Chili Mac and Cheese

Ditch HH boxes and skip the preservatives and ingredients you can't pronounce!

Chili Mac and Cheese

8 ounces pasta (you can use macaroni or here I used GLUTEN FREE penne)

2 pounds ground beef

1 to 2 Tablespoons oil 

3/4 cup diced onion

3/4 cup diced green pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons chili powder

1/2 Tablespoon cumin

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes

3/4 cup water (or pasta water if you can remember to keep it)

8 ounces Mexican blend cheese, shredded

Green Chili Cornbread Casserole

Green Chili Cornbread Casserole                                                        Printable Recipe

1 cup plus 3 Tablespoons cornmeal, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
1 can creamed corn
1 cup milk 
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 to 2 pounds ground beef, cooked and drained (I used 2 here)
Your favorite flavors like cumin, garlic, pepper, or taco seasoning.
1 - 4 oz can green chilies (you may want 2 cans instead of 1)
2 - 3 Tablespoons grated onion

2 cups shredded Mexi blend cheese or cheddar 

Optional: 8 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 to 1 can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Sprinkle 9"x 13" baking dish with 1 tablespoon of corn meal.  Set aside.

Mix together beef, chilies, and grated onion until well combined.  If you don't you will have hot and spicy parts!  Stir in the tomato sauce and beans here if you are using them.

In medium bowl add eggs, corn, milk, and oil.

 Combine.

Add pre-mixed dry ingredients (cornmeal 1 c plus 2 T) baking soda, and salt.  Stir just until combined.

 Pour 1/2 of the corn mixture into pan.  It will be quite runny.

 Add all of your beef mixture.

Top with cheese (I only used 1 cup here.)

Add remaining corn mixture pushing down on beef to cover.  I think coverage would be better if you only used 1 pound of beef but we wanted more meat to make it a main dish.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and not jiggly. Let set for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086783536/

Cheeseburger Rice

Cheeseburger Rice

1 pound ground beef
1/2 small onion diced or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2-1/2 cups water**
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Few cracks black pepper
3/4 cup INSTANT brown rice (if you want to use instant white use 1.5 cups each rice and water)
1/2-1 cup shredded cheese

This can be made two ways.  You can start with raw beef cooked with the onion and drained or here I had already precooked hamburger and used onion powder.  Add rest of ingredients except cheese and stir.

Bring to boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes for brown rice.  Watch the water and add any if needed.  Test rice and cook until tender.  If you use white rice bring to boil and cover and let set for 5 minutes until rice is tender.

Turn off heat, sprinkle on cheese

 and place lid on top to melt cheese.

**Amount of water correlates with the directions on your box of rice.  I found out through a friend who made this dish that not all rices are created equal! Her rice required less water than mine and she had to cook it longer to get the liquid out.

Cottage Pie

In honor of the Royal wedding

Cottage Pie

2 Tablespoons oil
3/4 cup diced onions
3/4 cup diced (or shredded) carrots
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1/3 cup flour (gluten free option)
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups beef or chicken broth
1/2 Tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet*
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2-1/4 pounds potatoes (white or I used sweet potatoes)
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used 2% milk)
1 egg yolk
4 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
dash of white pepper
1 cup grated cheese

Heat oil in large sauce pan and saute onions and carrots until soft. 

Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink (or add precooked hamburger and heat.) 

 Stir in flour and cook for a minute or so.

Add broth, stirring as you pour since it will thicken.

Add thyme, broth, Kitchen Bouquet, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until everything is soft and sauce thickens.  I had to add a little bit of water as I went since the sauce was very thick and my carrots were not soft yet.  Next time I will shred my carrots.

Pour into baking dish.  This is my deep dish stoneware from Pampered Chef.

 While the meat is simmering, slice potatoes and place in large pot of cold water.  Cover pot and bring to boil.  Simmer until tender, about 20-25 minutes. 

 I used my Pampered Chef 1 Qt Micro Cooker and microwave for 16 minutes. Perfect every time! 

Dump into large mixing bowl and mix. 

Add cream, egg yolk, butter, and salt and pepper.

 Mix until nice and smooth.

 Cut hole in corner of gallon bag and drop in a frosting tip large enough to squeeze potatoes through.  Tape tip to bag so it does not slip. Dump potatoes into bag and seal. 

 My sweet potatoes were too soft that even though I piped it on the top the shape did not hold so I ended up smoothing it out.  White potatoes will do better. If you don't want to pipe you can just spread it on top.

Sprinkle with cheese (optional) and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

*Kitchen Bouquet is a "browning and seasoning sauce" generally found in the ketchup/Worcestershire sauce aisle.

Cheeseburger Soup

Cheeseburger Soup

1 pound lean ground beef
3/4 cup onion, chopped (or 2/3 cup diced)
3/4 cup carrots, shredded
3/4 cup celery, diced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
8 ounces Velvetta, chunked or 1 to 1-1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Mexi blend cheese or cheddar
croutons

Dice veggies.
Add along with basil and parsley to beef and cook until veggies are tender.

Add broth and potatoes to beef mixture.

Bring to boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile make your roux. Start by melting butter in small saucepan.

Add flour

and cook for one minute.

Add roux to soup stirring so as not to have lumps.

This is what is should look like so far.

Add milk...

Velveeta....

and sour cream.

Stir until blended and everything is melted in. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese and croutons if you like.

If you leave the potatoes out you can freeze the rest of the soup.  While it is heating on your stove throw in your cooked potatoes!

Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746083270449/

Hamburger Potato Casserole

Hamburger Potato Casserole

1 pound ground beef

5-6 medium russet potatoes

1 can cream of chicken soup (originally called for crm of mushroom you could switch back)

3/4 cup milk

1/4 pound Velveeta

Brown ground beef and drain.

Meanwhile peel and slice potatoes into 1/4"-1/3" slices. Add to saucepan of water over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes or until soft. Drain.

Combine soup, milk, and Velveeta in pan you cooked hamburger. Warm until cheese is melted.

Add in cooked hamburger.

Spread a little of the hamburger sauce mixture in bottom of 9x13" pan.

Sprinkle some of the potatoes.

More sauce then potatoes.

Last bit of sauce on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 or until hot.

You can add drained whole corn instead of some of the potatoes for a change up or even mixed vegetables or green beans.