Tex-Mex Casserole

I have seen several versions of this floating around on the internet lately. One blog said it was a Taste of Home Best casserole recipe, though I couldn't find it on their site.

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1/2 lb ground beef

2 cans black beans, drained

2 Tbsp. Taco seasoning

1 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can corn, drained

1/2 green pepper, chopped

3/4 c. salsa

1 can enchilada sauce

2 Tbsp. Italian salad dressing

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese

1 small can sliced black olives (optional)

2 c. cheese

6 corn tortillas, cut into wedges

Serve topped with salsa, sour cream, cilantro, or avocado wedges

Cook the ground beef and taco seasoning together, crumbling the meat, until cooked all the way through. Add the onion, garlic, and pepper. When the onion is tender add corn and cook 2 minutes longer. Add remaining ingredients except cheese and tortillas. Stir to combine well.

Place half the meat mixture in the bottom of a 9x9 casserole dish. Top with 3 of the tortillas and 1 c. of the cheese. Top with remaining meat mixture, tortillas and cheese.

Bake at 425 for 15 - 20 minutes.

Tortilla Soup

Variants of tortilla soup are all over the place, and this one isn't substantially different, but it's a great quick soup that doesn't need meat to be delicious.

If you are gluten intolerant or have soy allergies, be sure to use a brand of tortillas and other prepared ingredients that you know are safe for you to eat.

1 large onion, diced

3-4 cloves garlic, diced

2-3 T. butter or olive oil

4 corn tortillas, roughly chopped

1-2 c. cooked chopped chicken (optional)

1-2 cans white beans (1 can if using with chicken, 2 cans if using alone)

1 c. corn

6 c. chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder

3 T. dried green and red peppers

1 tsp. cumin

salt and pepper to taste

cheese to garnish (optional, omit to make vegan)

Saute the onions and garlic in butter/oil over medium heat until they are soft and beginning to brown. Add stock, tortillas, spices, and juice from the can of corn. Simmer until onions are very tender and tortillas have dissolved. Using a regular or immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add corn, beans, and chicken if using. Simmer gently until heated through. Serve garnished with cheese if desired.

Some versions of this soup also call for a can of diced tomatoes to be added with the corn and beans.

If using lentils in place of the ground beef simmer the lentils in water until almost tender and then add 1 Tbsp taco powder to the water to finish cooking.

1 (12 oz) box. Jumbo pasta shells (about 35) 

1 can refried beans

1 lb hamburger OR 3c. cooked lentils

2 Tbsp Taco seasoning

12 oz. cheddar cheese

1 can enchilada sauce

Cook Pasta shells in lightly salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with a little butter or olive oil.

Heat hamburger with 1 Tbsp of the taco seasoning. Cook, crumbling, until no longer pink and cooked throughout. Add 1/2 cup of water and remaining taco seasoning and simmer over medium heat until most of the liquid is gone. 

Divide between the shells a scoop of beans, filling each shells about halfway, then a sprinkling of cheese and top with hamburger. Place in a 9x13. Pour the can of enchilada sauce over the shells. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, uncover and bake just until cheese is starting to melt. 

Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. 

Serve over a bed of lettuce, top with fresh tomatoes and ranch.

Southern Brunswick Stew

The first time I ever had Brunswick stew was when I lived in Virginia and the scouts there used to sell it. Once we moved from there I pretty much forgot about it. Until I moved to Georgia, about an hour from Brunswick, and despite Virginia making the same claim, they maintain that they are where the stew originated.

It's also a great way to use up the extra squirrel and possum you might have laying around your fridge.

Again, sorry about the cell phone pictures not being all that inviting, it really has a nice reddish orange color and tastes great

3 c. chicken broth
3 c. beef broth
1 c. frozen lima beans
1 c. catchup
2 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 c. frozen corn
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke dash tabasco
2 Tbsp dehydrated onions
1 carrot, diced
2 tsp brown sugar
1 potato, diced small
1 bottle beef OR 2 - 3 c. cooked shredded beef
1 c. cooked shredded chicken

Bring the chicken and beef broths to a boil.

Add the lima beans and boil for 10 minutes.

Add the corn, catchup, mustard, vinegar, garlic, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, tabasco, onions, carrot, brown sugar, potato, beef and chicken . Simmer together until the potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Watch carefully and make sure it doesn't boil dry, if it starts to add more broth.

OR dump everything in a crock-pot and cook on low for 5 hours or on high for 3

Cheesy dip

I buy nacho cheese sauce in #10 cans at Sam's club. Then I added some veggies and beans to have for a quick lunch. If you want more heat in it add some jalapenos in with the bell peppers or add a 4 oz. can of diced jalapenos in with the salsa verde

1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper chopped
olive oil
1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained really well
1/4 c. salsa verde
1 can black beans, drained
4 c. cheese sauce

Saute the onion and pepper until tender, add the tomatoes and simmer to remove and excess liquid. Add the salsa verde and the beans and then stir in the cheese sauce. Heat through.

Summer Corn Pasta

6 oz. bacon

1 - 2 cans white beans, drained

8 oz. rigatoni

1/2 onion, chopped

2 large carrots, grated

1 c. water

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 medium zucchini

4 ears corn

2 1/2 c. half-an-half

2 tsp. flour

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and butter to prevent sticking.

Saute bacon until crisp. Remove from pan.

Without cleaning out the pan cook the onion and carrot in the bacon drippings.

Add 1 cup of water to the pan along with one of the chicken cubes and the lemon juice.

Cut the zucchini into quarters lenghtwise and the then slice 1/4 inch thick. Add to the pan with the carrots and onion. Cut the corn from the cob. Add the cobs to the simmering zucchini. When the zucchini is tender remove the cobs from the pan and add the corn, half-an-half, pepper, beans, and remaining chicken cube.

Combine the flour and enough water to form a thin pasta. Stir into the half-an-half and vegetables in the pan. Heat, stirring, until thick.

Add the pasta and bacon to the pan. Add more half-an-half as needed to thin out the sauce.

Caribbean Pilaf

2 c. brown Rice

1 c. brown lentils

2 large onions, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

7 c. beef broth (Or imitation)

1/2 tsp liquid browning

2 tsp. caribbean jerk seasoning*

1 Tbsp. lime juice (or lemon works to)

Chopped fresh cilantro and parsley (Optional)

In a large pot cook rice, lentils, and broth until both are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain any excess liquid and stir in jerk seasoning, liquid smoke, and lime juice.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook onions, without any oil, until starting to brown around the edges, turn heat to low and cover with a lid letting them steam to finish cooking.

When soft add the garlic and peppers and cook for 30 seconds. Add to the seasoned rice and lentil mixture.

Top with fresh herbs

Make it soup by adding more broth and not draining before adding the vegetables.

*Homemade jerk seasoning

1 Tbsp. Dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
pinch nutmeg
large pinch cinnamon
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper