Mexican Haystacks

A simple dinner that we really enjoyed.

2 cups rice
1 lb hamburger
onion
black beans
tomato sauce (small)
8 oz water
2 cloves garlic
1-1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1-1 1/2 tsp oregano
1-1 1/2 tsp cumin
salt
pepper
2 tsp sugar (optional)

Cook rice. Brown hamburger with onion (I used dried minced onion, but you could use a fresh one). Add beans, sauce, water and seasonings. Cook down and salt and pepper to taste. Combine with cooked rice and enjoy. If too dry add water. To cut down on acidity add sugar.

Serve with tortilla chips (or fritos), salsa and sour cream.

Enchilada Casserole

Cook together:

1 ½ lb hamburger

½ tsp oregano

1 cup chopped onions

2 TB chili powder

½ tsp Tabasco sauce

Simmer for 15 minutes, then add ¾ cup flour and mix well.

Add 2 cups water or to consistency of thin gravy, after which add ½ cup tomato sauce and 1 tsp garlic salt.

Simmer together add salt and pepper to taste.

In a baking dish, put layer of tortillas, chili mixture, and cheese (3/4 lb shredded) to about 4 layers, with cheese as a final layer

Bake at 350^o for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with shredded lettuce and chopped green onions mixed together and sprinkled on top.

Spanish Rice- Main Dish

This is another recipe from my sister and we eat it at least twice a month. This is her picture-- we don't put sour cream on it or that much cheese! Not sure that it is completely "Mexican" but it is sooooooo tasty! Mmmm.... now I want some for dinner tonight! It makes A TON!! Like you could feed an army with it! So either 1/2 the recipe or freeze some for later. I have started buying those aluminum square tin things with the little lids (they look like square versions of the cafe rio tins and lids). Anyway, when I have a huge recipe like this I put half in one of those tins, label it, and freeze it so that one night when I am busy I already have a good meal that I can use for dinner.

1 lb. Hamburger
1 Large Onion- chopped
1 Large Green Pepper
28 oz can Tomatoes- diced (undrained)
1 C. Water
1 C. Rice
1 T. Brown Sugar
1 T. Worcestershire Sauce
1 t. Salt
1 t. Chili Pepper
1 can Corn (undrained)
1 can Kidney Beans (drained)


Toppings:
Tortilla Chips
Sliced Olives
Green Onions- Sliced
Grated Cheese
Sour Cream


Brown beef with onions and green pepper. Drain. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, until rice is done and liquid is absorbed.
Serve on a bed of tortilla chips (lime chips are my favorite) and sprinkle with desired toppings.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Yes, it can be done! You can adapt any lasagna recipe for the slow cooker -- just use oven-ready noodles and snap off the corners so they fit in the pot. (You kind of have to be creative.)

Begin with a layer of sauce (this acts as an insulator so the noodles don't burn), then stack up fillings and noodles until the pot is full. Then put on the lid, and let it cook (or, steam, really) for 3-4 hours.

If you want to finish with a cheese layer, don't put it on top until the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Add a salad and breadsticks, and you're done! (Oooh, and what better excuse to have Italian gelato for dessert?)

Jen's Soup

Sometimes I throw together a bunch of stuff and call it soup. :) Everything is to taste... Call it what you want. This one is good if you are running low on fresh ingredients.

1 lb Ground meat (beef or turkey)
1 can beans (whatever you prefer, black, white, kidney, pinto, etc.)
1 can tomato sauce or paste
1 bag frozen veggies (I like the different stir fry varieties)
macaroni or rice
Garlic (powder is fine)
Onion (powder is fine)
Salt & Pepper
any other seasoning you like... italian, basil, whatever
Enough water to make it soup.

Serve it with some delicious bread and Voila! you have dinner!

Taco Soup

1 lb Ground Hamburger (or ground turkey if you want it a little healthier)

2 cans of dice tomatoes (I always use Del Monte w/ zesty green chilies)

1 can of kidney beans (I usually throw in two since we like them so much)

1 can of corn (just had to put something in parentheses since I have done it on EVERY one!)

1-4oz. can of diced green chilies

1 pkg of McCormick's Taco Seasoning

Directions:

Brown and season hamburger meat (note: do NOT use the taco seasoning to flavor your meat), then in a large pot combine cooked meat, undrained canned foods and package of taco seasoning. Bring to a boil and then simmer until ready to serve (you can also stick it in a crock pot and forget about it until dinner time).

Serve with sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips (we love using Frito's).