One Pot Taco Spaghetti

One Pot Taco Spaghetti

1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground chuck
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tsp minced dehydrated onion
10-oz can Ro-Tel tomatoes & Green Chiles
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 can pinto beans, drained
8-ounces spaghetti, broken in half
3 cups water
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
Sour Cream, if desired

Heat the oil in a large stockpot, Dutch oven or deep skillet with a lid over medium-high heat.  Add the ground chuck and cook, crumbling and stirring, until the meat is browned.  Drain excess fat.

Stir in the taco seasoning, dehydrated onion, Ro-Tel, tomato paste and pinto beans.  Scatter the spaghetti over the meat mixture and pour in the water.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 13-16 minutes.  

Remove from heat, sprinkle with cheeses and replace the lid for about 2 minutes, or until the cheeses are melted.  

Serve with sour cream if desired.

This was really tasty and really easy!  I love that I didn't have to pre-cook the spaghetti!

Adapted from a recipe found on Pinterest and linked to http://damndelicious.net/2016/01/23/one-pot-taco-spaghetti/

Taco Braid

Taco Braid

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 cup water
1 can Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust dough
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
2 tablespoons melted butter
2-3 cups chopped Romaine
2 tomatoes, chopped
Sour Cream
Taco Sauce or Salsa

Preheat the oven to 376^F.  Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and onion, stirring often until browned and crumbly.  Add the taco seasoning and water, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 5-7 minutes until water has evaporated.

Meanwhile, unroll the pizza dough onto the parchment lined baking sheet and press/stretch until it's a 10 x15-inch rectangle.  With a pizza cutter or a small, sharp knife cut the dough on the long side of the rectangle into 1-1/2 x 3-inch strips (leaving a 4 inch wide section in the middle uncut).  

Spoon the ground beef mixture onto the uncut section of dough.  Top with 3/4 cup shredded cheese.  Fold one end of dough up over the meat and begin criss-crossing the sections over the meat, pinching the end strips to seal the meat mixture inside.  

Brush the top of the braid with melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  

Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving with the lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and salsa.  

This was good with the accompanying salad ingredients, but the braid by itself is kinda lacking, so don't serve it by itself!  

Adapted from a recipe found on Pinterest and linked to: http://www.365daysofbakingandmore.com/taco-braid/

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

12 oz jar sweet and sour sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lite soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1-2 lbs frozen meatballs
1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 onion, cut into chunks
20-oz can pineapple chunks, drained

Combine the sweet and sour sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic powder in a crock pot and stir well.  Add the meatballs, bell peppers, onions and pineapple chunks and stir gently.  Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

Serve over hot cooked rice.  Yum!  If you like spicy, add a little Sriracha to the sauce.  

This recipe can also be baked in a covered casserole or pan in the oven at 350^F for about 1 1/2 hours.

Or, if you're in a hurry you can place the meatballs in a large Dutch Oven or Pot and cover them with water.  Bring to a boil and cook about 15 minutes.  Drain.  Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

Starbuck's Copycat Lemon Loaf

Starbuck's Copycat Lemon Loaf

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 (3.4-oz) pkg instant lemon pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup Green yogurt or sour cream
Zest of 1 fresh lemon

Frosting:
3 tablespoons softened butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract

Preheat the oven to 350^F.  Line the bottom of a 9x5" loaf pan with a piece of waxed paper.  Spray the pan, including the waxed paper, with baking spray.  Set aside.

Combine the flour, pudding mix, baking powder, soda and salt.  Stir and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon juice, oil, and yogurt.  Beat until well mixed.  Gradually add in the flour mixture, beating and scraping down the sides of the bowl until evenly combined.  Stir in the lemon zest.  Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  

Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack, remove the waxed paper and cool completely.  

Combine the frosting ingredients in a small bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.  Evenly spread the frosting over the top of the loaf and refrigerate to set the icing. Slice and serve.

This is delicious and tastes very much like Starbuck's Lemon Loaf (which is my favorite thing there!)  
Recipe found on Pinterest and linked to http://lilluna.com/better-than-starbucks-lemon-loaf/

Mustard-Apricot Pork Chops

Mustard-Apricot Pork Chops

1/3 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 pork loin chops or boneless pork chops, abut 1/2-inch thick
Salt & Pepper

In a small bowl over low heat, cook and stir preserves and mustard until preserves are melted; set aside.

Place pork chops on a lightly greased broiler pan; broil 4-5-inches from the heat for 4 minutes.  Brush with half of the glaze; turn chops.  Broil 4-5 minutes longer; brush with remaining glaze and broil another minute or 2 or until chops are done (145^F).  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Excellent with hot buttered rice and Fordhook Lima Beans!

Recipe from Taste of Home.com

Butterfinger Fudge

BUTTERFINGER FUDGE

Ingredients
3 c. Candy Corn
1 c. Smooth Peanut Butter
1, 14 oz. Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 c. White Chocolate chips
Dark Chocolate for Dipping (I like the Wilton Dark Chocolate Discs or the Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Candy Coating)
Instructions
Line a 9×9 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the candy corn and peanut butter. Stir occasionally. The peanut butter will start to melt and the candy corn will break down. When it gets to the point it looks like cookie dough texture, add in the sweetened condensed milk. Stir vigorously until everything is blended and the candy corn has melted into the mixture completely. It will get thick! Add the white chocolate chips and stir until the are fully melted and blended in with the mixture. Pour into the 9×9 pan and let cool completely. Cut into 1″ squares and drizzle or dip in dark chocolate.

Cranberry Chicken

Cranberry Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
4 chicken breasts
1 small bottle of Catalina dressing

1 can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1/4 c. white wine

DIRECTIONS:
Place chicken in a lightly greased 9" x 13" pan.

Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over chicken.

Bake at 350° F for about 1 hour.