Melissa's Lasagna Casserole

• 1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 (12 ounces) package No Yolks dumpling noodles (or other wide ribbon noodle)
• 2 (26 ounces) jars pasta sauce (I use Great Value Garlic & Onion)
• Grate Parmesan cheese (I use the green can)
• 4 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
• Salt & garlic powder

1. Boil noodles in salted water, according to package directions. Drain.
2. In a 13 x 9 inch pan, layer 1/2 of the noodles, a sprinkle of garlic powder, 1 jar of sauce, 1/2 of the ground beef, generous sprinkle of the Parmesan cheese, then top with 2 cups Mozzarella cheese.
3. Repeat step 2.
4. Bake in oven at 350F until hot and bubbly.

Layering order:         Noodles

                               Garlic Powder

                               Sauce

                               Beef

                               Parmesan cheese

                               Mozzarella cheese

                               "Repeat"

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

I thought this would be a good basic recipe to include on my site...

• 3 medium potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut into chunks, peeled or not
• 1/4 cup Country Crock Spread (margarine in a tub)
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Boil potatoes until they are tender; drain.
2. Mash potatoes until creamy. (I use a hand mixer)
3. Stir in cream Country Crock Spread, milk, salt & pepper.

From the lid of a Shedd's Spread Country Crock tub.

Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

• 1 cup quinoa (raw)
• 1 can (10-ounce) mild enchilada sauce
• 1 can (4.5-ounce) chopped green chiles, drained
•  1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen or canned)
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
• 1 Garden tomato, diced

1. Cook the quinoa according to the package directions, allowing it plenty of time to set as the directions indicate. Once the Quinoa is ready add the enchilada sauce, green chilies, corn, black beans, fresh cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt & pepper, half of the cheddar cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese. Mix well until the ingredients are well incorporated.
2. Spread the mix into a 9"x13" baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Top with the remaining cheeses and bake at 400F for 15 minutes, until it's heated through. 
3. Top with freshly diced tomatoes and avocado pieces. Serve Immediately.

Cook's notes: I added more black beans and corn than the recipe called for. I did not have the green chilies or the fresh cilantro in my pantry so I had to leave them out, although I am anxious to try this dish with them! I made my own enchilada sauce. (Recipe to follow soon!)

****************************************************************

Link to original recipe found on GroceryBudget101.com here.

Basic Quinoa

I learned to cook quinoa from Mrs. Alana in this video. She is cooking a healthy dinner so please try the other dishes she makes on this video. The quinoa tutorial begins about 3:15. Here's the written recipe:

• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 1 1/2 cups water or broth

1. Rinse the quinoa well! Place water and rinsed quinoa in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add a small amount of salt (quinoa absorbs salt easily).
2. Place a piece of aluminum foil on top of pot and put lid over this. 
3. Bring quinoa to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Let stand, covered, for an additional 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.

Great Kitchen & Life Hacks

I found this in my files and wanted to share these with you. If there is a personal comment on a hack, it was by the original poster and not me.

1. Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.. I didn't know that!

 2. Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!

 3. Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

 4. Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

 5. To make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.

 6. Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic, and at the end of the recipe if you want a stronger taste of garlic.

 7. Reheat Pizza Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

 8. Easy Deviled Eggs: Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

 9. Expanding Frosting: When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

 10. Reheating refrigerated bread: To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

 11. Newspaper weeds away: Plant your plants in the ground, work the nutrients in your soil. Then wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go, cover with mulch, and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.

 12. To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.

 13. Flexible vacuum: To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

 14. Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip to eliminate static cling. It works; you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... Ta DA! ... Static is gone.

 15. Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

 16. De-fog your windshield: Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

 17. Re-opening envelopes: If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

 18. Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.

 19. Goodbye Fruit Flies: To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup an d gone forever!

 20. Get Rid of Ants: Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

 21. Wash your dryer filter: Did you know that cleaning your lint trap with a dryer sheet can ruin it? Dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free, and smell good. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box? Apparently that stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is what causes dryer units to potentially burn your house down with it! You can test it by running the lint trap under water. If the water goes through you are good. If not then you need to clean it. The best way to keep your dryer working for a long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months.

 22. Drop a small object on the carpet and can't find it. Place panty hose over the end of the vacuum hose and start vacuuming. The panty hose will trap anything to large to fit through the tiny hose and keep it from getting sucked into the vacuum.

 23. Wearing a skirt or dress on a windy day. Cut open a few sections on the bottom seam. slip in some heavy washers or flat weights (anything small heavy and flat will work) then sew the seam back up.

 24. Need to cut some corn off the cob. Use your bundt pan. Place the ear on the opening in the center of the pan, and as you slide the knife down the ear, all the kernels will collect in the main part of the pan

3 Ingredient Teriyaki Chicken

• 1 to 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs (or breast), trimmed of excess fat
• ¼ cup coconut sugar, unrefined cane sugar, or sweetener of choice
• ½ cup soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for gluten-free option)
• Heat safe fat for cooking (coconut oil, ghee, tallow, etc.)

1. Place a chicken thigh/breast in a gallon freezer bag (I use freezer bags as they hold up better to the pounding process), wrap in plastic wrap, or place between two sheet of wax paper.
2. Using a meat mallet, pound the thigh/breast lightly, but firmly with the flat side.
3. Start at the middle and work your way to the edges. I like to flatten mine to about ¼ inch. Flatten all of the chicken thighs/breasts. Place the chicken in the freezer bag or in a pan, and pour over the soy sauce and sugar of choice. Make sure that the marinade is evenly covering the chicken and place in the refrigerator. Marinate for 20 minutes (for a light taste) to 2 hours (for a stronger flavor).
4. In a cast iron pan,heat enough fat of choice to coat the bottom of the pan, over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles when dropped in the pan.Add chicken (you may have to do this in batches if you have a small pan). Cook until the first side is starting to get a nice browned color, and then flip. Brown the other side. It should cook quickly (5-8 minutes total) since you pounded it thin.
5. Once there is no pink in the thickest part of the chicken when cut, remove and let sit for about 5 minutes. Slice thinly and serve. (If not serving right away or if you are cooking it in batches, don’t cut the chicken right away, but place in a serving bowl and cover with foil to help it keep warm).

My notes: I used regular white sugar in my marinade and low-sodium soy                        sauce. 

               Because we ended up going out to eat after I started marinating this,                this did marinate for over 24 hours. I rinsed the chicken before I pan-                fried it and it was still mild tasting.

               I pan-fried this in vegetable oil and a cast iron skillet, which was                        suggested on another post.

The original recipe is here.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

• 1 pound of penne pasta
• 6 strips of bacon, diced
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 packet of ranch seasoning mix
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt and pepper
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into pieces)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Start by cooking your pasta, draining it, and setting it aside.
2. While you are making your noodles; cook your bacon on a skillet, drain the grease but keep 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pan.
3. Add a tablespoon of butter to the bacon drippings and toss in your chicken breast pieces (cook until no longer pink/browned).
4. Pour the ranch dressing mix and flour over the chicken then add the 2 cups of milk. Stir until it is bubbly and thick.
5. Add the cheese and half of your diced bacon pieces to the pan; stir until melted.
6. Combine the sauce and pasta noodles together – add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Top off the dish with the extra bacon pieces and ENJOY!

Original post here.

Italian Tater Tot Casserole

• 1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 jar (26 ounces) pasta sauce, any flavor
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese
• 1 package tater tots, thawed (I prefer the flatter crowns)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a 9 x 13 pan mix ground beef and pasta sauce together.
3. Layer cheese evenly over top of mixture.
4. Layer tots or crowns over top of cheese in a single thick layer. I only use about 3/4 of a package.
5. Bake until crowns are brown and crispy.

Classic Cheesy Broccoli & Rice Casserole

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 (8 ounce) jar Cheez Whiz
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup milk
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 stick butter or margarine
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli*

1. Add milk, soup and Cheez Whiz to cooked rice. 
2. Saute onions and celery in margarine.
3. Thaw broccoli and add to other ingredients.
4. Put mixture in baking dish and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.

*Update 12/21: I now use a 12 ounce bag of frozen broccoli cuts and cut the bigger pieces into smaller ones. 

Marvelous Meatballs

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup milk (any)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Place the beef in a 2-quart or larger bowl. Add the bread crumbs, eggs, milk, onion powder, basil (omit if using Italian bread crumbs), salt and black pepper. Mix well with a spoon or with your hands.
3. Using a cookie dough scoop, form 48 meatballs, giving each one a quick roll with your hands to make it smooth and then placing it on the baking sheet.
4. Bake the meatballs until they are brown and cooked through, about 25 minutes. 
5. Remove from baking sheet and drain on paper towels. Serve at once or cool and store in the freezer for future use.

You can find the original recipe here.

I obtained this recipe from the Cheap.Fast.Good! cookbook

Triple-Layer Pumpkin Spice Pie

• 2 cups cold milk
• 2 (3.4 ounce) packages Jell-O Pumpkin Spice flavor instant pudding
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (8 ounces) tub Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed
• 1 Honey Maid Graham pie crust
• 1/2 cup Planters pecan halves
• 1 tablespoon honey

1. Beat dry pudding mixes, cinnamon and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min.; spread 1-1/2 cups onto bottom of crust.
2. Stir 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP into remaining pudding; spread over pudding layer in crust. Top with remaining COOL WHIP.
3. Refrigerate 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook nuts and honey in skillet on medium-low heat 2 to 4 min. or until nuts are caramelized, stirring frequently. Spread onto waxed paper, separating large clusters. Cool.
4. Sprinkle nuts over pie just before serving.

This is a lovely alternative to the standard pumpkin pie! I have not tried other flavors of pudding yet, but I bet they would be yummy!

Original recipe here.