Beef Stroganoff

Disclaimer:  I have made beef stroganoff exactly two times in my adult life.  Why?  I hate mushrooms, including cream of mushroom soup, and without fungi mushrooms, you don't have stroganoff, you just have a noodle dish.  Disclaimer aside, this is a fast budget recipe that most people enjoy.  (And if you're a shroom hater like me, use cream of celery soup.)

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Egg noodles or rice

Brown ground beef with onion.  Drain grease.  Add cream of mushroom soup and ½ soup can of water.  Heat until hot and bubbly.  Add cooked pasta, or serve over rice.

Cheers ~
Cheryl

Chili Potatoes

Why is it that Wednesdays roll around so quickly?  And why is it that I can't seem to stay on top of a silly little cooking blog?  I persevere and ask you to forgive me if [when] I'm late or delinquent altogether.

At a friend's suggestion, today's entree is even faster and easier than most of what you have read here.  Potatoes are healthy when you don't add a stick of butter, a cup of sour cream, and a pound of bacon bits.  Unfortunately, that's my favorite way to eat them.  BUT you can be creative and top them with chili, broccoli, even stews/chowders.

Chili Potatoes

Yes, chili potatoes.  Two main ingredients.  Baked potatoes.  (Remember when Costco used to have huge, potato-on-steroids sized spuds for next to nothing?  Now the size is smaller and the price is about double.  Hmm.)   Canned chili.  (OK, you can use homemade if you want, and that is coming up next month, but humor me and grab a 99 cent can of canned chili for now.)

If you're still reading and hoping for directions, well, you've missed the simplicity of this meal.  :)  But here are the directions just in case:

Bake potatoes.  Microwave, oven, whatever suits you.
Heat chili on stove.  (Because chili always explodes in the microwave.)
Slice open potato, use a fork to fluff, and spoon steaming hot chili over potato.
Top with grated cheese, onion, chives.

Wasn't that easy? 

Cheers ~
Cheryl

Chimichangas

I grew up in Dallas until I was 11, then Albuquerque until I was 18.  Albuquerque opened up a whole new world of flavors and I learned that in spite of my German background, my taste buds longed to be New Mexican!  Chimichangas are not the healthiest Mexican food option, but they sure are delicious.  I had never attempted making until a dear friend, Lisa, told me the way she made them ~without deep-frying~.  They're still not in the "health food" category, but they are delicious and can be lightened up.  I'll share the basic directions, then some healthier options below.

Preheat oven to broil/475*.

Using the meat/bean filling from last week, heat and add a good amount (a cup or so) of salsa (fresh is best!) to the mixture.  Put 1/3-1/2 cup meat/salsa in a softened flour tortilla and roll, folding the sides in first, then each of the ends.  Just tuck everything in really tightly.  Place seam side down in a glass baking dish and continue until you have filled the dish.  Now comes the naughty part.  In a bowl, melt a stick of butter.  Two if you're doing a really large batch, but 1 stick is sufficient for 4-6 chimichangas.  Pour over chimis, making sure everything gets coated nicely and you have it between and under everything.  (Sigh.  I miss butter.)  Place in oven and watch carefully...they cook fast (5-7 minutes in mine).  When they are light golden brown, turn the oven off, pull pan out, and lightly sprinkle grated cheese over the top.  Return to oven just long enough for the cheese to melt.  Serve immediately.

Now, if you want to enjoy these without your arteries hating you, try using the following substitutions:  whole wheat/fiber tortillas; ground turkey or a vegetarian/soy option for the meat; fat free refried beans; spray the pan with nonstick spray; melt 2-3 Tbsp. butter and brush the tops before baking or spray with fake butter spray; use low fat cheese.  I won't lie:  It's not as yummy without all the butter, but it makes it much more diet friendly.

Cheers ~
Cheryl

Taco/Burrito Filling

"Back in the day" when our family ate a lot more ground beef than we do now (ok, in the days when we were really poor, not just moderately poor), this was a great way to stretch our grocery budget.  Today there is ground turkey that can be substituted (not that *I* do that, but some might!) to make it a little healthier.

Taco/Burrito Filling

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 large can refried beans (or soak and cook your own beans, then blend or mash)

Seasonings – taco seasoning, salt, pepper, salsa

Brown ground beef with onion in large skillet, breaking apart as it cooks.  Drain grease into container (do not pour down the drain - I learned that in 6th grade when I stopped up the kitchen sink with a pan full of grease!).  Return to medium heat and add refried beans.  Add seasonings to taste.

Use in taco shells or tortillas.  Next week...chimichangas using this same filling!

Tamale Pie

I have not made this in years, but it was a staple when our kids were quite young.  A friend (who had given birth to her 3rd and 4th boys - twins - about 6 months before I had my twin girls) brought this to our family and it was quick, easy, and delicious!

Tamale Pie

In skillet, add:  1 pound ground beef, ½ diced onion.  Cook until beef is cooked thoroughly.  Drain off grease.  Add 1 8oz can tomato sauce, 1 can corn (drained), 1 can kidney or pinto beans (drained), salt and pepper.  Stir until heated through.  Pour into greased casserole dish.

Mix 1 box “Jiffy” corn bread mix according to directions.  Pour over meat mixture and spread to cover thoroughly.

Bake at 350* until cornbread is done (approximately 20 minutes).

Lots of variation possibilities here, of course, but you get the general idea.

Cheers ~

Cheryl

Texas Chili Enchiladas

So much for posting regularly on Wednesdays.  Sometimes life interferes with the best laid plans.  And sometimes I travel and don't plan ahead.

Growing up in Dallas, Texas, I was not often exposed to the wonders of Mexican food; although about once a month, we would go to church, then lunch at El Chico.  I suppose having 5 kids, our parents were wise in taking us to a place where we could easily fill up on chips and salsa, and warm corn tortillas with butter.  Aaah, the good days, but I digress.  My mother was (still is) an amazing cook, but some of my favorite meals were probably things she threw together on a busy day.  I remember having these enchiladas often as a child.  No honorable Mexican food lover would consider this dish Mexican food by any means, but they have a southwest flavor, are FAST and EASY, and very easy on the budget.

Texas Chili Enchiladas

12 corn tortillas

Grated cheddar cheese

2 cans chili with beans

1 small onion, chopped

In greased 9x13 pan, add just enough chili (2-3 Tbsp) to coat the bottom of the pan so the tortillas don’t stick.  Soften tortillas in microwave (or fry quickly in a small amount of oil if your arteries can handle it), and add 1 Tbsp onion and a generous amount of grated cheese.  Roll up and place in pan seam side down.  Repeat to fill pan.  (OR layer tortillas, chili, onion, cheese and continue layering until pan is full.)  Top with remaining chili.  Cover with foil and bake at 350* for 45 minutes, until hot.

For a creamier version, combine chili with a can of cream of chicken soup.

Cheers ~