Yummy Recipes

All my meal planning paid off in the month of October . . . we came in right at the amount we budgeted and ate some yummy meals! This is huge for me!! Here are some of the yummy recipes you guys shared with me. I added a few of my soup recipes too since it's soup season now! I wish I had been taking pictures of these dishes when I made them because I'm a sucker for a recipe WITH a picture!!

FALL DISHES

Pumpkin Pie Cake (From my friend/sister in law Jodi - I made this for a group at church and it was super simple and oh so good! I will be making it again this season!)

4 eggs
1 29 oz. can pumpkin
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup margarine melted
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT cake mix, margarine, and pecans. Pour into 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the powdered cake mix onto the top. Pour the margarine on top of the cake mix. Try to spread it around. Sprinkle pecans on top. Bake at 350 for one hour. No longer. It may not appear done. Refrigerate it. It's much better cold. Top with whip cream or ice cream!

Impossible Pumpkin Pie (another great one from Jodi - I think she likes pumpkin desserts)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Bisquick mix
2 Tbs. margarine
1 can evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 can pumpkin
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Heat to 350, grease pie plate, mix all ingredients together until smooth, pour in pie plate and bake 50-55 minutes! Yummy with cool whip on top!


Puppy Chow - mom's recipe . . . had it growing up, my kids love it. Great one to let them help with the baking.

5 cups rice crispies cereal or chex mix (I used chex mix so they can eat it with their hands. Rice Crispies one is great on ice cream.)
1 stick butter
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter, peanut butter and chips, pour over rice crispies or chex mix. Let cool, mix in powdered sugar. Keep in fridge or freezer so it doesn't get yucky.)

I used an entire box of chex mix and put half out in the garage fridge for a later date!

ITALIAN DISHES

Easy Lasagna ( from Brooke Kain - made it last week and the kids ate it up and it was so simple to make; I've never made lasagna before and other than browning meat it took me 10 minutes to prep.)
1/2 lb ground beef
3 c. spaghetti sauce
1/4 c. water
6 DRY lasagna noodles
1 (15 ounce) carton ricotta or cottage cheese
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown beef; add sauce and water to it. In 2 qt. dish spread 1/2 beef mixture. Top with 3 noodles and half ricotta and cheese. Top with remaining noodles, cheeses, and finally remaining meat mixture. Cover and bake 375 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes.


Easy Spinach and Cheese Manicotti (from Heather Konold - plan to make it this month but I've eaten it at her place and it was DELICIOUS and my kids ate a plate full.)

1 (8ounce) package manicotti pasta
2 chicken breast cooked and thinly chopped or can chicken
2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 cup frozen spinach thawed and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 1/2 (32 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce

Boil pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes; drain and cool on waxed paper or foil to prevent them from sticking together. Preheat oven to 350. Combine ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, parsley, spinach, chicken, salt and pepper; fill manicotti with cheese mixture. (easy way is to fill a ziplock bag and cut the corner to "pipe" in the filling) In a 9x13 dish, spread a thin layer so spaghetti sauce on the bottom and arrange manicotti in a single layer; cover with remaining sauce. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes longer.

SOUPS

Santa Fe Soup
Brown 1 lb. hamburger
Melt 1 lb. velvetta and 1 can rotel
Add these things to the hamburger: 1 can undrained corn, 1 can undrained kidney beans, 1 can diced tomatoes
Mix with cheese
Heat and serve with tortilla chips

Potato Soup - Monica you gave this to me years ago and we still love it!!
16 oz. bag of Hash Browns with peppers (I use the ones cut in squares)
4 cans chicken broth
1 pkg ( i usually use two) Country Time White Gravy
1 can (or more ) of corn
cut up a red and or green pepper
I've also added ham or chicken to it. I'm sure any type of bean or other veggie could be yummy too. (This is a weight watchers recipe 1 cup = 2 points)

TACO SOUP - Another yummy one from Monica
1 c. tomato paste
1 lb hamburger
1 can kidney beans
2 cans corn
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can rotel
1 can water
chips and cheese for topping
(This is a weight watchers recipe . .. 1 cup = 2 points)

Vegetable Soup - from Cindy Bartel . . . this one is on the menu for this month!! Cindy knows the twin life . . . simple and quick meals!)
1 lb beef
can pinto beans
can on rotel
can of mixed veggies
can of diced or stewed tomatos

Mix and heat, juice and all!