Tortilla Pizza

This recipe came from the YMCA cooking class and it is a new family favorite! How can you go wrong with everyone making their own pizza. Fun for the whole family to participate making dinner!

Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees

10 Flour Tortillas (# of tortillas = # of pizzas)
5 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 Jar Pizza Sauce
Your Favorite Toppings - Pepperoni, Olives, Sausage, Pineapple, Mushrooms, etc

1. Lay tortillas on large cookie sheet
2. Top with pizza sauce, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese (per tortilla)
3. Add your favorite toppings and some extra cheese if desired
4. Bake for 8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted
5. Let it cool and enjoy!

Variations: Add more to your pizza, add tomatoes, peppers, onions, spinach or different types of cheese. Try alfredo sauce. Be careful not to make your pizza too heavy where the tortilla breaks. 

Extra Cheesy Meat Ball Lasagna (Kristi Original)

Preheat the Oven to 375 Degrees

1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce
1 Jar Alfredo Sauce
1 8oz (or more) Package Shredded Mozzarella Cheese or Mozzarella and Swiss Cheese
1 Bag of Frozen Meat Balls (16oz?)
1 Package of Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles

Cook the meat balls and cut them in half.

Pour some Spaghetti Sauce and Alfredo Sauce in the bottom of your pan and smear around until the pan has a layer covering the full pan.

Layer the following items for as deep as your pan, 2-3 layers. Your final layer should be mozzarella cheese...
Noodles, Sauce (Spaghetti and Alfredo),  Meat Balls, Cheese

Cover your pan with foil and bake for 50 minutes or until the lasagna is fork tender. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Let the lasagna sit for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Sheri's Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1 Packet Bear Creek Chicken Wild Rice Soup
9 Cups Water
1 Cup Instant Rice or 1 Serving of Instant Rice
1-2 Chicken Breasts, Boiled and Cubed (We used 1 can of chicken shredded)
5 Fresh Mushrooms Sliced
1-2 Tbs Garlic Season Tried (I used a little less than 1 Tbs of Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic)
1-2 Tbs Minced Dried Onion (I used 1 Tbs of Tastefully Simple Onion Onion Seasoning)
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar

Make the soup as directed, adding 1 more cup of water.
Add rice, chicken, mushrooms and seasoning. Simmer 5 minutes.
Add sour cream and cheese until melted.

Optional: When serving, top with French's Fried Onions

Note: Stir often

We served with Garlic Bread. My whole family loved this soup!

Ham and Cheese Pockets

This recipe is fun to make with your kids. We got this recipe from my 4 year old's YMCA cooking class. The whole family loved it. We doubled the recipe for a family of 4. Yum!!

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Preheat Oven: 375 degrees

• 1 Package Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
• 8 oz Ham (I used cubed ham)
• 4 oz Shredded Swiss Cheese (I used mozzerella)
• Mustard
• Cooking Spray

1. Roll out dough. Instead of dividing into triangles, keep in rectangle form. (You will have 4 rectangles. Place on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.)
2. Spread mustard on each rectangle of dough.
3. Add 2 oz of ham and 1 oz of cheese to each square (I just made a pile on each)
4. Fold dough over to form a square. Press down around the sides to form a seal. Repeat until you have 4 pockets.
5. Bake at 375 degree Fahrenheit for 13-15 Minutes until golden rown.
6. Can be served warm or cold

Variations: Peanut Butter and Jelly; cheddar cheese and broccoli; feta cheese, spinach and tomatoes; chocolate and peanut butter. Be creative!

Cayden's Favorite Tacos (Kristi Original)

3 Large Frozen Chicken Breasts

1 Can Tomatoes and Green Chilies

3/4 Cup Water

1/2 Chopped Onion

2 TBSP Home Made Taco Seasoning (http://recipesbykristi.blogspot.com/2014/11/taco-seasoning.html)

Soft Shell Tacos

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Sour Cream

Black Olives

Add the chicken to the crock pot. Top with water, tomatoes & green chilies, onion and taco seasoning. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked (I cook all day on low). Shred the chicken. Top the taco shell with chicken, shredded cheese, sour cream and black olives. Cayden loved it!

Mom's Beef Stroganoff

1/2 Cup Minced Onion (Fresh or Dry)
Clove of Garlic - Minced or Garlic Powder (Sprinkle on Top)
1/4 Cup Butter
1 Lb Ground Beef
2 Tbsp Flour
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb fresh mushrooms or 1-8oz can of sliced mushrooms
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Cup Sour Cream

Noodles
2 Tbsp Parsley
5-6oz Uncooked Noodles

Saute' onion and garlic in butter on medium heat. Add Meat and brown (drain grease). Add flour, salt, pepper and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes. Add soup and simmer for 10 minutes uncovered. Stir in sour cream. Heat through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve over noodles. 4-6 servings.

Tropical Fun Smooth (Kristi Original and Named by Nevaeh)

My kids and their friend loved this so much they drank the entire blender full of smoothy and left me with a shot glass full. I'm glad they liked it!

Ingredients
1 Cup of Frozen Mango Cubed
2 Ripe Bananas
5-6 Cut Up Strawberries
1-2 Cups of Sweetened Almond Milk
1 tsp (Estimate, just a dump) of Mexican Vanilla Extract *You can use any vanilla extract
5 Ice Cubes

Blend and Enjoy!

Farmers Market Spaghetti Sauce (Kristi Original)

I went to the farmer's market last weekend and got a bunch of produce. I'm having a hard time getting my little boys to eat ANY vegetables. Therefore I created this sneaky spaghetti sauce to get the boys to eat more vegetables AND to use up my farmer's market produce.

Ingredients
1 Bell Pepper
5-6 Mushrooms
2 Tomatoes
1/4 Red Onion
1 Zucchini
1 Jar Marinara Sauce (I used Trader Joe's Garlic Marinara)

Seasoning to Taste - A shake or 2 of each
Sea Salt
Oregano Flakes
Italian Seasoning
Garlic Powder

Optional
Meat Balls
Shredded Cheese (Cheddar, etc)

Cut up the vegetables. Set aside a little of each to have as chunks in the spaghetti sauce. (Reserve 1/4 pepper, 3 Mushrooms, and 1/4 Zucchini.) Put the remaining vegetables, tomato sauce and seasonings in the blender. Blend, Taste and Adjust as necessary.

Saute the vegetables you set aside until they are cooked. Cook the meat balls. Combine the vegetables, meat balls and the mix from the blender. Cook until it is warm or simmering. Serve over noodles and top with shredded cheese.

Super Easy Chicken Ala King (Kristi Original)

Tonight I got home late, looked in my cupboard and came up with this super easy 'Chicken Ala King' recipe. You could make it healthier with more planning. It was super tasty and the whole family enjoyed it. Here's what I did...

Ingredients
1 Tube of Refrigerator Biscuits
1 Can Chicken
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 Can Milk
2 Cups of Frozen Mixed Veggies
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Make the biscuits according to the package instructions.

Mix all the remaining ingredients except the cheese in a pot on the stove. Cook until boiling and the veggies are cooked. Once the biscuits are done cut them in half and  butter them, if you like. Next top the biscuits with the chicken mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Enjoy.

Ideas to make it healthier or easier
1. Use a healthier biscuit
2. Use chicken breast vs canned chicken
3. Cook the chicken mixture in the crock pot, using whole chicken breasts. Reserve the vegetables. 30 min to 1 hour before serving cut up the chicken and add the vegetables.

Mom's Calico Beans

1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
4 Strips of Bacon or leftover Ham or Salt Pork Cut Up
3-5 Cans of Beans - Drain and Reserve Juice (Pork and Beans, Kidney, Lima, Great Northern, Garbanzo...whatever you like) Mom uses Pork and Beans, Kidney, and Great Northern
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Ketchup
1 Tbsp Prepared Mustard
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper, Optional

Break up beef and saute with onion until the meat looses its color and oil is transparent. Combine with other ingrediants, except reserve the beans juice, in a buttered casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees about 75 minutes, adding some of the reserved juices if the caserole begins to dry. (Mom adds Pork and Beans Juices

Serves 6-8 People

Optional: Layer extra bacon on top if desired.

Mexican Lasagna (Kristi Original)

Note: This actually tasted better on the second day. It may be better to put this together the day before and it will be softer when you cook it. The recipe is what I did. 

Ingredients

Tortillas - I used Mission Tortillas large size

Cheddar Cheese Shredded

4 Boneless / Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Can of Nacho Cheese Soup

1 Can of Chili Beans

1 Can of Black Beans Drained

1 Can of Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilis (Drained)

1 Can of Mild Enchilada Sauce

Optional

Salsa

Jalapenos

Put the chicken breasts in the crock pot and top with the nacho cheese soup. Also add 1/2 a can of water to the crock pot. I used frozen chicken breasts.

Cook on low until it is done. Shredd the chicken and then add in/stir the chili beans, black beans, diced tomatoes with green chilies and the can of enchilada sauce. 

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non stick spray. Put a little of the chicken mix in the bottom of the pan. Next add a layer of tortilla shells, top with the chicken mix and then top with the shredded cheese. Repeat this until the stack is 3 or 4 deep (tortilla, mix, cheese, tortilla, mix, cheese). 

Back at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until it warms up and the cheese has melted. 

Optional: Top with jalapenos and Salsa.

Minnesota Tater-Tot Hot Dish Recipe

I got this recipe off of the website listed below. It was a very good recipe. We will be making it again soon.

 

The Minnesota hot dish recipe that we think of first is the Tater-Tot hot dish. This classic hot dish recipe almost always contains a can or two of Campbell's soup...usually Cream of Mushroom...though some of us take a risk with other versions.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 10 3/4 ounce can cream of mushroom soup

1 10 3/4 ounce can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

1 16 oz. package frozen mixed vegetables

1 16 oz. package frozen tater tots

1 1/2 cups cheddar jack cheese

Directions:

Brown the ground beef with the onion; drain off any fat. Stir in the soups, milk, and the vegetables. Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13" baking dish. Arrange the tater tots on top.

Bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 30 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly and the tater tots are brown and crisp. Sprinkle the cheese over the tater tots, return the dish to the oven, and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serves 8

http://www.minnesota-visitor.com/minnesota-hot-dish-recipes.html

Kick Your Cold in the Butt Chicken Enchilada Soup (Kristi Original)

We keep getting sick in our house. I was tired of eating chicken noodle soup, so I decided to create my own get better soup. I added....

• Chicken Broth, which is supposed to help colds. 
• Spicy Ingredients...jalapeno peppers, spicy sausage, green chilies, chili beans, to clear the sinuses.  
• Garlic, fights infections and boosts the immune system

I honestly couldn't taste much of the soup due to illness, but I think it was good. It sure helped clear my sinuses, so I'll be making it again. 

Ingredients
1- 48oz Box Chicken Broth
4-6 Chicken Breasts (I used frozen boneless/skinless)
1/2-1Lb Hot Italian or Pork Sausage - Browned, Crumbled and Drained
1 - 10oz can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1 - 10oz Red Enchilada Sauce (I used mild)
1 - 15.5oz can Dark Red Kidney Beans - Drained
1 - 15.5oz can Seasoned Black Beans (Pour in with liquid)
1 - 15.5oz can Chili Beans (Seasoned) (Pour in with liquid)
1/2 - 4oz can of Hot Jalapeno Peppers
1 - Small/Medium Chopped Onion
1/2 - 12oz bag Frozen Corn
2 - Cloves of Garlic

Instructions
You can put everything in the crock pot and cook it. Before serving, shred the chicken and put it back in the crock pot.

Because I was home sick, here's what I did...
1. Put the chicken frozen chicken breasts, chicken broth and tomatoes with green chilies in the crock pot and cooked it on high for 3 hours.
2. Shredded the chicken and added it back into the crock pot.
3. Turned down the crock pot to low and added the remaining ingredients.
4. Cooked another few hours until we were ready to eat

Want the Soup Hotter
-Use Hot Enchilada Sauce
-Use the Whole Can of Jalapenos
-Use Hot Chili Beans
-Add Cayenne Pepper
-Use Habanero Peppers

Non Sick Soup Idea
I didn't add cheese because dairy is not good for colds, it's mucus forming. Therefore if you are NOT sick, add some Velveta or top with cheese.