Monday Meal Ideas~Tuna Noddle Casserole

I know, I know, I know... I have, yet again, missed a couple Monday Meal Ideas! It isn't that I am not cooking for the fam, it is that I am not remembering to take pics when I do...and I am such a visual person that I feel like I can put a new recipe on unless I have a pic! So, here is one I did remember to take a pic of. It is one of my FAVORITES as a child!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

1/2 onion chopped

5 pieces of Celery chopped

Minced Garlic

2 cans of Tuna

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

Chicken Broth

Noodles

Grated Cheese

Crackers

First, I started by sauteing the onion, celery and a garlic together. Next, I start cooking the noodles (follow the directions on package). While that is sauteing and noodles are cooking, in a bowl I mix the drained Tuna, mushroom soup and about a half can of Chicken Broth together(You want the mixture to be a bit runny). I salt and pepper both the sauteing items and the mixture in the bowl.

Turn the oven to 350 and then spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray. Once the sauteing items are to your liking (I usually like to get the onions brown and the celery less crunchy) I then add it to the mixture.

When the noodles are finished I drain the water pouring them into the 9x13 pan and then add the mixture stirring it all together. Finally, I add grated cheese to the top, crumble crackers over cheese and place into the oven for 20-30 minutes just to heat up the entire casserole.

***At times I have also added sour cream and Worcestershire Sauce to mixture.

Monday Meal Ideas

Apparently I am on a soup kick lately. Sorry for those of who whose husbands like meat and potatoes all the time, I don't seem to be helping you out much. I will see what I can do for ya...but I am more of the "throw it all together" kind a gal!

My mother used to make this EVERY Christmas Eve. My kids beg for it to be made weekly!

Clam Chowder

1/2 diced onion

5 pieces of diced celery

5 pieces of cut bacon

2 cans chicken broth

4-6 cans of minced clams (with juice)

2 bags of cubed hashbrowns OR chop up own potatoes

1 quart half and half

salt and pepper

Start by sauteing 1/2 chopped onion, 5 chopped celery pieces, 5 cut up pieces of bacon, salt and pepper.

It will look like this to begin with but will thicken up as the potatoes cook.

While that is sauteing, in a large soup pot add potatoes, chicken broth and clams and bring to a boil. Once the sauteed items are finished add them to the pot. Allow all of this to cook on medium for 2 to 3 hours stirring occasionally. With about a half hour left pour in the half and half, turning down the temperature...you don't want it to boil. I usually pepper it again and serve with french bread.

After adding the half and half and letting it cook about 1/2 hour longer you will end up with nummy tasting Clam Chowder!

FYI~ I have switched to using just red potatoes and cutting up 10-15 of them in place of the hashbrowns. It seems to make a bit chunkier soup.

***This could also be used as a potato soup or even corn chowder leaving out the clams and adding corn. ***

Monday Meal Ideas~Taco Soup

Tonight I made Taco Soup at my mom's house. My mother was very surprised that I volunteered to make dinner...she isn't used to the new me yet either.

This soup is sooo good and even easier to make!!!!!

Taco Soup

1lb ground beef (or ground Turkey meat)

onion

2 cans kidney beans

2 cans pinto beans

2 cans black beans

2 cans diced tomatoes(any of these kinds make it even better...Mexican, Italian, basil, green chilies)

1 can corn

1 packet dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing

Salt and Pepper

First brown the meat and onion together. As you are doing that combine the rest of the ingredients(beans, tomatoes, corn, packet of dressing and salt/pepper)together in a large soup pan. Once the meat is browned add it into the pan with the rest of the ingredients. Allow the soup to come a boil and then turn down to LO or MEDIUM heat until ready to eat. The longer it sits on the stove the better. It allows the sauce to seep into the meat.

You then can add shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, more onions...

This is a great thing to serve to a large number of people or a last minute dinner. Really simple and I have NEVER had anyone NOT like it!

****You sure could add or subtract the types of beans you use! Also, the kinds of tomatoes. My mother has used stewed tomatoes instead of the diced tomatoes...but my kids don't like tomatoes so I trick them by using diced ones. They have never ever noticed. :)

For My Sister-In-Law!!

My sister-n-law, Kim, reminded me (kindly) that I have NOT kept up on my Monday Meal Ideas posts that I had promised.  She says she has been checking regularly looking for dinner ideas. Those of you who really know me are laughing hysterically at the fact that someone is coming to ME for recipe ideas!  

I do have some recipes ready for up coming Monday Meal Ideas.  But I didn't want Kim to have to wait that long so I want to add a link to this WONDERFUL new blog I have found.  It is called Sunday Baker and she has AMAZING recipes.  The one she currently has up is a recipe that my mommy used to make for a VERY SIMPLE finger food to take to parties: Ranch Oyster Crackers. I had made them once for BUNKO and they were a hit.  You find your hand going back and back into the bowl...DANGEROUS!! 

Give the Oyster Crackers a try I bet you will LOVE them!  But also, check out Tanya's blog Sunday Baker,I guarantee you will find some GREAT recipes to use...especially with New Year's coming up!

Hopefully, Kimme, this will tide you over until this Monday when I PROMISE I will post a new Monday Meal Ideas that you will LOVE!

Monday Meal Idea

I could spend DAYS just surfing the Blogger Network! Most days I get great ideas for crafting and decorating but lately I have been finding some WONDERFUL recipe ideas. Those of you who know me know I HATE TO COOK!!!!!! I would rather sit in the Dentist chair (No offense Dr Grow) getting a root canal than cook! But I have started to find and try some recipes that have made being in the kitchen not all that bad. NO I am NO WHERE ready to tie on the apron and call myself Rachel Ray...but I'm thinking part of my issue with cooking is coming up with ideas. SO, for all of you out there who feel the same way I hopefully have a solution for you. I am going to start posting a Monday Meal Ideas. Where each Monday I will try to post a new recipe with pictures (I hate recipes w/o pics...I am a very visual person!)

For my 1st Monday Meal Idea recipe I am going to share MY adaptation to Mexican Lasagna which I found on Little Birdie Secrets. I made a few changes to theirs due to the fact I didn't have, in the pantry, what it was asking for OR I wasn't a big fan of some of the ingredients. SO, here is MY adaptation of

Mexican Lasagna:

In a large pan, saute:

1 lb. ground beef

chopped onion

salt and pepper

minced garlic

taco seasoning

(I didn't measure the taco seasoning, just dumped some in...I'm sooooo turning into my mother!)

Once the meat is browned I added:

1 can diced tomatoes with oregano and basil

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375. In a 9x13 pan layer 3 flour tortillas, 1/2 can of refried beans, 1/2 meat mixture, and 1 cup shredded cheese. Repeat the layers one more time: tortillas, beans, meat mixture, and cheese. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes...and enjoy!

My family LOVED it. Will said it would be "extra" better with a few tortilla chips to dip in it too. The original recipe asked for the use of corn tortillas but since I don't like them I didn't use them. BUT, I think the corn tortillas would have made it a bit crunchier. The flour tortillas were good just didn't harden much.

Until next Monday Meal Ideas My Ladies~