Baked Penne with Sausage

This is what we are having for dinner tonight. I made it now and Nolan will throw it in the oven around 5. I will let you know how we like it. Looks yummy=) Let me know if any of you try it/ like it!

...So, I was not in love with this dish, but I did love how easy it was.  I will modify and repost the same general idea of a recipe later.  The peas were so pretty  in this dish, but I really didn't like the sweet taste they gave it. Also, it could have used a little kick of something. Anyhow, if you try it, skip the peas...
Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) package Hillshire Farm®  Fat Free Smoked Sausage
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
2 1/2 cups milk
8 ounces uncooked penne pasta ( I use whole wheat)
1 1/2 cups French-fried onions, divided
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup frozen peas
Granulated garlic
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Slice Sausage into  1/4 inch pieces
Brown in a skillet for about 3 minutes
In a large mixing bowl, combine soup and milk.
Mix in browned sausage, peas, uncooked pasta, 1/2 onions, 1/2 cheese, garlic and pepper to taste.
Pour into a 13X9 baking dish
Cover tightly with foil
Bake @ 375 for 45 minutes.
Remove foil and top with remaining onions and cheese.
Bake 5 minutes longer to melt the cheese.
Let stand 5-7 minutes before serving.

Mexican Meat-zza

Ingredients:
Crust
2 boxes corn muffin mix, (8.5 oz/ Jiffy)
2 eggs
4 Tbs melted butter
1 1/2 Cups milk
1 Cup frozen corn
Topping
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbs chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp cayenne sauce
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 Cups cheese
1 vine ripe tomato seeded and chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
1 small can sliced olives
Salsa and sour cream to garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400

Mix together muffin mix, eggs, butter, milk and corn
Pour the muffin mix into a greased oven skillet (10-12 inches) or baking dish
Bake corn mix 15 minutes until light golden in color

Brown meat.
Add onions and spices and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove cornbread from the oven and top with meat, veggies and cheese.
Bake again for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

***My cornbread was not done in the middle so I scooped out the middle about half way down. This actually worked out well to have less cornbread in the middle. (Don't remove entire middle. Just about half of the depth.)

Great Grandma Butler's Split Pea Soup

We love this soup. Even the girls!

(This picture is before adding the ham hock.)
Ingredients:

1lb dried split peas
5 Cups chicken broth
2 1/2 Cups water
1 medium onion stuffed with 12 cloves
2 celery ribs, diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced ( I use 2-4 foot-long)
2 garlic cloves, cut in half
1 meaty ham hock
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt

Prepare:
Soak peas in chicken broth and water overnight.
Place peas and liquid, ham hock, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, bay leaves and salt in slow cooker.
Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.
Remove onion with cloves and bay leaves, discard.
Remove ham hock and dice meat. (if you have it, I put in extra ham)
Put vegetables and peas through blender until smooth.
 Return soup and diced ham to slow cooker and heat to serving temperature.

*This is a great way to use the leftover ham bone after Christmas or Easter dinner. Just leave whatever meat on it and throw it in the freezer to use at a later time. Or, make up the soup the next day.

Davie Crockett's Ground Beef Wrap-ups

These were fun. They reminded me a little bit of a Russian piroshki. SO GOOD!

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
2 teaspoons salt
2 (8 oz) packages of crescent roll tubes
2 (4 oz) cans whole green chilies
1 (8oz) pack shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 medium onion, chopped
Sour cream and olives to garnish

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375. 
Brown beef with salt; drain. (If you have time, it is best to cool the meat before you make your roll-ups.)
Roll out the first package of crescent rolls.
Separate into four squares. ( Do not separate into triangles)
Lay one chile onto each square.
Top chile with ground beef.
Sprinkle the beef with cheddar cheese and onion.
Roll and press seams to close the dough.
Repeat with the second can of crescent rolls.

Bake for 13 minutes.
Serve with sour cream and olives. Salsa and guacamole would be great too!

Tex-Mex Pulled Pork

Karalee loved this as much as we did. Pretty lean too, if you make sure to use a trimmed roast.

Ingredients:
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup bottled barbecue sauce
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cans (4.5 oz each) diced green chilies
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

One 2 1/2 lb well-trimmed boneless pork loin roast
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Preparation:
Mix the sauce ingredients in a crock pot.
Add pork and cover with sauce.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours. (You can do high for 3 1/2 if you are in a hurry)

Shred pork using two forks to pull it apart.
Add cilantro and mix.
Roll into warmed burrito-sized flour tortillas.

Cheesy Beef Spirals

Like spaghetti pie meats lasagna... Nolan really enjoyed the sour cream twist.

Ingredients:
4 cups uncooked spiral pasta
2 pounds ground beef
2 small onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce ( I like the $.86 Hunt's Brand)
3/4 cup sour cream
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
granulated garlic to taste
Italian seasonings to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.
As pasta cooks, brown the beef, onions, garlic and black pepper; drain
Stir in spaghetti sauce
Bring to a boil
Reduce heat and let simmer 10-15 minutes

Place 1/2 cup of meat sauce in a 9 x13 baking dish
Drain pasta and place 1/2 over sauce
Top with half of the remaining sauce
Spread sour cream over the top
Sprinkle with granulated garlic and Italian Seasonings
Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese
Spread the remaining pasta
Top with remaining sauce
Then finish it off with the rest of the cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.

Oven Meatball Stew

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 Tbs finely chopped onion
2 Tbs finely chopped green pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
dash of granulated garlic
---
1 pound lean ground beef
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cans (11.5 oz) tomato juice
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
12 fresh pearl onions, peeled
2-3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 medium carrots, cut into 3 inch pieces

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine the first set of ingredients.
Crumble the beef over the mixture and mix well. 
Shape into about 12 meatballs.
Brown the meatballs in the oil.
Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Whisk the flour into the oil until smooth. (Add 3Tbs of water if the meat doesn't leave enough drippings)
Gradually whisk in tomato juice, garlic, pepper, salt and grated garlic; bring to a boil
Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until it thickens
Add the vegetables and stir.
Place this in a crock pot or dutch oven.
Place the meatballs on top and cook.
If using a crock pot, let it cook for 4 hours. Stir ocasionally
If using a dutch oven, cover and bake @ 350 for about 1 hour.