Cheeseburger Soup

I was chatting on the phone with my mom today debating on what I was going to make for dinner tonight and she told me about this soup. She said that she and several of her friends have made it recently and that they all really enjoyed it. I jotted down the few things I needed and ran to the store. It was kind of rainy and a little cool here today, so this sounded great. Now, a couple things:
1. Not sure why it's called cheeseburger soup. Besides the fact that it has cheese and hamburger in it. But it also has potatoes, carrots, green chilies and bell peppers, which are not ingredients I think of when I think "cheeseburger". Regardless, it was awesome, so maybe I need to rethink my cheeseburger toppings.

2. I am trying to cook things that are healthy and usually milk based soups aren't high on any health food lists. But, I cut corners where I could and I think that overall, this probably wasn't too high in fat. I used 1% milk instead of whole milk so that cuts a ton of fat and calories right there and it was still nice and rich tasting.

I served it with Jiffy Corn Bread muffins and all 3 of my girls scarfed it right up. This will stay on my menu rotation for sure. Thanks, mom!

Cheeseburger Soup

1/2 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups diced potatoes (I used canned potatoes)
1 cup diced carrots (I used sliced canned carrots)
1/2 cup diced onions
1/4 cup diced green peppers
4 oz can chopped green chilies
2 beef bouillion cubes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 1/2 cups milk, divided
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup cubed american cheese
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I omitted this)

In a large saucepan, combine browned hamburger, water, potatoes, carrots, onion, pepper, chilies, garlic powder, and bouillion. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Stir in 2 cups milk. Mix 1/2 cup milk and flour; gradually stir into
soup. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Reduce heat, stir
in cheese and cayenne. Let simmer until ready to serve. Yield 6-8 servings

Cheeseburger Cups

Do you ever have those nights where you need something that's super easy and that you know the kids are going to eat without any complaints? If so, this is a great one to try. They are so yummy, super simple and most of these ingredients I keep on hand, so they come together really fast. You could make up some corn and a fruit salad and have a good meal that is sure to please everyone. Those are the kind of dinners that I like!

Cheeseburger Cups

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP mustard
1-1/2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 tube (12 oz.) biscuits
10 small cubes Velveeta cheese

Brown burger and drain. Turn off heat and stir in ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Press each biscuit onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased muffin tin. Spoon beef mixture into each biscuit cups and insert a cheese cube. Bake at 400* for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.

BBQ Meatballs

My friend, Kerri, made this recipe for us after Mabrie was born and I can't believe I haven't posted it yet. Man, these things were GOOD! She made them with corn casserole and green beans and we all loved that combination of flavors. The meatballs are so juicy and have an awesome flavor. You could also make them and serve hashbrown potato casserole as a side. Or baked beans. Or Au Gratin potatoes. The possibilities are endless. Give them a try sometime! They are really yummy!

Thanks, Kerri, for bringing us such a yummy meal. It's so nice to have friends that are willing to take time out of their busy day to cook a meal when you have a baby. We really enjoyed this and my mouth is watering right now just thinking about them! :)

BBQ Meatballs

1 lg can evaporated milk
3 lbs. ground chuck
2 cups raw oats
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp chili powder

BBQ Sauce:
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 cup chopped onion

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix all ingredients for the meatballs together in large bowl and shape them the size of a walnut. Place on cookie sheets that are covered with aluminum foil.

Mix sauce together and pour evenly over meatballs. Bake 1 hour or until cooked through.

Leftover Idea

Am I the only one that makes a pot of chili and has a huge bowl leftover that NO ONE wants after the first night?! I'm assuming it happens to you, too. So, here's an idea my mom came up with when I was younger and I now use it on my family. It's a great way to get rid of the chili and the kids love it! Here's the process - pictures included. (P.S. - I never claimed to be a photographer) :)

Chili Tortilla Wraps

Leftover Chili - Reheated
Soft Tortilla Shells
Cheddar Cheese

Take your heated chili and add a scoop to center of your tortilla shell


Next, fold in your edges - don't worry if a little chili comes out - not a big deal.


Place seam side down in a skillet that is preheated with a small amount of oil


Flip over and brown on the other side (should only take a few minutes) - Remove and dab off excess oil


Top with another scoop of chili and shredded cheese - and enjoy!!!


You can make several of these at once in a large skillet. I don't know what it is about kids and tortilla shells, but they seem to eat up anything you put inside them! These are great for those nights that you don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen. Happy leftover eating!!

Homemade Meatballs

I am a sucker for spaghetti and meatballs - I just love it! This is my mom's recipe and they are WAY better than those frozen meatballs you can buy at the grocery store and they take no time to mix up. I have also made these, then put them in some marinara sauce and let them simmer for an hour or so and they make some super good meatball subs! Top them with provolone cheese and/or parmesan and they are a great meal! Very versatile! :) Enjoy!

Meatballs

1 lb. Lean Ground Beef
1 Cup Italian Style Bread Crumbs
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Egg, Beaten
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and shape into balls. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until no longer pink. Add them to your sauce and let simmer until ready to serve.

Mom's Lasagna

Olive Garden has nothing on my momma! If you want a great lasagna recipe - give this one a try!

Lasagna

9 Lasagna Noodles
1 - 16 oz. Can Tomato Sauce
1 Small Can Tomato Paste
Small Jar Spaghetti Sauce (Prego is my fave!)
2 lbs. Hamburger
Large Onion - Chopped Finely
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Bay Leaf
1-2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 Small Container Cottage Cheese (I use lowfat/small curd)
2-4 Cups Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

Sauce:
Brown hamburger and onion and drain off fat. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, spaghetti sauce, garlic, bay leaf, sugar and salt and pepper to pot. Stir well and let simmer for an hour. Remove and discard bay leaf once simmering time is over.

To make lasagna:
Cook lasagna noodles and set aside. Spray 9x13 pan with non-stick spray and layer in the following order 3 times:
Sauce / Noodles / Cottage Cheese / Parmesan Cheese / Mozzarella Cheese.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Rhode's Pizza Bread

I am seriously the worst recipe blogger ever. How did the entire summer go by without one post? Not that you are all sitting around on pins and needles every day waiting for me to post a new recipe or anything, but good grief, I can do better than 1 every 3 months!

I made this recipe tonight as a quick and fun way to celebrate the first day of school. The girls love pizza - and this one is just fun! It's more like a calzone, I guess. And they love the idea of getting a slice and dipping it in the pizza sauce. It's different and really good! Plus - you can make it any way you like pizza. It's all up to you - I'll post the recipe and even a couple pictures of how I made it and you take the basic idea and create away!

Rhode's Pizza Bread

1 loaf frozen Rhode's bread dough
Shredded mozzarella cheese - about 2 cups
Pizza toppings of your choosing:
Ground beef, pepperoni, sausage, peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc, etc!
1/2 Cup flour (for rolling out dough)
Drizzle of Olive oil

At least 7 hours prior to making, set out a loaf of frozen bread dough in a loaf pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Cover lightly with plastic wrap (spray some Pam on the side of wrap that will face bread dough). Set on counter and allow dough to thaw and at least double in size.

When dough has risen, remove from pan and work into a 1/4" thick pizza crust on a floured surface. (I just put flour down on my counter and use my rolling pin to roll the dough out - it may take a little work as the dough likes to "shrink" up until you've worked it enough - just flip it over occasionally and keep rolling!) Set dough aside and prepare your toppings. I usually brown up ground beef with some onions, garlic and Italian seasonings, but you can put in anything you like. Sprinkle cheese over dough leaving about 1" to 1.5" around the edge - this way your toppings aren't falling out! Then add the rest of your toppings - whatever those might be! Roll up jelly roll style, rolling and turning ends in as you go. When you get to the end, place seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over top of dough and rub all over top and sides. Bake for 20-25 minutes on 350. Heat up pizza sauce, slice bread into pieces and dip away!

Depending on the thickness of your dough, you may need to cut it open and see if it's done enough - if not, throw it back in for another 3-5 minutes. It's great with a quick salad! Here are some pics! :) I'm no photographer, so they aren't great - but you'll get the idea!

My Favorite Soups

There are few things about winter that I like. The cold, dreary days, night-fall at 5:00 p.m., bundling up the whole family just for a quick trip to Wally, etc., etc. But, one of the things that can make all of that better is to end the day with a big bowl of soup - it always tastes better on a cold night. So, here are two (yes, 2 for the price of 1 today) of our favorites. First, is baked potato soup. Oh my goodness, it's so rich and thick and will put a smile on your face for sure! And the second is Vegetable Beef Soup. Again, so good and will warm you right up on a cold night. Both make a lot, so you may even have leftovers for another night!

Baked Potato Soup

3-4 Large Russet Potatoes
1 1/3 Sticks Butter
2/3 Cup Flour
6 Cups Milk
1 Chicken Bullion Cube
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheese
1/2 lb. Velveeta - Cut into chunks
8 oz. Sour Cream
Bacon bits and green onions for garnish

Prick potatoes with fork, wrap in foil and bake in oven until soft. (To speed up this process, I sometimes microwave my potatoes for about 5-7 minutes prior to wrapping them in foil and baking) Set baked potatoes to the side and let them begin to cool. To make the soup, melt butter over medium heat in large pot, then whisk in flour. Cook for a couple minutes and then slowly add milk. Whisk continuously until it comes to a low boil and starts to thicken. Turn heat to low and stir in bullion cube, salt, pepper and cheeses. Stir until cheeses are melted. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Cut potatoes into bite-sized chunks and add to soup and return to low heat. (I leave the skin on my potatoes, but you can remove it if you prefer). Let soup heat through and serve. Top with garnishes of your choice.


Vegetable Beef Soup

1 lb. Lean Ground Beef
1 Small Onion, Chopped
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, Chopped into small pieces
1 Can of each - Corn, Green Beans, Carrots, Peas (You can omit or add veggies that your family prefers)
2 Cans Diced Potatoes
1 Can Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 - 2 Cans Tomato Sauce
1 Can Water
1 Chicken Bullion Cube
Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown hamburger, onion and red bell pepper in a small amount of olive oil. Drain. Drain most of the water off the canned veggies and add all to pot. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, bullion cube and salt and pepper and stir until combined. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and let cook for an hour. Goes great with corn bread muffins!!

Enjoy and stay warm this winter!!

Baked Spaghetti

This is a recipe that my mom has been making for a long time. When Mike was in college and would come home on the weekends to visit, my mom would make a 9x13 and send it home with him to eat on that next week. It makes a lot and goes far, so it's a great meal to make for company or if you have a busy week and need leftovers for another night. It's great reheated and is super simple to put together.

Baked Spaghetti

Preheat oven to 350

1/2 lb. Spaghetti Noodles

1 Egg

1/2 Cup Milk

1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan (the green can)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb. Ground Beef

1 Small Onion, chopped fine

2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Cook spaghetti noodles. While those are cooking, brown hamburger and onion in a small amount of olive oil. Drain. In a bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Grease 9x13 pan with butter and layer in the following order:

Cooked noodles

Milk Mixture

Hambuger

Spaghetti Sauce

Mozzarella Cheese

Bake for 35 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve. I always serve it with a side salad and garlic bread. Green beans also go well with it too if you want to add in another veggie for the kiddos!

Mini Cheddar Meat Loaves

Yeah, yeah - I know what you are thinking! Meat loaf - GAG! I am not the biggest fan of the old fashioned meat loaf that grandma made - but these little babies - well, they are delish! My kids devour them and to be honest, so do Mike and I. The recipe uses all simple ingredients that most people have on-hand and it goes perfectly with some mashed potatoes and corn. A crescent roll on the side isn't too shabby either.

Mini Cheddar Meat Loaves

1 Egg

3/4 Cup Milk

1 Cup Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/2 Cup Quick-Cooking Oats

1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion

1 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

1 lb. Lean Ground Beef

2/3 Cup Ketchup

1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

1 1/2 tsp. Yellow Mustard

In a bowl, beat the egg and milk. Stir in cheese, oats, onion, salt and pepper. Add beef and mix well. Shaped into 8 small loaves and place in greased 9x13 pan. In another bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard and spoon over loaves. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.