Tummy Pleasers

I’m thinking you don’t have to be a farmer to eat this breakfast.  You don’t have to be a farmer to appreciate it either!!  I love everything in this dish!!  Eggs, bacon, cheese, I mean what more could you ask for??  Then you even add potatoes…I think I’ve died and gone to heaven!!

Farmer’s Breakfast

1/2-3/4 pound bacon

1 large onion

4 potatoes , grated or just cubed

5-6 eggs

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

chopped parsley (optional), can also use dried if you desire

salt and pepper to your liking

Cook bacon and onions in skillet until bacon is crisp.  Remove bacon and onion; drain all but 1/2 cup of the drippings.  Add potatoes;brown.  Add  bacon and onion back to pan.  Make 5 wells in the potatoes and put an egg into each well.  Season with salt and pepper to your liking, then sprinkle with cheese.  Cover; cook over low heat for about 5-8 minutes or until eggs are set.  Garnish with parsley, if using.  Serve immediately.

I am posting this recipe on the basis of the name alone…I find it just too cute to pass up!!  Plus, it has bacon in it.  And frankly, if it has bacon in it, it’s bound to be at least edible and almost always delicious!!  I’m just sayin’….

Wiggles

3 pounds lean ground beef

2 pounds spaghetti

3 large onions

3 cups cooked diced potatoes

1 cup cooked sliced celery

3 cups cooked diced carrots

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 1/2 -2 quarts tomato soup

1 1/2 -2 pounds cheese

10-12 slices cooked bacon

Fry bacon; remove from skillet.  Fry ground beef and onions in bacon grease until meat is browned and onions are tender and translucent.  Put into a large baking dish or roaster.  Cook spaghetti acording to package directions.  Add cooked spaghetti to baking dish or roaster.  Add cooked vegetables and cream of mushroom soup.  Pour tomato soup over all.  Arrange bacon on top of mixture.  Top with cheese and bake at 350° for about an hour and a half.

Pizza, cheese, pepperoni, these are just a few of my favorite things.  HaHa.  I like recipes my whole family will like and that are easy to make!!  This is one of those recipes.  Enjoy!!

Cheesy Pizza Casserole

1 pound lean ground beef

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 (16 ounce) can of pizza or spaghetti sauce, whichever you like best

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

2-3 cups shredded mozzarella or pizza blend cheese

at least 4 ounces sliced pepperoni, or as much as you like

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and onion together until beef is no longer pink and onion is tender and translucent, but not browned.  Drain fat, if you have any.  Add the pizza sauce (or spaghetti sauce), half of pepperoni,  and half of cheese being used.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, and top with remaining pepperoni.  Bake in oven at 350° for about 40 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and browning.  Yields 6 servings.

This sounds like a great recipe.  It’s very versatile and customizable.  If you don’t like a certain vegetable, omit it completely or substitute with another.  Very easy to do!!  It will get your kitchen AND your belly warm!!

 Main Dish Chicken Deluxe

8 cups cooked chicken, cubed

8 cups water

2-4 Tablespoons chicken base (bouillon)

1 pound noodles

1 can cream of mushroom soup (can use cream of chicken if you prefer)

4 cups peas (optional)

4 cups carrots (optional)

4 cups diced potatoes (optional)

4 cups string beans (optional)

chicken gravy

Parmesan cheese

browned bread cubes

Velveeta cheese

Cook all vegetables until just done, do not over-cook.  Cook noodles with chicken base (bouillon) and water.  Layer in pan; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Mix soup and gravy; pour over the top.  Top with bread cubes.  Bake in a warm oven for 30 minutes.  Top with Velveeta cheese, then bake until melted.

This sounds like such a good recipe.  I will be trying this one myself soon!!  Hope everyone has a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Chicken ‘N’ Stuff

1 chicken

6 cups of bread cubes

1 Tablespoon chopped onion

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup diced celery

1 Tablespoon parsley

1/4 cup melted butter

salt and pepper to taste

Cook and bone the chicken.  Mix dressing together and add enough water to make it moist.  Make sure to season your water for added flavor.  Place in a well-greased baking dish.

Cream Topping:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

4 Tablespoons flour

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup chicken broth

1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup

1 soup can milk

Melt butter; thicken with flour; add salt and pepper.  Add chicken broth, soup and milk  Cook until it forms a thick gravy.  Pour over dressing; cover.  Bake at 350° for one hour.

I happen to love asparagus!!  If it’s cooked right.  I don’t like it when it is tough and stringy.  I don’t like it when it is mush either.  I like it when it is tender but still has some body to it!!  This s a yummy recipe that adds cheese and ham…that makes everything taste good!!!

Ham and Asparagus Au-Gratin

6 slices baked ham

24 asparagus spears, cooked and drained

2 eggs, plus 2 yolks

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons shredded Swiss cheese

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Wrap each ham slice around 4 asparagus spears and place seam side down in a greased 7×11x2 baking dish.  Beat together the eggs, yolks,cream, salt and pepper.  Pour over ham rolls.  Bake at 350° for about 35 minutes or until done.  Sprinkle with cheese and parsley, if desired.  Serve immediately.  Yield:  4-6 servings.

This would be great for breakfast, lunch or dinner!!  I love eggs.  I love omelets.  This is a great idea for a brunch, too!!  You could even add more veggies to this for those who  are trying to eat healthy!!

Main Dish Omelet

1 cup chopped onion

1 (10 ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces

1/2 cup butter, divided

1 pound lean ground round

8 medium eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 pound processed cheese, slice (Velveeta type)

In a skillet over high heat, brown onion and mushrooms in half of the butter called for.  Crumble in the beef; brown.  Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes.  Mix eggs and milk together.  Heat another skillet with a fourth of the remaining butter.  Pour a fourth of the egg mixture into the second skillet, covering skillet bottom.  Spread a fourth of the meat mixture over the cooking eggs.  Cover with a fourth of the sliced cheese.  Close the omelet on itself.  Repeat the process to make three more.

My family enjoys meat loaf.  I always use the same recipe, so I thought I might change things up a bit here soon.  I found this recipe for Cheeseburger Meat Loaf…

Cheeseburger Meat Loaf

1 cup milk

2 eggs

2 cups soda crackers

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon sage

2 teaspoons ketchup

2 cups grated cheese (any kind you like is fine)

1 medium onion

2 pounds ground beef

Blend milk, egg, crackers, salt, mustard, sage, ketchup, onion and beef, until thoroughly mixed.  Place half cup of cheese on the bottom of the pan.  Cover with half of the meat mixture.  Place one cup cheese on top of meat.  Cover with the remaining meat.  Sprinkle remaining half cup of cheese on top of the meat.  Bake at 350 ° for one hour.  Serve while hot.

Now this is comfort food!!  Nothing like macaroni and cheese to lift your spirits!!  I love macaroni and cheese made from scratch!! 

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

1 (7 oz. ) package macaroni pasta

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

8 oz. processed American Cheese, cubed

1 Tablespoon chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

2 Tablespoons bread crumbs (any variety you like is fine)

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain.  Place in a greased 2-quart baking dish; set aside.  In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Stir in the flour until well blended Gradually add milk; bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for about 2 minutes; reduce heat.  Add cheese, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and mustard; stir until cheese is melted.  Pour over macaroni in baking dish and mix well.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs.  Bake, uncovered, at 375° for about 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly.  Yield:  6 servings.

I love chili!!  It warms the body and soul like little else can!!  My hubby likes twice the meat and half the beans, and has me liking it this way, too.  Feel free to adjust the meat-to-bean ratio as needed to taste!!  This is a chili recipe with a twist.  Instead of using ground beef, you use stew meat.  And it’s not as “soupy” as traditional chili, it’s more like a stew.  Yummy!

Chili Beef Stew

1 1/2 lbs. boneless beef chuck, fat trimmed, cut into 1″ cubes

salt

pepper

flour

1 1/2 T. butter

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 t. salt

1 (16 oz) can tomatoes, do not drain

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. chili powder ( or more, to taste)

1 (4 oz.) can green chilies, seeded, chopped

1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans, drained

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

fluffy rice

extra cheese for garnish

Sprinkle beef cubes with salt and pepper; coat lightly with flour; shake off excess.  Brown well on all sides in heated butter in large, heavy frying pan.  When all beef is browned, remove from pan and set aside.  Cook onion in same pan, stirring often, until soft and lightly browned.  Return beef to pan; add garlic, salt, cumin, and chili powder.  Add tomatoes, coarsely chopped, and green chilies.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until beef is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.  Skim and discard fat.  Mix in beans.  Continue cooking, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Cook for a few minutes longer to melt it.  Serve over rice, garnishing with extra cheese, on top.  Yield:  4 servings.  For 8 servings, double the ingredients, but use only 1 1/2 cans of tomatoes.  For 2 servings, use half the ingredients.  Note the 16 oz. can equals 1 pint.

  This is a family favorite at my house.  Especially this time of year, when it is getting cool outside.  It warms you up really nicely!! It’s super easy!!  Plus it tastes really good!!  You can make this with or without the mushrooms and can even use 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and one of either cream of celery or chicken!! I don’t really have a recipe for this, I just do it by memory, so I’ll try to remember everything!!!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

1 ( one pound) package broad egg noodles

1 (5 ounce) can tuna fish (chunk white in water is what I use)

2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup

1 can/jar sliced mushrooms (put in as many as you like or you can omit)

1/2 cup frozen peas

1-2 Tablespoons dehydrated, minced onion

granulated garlic

Nature’s Seasons (or any seasoning mix you like)

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, boil egg noddles with dehydrated onion.  Boil approximately 4 minutes or so.  Add frozen peas; cook another 4-5 minutes or until noodles and peas are tender.  Drain as needed leaving some of the cooking liquid with the noodles.  This will make your casserole a little more saucy.  Add soup, tuna and mushrooms.  Mix well, over low heat, adding granulated garlic and Nature’s Seasons to your liking.  Heat until warm throughout and blended well. 

This one is an oldy, but a goody!!  I remember when my mom used to make these when I was a kid.  These just seem to me like comfort food.  Something that just feels like “home” when you eat it!!!

Stuffed Green Peppers

5-6 medium green peppers

3/4 cup uncooked brown rice (can use white)

1 pound lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon

1-2 cups shredded cheese (whatever kind you like)

Remove tops from the peppers .  Remove the seeds and discard.  In a large kettle, bring water to a boil.  Cook peppers for 5 minutes.  Remove from kettle and drain.  Cook rice according to package directions.  In a skillet, brown beef and onions.  Drain any fat.  Add tomato sauce, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper and beef bouillon; cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in rice.  Add half of your cheese to the mixture.  Stuff peppers with the rice mixture.  Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of peppers.  Place upright in a shallow baking dish or casserole.  Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes.  Yield:  5-6 servings.