Mexican Lasagna

This is SO easy - There's no right way, so improvise to you heart's content!


1 package Taco seasoning
1 lb. ground beef or cooked chicken (you can buy it precooked)
1 - 14 ounce can of tomatoes - plain, or Mexican style - diced
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup  grated cheese or more to taste(Mexican style, medium cheddar or whatever you have)
10 corn totillas - torn or cut into strips or pieces


Cook the meat and drain off juices.  Mix with Taco seasoning, tomatoes, and salsa.
Layer twice with cheese in a glass pan
Top with extra cheese

Bake at 350º about 20 or 30 mintes or till bubbly and brown on top


You can add all kinds of things to this to make it more interesting - chopped chilies, olives, diced onions, etc.

Roasted Vegetables

I chop into equal sizes about an 1-1/2" or so.... Any of the following
 Potatoes - (I love the yellow Yukons-Just scrub them - no need to peel)
 Mushrooms (leave these whole)
 Carrots (Organic taste MUCH better - they really do)
 Shallots (These add really nice flavor- cut off the ends and take off the outer peel)
 Brussel sprouts(Don't let them scare you off - they're wonderful roasted)
 Yams (Never say never to these gems)
 Zucchini
Tomatoes (baby)
Toss in olive oil and salt and pepper - I like sea salt that is very coarse.
You can sprinkle with herbs like thyme, rosemary, and oregano, but you don't have to.
Bake at 400º for about an hour or till brown and crisped, and the veggies are tender to a fork.  You might want to stir once or twice.
This is a yummy any way to do vegetables.  Serve as a side dish, or for a dinner with rice (I like brown for better taste)
Use any mixture you like - There's no one way to do it.

Potato and Chive Crusted Salmon

1 large russet baking potato, peeled

4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

4 6oz. salmon fillets, skinless (or I just cut up a Costco salmon into 2 inch wide slices)

1/4 cup chopped chives or green onions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice the potatoes paper thin. Toss with 1 Tbs. olive oil and season with salt and pepper as desired. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Place 1 Tbs. chives on top of each fillet and press firmly. Layer the sliced potatoes on top of the chives, overlapping slightly, cover the entire top of the fish. In a nonstick 9x13 inch pan, heat the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil for 5 minutes in the oven. (I've never done this part and it's turned out just fine) Remove and carefully place the salmon fillets, potato side up, in the pan. Bake salmon until opaque and just done, 18 to 23 minutes.

Something about the potatoes make the salmon stay super moist, and the potatoes get a crispy sort of texture that are so good!

Lasagna (Does Part Costco Count?)

Don't Laugh.

Buy the big round flat Spinach and Cheese Filled Ravioli's in the deli section

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 pound ground beef

8 oz package shredded mozzarella cheese

Don't worry about cooking the ravioli first.

Brown the ground beef and drain off the fat

In a pan, layer about a third of the sauce, then 1/2 of the meat, 1/3 of the cheese, and then the ravioli. Do it again.

Top with the leftover sauce and cheese and bake at 400 degrees until it's bubbly. I think about a half hour should do it.

Super easy!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Simply Delicious!  Fast, and foolproof!

1 tube hot(spicy) Jimmy Dean Sausage
1 block Cream Cheese
1/2 c Parmesan Cheese - grated (fresh is always best)
1 tsp. pepper.

30 Big White mushrooms
Brown sausage and drain off the fat.  Mix with the cream cheese and pepper.  Stuff the mushrooms.

Bake at 350º for about 20 minutes

Fajitas

In a Crock Pot place...

4 chicken breasts

1 cup water

1 package Fajitas seasoning

Cook for 4 hours on high or 6 on low

Slice...

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1 onion

Saute in a pan with a little olive oil

Shred the chicken and put it in a bowl.

Serve with warm tortillas, cheese, salsa, sour cream and diced tomatoes.

If you want to be super fancy, combine equal parts sour cream and green taco sauce to make a yummy dressing.

So good.
Tara

Italian Pull Apart Bread

I went to a cooking party the other night and we made some yummy food.  Here are a couple things I learned.

1 tube refrigerated biscuits
1 cube butter
Italian seasoning to taste
1 tsp minced garlic

Melt the butter in 8x8 pan.  Add Italian seasoning and garlic.  Cut the biscuits into 1/4 pieces.  Toss in the 8x8 pan coating them with the butter mixture.  Put in oven at 350º and cook till done about 10-12 minutes.

ERIN

Cream Biscuits

This recipe come from Paula Dean. It simply couldn't be easier, and receives rave reviews.


Ingredients:
2 cups self rising flour, plus a little more for dusting. (See note below)
1 T sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450º
In a medium bowl stir together the flour and sugar.  Add the cream slowly until the dough forms a ball. Turn onto a surface dusted with a bit of additional flour. Fold the dough in 1/2 and knead  lightly 5 to 7 times, adding just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands. Gently roll out or pat to about 5/8" or so. Use a biscuit cutter or glass dipped in flour to cut out the dough.  Place on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray, leaving about 1" between each biscuit.  Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: If you don't have self rising flour, just mix 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt with  1 cup regular flour, and you're set to go.  Make sure it's mixed well before you add the cream.  A wire wisk works just great.

Let's begin !

I'm just like anyone out there. I need to eat. Actually I love to eat. And, much of the time I love to cook. Simmering things on the stove make me happy, as does having those I love sitting around the table enjoying the fruits of my labor. BUT, sometimes there's just not time for that. I'm on the run. The day has gotten away from me. We need to eat now! So, I'm starting this little blog to share some recipes that are fast, and easy enough to prepare, so that quick as a jiffy something homemade and satisfying is ready to go. Please contribute and share your "finds" - that will make it all the more fun! There are no rules - anything goes.