Taco Joe aka Taco Chili

Taco Joe aka Taco Chili
Source: GroceryBudget101.com

1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can Fire Roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
1 envelope taco seasoning
1/2 cup diced onion (I left this out)
1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
*For chili add 1 (29 oz) can diced tomatoes

Combine all ingredients and cook over low heat until flavors combine. Can also be cooked on low in a slow cooker.

Serve over brown rice, in whole wheat tortillas, with tortilla chips or corn bread.

*****

Everyone declared this recipe a keeper. I honestly expected my oldest daughter to take one bite and turn up her nose, but she did the opposite. She took one bite and declared that she loved it. She and I ate ours like a dip with tortilla chips. My husband ate his on whole wheat tortillas, and my three year old son at his with a spoon (with cornbread and tortilla chips as a side).

The only thing I might do differently next time is just to use a can of petite diced tomatoes instead of the fire roasted tomatoes. No real reason for the possible swap other than to see how it turns out.


Please excuse the almost empty looking pot. I forgot to take a picture until after we ate dinner. The picture is also deceiving because there was a lot more leftover than it looks like.

Cheeseburger & Fries Casserole

Cheeseburger & Fries Casserole
Source: Taste of Home

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed golden mushroom soup
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 pkg. (20 oz) frozen crinkle-cut french fries

1. Brown the ground beef; drain off fat.
2. Stir in soups (undiluted) with ground beef. Pour mixture into two greased 8x8-inch pans (or one 9x13-inch).
3. Arrange french fries on top. Bake, uncovered, at 350* for 50-55 minutes or until the fries are golden brown.

Makes 4-8 servings. (Each 8x8 pan = 4 servings; 9x13 pan = 8 servings.)

To freeze: cover tightly with foil. Label and freeze.

To cook after freezing: Preheat oven to 350*. Bake approximately 60-90 minutes, uncovered, until the fries are golden brown.


For bulk cooking:

4 lbs. ground beef
2 cans (10-3/4 oz) condensed golden mushroom soup
2 cans (10-3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 pkg. (5 lb) frozen crinkle-cut french fries

Cook as above and divide into four 8x8-inch pans or two 9x13-inch pans.



10 lbs. ground beef
5 cans (10-3/4 oz) condensed golden mushroom soup
5 cans (10-3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 pkg. (5 lb) frozen crinkle-cut french fries

Cook as above and divide into ten 8x8-inch pans or six 9x13-inch pans.

Basic Chili

This is a recipe that I copied out of my mom's personal recipes. I can't remember where she got it from (since I just marked that it was my mom's recipe), but I do remember that it was on a recipe card taped in her cookbook and that she had had the recipe forever (or close to it). It's a very basic recipe that can be tweaked in so many different ways. I pretty much make it as-is but I do add more chili powder to it normally. I also let mine simmer in the crock pot instead of on the stove top as the recipe originally called for. I think it turns out great either way as long as you let it simmer long enough. I just prefer the hands off (no stirring) crock pot method instead. Oh, and I don't wait to add in the kidney beans, I always add them in with everything else, and I haven't had them turn to mush on me yet.


Chili

2 lbs. ground beef
2 cups diced onion (or two onions, diced)
2 cups diced green pepper (or two green peppers, diced)
2 cans (28 oz. each) tomatoes
2 cans (8 oz. each) tomato sauce
4 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne red pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
2 cans (15-1/2 oz. each) kidney beans, drained

1. In large skillet, cook and stir meat, onion and green pepper until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in tomatoes (with liquid) and remaining ingredients except kidney beans.
2. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in kidney beans; heat through.

Makes 8 or 10 servings.


Smaller version (less meaty):

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup onion, diced (or one onion, diced)
1 cup green pepper, diced (or one green pepper, diced)
2 cans (28 oz. each) tomatoes, petite diced
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne red pepper
1/8 tsp. paprika
2 cans (15-1/2 oz each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Meatballs & Sauce (how creative of a name...)

Source: All Recipes

This recipe was one that I normally would have NEVER ever made because A) it looks gross to me, and B) the ingredients don't sound like it would turn out to be a very yummy dish (to me). My husband tried this recipe via a coworker and raved about it so much that I had to make it for him. I cooked this up and was pleased with just how simple it was to make, and how yummy it actually was. We had my parents over for dinner and all four adults and both of my children really enjoyed it. It's definitely a "keeper" in our household.

Meatballs & Sauce

2 lbs. Italian meatballs
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted (or homemade equivalent)
2 cups (16 oz) sour cream
3/4 cup water

Mix together the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and water. Place meatballs in a 9x11-inch pan. Pour sauce mixture over meatballs. Cover with foil and bake at 375* for 30-45 minutes or until completely heated through and sauce is bubbling hot. Serve with your favorite side (egg noodles, brown rice, mashed potatoes, etc.).

*I used my homemade turkey meatballs from the freezer, Campbell's Healthy Choice Cream of Mushroom Soup and low-fat sour cream. Using the lower-fat ingredients didn't compromise the taste/quality of the recipe at all.

**This recipe can also be heated/cooked in the crock pot until warmed.

***I also made this with three pounds of meatballs, but decided that I would max out at two pounds of meatballs per the wet ingredients listed above because I wanted it to be a bit more saucy than it was this time. So for a larger group, just double the ingredients and it will still be delicious.

Mexican Meatloaf

Mexican Meatloaf

1 lb. ground turkey
1 cup crushed Doritos
1 egg, beaten (or 1/4 cup Egg Beaters)
1 pkt. taco seasoning
1-1/2 cups shredded fiesta blend cheese
1-1/2 cups salsa, divided
1/2 can refried beans

Combine ground turkey, crushed Doritos, egg and taco seasoning and 1 cup of salsa. Form mixture into a loaf and placed in a greased loaf pan. Spread refried beans over the top of the meatloaf. Drizzle remaining salsa over the top. Bake at 400 degree for 50 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake and additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*This is very yummy and I love it served with a little bit of sour cream. I make a double batch and freeze the second meatloaf. To cook from frozen, thaw in refrigerator for 1-2 days and then cook according to the directions above.

Turkey Meatballs (bulk cooking)

(1/4 batch of meatballs)

Turkey Meatballs
Source: Open-faced Meatball Sandwiches

1 cup egg substitute (or 4 eggs, whisked)
2 cups soft Italian bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. dry minced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon dried basil
5 pounds lean ground turkey

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Shape into meatballs using a small cookie scoop, and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper (or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. (Yes, I learned this lesson the HARD way.) Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool and separate into four batches of meatballs. Freeze the batches you don't plan to use in the immediate future.

Makes four batches of meatballs (using the small cookie scoop, it comes out to about 36-40 meatballs per batch). One batch equals one meal's worth of meatballs for a recipe.

*This recipe is also great for making turkey burgers, turkey meatloaf, etc.

Open-Faced Meatball Sandwiches

Source: Taste of Home

1/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. dry minced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1-1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
2 cups garden-style pasta sauce
4 hoagie buns, split
4-8 slices of mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Crumble turkey
over mixture and mix well. Using a small cookie scoop, shape into meatballs. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, brown meatballs in batches; drain.

Place meatballs in a large saucepan. Add the pasta sauce; bring to a
boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until meat
is no longer pink. Toast bun halves in the oven. Place slices of mozzarella on toasted buns, breaking to fit. Spoon meatballs and sauce onto bun halves.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 sandwich equals 231 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 60 mg cholesterol, 488 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 17 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable.

*The meatballs can be cooked in the crockpot after browning in the skillet. I cooked mine on low for several hours until we were ready to eat.

**I now make these meatballs (just the meatballs) in bulk (I quadruple the recipe) and freeze the remaining three portions. This is easy to do since I form my meatballs using a cookie scoop and the bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Once cooled, I separate the portions and bag up the ones to be frozen.