Bake 25-30 minutes.  Allow to rest at least 10 minutes before serving.

Dinner for 4, less than $10

I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for ways to feed us without breaking the bank, especially since our oldest came home.  Who'd have thought one more mouth would raise the food bill so much!
So tonight I really didn't feel like cooking, but we'd already had pizza this week, so...*sigh* guess I was cooking. It's been hot today and my husband works in the heat, which is draining, so I knew he wasn't going to want to stop by the store, and I certainly didn't want to, so that left what I had on hand.
OK, I can do this. Here's what I came up with. There are a lot of similar recipes out there, but, here it is.  After eating it, I think it would be good with rice, too, as long as you used cooked rice. Using uncooked would take too long, and I know I never have any luck with that...there's always so much that doesn't cook either at all or not completely, and if ruins dinner.

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

1 large or 2 small chicken breast halves (or thighs), cooked and shredded
1 box stuffing mix
1 stick butter, melted
1 can cream soup (whatever flavor you like)
1 C. Water
Salt and pepper to taste (and any other seasoning you like)

Heat oven to 350.
Mix butter and stuffing mix and set aside.
Whisk water and soup together and set aside
Spray a 8x8" pan with nonstick spray.
Remove 1/4 C. Stuffing and set aside.
Spread half the stuffing on bottom of pan. Top with half the chicken, then half the soup. Repeat. Sprinkle reserved stuffing on top.
Bake 30 minutes.

If you use rice, I would think about 3 cups would do, and I personally, would season it with salt, pepper, and maybe poultry seasoning, and cook it in. Chicken broth.

Beef Tips

OK, I have pictures this time! Picked up some tri tip steak for cheap.  It was on its sell-by date, so they had it marked down, and I'm all for saving money!  Which is also why, rather than using it as steak, I decided to get 2 meals out of it.  Tonight is beef tips, and the rest can stay in the freezer for a few days when I think I'll make some Oriental beef of some type.  Haven't yet found a recipe I like as much as my old tried and true...and VERY sweet...recipe.  May have to experiment on my own.

Anyway!  Usually, when I make a recipe for the first time, I follow the directions pretty closely, but this time, not so much.  Some of the steps seemed silly and after tasting the meat, it was a little bland, so...yeah.


Beef Tips

1 1/2 lbs. cubed beef (the type doesn't matter as they simmer long enough to tenderize any cut)
1 T garlic powder
1 T. onion powder (I was out so I used dried minced)
1/4 C. red wine, divided (optional)
3 C. water
1 T. beef bouillon or 3 cubes
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 T. cornstarch
3-4 T. water
Hot buttery egg noodles

Season meat with garlic and onion powders.  Brown in a large skillet with 1/8 C. wine until cooked through.

Add water, bouillon, onions, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.  Simmer over medium heat 45-60 minutes, or until meat is very tender.
Combine water and cornstarch and stir until cornstarch is dissolved.  Add slowly to skillet while stirring.  Bring skillet to a boil, boil about a minute then turn heat off and allow to cool slightly so it thickens.
Serve over egg noodles.

Cheesecake Bites UPDATE!!!

Hmmm...that didn't come out right.  What I meant was...well...cheesecake bites.  Clear as mud!  Bite-sized cheesecake treats.  Does that make more sense?  Good.  No, I wish I didn't like cheesecake.  I could eat my weight in the stuff!!

I'm an idiot and forgot to take pictures...twice!  I made a batch for us the first time, then, after hubby declared them acceptable (I think his words were something along the lines of "damned good!"), he asked if I could make some more for him to take to work for a retirement party. No problem!  And still, I forgot to take a picture!  *sigh* 

So, I'm going to post the recipe and I'll just have to make more (the suffering I put myself through!), and get pictures then.

The original recipe, and no, I don't remember where I got it, but I didn't come up with it, called for a cinnamon-sugar coating, and that's how I made both batches because I always follow the original recipe the first time I make something.  With the second batch, I didn't want to change it when it was going to feed others until I had made it differently for us and was sure it would work that way.  What I want to try next will be a coating of graham cracker crumbs with a little cinnamon and sugar mixed in.  That would be closer to cheesecake, I think.

Cheesecake Bites

8 oz, cream cheese, room temperature
16 oz loaf of bread (not the thick sliced stuff)
3/4 C. powdered sugar
3/4 C. melted butter
1 pack Graham crackers, finely crushed
1 1/2 T sugar

Heat the oven to 350.
Cut the crusts off the bread, then, with a rolling pin, roll the bread slices flat.
Combine the powdered sugar and cream cheese and mix well.
Combine the cracker crumbs and sugar and mix well.
Spread the cream cheese mixture on the bread slices, about 1 T. per slice.  Roll the bread up jelly roll style.
Now, for bites, you would cut each roll in half, or you can leave it whole and they're more like sticks.
Dip each piece in the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes.

This originally called for 2/3 C sugar and 1T cinnamon to coat them instead of the Graham crackers and sugar, but that was REALLY sweet. I think the cracker crumbs are wayyyy better!

Cajun Pasta Alfredo

This work thing takes up way too much of my time!  I've been working on the same afghan for almost a month now and I'm only about 2/3 done!  Granted it's queen sized, but still.  Between now and mid July I have to make a baby blanket for a friend.  Her first grandchild is due in early August...she's my age and her daughter is my son's age...makes me fell soooo old!  Then between now and November, I have this afghan and one for another of my in-laws.  I want it done in time to mail it to Utah and have it there before Christmas.  And when I'm done with this one, I have a cousin who wants one!  Glad I don't have to work in the summer!

I had some of those mini smoked sausages and wanted to make something for dinner with them.  I could really only find recipes for snacks and such, sooo...I got creative.

Cajun Pasta Alfredo

16 oz. rotini pasta
15 oz jar Alfredo sauce (this makes it a little dry, so if you like it saucy, use 2)
1 T. Cajun seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's) (use more if you like a lot of spice)
1 package mini smoked sausages cut into 4 pieces (or sliced and quartered regular sized)
dry bread crumbs

Heat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.
Stir in sauce, sausage, and seasoning.  Mix well.
Spoon pasta into a 9 x 13" baking pan, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and bake for 15-20 minutes.

 

 

Made this again tonight (5/10) but this time I used 2 jars of sauce...we like it saucy and last time was a little dry for our tastes.  Also, there was some pork and chicken Italian sausage on sale that I used instead of smoked sausage and it was AMAZING!!  The chicken in it, kept the sausage from being greasy and the spice in it (it was mild, but still had TONS of flavor!) meant I only needed a little Cajun seasoning.  VERY GOOD!!!

Chicken Alfredo

I've made this before, but the sauce always came out really thick and gluey, so I decided to play around in the kitchen and see what I could come up with...and pray it came out OK, so dinner didn't suck!  It didn't!  I finally found an Alfredo sauce keeper!  Best of all, no cream cheese! 

I had a box of whole wheat linguine and one of regular linguine.  My son and husband insist that they don't like the whole wheat stuff, but I really can't taste a difference, especially when it has a good sauce on it, so I get a box of each and use half of each.  They still gripe, but tough crunchies! 

So, here was the menu:  linguine with chicken Alfredo sauce, asparagus (I forgot I still had some in the fridge and wanted to make it while it was still good!  I had planned a salad, but...), and garlic toast.  The toast was a loaf of Italian bread sliced, buttered and sprinkled with garlic powder.  I don't like using the broiler for this because I can never get it the way I want it.  It's either untoasted or burnt, so I turn the oven on bake and set it as high as it will go before broil.  Then I flip the slices of bread over, butter side down, and in about 8 minutes, it's perfectly toasted!

Linguine with Chicken Alfredo Sauce

16 oz. linguine
2 C. half and half
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 C. flour
1/4 C. butter
1/3 C. grated parmesan
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast half, thinly sliced
1/8 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. basil
1/4 t. onion powder
1/4 C. white wine
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle chicken with 1/8 t. garlic powder, onion powder, and basil.  Heat olive oil and white wine in a skillet, add chicken and cook until no longer pink.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and garlic powder.  Whisk together until completely combined.  Gradually add half and half, whisking until smooth between each addition.  When all half and half has been added, add parmesan and whisk together.  Add salt and pepper as you like.  Increase heat to medium high until sauce comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium, simmer while stirring until sauce has thickened, about 8-10 minutes.  Keep in mind, sauce will thicken as it cools.  When sauce is thickened, but still a bit thin, add chicken, stir together, and allow to rest to cool and thicken sauce and warm up chicken.

When the pasta is done, drain.  Serve with sauce.

Sausage and Pepperoni Pasta Bake

I picked up some ground sausage intending to make biscuits and gravy for breakfast over the weekend, but everyone slept late and it never happened.  The sausage was thawed, so I needed to use it, which is where dinner tonight came from.

I may post a carrot cake recipe tonight or tomorrow, depending on whether or not I still feel like making it later =P.  I bought a 2 pound bag of carrots the other day and I need to use them before they're all fed to the dogs.  Yes, my dogs love carrots and, after finding out that they were not only good for them as food, but that they helped keep their teeth clean, too, I give them as treats every other day or so.  But, I do want to make that cake...

The pepperoni is optional, I just had a opened pack in the fridge and wanted to use it up.  I used my quick spaghetti sauce, which is a can or jar of store bought sauce with diced tomatoes and tomato sauce added, then I add the spices, wine, and olive oil.  If you have a sauce you like as is, you can omit all the rest.

Sausage and Pepperoni Pasta Bake

1 pound ground sausage, browned, drained, and rinsed
3 oz. sliced pepperoni
16 oz. penne pasta, cooked according to package directions and drained
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 can-16 oz- diced tomatoes
1 can-16 oz- tomato sauce
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. onion powder
1 t. dry minced onion
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. dried Italian seasoning
1 T. olive oil
1/4 C. red wine
2 C. shredded mozzarella

Heat oven to 350

In a large sauce pan, combine the spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, all spices and seasonings, the oil and wine.  Mix well and simmer over medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta and sausage.  Drain both and mix into the sauce along with the pepperoni.  Mix well.

Pour into a large casserole dish (I use a 10x14" pan), top with mozzarella and bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and everything is nice and hot.

I Love to Cook!

If I didn't why would I have started a blog about it? 

I have an aunt who also loves to cook, but it seems no one else in my family does.  No one at all in hubby's family.  I have learned, and it makes sense, that if a person doesn't like to cook, they're usually not very good at it.  Not that it's difficult, but when something is a chore that you just want to get over and done with, you generally don't put much effort into it.  Like me when I have to, say, make the bed.  *since the president probably won't be stopping by, I call closing the bedroom door "making the bed" a bit too often*  I think I said in my first post that I hated housework. 

I admit, I'm a bit of a food snob.  I do NOT consider boxed skillet "dinners" food.  They're crap I keep around (a box or two) for those days when I, for one reason or another, just don't feel up to cooking.  But even then, there are so many things you can throw together quickly and don't need to slave over.

Like...chili!

This is my chili recipe and I have yet to find anyone who doesn't like it.  Well, except for those people who just don't like chili...
The spices are educated guesses as I don't measure them when I make chili.  It makes a medium hot chili, so adjust them to your tastes.  Most of us think it's just right, but when our oldest son comes home on leave, he adds cayenne and hot sauce (of course he would add that to almost anything =Þ)

Rachel's Chili

2 pounds ground beef (or turkey)
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cans chili beans in gravy
1 can spicy chili beans in gravy
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can tomato sauce
2 15 ounce cans tomatoes (I use diced, but use whatever kind you like)
2 T Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning (I prefer this because it adds heat as well as a LOT of flavor)
4 T chili powder
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1/8 t. cayenne
1/4 t. garlic powder

In a large pot, brown meat until no longer pink, drain and return to pot.
Add all beans, tomato sauce, and tomatoes.  Stir to combine.
Add seasonings and mix well.
Simmer over medium-low heat for at least 2 hours, tasting and adding onions after 30 minutes to test the seasonings, and add more if needed.
Serve with crackers, cornbread, and/or cheddar cheese.

I like to add the onions while simmering the chili so they aren't too soft when the chili is done.  If you prefer them soft, add them with the meat while browning it.  If you prefer them really crunchy, add them at the very end.  Or, you can add some early and some late if you like them both ways!

Banana Bundt Cake

Made a banana bundt cake a few days ago and it was gone in no time, but I know my family and if I used the rest of the bananas to make another, it would just sit there and at least half of it would go in the trash.  After dinner tonight, which was the corndog casserole I posted the recipe for the other day, which my husband absolutely loves, he was putting some of the leftovers back for his lunch tomorrow and wondering what to take for his first break, which is when he eats breakfast.  So, thinking about those last bananas, which were about two days from being too old, I suggested making another banana bundt cake for him to take to work for everyone.  He also said he wants to see if he can get everyone to agree a carry-in because he wants to take the corndog casserole LOL.  He wants to show everyone how good it is.  I adore my husband, I really do, and while I'm no chef, I do like to cook and I love to see people enjoying the food I have made them, and he is always bragging on how good a cook I am.  Makes me feel good =)

Banana Bundt Cake

 

 

1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 c. mashed bananas, about 5
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt

 

 

Cream butter; add sugar and beat until light. Add bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well, mix flour, soda and salt to first mixture.  Spread in well greased and floured 8 cup bundt pan and place in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. Top with icing mixture.

 

 

2 cups sifted powdered sugar
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

2 to 4 tablespoons milk or water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine all ingredients with enough milk or water to the desired consistency, less milk for a thicker consistency, more for thinner.

Makes about 2 cups.

Please forgive the plastic plate, but since this is going to work with my husband, I'm sending it on something that I don't care if it's broken or lost.

Just a little update...I got the plate back.  Empty.  Those glops of icing you see?  Those were gone, too.  Not sure if they were scraped off with someone's finger or licked clean, and, really, I don't *want* to know!  I'd say it was a hit ;Þ

Dinner?

I am so sick of this miserable weather!  I got a pork roast out last night for dinner tonight then forgot to put it in the crockpot.  Good job.  So, ok, I'm flexible.  I got some chicken breasts out for a casserole.  They're still frozen, but I put them in a pot of water and cook them up that way since the recipe calls for cooked chicken.  Then I realize that I don't have the diced green peppers and without it, it's going to be pretty bland, but hubby took the car to work and left the truck, which I hate driving in bad weather.  It's a big honkin' truck and has no weight in the back, so it tends not to do well on slippery roads.  I call hubby at work and ask if he'll stop on the way home and pick up the peppers.  About an hour later, he calls back to say he may well be working over, so I may want to make something else.  *sigh* 

So I now have 3 things out for dinner!  If he does work late, we'll have a corndog casserole he loves and would probably prefer to either of the other choices!  It's not healthy, but it's quick, easy, and good.  I wish I had had it when my boys were small; they like it now, but would have loved it then!

I'll share the recipe now, and when I make it, whether tonight or two days from now, I'll post a picture.

Corndog Casserole


2 boxes cornbread mix (I use Jiffy)
1 pound hotdogs, sliced (sliced smoked sausage or little smokies work great, too)
2 C. shredded cheddar
1 C. milk
2 eggs
1 can creamed corn

Heat oven to 400
Mix cornbread, milk, eggs, and 1 cup cheddar.  When well blended, add hotdogs and stir. 
Spray a 9 x 13" baking pan with cooking spray
Pour cornbread mixture into prepared pan, top with remaining cheese, and bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

The cornbread is very moist because of the creamed corn and the extra 1/3 cup of milk (the directions on the box call for 1/3 cup per box).

So, I made the chicken casserole thing.  It's off the Progresso site for their recipe starters, something I normally don't use but wanted to try.  Not too impressed.  The casserole was good, but I made some changes and before I post it, I want to make it again, not using the recipe starter stuff.  If you want to look it up, it was the Cheesy Southwest Chicken Skillet.  I added a packet of taco seasoning to the meat because it sounded pretty bland, added about a half a cup of cheese to the whole mess, then poured it in a casserole dish, sprinkled more cheese on top and baked it at 350 for about 20 minutes.  Was pretty good, but like I said, I want to work on it without using the canned stuff.  It does have some bite to it, so if you're not big on spice, you may want to only use half a packet of the taco seasoning.