9 Layer Casserole

                                                                                 

This casserole sounds like a lot of effort but it doesn't take as much time as you might think. You eliminate the whole browning the burger stage & you assemble this right in your baking dish so clean up is a breeze. This is great for church suppers & any pot luck event or just good family time meals. You may cut this recipe in half for your family meals but it tastes so good I always make the whole recipe! You can vary this up as you wish switching up the frozen vegetables or the soups & add any spices you might like. We love this made with the onion rings but sometimes we just want those crispy tater tots instead. On occasion I sometimes use chopped canned tomatoes instead of the soup to make a change with the recipe. I love it both ways!
 








2 LB. Ground Beef VERY LEAN or LEAN Turkey Burger
6 Potatoes peeled & sliced thin
4 Carrots Peeled & sliced thin
2 Onions Peeled & sliced thin
1, 15oz. Can Mushrooms drained
1LB Frozen Mixed Vegetables OR Frozen Peas Or Corn
2 Cans Cream of Celery Soup or your favorite
4 Cups Shredded Pizza Cheese OR Cheddar
1 Bag Frozen Onion Rings

Thaw burger. In a large casserole or 9x13 baking dish, layer the slice potatoes. Then layer of carrots, next onion, now spread the beef across the carrots. At this step I sprinkle seasonings over the meat, like garlic powder, onion powder or chives & parsley. Any combo of these or of your favorite spices would be good! Now spread out the frozen veggies, next the mushrooms. Spread the soup over the top, Cover with foil & bake 375 degrees for 1 hour. Remove the foil & spread the cheese over the top Then top with the Onion Rings or Tater Tots Bake another 1/2 hour, uncovered, or until the Onion Rings are browned! YUM!!!! Before you remove from the oven test with a fork to make sure your sliced potatoes are cooked soft. they should be but check to make sure!

                                                                              

This is a picture of the canned tomato version, where instead of the soup layer use 2 cans 15oz. chopped canned tomatoes along with the juice! SO TASTY!

Velvetee Mashed Potatoes!

                                                                                 

Not your plain old mashed potatoes but CHEESY!

8 Regular Medium White All Purpose Potatoes Peeled & Quartered

1 Tsp Salt

1 LB. Velveeta Cheese

Cook potatoes covered in water until soft. Drain. In a deep mixing bowl soften cheese in the microwave on 50% power for about 1 & 1/2 Minutes. Add hot drained potatoes & beat with the mixer until soft & fluffy. Serve hot with any meat EASY BUT GOOD! makes 6 cups of mashed potatoes!

Round Steak with Onion Mushroom Gravy

                                                                                 

Another very simple supper for hectic nights when you want delicious without a lot of fuss!

1 Round Steak per person
2 TBS Butter
1 Onion per steak sliced
1 large Can Sliced Mushrooms 15oz.
4 TBS Cornstarch stirred smooth in 1 Cup Water

Brown steak in the butter, brown both sides. Season as desired, I used 1 tsp Onion Powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, salt & pepper & 1 tbs parsley. Cover with water, add onions, cover with a lid & simmer 1 hour checking every so often to make sure steak is covered with water, add more as needed. Now add mushrooms & cook another 15 minutes. Stir cornstarch & water together & slowly add this to the pan stirring well as you do so. This makes a nice thick brown gravy! Steak will be tender & full of flavor! Serve with Velvetee Mashed Potatoes & a vegetable & you will have a GREAT meal!

Shepherds Pie Version # 3

                                                                                

My Oh My we love Shepherds Pie! This may not look all pretty but it taste pretty DANG GOOD! Simple but tasty & one of our comfort foods we go to on cold nights!
2 LBS Ground Beef
1 LB Mixed Frozen Vegetables
1 Can Cream Of Mushroom Soup or any cream soup you like
8 thick slices of Velveeta Cheese
6 Cups Mashed Potatoes

Brown beef in a large oven proof 10 inch skillet, drain & return beef to the skillet. Add the veggies & 1 cup of water. stir & cook until veggies are tender about 15 minutes. Stir in the soup & then remove from heat. Cover the mixture with the slices of cheese. Smooth mashed potatoes over the top. Bake in a preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees. SERVES 6 YUMMY IN THE TUMMY!
 

Eclair Cake the Huge Open Faced Eclair!

                                                                                

I love Eclairs & this cake which is really just an open faced giant Eclair sounded intriguing  to me. Most recipes for this call for boxed puddings & chocolate ice cream topping but why go to the trouble of making that buttery Eclair crust & then fill it with imitation fillings. This cake is the real deal no shortcuts about it but BOY is it worth it! Slice into a square of Eclair Heaven! 

CRUST:
1 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Butter
4 Large Eggs
1/4 TSP Salt
1 Cup Flour
Melt butter in the water by bringing it to a boil. Add salt & flour all at once stirring to get a smooth dough that comes together. Pull of the heat & let come to a slightly warm temp. Now stir in eggs one at a time stirring hard to get dough to come together. It will & it does just work it! Now LIGHTLY & I mean LIGHTLY spray a glass 9x13 pan with a cooking spray like PAM. Plop dough in the pan & work it out & up the sides of the pan about 1/2 inch cover the bottom & sides. You will want the bottom thinner than the sides. Now bake in a 400 degree oven checking at 20 minutes & should be done in 30 minutes give or take. You want a nice brown crust but not dark! This will puff up & look lovely!. Now let cool. 
FILLING:
2/3 Cup Sugar
2 TBS Flour
2 TBS Cornstarch/1/2 TSP Salt
Stir all of the above together. Now add 3 cups whole milk & stir over medium heat until thick & bubbly! Beat 2 egg yolks together. add a little of the hot pudding a little at a time until you have about 1 cup of egg & pudding & then add this back into the pot. Cook & stir until smooth & thick. Remove from heat & add 2 TSP Vanilla & beat again! Let cool completely in the frig! Once cold beat 1 Cup heavy cream until whipped & STIFF peaks form.                                                 

Now fold this into your cold pudding! DELISH! Now fill your crust with this amazing pudding!
                                                             

 Mix up the chocolate gloss for the final step.
CHOCOLATE GLOSS:
1 Cup Sugar
3 TBS Cornstarch
2 OZ. Unsweetened Chocolate
Dash of Salt
3 TBS Butter
1 TSP Vanilla
1 Cup Water
Stir Cornstarch, sugar & salt together in a deep sauce pan. Add water & chocolate & cook over medium heat until thick & bubbly. Remove from heat & stir in butter & vanilla until smooth!  
                                                        

Let cool to warm & then spread over the Eclair filling. CHILL & SERVE you will WOW them with this one!
                                                                              

When I serve this tonight for my Dad's birthday I will add a photo of the serving portion so you may see it for yourself!

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HAM & CABBAGE a One Pot Meal!

                                                                               

I made this dish to use up my leftover Easter Ham but that was not the only reason, it is DELICIOUS TOO! Easy & a one pot clean-up makes it another cooks favorite!

3 LBS Ham Bone in Preferred
Water to cover
1 LB Baby Carrots or Carrots that you peel & cut into quarters
8 Medium Sized Potatoes Peeled
Cabbage enough for 2 wedges per person ( I used 1/2 head of cabbage for mine)
2 Medium Onions Peeled & coarsely Chopped
Place ham in a deep pot & cover with water. Cover with lid & cook about 1 & 1/2 hours to get good broth. Remove ham from the pot so it cools enough for you to remove meat from the bone & cut into large meaty chunks remove the fat & skin. Set meat aside while you cook the next part. Back into the pot add the onions, potatoes & carrots, make sure you have enough broth to keep them covered, if not add more water, cook until almost completely cooked thru about 40 minutes. Now add the meat back into the pot & the cabbage that you cored & cut into serving size wedges. Make sure there is enough broth to cover the carrots & potatoes. Cover with a lid & cook on a nice simmer until cabbage is soft about another 20 minutes. Serve big helpings with lots of broth ladled over the serving. Dollop with pats of butter & salt & pepper to taste! OH BOY!