Cheesy Potatoes

2 lb. bag southern style hashbrowns
1 can cream of potato soup
8 oz. sour cream
1 stick butter
2 cups Velveeta

Spray 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray.  Spread the frozen hashbrowns in bottom of pan.  Cook remaining ingredients on stovetop at medium heat until warm.  Pour the melted Velveeta mixture over the hashbrowns.

If desired, may crush 2 cups of corn flakes and sprinkle on top.

Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour at 350 degrees (until bubbly).  Freezes great for cooking later, too!

Yummy Taco Corn Bread Squares!

YUM!  I made this one last night for the first time and my family loved it.  I added a little homemade guacamole...it was amazing!  This recipe is not mine...I got it off of Taste of Home magazine's website...but it is too good not to share, so here is the link!   http://www.tasteofhome.com/SiteSearch/FacetSearchResults.aspx?search=taco%20corn%20bread%20squares&st=2&vw=1&page=1&rs=10&sort=0&searchSource=hdrbox-Recipes

Happy cooking!

What to do with Leftover Ham? A Casserole, of course!

                                Baked Potato and Ham Casserole


Whenever I make ham (or any meat for that matter), I hate to see any of it go to waste...so I am always looking for ways to use it.  I found a recipe that actually calls for bacon, but I used ham instead (same thing, right?).  Then I changed things up a bit to make it my own.  SO EASY and YUMMY.

Ingredients:
5-6 large potatoes
Leftover ham : )
1 can of evaporated milk
1/2 cup of milk
2-3 cups of shredded cheese (divided)
1/2 Tbsp. minced dried onions
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch of garlic salt (or more depending on your tastes)


Bake five large potatoes (I have one of those microwave potato-baking bags that my mother-in-law gave me...love it!).  Once they are baked, dice them and spread them out in a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Next, cut up your leftover ham and make a layer of that on top of the potatoes.

In a separate bowl, combine a can of evaporated milk, 1/2 cup of 1% milk (or whatever you have at your house), 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, and then season to taste.  For seasonings I used about a 1/2 Tbsp. of  minced dried onions, a tsp of dried parsley flakes, 1/2 tsp. of black pepper, and a little garlic salt...maybe 1/2 tsp.  Once you have it seasoned to your liking, pour the mixture evenly over the ham and potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese (I used the three-cheese pizza blend) over the top, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 or until heated through.  Seriously...I made this thing so fast and it was GOOD!  Enjoy!

Ham & Cheese Frittata

Yesterday I was watching a cooking segment on the Today show and they were making frittata. I had heard of it before, but had no idea what it was. As I watched them make it, I decided it sounded good enough that I should try it. So...I went to the Taste of Home website, found a few frittata recipes, and sort of created my own recipe from there. When I ate it, I served it with homemade salsa (sorry...I didn't make that one...it was a gift). It was pretty good!

Ingredients:

* 3 Tbsp. dried, minced onions
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
* 8 eggs
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
* 1/2 cup diced tomatoes

Directions:

* In a large skillet, saute the butter, ham, and onions until tender. Heat through. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
* In a bowl, beat the eggs, water, pepper, and garlic salt until frothy. Stir in the cheese, tomatoes and ham mixture.
* Pour into a greased 9" x 13" baking dish. Bake at 375° for about 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with salsa. Yield: 4-6 servings.

I think next time I will add a little more garlic salt and maybe add mushrooms, potatoes, or broccoli instead of the tomatoes...the kids don't like tomatoes so they picked them out.

Ham & Egg Casserole

I found a recipe for this on Taste of Home magazine's website, but changed a few things to make it my own. It is a yummy casserole for brunch!!! Great for using up leftover ham.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. dried minced onions
1/2 cup butter, melted
10 slices white bread, cubed
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or cheddar/Monterrey jack mixture)
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:
Combine bread and ham; place in a 9 x 13 in. baking dish that has been prepared with cooking spray.

In a separate bowl, beat minced onions, butter, eggs, milk, salt, and pepper with a wire whisk. Stir in shredded cheese. Pour over bread and ham mixture. Cover with foil. Bake at 300° for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove foil about 5 minutes before finished cooking. Yield: 10-12 servings.

Freakin' Awesome Lasagna

Hello...today I am going to share with you my recipe for some amaaaaazing lasagna. This recipe is from Mi Estrella Favorita (my favorite star), Becky. She and I met in Spanish class at Ricks College a million years ago...she sat in front of me on the first day of class and laughed at my smart aleck remark and we've been great friends ever since.

Before the recipe, let me say welcome to Kristy, my first "follower"...I am thrilled to have you! I tried to leave a comment welcoming you on your blog but it is private!!!! I am not permitted!!! But I enjoy your comments on my sis in law Jenny's blog anyway!!! She is so cute to advertise for me!!! Feel free to send me any of your recipe favorites! I am always looking for new ones!

OK...now to the recipe...this stuff is awesome!!!

2 jars Prego traditional spaghetti sauce
12 lasagna noodles (these will go in four layers of three)
1 container part-skim Ricotta cheese
2:1 mozzarella/cheddar cheese ratio...I could give you amounts, but I just pile it on
1 pkg of pepperoni
1 lb ground beef, browned, seasoned, and drained (see spices below)

Spices for ground beef:
dash of garlic powder
1/8 tsp of onion powder
1/8 tsp of chili powder (yes, really)
1/8 tsp basil
1/8 tsp parsley flakes
1/8 tsp oregano

While browning ground beef, boil water and cook 12 lasagna noodles.

After ground beef is seasoned, browned, and drained, set aside.

Now you are going to layer in a 9 x 13 baking dish, prepped with cooking spray...
Layer one-Prego, just enough to spread and cover bottom of baking dish
Layer two-3 lasagna noodles, side by side
Layer three-teaspoon size blobs of ricotta (I usually do 12, like if you were baking cookies)
Layer four-seasoned, browned ground beef, drained
Layer five-pepperoni slices
Layer six-cheese mixture
Layer seven- 3 lasagna noodles, side by side
Press down all over lasagna now to make it dense so you can do more layers!!!
Layer eight-sauce, etc. (you are repeating layers 1-7 again, pressing it into pan periodically.

When baking dish is nearly full, cover with tin foil and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. About ten minutes before it is done, remove foil and top with cheese, then finish cooking.

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chicken Tetrazini

This dish I love...it's yummy...and it's one that is easy if you are taking dinner to someone that had a baby or surgery or something!

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. spaghetti
1/4 onion, minced (dried minced onion works too...just have to guesstimate)
1/4 garlic minced
1 Tbsp. butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
2 cups of chicken broth
10 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded (I use more...I like it really cheesy!!)
Pepper, parsley, and paprika to taste

Cook the spaghetti noodles in a pot of boiling water. While the spaghetti is cooking, in another pan saute the onion, garlic, and butter. Add soup, broth, worchestershire sauce, and half of the cheese. Cook until smooth. Add pepper, parsley, and paprika to taste.

Drain the spaghetti and pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Layer chicken breasts over the spaghetti, then cover with sauce. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover with tin foil.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes (until chicken is cooked through).

Sometimes when I make chicken tetrazini, instead of using chicken breasts I will by the frozen pre-cooked and cut fajita chicken and just mix that in with the sauce...that works, too!