Apple Chips

I am on an adventure for a great recipe for apple chips. They really do not seem very hard to make. I am going to experiment with them over the next couple of days and see what I can come up with. I will let you all know it goes. I will post a recipe when I find a good one.

Roasted Vegetables

1 zucchini chopped into 1 inch pieces
5-6 Red Potatoes cut in half or quartered depending on size
1 Onion chopped into large pieces
1 Broccoli head chopped into large pieces
1 Eggplant chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 Package of Cherry Tomatoes
2 Tbsp Olive Oil (enough to coat the vegetables)
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme Chopped
1 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary Chopped

Put all chopped vegetables into a large bowl. Add Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, Thyme and Rosemary. Sometimes I like to add a bit of garlic powder to this. Mix it all together and pour into a roasting pan. Roast for 45 minutes (or until vegetables are cooked through and brow) in a preheated 450 degree oven.

Beef Casserole

Growing up my mom would always make tuna casserole. I am only really a so so fan of tuna so this is my take on this recipe using beef. I have made this same one using a rotisserie chicken as well and it is yummy.

1 lb lean ground beef or ground tukey
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cans milk
12 oz macaroni noodles
American cheese

Salt, Pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Brown the meat in a pan. Bring water to a boil and add macaroni. Cook until it is almost done. I usually look at the directions and subtract 2 minutes from the time they recommend. You do this because you are going to bake it and the macaroni will cook further. Do not forget to add salt to your pasta water once it comes to a boil. This will season the pasta while it is cooking. While all this is happening mix in a bowl the soup, milk, salt, pepper and garlic powder (not garlic salt). I take american cheese and tear it into pieces and add to the soup mixture. You can really use any cheese you want for this. Drain any fat off the meat and then add it to the soup mixture. Once macaroni is ready drain the water and add it to the soup mixture as well. Mix this all together. I take a 9x13 glass pan and spray it with a little cooking spray. Pour the mixture into this pan. Top with a bit more cheese. Cover with tinfoil and bake on 350 for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Easy Beef Enchiladas

This is definitely a favorite in my house. It is super simple to make and very yummy.

1lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
1pkg corn tortillas
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz shredded cheese
vegetable oil

Brown the meat in a pan and season with salt and pepper. Mix the enchilada sauce and soup in another pan and warm it. It will be lumpy but do not worry about that. Once it all comes together in the end it will be rich and creamy. I usually take a couple of tablespoons of the sauce and mix it into the meat for some added flavor. Heat oil in a small frying pan. Once it is hot add one tortilla at a time. Let it cook for a few seconds and then remove and place on a paper towel to soak up some of the extra oil. I have found this step to be important. You want those tortillas a little crisp so they will hold up in the end and not turn soggy. I usually prepare a couple at a time and then stuff them. Spoon a small amount of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan and spread it around. Lay a tortilla out in the baking pan and spoon some of the meat mixture into it. Roll it up tightly. Keep doing this until you have the desired number of enchiladas. I usually do about 9 or 10 and then toss the remaining meat into the sauce. I add the cheese on top of all the enciladas and then I pour the sauce over that and spread it out. I put tinfoil on it and bake it on 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Top these with sour cream and you are sure to have a hit.

Enjoy!

Sheperd's Pie

Now that it is getting cooler this is really one of my favorite recipes to make. I know we all love those comfort food meals on a chilly day. It is super simple and definitely popular with my family.

1lb ground beef or ground turkey
1 Red Bell Pepper chopped
1 Medium Onion chopped
3-4 Rib of Celery (I love it from the very middle)
1 Cup Corn
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika (this can be hard to find but you can use 2 teaspoons regular paprika and 1 cumin. I actually came across the real stuff at Sams)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons of flour (I use Wondra because it mixes better for me)
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1-2 Containers Mashed Potatoes

I put a little bit of Olive oil in the pan and brown the meat and season it with salt, pepper and paprika. Then I add all the veggies. I listed several but you can really add anything you want. I season it with a bit more salt and pepper if it needs it. I let the veggies cook for several minutes. Then I add the flour and let it cook for just a minute or two. I add the broth and let it thicken up. After that I shut off the stove and let it cool for just a few minutes. Then I add the sour cream and stir it all up. Last I pour it into an oven safe dish. Personally I take the easy way out. I go to the store and purchase the already prepared mashed potatoes (country crock is the only brand that comes to mind) and I use those for this. I put them in the microwave in their container for a couple of minutes and then stir them up. Then I spread them on top of the other mixture. Sometimes I add a bit of cheese if I have it. Then I just bake it in the oven for about 30 minutes on 350 degrees just to heat it all through.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I decided this year to give this a try with the seeds from the pumpkins we carved for Halloween. I wanted to do it last year but I was pregnant and the smell made me so very sick. I did not really have a specific recipe but here is what I did.

Pumpkin Seeds - Rinsed and Cleaned
4 Tblsp Melted Butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
Couple of Dashes of Worchestershire sauce

I mixed all the seasonings into the melted butter. Most of the recipes I saw called for 2 Tbsp of butter but I was making seeds from two very large pumpkins so I doubled mine. I added the seeds to the butter mixture and mixed them with my hands. I put some tinfoil on a baking sheet and spread the seeds on there. I baked them on 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until they were brown.

Enjoy!