Tater Tot Casserole

 Easy, Peasy and Oh, So Tasty!

Photo from Pinterest

Sometimes just browsing the internet for new recipes really pays off!  I found this Tater Tot Casserole on a number of sites and decided to try it for a quick and easy dinner. Everyone loved it! It's got flavorful ground beef, topped with a creamy mixture of sour cream and cream of mushroom soup...add a layer of cheese and top with crunchy tater tots and more cheese! How could it not be delicious?

I don't know why, but these types of casseroles are perfect for when the temperatures drop and you're needing some good ol' fashioned comfort food.

Then I decided to look for variations and "Wow" they had a bunch of different ways to enhance or totally change the flavor.  I'll let you know a few at the end of the recipe. I hope you'll give them a try, I know I'm planning on doing just that!

I'm also tweaking a couple of things that I thought it needed, like I felt it could use more than just 1 lb. of hamburger and there definitely needed twice as much cheese, which I've changed for this recipe. As I've said before, always play with a recipe and make it to please your family's taste!

Photo from Pinterest

Ingredients:

1-1 1/2 lb. ground beef

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (10.5 oz.) cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 pkg. (32 oz.) frozen tater tots (do not defrost)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat and prep: Preheat oven to 375'F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray or a little oil to prevent sticking.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

Add chopped onion and minced garlic, cooking until the onion is soft and translucent (about 5 minutes). Spread into prepared pan.

Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon into small pieces and is no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. (You can add some vegetables here, like peas, green beans or corn, if desired.)

In a large bowl, combine the cream of mushroom soup and sour cream and stir until smooth. Spread this  mixture over beef layer, adding a creamy richness to the beef.

Sprinkle half the shredded cheese (1 cup) over the soup mixture.

Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer on top of the cheese, covering the surface for maximum crispness.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until tots are golden brown and crispy.

Carefully remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Return to the oven for 5-7 minutes more or until cheese if melted.

Cool for about 5 minutes before serving. This will allow the layers to set up, making it easy to cut into squares...or you can just spoon it out, it's still going to taste the same. LOL!

A Tip from Grammy:

       -Garnish with chopped parsley or chopped green onions.

       -Serve with a side salad and some roasted veggies.

       -Make individual servings in ramekins to make it special.

       -Add different seasonings to the meat, Steak seasoning, Taco seasoning, Chili              Seasoning, Ranch dressing...see where I'm going with this. ;)

      

Be encouraged!

"Seek first the kingdom of God...and all these things shall be added to you." -Matthew 6:31, 33

Spinach-Feta Squares (Brownies)

Tastes like Spanakopita!

If you like Spanakopita, you're going to enjoy this quick and easy way to get those into a square and with all the same flavors you love!  Serve with chicken and a side salad, and you have a delicious meal for the whole family.

I decided to try this out with our Christmas dinner.  I know, never a good idea to throw in a new recipe on a holiday, but, they looked so good and my family loves spinach pie, so I figured "Why not?" and we all were so glad that I did. They were delicious!

The recipe I used was from a website called "Hungry Happens" but she named them Spinach and Feta Brownies. I changed the name when my son-in-law couldn't eat them until I found a more suitable title. LOL!

Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil

4 scallions, diced

10 oz. pkg. baby spinach, rough chop

2 Tbs. dill, chopped (opt.)

1 cup unbleached flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup butter, melted

4 oz. shredded mozzarella

4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

2 Tbs. grated parmesan

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375'F. Lightly spray a medium baking dish with olive oil. I used a 

7  X 11" Pyrex dish.

In a large, deep pan (12"), heat 1 tsp. oil on medium heat. Cook scallions until softened - 1 or 2 minutes.

Add half the spinach and sauté until mostly wilted, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove to a colander to drain and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess liquids.  Add remaining oil to the pan and repeat the process with the remaining spinach. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the milk, eggs, butter and mix. Lastly fold in the spinach mixture, dill, mozzarella and feta until just combined. Transfer to your baking dish and spread out evenly. 

Sprinkle top with grated Parmesan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until top turns golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes prior to slicing.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Be encouraged!

Jesus said, "I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  -Matthew 28:20

Serve this casserole with any meal...so good!

(Photo from Food Network website)

So, yesterday was Easter and I decided to be brave (on a holiday) and try a new veggie recipe...actually, it's not really a good idea, but I was totally bored with the same old green beans or corn. You know what I mean? 

Anyway, thanks to the Food Network site, I discovered this delicious casserole using frozen broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and flavored with Cream of Mushroom soup, sour cream, swiss cheese and fried onions. 

We had a table full of food so, of course, I forgot to take pictures of my latest find. But, as you can see from the pic on the Food Network site, it's just so colorful and appetizing.

It took less than 5 minutes to prepare and is the quickest casserole I have made! You have to love anything that's quick and easy in the kitchen...especially on a holiday! 

Ingredients:

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/3 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 bag (16 ounces) frozen vegetable combination, thawed (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots) 

1 can (2.8 ounces) French's Fried Onions (divided) (1 1/3 cups)

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (2 ounces)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350'F. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

Stir soup, sour cream, black pepper, vegetables, 2/3 cup onions and 1/4 cup cheese in a 2-quart casserole. Cover the casserole with lid or aluminum foil.

Bake for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, then stir them.

Top with remaining onions and cheese. Bake 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Be encouraged!

"God's love for us will never change...He will love us forever!"

Pumpkin Dump Cake

For the love of Fall!

The first time I had this delicious dessert was at my neighbor's house during a fun, fall, neighborhood get-together. It was amazing!

This quick and easy dump cake has all the warm and fuzzy fall flavors we crave during that time of year. In fact, you may just want to skip the Pumpkin Pie at your Thanksgiving feast and serve this delicious dump cake. I'm thinking that's a plan this year. 

Ingredients:

15 oz. can pumpkin puree

12 oz. evaporated milk

3 large eggs

3/4 cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. salt

15.25 box yellow cake mix (dry)

1 cup pecans (coarsely chopped)

1 cup unsalted butter (melted)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350'F. Prepare the inside of a 9x13" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk together the pumpkin, milk, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt to a large bowl. Pour into prepared pan.

Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly across the top, then sprinkle on the chopped pecans.

Drizzle the melted butter on the top, being careful not to leave dry patches of cake mix.

Bake at 350'F. for 45-60 minutes or until set in the center and golden brown on top. (If it's starting to get too brown before fully baked, cover the top with a foil tent.)

Let sit for about 15 minutes before serving. You can cut into squares or use a large spoon and scoop it out. 

Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. 

A Tip from Grammy:

-Be sure to use pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling.

-Spice cake mix can be substituted for the yellow cake mix.

-The pecans can be substituted with walnuts, if desired. Don't like nuts? Just leave them out entirely.

-Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days in a tightly covered container

-Prepare, bake, cool and chill covered cake in the refrigerator a day in advance. 

Pineapple Filled Cookies

One of Mom's best!

I just found my mom's Pineapple Filled Cookie recipe in her old wooden recipe box! I don't know how I missed this for all these years, but I couldn't be happier right now! 

These are one of the holiday cookies that we enjoyed along with so many others that my mom and aunts would bake and share amongst family and friends every year.  So many precious memories go hand-in-hand with holiday cookie baking, and it makes me realize how blessed I was with a childhood that was filled with family and so much love!

Ingredients:

Dough:

Cream together:

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup brown sugar

Beat in with the above mixture:

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbsp. milk

Sift together, then add to above mixture:

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Make a soft dough and chill 3-4 hours or until firm enough to roll.

Filling:

1 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (drained)

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

1 Tbsp. butter

Combine ingredients, place over low heat. Stir until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Cool completely.

Roll chilled dough into oblong, cut into 2 1/2" squares.

Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling on each square, bring opposite corners together, pinch to seal.

Bake at 400'F. for 10 minutes.

Cool on racks. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

Be encouraged!

Rejoice always! - 1 Thessalonians 5:16

 

Pig Pickin' Cake

The cake with many names!

(photo from Pinterest)

DISCLAIMER: No pigs have been harmed in the making of this cake, I promise!

LOL!  

Pig Pickin' Cake has a number of other names, including pig cake, sunshine cake, summer cake, pea pickin' cake, pic eatin' cake, orange-pineapple cake, and the most common alternative, mandarin orange cake. 

This summery, delicious cake was the go-to dessert for cookouts that served an entire pig roasted on a spit. The dinner-and-dessert combination was so common that this nameless cake soon became known, not for its own flavors, but for the main course the locals felt it paired so well with.

This traditional southern dessert is made with yellow cake infused with whole or chopped mandarin orange slices and topped with a Cool Whip frosting that’s laced with shredded pineapple. It’s either served plain or garnished with reserved mandarin orange slice, maraschino cherries, chopped pecans, or shredded coconut. It’s still a popular southern dessert for potlucks, picnics, and barbecues.

Cake Ingredients:

1 box (yellow cake mix)

1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick) or vegetable oil (your choice)

14 oz. can Mandarin oranges (drain and reserve 1/2 cup juice)

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350'F.

Combine cake mix, softened butter, 1/2 cup reserved Mandarin orange juice, eggs and vanilla. Beat four minutes on medium-high.

Add drained oranges and beat again until the pieces are broken up and small.

Pour batter into greased and floured 9x13" baking pan or 2 8" round cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then turn onto cake rack and cool completely. 

Topping:

20 oz. can crushed pineapple (reserve 3/4 cup juice and drain the rest really well)

3/4 cup juice from the crushed pineapple

4 oz. box vanilla instant pudding mix

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

8 oz. Cool Whip

 

Once cake is cool, blend juice from drained pineapples with the vanilla pudding mix. Add confectioner's sugar and mix, then fold in whipped topping.

Stir in drained pineapple and spread on cooled cake.

Refrigerate several hours, and refrigerate any leftovers.

Serve cut cake squares and top each square with a mandarin orange slice. (So pretty.)

A Tip from Grammy:

-Buy an extra small can of mandarin oranges for garnishing, if desired

-Refrigerate at least an hour before serving to set up the frosting.

-Make this cake in 2 (8") round pans and bake for 17-21 minutes or until toothpic inserted comes out clean.

Be encouraged!

How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity.  -Psalm 133:1

Homemade Maple Syrup (EASY)

Just 5 simple ingredients!

Photo from "Iheartnaptime"

Since I was posting my favorite pancake recipe this morning, I thought I'd look up a recipe for Maple Syrup. This one from "I Heart Naptime" caught my eye. It got 5 stars and the word "easy" was all in caps! Haha, that's for me, then! Check out this blog, it looks like there are a lot of yummy recipes there!

It sounds delicious and I'm looking forward to making it after a short trip to the store to get some maple extract. But, for now, I'm going to share it, just because it got so many good comments. Everything from "perfect" to "delish" and "won't buy store bought again". 

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup honey or corn syrup

1 1/2 cups hot water

1 tsp. maple extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine the sugar, honey and water in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Then stir in the maple and vanilla extract. Serve over pancakes or allow to cool and then place in jars. 

Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator 1-2 months. 

Yields: 3 cups

A Tip from Grammy: 

-If using honey, the consistency will be a little thinner.

Be encouraged!

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there, am I among them."  -Matthew 18:20