Hamburger Casserole

Major Comfort food!

Now I know it might look that glamours but it is very good and a great food storage meal. Also my kids love it. Thanks to my Mother-in-law Becky for introducing it to me.

1 pound Of ground beef
1 can of tomato soup
1 can of Green Beans
1 can of corn
Mashed Potatoes for top (you can use real or fake. I really like the brand Idaho, butter and herb.)
Shredded Cheese

Brown ground beef and drain fat. Add soup, green beans, and corn. Pour into a casserole pan top with potatoes and cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-30 mins. Serve it with some french bread.

**I just tried putting in a bread bowl and it was Delicious.

Grilled Thai Lettuce Wraps and Lo Mein

Sorry this is not the clearest of pictures, but it will have to do!

THIS RECIPE CONTAINS PEANUTS!!

(Amanda, I can email you my other recipe for lettuce wraps, or you may try substituting the peanut sauce with a different stir-fry type sauce.)

Grilled Thai Lettuce Wraps
Prep Time 10 min
Cook Time 6 minutes

2/3 cup bottled peanut sauce
2 Tbsp. Soy sauce
2 Tbsp. apple juice
1 lb chicken tenderloins
¾ cup matchstick or shredded carrots
½ cup sliced sugar snap peas
¼ cup sliced green onions
6 large iceberg lettuce leaves

1. Combine peanut sauce, soy sauce, and apple juice in small bowl. Reserve ½ cup. Pour remainder in resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, seal bag, and toss to coat. Set aside.

2. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium direct heat. Grill chicken 3 minutes per side or until no longer pink. Remove from grill and shred with fork.

3. Combine shredded chicken, carrots, sugar snap peas, onion, and reserved peanut sauce mixture in large bowl; mix thoroughly.

*Hint: do not use all of sauce in this step. Just lightly moisten the chicken mixture. If you use all of the sauce it is very spicy.*

4. Place chicken mixture evenly in 6 lettuce leaves and serve.

Serves 6

Lo Mein

Yakisoba, Fortune Brand Stir Fry Noodles (usually refrigerated with produce like bagged salad)
Broccoli Slaw (you can use any combination of veggies you want, these are just easy)
Mung Bean Sprouts, optional (I didn't use them)
Chicken, cut up (you can use any kind of meat or a combination- I used leftover sweet BBQ pork)
Rice Road Stir Fry Sauce (I used “with garlic and ginger” but any will work, find on Asian aisle)

Cook veggies, meat, and noodles according to directions on noodle package. At the very end, add some of the stir fry sauce for some extra flavor.

Edamame

I steam the edamame according to package directions and then toss with a drizzle of sesame and olive oils and kosher salt.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

1 package (18-1/4 oz) devil’s food cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 package (10 oz.) peanut butter chips

In a mixing bowl, beat cake mix, eggs and oil (batter will be very stiff). Stir in chips. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place on lightly greased baking sheets; flatten slightly. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until a slight indentation remains when lightly touched. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yield 4 dozen.

*I think you could substitute with white or semi-sweet chocolate chips and it would be delicious! (you know, for those of you who can't use peanut butter chips....)

Super Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Some of you might already have this recipe. I love it. It is easy and Yummy!!!

One can of Pumpkin (Soup can size I am not sure of oz.)

One spice cake mix

Chocolate chips

Mix Pumpkin and just dry spice cake mix together until all blended. Then add as many Chocolate chips as you want. Bake at 350 For 18-20 mins. Just watch them this is not an exact time. We like ours a little undercooked.

Sticky Chicken

"My families Favorite meal"

Andre seriously asks for this every week.

Chicken Breasts, Cut into 1-inch stripes. (I just use breast tenders.)

Dip chicken into egg. Shake in cornstarch. Brown in hot oil in Frying pan. Put into baking dish. Sprinkle with garlic salt.

Sauce:

2 T. Soy sauce

1/2 C. Pineapple juice

(I use one can of cubed pineapple juice then my kids just gobble up the pineapple chunks)

6 T. catsup

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Accent

1 1/2 C. sugar

1 T. red wine vinegar

Mix all together and pour over chicken. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Turn once.

I sever it with Calrose sticky rice (it is the best rice). In the picture I also have served it with Edemane.

Yummy Grilled Chicken Tacos

Chicken breasts
Flour tortillas

Sauce:
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup corn oil
1 T. salt
2 tsp. garlic powder
½ cup – ¾ cup sesame seeds
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup soy sauce
1 T. pepper
½ cup Worcestershire sauce

Reserve ¼ of the sauce separately in a bowl. Marinate chicken in remaining sauce for 1-3 hours. Grill the chicken and cut into thin strips. Dip flour tortillas in the reserved ¼ sauce, and gril on BBQ, turning frequently. Serve immediately. Make the tacos with the grilled chicken and serve with any of the following:

Cheese, tomatoes, cilantro, salsa, guacamole, green onions, sour cream, limes, corn, shredded lettuce, anything else you want!

*Squeezing some fresh lime juice (squeeze a slice of lime) over the chicken and toppings in your taco really gives it that extra flavor! I really recommend it!

I recommend getting all the toppings ready before starting to grill anything - so it can be served very fresh.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

This is similair to the Cajun Chicken Pasta at Chili's. We got the recipe from Mark's family and we love it.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. Butter

1 Tbsp. Flour

1 1/2 cup half and half or cream

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese (I use a little more than that.)

12 oz penne pasta

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

Cajun Seasoning

*Boil pasta until done

*Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add flour until combined. Add half and half or cream. Let this thicken (approx 6-7 min). When this thickens remove from heat, stir in the cheese and cajun seasoning to taste. Cover and set aside.

*Meanwhile cut chicken in to strips or dice. Cook in olive oil until done.

* Combine everything and enjoy. The cajun seasoning can be really salty/spicy so you may want to go light with it. Great served with garlic bread and salad. This only takes about 20 minutes start to finish so it's a great quick meal.

Yummy Breakfast Casserole

Yeah! I am the first to post!

This is my favorite breakfast ever! the picture is shown with sausage, but it is easier to make it with ham!

24oz Frozen shredded hashbrowns (thawed with excess water removed)
1/3 cup melted butter
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 cups Monterrey jack cheese
2 cups diced ham (I just go the the deli and ask them to slice 2 thick slices of black forest ham and then I dice it at home. That way I don't have to cook the ham)

4 eggs
1 cup half & half
1 tsp salt

Beat together the eggs, half & half, and salt and set aside for later.

Press the hashbrowns into the bottom of a 9x13 (greased) pan. (I have also used a 10x14 pan)Drizzle melted butter over the top and bake 425 degrees for 25 minutes.

Take out of the oven and top with cheese, then the ham, and finally the egg mixture. Bake on 350 degrees for 30 more minutes.

Enjoy. I hope you love it. It serves about 6

Instructions

Hello everyone, this is Wes. I have been talking about this blog for quite a while and am now just getting around to create it.

My thinking is to make a "communal" blog that people can post to, where they can share their favorite recipes. Then when you are looking for something to cook for your husband, because he works so hard all day and all he wants when he comes home is a clean house and a hot meal, you can find something easy and new.

Okay, so here is what you do. If you want to post to this blog you will need to have me add your name as an author. To do that, I need your email address that you use to log into blogger. Then you can post all you want.

BUT, let's try to make the consistent. Your blog title will be the name of the dish. Also it would be really nice if you could include a picture of the finished product.

I know that my wife is a wonderful cook, hence why I am so fat. (Yes, I blame her, and she is so pretty, hence why I am so in love)

Comprende everyone?

Now let's have fun and make a "sweet" blog.

Wes

PS Bettie, you can start cooking now!!!!