Crockpot Lasagna

My sister had found this amazing recipe on Pinterest. She brought it to a family gathering, and I didn't get to even try a bite since it was gobbled up THAT fast (I was upstairs nursing my baby!!! The nerve not to save me any!! Haha!!). So, I knew I just had to try it myself. I changed it up just a little bit, and it was a hit!!! I love lasagna, and I love crockpot meals!!!! This is definitely going to be a keeper around here!!

 Crockpot Lasagna
submitted by Camille
(adapted from Creating Through Life )

1 lb ground beef
29oz can tomato sauce
8oz pkg lasagna noodles
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups cottage cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp leave oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp thyme

1. Spray the inside of the crockpot with cooking spray
2. Brown the ground beef
3. Stir the tomato sauce and seasonings into the ground beef
4. Spread 1/4 of the ground meat sauce into the bottom of the crockpot
5. Arrange 1/3 of uncooked noodles over the sauce (you can break up the noodles a bit to get them to fit better!)
6. Combine the cheeses in a bowl. Spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the noodles.
7. Repeat these layers twice
8. Top with remaining sauce
9. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
10. Let the lasagna stand in the crockpot for at least 10 minutes.

Shredded Beef and Salsa Verde Enchilada Bake

I love enchilada's, and I love slow cooker meals : ) This was a little more post-prep for a slow cooked meal then what I am used to. But, it was still very good, and I will make it again!!!




Shredded Beef and Salsa Verde Enchilada Bake
submitted by Camille
(from Rookie Cookie)

3-4 lb beef rump roast
Kosher salt and ground pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 lb cheddar cheese, shredded
13 corn tortillas, cut in half
1 16 oz jar prepared salsa verde
1 10 oz can enchilada sauce


Plug in slow cooker. Season all sides of the beef with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine cumin and cayenne pepper. Rub cumin and cayenne mixture on all sides of the beef. Place beef in the slow cooker. Fill with enough water to come 1 inch up the sides. Add the bay leaves to the water. Set the slow cooker to low. Cook for 6 hours, turning the beef over once halfway through cooking time. Remove roast from slow cooker and set on a cutting board to cool. Once cool enough to handle, shred the beef, discarding any fat. Set aside.
Set oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine both cheeses. Pour 1 1/2 cups salsa verde into a shallow dish. Pour enchilada sauce into another shallow dish. In the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish, spoon in a small amount of the enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. With half of the tortillas, dip each one in the enchilada sauce and then the salsa verde and then lay them onto the bottom of the pan with the cut side facing outward. Add on half of the shredded beef and spread evenly. With a spoon, evenly sprinkle half of the remaining salsa verde (what's left from when you put 1 1/2 cups into the shallow dish) on top of the beef. Sprinkle on half of the cheese and then repeat for one more layer.
Spray a piece of foil with non-stick spray and cover pan with foil, sprayed side down. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, until cheese is browned. Let the bake cool and set for 10 minutes. Serve with fresh salsa if desired and some sour cream.

(Rookie's Notes: Why spray the foil? Because the cheese will stick to it and that will make you sad.)

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Meatballs are a big hit over here at my house. I usually make our fave Manhattan meatballs (which I didn't realize I have never posted on here. I will do that soon), but wanting to switch it up, but still wanting the whole fam to like the meal I searched around my fave recipe sites until I saw this one at My Kitchen Cafe. I tried it out and everyone loved it! Yay! It will now make it's regular rounds at the dinner table at our house.

FYI- I didn't use her meatball recipe, I just used the sauce. I used the meatball recipe from my Manhattan meatballs and just added her sweet and sour sauce. Or you could go an even easier route and buy frozen meatballs and just make the sauce to go with. Oh, and I double the sauce like she mentions to do if you like more sauce. Love it.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
(submitted by Michelle)
recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

Serves 4-6
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3/4 cup quick oats
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Form into about 12 balls, each about 2 inches in diameter. Place in a casserole dish. Cover with sauce (below). Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

Sauce:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 cup barbeque sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Combine ingredients and blend thoroughly. Heat in a small saucepan until combined and sugar is dissolved and pour over meatballs. (This dish is not overly abundant on sauce so if you enjoy things a bit saucier, double the sauce ingredients.)

Taco Stromboli

This one might sound different, but it was really good!!!! So very quick and easy to make, and everyone loved it!! Try it, and tell me what you think!!



Taco Stromboli
submitted by Camille
(from Blue Cricket Design)

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef or turkey
1 Tbs. oil
1/2 diced small Onion
1/2 pack of Taco Seasoning
1/2 cup Salsa
1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream
Cheese for top
1 Pizza crust dough in a tube

Add oil into skillet and saute the onions for a few minutes. Add meat. Brown and drain meet. Add seasoning and salsa.

Roll out your pizza dough making it long and a large rectangle. Pour meat into the center of the dough and top with 1/2 cup of cheese. Fold over sides and close the ends of the dough.

Bake at 350 for about 16 minutes or until golden brown.

Slice and serve over a bed of shredded lettuce. Top with Sour Cream and cheese. You could also add tomatoes, olives and green onions on top.

Skillet Nachos

I made these Nachos for dinner one night. They were great! Defiantly would be a fun dish to take to a party or something. I didn't add the Zucchini since we aren't fans of it, though.

Skillet Nachos
submitted by Michelle
(from The Sisters Cafe)

½ lb ground beef

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

1 small zucchini, chopped (1 cup)

1 cup chili beans in chili sauce (from 15-oz can)

1 cup thick-and-chunky salsa, divided

Tortilla chips (the salted kind, of course!)

1 ½ c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (6 oz)

sliced ripe olives

diced fresh tomatoes

Brown ground beef. Drain and remove ground beef to a plate; set aside. Using the same pan, stir-fry bell pepper and zucchini for 2 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Stir in chili beans and ½ cup of the salsa; cook until hot. Stir in ground beef.

Line tortilla chips on a broiler safe pan. Spoon dollops of the mixture atop the chips. Sprinkle with olives and tomatoes (or you can add these after the nachos come out of the broiler). Sprinkle with cheese, to your liking. Put under broiler (not super close) until cheese is melted, only a couple of minutes.

Serve with remaining salsa.

Glazed Mini Meatloaves

I am not a meatloaf fan. And my hubby is not one even more so than me. So he was definitely hesitant when he came home to find me making Meatloaf for dinner. But Mel over at My Kitchen Cafe hasn't disappointed me yet, so I knew I had to try it. And besides, she has 4 boys that all seemed to love it, so I was sure my own 3 boys (well 4 if you count the Hubs!) would at least try it.  And they did. And they LOVED IT. The whole fam agreed it was most definitely a keeper. Well, Savannah didn't understand, but I guessed from her empty dinner plate that she loved it, too. :)


Glazed Mini Meatloaves
submitted by Michelle
(from My Kitchen Cafe)

Makes 4-5 mini meatloaves.

Meatloaves:
17-20 saltine crackers, crushed fine (about 2/3 cup)
1/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground meat
2 teaspoons oil

Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Stir cracker crumbs, milk, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, egg, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl. Add ground meat and combine until uniform. Shape mixture into oval loaves
Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is rippling. Add meatloaves (without letting them touch sides) and brown well on one side, 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip loaves over and tidy up edges using a spatula . Brown on this side for another 2-3 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix glaze ingredients together until smooth. Transfer mini meatloaves to a foil-lined baking pan and spoon the glaze over the top of each meatloaf. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the center of the loaf registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer (or do like Mel does and cut one of the little babies open and if it looks done – pull ‘em out of the oven!).
Enjoy!

Taco Soup

Don't you love this time of year when you can make soups and comfort foods! The weather has been very cool this time of year for our area, but I am LOVING it!!! This recipe was seriously so easy!! And perfect for a cool Fall day!!! Enjoy!



Taco Soup
submitted by Camille
(from The Sisters Cafe)

2 cans diced tomatoes (seasoned or regular)
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can green beans (we don't like green beans in this family, so I used peas instead!)
2 cans kidney beans (I used 1 can black beans and 1 can kidney)
1-2lbs ground beef or turkey
1 packet taco seasoning (I like it better with 1.5packets)

Brown the meat, adding half of the seasoning packet. Bring all other ingredients to a slow simmer in separate pot. Add the other half of the seasoning packet while simmering. Add meat. Garnish with cheese, chips, green onions, and avocado.

The Ultimate Cowboy Burgers

Ohmygoodness....my Hubby and I fell in LOVE with these burgers!!!! I think we made like 4 times in the month of July!!!! Seriously mouth-watering!!! They make really big burgers...and also I would almost always double the recipe so everyone in my family could have one, plus there would be a few for leftovers the next day : )



The Ultimate Cowboy Burgers
submitted by Camille
(adapted from Picky Palate)


1 1lb ground beef

2 Tablespoons fresh minced garlic

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1/2 Cup shredded cheddar cheese plus 1/2 Cup for topping burgers

4 Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns, toasted

4 Tablespoons mayonnaise

1 Cup shredded iceburg lettuce

8 slices tomato, 1/2 inch thick

8 baked onion rings

4 Tablespoons BBQ sauce

1. Preheat grill to medium high. In a large bowl combine the beef, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Form into 4 large patties and grill for 4-5 minutes each side. During the last few minutes, add additional cheddar cheese to melt. Place mayonnaise onto both sides of buns and layer lettuce, tomato, burger, onion rings then BBQ sauce on bottom rolls. Place roll on top and serve!

Layered Enchilada Bake

Found this recipe in a magazine, and changed it just a little! This was very tasty!!! And easy too!!! My Dad had some of this and just LOVED it, as did my husband and children!!! Definitely will make this one again!!!



Layered Enchilada Bake
submitted by Camille

1lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups chunky salsa
1 can (15 oz) black beans
1/4 cup Zesty Italian dressing
2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning mix
6 flour tortilla's
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg. Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degree's. Brown meat with onions in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Add salsa, beans dressing and taco seasoning mix; mix well.
Arrange 3 of the tortilla's in single layer on bottom of 9x13 inch dish; cover with layers of half each of the meat mixture, sour cream and then cheese. Repeat all layers. Cover with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into and serving.