Pizza Quesadillas

A coworker and I made this up when I worked at a custom sandwich shop a million years ago.  It is tasty and easy to make when you don't feel like cooking.

To make it authentic place the following on a panini grill:

Pepperoni

Havarti cheese

tortillas

To make it less authentic add veggies of your choice and place tortilla in a frying pan, flipping half way.  Grill until cheese is melty delicious and the tortilla is perfectly browned.

Crockpot burrito bowl

This recipe was inspired by this one but I tweaked it a little bit to make it easy to throw together at work. If you're doing the same, pre-mix your spices so you don't have to bring them all separate. It turned out so delicious that I crave it at least once a week now!  I made this in my 7 quart crockpot.

Add to crockpot:
1 lb pre-cooked/leftover chicken
1 box Zataran's Cilantro Lime rice-> tried this on a fluke and it was amazing!
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (not drained)
1 15 oz can black beans (drained)
1 15 oz can corn (drained)
2 T olive oil
3 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 1/2 cup chicken broth->add more if you just want to make this a soup.

Mix all together and make sure the rice is completely covered with liquid.  Cook on high approx 4 hours.  No peeking so the rice will cook!

Add to tortillas.  Top with grated cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, and guacamole.

Chicken Rolls

These make great use of leftover cooked chicken.  Canned chicken also makes it very convenient and easy.

2 cups cubed pre-cooked chicken->canned works great
1 pkg cream cheese
2 Tablespoon softened butter
1 Tablespoon finely diced onion
1 can crescent rolls
melted butter
bread crumbs


Cream together cream cheese and butter
Fold in chicken and onion and salt and pepper to taste
Unroll crescent rolls and place a scoop of mixture near center, roll up and seal
Dip tops in melted butter and then bread crumbs

Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes

Classic tater tot casserole

This recipe is great for leftover mashed potatoes or the rehydrated kind if you roll like that.

1 lb ground Beef
1 medium diced onion
1 can green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2-3 cups of mashed potatoes-enough to make a thick layer on the bottom of baking dish

Brown ground beef with diced onion
Add green beans and cream of mushroom soup to meat and mix together
Smooth a layer of mashed potatoes at the bottom of a baking dish
Add grated cheese then the meat/veggie mix
Cover the casserole with tater tots

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until the tots are crisp

Nancy's scalloped potatoes

A simple recipe that many probably already have a variation of in their rotation.  This goes nicely as a side dish to baked ham.

8-10 peeled and sliced potatoes
1/2 cup butter
1 can cream soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/3 cup diced onion
1/2 cup milk

Melt butter and mix all ingredients. Spread in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees or until potatoes are tender

Phill's lasagna

My brother Phill made the most delicious lasagna yesterday.  It seriously had to be recorded it was so epic.

Brown together: 1 med chopped onion, 2-3 cloves chopped garlic, 1 lb ground beef, 1 lb italian sausage

Add: 1 can tomato paste, 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1 bottle of pasta sauce (he specifically used sauce made with plum tomatoes and it was amazing!)  Leave this simmering until ready to layer the lasagna

While that is simmering make the cheese sauce in a separate bowl: ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, mozzerella and 2 eggs.

Phill uses oven ready noodles but if you purchased the plain dry kind, boil them now until al dente.

Once your toppings are ready to go layer an 8 X 13 casserole dish starting with the meat sauce, then noodles and cheese sauce.  Keep layering ending with the cheese sauces and sprinkle parmesan on top.

Cover with foil and try to avoid it touching the top of the lasagna.  Bake 375 for about 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes or so until the cheese is perfectly melty.

Chili

Chili is such an easy recipe to use leftover taco or stew meat.  I like to add the seasonings to taste so the amounts below are approximate.   If you don't want to bother with it, you can always add the pre-mixed seasonings.  Chopped onions and peppers can also be found pre-chopped in the freezer section.

Chop and saute until just tender in 1 T olive oil:

1/2 green pepper

1/2 onion

2 cloves garlic (or 2 tsps garlic powder)

While the above is cooking add to your crockpot or stock pot:

1 lb cooked beef->leftover stew beef or taco meat (if using taco meat-go easy on extra seasonings) works great!

1 small can tomato paste

1 large 28 oz can diced tomatoes + (opt) 1 small can rotel (chose your own spicy level preference) 

1 15 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 15 oz can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

2 T chili powder

1 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Add the veggies and simmer away!  2-3 hours should be good in the crockpot for a nice delicious marriage of flavors.  If you're cooking it on the stove top 30-45 minutes or until thickened should be good.  Always remember to taste it!

Optional add ins when serving: 

• sliced avocado
• tomato
• sour cream
• shredded cheese
• tortilla chips