Spring LDW Recipes

Who doesn't need a little help with dinner ideas?! The recipes below are all LDW-approved :) Hopefully it inspires everyone for the coming weeks.  I've  added a few to my own weekly dinner menu.

Dinner ideas:

• Homemade chicken salad sandwiches and fruit salad
• Honey Glazed Salmon with Browned Butter Lime Sauce served with fresh steamed green beans and brown rice 
• Pulled pork on onion rolls served with broccoli and Mac n cheese on the side 
• Slow cooker chicken caesar sandwiches 
• Tacos
• BLT'S
• Spinach chicken lasagna
• Philly cheesesteak sandwiches 
• Meatloaf with garlic mashed sweet potatoes and roasted brussel sprouts
• Homemade pizza
• Brinner! (Breakfast for dinner) 
• Alfredo bake with bacon
• Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork
• Rotisserie chicken, king's Hawaiian rolls, and fried green beans
• Grilled pork (marinated in soy sauce, brown sugar and rosemary) mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach with garlic
• Dry rubbed (brown sugar, paprika, cayenne, chili power, and cumin) pork butt in the crock pot with homemade ginger beer and onions, simmering it on low all day. Later on I'll shred it up and mix it with some locally made sweet barbecue sauce. Serve it on whatever you like! (Baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, salad, or buns.)
• Thinly sliced some flank steak, added black pepper, lots of garlic, and fish sauce, and cooked it in a pan with a little oil. Served over rice and a spinach salad.  
• Greek Shrimp and Quinoa
  
   

 
Crockpot:

• Lipton Soup Pork Roast
• Quinoa Chicken Chili
• Boneless Pork Chops: 
• 1 can of Campbell's golden mushroom soup, 1/2 can full of red wine, chopped mushrooms, and spices-- salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, etc. Serve with brown rice or potatoes and a veggie- oven roasted asparagus or steamed broccoli.
• Taco soup:  
• Mix together 1 46 oz bottle spicy hot V8, 1 packet Taco Bell taco seasoning, 1 drained can each black beans, dark red kidney beans, 1 can whole herbal corn, 2 cans Rotel. Add in either a lb of browned hamburger meat or a lb-ish of cooked shredded chicken breast. Cook on low at least an hour or 2, serve with assorted toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, black olives, jalapeños, and tortilla chips or Mexican cornbread.

 

cheesy stuffed shells

Just wanted to share the recipe from dinner tonight. It was loaded with veggies (zucchini, carrots, celery, tomatoes, spinach) and included tofu for the protein. It was yummy and my kids ate it up.

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

Chicken (or beef) Tortilla Casserole

This is super easy and freezes well. I made it for Darrica last week, so she can tell you if it's any good. ;o) I grew up eating it and it was a family fave. There are two versions - chicken or beef (ground or shredded).

I usually cook without measuring, so bear with me! lol...

You will need:
Tortilla chips (I use the white corn - doesn't matter - leftover, stale, it's all good)
cooked shredded or cubed chicken - leftover is fine - about 1 1/2 cups (substitute beef if you want to!)
1 can cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom for the beef version)
1 can drained rotel tomatoes (if you don't want the spicy kick, use regular diced canned tomatoes)
1 small bag (approx 8 oz) frozen mixed vegatables - pop 'em in the microwave to thaw. Yes, you can use fresh if you've got the time, but I would steam them first since it doesn't cook long. Any veggies are ok but I like the carrots, peas, and corn mix.
Shredded cheese
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.

Crush tortilla chips into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Crush enough to cover the bottom.

In a bowl, mix chicken, cream soup, drained tomatoes, steamed veggies, and 1/2 cup of cheese. Add salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Spoon over chips.

Cover with more shredded cheese and more crushed tortilla chips.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Freezer alert: If you want to freeze it do so before adding the final layer of tortilla chips on top. You can do it when you are ready to bake it. That way they stay crispy.

This recipe easily doubles and is great with leftovers.

freezer-friendly casseroles

Hey Jess... Here are some dishes that we enjoy. I apologize for them all (but one) having pasta. It's got me curious now about casseroles I can make without noodles!

Here are a couple recipes from Pioneer Woman that we love:
Chicken Spaghetti
Lasagna

This is probably my favorite:
Baked Spaghetti

The picture looks a little um, weird but this is a good casserole too:
King Ranch Chicken Casserole

I miss this one. It has egg noodles and egg in it so I don't make it anymore. :)
Noodle and Spinach Casserole

Spicy Gouda Potato Bake

I made this one today with some leftover bacon and chicken that I had in the fridge.  It turned out pretty good!

 

Here is what you need:

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp Flour
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2-3 Jalapenos (no seeds—I used 4 with no seeds and it was a little spicy)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cup smoked gouda cheese (this could really be altered either by increasing/decreasing amount or using another cheese—I like the smoky flavor that smoked gouda provides.)
• 1 cup bacon bits (you could alter the amount here too—I had some leftover from making extra bacon bits a week ago)
• 1 cup cooked chicken cubed (optional-I was cleaning out my fridge leftovers)
• 4 baking potatoes (sliced thinly)
• salt and pepper to taste
• cheddar cheese (optional)

 

Here are the instructions:

1. Melt butter in pan on medium heat.  Add garlic and flour and make a paste.  Add broth and wisk well until all lumps are gone.  Add gouda cheese, jalapeno, bacon, salt and pepper.  Let cook for about 5-10 minutes. Stir every couple minutes.  Don’t let it boil or stick to the bottom.
2. While the mixture is cooking, get your casserole dish ready by spraying it with nonstick spray.  Then line your pan with a first layer of thinly sliced potatoes.  Follow that with a layer of chicken.
3. Once cheese sauce has thickened a little, add milk to it and stir a little more.  Let it cook for another 5 minutes.  Pour some over the potatoes.  You want this mixture to last for at least 3 layers, so don’t use it all. 
4. Follow up by adding another layer of potatoes, then chicken, then sauce.  Repeat a third time.
5. Put the last bit of potatoes on top, and slide into a preheated 350 degree oven.  Bake about 40 minutes.
6. Take out, if potatoes are done, then you can put a layer of cheddar cheese on top and put back in for another 5 minutes until melted.
7. Cool about 5-10 minutes to set and serve.  Makes about 9  servings.

Mexican casserole

From Darrica
*********************
Mexican casserole

2lb hamburger meat
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can of green chilies
1 can of enchilada sauce
1 8oz package of cheddar cheese.
1 8oz package of colby cheese
6 corn tortillas

Brown hamburger meat, drain. add salt and pepper to taste. add soups,sauce,and green chilies mix well and heat until bubbly. Line pyrexs dish with 3 corn tortillas cut in half. pour half of meat mixture over this. cover with colby cheese. cut the last 3 tortillas and layer over cheese pour remaining meat mixture over this and top with shredded cheddar cheese heat in oven till melted.

Taco casserole

From Trisha
*****************
Here's a super easy and cheap taco casserole that we like:

1 pound ground beef
1 large can refried beans
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 cup or so cheese shreds
2 pkgs cornbread mix

Make cornbread batter according to directions. Brown ground beef with taco seasoning. Drain fat. Spread beans along bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Layer ground beef and then cheese. Pour corn bread batter over the top. Bake at 425 for about 10 to 15 min. until cornbread is done. Then add whatever toppings you like or have on hand.,.. lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, guacamole.