Tricia's Tater Tot Casserole

Need:

1 lb. ground turkey

Onions or dried onions (opt.)

1 can cream of chicken soup

Cheese

Package tator tots

Green beans (opt.)

Get 9x13 pan and line with tator tots.  Sometimes I add the pan to microwave to defrost frozen tator tots to quicken cooking time.  Then add browned (can also cook with onions) ground turkey on top of tator tots.  Can add can of canned green beans (opt.).  Mix soup and ½ c. water together and pour evenly over mixture.  Pour soup over ground turkey.  Add cheese to top.  Cook at 350 degrees for 30-45 min. depending on how crunchy you want it and how frozen tator tots were previously.  Enjoy!  My kids absolutely love this meal and it is always one that I know will be devoured.

February 2012 Dinner Exchange

TACO CASSEROLE
by Jen Atwood

2 (15 oz.) cans chili
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 pkg. Fritos Corn Chips
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Mix together chili, soup, taco seasoning, 1 cup cheese and ground beef. For freezing, place meat mixture in gallon size freezer bag; seal and freeze. Include a bag of Fritos and 1 cup shredded cheese. Otherwise, place the meat mixture in a 9x13 pan and top with chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Take out of oven and top with remaining cheese. Top with other family favorites such as sour cream, olives, tomatoes and salsa.




CREAMED CHICKEN & BISCUITS
by Kenna Mills

1/2 large onion
1 1/2 tsp. butter
4-5 c. chopped cooked chicken
1 1/2 cans cream of chicken souop
1 c. sour cream (light)
3/4 c. milk
1 large jar chopped pimientos
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 containers of biscuits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. Chop onion and saute in butter. Combine sauted onion, chicken soup, sour cream, milk, 3/4 c. cheese and pimiento in a medium bowl. Mix well. Spoon mixture into 9x13 pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Arrange biscuits over top. Sprinkle remaining cheese over biscuits. Bake another 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and sauce is bubbly. Makes 6 servings.



APRICOT CHICKEN
by Kari Brown

1/3 c. Apricot Preserves
1 c. Italian Dressing
Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

Measure out marinade into freezer bags, and mix by squeezing bag around. Add raw chicken and freeze. Great for grilling or if frozen, thaw overnight in fridge and can bake in 11x7 pan at 350 degrees for an hour.

Kelly's Poppyseed Chicken

3 lbs of boneless/skinless chicken

3 cans of cream of chicken soup

1 onion

2 c. lite sour cream

2 c. plain nonfat yogurt

2 sleeves of Ritz crackers

3 T. poppy seeds

2-3 T. butter, melted

Salt and pepper chicken breasts and cook chicken breasts in some butter until cooked through. Fry up the onion in a little butter. Cut up chicken breasts into cubes; mix together with soups, sour cream, onion and yogurt. Put into 9X13 pan. Mix the 2-3 T. of melted butter, crushed crackers and poppy seeds and sprinkle on top. Put in oven @ 375* until crackers are browned and mixture is bubbly. about 30 min. Serve on top of rice. YUM!!! This makes enough for an army approx. 10 serv.

Sour Cream Chicken

6 Chicken Breast halves (boned and skinned)
1 Cup Sour Cream ( I used Fat free)
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup ( I used the reduced fat)
1/8 C. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs

In 9 x 13 pan, spray pan with non stick spray, lay your chicken down and salt and pepper each one. In a mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, cream of chicken soup paprika, garlic powder. Pour over chicken making sure everyone gets a good layer. In a seperate bowl, melt butter and add bread crumbs, mix until bread crumbs are coated. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top of chicken. Cover and Bake at 325 degrees until chicken is tender, about 1 hour. Remove cover and bake for 15-20 more min.

Rosemary Chicken Marinade

September Meal Swap
This one is super easy and super yummy!

Put in a gallon sized Freezer Storage Bag:

5 or 6 raw boneless chicken breasts
1/2 C. Olive Oil
1/2 C. Ranch Dressing ( a good one, not a cheap one, for more flavor)
3 Tbsp. of Worcestershire Sauce
1 Heaping Tbsp. Rosemary
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. White Vinegar

Let chicken marinate at least half a day in mixture before grilling. **I have substituted Lime Juice for the Lemon before and for the marinade I made for swap, I reduced the Olive Oil to 1/4 cup.

Provolone Chicken

This recipe has a lot of "give" in it. It was one of my favorites that Mindi Redd's neighbor did a couple years ago. Here it goes:

6 Slices Provolone Cheese
6 Chicken Breasts
2 Cans Cream of Chicken
1/4 c. Water
Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
Italian Dressing Season Packet
4 Tbsp. Butter


Place cleaned breasts in a greased 9x13 pan. Place a slice of cheese on top of each piece of chicken. In a separate bowl, mix together the Cream of Chicken, Italian Dressing Season packet, and water. Scoop sauce over chicken. Sprinkle Bread crumbs on top. Drizzle butter on top of that. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour and a half or until thoroughly cooked.

If your are using frozen chicken breasts, you are supposed to omit the water with the Cream of Chicken soup.

Baked Honey Soy Chicken Wings

This was Kelly Kennard's May Contribution:

¼ c. Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. Honey
1 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 ½ lb. Frozen Chicken Wings

Allow about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In small bowl, combine all ingredients
except chicken; stir or whisk to blend well.

In an ungreased 9x13 inch baking dish, arrange frozen wings, skin side down. Drizzle with
honey mixture. Cover tightly with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove cover; turn chicken over
and bake, uncovered for 25-30 minutes more, brushing with juices occasionally, until golden
brown and cooked through.

If chicken wings are thawed, arrange skin side up, bake uncovered 25-30 minutes, without
turning, brushing occasionally with juices

April Mealswap

Steak Tortillas

2 cups thinly sliced cooked beef rib eye steak (about 3/4 lb) --see recipe below
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup salsa
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cold water
6 flour tortillas (8-inches), warmed
shredded cheese, chopped lettuce and tomatoes and additional salsa, optional

In a large nonstick skillet, saute steak and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in salsa, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder.

In a small bowl, combine flour and water until smooth; gradually add to the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Place steak slices on tortillas; top with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and additional salsa if desired. Fold in sides.

Grilled Rib Eye Steaks

1/2 cups soy sauce
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 1/2 pounds beef rib eye steaks

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the soy sauce, onions, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and pepper. Add the steaks. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Discard marinade. Grill steaks, uncovered over medium-hot heat for 8-10 minutes or until the meat reaches desired doneness.

*****For meal swap, I didn't marinate the meat overnight, just for about 1 hour. Then I dumped everything in the crockpot and cooked all day. Once done, I discarded the juice and sliced the meat for the steak tortillas***

Easy Beefy Cheesy Enchilada Casserole

Sauce Ingredients:
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Minced Onion Kosher Salt
2 TBSP tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves (I used dried)
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup beef broth
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves (I used dried)
1 packet Spanish seasoning blend (I couldn't find this so I used a taco mix)
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup beef broth Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
18 (5 inch) corn tortillas

Directions For The Sauce: In a saucepot over medium heat, add the oil, onions and a pinch of salt. Saute until the onions are tender and translucent. Add the tomato paste at this point and turn the heat up a bit , if needed, to cook the paste. Stir and cook until it deepens in color, add the garlic, cumin and thyme. Stir to blend and cook until fragrant, and then add the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Raise the heat to bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower to simmer and cover, simmering for 20 min. For the beef: Meanwhile, in a large pan with straight sides, add the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to swirl, add the onions and green and yellow bell peppers. Season with a pinch of salt and saute until the onions and peppers are tender, about 5 min. Add the garlic and cook about 4 min more. Add the beef, onion powder, cumin, thyme, Spanish seasoning, tomatoes and broth, allowing time between each addition to blend. Season with a pinch of salt and a grind or 2 of pepper. Stir and break down the beef into bits using a spoon and fork. Cook until the beef is cooked through, 8 - 10 minutes.

To Assemble The Casserole: toss the shredded cheeses together to blend; set aside. Add 1 cup of the red sauce to a baking dish and spread to coat the bottom evenly. Top with 6 tortillas, overlapping to cover the bottom of the casserole dish. Layer the dish by next adding 1/2 of the beef mixture and 1/2 cup shredded cheese, spreading evenly in the casserole dish. Next, dunk 6 tortillas, one by one, in the warm red sauce and layer over the cheese and beef, overlapping where needed. Top with remaining beef and another 1/2 cup cheese and another layer of tortillas dunked in the red sauce. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top, spread evenly, and finish with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake at 350 until the cheese is melted and the sauce bubbles. (25-30 min)

White Bean Chicken Chili

I can't take any credit for this recipe....I got it from Kelly Shakespeare and lost my written copy, so here's what my adaptation looks like:

Put in a crockpot:

3 Cans Cooked White Beans, drained and rinsed
2 Cans Cooked Chicken
2 Cans Chicken Broth
1 Can Diced or Stewed Tomatoes
1 Can Green Chilies, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Cumin

Mix together and simmer on low for at least 3 hours for flavors to meld. Sometimes I throw in a bay leaf and sometimes I make the flavor stronger by adding more spice. You can make this completely from food storage! We like to scoop it with chips and top it with mozzarella cheese and sour cream. This ought to feed you family and give you a little leftovers. I usually double it and freeze another meal out of it.

Texas Pulled Pork Sandwiches

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 (4 pound) pork shoulder roast
• 1 cup barbeque sauce
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 extra large onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 8 hamburger buns, split
• 2 tablespoons butter, or as needed

1. Pour the vegetable oil into the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the pork roast into the slow cooker; pour in the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken broth. Stir in the brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic, and thyme. Cover and cook on High until the roast shreds easily with a fork, 5 to 6 hours.
2. Remove the roast from the slow cooker, and shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, and stir the meat into the juices.

When I served them, I sprayed hamburger buns with cooking spray and toasted them in a pan before scooping up the meat and it was YUMMY!! They are fatty, so I'm going to try cooking chicken in this marinade and seeing how it turns out. Hope you liked them!

A NEW Beginning!

Alright ladies, let's start posting those recipes and rating them! I'm excited to start doing this again! Let's rate them 1-4 star and anything 3 or 4 star we can count as something that was a hit! Feedback is good!

Mexican Supper

So here is my Mexican Supper recipe. This is a favorite of my family - my husband grew up with it.

1 1b. chicken or ground turkey (I have used both but used the turkey in the frozen meal)
1 pkg. taco seasoning
3/4 c. water
1 can cream soup (used mushroom)
1 can 4 oz. green chilies diced
1/4 c. onion (used dehydrated onions)
1 pkg. (12) corn tortillas
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce (or 2 small cans)
grated cheese

Brown meat and onions together. Stir in taco seasoning, water and soup. Simmer 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and chilies. Tear tortillas into bite-size pieces and stir in until well-moistened. Top with grated cheese and simmer 10 more minutes. Can be transferred to a casserole dish and baked at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Serves 4-6. Doubles well.

(I put the meal into a casserole dish before adding the cheese, added cheese and froze. If I am not freezing the meal, I usually just leave the food in the fry pan and let it simmer for the 10 minutes, then add the cheese to the top and serve from the pan. We also love eating this meal with tortilla chips. ENJOY!!!)

Hey Guys!

I'm trying to get going on this. I know, I know.....I've been a serious slacker! I thought it'd be fun to have a spot to post our group recipes and maybe leave comments on them as to whether or not they were a hit with our families. Also, I thought this might be a good way to keep track of our dinner swap dates and what all everyone is planning on making for the group. So, looking at the calendar, I have it down that our next swap will be on Tuesday, March 31st at 8 pm....my house. Let me know who all is still planning on this. Also, Mindi, let me know if your friend will be joining our swap this time??? Thanks everyone!

Kari