Shepherd's Pie

*This is the very basic shepherd's pie...and I love it this way. Most people try to add more to it and make it more complex and difficult than it really needs to be. Other versions are good...but this is the quickest and easiest way to do it and I really do love it.

Shepherd's Pie
Recipe from my mom

1/2 lb ground beef (or turkey)
1 can green beans, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup or tomato soup
Mashed potatoes (I just use potato pearls, talk about easy huh?)
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Cook ground beef over the stove until browned. In a small, square baking dish, combine soup, beans, and cooked ground beef. Mix together. Make mashed potatoes. Put potatoes on top of mixture then put shredded cheese on top of that. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbling on the sides.

Salmon or Chicken Patty Sandwich Sliders

*Also good plain (not as sandwich sliders). Just serve with tarter sauce, ketchup, BBQ sauce, whatever kind of sauce you like with it.

Salmon or Chicken Patty Sandwich Sliders
Recipe from my mom

1 can salmon or chicken (6-7 oz)
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs (or crushed crackers)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 onion, diced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Rolls or bread (I used slices of bread cut up into fourths)
Toppings of choice for sandwiches (lettuce, mayo, cheese, etc)

Mix together all ingredients (except olive oil) with a fork and form into small patties. If not solid enough to form into patties add a few more bread crumbs. Fry on stove over medium-high heat until browned on both sides and heated through, about 10 minutes (or stick in the George Foreman until cooked through).

Put patties in bread with desired toppings and serve.

Serve

Southern Vegetable Casserole

Southern Vegetable Casserole
Recipe from Debbie Huffman (ward cookbook)

1 16-oz sour cream
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 can French style green beans (I used regular cut)
1/2 box Ritz crackers (or other similar type cracker)
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1 stick butter
1 can Shoe Peg corn (I used regular canned corn)
Salt and pepper

Mix sour cream with salt and pepper to taste. Add vegetables. Put in greased 9x12 baking dish. Crush crackers and mix with almonds. Melt stick of butter and add to cracker mix. Place topping on casserole. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

*Pictures and recipe from OurBestBites.com because quite frankly, her pictures are MUCH better than mine and have step by step instructions.

*My thoughts: Good and fun meal, especially for kids.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls
Recipe from OurBestBites.com

1 Roll refrigerated pizza dough (or options here for homemade)
Marinara/pizza sauce
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Mozzerella cheese
Pizza toppings of your choice (ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.)

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. (Usually it's 400 degrees.)

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". You're going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (Note that you're not putting the marinara sauce on the dough- it's for dipping after.)

When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).

Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter, then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning, and top with Parmesan cheese. (In lieu of the Parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning you could substitute any garlic bread seasoning.)

Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I'd check them after even 10 minutes.

Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Simple Coleslaw

*I'm not a big coleslaw fan....but I loved this.

Simple Coleslaw
Recipe from Picky-palate.com

16 Oz bag of coleslaw mix
1/2 Cup miracle whip
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey

Place coleslaw mix in one bowl and combine all the other ingredients in another bowl. Once well mixed together, combine with the coleslaw mix.

*Coleslaw is good as a side dish or on BBQ sandwiches instead of lettuce. BBQ pulled pork sandwich recipe here.

Crockpot Fettuccini Alfredo

Crockpot Fettuccini Alfredo
Recipe from Macie Stratton

2-4 Chicken breasts
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1 pkg. dry Italian dressing mix
3 Tbsp. Butter, melted
1-2 cans Cream of chicken soup
½ c. Milk
8 oz. Cream cheese, cubed
Pasta noodles, cooked

Place chicken in the Crockpot. Sprinkle with Italian dressing mix, salt and pepper. Drizzle the butter over the top of the chicken. Mix the soup and milk together and pour over chicken. Add the cubed cream cheese. Cook on low for 4 hours. Shred the chicken with a fork and serve over noodles.

Poppy Seed Chicken

*Tyson's favorite is eating this dish over noodles.

Poppy Seed Chicken
Recipe from Brittany Andersen

4-5 chicken breasts, boiled
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. sour cream
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 roll Ritz crackers, smashed up
1/2 cube of butter, melted
1 tbsp. poppy seeds

Boil chicken and drain. Slice up the chicken and place it in a 9 x 13 pan. Stir soup, sour cream and lemon juice together. Smash crackers and combine with melted butter and poppy seeds. Pour sauce over chicken and top with cracker mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

Mexican Corn on the Cob (2 recipes)

Spicy Corn on the Cob
Recipe from Picky-Palate.com

Fresh Corn on the cob
Mayonnaise
Cholula hot sauce
Salt and Pepper

Spread the mayo on the corn on the cob. Then roll it around in the Cholula. Then sprinkle it with dashes of salt and pepper.

A Different Recipe:

Elote: Mexican Style Corn on the Cob
Recipe by Our Best Bites

4 ears corn
3 T mayo
2 T sour cream
1/4-1/2 t lime zest
1/2 t fresh lime juice
1/4 t cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 t chili powder
tiny pinch kosher salt
1 C crumbled Cotija Cheese* (use fresh parmesan or queso fresco if you can't find Cotija)

Cook corn (however you like). While cooking corn, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Grate cheese with a fine grater and put on plate. In a small bowl, mix sour cream, mayo, some zest from the lime, the lime juice from the lime, chili pepper, cayenne, and salt. When corn is cooked and hot, spread the sauce over the corn and roll in grated cheese. If desired, sprinkle with a little extra chili powder and squeeze a little extra lime juice.

Banana Bread

Eden: Here...Have some banana bread! It's very good.

Just kidding! MUAHAHA! If you want some, make it yourself!

Banana Bread
Recipe from my mom

1 3/4 Cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 Cup shortening
2 Eggs, well beaten
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons salt
2/3 Cup sugar
1 Cup mashed bananas (3)

Cream shortening and sugar together. Add eggs and beat well. Add dry ingredients alternately with bananas. Beat until smooth (better if you hand mix it and not use beaters). Pour into well greased bread pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

German Pancakes

German Pancakes
Recipe from my mom

6 Eggs
1 Cup milk
1 Cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons margarine

Put margarine in 9x13 pan and place in 400 degree oven to melt. Mix the rest of the ingredients with an electric beater. Pour batter over melted margarine and cook for 20 minutes until puffy and browned at 400 degrees. Serve with maple syrup or lemon juice and powdered sugar.