Classic Repeat - Cheesy Lasagna Rolls

Wow. So it has been a long time since I last made these. But last time I mentioned that the meat we added was a bit too much and so this time we left it out. It was great! They turned out just wonderfully and we really enjoyed them. They are EASY to make although ricotta cheese is not something you would normally have on hand, so watch out for that! Vegetarians? This is the meal for you! Meat lovers? This is a nice change!

http://shaylaskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/12/cheesy-lasagna-rolls.html

Brown Bag Burritos

I have no idea why this recipe is called brown bag burritos. Maybe because it would be really easy to take for a sack lunch? This recipe is exceedingly versatile. Jake ate the "sauce" in a flour tortilla, folded over like a quesadilla to avoid a big mess and I ate it over chips for nachos. It was definitely a different flavor but one that we both enjoyed immensely. This recipe will DEFINITELY be a keeper in our house! And yes, the recipe list surprised me at first too... but it really does work!

BROWN BAG BURRITOS
From Three on Food

1 lb. ground beef
1 can refried beans
2/3 c. enchilada sauce
1/4 c. water
1/3 c. minced onion (or sprinkled onion powder)
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 c. shredded colby/jack (or cheddar)
10 flour tortillas

Brown and drain meat. Add all ingredients, but tortillas. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Fill tortillas and roll up. Serve with shredded lettuce, cheese, sour cream and salsa.

My German Roots

Okay, so I don't REALLY have German roots. But with a Grandfather who went to Germany on his mission I have had my fair share of exposure to German foods. A classic staple in our house? Bratwurst (sausage) and sauerkraut! Talk about inexpensive - this meal could feed an entire family for, at most, $10. All you need to do is fry up a couple of these:

And serve them with some of this:

And dip in some of this:

And you are good to go!

SOOOO TASTY!!!!!!

Honey Lime Enchiladas

We are BIG fans of enchiladas at our house and I was really excited to try this one out. Jake loved it a lot and it has been linked on so many blog lists that it is almost a sure fire hit wherever you take it! Not too hard with basic ingredients, but takes a bit longer to make because of the needed time for marinating. The picture and recipe are from the wonderful blog: http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com/. Enjoy!

HONEY LIME ENCHILADAS
From The Sister's Cafe

6 Tb honey
4.5 Tb lime juice
1 Tb chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 lb cooked chicken, shredded
flour tortillas
colby or monterey jack cheese, shredded
10 oz. can green enchilada sauce

Mix first 4 ingredients together and toss with shredded chicken. Let it "marinate" for at least a half hour. Pour some green enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 10x10 casserole dish or 9x13 pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese. Pour the rest of the can of green enchilada sauce over enchiladas then sprinkle with more cheese. (When using a 9x13 I like to use 1 1/2 10 oz. cans) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. (Put it under the broiler at the end to make the cheese brown and crispy on the top.)

*NOTE: I used a mixture of monterey jack and cheeder cheese, and 2 full cans of the enchilada sauce (one on top, one on bottom). It was great! Also, when marinating make sure that the air cannot get to your chicken or it will dry out. I put mine in a ziploc bag and sucked the air out of it - chicken was nice and moist!

Classic Repeat - General Tso's Chicken!

I love Chinese food and I love this meal! It is SOOOO good!

http://shaylaskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/07/general-tsos-chicken.html

Personal English Muffin Pizzas

This recipe is a classic from my family! What easier way to feed a family than with a bag of English muffins, a bowl of pizza sauce, and whatever ingredients they personally want? These are so simple and quick that you will find it difficult to ever want to make pizza crust again! Unfortunately the picture is not mine. I got it from this cute blog: http://iheartfood4thought.wordpress.com/.

PERSONAL ENGLISH MUFFIN PIZZAS

1 bag English Muffins
Any pizza toppings you and your family likes

SAUCE
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
1/4 tsp. Ground sweet basil
1/4 tsp. Oregano
1 1/2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. Sugar
1/4 + 1/8 tsp. Garlic powder

Mix all sauce ingredients together and spread on top of English muffins. Top with any pizza ingredient you can fathom. Bake at 400 degrees for ten minutes or until cheese has melted. Enjoy!

Classic Repeat - Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta!

It is fun to try out new recipes, but sometimes I just want a quick, tried and true recipe to throw together for dinner. And this one happens to be one of my personal favorites. A couple of things about this dish: I said before to not use spaghetti noodles, but it turns out that you can! It is a fun new way to have the noodles instead of in the classic marinara sauce. Also, I am pretty sure it is important to NOT use sour cream substitutes (IMO). It made our pasta REALLY thick this time. And lastly, if you want to splash just a bit of lemon juice in there it adds a nice flavor! :-)

http://shaylaskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/12/chicken-cordon-bleu-pasta.html