Easy Black Bean Corn Casserole

1 10-oz. pouch Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice (or vacuum sealed brown rice)
2 cups salsa
1 16-oz. bag Trader Joe’s Frozen Roasted Corn
1 can black beans
5 green onions, chopped
tortilla chips
shredded Mexican cheese blend

Mix first 5 ingredients and set aside. Grease a glass casserole pan and line bottom of pan with a thin layer of crushed tortilla chips. Add prepared mixture. Top with shredded Mexican cheese. Finish with a thin layer of crushed tortilla chips and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.

Easy Sloppy Joes

½ lb. ground beef
dry minced onion
1 scoop brown sugar (about 1/3 cup)
¼ cup ketchup (1 really long squirt)
1-2 Tb. prepared mustard (1 big squirt)

2 (16 oz.) cans pork & beans
hamburger buns

Cook beef and onions. Drain. Dump and squirt remaining ingredients until you like the taste. Simmer a bit and serve on hamburger buns.

Curried Chickpeas in Coconut-Cilantro Broth

(from Karen)

Don’t touch the seeds when seeding the jalapeño pepper. If you touch them they can burn your skin.

1 tsp butter or stick margarine
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2/3 cup canned coconut milk (we use the entire can)
1 tbsp seeded minced jalapeño pepper
1 to 2 tsp. curry powder (we go heavy on this)
1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 can of pre-cooked chunk chicken (optional)
(5 cups rice)

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomatoes and next 3 ingredients; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add chickpeas (and chicken); partially cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro. Serve over rice.

Yield: 5 servings

Black Bean and Lentil Salad

(from Jennifer L.)

Serves 6 main dish servings.

2 c cooked black beans
2 c cooked lentils
1 t dry mustard
3 T minced garlic
1 T minced fresh parsley
1 T minced fresh cilantro
½ c rice vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 t salt, or to taste
2-3 T olive oil
1 t cayenne pepper
1 head butterleaf lettuce, washed & torn
2 red bell peppers, sliced into rings
2 large red potatoes, cooked and thinly sliced
½ c grated carrots or raw beets

Place the black beans in one bowl and lentils in another. In a third bowl, whisk together mustard, garlic, parsley, cilantro, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, oil, and cayenne pepper. Divide the mixture equally between the beans and lentils, cover with plastic wrap and marinate 1 hour in the fridge.

Line 6 plates with lettuce leaves, then top with rings of bell pepper. Arrange small piles of potatoes, carrots, beans and lentils on each plate, then drizzle the remaining marinade over all. Serve at once.

Egg Bake

(from Kiersten)

Egg Bake

9 large eggs
3 C. Shredded cheese
¾ C. Sour cream
Opt.: 1 Small can green chili’s
Cooked bacon or sausage pieces

Cooked potato dices or hashbrowns

Chopped Broccoli

*Mix together, put in casserole dish and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes—or till done (depends on pan size you use)

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

(from Kiersten)

3 C. chicken, cooked and diced
1 bag frozen broccoli or fresh steamed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 C. mayo
3 tsp. lemon juice
grated cheese

*Mix soup, mayo, and lemon juice. Layer chicken on bottom of casserole dish, then broccoli. Pour soup mixture over the top and top with cheese. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

Tomato Basil Squares

(from Kiersten)

1 pkg. Refrigerated pizza crust
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ C. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs. Fresh basil leaves, chopped
2/3 C. light mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed
Fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced

*Roll out pizza crust. Sprinkle with 1 C. of mozzarella cheese and set aside. Combine remaining cup of mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, basil, mayo, and garlic. Mix well. Arrange tomatoes in a single layer over mozzarella cheese on crust. Place cheese mixture over tomatoes. Spread to cover evenly. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm.

Gumbo Burgers

(from Kiersten)

1 lb. Hamburger; brown and drain
Add: 1 can Campbell’s Chicken Gumbo soup
½ C. ketchup

Spoon onto hamburger buns and enjoy.

Chicken Enchiladas

(from Kiersten)

1 can cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom)
¼ C. salsa
½ C. sour cream

*Simmer above ingredients together. Thin with some milk.

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (good with leftover chicken or turkey)

*Fill tortillas with chicken, sauce and grated cheese. Roll up and place in 9 X 13 dish. Save some sauce and pour over the top. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 min. or till warm throughout.

Chicken Tetrazzini

(from Kiersten)

3 Tbs. Butter
4 Tbs. Flour
1 C. milk

*Make white sauce (Melt and stir butter and flour together, then add milk)

Add: 2 Tbs. Parsley
1 ½ C. sour cream
1 pint cottage cheese
1 tsp. minced onion
1 small can mushrooms (or fresh)—optional
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
12 oz. spaghetti noodles
4 ½ C. water
3-4 chicken bouillon cubes

*Bring water and bouillon to a boil; add noodles and cook till liquid is gone (watch that the bottom doesn’t scorch). Add sauce to cooked noodles; stir; pour out into 9X13 casserole dish. Sprinkle with 1 C. grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole

½ cube butter (4 Tbs.)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ pkg. Zesty Italian Salad Dressing mix

*Mix and cook in slow cooker 6-7 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. Remove chicken 30 minutes before serving and add the following to the juice in the slow cooker:

1 can cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken)
1 8-oz. Pkg. cream cheese

*Shred the chicken. When sauce is heated, stir with a wire whisk till smooth, then add the chicken back to the sauce.
*Serve over noodles (egg noodles or bow tie are good) or rice.
*This is great company food—easy to double the recipe.

Tamale Pie

(from Kiersten)

2 lb. Ground beef
1 med. Onion, chopped
1 can cheddar cheese soup
3/4 C. salsa
1/4 C. water
2-8 oz. Pkg corn muffin mix
3/4 C. shredded cheese
chopped tomatoes
olives

*Cook meat & onion till brown & drain. Stir in soup, salsa & water. Simmer 5 min. uncovered. Prepare muffin mix as directed. Spread half of batter in greased 9X13 pan. Spoon hot meat mix over. Spread rest of muffin batter (can thin with additional milk.) Bake at 350 for 30-35 min. Top with cheese and garnish with tomatoes and olives.

Chicken Pillows

(From Kiersten)

Filling:

3 Tbs. Melted butter (I usually omit)
6 oz. Cream cheese
2 C. Cooked chicken, shredded
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
2 Tbs. Milk
1 Tbs. Chives or onions
1 can sliced mushrooms (opt.)
Diced celery (opt.)

2 cans crescent rolls

*Mix butter and cream cheese. Add rest of ingredients and drop about 2 Tbs. on each crescent roll. (I usually roll the rolls out a little bit). Fold ends together, sealing up edges. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Serve with gravy below.

Gravy:

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 C. chicken broth
1 beef bouillon cube

*Stir in saucepan till almost boiling

Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

1 Tb. butter
2 Tb. flour
1 (14 ½ oz.) can diced tomatoes
1-2 Tb. chopped mixed fresh herbs (optional), i.e. basil, rosemary, thyme or Italian seasoning
1 ½ cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
½ cup milk
2 Tb. grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. salt
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about ½ lb. dry macaroni)

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens slightly, 2-3 minutes.

Stir the cheddar cheese, milk, Parmesan cheese, mustard, and salt into the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts and the mixture is smooth, 2-3 minutes Stir the pasta into the skillet and cook until heated through and well coated, 1-2 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes before serving.