Nor is it healthy when topped with all that cheese but it’s very good to eat and GREAT to make when feeding a large crew.  I’ve always seen this cooked in this way but would love to hear your variations if you make something similar.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground beef
• ½ small onion chopped
• 6 to 8 saltine crackers, crushed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup, divided
• 1 cup cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

Combine the ground beef, onion, egg and about ¾ of the soup in a bowl. Add the crackers to the beef and mix till combined.  Put in a baking dish and form it like a meat loaf. Spread the remaining soup on top.
(It is better to have a casserole with higher sides so that when you top with mashed potatoes there will be room)

Bake @ 350 degrees for approx. 1 hour  While it is baking prepare the mashed potatoes.  When the beef is done top with the mashed potatoes and sprinkle the cheese on top.  Place back in oven till cheese has melted.

The lovely dish is Temp-Tations from QVC.  They offer many beautiful styles, including the one below.  The meal itself isn’t a pretty one but it always helps to serve it up in something pretty!

Have you ever set out to make something only to realize that you don’t have the ingredients so you’re scurrying around trying to think of something else to make?  Well, try being in that situation when you’re feeding a cowboy crew.

This recipe would be one of those times and even though it was pretty good overall, some improvements can be made no doubt, in which I’ll leave up to you.  I needed something that would cook within an hour so I wasn’t thinking, at the time, what I should or shouldn’t do.  Clearly, I should have done something because the rice ended up like an oatmeal texture. In fact, my husband said, “Was that oatmeal or rice?”.  UGH.

You can see how I did the recipe below but I would love for you to tell me what I should have done differently or to improve the texture of the rice. I basically threw it all in a casserole pan and baked it and have never baked rice in the oven before.  I could use your expertise here folks!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cans of cream of chicken (I used cream of mushroom because it’s all I had)
• 1 onion
• 2 cups of rice
• a whole bunch of thighs (chicken of course:)

DIRECTIONS

Cut your onion up, skin your chicken (or not) and throw it and the rest of the ingredients  in a casserole pan, adding water to cover.  Bake for one hour in a 350′ oven.

Sounds slightly fancy but it’s actually VERY easy to make and really not fancy at all….lol  Casseroles are making a comeback which is not a surprise with our current economic situation so when I can find a good casserole that is cost friendly and easy, I run with it full speed ahead.

This recipe calls for frozen diced hash browns in a bag but could easily be made with real potatoes.  Since the majority of my readers are working women who don’t have time to peel, dice and bake potatoes once they get off from work, I decided to share the frozen version with you to help speed things up a bit.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 32oz bag of frozen diced hash browns
• 8 oz grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 16oz container of sour cream
• 1 can of cream of chicken or mushroom
• 1 stick of butter melted
• chopped chives

DIRECTIONS

Make sure your chives are chopped and then mix ALL the ingredients in a big bowl.  Pour in a 9×13 pan and bake for 1 hour at 375′, uncovered.

IT IS THAT EASY!

TIP: If you don’t want to use grated cheddar cheese, then you could use a can of cheese soup which is actually better but I didn’t have any.

Great side dish for pork chops!

Guest Poster, Musings in Food. I’m a married, mom of 2 who loves the internet, my family & the Lord although not in that order! And I’m stuck out in the “wilds” of Arizona where the schools are great & the bugs are huge!!

So this is my Dad’s own creation. He was a missionary for our church in Peru back when he was young. While he was there he came up w/ this & he didn’t tell me how but probably walked away for something & forgot it! Anyway he came back to the US & met my Mom & well, they got married. (thank heavens, or where would I be!?!) When my Mom was pregnant w/ their first child (my oldest sister & fyi I have 4 sisters total but no brothers!) Dad decided that pregnant women have lots of cravings & so he made this for her w/ jam & bananas totally forgetting that the bananas that he had cooked in Peru were not up in the US @ this time. Needless to say it was a disaster! Mom made him promise to never add things like that to the omelet again. Dad complied although he does add jam, chocolate chips, cheese & marshmallows (not @ the same time!) to pancake batter! And he got me too. I have been known to add bananas & choc chips to my waffle batter. Tastes like a cookie!

INGREDIENTS:

• *2 – 3 eggs per person
• *dash of milk per 2 – 3 eggs (so for about a dozen maybe 1/4)
• *salt & pepper to taste
• *1/2 C grated cheddar cheese

Anything else you might want to add. Like other cheeses, corn that has been drained, onions, peppers, ham, bacon. Add anything that you like in a regular omelet! It’s delicious.

DIRECTIONS:

Beat eggs. Add milk, salt & pepper & cheese. Pour into frying pan that has been sprayed w/ cooking spray. Put onto stove top & turn burner to just above low. Cover frying pan tightly. Let cook on low until done checking to see if done. It will take maybe 7 – 8 min for 2 – 3 eggs. When done add a little more grated cheddar to the top. Take off burner & serve.

These tasty appetizers are easy to make, delicious, and make for a great presentation thanks to Pillsbury.  Although I suggest that you don’t play on the computer while cooking them or they’ll end up slight darker than they should be!

Now I’m sure you’ve seen Pillsbury Crescents and Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls but have you seen their latest product, Pillsbury Recipe Creations??  What I love is all the fabulous recipes that are on the actual package.  Lots of fun and easy ideas on there that you can make and even change around to create your own creation.

Today, I decided to take one of their recipe creations and tweak it just a bit to make it my own.  These are intended to be made in the mini muffin pan but I don’t own one…I know sad, huh!  So I made them in my regular muffin pan and they turned out just fine.  With all that said, let’s get this brunch bite party started!

TIP:  Remember, don’t overcook them like I did and have your edges burnt to a crisp!  Sorry ’bout that;)

P.S.  Tomorrow is the official start of voting for the Velveeta Casserole Challenge, so stay tuned to win some fabulous prizes!  To refresh your memory, I made the Shrimp Stroganoff Casserole.

INGREDIENTS:

• I can of Pillsbury Recipe Creations
• 1/3 cup of shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup of bacon, chopped (about 10 slices of thick cut bacon)
• 1/2 an onion, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup of whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:

Start frying your bacon and onion in fry pan.  While cooking, unroll dough and cut into squares, 12 of them;)  Place squares into the ungreased muffin cups.  Spoon in your cheese then top with the bacon & onion mixture on top of that.  In a bowl, beat your egg and cream together and pour about 1 tablespoon of the cream mixture into each cup.  Bake at 375′ for 12-15 minutes.