Cheesy Hamburger and Rice Skillet (in less than 30 minutes)

Happy Tuesday…

I'm a much bigger fan of Tuesday than Monday. 

Mondays are so overwhelming for me, 

as I put together a to do list for the week and wonder how I'm ever going to get it done! 

Then, Tuesday comes and, eh…

que sera sera!

If you ever find yourself in a 'what am I going to make for dinner?' rut

because of a que sera sera approach...

 I have the solution! 

Throw together a bunch of kitchen staples in this delicious

Cheesy Hamburger and Rice Skillet 

and your family will be clamoring for more! 

Starting out with the 2.5# of ground sirloin,

add 1 chopped onion, 1 tbsp minced garlic and 

a generous sprinkling of seasoning salt

(I just shake the salt over the whole pan of meat). 

With the help of my oldest, Ryker, 

an 8 oz can of tomato sauce, 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes and 1 tbsp hot sauce

were added to the skillet and stirred well. 

Then, my most predictable addition, 

16 oz bag of frozen corn. 

I just love the flavor, texture and color imparted by those sweet little morsels. 

Finally, some partially cooked minute brown rice. 

Here's the deal…

I started cooking 3 cups of rice in 2.5 cups of beef broth on it's own

(which would be unnecessary)

and then just poured it in to simmer and finish with the rest of the dish. 

This could all be done in the same pan, just the same…

I'll leave that up to you!

Mix it all up. 

Cover and simmer to allow the rice time to finish up. 

Sprinkle with 1-2 cups of shredded cheese, 

according to your preference. 

I probably error on the lighter side because 

regardless how cheesy any dish may be…

my family always likes to add more on their own! 

Some parsley and oregano make for a fabulous finishing touch. 

RECIPE:

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2.5# of ground sirloin

1 chopped onion

1 tbsp minced garlic 

seasoning salt

8 oz can of tomato sauce

14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 tbsp hot sauce

16 oz bag of frozen corn

3 cups of brown minute rice

2.5 cups of beef broth

1-2 cups of shredded cheese

Parsley

Oregano

Directions:

• Brown the meat, add onion, garlic and salt. 
• Add tomatoes, hot sauce and corn, mix to incorporate. 
• Add rice and broth. 
• Simmer until rice is cooked and top with cheese, parsley and oregano before serving. 

Sausage, Egg and Cheesy Hash Brown Bake

I don't know about you, but I can hardly believe Christmas is just three days away!  

There is so much anticipation and build-up, that when it actually gets close, it seems surreal.  

I am extremely excited and grateful to have the next two weeks off to be home with the kids.  

Although, I have one minor problem…I tend to be overambitious!  

Yesterday I sat on the couch with my hubby watching the Packer game making out a 

to-do list and scheduling the tasks for the next two weeks.

  I will still get up at 5 am to start laundry and get my workout in, 

I will be as efficient as possible, 

but there is no way that everything I put on my list is going to get done, 

but that won't stop me from trying!  

My goals are to use the first week to get caught up and the second week to get ahead!  

Tackle some projects that have been lingering (like wedding and honeymoon pictures!) 

but I can't forgot that I also have to finish some of the Christmas details…

like sorting presents to ensure that the kids all of the same number and wrapping them.

So, perhaps all of the bedrooms and bathrooms won't get deep-cleaned, 

but you can be sure that the presents and cooking will get done!  

Speaking of cooking, 

how do you plan your holiday meals?  

It has been the topic of multiple dinner discussions over the past week, 

giving each family member a chance to request something special.  

We received a ham from Jerry's employer, 

so that will be accompanied with some roasted baby reds, a nice salad, corn and

fruit cocktail jello made in individual crystal glasses.

(something I did once that has now become a hard and fast tradition!)

As far as Christmas morning, 

I have a easy and delicious breakfast bake for you to make

that will be done just in time for you to open any presents that may have arrived.  

Just brown up 1# of bulk Italian sausage over medium heat. 

Then, sautee a chopped onion right in the same pan,

picking up some of the sausage flavoring. 

Into the baking dish a 28 oz bag of THAWED* hash browns were layered

and sprinkled with salt.  

*Leave the hash browns in the fridge over night and that will cut your baking time in half!  

Next, layer the cooked sausage over the potatoes. 

For an even quicker option, 

diced ham can be used which doesn't require any additional time for browning. 

One dozen eggs, 1 cup of milk, the cooked onions, 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp pepper

were all whisked together. 

The egg mixture was poured over the sausage and potatoes. 

Topped with 1-2 cups of shredded cheddar 

and bake at 350 F for about 30-35 minutes. 

Until the eggs are cooked and the cheese is browned. 

Let stand to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

This was a perfect brunch on a busy sport morning and 

I made it again this past weekend 

for a Christmas gathering on my extended side of the family. 

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Bake Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

1# of bulk Italian sausage (diced ham could be substituted for a quicker prep)

1 onion - chopped

28 oz bag of THAWED hash browns

1 dozen eggs

1 cup of milk

1 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1-2 cups of shredded cheddar 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 F. 
• Layer hash browns into 9x13 pan. 
• Brown sausage over medium heat, layer over hash browns. 
• Sautee onion in sausage pan. 
• Combine eggs, onion, milk, salt and pepper; whisk well. 
• Pour over hash browns and sausage. 
• Sprinkle with cheese. 
• Bake for 30-40 minutes. 
• Let stand before serving. 

Baked BBQ Monterey Chicken

Welcome to November and all of the wonderful things that come along with it,
including an extra hour in your day and brighter mornings.  

How did you use your extra hour yesterday?

We definitely felt less rushed all day and enjoyed a long evening
including baking as well as a couple games of Scattegories and Would You Rather?

I think we are going to have to implement some evening walks or something else active 

to break up the evening and fend off my desire to go to bed at 7 pm.

Despite having longer evening hours, 

I am certain that doesn't mean you want to spend more time cooking, 

so this easy Baked BBQ Monterey Chicken recipe is just the recipe for you.

Just start with a layer of BBQ sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.

Then, place the chicken in the dish.  

I used 4 large chicken breasts, about 3 lbs, that I cut into 3 tenders each.

The tenders were topped with more BBQ sauce and brushed to spread evenly.

Then baked at 375 F for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked to 165 F.  

Finally, the BBQ chicken was topped with
shredded cheese and crumbled bacon 

 and broiled for the last 5 minutes before serving to your hungry dinner guests!

Knowing what I know now, 

I would have loved to serve these tasty chicken tenders over a bed of lettuce 

for a perfect combination of flavors and textures.

Seems like once the cooler temps move in, so do the cooked veggies, 

as I'm always looking for something to warm the body and soul.  

But warm and flavorful protein on a bed of lettuce 
would be an ideal combination!

RECIPE:

Serves 4

Prep time : 5 minutes

Cooking time : 35 minutes

Ingredients:

3# Chicken Breasts - cut into 3 tenders each

BBQ sauce of your choice - we use Sweet Baby Rays
2 cups Shredded Cheddar cheese 
6 slices of bacon - crumbled

Directions:
Prepare the 9x13 baking pan with a layer of BBQ sauce. 
Place the chicken tenders in the pan and top with more BBQ sauce. Spread evenly. 
Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until internal temp reaches 165 F. 
Top with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon. 
Broil for 5 minutes. 

Serve with rice and a salad. 

Un-Stuffed Pepper Skillet

The weekend is nearly upon us, I'm looking forward to the long awaited return of Alayna from a great week of camping and cousins, but it has been a bit quiet around here and not nearly enough girl power around to balance out these two, no, three, no wait, four boys (including our dog, Cody).

Before she returns, I just wanted to share with you a family-friendlier rendition of an old favorite.

I love me some some Stuffed Peppers…love the roasted peppers housing the perfect combination of seasoned rice, meat, tomato and cheese…but for some reason, my kids seem to balk at the whole pepper-thing.

So, I've found if I take the exact same ingredients and prepare them slightly differently, everything is devoured, no balking to deal with and it's faster!

We all win!  

Just start with browning about 2# of ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper.

Once browned, set aside.  

To the same pan, 1 onion and 3 peppers, all chopped up, were added to start the cooking process.  

As far as the sauce, I used one can of diced tomatoes, accompanied by some leftover pizza sauce and salsa in place of a second can of tomato.  

Using up some open jars always makes me happy.  

It ensures the leftovers don't go to waste and clears up some space in the fridge.

Two birds, one stone…my favorite! 

After the tomatoes were added, in came the rice, which started as 2 cups of uncooked minute rice.  

Add back the ground beef. 

Stir it all together and allow to simmer a bit for the extra liquids to cook off and the flavors to get better acquainted.  

Top with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

As well as a layer of shredded cheddar, for good measure.  

Serve it up for all to enjoy!  

RECIPE:

Ingredients: 

2# of ground beef - seasoned

1 onion  - chopped

3 green peppers - chopped

2 cans of diced tomatoes (or any combination of leftover sauces in your fridge)

2 cups of uncooked minute rice - cooked

Parmesan cheese

Shredded cheddar

Directions:

Start by browning the ground beef and cooking the minute rice, then set aside. 

Add the chopped onions and peppers to the pan that the beef was cooked in to begin cooking. 

Next, add the tomato sauce. 

Add the rice to the skillet. 

Then the ground beef, allow to simmer to cook off some of the extra liquids. 

When nearly finished, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and then add a layer of shredded cheddar as the finishing touch. 

Chicken Broccoli and Rice in less than 30 minutes

Today I want to share with you a fast and easy, multi-tasking, one dish, thirty minute meal…Chicken Broccoli and Rice.

If you are like me, you have the best intentions of making a side of veggies, except while making dinner you are also doing laundry, homework, cleaning out your purse, texting the carpool and catching up with neighbors.

So, if any of those proverbial balls are going to get dropped, it is often the veggies, because they aren't actually calling my name.  I get to serving the meal and look for the veggies which are so often on the counter or worse, haven't even made their way out of the fridge yet.

So, this dish is a godsend because the veggies can be cooked right along with the rice (talk about multi-tasking), that doesn't require any additional time, thought, effort or, thankfully, dishes.

In a large skillet, start with 2# of thawed chicken tenders cooked in olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper.

When they are cooked, remove them from the pan and chop into bite size chunks.

Meanwhile, in the pan, sauté 1 chopped onion in butter.

After you've soaked up enough of one of the best smells in the world…sweet onions browning in butter…savor it...

The rest of the meal comes together in no time…

Add the chopped chicken back to the pan along with two cups of chicken broth (or water and chicken bouillon cubes, in a pinch), two cups of brown minute rice and two cups of fresh broccoli florets for steaming.

The rice is cooking, the broccoli is steaming…LIFE.IS.GOOD!!! Perhaps it is time to pour a glass of wine.  

Top with some shredded mozzarella, probably about a cup as well as some grated Parmesan, nearly a cup, for some richer nutty notes and a sprinkling of dried basil flakes never hurts either.

Some shredded cheddar is the final topping, for good measure.

RECIPE:

Ingredients:
2# of thawed chicken tenders
3 tbsp Olive oil
Salt and Pepper - to taste
1 chopped onion
2 tbsp butter
2 cups of chicken broth (or water and chicken bouillon cubes)
2 cups of brown minute rice
2 cups of fresh broccoli florets
Shredded Mozzarella
Grated Parmesan
Dried Basil Flakes
Shredded Cheddar

Instructions:
Cook chicken in olive oil until no pink remains, remove from pan to chop. 
Add butter and chopped onion to pan to brown. 
Then, add chicken, chicken broth, rice and broccoli. 
Bring to low boil for 5-10 minutes, until rice is cooked and broccoli is tender. 
Top with cheeses and basil accordingly.