TRADITIONS...3 easy "go to" meals!

TRADITIONS...3 easy meals for entertaining or family night!

Here are three of my favorite "go to" meals that are great for parties or house guests or family time.  All three meals would be great for watching a football game or a Christmas movie! The soup and chili are nice for out of town guests because you can set them in the slow cooker so that whenever your guests arrive you will have something warm and ready to serve!  To top it all off these meals all make great left-overs and you know that helps save time by having one less meal to make during the craziness of the holiday season!  Thanks to my sister-in-law, mother-in-law & mom!

Shannon’s Taco Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

·     1 pound extra lean hamburger

·     1 cup onion (chopped)

·     1 can tomatoes w/ liquid (16 oz.)

·     1 can corn w/ liquid (16 oz.)

·     1 can kidney beans w/ liquid (16 oz.)

·     1 can tomatoes sauce (8 oz.)

·     1 package taco seasoning (1.25 oz)

*also, some people like to add a ranch seasoning package (1.25 oz)

Directions:

Brown hamburger in a large stock pot. Add onion & mix. Add the remaining ingredients & bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Garnish with toppings! Fast & Easy! 

**optional garnish toppings: avocado, cheese, sour cream, corn chips, green onions, cilantro

Paula’s Green Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:

- Shredded cooked chicken (leftover or a few boneless/skinless breasts boiled or baked)

- Corn tortillas (torn or cut into strips…about three strips per tortilla if small)

- Green enchilada sauce

- Cheese (cheddar, jack or shredded Mexican cheese mix, whatever you have on hand)

*optional: sliced black olives and/or one small can of cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer a little bit of the sauce on the bottom of an 8x8 pan (larger if making a large batch). Layer tortilla, chicken, sauce & cheese…repeat layers making sure to end with cheese on top (*if using the soup be sure to mix it with the green sauce before hand and if using olives add slices to top layer of the cheese).  Cover with foil and bake 20 – 30 minutes until heated through (removing foil for the last 5 minutes to let cheese bubble & brown). Yum!

  

**optional garnish toppings: avocado, cheese, sour cream, corn chips, green onions, cilantro

Mama Morse’s Chili Cook-Off 1st Prize Winning

C h I l i

Ingredients:

·      2 lb. ground beef

·      1 clove garlic (grated or minced)

·      1 large onion (chopped)

·      ½ tsp. salt

·      2-3 Tbsp. Chili powder

·      ¼ tsp. red pepper (cayenne)

·      dash cloves

·      2 cans Kidney beans w/ liquid (16 oz. cans)

·      ¼ tsp. black pepper

·      1 tsp. paprika

·      1 tsp. basil

• 4 cups tomato juice (look for this in the juice aisle at the store…not with the canned tomatoes)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes

Directions:

Brown beef w/ garlic & onion. Add all ingredients to slow cooker or large pot. Simmer for at least 30 minutes & serve!

 By the way, my mom really did win 1st prize at the annual church Chili Cook-Off one year with this bad boy! That's how I came up with the creative name for this recipe!

Enjoy! xoxox *laura*