Taco Casserole

1 pound hamburger
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 envelope taco seasoning
1/2 cup water
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 can refried beans (16 oz)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Toppings you might like:
lettuce
tomatoes
olives
sour cream
salsa

Cook hamburger, onion, & green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, drain. Stir in taco seasoning & water. Cook & stir for 3 minutes or until thickened; set aside.

Place chips in a greased 8 inch square baking dish. In a small bowl, stir refried beans; spread over chips. Top with hamburger mixture and cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated. Top with your favorite taco toppings. Enjoy!!!!

Sausage Macaroni Bake

This is a family favorite. Enjoy!

Jodi

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1 pound bulk pork sausage (I like to use Jimmy Dean Sage sausage)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)
1 cup water
8 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain & set aside. In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the oregano & pepper. Stir in tomato sauce & water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 mins. Stir in macaroni and 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Transfer to an ungreased 1 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

Options:

For some added flavor add in:
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
4 tablespoons chopped onion.

Add the above ingredients in the sausage mixture with the pepper and oregano.

Nacho Beef Skillet

1 lb Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove of garlic, pressed or 1 tsp garlic powder (I just shake a bunch on when I do it!!)

Brown together with salt and pepper to taste. Drain and add the following:

1 can diced tomatoes w/green chilies
1 can whole kernal sweet corn
1 can black beans (rinsed)
1 envelope Spanish rice mix (Rice-a-Roni or something like it)
1 1/2 cups water

Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until rice is tender.
Top with cheese and serve with steamed veggies or a salad.

Variations:

~ Put it in a tortilla and wrap it up for burritos! Or add fresh veggies and sour cream for a twist on tacos.

~ Top a pile of tortilla chips with mixture and cheese, bake at 350* for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted, then add sour cream, olives and jalepenos for Loaded Nachos for a snack or appetizer!!

Bacardi Rum Cake

1 Yellow Cake Mix
1 smal pkg instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup oil
1/4 c. dark Rum

Bake at 350* for 1 hour.

GLAZE:

1 cup Sugar
1 cube Butter
1/4 cup water
Boil for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup light Rum

Poke holes in cool cake and apply glaze with a baster.

We were given this cake as a treat from our neighbor shortly after we were married. We loved it and couldn't figure out why it made us a little loopy!! I asked Marie and she said it was the rum in the glaze because it isn't cooked out!! So if you don't want to get a buzz when you eat this cake, boil the glaze for a few minutes before you baste the cake with it!!

Enjoy!!!!
Tamra

Hamburger Soup

1 lb Hamburger
2 - 14 oz cans diced tomatoes (or 1 large 28 oz)
1/2 cup diced carrots ( or a couple handfuls of baby carrots)
1 onion chopped
2-4 stalks of celery chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup rice or barley
8 cups Water or Broth

Brown the hamburger with the onion and then add the other ingredients! Simmer until veggies are tender and the rice or barley is cooked.

I also throw in whatever veggies I have in my fridge ( broccoli, asparagus, bell pepper, spinach..... etc.) when I make this soup!! Frozen peas and corn can be thrown in at the end also!!
Serve this with homemade bread or rolls on a chilly night to warm your body and soul!!!

Variations:
To do this in the crock pot, brown the meat and transfer to the crocpot and add the remainder of the ingredients. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until the rice and veggies are cooked.

School Lunch Pizza

I got this recipe from my husband's Grandma, who was a lunch lady in Fillmore, Ut back when my dad was in school!!! It's not your traditional pizza, but it's worth stepping out of your pizza box to try!!! My family prefers this to regular pizza and to be honest, so do I!!
Hope you like it as much as we do!!
Tamra

TOPPING:
1 cup Ketchup
1 can tomato sauce
2 onions, chopped
1 T. Chili Powder
2 lbs Hamburger or ground Turkey
1/4 cup Water

Brown the meat and onions, drain the fat and add the other ingredients. Simmer while you make the crust.

CRUST:
2 cups Flour
2 tsp Chili powder
2 T Sugar
2 T Butter
1 cup Tomato soup, warmed
1 T yeast
1/4 cup Water
1 Egg, whipped

Dissolve the yeast in the water with a pinch of the sugar. When it's bubbly add it to the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Press out into a well greased cookie sheet, I use a rectangular one, it seems to work best.

Bake the crust for minutes then add the topping and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Add 1-2 cups Cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes longer, or until the crust is brown on the bottom. Let it cool for 10 minutes then cut and enjoy with a salad for a rounded meal!!

VARIATIONS:
1 pkg sliced mushroom
1 can of sliced olives
1 bell pepper chopped

I cook the mushrooms and pepper in with the meat and onions and put olives on top under the cheese.

Hamburger Stroganoff

This is one of my favorite go to dinners!! My kids LOVE it and usually ask for more!!

1 lb Hamburger
1 Onion, diced
1 clove Garlic, minced or 1 Tbsp garlic powder
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 pkg Egg Noodles (I also use whatever shape pasta I have on hand if I'm out of egg noodles, shells and rotini work really well!!)
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
3/4 cup (or a big scoop if you're like me!!) Sour Cream

Brown hamburger with onion, garlic and S&P. Drain

Cook the noodles and drain. Mix the soup and sour cream with the meat and combine with the noodles when they are done. Heat for a few minutes until warm all the way through.

VARIATIONS:
Use 1 can Beef Gravy instead of soup.

STIR IN IDEAS:

1 cup frozen green peas ( add to the noodles for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced (I cook these in with the meat)