Mexican Skillet Casserole

This is one of the most versatile recipes that I have. You can make it as a casserole (try topping it with your favorite cornbread mix and baking until golden brown.) You can also use it as a filling for tortillas, as a topping for taco salads, or as a hearty dip. Two jalapeños make it nicely spicy. I've also swapped out the ground meat for ground turkey breast and would highly recommend that. Enjoy.

• Mexican Skillet Casserole •

1 Pound Lean Ground Beef (or ground turkey)
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 14 1/2 ounce Can Mexican-style Stewed Tomatoes, undrained
-or- 1 can Mexican style Rotel
1 15 ounce Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 8 ounce Can Tomato Sauce
1/2 Cup Frozen Corn, (can corn is fine)
1 4 ounce Can Green Chili's, Chopped
1 small Can Sliced Olives
2 Pickled Jalapeno's, sliced (optional)
2 Teaspoons Chili Power
1 Teaspoon Cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Cup Mexican Cheese Blend

Cook beef and onion in large oven proof skillet until beef is done. Add remaining ingredients and blend well, taste for seasonings and adjust. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes. Top with Cheese blend and bake for an additional 5 minutes for cheese to melt.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with or over Corn Bread
Top with shredded Mexican, Cheddar, or Monterey Jack Cheese
Top with Sour Cream
Serve as topping for Taco Salad
Serve in Tortilla's as a Mexican Wrap
Serve with or over Tortilla Chips

Quick Salisbury Steak

Before I even make this I know that my son will not touch it...but, I don't cook for his taste anyway, I will pull aside some of the beef and just cook him up a hamburger and some tater-tots. This one is for my daughter, she is a beef eater. We are still quick cooking this week so hopefully this will be good? I am serving it with smashed new potatoes and sugar snap peas. this is another Gooseberry patch country quick cook recipe.

1 lb ground beef
1 (1/2 oz package) dry onion soup mix
2 eggs, beaten
2 10 oz cans golden mushroom soup
fresh cracked pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, soup mix and eggs; form into 4 patties. Place patties in an ungreased 13 x 9 baking dish. cover with soup. bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. makes 4 servings.

FAMILY RATING: This went over real well with Sissy. The husband also liked it. I had a few fresh mushrooms left over from the weekend so I threw those in as well. The only thing I would probably do different with this quick cook is add a bit of milk to the condensed soup mixes to thin them out a bit...either that or use an organic soup.

Sirloin with Mushrooms Over Noodles

Last month I was in Atlanta visiting my sister and I picked this recipe up from one of her books. Taylor loves this type of cooking so it looked like something that would be a winner. I think it came from a Weight Watchers Cookbook, but I forgot to write down the name....and the points.

I finally got around to making it last night as I was looking for something that I could prepare mostly ahead, since Taylor had a swim meet and we wouldn't get home until late. I cooked it up until the point where you thicken it, then when we returned home I brought it up to a boil and added the flour while the noodles were cooking.

You could totally use fresh mushrooms Canned. Hum. Not so much.

Sirloin with Mushrooms over Noodles

1 1/4 pounds Sirloin, cut into thin strips
2 Onions, thinly sliced
1 jar (4 1/2oz) mushrooms, I used 8 oz fresh
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1Tbls Butter
2 Cups Beef Consomme
4 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Basil
3 Tbls Flour
1/3 Cup Water

COOK the beef, onions, mushrooms and garlilc in butter until onions/mushrooms are tender and beef is browned.
ADD consomme, worcestershire and basil.
BRING to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer, cook 50-60 minutes.
COMBINE flour and water, add to beef, bring back to a boil and cook two minutes.

Serve over noodles.