Hearty Beef Crescent Pie

1 ¼ lbs ground beef

1/3 cup onion, chopped

¼ cup green pepper

14 oz can tomato sauce

4 oz can mushrooms, drained

14 oz can green beans

¼ tsp cumin

¼ tsp garlic salt

¼ tsp salt

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Paprika

In large pan brown ground beef, onion & green pepper. Drain fat. Stir in tomato sauce, green beans, mushrooms, cumin, and garlic salt. Simmer.

Separate crescent rolls. Place in 9 inch pie pan; press together over bottom and up sides to form crust.  Combine egg and 1 cup of cheese; spread over crust. Spoon hot mixture into crust. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and paprika. 

Bake at 375˚ for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 – 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

2 cups uncooked macaroni

1 TBSP onion, finely chopped (optional)

¼ cup butter, melted

¼ cup flour

2 cup milk

2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Make White Sauce with butter, flour and milk, add cheese, stir until melted. Make sure white sauce is thin by adding a little more milk. Cook macaroni, drain then add all ingredients in 9 x 13 casserole, use Pam spray. Bake at 325˚ for 35 - 45 minutes.

Mexican Rice

1 jar salsa

1 cup rice

1 cup water

Tabasco sauce

Heat salsa and water.  Add rice and a few drops Tabasco.  Cook to rice directions.  Let set for 10 minutes to soak liquids.

Also serve sweetened corn casserole, refried beans and fried ice cream for dessert.  Make frozen margaritas and you’ll feel like you’re at Chi Chi’s

Country Breakfast Pie

1 pkg Jimmy Dean sausage

9 inch pie shell

1 + 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese

1/4 cup green and1/4 cup red pepper, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup light cream

Note about pie shell: I tried the refrigerated Pillsbury brand and like it much better than a frozen pie shell. I used my own 9 inch glass pie pan. We measured a 9 inch frozen pie shell and the outer edges were barely 9 inches. That's why I always had left over filling when using the frozen shell. But the best, of course, is to make your own fresh pie crust.

Cook sausage until done.  Crumble, then drain.  Mix cheese with sausage.  Sprinkle in pie shell.  Combine eggs with other ingredients.  Pour into pie shell. Bake at 375˚ for 40 to 45 minutes.  Cool slightly.

Chicken Fajitas

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

marinade                                           

1 green pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

taco sauce

4 flour tortillas

cheddar cheese, shredded

Cut chicken into 1/2 inch strips - 2 inches long.  Marinated for 2 hours.

Brown chicken, green pepper and onion in butter until chicken is done. Add taco sauce until coated. Simmer 5 minutes.

 Warm flour tortillas between damp paper towels in microwave for 45 seconds.  Place mixture in center of each tortilla. Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese.  Fold tortilla. Serve with sour cream.

White Sauce

I use white sauce for the Broccoli soup, scalloped potatoes, potato soup, chicken a la king.  It comes in handy for making hamburg or sausage gravy too.

First, melt 1/2 stick margarine in sauce pan. Add 1/2 cup flour. With a fork blend until all flour in gone.  This is the secret part.  Slowly add 2 cups milk while stirring vigorously with a whisk.  Stop adding milk periodically until mixture thickens then add more.  It’s sort of like trying to get the lumps out of a can of tomato soup.  Start with a little milk.  It’s easier to season the sauce with salt and pepper before adding it to the other items.

Chicken A la King

2 chicken breasts

1 can chicken broth

1 can mushrooms

1 cup diced carrots, cooked

1 cup frozen peas

White Sauce

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk
salt & pepper
Pinch of love

Tenderize chicken breasts by placing inside a gallon Ziploc bag and pounding with a meat tenderizer for a moment. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Season both sides with salt, pepper and chicken seasoning. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cut into 1 inch cubes.

Cook carrots with 1 TBSP water in the microwave for 7 minutes. In a large sauce pan, bring chicken broth to a boil add cook sliced carrots, cubed chicken, frozen peas and mushrooms. Add the White Sauce last (see recipe below). Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. Serve over cooked noodles.

White Sauce

In a sauce pan melt butter. Add flour and incorporate with butter. Add half of milk, stir constantly with wire whisk until thick, then add remainder of milk. Stir until thickened again. Add salt and pepper.