Taco Bake ~ by Sarah

I got this recipe from Tasty Kitchen. I LOVED it! I love all things bread and this has a bread-like crust. It was easy, too!

Ingredients:
FOR THE CRUST:
1/2 cup crushed corn chips (like Fritos)
2 cups flour
1 package (7g packet) yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons minced fresh onion
3/4 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup very warm (not hot) water
2 Tablespoons oil

FOR THE FILLING:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 envelope taco seasoning
water (amount according to taco seasoning packet's directions)

Directions:
Put crushed corn chips, flour, yeast, sugar, minced onion and salt in a food processor bowl. Pulse a few times to combine.  (Note: Next time I make this, I'm going to add a tablespoon or so of taco seasoning to give the crust a little more flavor.)

With processor running, add the warm water and oil in a thin, steady stream to the dry ingredients. Keep pulsing and mixing until the dough forms a ball.

Grease a deep, 9-inch cake pan or spring-form pan.

Press the dough evenly over the bottom and at least a couple of inches up the sides. This is a yeast dough and, while it doesn’t rise a lot, it’ll get puffy. You’re going to fill this shell with taco meat and want to give the dough room enough to puff and also to hold the meat.

Put it aside in a warm area, cover it with a towel and let it rise anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours.

About 20 minutes before baking, cook the hamburger and chopped onion. When the onion is translucent and the meat no longer pink, drain the fat and add taco seasoning and water.

Simmer 7-10 minutes, uncovered, then gently pour into the waiting dough shell.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees or until crust is a nice golden brown.

Top with anything you’d put on a taco: grated cheese, salsa, lettuce, tomato or avocado.

Spicy Confetti Joes ~ by Sarah

This is an Oregon Beef Council award-winning recipe that Kelsey and I acquired from them a number of years ago.  I modified it a little because it was too rich.  (It originally called for 3 cups of ketchup!)  It's super easy and delicious!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
1 med. yellow onion, diced
1/2 each red, orange, yellow, and green bell peppers, diced (Or any combination of bell peppers--sometimes not all colors are available.)
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. (approx.) ketchup
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 t. Tabasco sauce (More if you want more kick!)
8 hamburger buns (Try whole wheat--you won't even notice!  Less fat and calories, more fiber!)

Ingredients:
Brown ground beef.  Add onions and peppers.  Saute until vegetables are tender--about 5 minutes.

(It looks so colorful and pretty!)

In a 3+ cup measuring cup, pour in the tomato sauce.  (This should be almost two cups.)  Add ketchup until the measuring cup is full to the 3-cup mark.  Pour sauce, Tabasco, and brown sugar into the meat mixture and mix well.  Simmer for at least 10 minutes.  Serve on toasted hamburger buns. 

Tater Tot Casserole ~ by Sarah

This is a staple in our house.  Wes and the kids love it!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic (I use the pre-minced, jarred stuff to save time) 
seasoned salt, garlic salt, pepper to taste
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 empty soup can filled with milk
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 bag of tater tots or Crispy Crowns (I prefer them because they're smaller and cook through better.)
dried parsley

Directions:
Over medium heat, cook onion, garlic, and ground beef until beef is just browned.  Season well.  Spread beef mixture in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan.  Dump tater tots on top of beef mixture and spread them out evenly.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk cream of mushroom soup and one can of milk until smooth.  Add all but 1/2 cup of cheese and mix well.  Pour soup mixture over the tater tots evenly.  Sprinkle parsley on top.

Cover tightly with foil and bake at 425 for about 25 minutes (until it's really bubbling).  Uncover and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.  Bake about 10 more minutes--until cheese is melted thoroughly.  Remove from oven and let sit about 5-10 minutes before serving.  It will be very hot!

Mexican Crockpot Chicken ~ by Sarah

I actually found this recipe on a website for people with celiac disease (allergic to gluten).  I was trying to emulate the shredded chicken that Mexican restaurants make to put inside all of their shredded chicken dishes.  This is super easy and so delicious!  The first night we usually put it on tacos and the next night we do quesadillas.  You could also make taco salads, burritos, chimichangas, etc.

Ingredients: 
11/2-2 lbs. chicken breasts, trimmed
1 package taco seasoning (either original or chicken)
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. salsa or picante sauce

Directions:
Spray inside of crockpot with nonstick spray.  Place whole chicken breasts in bottom.  Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken.  Pour broth over chicken and taco seasoning.  Pour salsa on top.  Do not stir.  Cook 6 hours on low.  When the chicken is done, mix all the contents together and use two forks to shred the chicken.

Cheese Biscuits ~ by Sarah

Last summer, our neighbor girl brought these biscuits over to show off her cooking.  I ate them all and promptly sent her back across the street for the recipe.  They're easy and delicious!

Ingredients:
2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/4 cup chilled shortening (I use white Crisco)
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, melted

Directions:
Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.  Cut in the shortening and cheddar cheese until crumbly.  Add the milk and stir to incorporate.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 450 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Brush with melted butter and serve immediately.

Makes 6 to 8 large biscuits or 12 small biscuits.

Fruit Salad ~ by Sarah

I got this recipe for a simple, refreshing, delicious fruit salad when I was at a baby shower for my friend, Miriah. Even though every single food item at the shower was delicious, we all kept heading back into the kitchen to fill our plates back up with this. As soon as strawberries are somewhat in season, this is in my fridge a lot!  As a bonus, I make it with Splenda, not sugar, so it's sugar-free!

Here's what you need:

2 green apples (I like Granny Smith)
2 red apples (I like pink lady)
a carton of strawberries
two ripe pears (peeled)
one lemon
one packet of Splenda sugar substitute

Directions:
Start by quartering the strawberries into a medium-sized bowl.  Next, cut the apples into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl.  (Don't peel them.)  I use my apple slicing gizmo to get nice, uniform slices and then I dice the slices.  Peel the pears and the cut them into bite-sized pieces (I also use my apple slicer with them).

Next is the secret ingredient that makes people think I'm weird when they see me doing it, but, believe me, it's what makes this salad so good.  Zest the peel of the lime into the bowl.  I don't have a zester, so I use the small holes on my cheese grater and it works great.  If you don't have a small-holed cheese grater, I have used a paring knife with success when in a pinch.

 

Next, cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice from both halves into the bowl.  Add the packet of Splenda and mix well.  Taste it.  If it seems too sour, add another packet of Splenda.  I like mine kind of tart, so one is always enough for me.

She loves it.  Gavin spits it out and makes a sour face.

*Note:  This does not keep more than a day or two in the fridge (especially the pears--they get very mushy).  If you're not going to eat it all in a day or two, you can lessen the amount by using just one pear, one red apple, and one green apple.  (I still use all the strawberries, lime, and Splenda.)

Mexican Layer Dip ~ by Sarah

This is delicious and, you guessed it, it's another Pioneer Woman recipe.  Wes was hesitant to let me make it for the Super Bowl party he was going to.  (He wanted the traditional 7-layer dip I normally make.)  When I told him it was a PW recipe he said, "Make it.  She hasn't let me down yet."

Ingredients:
1 can refried beans (any variety)
Tabasco sauce, to taste
1 small can diced green chilies (undrained)
ground cumin (to taste)
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 cup guacamole
3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 can black olives, drained
1 cup pico de gallo
1 diced jalapeno (optional)

Directions:
Begin by throwing the refried beans into a small pan over medium-low heat.  Add several dashes of Tabasco sauce and can of chilies.  Stir well.  Next, sprinkle a little bit of ground cumin.  Spread the beans on the bottom of a glass bowl or platter.  Over this, sprinkle the sharp cheddar.  Next, plop your sour cream and spread it in a single layer, being careful not to disturb the cheese underneath.  The next layer is the guacamole.  (To make guacamole, all I did was mash two avocados and mix in some of the pico de gallo I had made.)  Spread it over the sour cream.  Follow this with a layer of Monterey Jack cheese and a nice sprinkling of chopped black olives.  Lastly, place a generous layer of pico de gallo.  You can also sprinkle some chopped jalapenos over the top, if desired.

 

 

Sour Cream Pancakes ~ by Sarah

These are by far the best pancakes I've ever had. (Another Pioneer Woman recipe that has not failed to deliver!)  Seriously, these are delicious.  They almost remind me of a crepe, but thicker.  Make them, make them, make them!

Ingredients:
1 c. sour cream
7 T. all-purpose flour
1 T. sugar
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 large eggs
1/2 t. vanilla extract
butter
syrup

Directions:
Place an iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.  You want to get it nice and hot.  (I used an electric griddle set to about 350 degrees.)  Place the sour cream in a medium bowl.  Dump in the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.  Stir together very, very gently.  Stop short of the mixture being totally combined so that the pancakes have an interesting texture.  Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl.  Add the vanilla to the eggs and stir to combine.  Pour the egg mixture into the sour cream/flour mixture.  Stir together gently.  Don't worry about the mixture being totally combined; a little white and yellow swirling is fine.  Melt about a tablespoon of butter in the skillet (I sprayed my griddle with Pam to spare me some calories).  Pour the batter onto the skillet 1/4 cup at a time.  Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, then flip the pancakes over.  Cook for another 45 seconds and remove to a plate.  Top with butter and syrup as desired.

This recipe only made 7 4-inch pancakes, so if you have hearty appetites or a crowd, you'll probably want to double it.

Notice the lumps--they make them even better!

 

 

Fiesta Turkey Soup ~ by Molly

I based this recipe on one I found on Self.com (the website for the health magazine SELF). It was super easy to make, delicious and healthy. I also liked that it had really simple ingredients--things that are usually already in the pantry/I can find in Germany. Sorry, Kels, it has turkey, but I'm sure pork would work well, too. The website called it chili, but it wasn't very thick, so it seemed more like a soup to me.

3-4 Servings
Prep time: 20 minutes

1 can tomato soup (I used Tuscan for added flavor)
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 bell pepper
1/2 pound turkey*
Garlic powder, Tabasco sauce, Onion powder to taste

Grill the turkey until cooked completely and the pepper until softened. Heat the soup, then add the remaining ingredients. Season to taste. Serve with sour cream or shredded cheese for added calories and flavor. Enjoy!

*The recipe on the website called for ground turkey. This is something that is impossible to find in the average German supermarket. I used a fillet instead and cubed it into bite-sized pieces. Like I said before, I think pork fillets would be a good substitute.