Crock Pot Taco Soup

I found this recipe on another website, can't remember which one but I want to give them a BIG thank you! This recipe is not only for the crock pot (so super easy) but also gluten free which is a plus for those that have to watch for that (like one of Brooke's friend's).

CROCK POT TACO SOUP


Ingredients:
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans corn
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 lb. ground hamburger (or turkey)
shredded cheese
tortilla chips


Brown meat and drain.
Put meat into crock pot and sprinkle seasoning packets (taco & ranch) on top of meat.
Drain and rinse the beans and add to crock pot.
Add corn and tomatoes (with all juice)


Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. You can also do high for 4-5 hours but low is best.


Serve topped with shredded cheese and crunched up tortilla chips.



Our Review - This was ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!! Mike said it was kind of a mix of tacos, chili and stew (he didn't even mind the tomatoes b/c he couldn't taste them). I thought this was a great alternative to chili b/c it wasn't spicy (although you could put in a can of rotel in place of one of the diced tomatoes for a little more bite). Brooke said the hamburger and corn tasted really good, she couldn't taste the beans (good) but she didn't care for the tomatoes. Lexy actually tasted a bite of this and said it tasted good!!! This will be going into the recipe box and used very often!

Weekly Menu

I'll post recipes and pictures after I have made new or noteworthy meals.

Not all of my dinners will be gourmet, who am I kidding, none of them will!! I will admit I use a lot of prepackaged foods but I'm a busy mom! I might not always get to every one of the meals if we have a hectic week and end up at Sonic or another fine eating establishment but this is my attempt at trying to try out some of the great new recipes I have been pulling from random places!

This week...

Crock Pot Taco Soup, tortilla chips, mandarin oranges

Tuna Cakes, fried potatoes, macaroni & tomato juice, pears

Crock Pot Cheesy Pork Chops & Rice w/broccoli, apples

Spaghetti, garlic bread, strawberries/pineapple

Fish Sticks, Mac & Cheese, raw carrots/cucumber/celery, grapes

Meatless Ziti

Another new recipe. I found this one on another blog, Postcards from Insanity, thank you foster mama!

Meatless Ziti









Ingredients:
1 pkg Ziti pasta
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
15 oz. Ricotta cheese, part skim
8 oz. Shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 350.

Cook and drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water. Mix spaghetti sauce, ricotta cheese and reserved water in large bowl. Add pasta and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, mix lightly. Spoon into 13x9 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and the parmesan cheese.

Cover. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until heated through.





We had this with a big salad, buttered toast, and strawberries.



Our Review: YUMMY!! This is definately one that will go in our recipe box. Easy, kid friendly and even a nice change with no meat.

Chicken & Stuffing Casserole

I found this recipe written on a little piece of paper so I'm not sure where it came from! Brooke said it sounded good so I thought we would try it. No pic of the casserole, I forgot sorry!!

Chicken & Stuffing Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

Deboned chicken

8 oz. dry stuffing

10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup (I used 98% fat free)

10.75 oz can cream of celery soup (again 98% ff)

1 1/4 cup chicken broth (from boiling chicken)

1 cup evaporate milk


Preheat oven to 350.

Boil chicken and shred (debone if using chicken with bones). Layer chicken in lightly greased 9x13 pan.

Combine soups, broth, evaporated milk and stir well. Mix dry stuffing into soup mixture and pour mixture over chicken.

Bake 35-45 min. - to bubbling in center.


We had this with corn and caramel apples.
Our Review: This was super easy to make and very low in calories and fat. We liked the taste (Brooke said she couldn't taste the stuffing past the soups flavors but she ate it). This recipe WILL go into our recipe box!

Smothered Steak

I got this recipe for Robin. I forgot to take a picture (plus mine didn't look great b/c I left out a few steps.

Smothered Steak
Round/Sirloin/Cube Steak - enough for your family
3-4 pkgs. Brown gravy (enough to cover steak)
flour
pepper

Dip steak in flour/pepper mixture and brown on both sides. Place in 9x13 pan. Make gravy as directed then pour over steak. Tightly cover pan with foil. Bake at 250 for 3-4 hours until done and tender. During cooking stir and spoon gravy over steak.
This will turn out melt-in-your-mouth tender.

We had it for dinner last night but I messed up and seasoned the steak so it was pretty salty but still good.

We had mashed potatoes, corn, and mixed fruit with it. YUMMY!!!

Weekly Menu

I'm going to try something new that I saw on another blog I look at, I'm going to post my weekly menus. I'll post recipes and pictures after I have made new or noteworthy meals.

Not all of my dinners will be gourmet, who am I kidding, none of them will!! I will admit I use a lot of prepackaged foods but I'm a busy mom! I might not always get to every one of the meals if we have a hectic week and end up at Sonic or another fine eating establishment but this is my attempt at trying to try out some of the great new recipes I have been pulling from random places!

This week...

Smothered Steak, mashed potatoes, corn, mixed fruit

Soft tacos, strawberries

Ham steak, cheesy potatoes, green beans, pineapple/man. oranges

Chicken/Stuffing Casserole, corn, peaches

Baked Ziti, garlic toast, salad, sliced apples

Nacho Casserole

This is a wonderful tried and true recipe that I love.



Nacho Casserole
Ingredients:
16 oz. Velveeta (cut into chunks)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I used 98% FF)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (98% FF)
1 can rotel diced tomatoes w/chiles
1 lb. ground beef
Tortilla chips

Fry ground beef...


Combine and heat to melted: velveeta, soups, rotel...


Use 13x9 pan. Crush chips to cover bottom of pan. Cover chips with cheese mixture and then ground beef. Continue layers two more times (crushed chips/cheese mixture/beef). Bake at 250 for about 30 min. to heat through.

All done...


We had a salad and mandarin oranges with this. I had made a frozen pizza for Brooke and Lexy because they don't usually eat this but Brooke did eat a little!