Un-Stuffed Cabbage Skillet

This is a recipe that was floating around last winter on Facebook.  Remembering how I had a plethora of cabbage last summer and fall from my CSA basket, I kept it tucked away to use when I wanted something other than cabbage and noodles.  I always loved the stuffed cabbage my grandma and mom used to make, but to be honest, I just have never been up to the seemingly labor-intensive job.  This recipe solved my dilemma perfectly.  I have made it many times now and it is always a hit.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small cabbage, chopped
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook, stirring, until ground beef is no longer pink and onion is tender.
2. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
3. Add the chopped cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cabbage is tender. (I serve this over rice.)

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Difficulty: Easy
Time: 30-40 min
Source: Facebook friends

Shortcut Asian Beef and Noodles

Considering I have a friend who cooks gourmet Korean cuisine that is to die for, I have to say I am a touch hesitant to call this recipe Asian Beef and Noodles.  Don't be fooled - it is not the "real deal."  However, this is a recipe that my kids love and is tasty, super quick, and easy, so it fits the bill perfectly for the busy mom.  The ingredients are few and inexpensive, the prep is easy, the cooking is in one pan, the cleanup is a breeze.  Maybe later this summer, I will post the recipe for a more authentic dish. :)

INGREDIENTS:

•  1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 packages (3 oz each) ramen noodles, crumbled
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable blend
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 Tbsp thinly sliced green onion

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until no longer pink; drain.  Add the contents of one ramen noodle flavoring packet; stir until dissolved.  Remove beef and keep warm.
2. In the same skillet, combine the water, veggies, ginger, noodles, and the contents of the remaining flavoring packet.  Bring to a boil.  
3. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.  Return beef to the pan; cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.  Stir in onion.

Difficulty: very easy
Time: 20 minutes
Source: Taste of Home "Summer Busy Family Recipes" magazine; July 5, 2010

Creamy Crockpot Tortellini Soup

I always thought that my family wasn't big on soup.  Recently, I realized the truth:  We/they aren't big on canned soup.  But if I make a batch of homemade potato soup in the slow cooker, for instance, that is another story.

Enter this tortellini soup...this amazing tortellini soup. Full of good stuff (like carrots and spinach) that blends so well with favorite flavors, this hearty soup is easy to make and has become my new favorite, for sure.  I guess we are soup people, after all!

INGREDIENTS:

• 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce 
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup diced onion (or 1 small)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced (or 2 tsp)
• 1/2 cup diced carrots (or 2 medium)
• 1lb ground beef, browned
• 4 cups of loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
• 4 cups beef broth (or 1 carton)
• 8 oz cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
• 16 oz refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini 

DIRECTIONS:

1. If using frozen tortellini, put bag in refrigerator to begin to thaw.  Combine all other ingredients in the slow-cooker.
2. Cook on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 5 hours.  (I have only cooked this recipe on the LOW setting, personally.)
3. Before adding tortellini, break up chunks of cream cheese with a whisk.  Stir in tortellini.  Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes until tender and hot.

Difficulty: easy
Time: ~20 minutes prep, 5.5 - 7.5 hours cooking
Source: http://www.familyfreshmeals.com

4 Cheese Lasagna

I don't know how I survived before I started using my slow cooker!  Honestly, I only used the thing to make Buffalo Chicken Dip prior to having children.  I couldn't believe our luck when Joyce emailed me about the opportunity to review and giveaway Gooseberry Patch's Slow Cooking All Year Round!  She hurriedly sent the book with my husband whose car I had to ransack to find it.

Given our days of freezing weather, I spent most of my time in the section titled "Warming Winter Dishes." This lasagna was my family's favorite out of the recipes I tried. My husband asked me to add it to the rotation. I loved the variety of dishes in the cookbook; I'm looking forward to making the holiday dishes including a St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef Dinner and Slow-Cooker Irish Stew found in the "Simply Springtime" section.

My favorite part of browsing the cookbook is reading all the tips found at the bottom of each page. I never would have thought to cut up fresh peppers (read: ready to spoil) and freeze them in an ice cube tray to be thrown into crock pot dishes to add flavor. That tip was perfect for this frugal mom of three! There are many easy craft and centerpiece ideas as well; my kids will be making lucky green popcorn balls for our St. Patrick's Day play date.

Make sure you enter to win a copy of Slow Cooking All Year 'Round at the bottom of this page!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 26 oz jars of Chunky tomato, garlic, and onion pasta sauce (Ragu makes one)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 T. Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
• 16 oz container of small-curd cottage cheese
• 8 oz package oven-ready lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef; drain and remove from heat.
2. Stir in sauce, water, and seasonings.
3. In a bowl, combine Parmesan cheese and cottage cheese; set aside.
4. In a large greased slow cooker, spread some beef mixture; top with noodles (breaking them to fit if necessary); top with beef mixture, then cottage cheese mixture, and finally some of the shredded cheeses.
5. Repeat layers 2 to 3 more times; ending with the shredded cheese.
6. Cover and cook on low 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until noodles are tender. 

Difficulty: easy

Time: 15 minutes prep, 4 hours cook

Source: Gooseberry Patch's Slow Cooking All Year Round, Copyright 2012

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Stuffed Pepper Soup

When people find out you are a closet food blogger, they start letting you taste their food.  My lunch buddy Kelly heard me complaining about my failure on a crock-pot stuffed pepper soup; she brought me this recipe the next day and some of her soup to try.  It was great on a cold, snowy day!  I liked the idea of browning the meat in the saucepan to save cleaning pots.  This was a great dinner which left us with plenty of leftovers.


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 can tomato sauce, 28 ounces
• 1 can diced tomatoes, 28 ounces, undrained
• 2 cups rice, cooked
• 2 cups green pepper, chopped
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 1 hot pepper, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large saucepan, brown beef and drain.  
2. Add remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover.
3. Simmer 30-40 minutes, until peppers are tender.

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 15 minute prep; 40 minute cooking time

Source: A coworker 

Barbecups

Kelly:  Joyce and I have enjoyed Gooseberry Patch cookbooks for quite a while; In fact, I got her one for Christmas last year.  We have found some excellent easy crock pot meals like Pepper Steak.  Now, we are proud to have the opportunity to review and give away a copy of their newest book, The Christmas Table.

As I am planning my first old-fashioned family Christmas for twenty relatives, this book arrived at the perfect time.  The Christmas Table is filled with delicious recipes for the holiday season as well as ideas for adding tradition to your family get-togethers. I loved some of the time saving suggestions. (I almost always forget to soften butter; Gooseberry Patch recommends using a cheese grater on the cold butter and letting it soften in a few minutes.)  I plan on incorporating some of their sweet memory ideas like making all my guests give a Christmas wish and providing ornament place cards.  Some of my early favorites from the plethora of recipes - the Cozy Christmas Brunch chapter's "Orange Spiced French Toast", Chill-Chasing Soup's "Southwest Butternut Squash Soup", and Caroling Party Supper's "Barbecups".

Joyce: There were so many delicious sounding options in this cookbook that it was hard to decide what to make for this review.  At first, I had a hard time taking my eyes off of the "Sweet Treats to Share" chapter, but when I saw this recipe, I just knew that it would be a hit with my family.  Basically, if it is in the shape of a cupcake, my kids love it.  I couldn't wait to try these Barbecups, and they did not disappoint.  My three-year-old said, "Yummy in my tummy!"  and the rest of us felt the same.  These will definitely be entered into the regular rotation; besides being delicious, they are also so quick and easy!  I am looking forward to making many more recipes from The Christmas Table.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
• 12 oz tube refrigerated biscuits
• 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grease 10 muffin cups. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef with onion; drain.  Stir in barbecue sauce and sugar; cook one minute.
3. Separate biscuits; firmly press one into the bottom and up the sides of each muffin cup.  Spoon 1/4 cup beef mixture into each biscuit; sprinkle with cheese.
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until biscuits are golden.  Cool; remove from tin.  Makes 10.

Difficulty: Very easy
Time: 10-15 minutes hands on time, 10-12 minutes in the oven
Source: Gooseberry Patch's The Christmas Table, copyright 2012

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Mexican Casserole

I love making casseroles! This one is quick and easy. Plus, you can use leftovers to make it; I make this the same week I prepare taco cupcakes so that I brown the ground meat, black beans, and taco seasonings and reserve half. If you don't want to have two Mexican dishes in the same week, go ahead and freeze the meat mixture.

  INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup black beans
• 1 package taco seasoning and 2/3 cup water per directions
• 15 ounces of refried beans
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese (I also use Colby Jack if that is what I have)
• 1 cup salsa (I finish off the jar from the taco cupcakes)
• 1 can sliced black olives (drained)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• 2 cups crushed corn chips
• 1 green onion (chopped)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Brown and drain meat. Add black beans. Add seasoning; following the package directions. Set aside.
3. Heat refried beans in saucepan. Add salsa and 1 cup of cheese. Stir.
4. Place crushed corn chips on bottom of 8x8 dish. Spread bean mixture. Add meat.
5. Sprinkle remaining cheese, green onion and black olives.
6. Bake until heated and cheese is melted.
7. Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes (if you don't have fresh tomatoes, I have used canned with green chilies, drained).

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 10 minute prep; about 15 minutes baking time

Source: http://blogchef.net/mexican-casserole-recipe/

Stuffed Pepper Skillet

I loved stuffed peppers as I was growing up. Mostly, I liked the filling, but as I got older, I came to love the peppers just as much. My first attempt to make them came before I was married; when my future husband took the first bite and I heard a crunch, I knew something had gone terribly wrong.  To date, that was the worst meal I have ever made and I still give him credit for attempting to eat it.  Needless to say, I have been a bit gun-shy about making stuffed peppers since, though.  I have had great success with Kelly's Southwestern Stuffed Peppers, but when I saw this one-skillet recipe, I knew I had to try it.  As I hoped, it is delicious and easy, and has quickly become a family favorite.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 large green pepper (or two!) chopped or cut into slices
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups instant rice (uncooked)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown meat in a large skillet until no longer pink; drain.  Remove from pan and set aside.
2. In the same skillet, add peppers and onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.  
3. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, seasonings, and water; bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer (uncovered) until veggies are done to desired tenderness, stirring occasionally.  
5. Stir in rice.  Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
6. Stir in beef.  Return to heat for a couple of minutes until heated through.

Difficulty: Easy

Time: about 25 minutes

Source: adapted from www.tasteofhome.com

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

There was a point in time, not long ago, when I would have said, "Who in the world would make his or her own sauce when there is perfectly good stuff you can buy off the shelf for $2?! Seriously, spaghetti night is supposed to be the quickest and easiest meal of the week!"  I am not saying that I will never again buy sauce, but I definitely became a sauce convert about six months ago.  My friends who have long made their own sauces are wondering what took me so long.  I am, too.  This sauce is SO much better than jarred and it honestly doesn't take that much work or time.  This batch makes enough for at least three meals; I freeze two portions.  I add the meat from the start, so when I use it, I don't even have to brown meat.  Taking a bag of sauce out of the freezer the night before spaghetti night actually saves me time.  Plus, I love the feeling that I get when making it with my own fresh herbs and that I can control the amount of sugar and salt that goes in.  (The amount of sugar in jarred sauce is astounding!)  If you have never made sauce yourself, please give this a try one afternoon.  You won't regret it!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2.5-3 lb meat (I use a combination of ground beef and sausage)
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 (29 oz) cans of tomato sauce
• 1 (29 oz) can of diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (use less if using dried)
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped (use less if using dried)
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown ground meat with onion in a large pot or dutch oven until no longer pink.
2. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Difficulty: Surprisingly easy

Time: about 1.5 hours, 20 minutes or so of which are hands-on

Source:  After researching online for a while, I just decided to make my own recipe; I have made this many times now and my family devours it!

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

My husband loves stuffed peppers, so I make them often.  I had a mixture of ground beef and sausage in the freezer, half a jar of salsa, and a few red bell peppers from a good sale.  This recipe is what I came up with.  After making them a few times with rice, I tried using quinoa since it has lots of fiber, protein, and iron.  John asked me to only make them with quinoa; the dish was so much better.


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup cooked rice or quinoa
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/2 pound cooked ground meat (you can also use a mixture of beef and hot sausage)
• 1/2 jar of salsa
• 1 T taco seasoning
• 4 medium bell peppers
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• shredded cheese (I like using Colby Jack best)
• olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Halve and remove seeds from pepper; lightly coat with olive oil; put in baking dish and roast for 20 minutes.
3. Brown ground meat in skillet.  Add taco seasoning and a tablespoon of water. Mix. 
4. Prepare rice or quinoa. Leave rice in pot while finishing ground meat. Add ground meat, black beans, onion, and corn to rice.  Mix well.  Add salsa.  Mix well.
5. Fill peppers with rice mixture. Bake 20-25 more minutes.
6. Top with cheese. Return to oven until cheese is melted.
7. Serve with sour cream or guacamole.

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 40 minutes

Source: adapted from a traditional stuffed pepper recipe

Big Batch Bolognese (Giveaway Part 1)

Back in February, one of our favorite authors, Sarah Bowen Shea (of Run Like a Mother and now Train Like a Mother fame) tweeted about a Cauliflower and Macaroni and Cheese dish she had made.  It sounded so amazing that I had to ask about it, and was directed to The Good Neighbor Cookbook, by Sara Quessenberry and Suzanne Schlosberg.  Lucky for us, the authors had posted the Cauliflower Mac recipe on their website, but I wanted more.  Since then, a great deal has happened leading to this post (all of it good!), and we are thrilled to announce that we have teamed up with Sara and Suzanne for our first book review and giveaway.  (Information on how to enter the giveaway is at the end of this post.  And trust me, you want this book.)

The Good Neighbor Cookbook is unique in many ways and I found myself pouring over it the first time I held it in my hands, wishing I had had it years ago when my friends had their first children, when my neighbor was mourning the loss of his mother, and as I struggled trying to figure out what to make for a Memorial Day party.  The cover of this cookbook, which is organized by occasion rather than food category, entices readers with "125 Easy and Delicious Recipes to Surprise and Satisfy the New Moms, New Neighbors, Recuperating Friends, Community-Meeting Members, Book Club Cohorts, and Block Party Pals in Your Life!"  But a closer look reveals that the book is more than just recipes, as it is also filled with brief tips and hints on everything from when it is okay to substitute ingredients to how to reheat a particular dish as well as page-long advice on topics such as how to organize a meal train for a new mother.  "Homemade food is a labor of love but it need not be laborious," the authors state.  I was inspired by the premise of the book, and was anxious to dive in.

It didn't take long for me to figure out what recipe I wanted to try.  Believe it or not, I have never made my own sauce, but I have been wanting to for years. I don't know what has prevented me from doing so except for never having come across the "right" recipe, and not having the confidence to wing it.  The Good Neighbor Cookbook's Big Batch Bolognese gave me both the confidence and the right recipe.  Yes, making sauce from scratch did take longer than opening a jar, but the results were sooooo worth it.  I asked my kids their thoughts and with mouths full (sorry about the manners), they enthusiastically replied, "YUMMY!!"  Their clean plates confirmed their sentiment.  I am definitely looking forward to trying many more of the recipes in this book, and of course, sharing them with my neighbors.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 lb ground beef chuck
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup whole or low-fat milk
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over med-high heat.  Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and 1/2 tsp of the salt and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes (decrease the heat as necessary, to prevent scorching).
2. With heat still on med-high, add the beef and pork to the pot and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 6-8 minutes.  (It took me closer to 10 minutes.) Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes more. 
3. Add the wine, milk, 2 cups of water, crushed red pepper, black pepper, bay leaf, nutmeg, and the remaining 1 1/2 tsp salt and bring to a boil.
4. Decrease the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have developed, about 30 minutes.

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 25 min prep, a little less than 1 hour cooking, (under an hour and a half total, at least 30 minutes of which is just the sauce simmering while you stir occasionally)

Source: The Good Neighbor Cookbook by Sara Quessenberry and Suzanne Schlosberg

ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF THE GOOD NEIGHBOR COOKBOOK, WHICH INCLUDES THIS FANTASTIC RECIPE AND MANY MORE! (Click here for their recipe for Cranberry Granola Bars.)


How to enter:

Answer the following question in the comments on this post: "Have you ever given or received a meal to/from a friend or neighbor?  If so, what has been your favorite? If not, what might you make for a neighbor in the future?"

For additional chances to win, you may do any (or all!) of the following*:

1. Like us on Facebook and leave a comment here saying you have done so (or tell us here that you already like us on Facebook).
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5. Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment here telling us you have done so.  Please include the link to your Tweet in your comment.

*Each of the numbered options listed will earn you an additional chance to win a copy of The Good Neighbor Cookbook.  Please leave an individual comment for each that you complete so that we can keep track of entries easier. 

Find out if you won:
This contest ends at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, May 9, 2012.  One lucky winner will be chosen at random using Random.com.  Winner will be announced on Thursday, May 10, 2012 via Facebook and Twitter.  Look for it!  If you do not use Facebook or Twitter, please make sure you leave us an e-mail address at which we may contact you.  If the winner does not claim the prize within one week, we will pick a new winner.

Zippy Beef Casserole

This is another recipe that dates back to my childhood; as far back as I can possibly remember, my mom made this for us for dinner.  It is a super kid-friendly meal that flies off the plate (adjust the green pepper as your family can tolerate - my daughter loves them, my son can do without, but does eat them in this meal).

INGREDIENTS:

• 1lb ground beef
• 1 cup uncooked macaroni (I usually use a little bit more, maybe 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper (I often dice it very small and use an entire pepper)
• 1-2 Tablespoons instant minced onion (I have on occasion used a sprinkle of onion powder when I realized I was out of minced onion)
• 1 tespoon salt
• 1 cup (or so) crushed potato chips (I never use that much and I sometimes use none at all)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.  Boil water for pasta and cook pasta according to package directions.  The rest of the steps can happen during this time.
2. Chop pepper.  Brown ground meat.  (The original recipe does not call for the pepper to be cooked, but I typically toss it in with the meat for the last few minutes of browning to soften it a bit.)
3. Mix all ingredients (except for potato chips) in a 2qt casserole and bake covered for 40 minutes.
4. Top with chips and cook uncovered 5 minutes longer.  (Depending on how healthy you are feeling, you may prefer to reduce or leave out the chips...it is still delicious!)

Difficulty: relatively easy (some chopping and measuring required)
Time:  15-20 minutes prep, 45 minutes cook time
Source: my mom

Hearty Taco Stew

One of our most loved meals in winter is chilli, but after awhile it gets boring. This recipe gives an alternative to chilli. Hearty Taco Stew is another meal that can be stretched over two days-woo hoo! Day One, I serve this as a stew garnished with tortilla chips and Mexican cheeses (for a special occasion or party, I use bread bowls). Day Two uses the leftovers to top baked potatoes, rice, or quinoa. This stew got a big thumbs up from my husband.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound of ground meat, browned
• 1 can of corn, drained (14.5 oz)
• 1 can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed (14.5 oz)
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed (14.5 oz)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles (10 oz-what I found at Aldi)
• 1 package of taco seasoning mix
• 1 package of ranch dressing mix

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown ground meat in skillet.
2. Add to slow cooker.
3. Add all other ingredients to slow cooker; adding the seasoning packets last.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Difficulty: Super Easy
Time: 15 minutes
Source: adapted from Crockin' Girls and coworker recipes

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Taco Dip

This is the perfect appetizer to take to a party, or better yet, to have at your house when you are hosting.  The recipe makes two pie-sized dips, and they are freezable!  Sometimes, I find that one is enough and freeze the other.  But the last time I made them, the first one was gone in a flash, so I threw the other in the oven...nice back up!  Just remember to have an extra bag of chips on hand, just in case!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground meat
• 1 diced onion (optional - my family actually prefers this recipe without the onion)
• 1 can refried beans
• 16 oz sour cream
• 1 8 oz pkg cheddar cheese (I use sharp)
• 1 pkg dry taco seasoning mix
• 1 8 oz jar taco sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown meat with onion (if using).  Drain.  Add seasoning and sauce.  Simmer. 
2. Layer refried beans packed into 2 pie pans.  Next layer the meat mixture.  Let cool. 
3. Spread sour cream over top of meat.  Sprinkle with grated cheese. 
4. Bake at 350 degrees Farenheit for 20 minutes or until cheese melts. 

Makes 2 pie pan size dips.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Difficulty:  pretty easy, especially if you decide to not use the onion, because then there is no chopping involved
Time:  From start to finish, maybe just under an hour, but you can make these ahead of time, refrigerate or freeze them, and then pop them in the oven right before you want to serve them.  If you are a multi-tasker, you can be making this while you are making dinner the night before your party - you are going to be in the  kitchen anyway, why not accomplish two things?
Source: A friend of my mom's

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Mini Meatloaves

Years ago, when I made these mini-meatloaves for my husband and I for the first time, I vowed I would never make a traditional meatloaf again.  There is just something so tasty and so easy about them.  Fast forward to two kids later, and I am pretty sure I still will never go back.  When you have a meal that is a guaranteed hit, why mess with it?

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 (6 oz) package stuffing mix for chicken
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• appx 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce (sometimes I use salsa, which is delicious, too, and it would be easy to do both in the same batch if you already have a jar of salsa open)
• appx 3/4 cup cheese of your choice (I typically use cheddar, but have also used mozzarella)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Mix meat, stuffing mix, 1 cup of water, and seasoning until well blended.
2. Press the mixture into 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray; make an indentation in the center of each one with a spoon.
3. Spoon spaghetti sauce (or salsa) into the center of each meatloaf.  
4. Bake 30 minutes, until cooked through.  Top with cheese and bake 5 minutes longer.

Difficulty: Easy

Time:  about 15 minutes prep and 35 minutes baking

Source: adapted from Kraft Food & Family

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