Cheesy Ham with Vegetables Casserole

If you are wanting a quick and easy meal that your family will love, this recipe is sure to please.  Even people who do not like vegetables will enjoy this meal.  Serve this casserole with a salad and some bread or biscuits, and you have a complete meal. 

Ingredients

1 (10-oz.) pkg. broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots
1 (10.75-oz.) can cheddar cheese soup * See notes below
1/2 c. sour cream
2 c. ham, cut into small cubes
2 c. cooked rice *
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c. soft bread crumbs
1 tbs. butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray or grease a 1 1/2 qt. baking dish.

Cook mixed vegetables according to package directions. Vegetables do not have to be cooked all the way through, you just want them al dente and no longer frozen.  Drain. 

Place vegetables in a large bowl. Add the ham, rice, onions, and garlic. Gently mix.

In a small bowl, combine cheddar cheese soup and sour cream. Stir until smooth.

Pour the cheese soup mixture over the mixed vegetables, ham, and rice. Gently stir to combine.

Place bread crumbs in a small bowl. Pour the melted butter over the top and stir to combine.  Sprinkle the bread crumb over the ham and vegetables. 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until heated through. Serve. During the last 5 minutes of cooking time, you can sprinkle some more cheddar cheese over the top if desired.

Notes

If you don't have a can of cheddar cheese soup, use 1/2 cup milk and 1-cup shredded cheddar cheese.

Instead of rice, you can use 3-cups cooked pasta.

Carrot Banana Bread with  Cream Cheese Frosting

This carrot banana bread is moist and full of flavorful spices. It is so easy to put together. If you have extra carrots that you're wondering what to do with, add them to banana bread. Turn ordinary banana bread into something delicious. And for an extra treat, spread the loaf with cream cheese frosting if desired.

Ingredients

2 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 over-ripe bananas, mashed smooth
1 c. carrots, shredded
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 egg
1/2 c. raisins (optional)
1/4 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)
1/4 c. flaked coconut (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a small bowl, combine bananas, carrots, mayonnaise, egg, and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined.  

Add the banana mixture into the flour mixture and stir only until moistened. Be careful to not over mix or the bread will be tough. 

Fold in walnuts, coconut, and raisins.

Transfer to the prepared loaf pan. Spread it out evenly in the pan.

Bake 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan. Place the bread on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Prepare the cream cheese frosting, if desired.

In a mixing bowl, add cream cheese, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Beat until well incorporated. 

Spread frosting over the top of the cooled carrot banana bread.

Slice the bread and serve. 

Lemon Chicken Over Pasta

Nothing is better than a quick and easy meal idea that tastes like you have been cooking all day. Lemon chicken, bell peppers, onions, and garlic served over pasta makes a delicious meal that your family will love.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. butter
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic  cloves, minced
2 chicken breast with skin removed
2 Tbs. flour
1  tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. cooking oil
2/3 c. chicken broth
3 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. parsley
2 c. pasta, cooked

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large ovenproof cast iron skillet, melt butter.  Sauté bell peppers, onion, and garlic over medium heat until tender and the onions are caramelized. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and place in a bowl.

In a low dish, combine flour, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, and garlic powder.  

Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. 

Heat the oil over medium heat in the same skillet that you sautéed the bell peppers, onion, and garlic in. 

Add the chicken and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until brown.  Turn the chicken over and cook another 3 to 4 minutes, browning the other side.

Remove the chicken and place on top of the vegetables. 

In the skillet that you browned the chicken, pour in chicken broth, lemon juice, and brown sugar.  Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, as this adds flavor to the sauce. 

Add the chicken, peppers, onions, and garlic back into the skillet. 

Bake for 15 minutes.  Baste the chicken with the pan juices and then bake another 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165°.  

Serve over the cooked pasta and garnish with parsley.

 Greek Seasoning Blend

This spice blend is the perfect seasoning to sprinkle on fish, chicken, or vegetables.  It is so simple to make and will save you a lot of money over buying pre-made spice blends.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. salt (optional)
1 Tbs. garlic powder or granulated garlic
1 Tbs. onion powder or granulated onion
1 Tbs. basil
1 Tbs. oregano
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. parsley
1 1/2 tsp. rosemary, minced
1 1/2 tsp. dill
1 1/2 tsp. marjoram
3/4 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Directions

In a jar with a lid, combine salt, garlic, onion, basil, oregano, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, dill, marjoram, thyme, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Put the lid on the jar and shake the jar to mix thoroughly. 

You can place the spices in a spice grinder or a food processor, if you want a finer texture.  

 Blueberry Quick Bread

 

Ingredients

1/3 c. butter, melted
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. grated lemon zest
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 c. nuts, chopped (optional)

Glaze

2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 c. sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 350°. Grease an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan. 

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Mix in lemon juice and lemon zest.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.  

Mix in 1/4 of the flour mixture into the batter.  Beat well.  Pour in about a fourth of the milk into the batter and beat well. Keep alternating between the flour and milk, beating well after each addition.

Gently fold in the blueberries and nuts.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool the blueberry bread for about 5 to 10 minutes before removing the bread from the pan and placing it on a cooling rack.

Make the glaze, while the bread is still hot.

In a bowl, combine the lemon juice and sugar together. Poke holes with a toothpick in the top of the warm blueberry bread.

Pour the glaze over the top. Cool completely before cutting.

One Skillet Beef Taco Pasta

For a fraction of the cost, you can make your own One Skillet Beef Taco Pasta dish. It's just as easy as opening the box and dumping things in your skillet. If you make your own taco seasoning mix, and salsa, you won't have all the added salt and preservatives either. And it makes for a more flavorful meal.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (optional)
1 pkg taco seasoning or 2 to 3 Tbs. taco seasoning mix
1 1/2 c. water
2 1/2 c. milk
2 c. pasta, bow-tie, elbow, any shape you like
3/4 c. salsa
1 c. corn, frozen or canned, drained
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese
corn chips

Directions

In a large cast iron skillet, cook the ground beef, onion, sweet bell pepper and jalapeño pepper over medium high heat until the beef is no longer pink.  Drain off excess grease.

Stir in taco seasoning, water, milk, and pasta. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Stir occasionally.

Stir in salsa, and corn.  Cook until warmed through, and the sauce is the desired consistency you want.  

Stir in cheddar cheese.  Cook and stir until the cheese melts. 

Serve with corn chips placed over the top, and enjoy!

Blueberry Cake

This blueberry cake is moist and delicious. Serve it with ice cream, or a dollop of whipped cream. This is so good, you can have some for breakfast, dessert, or as a snack when you want something good and tasty to eat.

Ingredients

2 c. blueberries
1/4 c. flour, for the blueberries
1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
zest from 1 lemon
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butermilk
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbs. sugar, to sprinkle over the batter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray or lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan.

In a bowl, combine blueberries and flour.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add lemon zest. Mix well.

Add egg and vanilla.  Beat well until thoroughly combined. 

In a bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. 

Mix in half of the flour into the batter.  Stir until well blended. 

Pour in the buttermilk.  Stir until combined. 

Add in the rest of the flour mixture, stirring to combine.

Add the blueberries into the batter.  Stir gently just until mixed in. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly.

Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the batter.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick, when inserted in the center of the cake, comes out clean.

Cool completely before serving.   Serve with ice cream, or whipped cream, if desired.