Taco Mac

I don't know how on earth I missed this recipe all these years! Once I found it, I realized versions of it were all over the internet, but I loved it so much I had to add it to my own blog, as well. I'm a big fan of chili mac and taco spaghetti, which are similar to this in many ways, so it's no big surprise that I loved this familiar combo of meat, cheese, pasta, and tomatoes. Add in some taco seasoning, and you've got an easy, tasty new dish that should please just about everyone. Especially since it's made in one pan in under 30 minutes!

Taco Mac

Prep time 5 min, Cook time: 30 min

Serves 4

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, diced
1 (10 oz) can tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (1 oz) package taco seasoning
1 1/2 cup elbow noodles
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (or Mexican blend cheese)

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with onions over medium heat. Drain off any grease.

Add the can of tomatoes, broth, milk, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Increase heat to medium high until the mixture begins to simmer.

Stir in noodles and reduce heat to low. Cover and allow to cook for 20-25 minutes, until noodles are tender.

Stir in shredded cheese until melted. Serve and enjoy!

Chili Mac

• I love a good bowl of chili, and I love a good bowl of mac and cheese. When you put them together, you get something totally different but just as good! This simple-but-delicious one-pot dish calls for ingredients I always have on hand, is ready in less than half an hour, and makes a full meal all by itself. Sure, you could serve a salad on the side, but I prefer a second helping of this instead! You could easily sneak in some green peppers or zucchini if you really want some extra veggies.
• 
  
  
• Chili Mac
• Cook time: 20 min
• Serves 6
• 
  
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes (I used Italian seasoned)
• 1 (14.5-oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 4 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces elbow pasta
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (plus more for topping, if desired)
• 
  
• Season ground beef and onion with salt and pepper. Cook in large pot until beef is browned, about 3-5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Drain off excess fat.
• 
  
• Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, chili powder and cumin. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and stir in pasta. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 13-15 minutes. Add a little water if mixture gets too dry.
• 
  
• Stir in cheese until melted. Sprinkle each serving with additional cheese, if desired.

554 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

London Broil

Have you ever heard of London Broil?  It's an old-fashioned meal that sounds kind of fancy but it's actually just a made-up name used to make a cheap cut of meat sound high class.  It wasn't created in London, and from what I've read, they haven't even heard of it over in England!  You'll find packages of meat in the store labeled London Broil, but the name is really a method of preparation, not a cut of meat.  Typically, it's thick-cut flank steak or top round steak.

The dish may be a fraud, but I don't mind because it's so darn yummy.  Because it uses a tough cut of meat, the secret to great London Broil is marinating the meat and cutting thin slices against the grain.  Do that, and you'll have amazingly tender and flavorful strips of meat that are great plain or on a sandwich.

London Broil

Prep time: 5 min (plus 24 hrs marinating time) Cook time: 20 min
Serves 6

1.5 lbs London Broil
1 (10.5 oz) can beef consommé
Hoagie buns (if desired)

Marinade:
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp Accent seasoning
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbs minced garlic
1/3 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup oil

Prick both sides of meat with a fork.  Combine marinade ingredients in a gallon ziploc and marinate meat for 24 hours.

Remove meat from marinade and grill or broil 8-10 minutes on each side.  Meanwhile, combine leftover marinate and consommé in a large saucepan and heat to boiling.

Slice beef thinly against the grain and return to the marinade to serve.

Lasagna Casserole

I may have mentioned once or twice that I like lasagna.  Like when I posted my favorite traditional lasagna recipe, or this interesting lasagna soup recipe, or even this easy skillet lasagna recipe. Yeah, I kinda have an obsession with lasagna. :)

After all these years, I didn't think there were any lasagna recipes left that I hadn't already tried (the crockpot lasagna recipe was a bust). So, I was pleasantly surprised when I started making this recipe and realized it was basically just an easier version of lasagna! What I really love is the reduced baking time -- only 20 minutes! That means I can have this quick version of lasagna even on the busiest days.

Lasagna Casserole

Prep time: 15 min  Bake time: 20 min

Serves 5

1 lb ground beef

1 large onion, diced

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (I used the Italian seasoned variety)

1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic salt
8 oz egg noodles
1 cup sour cream
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded


Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and onions, seasoned with salt and pepper, until no longer pink. Drain off excess grease.

Add in the tomato sauce, sugar, onion powder, and garlic salt into the meat and let simmer on low while you prepare the rest.

Cook the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain.

In small bowl, mix together the sour cream and the cream cheese.

In a 9 x 9 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray, layer half the egg noodles, half the sour cream and cream cheese mixture, and half the ground beef mixture. Repeat layers then top with the shredded cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

676 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Taco Spaghetti

How have I gone my entire life without trying this recipe?  I love tacos, I love spaghetti, and I really love quick, easy, one-pot dinners that my whole family will enjoy!  This one is all of those things, plus, I usually have all these ingredients on hand, so it's a great last-minute meal, too.

Here's a bonus tip:
This is one of those recipes that calls for a tiny amount of tomato paste, and I always hate opening a new can for just a tablespoon or two.  But tomato paste freezes great!  So, next time you have a lot leftover, divide it into ice cube trays and freeze it.  Once it's frozen, you can pop out the cubes and transfer them to a freezer bag or container.  Then it's easy to pull out exactly the right amount without having to open a new can.

Taco Spaghetti
Cook time: 20 min
Serves 4

1 lb ground beef
1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning
1 (10 oz can) diced tomatoes & green chilies
1 Tbs tomato paste
8 oz spaghetti
1 cup Mexican or Fiesta blend cheese
2 Tbs chopped, fresh cilantro leaves

Brown ground beef in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Drain.  Stir in taco seasoning.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, spaghetti and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 13-16 minutes.

Remove from heat and top with cheeses. Cover until melted, about 2 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

662 calories per serving.  Click here for shopping list and more nutritional info!

Crock Pot Beef and Noodles

I couldn't hardly believe it when I logged on and realized it's been four months since I last posted a new recipe on here!  I've been pretty busy lately with the holidays, my daughter's birthday, and my burgeoning career as an author.  I have 8 books out now!  Planning new meals has taken a backseat, so I haven't even made anything new lately, let alone anything that was worth blogging about.

The other day, I found a bag of frozen noodles at Wally World, and they looked intriguing.  I picked them up, figuring I'd find a use for them eventually.  A quick Pinterest search led me to a beef and noodles recipe that sounded yummy, so I decided to give it a try tonight.  So glad I did!

I threw this together in minutes on my lunch break and finished it off while I set the table and made a salad after work.  I tried it out on my bestie (my second favorite guinea pig after my husband), and she and everyone else thought it was great!  Plus, there were enough leftovers to share.  She was pretty happy about that.

Crockpot Beef and Noodles

Prep time: 5 min  Cook time:6-8 hrs
Serves 8

2 lbs of beef roast or beef tips
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 packet Au Jus Gravy mix
1 packet beefy onion soup mix
4 cups water
1 (16 oz) bag frozen egg noodles
1 Tbs of Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce (optional)
1 large can sliced mushrooms, drained (optional)

Spray, oil or butter your slow cooker insert.
Dice up the meat, season with salt and pepper, and toss it in the slow cooker. (If you have the time, you can give the meat a quick sear in a bit of oil in skillet first, just to up the meaty flavor, but this isn't essential)
Mix your canned soups, onion soup mix and au jus mix with 4 cups of water. Pour over the beef tips.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
60 minutes before serving, turn the crockpot to high.  Add the seasoning sauce, mushrooms, and noodles. Stir and squish down the noodles so they're under the liquid.
Cover and cook on high for 60 more minutes.

542 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Bierocks

It's not often that I try something I've never had before, but this dish I've never even heard of before!  Apparently, these tasty little pockets originated in Russia or Germany and are quite popular in places like Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma.  I was raised in Indiana, but the closest I've ever had to these is a Michigan pasty.  You could probably put just about anything you like in these, but beef, cabbage, and onions are the traditional staples.  My hubby thought they would be great with mushrooms, but he says that about everything.

The kiddo hates all three of those main ingredients, so of course, I had to save it for a day she wasn't going to be home for dinner.  It also takes a whole lot longer to make than I'm usually willing to spend cooking, but I knew my hubby would love it and the recipe would make a lot.  They turned out really yummy, and they were just as good reheated.  I stuck the leftovers in the freezer, and they would be handy hand sandwiches to pull out for lunches.

Bierocks

Prep time: 30 min Bake time: 20 min
Serves 12

2 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed
1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, chopped finely
1 small head of cabbage or 1/2 a large, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 cup shredded cheddar

Preheat the oven to 350°.

In a large skillet, cook hamburger and onion until hamburger is cooked through and onion is fairly translucent. Add in chopped cabbage and cook until tender and wilted.  Place the filling in a colander and allow to drain for about 15 minutes as it cools. Return to pan and add salt, pepper, allspice, and cloves to taste. Adjust seasoning if needed.  Mix in cheese.

Gently punch down and divide the dough into 12 portions.  Roll each portion into a rectangle, approximately 3" by 6".

Put about a half a cup of the filling in each square.  Fold dough over to close and pinch edges.  Make certain seams are sealed well – if the dough has become too dry to easily stick easily, run a slightly wet finger next to the edges and proceed.

Place the bierock on a lightly-oiled baking sheet (or use a Silpat).  Cover with a clean tea towel.  If working at a time of year with low humidity, lightly spray the tops so they won’t dry. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Let rise about 20 minutes or so. and perhaps a bit longer in cooler weather (the tops should be smooth.) Bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and place on a wire rack.  While still warm, brush tops with butter.

These are good hot and cold.  They freeze well and heat up easily in the microwave wrapped in paper towel or in the oven for 10 minutes.

Cheeseburger Soup

Everybody in my family loves a hot, hearty soup to warm them up on a cold winter day. Whodathunk it would be 75 degrees on December 27th? No worries, with the A/C on it was nice and chilly inside and the soup went down just fine.

This has all the yummy flavors of a cheeseburger, with a few veggies thrown in for good measure.  I served it with some fresh baked rolls and everybody went back for seconds.  Next time I'll serve it with pickle spears on the side!

Cheeseburger Soup

Prep time: 10 min  Cook time: 30 min
Serves 8

1 lb ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
4 Tbs butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup flour
8 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

In a 3-qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute the onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, potatoes, tomatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream.

432 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

I felt the need to don a chunky sweater and closed-toe shoes for the first time since last winter today, so I guess fall has officially, well, fallen. I'm not too excited about having to trade my shorts and tees for heavy jeans and sweaters, but I am definitely ready for some hearty fall food! All my friends are doing this extreme diet challenge and I'm over here like: need more carbs!  Carbs are my favorite. Next to cheese. And chocolate. Wait, I think that's a carb, too. But I digress.

This recipe isn't exactly health food, but it's got all the major food groups so it can't be that bad. I suppose if you wanted to lighten it up a little you could swap the beef for ground turkey and leave off the cheese. I might try the ground turkey next time, but you'll have to pry my cheddar from my cold, dead hands.

If you like stuffed peppers, this tastes exactly the same, just in belly-warming soup form, and although it's not really any quicker, it is a little easier and it makes a ton so you can feed an average size family a couple times or invite over all your friends and tempt them off their diets.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Prep time:5 min  Cook time:45 min
Serves 10

2 pounds ground beef
2 quarts water
1 can (28 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cups uncooked long grain rice
3 chopped green peppers
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp beef bouillon granules
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 cups shredded cheddar

In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in all remaining ingredients except for the cheese; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until peppers are tender.  Sprinkle with cheese before serving.

430 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Pepper Perfection

I love to experiment with new recipes, and when my husband and I got married he was thrilled.  His mom had always been afraid to try new things, so my foray into the exotic was met with enthusiasm.  After 11 years of marriage, he still appreciates all the new dishes I try, but you know what gets him excited now?  When I make the good, old-fashioned meals his momma used to make.  This dish is one that my mom used to make all the time, and I don't remember liking it as a kid, but now it's one of my favorites.  I've adapted mom's recipe a little, swapping a box of Spanish rice for the longer list of ingredients she always used, but I think it makes it tastier as well as easier.  The kid won't eat it, of course, but maybe in a few years when she's trying to please her husband she'll remember mom's good ol' stuffed peppers recipe and give it a try herself!

Stuffed Green Peppers
Prep time: 30 min  Bake time: 10 min
Serves 6

3 large green peppers
1 (6.8 oz) box Spanish rice mix
2 Tbs butter (for rice)
2 cups hot water (for rice)
1 (14.5 oz) can Italian diced tomatoes (for rice)
1 lb lean ground beef
2 cups shredded cheddar
2 Tbs chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and stem.  Blanch peppers in the boiling water for 3-4 minutes.  Remove, drain, and place inside-up in a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt.

Meanwhile, brown ground beef and drain. Prepare rice according to directions on box.  (I usually add the cooked beef into the rice while it is simmering to infuse it with flavor.)  Combine the beef and rice with 1 cup of the cheese.

Scoop the mixture into the peppers.  Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on top.  Bake at 350° till cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.  Garnish with cilantro or parsley, if desired.

463 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Neato Taquito

As a foodie, I absolutely hate to waste anything edible.  In fact, I pretty much refuse to throw away anything until it is moldy and covered in fuzz.  If I think there's a chance something could still be eaten, into the fridge it goes.  This makes for a very crowded fridge and some interesting leftover lunches!

A couple days ago, we had steaks for dinner, and of course, there were leftovers.  I love a good hunk of beef, but leftover steak?  Not so much.  Needless to say, these leftovers sat in the fridge for a few days.  Imagine my delight when I came across this creative use for them!  You could really put any precooked meat in these, but the steak was great, and I was thrilled not to waste a single bite of it.  I served these as appetizers on Thanksgiving morning to keep the vultures out of my kitchen, but this recipe would also make a good main dish for a family of 3 or 4.

Steak and Cheese Taquitos
link to original recipe
Prep: 10 min  Cook: 10 min
Serves 10

2 cups cooked steak, cubed
1 1/2 cups sharp shredded cheddar
3/4 cup corn
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
10 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1/4 cup  oil, divided

In a large mixing bowl combine the steak, cheese, corn, salsa and sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add enough oil to a large skillet to generously cover the bottom and heat on medium till sizzling.

Meanwhile, spread a scant 1/4 cup of the steak mixture off center on each tortilla and spread out like a log leaving a 1/2 inch border near the edge. Roll up and set seam side down in pan. Cook tortillas in batches turning to brown each side. Add more oil as needed to the pan in between batches. Remove taquitos to a draining rack*.  If you want to save a few calories, you could bake these at 400 for about 15 minutes instead of frying them.


*According to Alton Brown, my favorite food geek, the best way to drain fried food is to line a baking sheet with paper towels or newspaper then lay a cooling rack upside down on top so that the grates are touching the paper towels.  This way, the oil is wicked away from the food and absorbed by the towels, but the food does not rest directly on top of the oil-soaked paper.


326 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Good-anoff for Company

We've got company in town this week, my husband's aunt and uncle, and although they are staying with my mother-in-law I felt the need to take a turn feeding them.  Unfortunately, their visit just happened to coincide with the one day my bosses decided to double up on the schedule, creating the busiest workday I've ever had!  Let me tell you, I have never been happier to have a great Crock-Pot meal up my sleeve!  Beef stroganoff sounds fancy enough to impress even the most important company, but this recipe was so easy it didn't take an ounce of extra effort from me.  In fact, I even had enough energy left to blog about it!  I've tried a dozen different stroganoff recipes, but this one is so simple and tasty, it beats them all.

Crock-Pot Beef Stroganoff
Prep time: 5 mn Cook time: 8 hrs
Serves 6

1 lb stew beef chunks
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (1 oz) envelope onion soup mix
8 oz sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned)
8 oz sour cream
6 oz egg noodles, prepared

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray and add beef, soup, soup mix, and mushrooms.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours till beef is tender.  Stir in sour cream and prepared noodles. 

338 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Liquid Taco Love - Taco Soup

We love tacos at our house. Of course, who doesn't like tacos, right? I mean, seriously, what's not to love about spicy beef and cheese, wrapped up in a crispy shell. Tacos are pretty easy, too. Brown some meat, put out some fixings, and let the fam assemble their own dinner. Sounds like a winner to me!

When we first adopted our daughter, Rachel, I remember how excited she would get whenever we were having tacos for dinner, and any time I asked her what she wanted me to make her face would light up with a great big, cheesy grin and she'd yell, "Tacos!!!" But, just like her taste in music has matured from Justin Bieber to One Direction, tacos have lost some of their specialness and we're on the lookout for something new and exciting that will rekindle the thrill of our weekly taco night.

The weather turned a little cooler this week, and I felt the need to break out my fuzzy socks and flannel pj's, so a thick, bubbly soup seemed like just the thing to warm me up. I wasn't planning on making this soup, but when I saw how easy it was and knew I had all the ingredients already in my pantry, I dumped all my taco fixings in a pot and voila! my new favorite form of tacos was born!

Cheesy Taco Soup

Total time: 25 min.

Serves 6

Meat Mixture:

1 lb lean ground beef

Salt & pepper, to taste

1/2 cup diced onion (optional)

1/2 cup diced green pepper (optional)

1 (1 oz) envelope taco seasoning 
1 (10 oz) can tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (15 oz) can of pinto beans or black beans (or a combo)
2 cups frozen corn

1.5 cups milk

Cheese Mixture:

2 Tbsp butter 

2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cayenne pepper, to taste

Topping suggestions: Mexican blend shredded cheese, sour cream, diced green onions, corn chips (Fritos)

Season ground beef with salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp each) then brown in a large soup pot over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Add onions and peppers, if using, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain off grease and return to pot.

Add taco seasoning, tomatoes, beans, corn, and 1-1/2 cups milk into beef mixture and stir well to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until almost boiling (you should see just a few bubbles) then turn heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat then whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in 1 cup milk. Switch to a rubber spatula to cook and stir mixture until thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat then stir in shredded cheese until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1/4 tsp each).

Add cheese sauce to meat mixture and simmer a few more minutes until heated through. Add cayenne pepper to taste, if desired (I use about 1/2 tsp.)

I serve this with Mexican blend shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, and corn chips for topping.

442 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Whole Lotta Chipotle

All you friends here in bloggerland know me as Sweet P, but what you probably didn't know is that my friends in the real world occasionally call me by another, less innocent name.  It's a little naughty, so, Mom, if you're reading, you can skip this paragraph!  Believe it or not, the first time I cooked for my bestie Melissa and her husband TJ, I made these sliders and TJ fell in love....with my cooking.  He told me he would do pretty much anything for me if I cooked another meal for him, so Melissa dubbed me his Food Whore, and I've been bribing him with goodies ever since.  In fact, just tonight we were hanging out, and he offered to help me profitize my little blog here in exchange for a big bowl of curry.  I think it's a perfect win-win situation - I make lots of yummy new recipes to pay TJ for promoting my blog, and the recipes get posted on my blog, so my blog gets more page views than ever!  And to think it all started with a tiny little hamburger and a whole lotta chipotles!

FYI: These succulent little sliders are HOT!!!  They are definitely not kid-friendly, and even I start to look like a panting dog about half way through them, but they are fabulous and they disappear in minutes when I take them to parties.  Serve them with a gallon of milk to quench the fire if you must, but definitely try them!

Chipotle Sliders
link to original recipe
Prep time: 15 min  Cook time: 10 min
Serves 10

1 package (12 oz) Hawaiian sweet rolls
1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp pepper 

8 tsp minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, divided 

1-1/2 pounds ground beef 

10 slices pepper Jack cheese 

1/2 cup mayonnaise

 Place 2 rolls in a food processor; process until crumbly. Transfer to a large bowl; add the salt, pepper and 6 teaspoons chipotle peppers. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 10 patties.

Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear. Top with cheese. Grill 1 minute longer or until cheese is melted.

Split remaining rolls and grill, cut side down, over medium heat for 30-60 seconds or until toasted.

Combine mayonnaise and remaining chipotle peppers; spread over roll bottoms. Top each with a burger. Replace roll tops.

357 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Ready for Tamale

If you've read much of my blog, you know how I feel about my Crock-Pot.  It's pretty much true love.  I mean, what's NOT to love?  It takes up very little space, it makes delicious meals with little effort from me, it's easy to clean, and I can leave it unsupervised for hours at a time without worrying about it!  About the only thing easier than a Crock-Pot meal (besides going out to dinner!) is a Crock-Pot meal that you can prepare a day in advance.  I'm not much of a morning person, so sometimes getting up early enough to fill the slow cooker before leaving for work in the morning is just too taxing to contemplate.  I know, I know, it only takes a couple minutes, but my pillow is a jealous mistress!
This recipe is great because I was able to put everything in the pot the night before, so all I had to do in the morning was turn it on.  Now, because I work till 5 every night, I don't want to wait very long for dinner to bake when I get home - I'm hungry!  This recipe calls for another hour of cooking after the cornbread mix is added in at the end, but I didn't want to wait that long for it, so I just baked the cornbread separately the day before and served the Crock-Pot mixture on top of it.  That worked great, but if time permits next time, I will follow the original directions because that will save the extra work of prepping the cornbread ahead.  Either way, it's delicious, and easy, and if you prepare it tonight you'll get to enjoy it tamale!
P.S. I don't know why this is called Tamale Pie, because it has very little in common with a tamale or a pie, but that's what the original source called it, so I'm stickin' with it! 

Crock-Pot Tamale Pie
link to original recipe
Prep time: 15 min  Cook time: 6 hrs
Serves 6

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained

1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn, drained

1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

1 package (8-1/2 oz) corn bread/muffin mix (I used Jiffy brand)

2 eggs

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the cumin, salt, chili powder and pepper.

Transfer to a slow cooker; stir in the beans, tomatoes, corn, enchilada sauce, onions and cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until heated through.

In a small bowl, combine muffin mix and eggs; spoon over meat mixture. Cover and cook 1 hour longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream and additional cilantro if desired.

471 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!