Baked Bean and Beef Burritos

I've had to experiment a lot lately with what will and won't spike my blood sugar (theory is still out on most foods, or whether I even have control over it at all) and I found a combo that seems to work for dinner.  Baked bean and beef burritos.  Easy, super fast to throw together, and customizable :) I didn't get a great picture.. I got them out of the oven, cut, and Dawson was hot on my heels!

This recipe serves 4 people.  Reheats or freezes very well! 

Baked Bean and Beef Burritos

Ingredients:

15 oz can of refried beans 

1/2 cup salsa of your choice

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

4 burrito size tortillas

1 lb ground beef

1 taco seasoning envelope

Sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, etc for topping (optional)

Pam cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown the ground beef and prepare taco meat according to envelope instructions.  Meanwhile, mix the refried beans and salsa together in a small bowl.  Spray a 7 inch by 11 inch glass pan with cooking spray.  

Spread in the center of each tortilla: 1/4 of the refried bean mixture, 1/4 lb of meat, and 1/2 cup of cheese.  Roll up and place seam side down in your glass pan.  You will probably have to squish the last one in, they are supposed to be like that so no worries!  

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until tops are slightly crispy and they are heated through.  Serve with toppings of choice and enjoy! 

You can always cook longer if you would like them crispier.  Also, dividing up the filling isn't an exact science.  I always make one burrito with less filling for Dawson.  My favorite part of this is I almost always have everything to make it, and it only takes me about 35 minutes to put together and have on the table. 

 Baked bean and beef burritos also makes much less of a mess than buffet style tacos, so clean up is easy as well!

Toddlers, dinner, and breast pads

Dawson is such a little sponge.  I forget this so easily.  The kid can't remember where he put his toy 2 minutes ago (which starts the whining that someone STOLE it), but he hangs on to little moments that (to me) are fleeting and meaningless chatter.

Something happened yesterday at dinner that had Grandma K, Joe, and myself in tears we were laughing so hard.  For Dawson it was just an innocent moment where he had remembered something I showed him.


Several weeks ago (at least 6 to 8) I was cleaning out Dawson's old baby clothing, getting ready to donate it.  There was a lot of crap in there that didn't belong, but most of it was baby related.  At one point I found a stray breast pad, like in the picture.  He wanted to know what it was for, so I told him it was to put in Mommy's shirt so milk didn't get everywhere.  I demonstrated.  This was probably a mistake.  He let it go at that, or so I thought.

Fast forward to dinner last night, we all ordered dessert and the waitress brought Dawson a fresh spoon.  On a cute little round doily.  Do you see where this is going?

"I know just what to do!!" And before Grandma K could stop him, the doily went into his shirt.  All we could do was laugh.  It still amazes me that he remembers something that was such a small thing, and so long ago.

To top it all off, Joe says under his breath "only our kid would think that's a nipple pad.." Now, normally Dawson wouldn't have even HEARD him let alone responded, but of course, at the dinner table he blurts out "Why you say nipple pad, Daddy?"  More laughter!

I guess he really IS listening, even when we think he's not! :)

Easy Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Pasta

I don't know how it happens, but we always seem to end up with just a little chicken leftover from one dinner or another.  I always hate to throw it out.  I thought I could use the chicken from earlier in the week (about 1/2 a Cajun seasoned chicken breast) to make some sort of pasta dish.  I'm making Enchilada Pie in a couple of days, so decided I better steer clear of anything Mexican.  Easy Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Pasta is what I came up with, just out of the things in my pantry and freezer! 

Ingredients:

1/2 chicken breast, cooked & cubed (think leftovers, I had about 1 cup) 

8 oz pasta, cooked according to package directions (rigatoni, farafalle, elbow mac.. You choose!)

1-10.75 oz can broccoli cheese soup

1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dehydrated onion

1-12 oz bag of frozen broccoli cuts

Directions:

Mix the soup, Greek yogurt, garlic powder, onion, and chicken in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.  Add the broccoli and simmer.  Mix in the pasta and grated cheese until melted.  Eat! Very simple! 

We have put ourselves on a bit of a budget since our air conditioner repair, and so I'm trying really hard to come up with things that are easy to cook, so I will actually do it, and that use up everything.  I'm a huge food hoarder, so we have tons of stuff in our two freezers and our pantry and fridge to use.  My goal is to throw away less food and cook 6 nights out of the week, even if that means just pulling something from the freezer and heating it up.   I've been stock piling frozen meals, although that may just be me nesting :) 

This recipe is particularly nice because I didn't use up any additional meat, just meat that would have gone to waste. We eat meatless one night a week now, unless there's leftovers to incorporate into a dish, like this!  I suppose you could also use canned chicken or rice instead of pasta in this, although my family wouldn't be thrilled with that.   

If you happen to make this, let me know how it turns out! 

Chinese Spaghetti

This is a recipe I got in high school from an awesome teacher- Mrs. Griffis- and I altered some. It's pretty simple and quick to make and is a nice twist on traditional spaghetti.  In fact, chinese spaghetti is nothing like regular spaghetti, except the noodles and ground beef!

Ingredients:

1 pound extra lean ground beef (or turkey if you prefer) 

2 Tablespoons vegetable, peanut, or sesame oil

2 to 3 cups of carrots, julienned (think matchsticks!)

2+1 Tablespoons soy sauce, divided

2+2 teaspoons corn starch, divided

1 teaspoon sugar 

Dash of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 green onions, chopped

1 to 2 teasonpoons of Chinese chili garlic sauce (pictured below- the more, the spicier)

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 pound spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions

Directions:

Before you begin gathering your other ingredients, place in a bowl or a ziplock (less clean up) 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons corn starch, sugar, and black pepper.  Crumble the ground beef or turkey into the mixture and mix together.  (if you do this step earlier in the day it's best, but not necessary!) Gather your ingredients, chop/slice your veggies while this sits.  

Mix the chicken broth, 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons corn starch in a small bowl (I just use my 2 cup glass measuring cup).  Set aside.

Brown hamburger or turkey in a large skillet or wok.  Drain and set aside.  In the same pan, add your oil and heat over medium high heat. Add garlic, green onion, chili garlic sauce, ginger, and carrots.  Stir fry 2 to 3 minutes.  You want your carrots tender but not mushy!  Throw the browned hamburger back in the pan with the carrots and seasonings.  Stir fry another minute.  Add chicken broth mixture and stir until it begins to thicken.  Drain your spaghetti and add it to the pan.  Mix well and enjoy! 

I also like to add broccoli to this sometimes, or mushrooms or water chestnuts, or whatever veggie we have on hand.  If there isn't enough sauce for you, you can always increase it.  It's an easy recipe to just play around with.  I sometimes will mix up the ground beef with the marinade and cook ahead of time which cuts out some prep work.  I also "cheat" and buy my carrots already julienned :)  

 If you have trouble finding the chili garlic sauce, this is what it looks like! It lasts forever but I add it to a lot of asian inspired dishes to give it a little kick.  Just remember that a little goes a very long ways! 

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I love some good comfort food.  Homemade macaroni and cheese is a go-to for us in the winter months.  Especially if you have leftover ham from the holidays.  Yesterday we had family come to visit and my job was to make mac and cheese (and make my house presentable of course, although that's no fun!) to go with the ham my mom brought. 

This is a recipe I really just pulled out of my you-know-what.  I have had it for so long that I don't even know where it came from, but I think it was from experimenting with beschamel sauces at least 8+ years ago.  Now I pretty much know it by heart.  Also, this is comfort food.. So I wouldn't call it healthy!

Ingredients

8 oz elbow macaroni (or whatever shape you prefer)
1/4 cup butter (1 stick)
1/4 to 1/3 cup flour (it isn't an exact science to make a roux!)
3 cups milk
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2-3 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
Paprika
Cooking spray
Breadcrumbs  (optional-I don't use them)

First you want to spray a 9x13 inch pain with cooking spray.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Start a pan of water boiling for your pasta.  Cook pasta according to package directions (you can do this while you make the sauce!)

For the cheese sauce go ahead and slap that stick of butter into a medium sized sauce pan (I used my 2 quart) and turn on to medium heat.  Melt it completely.

Next you will want to add the flour, a few tablespoons at a time, to make a roux. Whisk it constantly. After you have added it, cook it over medium low heat for 1-2 minutes, still whisking constantly (it will burn if you stop!) I know, I know.. How the heck are you supposed to keep a close eye on something with a kid at your feet saying "pick me up mama, hold me!"  Lesson learned, make this during nap time or while a very interesting cartoon is on! 

It should look like this now:

Now you will want to add your milk, slowly while whisking.  

Just looks like plain old boring milk now, right? Reduce your heat to low and add all but 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. 

Continue to stir constantly over low to medium heat until cheese has melted.  If you can't get it to melt all the way, that's okay.  Sharp cheddar sometimes is tough!  Just do your best and keep stirring. 

After it's melted, you'll want to turn up the heat a little bit until it thickens.  It should look like this by now:

Set it aside and let it cool a bit.  Meanwhile, pour your cooked & drained pasta into your greased 9x13 baking dish.  Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir to coat.  

Next step is to spread the remaining cheese over the top (and/or your breadcrumbs if you would like) and dust it with paprika. 

Now bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until bubbly! Or you can cover and put in the fridge and bake later, too.  Enjoy! 

 I wish I had a picture of this finished but Dawson decided he had to have some before it even came out of the oven.  After that I completely forgot.  Oh well! Still a great recipe and we ate nearly all of it! Joe is polishing off the leftovers right now :)

Italian Meatball Sub Casserole

I saw a recipe on Pinterest for a meatball sub recipe.  The original recipe can be found HERE.

I changed it a little bit, and  this made 2 pie pans to freeze and a loaf pan for dinner tonight. Here's what I came up with! 

Italian Meatball Sub Casserole

1 round loaf of French or sourdough bread, cubed or torn into 1 inch pieces

1- 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise 

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1- 24 ounce can of pasta sauce

1- 8 ounce can of tomato sauce

2-3 lbs Italian meatballs, thawed (I used about half of a 6 lb costco size bag!)

Nonstick spray (like Pam) 

Spray either a 9x13 or a few pans if you are going to freeze.  Cover the bottom of the pan in cubed bread.  If freezing, put the pans in the freezer to firm up/freeze the bread cubes.  

Mix the cream cheese, yogurt, mayo, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper.  Drop by teaspoonfuls on top of bread. 

Sprinkle a small amount of mozzarella over the top.  

Mix together the pasta sauce, tomato sauce, and meatballs.  Spread a layer over the top of the bread and cheese in the pan(s). 

Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top.  

Cover with foil if baking right away.  If freezing, cover with foil and then plastic wrap.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Take off foil & bake an additional 10 minutes.  Serve! 

The only thing I think I'll do different next time is to use the crust pieces of the bread more, and less of the middle because it got a little soggy.  Also, I had to bake it a bit longer because my meatballs were still a little frozen.  So definitely needs to be thawed! It was still delicious.  Even Dawson ate it! 

This was really relatively easy to put together.  It's probably not the healthiest meal, but right now I'm all about easy!  I'm stocking my freezer this week, trying to keep some easy meals for my boys at least when I don't feel well.  Going out multiple times a week is hard on the budget!  

Slow cooker Balsamic Pot Roast

I'm cooking again!! Sort of.  Sometimes.  Putting this into the crockpot took most of my energy for the day but I had a sweet little helper, so I can't complain too much. :)

I got the original recipe off Six Sister's Stuff but altered it slightly.   Their recipe is great, but I am too pregnant/lazy/tired/insert other excuse here, to go to the store when I don't have things.  I compromised.  

My alteration of their recipe:

Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast

Ingredients:

Boneless chuck roast, 2-3 pounds

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to season roast

3-5 carrots, peeled and cut in thirds (I used even more because we love pot roast carrots!)

3-4 ribs of celery, cut into large chunks

1 medium onion, sliced into rings

1/2 of a 6 oz can tomato paste

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 packet of beef flavoring or 1 cube beef bouillon 

1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (I used a cube of fresh frozen)

1 teaspoon dried sage

4 cloves of garlic, minced 

2 cups water

You CAN sear the roast before you put it in your crockpot, but I personally don't.  I know people swear by it tasting better.. But this mama doesn't have that kind of time.  I usually just throw it in frozen or partially thawed.   I also use one of these bags for the crockpot (mine is a 6 quart) so I don't have to do dishes.

Season the roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  You could even use something like lawry's for this step.  Throw it in the slow cooker.  Put the celery, carrots, and onion in on top.  Mix the tomato paste, vinegar, beef flavoring, thyme, sage, garlic, and water.  Pour over the top.  

You can either cook it on high for 6 hours (that's what I did) or cook it on low for 9-10 hours.  Since I rarely have it done and on the base before 10am, I usually cook it on high for a few hours and then switch it over to low.  Remember that 1 hour on the high setting equals about 2 on low.  

To make a gravy from the drippings: 

I skimmed about enough fat & juice off the top before removing the meat from my slow cooker to fill my 1 quart sauce pan about 1/3 of the way.  In a small cup I mixed 1/3 cup cold water and 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch (depending on how thick you want it.. More cornstarch makes it thicker!).  Bring the fat & juice to a boil, then add water/cornstarch mixture.  Bring to a boil again and wait for it to get nice and bubbly and thick.  Done! Super easy.  

Mine looked like this. 

This recipe turned out amazing.  I am not a gravy person (at all) but it was really delicious.  The meat was very tender and the veggies were cooked just right.  I am trying to figure out if I can find a way to freeze it all for newborn mayhem meals :)  I thought there would be plenty of leftovers but the boys gobbled up most everything!  Adding this to the rotation for sure! 

Best steak chili ever!

For Christmas Eve dinner I made chili.  Mostly because I could throw it in the pot and we could eat whenever we would like :) This makes a very large pot, so you may want to cut the recipe in half.  I like to make a big pot and then freeze it for a quick meal!

2 lbs stew meat, cut into bite size chunks

1 lb mild Italian sausage

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced very small

2- 15 oz cans of chili beans in mild spicy sauce- not drained

2 - 15 oz cans red kidney beans, rinsed

2- 28 oz cans diced tomatoes (or 4 -15 oz cans)- with juice

6 oz can of tomato paste

4.5 oz can mild green chiles- drained

12 oz can of beer (whatever is cheap!)

1 cup water

5 beef bouillon cubes

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup chili powder

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (think tobasco)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon white sugar

Shredded cheddar, corn chips, or sour cream to garnish (optional)

Crumble Italian sausage into a large stock pot over medium-high heat.  Once you have a little grease in the bottom, add the stew meat.  I like to season mine with a little garlic salt but it's optional.  Brown all the meat, then drain the grease.  Add the onion, celery, jalapeño, green chiles, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, beer, water and bouillon.  Add the seasonings to the pot- garlic, chili powder, Worcestershire, oregano, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, paprika, and white sugar.   Stir it all up and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.   After 2 hours, adjust seasonings to your taste.  Enjoy! 

I have found that the longer this cooks, the better it tastes.  I usually let it simmer for much of the day before we eat it.  It freezes and reheats very well.  It looks like a ton of ingredients and it is, but it feeds us quite a few times.  I fed 5 adults and a toddler on Christmas Eve and I have about half the pot left to freeze! 

Enchilada Pie

This used to be a favorite around here.  I haven't made it in a really long time!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

15 oz can of tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 cup corn (I use frozen) 

Salt and pepper to taste

3 flour tortillas (burrito size!)

2-3 cups cheese (cheddar or Mexican blend)

Cooking spray

Lettuce, olives, jalapeños, sour cream, or guacamole for toppings

Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet.  Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper.  Add the tomato sauce, water, vinegar, chili powder, cumin, and corn.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, uncovered. 

Tear up the tortillas into about 1 inch pieces (this does not need to be perfect!) and spread them in the bottom of the 8x8 pan.  Add sauce to cover, then cheese.  Layer tortilla, sauce, cheese again and until gone.  

Baked uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly.  Add toppings of your choice and enjoy! 

Meals for the week of 12/9

It's that time again.. I went grocery shopping today.  All by myself.  It was glorious.  I don't remember the last time I enjoyed grocery shopping! As soon as I thought that, I realized how lame it is. I really need to get out more.

Meals this week (and beyond):

Dinners 

Ham and egg cups with hash browns

Tilapia & butter & garlic veggies

Flank steak & sweet potato gnocchi with apples

Spicy mango coconut shrimp, rice, & broccoli

Homemade chicken garlic pizza

Sesame chicken, veggies, & rice

Clam chowder & rolls

Rosemary chicken breast, green beans, & mashed potatoes

Frozen homemade sheppard's pie

Lunch

Chicken salad sandwiches & pear

Pb&j, raisins & pea pods

Crackers & cheese & grapes

Corn dog & yogurt

Leftovers from dinners

Turkey slices, cheese stick, grapes

Macaroni and cheese, pea pods, and applesauce

Apples, cream cheese, and graham crackers

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with cheese

Cereal with strawberries

Yogurt & fruit

Waffle & applesauce

Pancakes and sausage

Smoothies and toast

English muffins with jam 

I don't know if I mentioned this, but we don't grocery shop on much of a schedule.  It tends to be every 10-15 days with a few random trips for whatever staples we run out of.  I try to make the food we have last in the house, although I have been accused of being a food hoarder.  I feel more secure somehow with a full pantry and fridge.  

We had the ham and egg breakfast cups tonight and they were really delicious.  I would like to try them with more toppings.  Tonight we had them with avocado, cheese, and chopped tomatoes.  I did bake mine longer than 15 minutes, closer to 25.  Wonderful idea though, and it will be added to our rotation! 

A spin on a new favorite meal..

I found a recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole on Pinterest a while back.  We tried it as written from organizeyourstuffnow.com and while it was good, and I love the concept, I decided to mix it up a little.  Plus, my husband would probably think I lost my mind if I tried to feed him a casserole with rice (again.)

This is super easy to make and great if you have leftover cooked chicken and/or ham.  It's quick (I put it together in about 20 minutes, including cooking the pasta!) and delicious.. but probably not diet friendly! 

Here's how I made it! 

Ingredients:

8 oz pasta, cooked to package directions

1.5 cups cooked chicken (I used some frozen rotisserie chicken)

1 cup cubed ham, or 6-8 deli slices of ham cut up

6 slices Swiss cheese

1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon dehydrated onion

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon parsley flakes

1/2 box of instant stuffing (I used 1/2 bag of Mrs. Cubbison's but Stovetop would work too)

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup chicken broth

Spray an 8 by 8 inch pan with cooking spray.  Spread pasta in the bottom of the pan and layer the chicken on top of that.  Next is the Swiss cheese, then ham.  

Mix the soup, onion, garlic powder, milk, and parsley flakes into a bowl and pour over the top of the ham.  Make sure to spread it well and to the sides, you want it to drip down to the bottom while cooking :) 

 Mix up your instant stuffing with the butter and chicken broth just until barely moistened and then spread evenly over the top of the soup mixture.  Pop it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Eat! 

I had to put a foil tent on top after about 15 minutes because the stuffing was browning, so you may want to keep an eye on that.  My family actually liked the crunch to it, but some may not.