Tater Tot Chicken Pie

Another yummy recipe from RecipeZaar.com! Nate LOVES tater tots, so I thought this meal would be perfect, especially for a cold, snowy day---great comfort food! I added a few changes to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
*1 (2lb) bag frozen tater tots (we used the mini ones)
*1/2 cup chopped onion
*2 tsp minced garlic
*1 T olive oil
*2 cups diced cooked chicken
*1/4 cup milk
*1 (10 oz) pkg frozen mixed vegetables (we used corn, green beans, peas, & carrots)
*1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
*1 can condensed cream of celery soup
*1/2 tsp dried thyme
*1/2 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In large skillet, cook onions and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat until onion tender.
3. Add cooked chicken, soup, milk, frozen veggies, thyme, and pepper.
4. Stir ingredients together and cook until hot and bubbly (over medium/medium-high setting). Stirring occasionally. Cover and cook an additional 5 minutes.
5. Spoon mixture into an ungreased 2-qt casserole dish.
6. Arrange frozen tater tots on top of mixture.
7. Bake for 40 minutes or until bubbly and tater tots are slightly browned.

Maple Glazed Pork Loin

I found this recipe on RecipeZaar.com. It's originally for grilling, but I cooked it in our oven. The only problem I had was the glaze burning in the dish; however, I had made the mistake of pouring it all over the pork and then basting it. Next time I will just baste the pork after 30 minutes of cooking, and then every 15 minutes or so at that point. I would also cook it at 325, rather than 350.


INGREDIENTS
*1 (3 lbs) boneless pork loin (I used 1.5 lbs)
*1 tsp ground ginger
*1/2 tsp salt
*1/2 cup BBQ sauce
*1/4 cup maple syrup
*2 tsp grated orange rind

DIRECTIONS
1. Rub pork loin with mixture of ginger and salt; place in a baking dish (I used a 13x9)
2. Insert meat thermometer in the thickest part of the pork loin.
3. Place in preheated oven (325 degrees).
4. In a small bowl, combine BBQ sauce, maple syrup, and grated orange rind and mix well.
5. After the pork has cooked for about 30 minutes, start basting the pork. Repeat every 15 minutes until meat thermometer is 170 degrees.
**Our pork loin was done in about 1hr 45 minutes, but we had a smaller pork loin. 3lbs may need extra cooking time.
6. Remove to serving platter and cut into thin slices. Enjoy!

We had mashed potatoes and asparagus with our pork loin :)

Taco Stuffed Shells

I found this recipe on Lindsay's blog, and this is now one of my favorite recipes now! So easy to make...and so very yummy! Wasn't sure if Nate would like this since he's picky about sauces, but he said I can make this anytime---he LOVED it!


INGREDIENTS:
* 1 lb. ground beef
* 1 package taco seasoning
* 4 oz. cream cheese (I used reduced-fat)
* 1 box jumbo pasta shells (used as many as I had enough filling for)
* 1 cup salsa (I used a little more)
* 1 cup taco sauce
* 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
* Sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a frying pan cook ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.
2. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool completely.
3. While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board/baking sheet so that they don't stick together.
4. Pour salsa on bottom of 9x13 baking dish.
5. Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place shells in 9x13 pan open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
7. After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes.
8. Add any condiments you'd like (onions, black olives, etc.) Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

* 1 1/2 lbs. cubed beef stew meat
* 2 (10.75 oz.) cans condensed golden mushroom soup
* 1/2 C. chopped onion
* 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
* 1/2 C. water
* 6 oz. cream cheese
* 1 packet onion soup mix
* 1 cube beef bullion
* “dollop” of sour cream
* 1 pkg. wide egg noodles, cooked

1. In a slow cooker, combine meat, soup, onion, Worcestershire sauce, water, onion soup mix, and bullion cube. Cook on LOW setting for about 5 to 6 hours (if you have a larger crock pot, it may cook faster…so just keep an eye on it).

2. Cook egg noodles as directed on packaging. Add to crock pot.

3. Stir in cream cheese and “dollop” of sour cream just before serving. Mix well until blended. Enjoy!

Polish Hamburgers

This is a favorite family recipe, and I’ve been having a taste for this for the longest time. Not sure who created the recipe, but Aunt Rita had it listed in our family cookbook. Nate is not a big fan of mushrooms, but because they are blended/pureed so well, he couldn’t even tell. This is now one of Nate’s favorites.

* 1 lb. ground beef/sirloin
* 1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms
* 1/2 C. chopped onions
* 1 C. French’s french fried onions
* 1 can cream of mushroom soup
* 1/2 C. reduced fat sour cream
* 3 cans crescent rolls, refrigerated
* 1 egg, beaten

Brown meat, drain fat, and set aside. In blender, blend mushrooms, onions, french fried onions, cream of mushroom soup, and sour cream. Stir in blender to mix ingredients in between “blenderizing”. Toss soup mixture with hamburger.

Pinch together 2 triangles of crescent rolls to make a square. Place a heaping amount of meat mixture in center of square. Bring up the four corners, pinch sides together, and bring to a point in the center. Pat down and make sure dough is pinched together. It should look like a square pillow filled with meat mixture inside. Brush top of pastry with egg.

Bake on sprayed cookie sheet at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.