Baked Chicken Taquitos

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (4oz) cream cheese
1/3 cup green salsa (optional)
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2  tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I like chicken cooked in the crock pot with salsa and taco seasoning)
1 cup grated cheese
about 20 flour 6 inch tortillas

Directions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees.   Lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray.
Heat cream cheese in microwave for 20 seconds.  Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder.  Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions.  Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

Place 2-3 Tbsp of chicken mixture on tortilla.  Roll it up as tight as you can.  Place seam side down on baking sheet.  Lay all the filled tortillas on a baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other.  Spray tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Beef Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 leftover pot roast, chopped up into bite size pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 potatoes, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
2 carrots, sliced
3/4 cup frozen peas
2 packages brown gravy mix
2 cups water
1/2 tsp marjorum
1/2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 9 inch pie crusts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. Place chopped up vegetables (onion, celery, potatoes, carrots) into frying pan with oil. Cook until onion is translucent. Add 2 brown gravy mixes, 2 cups of water, and frozen peas. Cover and let simmer until potatoes and carrots are cooked through. Add the chopped up pot roast. Add marjorum, thyme, salt and pepper and mix through. Let simmer until everything is heated through (won't take long). Place pie crust in pie pan. Add in the pot pie filling and top with pie crust. Follow directions for pie crust but I cooked this for 20 minutes at 425

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:
3 cups Mashed potatoes
1 14oz can green beans or frozen green beans
1 chopped onion
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 tsp thyme
1 clove garlic
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Directions:
Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet. Drain the grease. Add the can of mushroom soup, thyme and garlic. Pour into 9 inch casserole dish. Place drained green beans on top of the meat mixture. Place the mashed potatoes on top of the green beans. Bake in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 lb sweet italian turkey sausage
3/4 lb lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6oz) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5oz) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles (I like oven ready)
16 oz ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 lb mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:
In saucepan cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Drain out the fat. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, pepper, and 2 Tbsp parsley. Simmer for an hour 1/2.
If you don't use oven ready noodles this would be where you would boil the noodles until al dente and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese (or substitute cottage cheese) with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 tsp salt.
Preheat oven to 375.
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange noodles lengthwise. over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 25 min. Remove foil and bake and additional 25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Spaghetti Pie

Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti
1 lb lean ground beef (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 bag fresh spinach leaves, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 26 oz jar pasta sauce
3/4 cup sour cream ( or substitute cottage cheese)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 pkg cream cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (or cheddar)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef, drain and crumble. Add in the next ingredients or if you make it vegetarian start with these ingredients: In a small amount of olive oil saute green bell pepper, garlic, and spinach, chopped onion.Add in the spaghetti sauce. Let simmer for 10 minutes or until ready to use.
In a small bowl combine sour cream (or cottage cheese) green onions and cream cheese; set aside. Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and add the cooked spaghetti. Spread the cream cheese mixture over it and add the spaghetti sauce on top. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups chicken broth

4 carrots

4 celery sticks

3 potatoes

1 whole onion

1 bay leaf

4 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp thyme

2 piecrusts (refrigerated pillsbury crusts)

Directions:

Saute chicken breast in a little oil until brown. Season both sides with salt and pepper. (Can use 2 cans of canned chicken--or I like to use leftover chicken) Shred and set aside.

Saute vegetables (celery, carrots, onion, and potatoes) with bay leaf and butter for 12 minutes--do not overcook. Add flour to veggie mix and whisk until flour is dissolved. Add milk, broth, and thyme. Continue to whisk. Add chicken. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour into piecrust and cover with a top crust. Cut vent slits. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:
1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp pepper
jar of spaghetti sauce
8 oz jumbo shell pasta or 12 lasagna noodles
Optional:
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 bag of fresh spinach
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Cook the pasta shells according to directions on box. In large bowl stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese, salt, parsley, basil, and pepper until thoroughly combined. If you want to include the spinach--heat oil in a skillet. Add onions and cook until soft. Add spinach and garlic and cook until spinach is wilted. Add this mixture to the cheese mixture. Coat the bottom of 9x13 pan with a thin layer of spaghetti sauce. Take each shell and fill with 1-2 Tbsp of cheese mixture. Place into the pan and then pour the remaining jar of spaghetti sauce on top of the shells. Then put mozzarella cheese on top of that and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

 Serve with rice.  Leftovers are great to use for either tortilla soup, chicken enchiladas, or tacos.

Ingredients:
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
8 oz apricot jam
12 oz salsa
1 pkg taco seasoning

Directions:
Combine last three ingredients. Mix with chicken in 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 45 min. Serve with rice.