Potato Spinach Casserole
Carrie Keiser




6-8 Large Potatoes peeled, cooked & mashed
2 tsp. salt
1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine
or
6 - Servings of Instant Potatoes prepared according to directions on pkg.
1/4 tsp. Pepper
2 Tbls. Chives, chopped
1 - 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped Spinach, thawed & well drained
1 Cup Cheese, shredded


Combine all ingredients except cheese in a large bowl. Spoon into large greased casserole or a 9 x 13 pan.
Oven: Bake uncovered @ 400 for 15 minutes. Top w/ cheese & bake another 5 minutes.
Microwave: Top w/ Cheese. Cook on high for 5 minutes or until heated thru.




**Carrie says this is really good & even the kids eat it. It is very easy; especially if you use the instant potatoes. She says she's used both frozen bags & square blocks of the spinach & both work great. It's a great way to get the kids to eat spinach. She also says that she takes it to pot lucks & brings home the empty pan every time!
**The chives aren't neccessary, Carrie hasn't used them herself.






Rice, Eggs, & Cheese!
Steph Mead



4 Cups Instant Rice
4 to 12 Eggs, ( Depending on your taste)
Grated Cheese to Taste


Cook instant rice as box indicates. Scramble eggs. Grate cheese. When eggs & rice are done, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Add salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy!




Maccaroni, Cheese, & Matoes
Steph Mead




2-3 Cups Noodles, cooked
1 Can Tomato Soup
1/2 Can (soup can) Milk
Grated Cheese to taste


Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain. Add tomato soup, milk, & grated cheese. Add salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy!



**Steph says she likes to use the small shell noodles. They sound nice & kid friendly!!

EASY EASY EASY!!

Shredded Chicken Tacos
Kim Lambert




4-5 Chicken Breasts
1 Packet of Taco Seasoning
1/2 Cup Salsa
1 can diced Green Chilis
1 can Italian Stewed Tomatoes
Minced Garlic


Place all ingredients in the crock pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Shred chicken, put shredded chicken back in "sauce". Serve with tortillas with toppings as desired.



Shredded Beef Tacos
Kim Lambert


Chuck Roast
1 Packet of Taco Seasoning
1-2 Cups Salsa
Minced Garlic (1-2 tsp)


Place roast in crock pot, sprinkle with taco seasoning, add garlic & pour salsa over the top. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6-8 hours. Shred beef, discard the fat, put meat back in the "sauce", & serve with tortillas or taco shells with your favorite taco toppings.



Rice Side Dish
Kim Lambert



1 1/2 Cup Long Grain White Rice
1 can Campbells French Onion Soup, plus enough water to equal 3 Cups
3/4 Cube of Butter


Combine all ingredients in 9x13. Cover tight with foil. Bake @ 400 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes, you may need to add more water during last 10 minutes, if still a little crunchy.



**Kim got these recipes from a Bunko Group recipe exchange. The rice recipe goes with any kind of meat, & makes a great side.
Enjoy!

Secret Recipe Chili
Cecily Cook


1/2 to 1 lb. Ground Beef, cooked & drained
1 Can Black or Red Beans
1 Can diced Stewed Tomatoes
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 package Chili Seasoning


Combine all ingredients & heat through.

Serve with corn chips & cheese.


**Cecily said that when she made it the first time her husband thought she had gotten his moms recipe for Halloween Chili. Which her mother in law has to cook all day, & this takes all of 15 minutes from start to finish.
She also said, " Don't ask me why the soup, but it works & people think you've slaved all day. It's also one of the few things that both my kids eat ALL of when I serve it. I make a double batch & there are usually left overs that are a little bit better the next day."

- I can't wait to try it!!




Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
Cecily Cook

4-5 lb. Pork Roast


Cover 1/2 way with water & cook on low in a crock pot for 6 hours, (you can also use a roasting pan & cook it for 6 hours at 275 degrees.)

Drain liquid & add:

1 Can regular Coke
1 large bottle of Red Taco Sauce
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Cumin

Cook for another three hours on low & shred meat.


Cafe Rio Spicy Ranch Dressing
Cecily Cook


1 Cup Mayo
1 Cup Milk
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
2 tomatillos
2 serrano peppers
1/2 bunch cilantro

Blend together until creamy.



**Cecily said she got these from a friend. For those of you who don't know Cafe Rio is a great Mexican place we have here. Again for those of you who don't have Cafe Rios or Costa Azuls, you put the pork in a salad with rice & beans (black or pinto), salsa, guacamole, & top with the great dressing. (They also put the pork in burritos & enchiladas) It is FABULOUS!! Cecily said both these recipes are fairly easy & really good!! Yum!!





Thanks so much to Cecily for her great recipes! I hope you all enjoy these recipes too! Please let us know if & when you try them & what you think of them!
Thanks again to everyone who has sent stuff in, keep the good stuff coming!
- Kate

OuR FiRsT PoSt!!

Okay, we are going to try this new blog! I hope you all enjoy! I would LOVE to get your comments after you have tried the recipe. I think this is going tobe great! I'm going to post 2 things that I've made this week. One is ridiculously easy & one is VERY kid friendly! Hope you enjoy;


EASY EASY EASY!!:


Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Kate Alger


1 1/2 to 2 lb. Boneless Pork Roast
1 Big bottle of KC Masterpiece Original BBQ Sauce



Trim Pork Roast as desired. Plop it in Crock Pot, slow cooker. Pour BBQ Sauce over top, just to cover top of roast. Set it on Low. A few hours into it, I dump out the juice in the bottom & put pork back in slow cooker, with more BBQ sauce. It's done when you can put a fork in a twist & it shreds easily. When you shred it all, it sucks up the sauce. Add sauce according to how saucy you like it. Put in on your favorite rolls for Sands. Done!!




**Okay seriously, so easy!! My husband has informed me that even a monkey can do it. I thought that was rude, but it is VERY easy. We make this on Sundays for GAME DAY now that football has started again. Really I've made it a few times when company is coming over & they usually think I've ordered take out from Rib City!! (I love that!!) Anyhow so easy & a HUGE hit with the husbands on Game Day!! I just serve like a BBQ, with chips, store bought salad (potato or maccaroni) & it couldn't be easier & fairly inexpensive. It also makes great leftovers!!



KID FRIENDLY!!:


Chicken Pie Deluxe
Kate Alger


1 Package stuffing croutons (about 5 cups) (Mrs. Cubbisons stuffing works great)
1 Cup margarine, melted
1 Cup milk
2 Cans Cream of Celery soup
2 Cups cooked chicken, cubed
2 Cups frozen peas, thawed
2 Tbls. minced onion
1/4 tsp. pepper


Mix the stuffing with melted margarine. Put half of stuffing on bottom of 9x13 inch casserole dish. Mix all other ingredients & pour over top of stuffing. Add remainder of stuffing. Bake @ 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until browned & bubbly.




**I got this one from my mother in law. It's good old fashioned church lady casserole with of course a cream of something soup in it. But, it's very yummy & my kids love it! Not to mention my husband does too!! I have used just onion powder instead of the minced onion, it's just fine. I also tend to throw a little garlic salt or powder in it too. My husband puts a little tobasco on it when it's done also. This is a huge hit & the kids eat the peas & don't even realize it! We love it!!




I hope you all enjoy these! I can't wait to get your ideas too!!
email me at katealger125@earthlink.net Put the name you want me to post with your recipe.

Thanks!! - Kate