Taco Stuffed Shells

Photo Courtesy of:   www.pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com

1 lb. ground beef /turkey

1 pkg. taco seasoning

8 oz pkg. cream cheese (I used about 8 oz of chive/onion I had on-hand)

16 large pasta shells

2 cups taco sauce

2 cups Mexican/Taco Cheese

1/2 cup Doritos (I just eye-balled this amount)

3 green onions, chopped

1 cup sour cream (or more to taste)

Brown meat, drain.  Add taco seasoning and cook to package directions.  Add Cream Cheese, cover and let simmer until cream cheese melts.  Allow mixture to cool.

Meanwhile - prepare shells as directed on package.

Pour 1 cup of Taco Sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup - spoon meat mixture into shells and place in pan.

Cover with remaining Taco Sauce and bake (covered)@ 350 for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes - uncover - add cheeses, onions and crushed Doritos and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve with Sour Cream.



Spaghetti Stuffed Garlic Bread

Photo Courtesty of: www.rhodes.com

Ingredients

1 Loaf Rhodes™ Bread Dough or 12 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temperature
6 ounces spaghetti, cooked
1 cup thick spaghetti sauce
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 egg white, beaten
Parmesan cheese
parsley flakes

Instructions

Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Roll loaf or combined dinner rolls into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 10-15 minutes.

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and let cool slightly. Remove wrap from dough. Place spaghetti lengthwise in a 4-inch strip down center of dough. Top with sauce and cheese cubes. Make cuts 1 1/2-inches apart on long sides of dough to within 1/2-inch of filling.

Photo Courtesty of: www.rhodes.com
Begin braid by folding top and bottom strips toward filling. Then braid strips left over right, right over left. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid.

 
Photo Courtesy of: www.rhodes.com

Lift braid with both hands and place on a large, sprayed baking sheet. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Bake at 350°F 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice to serve.

Originated from: http://www.rhodes.com/

(Crockpot) Brisket & Brie Quesadillas

If you're looking to add a little twist and ultimately a lot more flavor: serve with Mango Barbeque Sauce (recipe below). It's a simple recipe and really makes the brisket amazing.

Ingredients:

Brisket:

3 lb brisket

Salt

Ground black pepper

1 Tbsp chili powder

3 cloves garlic, minced

16 oz Dublin Dr. Pepper (made with real sugar)

Mango Barbecue Sauce:

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 3/4 – 1 cup)

1/2 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp Creole (spicy brown) mustard

Salt

Pepper

1/4 cup mango chutney

Quesadillas:

8 8-in flour tortillas

8 oz brie, thinly sliced

1 cup monterrey jack, shredded

olive oil or cooking spray, to brush tortillas

cilantro, for garnish (optional)

To make the brisket: Rub the meat with salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic. Place brisket in the crockpot and pour the Dr. Pepper over the top. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove from the crockpot and let rest for 15 minutes. Slice against the grain (1/8-1/4 inch thick).

To make the barbecue sauce: Heat olive oil in a 2-qt sauce pan. Saute onions for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and run until smooth.

To assemble the quesadillas: Heat a griddle or large pan over medium-high. Lay out the tortillas. Divide the meat, brie, and monterrey jack between the tortillas, placing the meat and cheese on half of the tortilla.
Top with a spoonful or two of barbecue sauce and fold the other half over. Place on the heated grill (brushing the tortilla with oil or cooking spray will prevent sticking). Cook until the bottom is crisp and flip over. Remove from heat and slice into thirds. Serve with extra barbecue sauce.

Originated from: http://projectpastryqueen.wordpress.com/

Pizza Potato Casserole

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
3 cups - Frozen Southern Style Hashbrown Potatoes
1 (3 ounce) package chopped pepperoni
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 cup - shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup - shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cook the ground beef/turkey and onion in a large skillet over medium heat until evenly browned. Drain off grease. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Spread the potatoes in a layer on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread the ground beef/turkey and onion over the potatoes. Place slices of pepperoni over the ground beef. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the tomato soup, Cheddar cheese soup, and milk. Season with oregano, Italian seasoning, and brown sugar. Mix well, and cook until heated through. Pour over the contents of the baking dish.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the aluminum foil, sprinkle shredded cheeses over the top, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Crockpot Rigatoni Bake

1½ pounds lean ground beef (browned & drained well)
4 cups of beef broth (not bullion)
(1) 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
(1) 12 ounce can of tomato paste
1/2 small onion - chopped
1 teaspoon dry oregano
2 teaspoons dry basil
½ teaspoon fennel seed (don't leave out)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoons sugar (don't leave out)
½ teaspoon black pepper
small pinch of red chili flakes (optional)
¾ pound of rigatoni noodles
½ pound of mushrooms (thick sliced)
2 to 3 cups shredded cheese (Colby Jack, Mozzarella...etc)
1 cup of ricotta cheese


Brown the ground beef and onion - drain it very well. In a large crock pot: Mix the beef broth, tomato sauce, tomato paste, onion and spices. Use a whisk to mix the sauce together well, then stir in the meat and mushrooms. Cook on high for 4 hours.


After 4 hours, Stir in the DRY unboiled rigatoni, make sure you push them under the sauce (add a little extra hot water if necessary). Add the ricotta to the crock pot by spooning tablespoons of it in random spots and gently push down on the ricotta to submerge it as well (don't stir).


Continue to cook on low for 30 more minutes. Sprinkle the surface with shredded Colby jack cheese and put the lid back on for about 5 minutes or until cheese is nicely melted. Serve.

Originated from: http://www.coleensrecipes.blogspot.com/

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

2 lb Stew Meat (I'd recommend Beef Sirloin vs. Stew Meat)
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can French Onion Soup
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (or equal amount of garlic powder)
1 package Dry Onion Soup Mix
8 oz. sour cream
Place stew meat in crockpot - season with dry onion soup mix.  Stir it all together and pour over stew meat - cook on low for 4-5 hours, adding the sour cream 30 minutes prior to serving.

Serve over egg noodles.

Crockpot Spaghetti Casserole

1.5 lbs lean ground beef

1 medium onion chopped

1 26 oz jar of pasta sauce

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

12 oz can of evaporated milk

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp pepper

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti, broken into pieces

3 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

grated parmesan cheese

Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet, until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain meet and return to skillet. Stir pasta sauce into the beef mixture.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 8 minutes until the mixture has thickened and is bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and pepper.

Spoon one-third of the meat mixture into a lightly greased slow cook. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheddar cheese over white sauce. Repeat layers once. Spread remaining meat mixture over cheese (make sure all sides of the spaghetti are covered). Top with remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese.

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!

 

Originated from:  http://www.tylerstastetests.blogspot.com/

Crock Pot Pizza

My mom used to make this a lot for our family when I was a kid - it's a quick, kid-friendly crockpot meal.

1 package (16 ounces) wide egg noodles

1-1/2 pounds ground beef or turkey

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 jar (26 ounces) spaghetti sauce

1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained

1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni, halved

3 cups (12 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, mushrooms and Italian seasoning. Drain noodles.

In a 5-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray, spread a third of the meat sauce. Cover with a third of the noodles and pepperoni. Sprinkle with a third of the cheese. Repeat layers twice.

Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through and cheese is melted. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Originated from: http://www.tasteofhome.com/

Cheesy Italian Meatballs & Marinara Sauce

A crockpot meal - even better that you can double it and make the rest later.


2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped fine
2/3 cup tomato paste (equivalent to one 6 oz can.)
8 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt
1/2 cup red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
2 large eggs
1 1/4 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
minced fresh Italian parsley for garnish


Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, tomato paste, 6 garlic cloves, oregano, pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until golden, about 8 minutes.

Transfer half of onion mixture to large bowl; set aside. Add wine to pot with remaining onion mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, then transfer to slow cooker.

Add 1/2 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, sausage, eggs, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining garlic to bowl with reserved onion mixture. Mash with potato masher until smooth. Add beef and cream to bowl and knead with hands until well combined. Form mixture into twelve 2-inch meatballs.

Microwave meatballs on large plate until fat renders and meatballs are firm, 4 to 7 minutes. Nestle meatballs in slow cooker, discarding rendered fat. Cover and cook on low until meatballs are tender and sauce is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 hours. Skim fat. Stir in basil and remaining Parmesan. Season with salt. Serve over pasta and garnish with minced parsley if desired.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Prepare the directions as noted above for sauce however allow the sauce cool and set aside. Prepare the directions as noted above for the meatballs however nestle meatballs in an oven- and freezer-proof baking dish discarding rendered fat; allow to cool. Alternately, you can cool the meatballs and place in a gallon sized freezer bag. Cover the meatballs with the cooled sauce (either in the baking dish or freezer bag). Cover/seal and freeze. When ready to prepare, defrost.

If making in the oven - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking dish with foil and place baking dish on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir in basil and remaining Parmesan. Season with salt. Serve over pasta and garnish with minced parsley if desired.

If making in the slow cooker/crockpot - Place contents of freezer bag in a slowcooker/crockpot. Cover and cook on low until meatballs are tender and sauce is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 hours. Skim fat. Stir in basil and remaining Parmesan. Season with salt. Serve over pasta and garnish with minced parsley if desired.


Originated from: Www.Joelens.blogspot.com

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground beef (I'll use turkey)
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
6-8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup steak sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup beef stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Provolone cheese slices
Toasted buns

1. In large skillet over medium-high heat with one turn of the pan of olive oil, brown the ground meat, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the onion, green pepper, and mushrooms and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion and peppers start to get tender and the mushrooms are browned. Stir in the steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble and cook for about 2 minutes.

2. While the meat is cooking, melt the butter in a medium size skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, then bring up to a bubble and let thicken, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese in a figure-eight motion until it is all incorporated.

3. To serve, place a scoopful of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the toasted buns, then top with the cheese sauce and a slice of provolone cheese and add the top of the roll.

Originated from: Www.cassiecraves.blogspot.com

Pub Burgers

Ingredients:
For the burgers:
hamburger buns

1 lb ground beef or sirloin

4 tbsp butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 tsp vegetable oil

salt

pepper

For the sauce:
3/4 cup mayo
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp worchestire sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 tsp ground pepper
1 clove garlic, minced

What you'll do:
Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Drizzle melted butter over ground meat and add 1 teaspoon pepper. Gently toss the meat with a fork to combine. Divide meat into 4 lightly packed balls. With your hands, gently press and flatten into patties. Refrigerate patties until you are ready to cook, patties can be kept in the fridge for up to one day. In the meantime, for the sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.  Transfer desired amount of sauce to a separate bowl for finished burgers - the other sauce will be used for basting.

Grill Cooking - Grill Burgers as normal - basting with sauce.  Add Cheese/Toppings.

Stovetop Cooking - When ready to cook, season patties on one side generously with salt and pepper. Flip over and do the same on the other side. Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet over high heat until it is just steaming. Cook burgers for about 2 mintues without moving. Flip burgers and cook on this side for 2 more minutes. Transfer patties to a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 3-6 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 130 degrees for medium. Transfer burgers to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Toast buns, add desired toppings, and serve.

Source: adapted from http://daintychef-krissy.blogspot.com/

Crockpot Asian Beef & Noodles

1 (16 ounce) package frozen stir fry vegetables
2 - 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes
1 (12 ounce) bottle stir-fry sauce, any flavor
3/4 cup chicken or beef broth (low sodium)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 (3 ounce) packages ramen noodles, broken
1/4 cup green onions, chopped

Directions:
Coat a 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place frozen vegetables in the bottom and top with stew meat. In a medium bowl, stir together stir-fry sauce, broth, and red pepper. Pour over stew meat and vegetables in cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or on high for 4 1/2-5 hours (I recommend low, it will help to break the meat down more).

At the end of cooking time, stir noodles (and seasoning packet) and green onions into meat mixture. Cover and let stand 10 minutes more. Stir before serving. This can be kept on warm for 1-2 hours.

Originated from: http://www.stephaniecooks.blogspot.com/

Hidden Cheeseburgers

2 pounds ground beef
2 small dill pickles, minced
1 small onion, minced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
 
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tube Pizza Dough
8 slices American cheese
1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions

Combine the ground beef, pickles, onion, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, ketchup, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Form the mixture into 4 patties.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the hamburger patties in the hot oil until the burgers are cooked to your desired degree of doneness, 8 to 10 minutes for well done.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. Cover a flat surface with the flour. Divide the pizza dough into 4 even pieces; roll each piece into a flattened rectangle on the floured surface at least twice the size of the American cheese slices. Place one slice of American cheese on each piece of dough; top each with one of the cooked patties and another slice of American cheese. Fold the dough over the top of the meat and cheese. Pinch the dough around the edges to seal completely. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet with the seam side facing downward. Brush the tops with the melted butter; move to a warm area and allow to rise for 20 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Bake in the preheated oven until the bread has browned, about 20 minutes.

Iowa Ham Balls

I feel like the first sentence in this description should be something like..."You know you're from Iowa when..." You have a recipe for Ham Balls. This makes about two 9x13 pans of ham balls - so I generally freeze half of the meat mixture. We like more of the sauce, so I use the entire sauce recipe for one pan.

4 pounds - Ground Ham
2 pounds - ground Beef
3 eggs (beaten)
2 1/4 cups - Milk
3 cups - Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 cans - Tomato Soup
3/4 cup Vinegar
2.5 cups - packed Brown Sugar
1 tsp - Yellow Mustard

Combine first 5 ingredients and using a 1/3 measuring cup - form into balls. Place into 9x13 pan. Prepare sauce with remaining ingredients and pour over balls. Bake at 325 for 1 hour - basting frequently.

Cheeseburger Soup

Serve this hearty soup with Beer Bread (http://www.tastefullysimple.com/) and you're good to go!

1lb pound ground beef
1/2 lb bacon

3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup diced celery
3/4 cup Corn

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

4 tablespoons butter, divided

3 cups chicken broth

4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1-3/4 pounds)*

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2.5 cups (12 ounces) Velveeta Cheese

1-1/2 cups milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup sour cream

In a 3-qt. saucepan, brown beef and bacon; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, corn, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream and bacon.

*Want to save time? - Use frozen hashbrowns instead of potatoes.

Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

1 pound ground beef

1 pound bulk Italian sausage

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup finely chopped carrots

1 cup water

1 can (8 ounces) Tomato Sauce

1 can (6 ounces) Tomato paste

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp - Basil

1 tsp - Garlic Powder

2 Tbs - Worchesthire Sauce

3 - Bay Leaves

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

If you're wanting a spicier sauce add:

2 tsp - Chili Powder

3 drops - Hot Pepper Sauce

In a large skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.

Transfer to a slow cooker. Stir in all other ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until bubbly.  Remove Bay Leaves prior to serving.

Crockpot French-Dip Sandwiches

I searched and searched the web for the best French Dip recipe - in the end I decided to condense many different recipes into my own.  Slow-cooking the roast makes a big difference as the meat was very tender - something I value in a good warm sandwich.  I decided to add a can of dark (wheat) beer and it made a world of a difference.  Enjoy!

- 4 lb Roast (I used a Rump Roast)
1 packet  - Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 can - French Onion Soup
1 bottle - Dark Beer
3/4 cup - Beef Broth
2 Tb - Butter
1/2 - Red Onion (sliced)

Pour beef broth and beer in the bottom of the crockpot.  Add sliced butter and onions.  Place roast on top.  Pour French Onion Soup over roast and then sprinkle with Dry Soup Mix.

Cook on low for 7 hours.

Slice roast and use Au Jus for dipping.  Serve on hoagies with sliced cheese (broil on low for 5 minutes prior to serving).

Crockpot BBQ Ribs

The most simple of ingredients make for really good crockpot ribs.  I'm guessing it's the pairing of the Beer and Italian Dressing - etiher way, they're very good.

1 cup - Italian Dressing
3/4 cup - Beer
2 T - Brown Sugar
1 - 16oz bottle BBQ Sauce

Combine all ingredients and pour over ribs in crockpot.  Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

Adapted from: http://www.picklemomskitchen.blogspot.com/

Taco Pie

Not for the calorie conscious....but oh so good!

1 tube - Crescent Rolls
1 lb - Ground Beef/Turkey
2 cups - Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 cup - Sour Cream
1 package - Taco Seasoning
Doritos

Unroll crescent rolls into the bottom of an 8" or 9" pan.  Brown meat and add taco seasoning.  Combine meat and sour cream.  Pour mixture on top of crescent rolls.  Add cheese then doritos.

Bake covered for 15 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 5 additional minutes.

Crock-pot Mongolian Beef

This recipe combines two of my favorite things - Chinese Food and my Crockpot!

• 1 lb beef flank steak, sliced thinly across the grain
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup light soy sauce
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons  dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup cut scallion, in 1 . 5 inch pieces (green onions)
• 1/3 cup fruity white wine

Directions:

Slice the flank steak thinly across the grain - the strips should be 2 to 3 inches long each; set aside. Combine the onion, soy sauce, sherry, broth, garlic, hoisin, brown sugar, ginger, and pepper flakes, then put the mixture into the crock pot.  Put the cornstarch in a large Ziploc bag; add the sliced beef and toss well to coat.  Add the coated beef into the crock pot, gently pushing it into the liquid to cover; pour the white wine over - do NOT stir. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours; an hour before you're going to serve, turn the crock pot to high, add the cut scallions, stir, and cook for an additional hour.