Fiesta Taco Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 can spicy chili beans, undrained
2 cups broken tortilla chips
4 medium green onions, sliced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown meat in skillet. Add beans and salsa. Heat to a boiling, stirring occasionally. Place broken tortilla chips at the bottom of ungreased 2 quart casserole dish. Top with beef mixture. Spread sour cream over beef mixture. Sprinkle with onions, tomatoes and cheese. Bake uncovered 20-30 minutes at 350. May garnish with salsa, lettuce, tortilla chips and more cheese. Can substitute taco seasoning for beans. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken & Rice Casserole

(recipe from Adrianne Glauser)

1 cup rice
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken
1 can evaporated milk
1 pkg of dry onion soup
4-6 chicken breasts halved

Mix the soup and milk together and half of the onion soup mix. Take half of mixture and all of the rice and mix them together. Pour on the bottom of a 9 X13 pan. Lay chicken breasts on top of mix. Pour remaining half of the mixture on top of the chicken and sprinkle with onion soup on top. Cover with foil. Cook at 350 for 1 hour or until done.

Karlene's Note:
Our family absoutley loved this dish. The only thing I would add is a 1/2 cup water. After an hour not all the rice was done and most of the liquid was gone.

Cherry/Fruit Cobbler

2 cans (21 oz) cherry pie filling & topping (any pie filling; apple*, peach, etc.)
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick of melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Pour pie filling and their juices into a 9x13 baking dish. Spread dry cake mix over, evenly. Distribute the butter evenly by sprinkling over the top of the cake mix. Bake for about 50-60 minutes, until cake mix is lightly golden. Serve warm or cold. Delicious by itself or with ice cream.

Karlene's note: *When making this with apple pie filling I like to add a little cinnamon to the cake mix. And in the last 10 minutes of baking add sliced almonds to top.

Grandma Kelly's Meatloaf

1.5 - 2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 - medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped (optional)
12 saltine crackers
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 stocks of celery, diced small (optional)

Crumble saltines until crumbs. Mix all ingredients and patty into loaf. Place loaf into greased bread pan. Bake at 350 for 60-90 minutes or until done.

Paprika Chicken with Sour Cream Gravy

Paprika Chicken with Sour Cream Gravy (from Campbell's Kitchen)


1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground red pepper (did not have on hand - used chili powder instead and only used 1/2 tsp so it wouldn't be to spicy for my daughter. Worked out well - she loved the chicken)
4 boneless chicken breast
1/4 cup butter
1 can cream of chicken soup - regular or 98% fat free
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 carton (8 oz) sour cream

Mix flour, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and red pepper on plate. Coat chicken.
Heat butter in skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken 10 min. or until browned. Set chicken aside.
Add soup and green onions. Heat to a boil. Return chicken to pan. Cover and cook over low heat 10 min. or until chicken is done. Stir in sour cream.
Serve with mashed potatoes or rice if desired.

Tamale Pie

Tamale Pie (from Full Bellies, Happy Kids)

1 lbs. ground beef

1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained

1 cup chunky salsa verde, La Victoria

1 pkg (8.5 oz.) corn muffin mix, Jiffy

1 cup cream-style corn

1 can (2.25 oz.) sliced black olives, drained

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, cook and stir ground beef until browned, breaking up clumps. Drain off fat; stir in tomatoes and salsa until thoroughly combined. Transfer to 1.5-quart casserole dish.

In a small bowl, stir together muffin mix and corn just until combined. Spread over mixture casserole. Sprinkle with olives.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until bubbly. (If edges start to brown, cover with foil.) Top with cheese. Bake for 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

Karlene's Note: I loved this dish it was delicious. I did make a couple adjustments. I did not use salsa verde, instead used Pace picante sauce, which is a standard in my household. Also I did not measure out a cup of the cream style corn I just dumped the whole can in.

Yogurt Parmesan Chicken

Yogurt Parmesan Chicken (from Tasty Sensations)

2 c. crushed Ritz Crackers
2 T. parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. seasoned salt
8 boneless chicken breasts (I use 4 and slice them in half by width, since they are so big)
8 oz. (1 c.) plain yogurt
1/4 c. melted butter

Combine Ritz crackers, parmesan, garlic salt and seasoned salt. Set aside. Dip each chicken breast in yogurt, then coat with crumb mixture. Arrange pieces in a buttered 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle with 1/4 c. melted butter and bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes. Serves 8.

Quick & Easy Shepherd’s Pie

1 lbs. ground beef
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cut green beans, drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
3-4 cups mashed potatoes
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Brown ground beef with onions. Drain off fat; stir in can of soup. Transfer to 3-quart casserole dish. Top meat mixture with drained green beans then mashed potatoes. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Top with cheese. Bake for 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted

Karlene’s notes:
I have never been a big fan of mashed potatoes therefore to save on time I use instant. For all my food storage friends this is a great opportunity to use potato flakes or pearls. I prefer and use the pearls. It is also a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes.

Swiss Chicken Casserole

Swiss Chicken Casserole (from Tasty Sensations)

Preheat oven to 350.

Place 4 chicken breasts in greased glass dish. Cover with lots of swiss cheese. On top of that, pour 1 can cream of mushroom soup mixed with 1/4 c. milk. Top with 1 c. of Italian flavored bread crumbs (or stuffing - crushed), pour 1/4 c. melted butter on top. Bake for 50-55 minutes.

Garlic Dip

1 packet Good Seasons Zesty Italian
1 (16 oz.) sour cream

Mix together - refrigerate for 1-2 hours before severing with potato chips.

Salsa Dip

1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1 jar (8 oz.) Pace thick and chunky salsa (any salsa will work)
1 (16 oz.) sour cream

Mix together - refrigerate for 1-2 hours before severing with tortilla chips

Corn Casserole

8 oz. sour cream
1 can creamed corn
1 can regular corn (include water from can)
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 stick of butter, softened/melted

Mix all together and Bale at 350 uncovered for 45 min.

Karlene's note:
We've always had this dish with Thanksgiving dinner and sometimes Christmas. It would not feel the same with out it. Our family just loves it.

Monterery Tortilla Casserole

1 cup coarsely crumbled tortilla chips
2 cups cubed cooked turkey OR chicken
1 can (about 15oz.) cream-stlye whole kernel corn
3/4 cup Pace Picante Sauce
1/2 cup sliced pitted ripe black olives
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
chopped green pepper or red pepper
tortilla chips

Layer crumbled chips, turkey/chicken, corn and picante sauce in 1qt casserole dish. Top with olives and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until hot. Top with pepper. Serve with chips.

Karlene's Note:
We made this with chicken and omitted the pepper as my husband doesn't care for them. It turned out very tasty.

Parmesan Chicken

Recipe from Sherri Schmidt

6 boneless chicken breast
4 Tbsp. butter melted
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika

Mix all ingredients in bowl except for the chicken and butter. Dip chicken in butter and then in to mixture. Bake in a greased 9x13 pan at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, uncovered.

Karlene's Note:
I cut the chicken breast in half so more of the mixture gets on the chicken and more of the favors get all the way through. On the parmesan cheese, I usually on have the grated on hand but when I have it I like to use half grated and the other shredded. We serve this over pasta and with or without pasta sauce. The chicken itself is so tasty that sometimes the pasta sauce takes away from the flavor of the chicken. I would recommend server the sauce on the side.

Pistachio Salad

2 pkgs jello instant pistachio pudding
2 cans (large) crushed pineapple
16 oz. cool whip
handful or 2 - miniature marshmallows

Put pineapple with juice from can into a large bowl. Stir in pudding until powder dissolves. Add cool whip and marshmallows.

Pork Chops & Stuffing Bake

4 cups corn bread stuffing
4-6 boneless pork chops, 3/4" thick
1 can cream of celery or 98% fat free cream of celery soup
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded

Prepare corn bread stuffing according to pkg directions Spoon stuffing across center of 3-qt. shallow baking dish. Place pork chops on each side of stuffing. Mix soup and milk. Pour over chops. Cover, bake at 400 for 30 min. or until done. Sprinkle with cheese. Serves 4-6.

*also delicious with cream of mushroom soup.

Diet Coke Chicken

4 - 5 boneless chicken breasts (20 oz.)
1 cup ketchup
1 - 12 oz. Diet Coke (any diet cola will work)

Put chicken in a non-stick skillet. Pour well-blended ketchup and diet cola over the chicken. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid, increase heat a little, cook until sauce thickens and sticks to chicken. Sauce will taste like BBQ and the chicken is very tender. Serve with rice. Serves 4

Weight Watchers: 4 points per serving – add for rice.

You can also make shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches with this. Simply use 2 forks and pull the chicken apart about 15 minutes before it's finished cooking.

Karlene's Note:
I've heard that you can place all ingredients in baking dish and cook in the oven at 375 for 30 minutes. As well as in the crock-pot on low until done. I have not tried cooking it these different ways. I will try the next time and post how it turns out.

Speedy Beef Stroganoff

1 lb. ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom or 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1/3 milk
1/2 chopped onion
optional : fresh mushrooms or can of sliced mushrooms
egg noodles

Brown meat and onion together, drain. Add soup, sour cream, worcestershire, milk and fresh or canned mushrooms. Heat through. Serve on noodles. Serves 4

Fiesta Chicken & Rice Bake

1 can (10.75 oz.) cream of chicken or 98% fat free cream of chicken soup (we use the 98% fat free to cut down on calories)
1 cup salsa (any brand, we typically use Pace mild - for some reason the heat of the salsa increases when cooked - stick with mild if you want your kids to eat it)
1/2 cup water
1 cup frozen corn
3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
4 boneless chicken breast halves
paprika
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix soup, salsa, water, corn and rice in a 2-qt. shallow baking dish. Top with chicken and sprinkle with paprika. Cover.
Bake at 375 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until done. Sprinkle with cheese. Serves 4

No Boil Baked Mostaccioli

1 jar pasta sauce
1-1/2 cups water
1 (15 oz.) carton ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
8 oz. uncooked mostaccioli

Combine sauce, water ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Stir in the uncooked pasta. Spoon into 9x13 inch pan. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 55 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes to cool. Makes 8 servings.

Quick & Easy Chicken Pot Pie

1 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 cup chopped celery (I would bring this down to 1/2 cup - it was too much celery for our liking)
1 can cream of chicken or 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 bag frozen vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
1-1/2 cup cooked, cubed chicken
1 (10 oz) can Hungry Jack refrigerated flaky biscuits

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add celery and stir over med-high heat until crisp tender. Stir in soup,milk, onion powder, thyme, and pepper. Mix well. Stir in thawed vegetables and chicken. Heat through. Spoon into 12 x 8 baking dish. Top with biscuits, cut into quarters. Place in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and filing is bubbly.

Quick Turkey Chop Suey

1 lb. ground turkey
1 can (16 oz.) bean sprout, drained
1 cup cropped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, sliced & drained
1 can (5 oz.) mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 can (10.5 oz.) chicken or beef broth
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. corn starch
3 cups cooked rice or however much you need.

In large skillet, brown ground turkey. Drain off any fat. Add the vegetables, ginger and all but 1/4 cup of broth. Bring to a boil over medium - high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Combine 1/4 cup reserved broth with the soy sauce and corn starch, mix well. Add to the meat and vegetable mixture, stirring until thickened and bubbly. Serve over rice