Ground Beef Hash Brown Bake

 

• 1 pound (16 ounces) ground beef
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion (or 1/2 cup diced onion)
• 1 package (26 ounces) frozen shredded hash browns ( 4 cups fresh shredded potatoes?)
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt & black pepper, as desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a Dutch oven, brown ground beef and onion. Drain the ground beef and return to pot. In the same pot, combine hash browns , soup, milk, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 1 cup of the cheese. Heat until ingredients are combined and mixture is warm. Turn mixture into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, sprinkling top with the reserved cup of cheese in the last 10 minutes.

Original post here.

Perfectly Seasoned Slow Cooker Pinto Beans

• 1 pound (16 ounces) bag of dried pinto beans
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4 slices of thick cut bacon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to your preference)
• 4 teaspoons chicken broth concentrate
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar

Pour the beans into a large bowl or slow cooker bowl and cover with at least 2 inches of water and allow to soak overnight. Alternately, you can boil the beans in a stovetop safe pan at a steady boil for about 10 minutes before you begin to cook them. Drain and rinse the beans after this step. Heat olive oil in a pan and saute onions and garlic until soft and fragrant. Transfer all of the ingredients to the slow cooker bowl and cover beans with at least 2 inches of water. Set slow cooker to high and cook for 4-6 hours, until beans are as soft as you desire.

Original recipe here. 

Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Chicken

 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3-4 chicken breasts, halved crosswise
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 10 ounces Cremini mushrooms, sliced

• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream or half & half
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup baby spinach, stems removed (I just used a big handful)

Place 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. Melt butter over medium heat. Add chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Brown chicken until internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Remove from pan. Melt an additional 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil together. Saute mushrooms until they are soft. Remove from pan.

Place 2 tablespoons of butter in skillet. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add flour and allow to cook for a minute or two to remove the raw flour taste. Slowly stir in chicken broth and garlic powder. Add the heavy cream. Stir until sauce is thickened. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted in the sauce. Season sauce with salt and pepper, as needed. Stir in baby spinach and allow to wilt. Add chicken and mushrooms back to the skillet and coat chicken with the sauce. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Original recipe here.