Green Bean Pasta Casserole

I love green bean casserole!  I love pasta!  Why not combine them?  So I did, and it turned out scrumptious.  I hope you enjoy this too!

Green Bean Pasta Casserole

1 lb pasta of choice (I used cavatelli)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can milk or water

2 cans green beans

French's fried onions

Cook the pasta al dente and drain.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Combine soup and water or milk, then add green beans.  Add the pasta to the soup mixture and stir in 2/3 cup fried onions.  Pour into a casserole dish and cover with fried onions.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until onions are browned.  Let sit for 1 minute before serving.  Enjoy!

Taco Casserole

I wasn't sure what to make for dinner tonight, all I knew was I wanted to use taco meat and I didn't want run of the mill tacos.  Looking around what I had I gathered a bunch of things and made this delectable taco casserole.  You can also use this concept to make a delicious dip*.

Taco Casserole

1 lb ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 Tbsp minced garlic

Salsa

1 package hard taco shells

Cream cheese with chives

Salsa

3 cups shredded cheese of choice (I used a Mexican Blend)

Cook the ground beef over medium high heat.  When it is fully cooked reduce heat to medium and add onion and garlic, cook until they start to become translucent.  Add the taco seasoning, mix well and remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350F. Cover the bottom of a pie pan, you can use a casserole dish if you prefer, with a thin layer of salsa.  Crush 1/3 of the taco shells and spread over the salsa.  Spread a layer of the cream cheese over the taco shells, followed by half the meat mixture.  Atop the meat spread 1 cup of cheese then repeat the layers again: salsa, crushed taco shell, cream cheese, meat mixture, cheese.  Atop the cheese spread another layer of salsa then cream cheese and crumble the rest of the taco shells over it.  Cover the top with the last cup of cheese and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted.  Enjoy!

*If you want to make a 4 layer dip to serve with chips just layer the cream cheese, salsa, meat and cheese and bake.

**You can also add anything else that you would like with tex-mex food, like jalapenos, black olives, artichoke hearts, sour cream, refried beans and/or guacamole for added layers.

Ranch Cheddar Pasta

I was looking through my refrigerator and pantry wondering what to make for dinner and seeing what I had on hand when I decided to try this.  I didn't have a recipe to work from, just a concept that I hoped would work well, and it did.

Ranch Cheddar Pasta

1/2 lb pasta of your choice

2 Tbsp butter

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup ranch dressing

3/4 cup shredded cheddar

2 tsp ground black pepper

Cook pasta according to instructions on package.  In a medium sauce pan melt the butter.  Add the garlic and saute until translucent, then add the ranch dressing.  Bring the ranch to a boil then add the cheese, stirring constantly until melted.  Add the pepper and stir well.  Pour over the pasta, stirring to mix well.  Enjoy!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This dip goes great with chips of any kind.  Quick and easy to make, you're sure to enjoy it.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1-2 cups frozen chopped spinach

4 oz artichoke hearts, finely chopped

1/2 lb cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat soup in small sauce pan.  Add spinach and artichoke and continue cooking until warmed through.  Add cheese and cook, stirring constantly, until cheese is fully melted.  Serve hot.

Pulled Pork

A delicious crockpot recipe for pulled pork.  You can use it for sandwiches, in calzones, or as an entree by itself.  A few simple ingredients and 8 hours and you have delicious pulled pork.  I served mine on Ciabatta rolls with this Garlic Aioli.

Pulled Pork

1 3lb pork roast

12 oz root beer

Your favorite barbecue sauce

Put the pork in the crockpot and pour root beer over the top.  Cook on low for 7 hours.  Drain out the rootbeer, add barbecue sauce and stir, the pork should literally be falling apart.  Cook on low for another hour and your pork is finished.  Enjoy!

Garlic Aioli

Simple and easy to make this garlic aioli is delicious.  It goes great on sandwiches or as a dip for chips, fries or onion rings.  I'm sure you can find plenty of other uses for it as well.

Garlic Aioli

3/4 cup mayonnaise

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Refrigerate for at least half an hour for flavors to combine.  Enjoy!

*I prefer to cut the lemon juice in half.

*I recently used this in place of regular mayonnaise in a pasta salad and the result was deliciousness! People couldn't get enough.

Fried Chicken Wontons

You can always make soup with these wontons, or do as I did and make some delicious appetizers by frying them up.  These are great served with sweet & sour sauce and soy sauce for dipping.

Fried Chicken Wontons

1 package wonton skins

3/4# ground chicken

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp soy sauce

Oil to fry in

Mix meat mixture together, place ½ - 1 tsp mix in wonton skin.
To roll

1. Lightly wet 3 corners of wrapper with water

2. Roll first corner under and tuck under meat.

3. Fold side corner toward center.

4. Fold other side corner over.

5. Lightly wet base of folded area.

6. Do a half roll from #2 end.

 
Put in boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Drain.

Heat oil to 375 F. Fry wontons in oil until golden brown, flipping once. Enjoy!

Should you decide to make soup instead of fried wontons after boiling the wontons make chicken broth. (4 qts. Water and ½ c chicken base) Put wontons in to simmer. Before serving add chopped scallions. Add base as needed to strengthen flavor. You can also add snow peas, pork strips, the meat mixture made into little balls and boiled, baby corn.