Tex Mex Lasagna

Good Morning! Last night was a long one for us over here. My in-laws called on their way home from Indiana that they were about 20 miles south of our house and had hit a deer. Thankfully, they were fine and their van was still driveable, but what were they going to do with that meat?! They didn't have time to take care of that and they knew my hubby hadn't gotten a deer in a couple years, so we were running dangerously low on venison. We took it. My dad came over to help cut it up enough to get it in the house where it was warm and we cut up what meat was still good into steaks and roasts. WOOHOO!! They called right after we finished dinner, so the timing was pretty good, too! I made this tex-mex lasagna thing that was pretty good, but a 9x13 pan of it was too much for the 6 of us, especially since 3 of the boys decided they didn't like it before they even tried it! So I sent some home with dad for their lunches today and kept some for my lunch today and still have leftovers. Tim is convinced that since he liked it, I'll never make it again since I have a tendency to make so many new things and rarely get back to making something we liked. Maybe I'll surprise him (it was from the TOH Guilt Free Cookbook my MIL got for me, so it's pretty good for you, too!) with it again sometime soon! Anyway, here it is. Enjoy!

Tex-Mex Lasagna
(As usual, there are a few modifications that I made....you can ignore them if you like.)

1 pound lean ground beef**(See note below)
1 can (16 oz) refried black beans (I skipped this, I can. not. stand. refried beans!)
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen corn (totally not enough! Use 1 full cup or maybe a little more)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (I skipped this since I used homemade salsa and there's enough jalapenos in there to make it have some zip)
1 envelope taco seasoning (I make my own, here's the recipe for that!)
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (I made the mistake of not writing down what size can I needed when I went to the store, so I bought too small of a can. Oops! I mixed in the 8 oz can that I bought with a 15 oz can of tomato soup and it worked fine. Use the whole can of tomato soup if you do it this way, it won't hurt anything and then what's left isn't going to waste.)
2 1/2 cups salsa (I used homemade and used 2 pints{equivalent of 4 cups}...2 1/2 cups just wasn't saucy enough for me!)
12 no cook lasagna noodles (took me 15, 5 on each layer)
1 1/2 cups reduced fat shredded monterey jack or fiesta blend cheese
1 1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup fat free sour cream (optional)
1 medium avocado, peeled and cubed (optional)
4 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)

In a large skillet, brown the hamburger until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the beans, corn, jalapeno, taco seasoning and 3/4 cup tomato sauce. Set aside.

Combine salsa and remaining tomato sauce. Spread 1/4 cup (I used about 1/2 cup) into a greased 9x13 pan. Lay down one set of lasagna noodles, top with half of the meat, 1 cup salsa mixture, 1/2 cup of each of the cheeses. Repeat. Top that with the remaining noodles, salsa mixture and cheeses.

Cover and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until edges are golden and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with sour cream, avocado, and onion, if desired.

**A note about ground beef....I was listening to something on public radio and they said that if you buy the cheaper ground beef (73/27 or whatever) and drain it, then rinse it with hot water, the fat content is similar to if you buy the more expensive lean ground beef. Just a tip for you. Or, you can use half a pound of lean ground beef and half a pound of ground turkey to save more fat.

One serving= 1 piece (12 servings per pan): 381 calories, 13g fat, 5g fiber, 25g protein. You can use no salt added tomato sauce and beans to lower the sodium, too.

Garlic Beef Stroganoff

When my mom and dad got their new kitchen table a few years ago, I had to be there when they delivered it since mom and dad were both working. As a surprise for them, I made dinner and had it in the crockpot for them when they got home. I think that actually started the whole "Jess brings dinner over several nights a week" thing that we enjoyed for several years until my hubby quit his job to go back to school and we moved across the state. It was great while it lasted...for all of us! Anyway, I was digging around in a cookbook and found this. We tried it and we loved it! It's super simple and totally tasty! Enjoy!


In your slow cooker, dissolve 2 tsp beef bouillon in 1 cup boiling water. Add 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 2-4oz cans drained mushrooms(opt), 1 large chopped onion, 3 cloves minced garlic (I use more), and 1 Tbsp Worcestershire. In a skillet, brown 1 1/2-2 pounds cubed round steak. Add the meat to your slow cooker and cook on low 7-8 hours. Stir in 8 oz cream cheese before serving and stir until smooth. I like to serve over buttered noodles.

Chuck Wagon Wraps

We're turning over new leaves left and right over here! First, I got bitten by the running bug, now I've got Timmy working out with me in the morning....and to go with that, we need to start watching what we eat. Here's the challenge...we have 4 boys that need to eat fat. They have boundless energy and need the fat and calories to keep them from losing weight. And they can be a bit fussy sometimes. Well, I've been struggling to find recipes online. I don't make too much time for that, honestly. But, my FABULOUS MIL, bought me a book that, so far, we are enjoying! It's from Taste of Home and it's called Guilt Free Cooking. When I was looking through the book the first time, I said that one recipe sounded interesting....Timmy wasn't real sure...it was a veggie "burger" that was carrots and onions and zucchini and not a speck of meat. He told me not to bother making them. So, when he saw the book out tonight he was leery about what I was making and he thought I was trying to sneak something past him until I let him read the recipe...it's simple and tastes good and appeals to his "meat and potatoes" side, and it's so fast to make!! 5 of the 6 of us enjoyed this, so I'd say it's a winner! Enjoy!



Chuck Wagon Wraps

1# ground beef (I use the cheapest stuff and make sure that I drain it)
1-28 oz can BBQ baked beans (I used the new Bush's Grillin' ones...Southern Pit BBQ and added some Sweet Baby Rays original since it wasn't a big enough can)
2 cups frozen corn (use the frozen, not canned here, pretty please.)
4 1/2 tsp Worcestershire
1 cup (4 oz) reduced fat shredded Cheddar cheese
12 tortillas, warmed (I use Chi-Chi's whole wheat and no one complains)
3 cups shredded lettuce (please use leaf lettuce or something other than iceberg, though that would work too it just isn't as good)
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

Brown the hamburger in a large skillet. Drain. Stir in baked beans, corn, and Worcestershire. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Allow to simmer 4-5 minutes, uncovered. Sprinkle with cheese and simmer another 1-2 minutes.

Spoon 1/2 cup meat mixture for each tortilla and top with choice of toppings.

1 wrap = 1 serving. 373 calories, 11 g fat, 4 g fiber, 20 g protien.

Check out other great recipes today at The Grocery Cart Challenge!

BBQ Bacon Cheeseburgers

Have your attention yet? BBQ Bacon Cheeseburgers are on Tim's top 10 list of fave foods. I needed a QUICK dinner last night since I wasn't feeling exactly wonderful and didn't make it to the grocery store as I always do on Monday's. I had ground beef and everything else for burgers...except buns which the gas stations in town both sell, so it was burger night! These are bacon wrapped cheeseburgers, I had to modify the recipe but they turned out awesome. Tim got one cold one when he got home and I had another one frying for him so he got a hot one, too. Rugby ate THREE of them. The kids I topped with shredded cheddar and ours I topped with pepper jack which was SO GOOD!! Enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Burgers

In a large bowl, mix:
1 egg
1 small onion, diced
2 tbsp BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's original)
2 tbsp Worcestershire
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 pounds ground beef

Form into patties. Wrap with bacon (secure bacon with toothpicks). Grill over medium-medium high heat for 5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Top with cheese of your choice and allow to melt. This made 8 burgers for me and took almost 1/2 pound of thick sliced bacon.

I fried them in a skillet on the stove since I couldn't find the fire stick to start the grill. I had to pour the grease off part of the way through cooking, but other than that, it went smoothly.

Spaghetti

Hello everyone!

This week, I had some company here. It was so nice to visit!! She's my younger cousin and was in need of some time away. Anyway, while she was here, I made our great-aunt's recipe for Spaghetti. Nothing says lovin' like Aunt Harriet's Spaghetti!! It's just sooooooooo good!! It's at the top of my list of favorite comfort foods. Sorry I don't have pictures to share, but please let me know if you try it. It's sooooo good!!

Spaghetti

1 pound ground meat (beef or venison...I had venison so that's what I used this time)
4+ cloves garlic (amount is your preference...we like garlic so I use more, but it's your choice)
medium onion, chopped
2 cans tomato soup
1 soup can of water
2 tbsp lemon juice
Italian seasoning
(optional: cayenne pepper and sliced mushrooms)

Melt some butter in a large skillet and gently saute the onion and garlic. Turn heat up a bit and fry the hamburger until it's in small crumbles. Add the tomato soup, water, lemon juice and Italian seasoning (I sprinkle the pan to cover it once, stir, then cover again. Now would be a good to add the mushrooms if you wish and a light sprinkling of cayenne) Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for at least one hour. I usually try to make this in the morning and let it simmer all day. It does taste even better if you simmer it one day and reheat it the next. Serve over noodles with garlic bread or just buttered dinner rolls (I made my whole wheat dinner rolls and they were awesome!!) Enjoy!

Spicy Grilled Beef Tenderloin

Yes, Ladies and Gents, that was the main item on our New Years' menu. I started with some Crab Rangoon, then dinner was the grilled tenderloin, mashed potatoes, green beans, and cottage cheese. Dessert was mint chip ice cream cake.

The crab rangoon (sorry no picture) turned out fabulous again. We used our new deep fryer and it was MUCH MUCH easier than last time I made them.

Crab Rangoon

3 oz cream cheese
2 green onion, finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup minced imitation crab meat
approx 16 wonton wrappers

Mix first 4 ingredients. Spoon 1 1/2 tsp of this mixture into the center of the wonton wrapper and fold to form a triangle. Seal the seam with a bit of water on your finger. Fry at 375. You'll need to flip them, so keep a close eye on them.

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The Spicy Grilled Beef Tenderloin recipe comes courtesy of the Food Network. I was searching a cookbook at Walmart while I was shopping since I couldn't find the cut of meat I wanted and I found this one. I wrote the recipe in shorthand on my list and off I went. Of course, I promptly lost the list upon checking out. I am SO glad that the Food Network posts their recipes online!! We had Adam and Kelly here for dinner tonight and this was a hit with all of us (even me!!). Tim was leary about it when he saw me preparing the tomatoes, but quickly came around when it was plated to serve. He said it reminded him of the Greek diners on Long Island. Adam said something about a "taste sensation" or something. Yea, he liked it too. Next time, I think I'll make half the amount of cheesy tomato sauce for the same size chunk of meat, but it was really good!

Spicy Grilled Beef Tenderloin Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence Show: Food 911 Episode: Mexican Fiesta

4 pints cherry tomatoes (I couldn't find, so I used some that were a tiny bit smaller than a golf ball and cut them in half after they were cooked and they were too big. Really do need a small tomato here) Extra-virgin olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 limes, juiced 1/2 red onion, sliced thin 1 serrano chili, sliced thin 1/2 bunch freshly chopped cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish 1/2 pound queso fresco or feta cheese, crumbled 1 (4-pound) beef tenderloinHeat the broiler. Put the cherry tomatoes onto baking sheets, drizzle over some olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Broil until the tomatoes burst, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow them to cool a bit. In a large bowl add about 1/4 cup olive oil, juice of 2 limes, onion, chili, chopped cilantro, cheese, and the tomatoes. Mix carefully to avoid breaking up the tomatoes too much. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper; set aside. Heat the grill or a grill pan to medium. Rub the meat with some olive oil and season it generously with salt and pepper. Grill the tenderloin, browning it on all sides, until it is medium rare, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the meat to a cutting board, cover it with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice the meat thin, place it on a platter, and spoon on the cheesy tomato dressing. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and cilantro leaves.

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For dessert, we had a simple ice cream cake. I used a whole package of regular Oreo cookies, crushed them and added some melted butter. About a stick and a half is good. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Top with a quart of softened mint chocolate chip ice cream and a small tub of cool whip. Drizzle chocolate syrup over or do like we did and grate some Andes mints over it. Freeze until ready to serve. VOILA!

Alrighty, there you have our New Years Dinner. Try it out and let me know what you think!