Quick, easy and inexpensive.  Tastes like the real deal too.

Another golden oldie from the “we have to pinch pennies” days.

This, surprisingly enough, tastes pretty authentic!  Unlike the real thing, this doesn’t have any noodles involved at all.  The gravy is tasty and gets a little help from the condensed soup and some sour cream.

You can make your own herbed biscuits (recipe is there). You can use baking mix, like Bisquick and just add the spices to their recipe printed on the box.  Heck, even use some “wampum” biscuits if you have them.  However, they won’t taste nice and “herby” but you can top with some poppy seed if you want.

Hamburger Stroganoff Casserole

Serves 6-8

Hamburger Stroganoff Casserole

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Salsa-Licious Mac & Cheese

So easy and so tasty.  A different mac & cheese.  Can be made totally meatless and a giveaway too!

I have been thinking about doing something like this literally for years.

My friend Kevin said his mom *always* added a bit of salsa to her mac & cheese and I thought heck, that’s a great idea because the tomato/peppers combo would really kick this up.

I thought I’d dust off this idea when Revol contacted me to do something for one of their “postcards,” which are recipe cards that are displayed with the product in stores.

As Revol is international, I tweaked Kevin’s mom’s idea a bit to use ingredients that would be available world-wide and/or give a viable substitution for ones not available globally (i.e. Velveeta).

And if you’re wondering why something with ground beef is the “Meatless Monday” post–the meat can be easily eliminated here with absolutely no loss of great flavor!

I did this in my 1.8 qt Belle Cuisine, which is my most-used Revol baker.  However, this recipe can be doubled or tripled and made in a larger pan.  If you want to make this in a larger 13 x 9 pan, double the ingredients.

So here’s the giveaway part–for Easy Greasy.  This little kitchen item is designed to drain grease from whatever you cook.  There’s also a handy cover for the grease collector so you can store it and empty it when full.

I found it did the job well.  Basically its a colander/can re-design that all fits together nicely.  Made totally in the USA and designed by and marketed by an every-day Mom!

What I didn’t care for was that even when it was washed, it still smelled like the beef fat I drained.  I’m a TERRIBLE anti-grease-a-holic and I have a keen and some say, OVER KEEN sense of smell.  That bothered me. A pet peeve.  It may not bother others at all.

Here it is in action:

EasyGreasy

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Salsa-Licious Mac and Cheese:

Luscious, creamy mac and cheese kicked up with ground beef and salsa!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: beef

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: ground beef recipe, mac and beef, mac and cheese

Servings: 3 -4

Calories: 612kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 cup green bell pepper diced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes with juice OR 3 fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 8 oz lean ground beef optional for meatless
• 2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup Velveeta cubed
• 1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• sliced green onions for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Brown ground beef, onion and pepper together in a large saute pan or deep skillet.
• Add the tomatoes and Velveeta. Cook over low heat until cheese is melted.
• Stir in cooked elbows.
• Transfer to a 11 x 7 - inch baking dish. Top with shredded cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbling.
• Garnish with green onion if desired.
• Serves 2-3
• NOTE: If you cannot get Velveeta (outside US/Canada) then substitute 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar)

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 612kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 2001mg | Potassium: 877mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1297IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 701mg | Iron: 4mg

Salsa-Licious Mac & Cheese

Salsa-Licious Mac & Cheese

Salsa-Licious Mac & Cheese

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The post Salsa-Licious Mac & Cheese: Meatless Mondays appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

All the taste of those fast-food superburgers, but half the price!

I think everyone is familiar with the famous taco ring that’s made with crescents.  It’s time to think outside the taco ring!

Not being a fan of taco flavoring, I do these with other fillings. I’ve done chicken and broccoli and pizza too…I’ll get around to posting those in the future.  Also did this for breakfast too with eggs, sausage & bacon!  Very versatile.

Think outside the taco ring

You can skimp and use 1 roll of crescents–you’ll show a lot of filling, but sometimes that’s not all that bad, and if you use the larger crescents, 1 roll will do you.

These rings also are good for buffet-type parties.  Sliced more thinly, they double as an appetizer as well.

I served this with a cheese sauce.  I made my own but if you don’t want to fuss, microwaved Cheez Wiz will do in a pinch.

When I first made one of these, I have to admit I found the directions that were written a bit confusing as to how to form the ring.  I found an absolutely great video on YouTube that demonstrated how to do it and the woman also gives you a recipe for a taco ring.  Here it is:

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Cheeseburger Ring

All the taste of those fast-food superburgers, but half the price!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Course: beef, Brunch, Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheeseburger ring

Servings: 4

Calories: 482kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 2 pkgs crescent roll dough
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tbs pickle relish optional
• 1 egg yolk or egg white beaten
• cheese sauce:
• 4 oz Velveeta
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup milk or cream

Instructions

• Brown ground beef in a heavy skillet over medium heat; drain.
• Reduce heat and add ketchup, onion and pickle relish if using. Heat through. Remove from heat.
• Add shredded cheese and stir until cheese melts and mixture will hold together. Cool slightly.
• Cover a 12-inch pizza pan or similar-sized round baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Open and unroll crescent dough, laying out as in video on prepared baking pan.
• Distribute ground beef mixture evenly over the solid part of the ring formed by the large end of the triangles, leaving about 1/4-inch of just dough on the inside circle to anchor points of triangle on (see video, it's hard to put into words)
• Pull points of each triangle over the meat mixture, sealing on the bare part of the inner circle in the center.
• Brush ring with egg yolk/egg white.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until crescent dough is golden brown.
• For cheese sauce:
• Cut Velveeta into 1-inch cubes and place in a small bowl. Add the butter, cover and microwave for 1 minute on HIGH. Remove and stir. Add cream and stir. Microwave for 20 seconds on HIGH, remove and stir until well blended.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 1199mg | Potassium: 673mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 894IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 411mg | Iron: 3mg

Cheeseburger Ring

Cheeseburger Ring

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