Mom's Mexican Casserole

My mom makes this for us, and my kiddos love it! We haven't had leftovers...ever.

1 lb ground and browned hamburger(drained and rinsed)
2 cans of black beans(drained partially)
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1/2 an onion chopped
1 pkg. Taco seasoning
2 c. Cheese grated and separated
*rice

Brown meat and onion together. Add beans and tomatoes and taco seasoning. Simmer. Stir in 1/2 c. Cheese. Add rice, mix well. Pour mixture into a casserole dish, top with remaining cheese. Place in oven @ 350° for twenty minutes or until cheese is melted.

*1 c. Of rice to 1 1/2 c. Water. It will cook some more while in the oven and it taste great!

Pan-Glazed Apple Cinnamon Slices

Courtesy of Judy Baer from her Book: Recipes and Wooden Spoons. This is definitely  a family fave!

2 T butter
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 T  sugar
1/2 t ground cinnamon

Melt butter in frying pan. Add apples sprinkled with the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Cook over low heat. Stir occasionally until apples are glazed and tender. Spoon into center of baked cake.

German Pancake
3 eggs
1/2 c. Flour
1/2 t. Salt
1/2 c. Milk
2 T. Butter, melted
2 T. Butter softened

Heat skillet in 450° oven until very hot. Wisk eggs until well blended. Sift flour, measure and sift again adding salt this time. Add flour mixture to beaten eggs a little at a time and beat after each addition just until mixture is smooth. Add milk in two additions and beat lightly free each. Lightly beat in melted butter. Use the remaining two tablespoons of butter to grease the bottom and sides of the skillet. Pour batter onto skillet. Bake @450° for 20 min. Loosen pancake from skillet and slide onto serving platter. Serve with melted butter and a of powdered sugar or pan-glazed apple cinnamon slices...above.

Apple Pancakes, and Cider Syrup

This recipe is from a good friend of mine. Her family has it as a Christmas morning tradition. She shared it with us, and we love it!


2c. bisquick pancake mix
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg
1 1/3 c milk
3/4 c. grated apples
mix and make pancakes

syrup
1 cup sugar           2c apple cider
2Tbls cornstarch    2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup butter
melt butter in sauce pan then add cider, lemon juice, sugar and spice.
Bring to boil and then add cornstarch boil till thickened.

This is a warm comfort food. M-m-m!

Pumpkin Seeds

Most delicious pumpkin seeds recipe I have come across

I thought I would just give you the link, because I had a hard time finding it....I need to work on my Google search skills I guess. Any way, I loved this recipe last year, and our teenager told me it was disgusting. Soooo, I decided I would chuck the recipe...and this year he was begging for it. Funny how that works. I am pretty sure I have done the same to my mom, so I won't complain. I do add some Parmesan cheese for flavor. Enjoy.

Pumpkin Casserole

A friend of mine brought this by to me as a treat, and I have to say I don't think I shared it with anyone...shame on me! It sure is good though!

2 c. pumpkin puree
1 c. evaporated milk
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. butter
2 pinches ground cinnamon
1/2 c, flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. baking soda

Preheat your oven to 350.

Combine all of the ingredients. Spoon into casserole dish.

Bake 1 hour.

This tastes great fresh out of the oven or chilled....if it makes it to the fridge *wink*.

Ziti Concoction

1 lb. hamburger
1 can favorite marinara sauce
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
3/4 c. sour cream
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
12 oz. cooked pasta

combine, and maybe, just maybe your kids will enjoy it as much as mine do!

Olive Garden Chicken Carbonara

1 lg chicken breast
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. hot water
1/2 T. italian seasoning
1/2 T. minced garlic
6 slices of bacon crumbled
1 1/2 T. flour
1/2 c. parmesean cheese
2 c. heavy cream
2 c. milk
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. salt
1 lb linguini
1 1/2 T. parmesan cheese
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. fresh chopped parsley

1.   Whisk ingredients 2-5 together and place in bag with chicken.

2.   Refrigerate chicken 30 min.

3.   Cook the pasta while cooking the sauce.

4.   For the sauce:

5.   Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

6.   Add garlic and bacon bits.

7.   Saute 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

8.   Add flour, parmesan cheese,  cream, milk, pepper, and salt. Whisk together.

9. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally.

10.  in a large bowl combine cheese, garlic and parsley. Set aside.

11.  In large skillet cook chicken and cut into pieces.

12.  Add chicken to sauce and simmer 3 min.

13.  Place the pasta in a serving bowl, and pour sauce over it.

14.  Add cheese mixture and mix together.