The Cooking Family

Taco Casserole

 

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Taco Casserole
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Linda
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. 85% ground beef
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 15 oz. can red kidney beans
  • 1 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes (or any brand chopped tomatoes)
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup (can use cream of mushroom if you prefer)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese (or Cheddar)
  • tortilla chips, crushed (but not too fine)
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
Instructions

  1. Mix your ground beef and onion in a skillet and cook until the meat is browned all the way through. Drain any excess grease.

  2. Add one can of semi-drained red kidney beans to the cooked meat/onion mixture. I just poured off the top liquid. Add a can of Rotel tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes). Mix together.

  3. Add your taco seasoning packet and cream of chicken soup (can use cream of mushroom if you prefer). Add your 1/2 cup of water and stir together.

  4. Simmer 5-10 minutes, until everything is combined and starts to thicken.

  5. Spray a 9x11 pan with cooking spray.

  6. Put crushed taco chips on the bottom.

  7. Add half of your meat mixture and top with half of your shredded cheese.

  8. Repeat layers (chips, meat, cheese).

  9. Cover with foil and cook in the oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or so, until top is bubbly.

  10. You can top individual servings with sour cream and whatever else you like, such as more crushed chips or green onion tops.

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Queso Dip

 

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Queso Dip
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

Here's a quick and easy queso dip that's always a hit at parties.

Servings: 10
Author: Tracy
Ingredients
  • 2 15 oz. jars of queso
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 package taco seasoning
  • 1 bag tortilla chips
Instructions

  1. Brown your ground beef in a skillet.

  2. Drain ground beef and return to skillet.

  3. Add taco seasoning and cook as directed.

  4. Place queso in large microwave safe bowl.

  5. Add taco meat to queso and microwave until heated through.

  6. Serve with tortilla chips.

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Loaded Potato Soup

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Loaded Potato Soup
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

Here's a soup recipe you can make in your Ninja or Vitamix. Now you can do more than just make smoothies with your blender.

Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Author: Tracy Wimberly
Ingredients
  • 2 and 1/3 cups milk
  • 2 medium russet potatoes (baked and chopped), divided use
  • 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided use
  • 1 small onion, sliced and sauteed
  • 1/2 tsp rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
Instructions

  1. Cook your baked potato.

  2. Saute your onion.

  3. Place milk, one potato, salt, rosemary, half the bacon, and half the cheese into the blender. Secure the lid. Make sure you have a vented lid or open the lid just a tiny bit to let some of the air out. Just a tiny bit or it will splash out of the top.

  4. Start at your lowest setting and slowly increase the speed to high.

  5. Blend for 5 minutes or until heavy steam escapes from the vented lid.

  6. Reduce the speed to low and add the remaining potato, cheese, and bacon through the lid plug opening.

  7. Blend an additional 20 seconds on low.

  8. Serve and enjoy. You can add a tiny amount of cheese and bacon on the top to make it pretty if you would like.

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Beef Noodle Bake

 

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Beefy Noodle Bake
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Author: Linda
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. 85% ground beef
  • 8 oz. cooked egg noodles (drained)
  • 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1/3 cup chopped onions
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 green bell pepper (chopped)
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Cook egg noodles as directed on package.

  3. While the noodles are cooking, in a large skillet brown your ground beef with your onion and bell pepper. Then drain.

  4. Return to skillet and add tomato sauce and ketchup. Mix well.

  5. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

  6. Layer noodles, meat and cheese in 1 1/2 quart casserole dish (8x8). Then add second layer, ending with cheese.

  7. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Can top with extra cheese, if desired.

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Potato, Ham and Cheese Casserole

 

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Potato, Ham and Cheese Casserole
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
Servings: 6
Author: Linda
Ingredients
  • 2 large baking potatoes
  • 2 cups chopped ham
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup water
Instructions

  1. Cook two large potatoes in the microwave until soft. (Cook earlier so they will be cool enough to peel.)

  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  3. Peel potatoes and cut into slices. Put one layer in the bottom of a 8x8 baking dish.

  4. Cover potato layer with chopped ham and half of your shredded cheese (1 cup).

  5. Add second layer of potatoes to top.

  6. Mix water and cream of mushroom soup. Then pour over top of potatoes.

  7. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

  8. Remove from oven and add remaining half of cheese (1 cup). Return to oven to melt the cheese for about 5-10 minutes.

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Crockpot Pulled Pork

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Crockpot Pulled Pork
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 5 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Tracy
Ingredients
  • 2-2.5 lb. pork loin
  • 1 Tbsp. paprika
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 8 oz. bottle of barbecue sauce (I typically use a hickory flavor.)
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup water
Instructions

  1. Mix paprika, salt, pepper and garlic powder in small bowl.

  2. Place your water in the bottom of the crockpot.

  3. Rub your seasoning mix all over the pork loin and place into the crockpot. Cover meat with barbecue sauce.

  4. Cook in the crockpot for 6 hours on medium, or 8-10 hours on low.

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Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

 

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Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Author: Steve
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. Velveeta, cut into 1/2" cubes
  • 3 1/2 cups milk
  • 3 lg. eggs
  • 8 oz. macaroni
  • Butter (for baking dish)
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Cook macaroni according to box directions. Drain and set aside.

  3. Liberally butter a 9 x 13 baking dish.

  4. Cut up cheese into cubes and spread out evenly (sides of cubes almost touching) along the bottom of the baking dish.

  5. Whisk eggs and milk together.

  6. Pour cooked macaroni over cheese cubes and add milk egg mixture.

  7. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until done (no remaining liquid on top).

  8. Let sit five minutes before serving.

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Cherry Torte

 

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Cherry Torte
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Author: Diane
Ingredients
  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 2 cans sour pitted cherries
  • 3/4 cups melted butter
  • 3/4 cups pecans or walnuts (finely crushed)
  • 1/4 cup coconut flakes
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Empty contents of two cans of sour pitted cherries into 9 inch pan.

  3. Sprinkle coconut and white cake mix over the top.

  4. Pour melted butter completely over the top of the cake mix, but be sure not to saturate.

  5. Cover with finely crushed nuts.

  6. Cook at 350 degrees for one hour. Check at 45 minutes in case your oven runs fast.

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Zucchini Bread

 

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Zucchini Bread
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 
Servings: 8
Author: Linda
Ingredients
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or coconut oil)
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 2-3 cups grated zucchini
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

  2. Spray two loaf pans with cooking spray.

  3. Mix flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl.

  4. Beat eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla and sugars in a large mixing bowl.

  5. Add dry ingredients mixture to wet mixture and mix well.

  6. Stir in zucchini and nuts and mix until well combined.

  7. Pour into the two pans and cook at 325 degrees for 50 minutes, or until toothpick in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

  8. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Then remove and cool completely.

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Penne Chicken Alfredo Bake

 

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Penne Chicken Alfredo Bake
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8
Author: Tracy
Ingredients
  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 12 oz. penne pasta (cooked as on package)
  • 3 cups heavy cream (or half-and-half)
  • 4 Tbsp. butter (plus extra for greasing baking dish)
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 4 Tbsp. flour
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesean cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Butter a large casserole dish and set aside.

  3. Cook pasta as directed on the package.

  4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

  5. Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste, as well as covering with Italian seasoning.

  6. Place the chicken in the pan and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about four to five minutes per side. Remove chicken and wipe the skillet clean.

  7. Let the chicken rest for five minutes, then slice crosswise on each chicken breast.

  8. Return the skillet to the stove and heat to medium. Sauté until your butter is melted, about 30 seconds. Add garlic powder. 

  9. Whisk the flour into the butter and garlic powder and cook until the mixture is bubbling and golden, about one minute more.

  10. Gradually pour in the heavy cream (or half-and-half), whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a simmer and stir in Parmesan cheese. Let mixture simmer until the sauce thickens, about two to three minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  11. In a large bowl, combine your cooked pasta, chicken, and sauce. Spread about half of the pasta mixture on the bottom of the casserole dish then sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese over the top. Add the remaining pasta mixture and cover with your remaining mozzarella.

  12. Bake until bubbly and beginning to brown on top, about 20 minutes.

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