Baked Ziti / Rotini (secret ingredient - Bacon!)

                               Before cheese and oven                                        after

• 1 pound ground beef 
• 1/2 package Bacon & Bacon fat 
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 can Rotel, undrained
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup Pace Picante salsa
• 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced (divided)
• 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning 
• 1/2 teaspoon Johnny's Seasoning Salt
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 8 ounces ziti or Rotini, cooked and drained
• handful of pre-shredded cheddar
• grated parmesan
• Parmesan/Ramano Mix
• 1/2 teaspoon oil
• dried parsley (garnish)

Cook bacon then set aside keeping the fat.  

Saute onion, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, italian seasoning, and pepper in bacon fat and oil until onions are soft and aromatic. Add Rotel, Pace, tomato Sauce. Season to taste.  add 1/4 cup grated parmesan. Stir. 

Boil noodles, drain.  

Cook beef separately in garlic, Montreal Steak Seasoning and Johnny's Seasoning Salt, drain. Add beef to sauce, stir. mix in handful of shredded cheddar.  Add noodles to sauce, stir.  Pour in baking dish.  Top with grated parmesan and parmesan/ramano mix (shredded) and parsley.  Bake until cheese on top is melted.

beef, comfort food, italian, pasta,

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Southwest Beef Chimichangas w/ Spicy Jalapeno Ranch Sauce

 

The boys raved about these chimichangas.  Try them.. let me know if you enjoyed them as much as we did.

*These chimichangas and the sauce are my own recipe. If you re-post it somewhere or blog it please give me credit and link back to my blog. I would appreciate it.

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 packet taco seasoning

1/2 can whole kernle corn

1/2 can black beans

1 teaspoon minced garlic

garlic powder, to taste

onion power, to taste

seasoning salt, to taste (I use Johnny's Fine Foods Seasoning Salt )

flour tortillas (10 inches), warmed

Oil for deep-fat frying

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

For the sauce:

Make Hidden Valley Ranch per the instructions
In a food processor or blendor puree 1 jalapeno (no seeds.. 1/2 the seeds if you like spicier), add to the ranch
Add Siracha, to taste.
Add Louisiana Hot Sauce, to taste. 

Alternatively you can use Creamy Jalapeno Ranch (Chuy's Copycat) as the sauce for this dish. 
Either way is great.

1. In a large skillet, cook beef and onions & taco seasoning over medium heat until pink is nearly gone. Stir in the black beans and corn, garlic powder to taste and onion powder to taste- cook another minute. 
2. Spoon desired amount of beef mixture off-center on each tortilla - its best to use a spoon with holes. Fold edge nearest filling up and over to cover. Fold in both sides and roll up. Fasten with toothpicks.
3. In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat 1 oil to 375°. Fry the chimichangas for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with sauce.  You can also top with Pico De Gallo (optional).

Serve with my Mexican Rice

beef, mexican,

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Walking Tacos

 Walking Tacos 

Get some Fritos - Original or [i like] Chili Cheese Fritos.

Brown your meat with taco seasoning.

 

 

Make your Pico De Gallo.

 

Shred your cheese.

 

 

Lettuce if you wish ( i don't actually like lettuce so you wont see it pictured here, hehe)

Assemble all the yummyness in a bowl.  Easy and Quick.  

I use chili cheese fritos...my husband likes regular.

beef, dinner, easy, mexican, quick,

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Taco Soup

My husband LOVES taco soup.  This is always a winner in our house.  I usually use the stove option because when he asks for it its never in the morning to allow crockpot time. 

• 1 pound ground beef or ground hamburger
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can kidney, undrained
• 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, 1/2 drained
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) Rotel, undrained
• 1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix (the dry stuff)

• Optional toppings for serving:  Corn Chips, Tortilla Chips, Sour Cream, Grated Cheese, Chopped Green Onions, Pickled Jalapeno  (my husband really enjoyed Monterrey Jack cheese on top of his)

Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Put the ingredients in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Stove Option: Medium High in a pot for 30-45 min, Stir occasionally. 

beef, crock pot, dinner,

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Tater Tot Casserole

from what i hear, this is an oldy but a goody.  this is my first time making it.  i added and changed a couple things from the recipe i saw.  Its easy, i can say that much.  i've heard it called both Tater Tot Casserole and White Trash Casserole.  you can call it whatever you want. lol

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef 

1/2 packet of  Lipton Onion Recipe Soup & Dip Mix  (optional)

1 onion, chopped
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can corn, drained
Shredded cheese (you choose the kind, i used sharp cheddar)
Tater Tots
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown beef and onion together then drain. (season up that beef so its not bland..unless you like bland.. i used Onion soup mix, but you can use season salt or taco seasoning, etc)

2. Spread beef mixture in bottom of a casserole dish. Layer soup, corn, cheese, and tater tots.You can add some cheese on top of the tots too if you want.

3. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until tater tots are golden brown.

tator tots, cream of mushroom soup, corn, onion, Lipton Onion Soup mix (optional)

brown your beef and onion.  Sprinkle on Lipton onion soup mix.

beef as the bottom layer.  I sprinkled a little seasoning salt on this layer.

then cream of mushroom soup and corn.  I sprinkled salt and pepper on the corn layer.

a nice layer of cheese

assemble tater tots as the top layer.  I added a little more salt and pepper on top. Cook on 350 for about 50 minutes or until tots are done/browned.

beef, casserole, comfort food, dinner,

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Mrs. Scales' Homemade TACOS & Pico De Gallo

I've done tacos this way for years.  They are a bit greasy but oooohh sooo goood.  Then you can brag about really making HOMEMADE tacos.  Your own shells, your own pico de gallo... the only thing your not making from scratch is the tortilla itself. lol.  yeah, I'd rather not.  Its also a lot quicker process than it looks at a glance.  I have never shared this recipe before.  So feel special. :) 

~ Ingredients List~

Corn Tortillas (small)

Cooking Oil (enough to thinly cover the whole bottom of skillet)

1 lb Ground Beef

2 tsp of McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 tsp of seasoning salt (Johnnys or Lawreys)

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp of Lipton Onion Recipe Soup & Dip Mix 

Cheddar Cheese – as much as you need to top your tacos –(best when shredded from the block, medium or sharp)

1 medium onion

1 medium tomato

1 tsp cilantro (optional)

Salt & Pepper

~ Taco Shells ~

What you need:  Small Corn Tortillas, Cooking Oil (vegetable, canola, etc),Frying pan

Heat oil in frying pan on medium high heat.  You know its ready by dipping an edge of a tortilla in.. if the oil responds and bubbles, its ready.  Put the tortilla flat in the frying pan for about 8 seconds.  Using fork or tongs, flip the tortilla to the other side let sit for about 5 seconds then fold the tortilla in half.  Cook to desired crispiness (i like mine a little floppy, husband likes his crispier) and flip the shell and do the same.  Move completed shells to a plate with a paper towel on it. Lightly salt. 

                                                                   ~ Meat ~

Mix these items in a skillet

1 lb Ground Beef

2 tsp of Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 tsp of seasoning salt (Johnnys or Lawreys)

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp of Lipton Onion Recipe Soup & Dip Mix 

Cook ‘til meat is done :)  Drain the fat. 

~ Cheese ~

Shred cheese from your block onto a separate plate or dish.  As much as you think you need.  Trust me, its better this way than the pre shredded store bag.

~ Pico De Gallo ~

Chop into small pieces your onion, tomato and cilantro.  Put in a bowl.  Mix in garlic. Salt and pepper to taste.  About ¼ tsp of each.
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In the end you'll have your taco shells, meat, cheese & pico de gallo.  You can either assemble for your guests or sit everything out for them to assemble their tacos themselves.  Sour cream is a nice addition.

*A Mrs. Scales Recipe*

beef, dinner, mexican,

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