Pizza Quesadillas

A client, of mine, gave me this idea...my children love it and Mom loves it too because it's so simple!

• Large Tortillas
• 1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese
• favorite pizza toppings (pepperoni, olives, ham, green chili, bacon, sausage, etc)
• butter
• marinara sauce (I just use my spaghetti sauce but leave out the meat)

Brush 1 side of each tortilla with butter.  Place buttered tortilla side down on skillet.  Sprinkle with cheese evenly then sprinkle with toppings then place another tortilla on top with butter side facing out.  Cook over medium heat for about 2 min., flip cook another 2 min. or until golden brown. Cut quesadillas into triangles. Serve with marinara sauce.

Use leftover sauce to create another meal...from leftover to gourmet!

Pulled Pork

I love this pulled pork because you can add barbecue sauce for sandwiches or add beans and put it in a tortilla for burritos or just simply eat it as is...wonerful!

• 1 (4 lb) pork roast or tenderloin
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 TBSP garlic
• 1TBSP olive oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Cajun seasoning
• whole green chilies
• Buns or Rolls, optional:)

Turn crock pot on high and saute onion & garlic in the oil 2-3 min.  Rub Cajun seasoning all over your pork then place in crock pot.  Mix chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and cumin and pour over roast.  Place chilies on top of pork, add more Cajun if you like, then turn crock pot to low and cook 6-8 hours.  Shred meat in juices and serve with BBQ sauce or on rolls or hamburger buns with BBQ sauce.

Sara's Salsa

Love this in the summer when I can use fresh tomatoes, onion, cilantro, & jalapenos out of my garden!

• 1 or more avocados
• 1 can black beans drained & rinsed
• 1 can corn, drained
• 2 med. tomatoes, chopped
• 1 med red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 jalapenos, minced

Mix everything in a large bowl.

• Juice from 2 limes
• 1 TBS red wine vinegar
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Mix in small bowl and pour over salsa.  Serve with tortilla chips.

I've made this with a can of petite diced tomatoes (drained) and green chilies when I don't have tomatoes and jalapenos on hand.  It was good too!

Pork Chimichangas

What a great way to use that leftover shredded pork!

• Pulled Pork (use leftover or see recipe)
• 1 can of Corn, drained
• 1 can of black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 can green chilies
• Potatoes, diced & fried (use leftover if you have them)
• Large flour tortillas
• Shredded cheese

Heat pork with corn, black beans, & chilies. Divide evenly between the flour tortillas & sprinkle with cheese.  Wrap, with ends folded in, and place on baking sheet.  Brush lightly with olive oil.  Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 min, or until golden brown.  Serve with sour cream, salsa, & or guacamole... or simply eat plain.

I make some Sara's Salsa and add half to my pork, instead of the cans, and eat the other with chips as a side to this meal!

Chicken over Noodles

A great crock pot meal!

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 pkg. Italian seasoning
• 1 can mushroom soup
• 16 oz cream cheese
• Wide egg noodles

Place chicken in bottom of crock pot and sprinkle Italian seasoning over. De-bone if needed and shred chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours.  Melt soup and cream cheese over low heat.  Add to chicken and heat for 1/2 hour.  Boil your noodles.  Serve chicken over noodles.

Enchilada Casserole

No one makes this better than my mother!  She takes it to pot lucks and everyone raves about it.

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onion
• garlic salt
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 small cans green chilies
• corn tortillas (I use around 5)
• shredded cheese

Brown meat in large stock pot with onions and garlic salt.  Drain any fat off meat.  Add soup with a half can of water and chilies.  Bring to a simmer over low heat.  Tear your tortillas up and place on top, pushing them down into the juices.  Sprinkle with cheese, cover and let simmer until cheese is melted.  Garnish with sour cream, salsa, lettuce, & tomatoes.

Teriyaki Chicken & Broccoli

Simple yet good!

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 TBS corn starch
• water
• 1 Small bag broccoli
• 4 chicken breasts cooked and Shredded (I've also used leftover turckey and its good too)

Marinate chicken for an hour in a little soy sauce. (When I use leftover chicken or turkey, I just add to sauce and let simmer for 10 min.  It grabs flavor great!) Saute chicken in a little oil until done. Steam broccoli in microwave.  In a large skillet mix soy sauce, sugar and garlic.  Add cornstarch to a cup of water and add to soy sauce.  Add chicken and broccoli.  Simmer until thickend; add water if needed. Serve over cooked rice.

I used leftover rice and just to change it up a little I fried an egg then added the rice and fried for a few minutes in a little olive oil.  

 

Honolulu Chicken

My family likes this and it's a good way to use all that apricot jelly I can!

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• oil

Mix flour, salt & pepper.  Coat chicken and brown in small amount of oil.  Drain and place in casserole dish.

• 1 (8 oz) jar apricot preserves
• 3/4 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 3 TBS soy sauce

Mix together and pour over chicken. Cover and bake 50 minutes at 375 degrees.

• 1 lg. can pineapple chunks, drained
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, cubed

Add to chicken and bake an additional 10 minutes.  Take out of oven and slice up chicken. Serve over cooked rice. 

Note: Make plenty of rice because it will be another meal...from leftover to gourmet!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cake

Happy Mothers Day to me!  Made this up because I don't like chocolate and the score bar cake looks better than it taste to me...now this is what I'm talking about!!!

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 jar caramel topping
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup whipping cream (or cool whip)
• 2 pkg.  White Chocolate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped

Bake cake according to package.  Let cool.  With the end of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over cake.  Pour sweetened condensed milk and caramel, saving a little for top, in all the holes and around edge of cake.  Whip the whipping cream with 2 TBS powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.  Smooth over cake.  Drizzle with caramel and sprinkle chopped Reese's over cake.  Refrigerate an hour before serving.  Enjoy!

Cheeseburger Soup

Hearty soup that everyone will enjoy!

• 1 lb ground beef (Make extra so you can use for another meal)
• 3/4 cup onion
• 3/4 cup chopped carrots
• 4 TBS butter
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups diced potatoes
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups Mexican grated cheese
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Brown seasoned (I just always season with garlic salt.) beef, set aside to drain.  In saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, & oregano in 1 TBS butter until veggies are tender. Add broth, potatoes and beef.  Cook until potatoes are done.  Meanwhile, in small sauce pan, melt butter and add flour.  Cook 3-5 min.  Add to soup. Bring to boil, reduce heat.  Add cheese, milk, salt & pepper. Cook until cheese is melted. 

Spinach Cheese Manicotti

I make this in the morning and put in the fridge; then all I have to do after a busy day, is stick it in the oven!

• 1 (15 oz) small curd cottage cheese
• or can use ricotta cheese
• 1 (10 oz) bag copped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp parsley (fresh is great)
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 (24 oz) jar spaghetti sauce or see recipe
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 8oz package manicotti shells

Mix cottage cheese, spinach, onion, egg, parsley, pepper & garlic powder. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.  In a separate bowl, mix spaghetti sauce and water.  Spread 1 cup sauce in 9x13 inch pan.  Stuff uncooked shells with cheese mixture and place on top of sauce.  Pour remaining sauce over shells then sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.  Bake covered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes uncover and bake another 10 minutes or until shells are soft.

I put half this recipe in the freezer for a quick meal.  If you make it in the morning or the night before, cover with Saran wrap then foil; pull out 20 min. before baking.