Burrito Casserole

UPDATE:  Lawry's took the Chimichurri seasoning off the market! :-(

1 lb. ground beef
1 15 oz can black beans
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 C water
1 1.4 oz package Lawry's Chimichurri Burrito Casserole seasoning
8 flour tortillas
1 1/2 C shredded Mexican Cheese blend

1. In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Season with salt and pepper.
2. When beef is browned, drain fat. Drain and rinse black beans and add them to browned beef.
3. In a small mixing bowl, mix together water, tomato sauce, and Lawry's seasoning packet.
4. Pour 1 cup of the red sauce into your beef and bean mixture. Stir to incorporate.
5. Fill each tortilla with some of the meat mixture.
6. Roll tortilla up. Lay it in 9x13 pan, greased with cooking spray. Repeat with other 7 tortillas.
7. Pour the rest of the red sauce over the top of the rolled burritos.
8. Cover with cheese.
9. Bake at 350* for 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
10. Serve with desired topping such as, lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, salsa, avocado, fresh diced tomatoes, cilantro, and sour cream.

* I don't think a recipe could get any more simple than this one. It was quick to prepare and quick to cook. The end result was a delicious and tasty dish! We served it with salsa, sour cream, cilantro, and lettuce. It was very filling and satisfying and will be repeated in our home again!

Recipe & photo from Jamie Cooks It Up!

Mom's Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

Chill at least one hour. Roll out and cut. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400* for 6-8 minutes.

* This is the only sugar cookie recipe that we really love. It's the same one I grew up making time after time with my mom. They produce such a delicious sugar cookie and are perfect for decorating with my mom's famous homemade frosting. You can't get any better than these!

Sweet and Spicy Noodles With Chicken

2-3 chicken breasts cut into chunks and cooked (You can cook it with some peanut sauce tossed in to give the chicken some added flavor, if desired.)

1 lb noodles, fully cooked and drained (any kind you prefer)

In a small sauce pan, brown 4 tsp minced garlic in some olive oil then add:

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. white vinegar

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. sesame seeds

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
2 c. steamed broccoli (optional)

Toss the chicken, noodles, and sauce together in a large fry pan or wok on medium heat. Let it all simmer together for about five minutes so the noodles absorb some of the sauce. Toss in steamed broccoli (optional). Serve hot.

* I finally found a spicy dish that didn't make me crave more heat! WOW was this spicy and we loved it! Surprisingly, I think I will add less red pepper flakes next time so I can taste more of the sauce and not just feel the heat. It was still really good and so easy! We loved the broccoli with it. I served it with some hot and fresh rolls and of course some cold milk to help with the delicious spice. This was yummy and different than our usual dishes. Loved it!

Recipe & photo from Favorite Family Recipes

Sloppy Joes

1 1/2 lb extra lean ground beef (I only used 1 lb)

1 onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons Worcestershire

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt (I just did it to taste)

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper (I just did it to taste)

water 1/4 to 1/2 cup to thin sauce, if needed (I did not have to do this)

Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain off any grease. Add chopped onion, red pepper and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until onion is softened. Add tomato paste, sauce, Worcestershire and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat. If mixture is too thick, thin with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water. Serve with hamburger buns. Top with cheese, if desired.

* My husband has never been a huge sloppy joe fan until he had these. He downed quite a few because he could not get enough. They were so delicious and so easy. I had everything on hand (except the red pepper) and it all came together within minutes. I'm sure my hubby will be asking for these again very soon and I have no problem eating them myself again. :-) I like to serve them with chips or a green salad.

Recipe & photo from A Bountiful Kitchen

Homemade Oreo Cookies

2 Duncan Hines Deluxe Devil's Food Cake Mixes
1 1/2 cups shortening
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine ingredients. The dough will be very thick. Roll cookies into balls about the size of a melon ball. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375* for 9 minutes (no longer!) They set up as they cool.

Frosting:
8oz cream cheese
1/2 cube margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb powdered sugar

Cream frosting ingredients together and spread on each cooled cookie. Put two cookies together. You can roll the edges in sprinkles, crushed up peppermint candy, coconut, nuts, etc. if desired.

* These are always such a big hit! The cookies turn out so soft and delicious and I love the light flavor of the cream cheese frosting. We like to color the frosting to match the occasion but they are just as pretty with white frosting. This makes 40-50 large Oreo like cookies.

Photo from Coffee Break With Liz & Kate

French Bread Pizza

loaf of French bread
your favorite pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
your favorite pizza toppings- pepperoni, pineapples, ham, olives, sausage, peppers, etc.

1. Cut the French bread loaf in half lengthwise.
2. Spread desired amount of pizza sauce on bread. Top with cheese and toppings.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and it has reached desired crispiness.

* We made these when I was child and they still taste just as good as an adult! They are so easy and so yummy! It's the perfect recipe to make after a busy and stressful day. It's also good when you rub a garlic clove over the bread and sprinkle it with Italian seasoning & parmesan cheese right before baking. We like to serve this pizza with a delicious green salad.

Photo from Two Peas and Their Pod

Wingers Sticky Finger Salad

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips

1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup bread crumbs
2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
2 tomatoes
croutons
cheddar cheese, grated
ranch dressing
craisins
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup Frank's Hot Sauce(Original)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Dip chicken breasts into the sour cream and then into bread crumbs. Place on a sprayed/greased sheet pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked and crispy.

While the chicken is baking, prepare salad and make the dressing. To make the dressing, combine the 2 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1/3 cup Franks Hot Sauce, and 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar in a pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let boil for one minute, but no longer! If you boil too long it will turn hard.

When the chicken is done dip into sticky sauce and place on a plate. To serve, place sliced strips on top of salad with any additional toppings (cheese, croutons, tomatoes, craisins, etc.) and drench in ranch dressing. Save the additional sticky dressing as an extra topping for the salad...it adds a little more tang!

* WOW! This salad was incredible! We really could not get enough of it. It tasted exactly like we had gotten it from the restaurant. The sauce and chicken was to die for! We drizzled extra sauce on the salad before eating it for some extra amazing flavor. I could eat this everyday for a week. This recipe will definitely be repeated in our house!

Recipe from Sisters Stuff
Photo from Ptit Chef

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Alfredo Sauce (recipe below)
2-3 cooked chicken breasts, diced
1-2 cups fresh chopped broccoli, cooked and hot
fettuccine, cooked according to package directions. (You can substitute another pasta if needed.)

Cook chicken in method desired. I boiled mine on the stove. Add chicken and broccoli to Alfredo sauce and heat through. Serve over hot, cooked fettuccine.

Alfredo Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups heavy cream
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon (1 clove) minced garlic
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic with the butter. Add cream, garlic powder, and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Trust me, it will thicken. When sauce has reached desired consistency, stir in Parmesan cheese. Use for Chicken Broccoli Alfredo, or just serve as is over fettuccine. Serves 4-6.

* The alfredo sauce had a lighter taste to it than I am used to but we really loved it! My husband is not normally a big pasta eater but he went to town on this dish! It didn't leave us feeling like we had eaten a heavy dish either. We sprinkled our pasta with a little extra parmesan cheese. So yummy!

Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything
Photo from Heartland Fields

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese (I used a Fiesta blend cheese because it's what I had on hand)
about 16 small corn or flour tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well. You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

The corn tortillas are harder to roll without cracking. For the corn tortillas: work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Makes around 16 taquitos.

Dip in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or Tomatillo Dressing.

* These were amazing! We were so excited to try this recipe and it definitely did not disappoint! They were so filling but we didn't want to stop eating them! We used corn tortillas and really liked them but had to work fast so they didn't start to crack. I used light cream cheese and they still tasted great. We dipped them in hot sauce, sour cream, and guacamole and served them with a green salad for a healthy and very satisfying meal!

Recipe & photo from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Creamy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

2-3 cups shredded chicken

1-1/2 cups salsa

2 cups shredded Colby and Monterrey jack cheese

1 14 oz can of Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce (This is the best brand for this)

about 8 tortillas

1 cup sour cream

1/2 can of cream of chicken

In a bowl combine the cooked shredded chicken with salsa and 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups of the shredded cheese. Just depends how cheesy you want the middle to be.

Next dip a tortilla into the enchilada sauce, making sure every last inch of it is covered and place it in a 9x13 pan. Place desired amount (about 1/8) of the chicken mixture onto the middle of the tortilla, and roll it up. Scoot the tortilla all the way over to the edge of the pan. Repeat for remaining enchiladas. Your filling should spread to about 8 tortillas and your pan should be completely filled.

For the creamy topping, in a separate bowl, mix 1 cup sour cream with 1/2 a can of cream of chicken. The mixture tastes best when it is predominately the sour cream, so it should look more white than yellow.

Spread creamy topping over all the enchiladas.

Top with the remaining cheese ( about 1/2 to 3/4 cup cheese).

Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes.

* These were so delicious! We loved the simple ingredients and simple flavors. I used enchilada size flour tortillas and this dish was extremely filling, even for my husband. I used medium salsa and medium enchilada sauce and we were so in love with the extra kick. The creamy topping is to die for. This may not be our all time favorite enchiladas, but they are a close second and will be made again soon in our house. I served it with rice on the side and it was plenty!

Recipe & photo from Chef In Training

Orange Honey Grilled Chicken Tenders

1 to 1-1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 Tablespoons butter softened

2 Tablespoons finely chopped scallions

2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

1 Tablespoon honey

1-2 Tablespoons grated orange zest, from ~1/2 an orange

Cut each chicken breast into 3 length wise strips. (You can use chicken tenders.) Thread 3 strips accordion style, on each of 4-6 long metal or wooden skewers. If using wood skewers, soak them for at least 20 minutes in cold water before using to prevent scorching on the grill. To make the basting sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the butter, scallions, orange juice, cilantro, honey, and orange zest. Brush about half of the sauce on the chicken, covering each strip well. Set aside to marinate for about 15 minutes. If you have to let the chicken marinate longer refrigerate. Prepare grill to medium hot. Grill chicken about 15 minutes, turning several times, until the chicken is cooked through but still moist. Baste several times with the remaining basting sauce. Stop basting 5 minutes before the chicken is done. Remove the chicken from the grill and serve immediately. (Do not serve any of the basting sauce with the chicken.)

* I'm not going to lie, I was highly disappointed with this recipe. It sounded so delicious and I was so excited about the flavor combinations but it lacked some major flavor. I was hoping for a bit of a stronger orange flavor but you could only very lightly taste the cilantro and onions. I will not make this recipe the same way again but I would love to try and switch it up a bit and see if I can't make it more to our liking because I love the idea! I served it with our Green Puffy Salad" to compliment the flavors I was hoping would be in the chicken.

Recipe & photo from The Sisters Cafe

Scalloped Chicken & Potatoes

1 box scalloped potatoes (including seasoning packet)
6 chicken tenders
3 cups water

Put potatoes in greased slow cooker first, followed by seasoning packet and chicken. Pour water over all. Cover and cook on low heat 4-5 hours.

* I don't think a recipe could get any more simple than this one! I used southwestern flavored scalloped potatoes and we loved the flavor! The chicken was so moist and tender that it fell apart with one small poke of your fork. The potatoes were extremely soft and delicious. I sprinkled it with a little bit of salt and pepper and it was so yummy. My husband really enjoyed dipping his bites in a little bit of barbecue sauce. Either way, this recipe was a winner!

Recipe & photo from Sisters' Stuff

Easy Chicken Bake

,1 pkg (6oz) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for chicken
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup sour cream
16oz frozen mixed vegetables, thawed, drained

1. Preheat oven to 400*. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.
2. Mix chicken, soup, sour cream and vegetables in 13x9" baking dish; top with prepared stuffing.
3. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

* This is just a yummy comfort food recipe. It's super easy and quick and always a hit with my hubby.

Recipe from Stove Top Stuffing Mix
Photo from Kraft Recipes

Lemon-Soy Marinated Steaks

1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Combine everything in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Place the steaks in a Ziplock bag and pour the marinade over the steaks. Let them sit for about 24 hours, turning every few hours. Grill steak how you like best. This recipe can cover about 3 steaks nicely, about 1 lb each.

* This marinade was amazing! I could smell the steaks marinating every time I walked past the fridge for a day and a half. It was such a simple marinade too and I loved that I already had everything on hand to make it. It had such a light but flavorful taste to it and we loved the way all the flavors blended so well together. We will definitely be using this recipe again!

Recipe & photo from Recipes of a Cheapskate

Teriyaki Chicken Pasta Salad

Salad
4 cups cooked chicken
16 oz. bow tie pasta
20 oz. baby spinach
sliced green onions
12 oz. honey roasted peanuts
mandarin oranges
1/2 cup sesame seeds

Dressing
2 cups oil
1 1/3 cups Teriyaki sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/3 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Blend ingredients for dressing.
2. Marinate chicken in some dressing for a few hours.
3. Cook pasta al dente.
4. Bake or Grill chicken.
5. Mix all salad ingredients together.
6. Toss salad with dressing and serve.

* This salad was yummy! It was a fast and easy meal with a light flavor. I cut all the ingredients in half and we still had leftovers. It is filling but still a light meal. We felt the dressing called for way too much oil so next time I am going to reduce the amount of oil I use in the dressing/marinade. I also think it would be good to add croutons and craisins. I found that this is even better the second day!

Recipe from Dayna Jamison
Photo from Karrissa's Kitchen