Taco Cassarole

We had nearly a pound of leftover taco meat (we'd had friends over and mis-estimated how much we would need), and since it was seasoned I couldn't really use it for anything with a different flavor palate... so I invented this. It was a big hit.
Tastes like tacos!!

Makes a 9x13 pan.
about 20-25min prep time + 15-20min of baking time

1 pound or so of ground meat
2ish cups uncooked rice (I did a mix of white and brown, it made about 5c cooked)
1 can tomato sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes (or 1qt home canned)
1/2 onion, chopped small
1 can black beans (or pinto) (or about 1-2 cups cooked dry beans)
chilli powder, cumin, garlic powder salt and pepper or taco seasoning
about 8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

If you are cooking your own beans instead of using canned, you will need to prepare them ahead of time since they take hours to cook.
Put the dry rice in a pan with the tomatoes and their juice, and add enough water for cooking (I don't measure, I just pour in water about twice as high as the rice, then let it simmer with the lid off and check it every couple of minutes, stir it, and add more water if it ever runs low).
While the rice is cooking, brown the meat with the seasoning. You can add the onions if you like them cooked. Drain off the grease. Set aside.
As the rice is getting nearly done, add the tomato sauce and mix it in.
Put the cooked rice, meat, onions (if they're not with the meat), beans, and half of the cheese into a 9x13 baking dish, and mix them all up. You can add additional seasoning if you like (I put in about 1 Tbs garlic powder, 1 Tbs chili powder, 1 Tbs cumin, and 1/2-3/4 tsp salt and just a little pepper).
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, and bake at 350 until everything is warm and melted--about 15-20 minutes.

(Fresh) Salsa

I got this recipe from my aunt. Of course it can be adapted (some of our adaptations are mentioned at the bottom). I like it chunky and fresh, (and I can it that way--just put it raw in the jar) but it doesn't develop a thick sauce that way. If you like a thick sauce, you'll need to simmer it on the stove a while. I can't give you any specific directions for that though, because, as I said, I don't do it. ☺

makes about 3-4 cups of salsa (I usually 6x it or more for canning)

3 med/large tomatoes
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 sweet pepper (bell, any color)
1 hot pepper (I use jalapenos, but if you like it hot use something hotter or use more of them)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbs something acidic (apple cider vinegar or lime juice is what we usually use, but lemon juice or other vinegar would work also)
cilantro, if desired

Chop it all up--I like my tomato, onion, and bell pepper chunks bigger and my garlic and hot pepper minced into oblivion...do what you like.
Toss all the veggies into a big bowl, and then sprinkle the spices and vinegar/juice over the top. Mix mix mix! Yum yum yum!



If you're canning it, put it straight into the jars, and process following the directions for tomatoes (it is acidic enough to process in a waterbath or steam canner, you don't need a pressure cooker).


Some of our favorite variations
Lime/garlic/cilantro ~ Use lime juice instead of vinegar, double the garlic, put in a bunch of cilantro.
Spicy ~ Use a habanaro pepper instead of jalapeno, or use 2-3 jalapenos instead of just one. Cilantro will add kick as well if you like that flavor.
Southwest ~ add a (drained) can of corn and a (drained) can of black beans to the recipe above.

Hot Mexican Salad

I realized recently that one of my favorite things at a Mexican restaurant is the rice and beans that they serve on the side--especially when they have melted cheese and that little bit of lettuce and tomato and sour cream. So I played around a bit and came up with this. I like the contrast of hot and cold, as well as different textures. Rice + beans makes a complete protein so it is filling as well as delicious. Think of it as being like a taco salad...only without the taco bowl!
We have been on an extra-tight budget since being laid off, so one thing I have done is figured out ways to use my WIC vouchers more effectively, to make entire meals rather than just compliment them. This salad is one of those meals. (I know there is some variance between states, but ingredients marked with * can be purchased with WIC vouchers in Alaska.)


serves 2

*2-3 cups cooked white and/or brown rice (1ish cups dry)
*1 can beans (I like black beans) (alternately use about 1 1/2-2 cups cooked beans which is about 3/4c dry)
*1 can diced tomatoes OR 1 largeish fresh tomato
*2/3 cup grated cheese
*1- 1 1/2 cups chopped lettuce
Sour cream, ranch, or other creamy dressing

a note on lettuce--I like the crunch and texture of iceburg lettuce, but you could use a leaf lettuce as well, or some other kind of greens if you prefer.

This can be prepared two different ways--one is to prepare all the parts and then let people put them together at the table. The other is to put the plates together as you prepare them.
For a la carte serving:
Cook rice. Heat beans, then drain. Chop up tomato, or drain/rinse canned diced tomato (if using canned, heat tomatoes, if using fresh, keep them cold). Grate cheese and chop lettuce. Serve everything in little bowls.
For prepared plates:
Cook rice then divide and portion onto plates or wide bowls. Drain and rinse beans, then layer over rice. Sprinkle on grated cheese. If using canned tomatoes, drain and rinse, then layer over rice/beans/cheese, then put the whole thing in the oven or microwave until heated through. If using fresh tomato, then heat plates before adding tomato. Then top warm mixture with cold lettuce (fresh tomato if applicable), and dressing.

If you want to use this as a packed lunch, it does reheat really well. Just use two containers--one for the hot parts and one for the cold parts. Heat the hot parts, then add on the cold parts...voila, easy meal on the go!

Speedy Burritos

I invented these the other night when I "didn't have any food in the house." I really liked them, and a couple of days later my 9yo son asked when we could have them again, so I think they were a hit. ☺

• 2-3 c cooked rice (I used 2 1/2 c water & 1 1/4 c plain white rice, but adjust amounts for what type of rice you use)
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can black beans, drained (pinto or refried would work too) Obviously you could use dry beans but they would have to be cooked which takes several hours. Lentils would work also and they cook much faster than dry beans.
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained (or stewed tomatoes, or 2-3 fresh chopped tomatoes, or even 1 can tomato sauce)
• about 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• cumin
• chili powder
• garlic powder
• 8-10 tortillas (I used whole wheat ones)
• optional--1-2 pieces chopped chicken or 1 can chicken meat or 1/2-1 lb ground meat (I didn't use meat and don't think it needs it.)

Put the rice in to cook.
In a large pan (I used a cast iron saucepan) saute the onion in a little oil until it softens. Saute meat with onions if you're using it. Add beans, tomatoes, corn, and spices to taste (I use 2-3 Tbs of each). Add rice when it gets done. Mix it all up, then put in tortillas, roll them up, place them in a large baking pan side by side. Sprinkle cheese over the top of everything.
(Alternately, layer tortillas and stuffing in the pan more like a lasagne, then sprinkle cheese over the very top. My large pan was in use so I used a smaller deeper pan, and layered like this.)

The Good Stuff (aka Homemade Hamburger Helper)

I think in the official family recipe book this is called "Hamburger Cheese Macaroni Dish" but everyone in the family just calls it "The Good Stuff."
The original recipe calls for american cheese--the processed junk like velveeta. That will give it more of an "out of the box" taste, but if you like classier food I'd recommend using grated cheddar. ☺

serves about 6

About 1 lb ground beef
4 cups cooked *macaroni noodles (about 3 c uncooked)
1 10.5 oz can tomato soup
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
About 1/2 lb cheese (diced american, or grated cheddar)

*shell noodles work fine, but I don't recommend trying penne or spaghetti or something too different...

Cook noodles. Meanwhile brown the hamburger in a large saucepan and drain off the grease. Mix in tomato sauce, soup, and noodles. Melt in the cheese.

Semi-Homemade Taco Soup

Alright, so I figure this is a 'cheating' sort of recipe, because it involves almost no real cooking--just a lot of dumping and stirring. On the other hand, it is yummy, and everybody needs an easy meal sometimes, right?

Prep time--about 5 minutes.

Cooking time--oh, another 5-10 minutes...

Meat (1 lb ground beef or 1 can chicken) (optional--lentils make a nice meat substitute too)

1 med onion, chopped

2-4c broth (anything that goes with your meat choice, amount varies by how thick you like your soup!)

1 can black beans

1 can corn

1 can tomatoes (diced or stewed)

1 small can diced chilis

1 packet taco seasoning (or chili powder, salt, etc as desired)

(The soup here was made with canned chicken) --------->

If using beef, place in a large saucepan to brown. Saute onions in with the grease. If using chicken, add a Tbs of oil to saute the onions, then add the chicken second. If using lentils, cook them first. Add taco seasoning to the meat. Drain off extra grease as applicable.

Dump in all canned ingredients--do not drain. Stir a bit, then add as much broth as it takes to get the consistency you want.

Let simmer for a few minutes until warmed through.

Serve topped with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, and/or fritos or crumbled corn chips.

Lentil soup

I have to say, in the most serious of tones

"Don't knock it till you try it!!!"

This is one of my favorite soups. I got it from America's Test Kitchen, so I've put their original recipe here, but in the blue are my 'tweaks.'

This takes about an hour to cook, but much of it is just 'let it simmer' time, so it's not actually that labor intensive.

Lentils du Puy, sometimes called French green lentils, are our first choice for this recipe, but brown, black, or regular green lentils are fine, too. I use plain old cheap brown ones and it tastes fine to me! Cooktimes are slightly shorter. Note that cooking times will vary depending on the type of lentils used. Lentils lose flavor with age, and because most packaged lentils do not have expiration dates, try to buy them from a store that specializes in natural foods and grains. Before use, rinse and then carefully sort through the lentils to remove small stones and pebbles. The soup can be made in advance. After adding the lemon juice in step 2, cool the soup to room temperature and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To serve, heat it over medium-low until hot, then stir in the parsley.

INGREDIENTS
3 or 4 or 5 slices bacon cut into 1/4-inch pieces cut it before you cook it!
1 onion, chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 carrots , peeled and chopped medium (about 1 cup)
3 cloves /1 Tbs garlic , minced I do about 3Tbs. We like garlic.
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander or cilantro, or nothing (I never have coriander around)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, or chili powder, or double the amount of paprika, or nothing at all
1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 ounces), drained
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried
1 cup lentils (7 ounces), rinsed and picked over
2 teaspoon salt don't skimp--I usually cut down the salt in recipes, but ths soup needs it.
ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or just a little more broth or water
4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or good homemade bone broth that you've frozen or canned
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves or not, cuz I'm just not fancy like that!

Here is my pretty picture of how I cut the bacon (with scissors, over the pan)

Fry bacon in large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Don't drain off that beautiful bacon fat! Add onion and carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne; cook until fragrant, a
bout 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Another pretty picture! This is usually the part where the smell makes me begin to drool. No need to resist this very natural urge! Simply try to keep said drool out of the soup, and press forward!

Stir in lentils, salt, and pepper to taste; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vegetables are softened and lentils have darkened, 8-10minutes.
Uncover, increase heat to high, add wine, and bring to simmer. Add chicken broth and water; bring to boil, cover partially, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 30 to 35 minutes; discard bay leaf.
Puree 3 cups soup in blender until smooth (or dump into a bowl and mix with an electric mixer), then return to pot; stir in lemon juice and heat soup over medium-low until hot, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro and serve, garnishing each bowl with some of remaining cilantro.

By leaving out the bacon and using veggi broth, it would be easy to adapt this to be a vegetarian meal. Please though, use some fat in place of that bacon greast--you'll need it!

Summer Garden Pasta Primavera

I adapted this from a recipe I found online, and it was yummy!
Depending on whether you use the chicken broth or not, this can also be a vegetarian recipe.

I always do these things slightly different each time, based on what veggies I have in the house...but here's what I did this time:

2 carrots, chopped into matchsticks (about 1 c)
1 sweet onion (walla walla) chopped in strips about 2" long
1/4 c olive oil
3 Tbs chopped garlic (a couple of clusters)
2 Tbs basil
1 c broccoli--bite size pieces
1 c cherry tomatoes, halved (or chopped tomatoes, or stewed tomatoes)
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1-2Tbs cornstarch
(opt) 1/4 cup chicken broth (I used two frozen cubes--ice cube size)
mozzarella and/or Parmesan cheese
about 1/2 package of linguine or fettuccine noodles, cooked

Get the noodles cooking.
Put the olive oil in a cast iron skillet and get it warm, then add the onion, garlic, and carrots. Stir and saute for a few minutes until carrots begin to soften. Add basil and stir. Add tomatoes, zucchini, and broccoli, and broth (or a little other liquid--unless you used stewed tomatoes, then you won't need extra liquid) along with the cornstarch, and stir and cook for about 5 more minutes, or until everything is well mixed and seems to thicken a little. Sprinkle in about 2/3 c cheese (I used mozzarella), and stir until all melted together.
Serve over noodles, sprinkle Parmesan on top.

These proportions serve about 4 people.