Cheesy Beef Enchiladas

This is one of our favorite recipes! It is a must try! It’s so good you’ll eat way too much!

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 diced fresh jalapeno pepper
1/4 cup water
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 cup plain yogurt
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded or Monterey jack cheese or mozzarella cheese
8 flour tortillas

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, green onion, and jalapeno pepper until the beef is evenly brown. Stir in water and taco seasoning. Simmer until water has evaporated.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt, condensed soup, and cheese.
4. Divide the meat mixture evenly between tortillas. Place a couple of tablespoons of cheese mixture over meat, and roll up. Place in a 7x11 inch baking dish. Repeat for each tortilla. Spoon remaining cheese mixture over the top of the tortillas.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes.

The Help Book Club Party

Erik and I will soon be moving to Charlottesville, VA, so I knew my book club meeting in March would probably be the last one I hosted. That’s why I decided to go along with the theme of the book and serve up some home cooking southern style and basically cook way too much food!

The Book:
The Help is a must read! This was the first book all of the ladies in book club loved! It takes place during the civil rights movement in Mississippi. The book follows the story of three women, two maids and a young woman who is writing their stories. Check this book out!

Click here for a list of book club questions.

The Menu:

• Fried Chicken (make this easy on yourself – I picked up some thighs and legs at the grocery store)
• Cheesy Potatoes
• Red Lobster like biscuits
• Texas Sheet Cake
• Italian Salad (we needed some green!)
• Houston’s Like Spinach Dip

Cheesy Potatoes (Swim Team Potato Casserole)
1 30 oz. package Ore-Ida potatoes (thawed)
2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups light sour cream
1 cup onion (sauté onions before adding them)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups of corn flakes crushed
¼ cup of better

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In large bowl, combine all ingredients except corn flakes and butter, mix well.
Spread into ungreased 11 by 7 inch baking dish or two quart casserole dish.
Crush corn flakes and stir into butter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly around the edges!
These are a fan favorite-wholesome classic!

Red Lobster-like biscuits
2 ½ cup Bisquick baking mix
4 tbsp cold butter (1/2 stick)
1 heaping c. grated cheddar cheese
¾ c. cold whole milk
¼ tsp garlic powder

Brush on Top: 2 Tbsp. butter, melted, ½ tsp. garlic powder, ¼ tsp dried parsley flakes, pinch salt.

Preheat your oven 400 degrees.

Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don’t want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and ¼ teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don’t over mix.

Drop approximately ¼ cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Using a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Makes a dozen biscuits.

Texas Sheet Cake
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In mixing bowl:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
In saucepan, bring to boil:
¼ pound butter or margarine
½ cup oil (vegetable or canola)
¼ cup cocoa
1 cup water

Add saucepan mixture to bowl mixture
Add 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ cup buttermilk with 1 teaspoon baking soda mixed in (to the buttermilk)
Mix well and pour into a greased floured cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Before cake is done, mix in the same saucepan:
1 stick butter or margarine
¼ cup cocoa
5 tablespoons milk
Bring to a boil
Add 1 pound powdered sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla, stir until smooth. Cool slightly and spoon over warm cake.

Houston’s Spinach Dip
One 12 oz. box frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
½ c. chopped canned artichoke hearts (not marinated)
1 tbsp. chopped white onion
¼ c. heavy cream
¼ c. sour cream
1 ¼ c. shredded Monterey jack cheese
1/3 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ tsp. garlic salt

Mix together the spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, and onion in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then cut a small slit in the center of the wrap so that the steam can sneak out. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Keep spinach covered while you prepare the cream sauce.

Combine cream, sour cream, jack cheese, grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, and a garlic salt in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Heat this up slowly for about 10 minutes or until the sauce reaches a simmer and thickens. Just don’t let the mixture boil.

Add the spinach mixture to the sauce and continue to heat over medium/low. Cook for the 10 more minutes or until mixture reaches a thick dip-like consistency. Pour into a bowl and serve with tortilla chips for dipping .

Don't Forget:

Wine-- red and white!

Water-- I added cucumbers for a refreshing taste!

Flowers: Whatever is in season!

Healthier Beef Pasta

Thanks to Heather for this inspiration-- I decided to try this recipe after reading about it from her blog. The recipe is from Cooking Light and I made a few changes to fit us.


2 cups uncooked egg noodles
Cooking spray
1 pound top sirloin steak, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon butter
3 chopped green onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1/3 cup red wine



Prepare egg noodles as directed on package. Saute steak, until brown on all sides. Set steak aside and cover. Melt butter in same saucepan. Cook onions and stir in soy sauce. Gradually add in broth, then add pepper, salt and thyme. Stir in wine, until throughly heated. Add steak back into sauce and spoon over egg noodles. Yum!

Upside Down Shepherd’s Pie

Cookbook Challenge Day 4!
Total Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

What’s in it:
1 package (20 ounces) refrigerated mashed potatoes
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped onion
1/3 Ketchup
1 teaspoon dillweed
½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream

How to do it:

Heat oven to 450
Put mashed potatoes into baking dish like a crust (pressing down in the middle for meat). Bake potato crust for 20 min.

Cook hamburger meat, drain and set aside. In same saucepan melt butter and cook onions. Once onions are cooked add meat back in, add in ketchup, and dillweed, stir. Reduce heat to low, add in sour cream and fresh parsley leaves.

Put hamburger mixture into potato crust.

Serve!

Rating: Another winner! 4 * * * * 5 Satisfying, filling, comfort food. We’ve had a good week of cooking! And lots of good leftovers. (okay not as many as there should be, sometimes we turn 4 servings into 2).

Florentine Frittata

Cookbook Challenge Day 3!
Total Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

What’s in it:
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 large eggs
4 large egg whites
2 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
3 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (3/4 cup)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes


Turn your oven to broil.
Thaw the spinach. In bowl put eggs, 2 green onions, crumbled feta cheese, ½ cup of mozzarella and salt.

Add in spinach and stir.

Heat olive oil in saucepan (saucepan has to be broiler safe). Add mixture, put in tomatoes, cover, heat for 5 min. Then put saucepan in broiler for 4- 5 minutes—without cover—and make sure not to burn the top! We did, but it was still delicious!


Rating:
Once again-great recipe 4 * * * * 5. Very good, super quick, but tastes like it took a little while!

Cookbook Challenge Day 2!

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Fontina and Ham
Total Time: 30 min.
Makes: 4 servings

What you need:
1 package (16 ounces) whole-wheat spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bunches green onions, cut on diagonal into ½ inch pieces
1 garlic clove, crushed with garlic press
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chicken broth
4 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup)
4 ounces sliced cooked home, cut into 2” by ¼“ strips

How to make it:

Cook pasta, drain pasta, return to pan.
In separate saucepan cook green onions for a few minutes, add garlic, red pepper and salt for 30 sec.

Then add the chicken broth and let boil.
Once boiling add to pasta, along with cheese and ham.

Rating:
Yummy! This was good and simple! 4 * * * * out of 5! Definitely will make again. Fontina cheese adds a very distinct taste and pairs perfectly with the ham!

Speedy Paella

Cookbook Challenge Day 1!
Total Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

• 1 package (3 ½ ounces) fully cooked chorizo or pepperoni, cut crosswise into ¼ thick pieces
• 1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut crosswise into thirds
• 1 medium red pepper, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed with garlic press
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 package (8 ounces) Spanish-style yellow-rice mix
• 2 cups of water (only used 1 cup of water)
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas (use only 1/2)

Changes at the beginning:
The chorizo we purchased wasn’t encased , so I crumbled it and cooked it.
We purchased two of the Uncle Ben’s Spanish rice packages instead of the boxed rice (to speed things up)
Used minced garlic instead of a crushed garlic clove.

How to make it:
Cook the chorizo and put aside.
Cook chicken in the same pan and set aside.

In the same pan cook red pepper, thyme and garlic.

Add the rice, add water (only use 1 cup of water if using Uncle Ben’s rice) until boiling
Once boiling add ½ the frozen peas! I added all of them and there were too many!
Add back in chicken and chorizo.
Lower temp, cover and let cook for 5 minutes.

Rating: * * * * 4 out of 5 Stars
Overall—the chorizo made it very spicy—but delicious! Cooking the chicken in the pan after the chorizo made the chicken tender. Too many peas! Cut the peas in half and this is a recipe to do over and over (and quickly)!