Taco Soup

We call this chili in our household.  It's a great addition to a baked potato bar, turns into nachos on day 2, and is super easy to make (you can even freeze it)!

Taco Soup

In a large pot:
Brown 1 lb ground beef with 1 packet Taco Seasoning, drain excess grease

Add following and simmer for 20 minutes or more:
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
2 28oz cans diced fire roasted tomatoes (I love Muir Glenn brand)
1 can chili and lime Rotel
1 can cream corn (and sometimes some extra corn from a bag of frozen)
1 can dark kidney beans, drained
1 can white kidney beans (cannellini), drained
2 cans black beans, drained
2 cans pinto beans, drained

We like to top this like it's a taco... sour cream, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro.  It's a lot of fun to serve buffet style, letting everyone top their own bowl.  You can even make it vegetarian, or add TVP to stretch your meat.

Because I can keep the ground beef frozen and the cans always on hand, this is a go-to recipe, especially in the winter.  I keep all the cans for a single batch tied up in a grocery sack in my pantry and I toss the empty cans back in the bag as I make the recipe for easy clean up.

Tangy Cranberry Meatballs

I love this recipe!  Serve over baked potatoes with your veggie of choice and it makes enough for 2 meals + some leftovers! I've made some modifications from the original recipe, here's my (better) version.  Lovely spooned over baked or mashed potatoes.

Tangy Cranberry Meatballs
400 degrees - 16 minutes

2lbs lean ground beef (or turkey, or a combination)
1 pkg stove top stuffing mix (I like the whole wheat)
1 cup water
2 large eggs

1 bottle (16 oz) barbecue sauce
2 cans whole berry cranberry sauce

In a large bowl, combine meat, stuffing mix, eggs and water.  Roll into 1-1/2" balls and place on foil-lined, greased (spray olive oil) cookie sheet.  You should have about 60 meatballs.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 16 minutes.

While meatballs are baking:
Combine in large pot or saucepan the cranberry sauce and bbq sauce over medium heat, stirring well to melt the cranberry jelly.  When meatballs are cooked, remove from oven and stir into sauce in pot.  Serve hot.

Saving a batch for later: (possibly my favorite part of this recipe)
Reserve half of the sauce and half of the meatballs before combining in sauce.  Put sauce in a quart freezer bag, lay flat.  Place cooled meatballs in gallon freezer bag with sauce bag on top.  To serve: Thaw sauce and meatballs then combine in pot.  Cook over low-medium heat until warm.  Serve.

Enchilada Lasagna

I just shared this recipe with a friend and as I pressed the SEND button it dawned on me that there are probably a lot of friends out there who would love a new recipe. This one is a favorite in our house. No rolling required! :)

Enchilada Lasagna
Preheat oven to 350F
Makes one 9x13 pan

1 19oz can Old El Paso Mild Enchilada Sauce
1 15oz can HyVee Mild Enchilada Sauce
1 10oz can Old El Paso Mild Green Chili Enchilada Sauce
(You'll have some sauce leftover, but they each taste different and blend to make it just right.
If you can't find these brands, just pick any 2 red and 1 green... it's a forgiving recipe!)
4 cups shredded cheese (cheddar or a cheddar blend)
36 +\- white corn tortillas, cut in half
1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can black olives, sliced
1 can sweet corn (or frozen)
1 small can diced mild green chilies

Brown ground beef, using directions on taco seasoning packet (also yummy as plain cheese enchiladas).

Cut tortillas, slice olives, open & drain green chilies and corn. Use can opener key to open pour spouts in enchilada sauces. Open/prepare cheese.

Begin with a layer of enchilada sauce on bottom of pan, enough to coat the pan bottom (this will keep your tortillas from sticking).

Then the tortillas, with flat edges along outside of pan - arrange 3 along the sides, 1 on each end, and 3-4 down the middle.

Then 1/3 each of all other ingredients, and ~1 cup cheese. Another splash of sauce, tortillas, ingredients... repeat until pan is full - usually about 3 layers. Finish with a final layer of ingredients and cheese. Cover with foil, shiny side down, and bake for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly.

Serve with sour cream, chips & salsa. Enjoy!

It's so easy to double this recipe and make the whole thing assemly-line-style that I usually make 2 pans at a time and freeze generous portions in quart ziplock bags. They reheat beautifully!