Cheeseburger Paradise Soup

 Cheeseburger Paradise Soup

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 small carrot, grated
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 tbsp chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
3 cups water

2 tbsp plus 2 tsps beef bouillon granules

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 tsp pepper

2 pounds ground beef

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

2 tbsp butter

5 cups milk, divided

6 tbsp all purpose flour
1 package (16 oz) Velveeta cheese, cubed
crumbled cooked bacon

1.  In a soup kettle, combine the first nine ingredients (through pepper); bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and mushrooms in butter over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Add to soup.  Stir in 4 cups milk; heat through.

3.  In a small bowl, combine flour and remaining milk until smooth; gradually stir into soup.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Reduce heat; stir in cheese until melted.  Garnish with bacon.

Makes 14 servings (about 3 1/2 quarts)

What is a soup kettle?!?  I put the potatoes in a large stockpot.  I had to add more water than the 3 cups to cover my potatoes.  I either had more than they did (the soup was perfect) or they didn't completely cover theirs with water.  I had planned on scooping out some of the water when my potatoes were done, but I forgot and did not do that.  The soup wasn't watery either.  Probably not as thick as they had in mind, but it was still soup consistency. 

I seasoned my meat with a some gourmet burger seasoning.  You could leave it plain, but I didn't want the meat bland.  The soup tastes great, yet, it is still a little bland.  So I would taste it, and adjust accordingly.  I also didn't dump all the stuff in with the potatoes.  I browned the ground turkey (beef) and when it was about halfway to 3/4 done I added all the vegetables and cooked it in with the meat.  Once the potatoes were done I just dumped it all in with the potatoes.

Taco Casserole

Taco Casserole

3 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 jar (16 oz) salsa
1 can (14 1/2oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 envelope taco seasonings
2 cups nacho tortilla chips, crushed

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Add the cheese, salsa, tomatoes, and taco seasoning.  Drain pasta; stir in beef mixture.

2.  Transfer to a greased 11x7 baking dish.  Cover and bake at 350* for 20 minutes.  Uncover; sprinkle with tortilla chips.  Bake 10 minutes longer or until heated through.

I was a little worried as I made this that there would be overwhelming amounts of tomato.  However, this came out perfect.  It wasn't saucy at all.  I sprinkled a little bit of cheese over the top and then put the chips on it and baked it.  This really helped the chips to stick to it instead of being "loose".  This makes quite a bit of casserole, and the leftovers are good, but the chips get soggy.  I just crumbled up a few fresh ones over the top, and it was just as good as it was the night before.  However, the next time that I make this, I'm only going to put chips on half, and the just crumble fresh chips over the leftovers the next day.

Enchilada Lasagna

Enchilada Lasagna

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
1 pkg. (8 oz) fat free cream cheese
1 tsp chili powder
1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce
6 whole wheat flour tortillas
1 cup (4 oz) shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend
salsa and sour cream, optional

1.  In a large skillet, cook the turkey, onion, and peppers over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Stir in cream cheese and chili powder.

2.  Pour enchilada sauce in a shallow bowl.  Dip tortillas in sauce to coat.  Place two tortillas in a 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray; spread with half of the turkey mixture.  Sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese.  Repeat layers.  Top with remaining tortillas and cheese.

3. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months or bake, uncovered, at 400* for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with salsa and sour cream if desired.

4.  To use frozen lasagna: Thaw in refrigerator overnight.  Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Bake as directed.

Makes 8 servings; 1 piece (calculated without salsa and sour cream)
Cal 282; fat 11; fiber 2


This was really good.  The tortillas were kinda soggy, which made them have a weird consistency.  I think that the next time I make this I'm going to try corn tortillas, or lay my tortillas out and let them dry out a little.  I didn't freeze it, I made it and baked it up.

Zippy Turkey and Rice

Zippy Turkey and Rice



1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 lb. Lean ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
1 can (14 ½ oz) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained
2/3 cup picante sauce
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup (4oz) shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese, divided


1. Cook rice according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook turkey and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes, picante sauce, chili powder, and cumin; heat through. Remove from the heat, stir in kidney beans, ½ cup cheese and cooked rice. Transfer to a 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Cover and bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Makes 8 servings; 1 ¼ cups
Cal 294; fat 9; fiber 5

 
I was pleasantly surprised by this dish.  It wasn't at all what I expected it to come out like.  I used ground turkey and added garlic, pepper, paprika and a little bit of salt.  Cumin just wasn't enough for me as far as seasonings go.  I didn't bake it.  These recipes that want you to cook it, then sprinkle cheese on it and throw it in the oven make me crazy.  I just let it simmer in a big skillet until most of the liquid was gone.  Then I sprinkled it with cheese, threw the lid on, turned the burner off, made a salad and fixed drinks and the voila dinner was done.  And no extra pan to wash; that's always a bonus.

Mini Shepherd's Pies

Mini Shepherd’s Pies


1 pound ground beef
3 tbsp chopped onion
½ tsp minced garlic
1/3 cup chili sauce or ketchup
1 tbsp cider vinegar
½ tsp salt
1 ¼ cups water
3 tbsp butter
1 ¼ cups mashed potato flakes
1 pkg (3 oz) cream cheese, cubed
1 tube (12 oz) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
½ cup crushed potato chips
Paprika, optional

1. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until tender; drain. Stir in the chili sauce, vinegar and salt; set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Pour into a small bowl. Whisk in potato flakes until blended. Beat in cream cheese until smooth.

3. Press 1 biscuit dough onto the bottom and up the sides of each of 10 greased muffin cups. Fill with beef mixture. Spread potato mixture over beef. Sprinkle with potato chips; press down lightly.

4. Bake at 375* for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with paprika if desired. Serve immediately, or cool before placing in a single layer in a freezer container. Cover and freeze for up to 2 months.

To use frozen pies: Thaw in the refrigerator for 8 hours. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 375* for 15-18 minutes or until heated through.

 
 
These little guys are bite sized geniuses.  We loved them.  I used ground turkey instead of the beef, and I used the ketchup.  I didn't know what chili sauce was and don't want to know.  Ketchup and I are likethis close.  We are BFF's.  I also used whole wheat buttermilk biscuits, because I'm weird and healthy like that.  I didn't use the potatoes chips, I'm not sure why, but I didn't use them, and I couldn't really tell that they were missing anything.  I did use flavored instant potatoes, they were baby reds with parmesan and garlic, mostly because I didn't want to buy plain ones.  They are great, but not that great leftover.  So I would recommend fixing just what you need and freezing the rest or attempting to cut the recipe in half.  They are actually pretty filling, we had green beans and a salad to go with them.

Taco Pasta Shells

Taco Pasta Shells

18 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 bottle (16 oz) taco sauce, divided
3 oz fat free cream cheese, cubed
2 tsp chili powder
3/4 cup shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend, divided
20 baked tortilla chip scoops, coarsely crushed

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef until no longer pink; drain.  Add 1/2 cup taco sauce, cream cheese and chili powder; cook and stir until blended.  Stir in 1/4 cup cheese blend.

2.  Drain pasta and rinse with cold water; stuff each shell with about 2 tbsp beef mixture.  Arrange in an baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Spoon remaining taco sauce over the top.

3.  Cover and bake at 350* for 20 minutes.  Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese blend.  Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted.  Sprinkle with chips.

Makes 18 shells, 3 per serving
Cal 384; fat 13; fiber 3

These things are fabulous.  We like them the best with Pace brand taco sauce.  I also use the ground turkey and I typically only use a 1 pound package and it's more than enough to stuff the shells with.

Enchilada Casser-Ole!

Enchilada Casser-Ole!

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups salsa
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup reduced fat Italian dressing
2 tbsp reduced sodium taco seasoning
1/4 tsp ground cumin
6 flour tortillas (8 inch)
3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 cup (4 oz) shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

1.  In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Stir in the salsa, beans, dressing, taco seasoning and cumin.  Place three tortillas in a 2 qt baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Layer with half of the meat mixture, sour cream and cheese.  Repeat layers.

2.  Cover and bake at 400* for 25 minutes.  Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through.  Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce tomato and cilantro.

makes 8 servings; 1 piece each
Cal 357; fat 12; fiber 3

I was really worried about this, I'm not much of a fan of black beans, but it came out really good.  I don't use taco seasoning, I have enough spices in my cabinet that I just throw in garlic, chili powder, paprika, a little bit of cayenne, cumin and oregano.  I do not, under any circumstances recommend making this ahead of time.  The tortillas get really, really soggy and it's kind awful.  It also doesn't make good leftovers for the same reason.  I had thought about trying corn tortillas, so that it would perhaps work out better leftover.

Pizza Spaghetti

Pizza Spaghetti


1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
4 cans (8 oz each) no salt added tomato sauce
3 oz, sliced turkey pepperoni
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp minced fresh parsley or 1/2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp minced fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried basil
9 oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the beef, sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

2. Stir in the tomato sauce, pepperoni, sugar, parsley and basil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until thickened. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions.

3. Drain spaghetti; toss with sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

makes 6 servings 1 1/3 cups each
Cal 369; fat 9; fiber 7


This stuff is great. It's like a supreme pizza, spaghettified. My husband isn't much of a spaghetti fan, but he regularly requests this. I substitute (surprise, surprise) ground turkey for the beef and I don't use the Italian sausage, mostly because of personal preference. I can get the turkey sausage links that are just plain and I use those, mostly because I don't like the fennel in the other stuff. The package that I buy has 5 links, and I use 2 1/2 and freeze the other rest for another go round of this stuff. I typically add the 1/2 log of turkey that's leftover too and label it for pizza spaghetti. I didn't think about it until I was typing this up, but this might be really good to add a little green pepper too to give it a more supreme pizza taste.

Fajita Lasagna

Fajita Lasagna


1 bag (1 pound) frozen stir fry bell peppers and onions, thawed
1 pound lean ground beef
1 can (29 oz) tomato sauce
1 envelope (1.4 oz) fajita seasoning mix
12 no boil lasagna noodles
3 cups shredded Colby Monterey jack cheese (12 oz)
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
Guacamole, salsa and sour cream if desired

1. Heat oven to 350*. Spray bottom and sides of rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches with cooking spray. Drain thawed bell pepper mixture on several layers of paper towels; set aside.

2. Cook beef in 10 inch skillet over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Stir in tomato sauce and seasoning mix; heat to boiling. Spread 1/2 cup sauce mixture in bottom of baking dish. Arrange 4 noodles crosswise, slightly overlapping, on sauce. Spread 1 1/2 cups sauce over noodles, completely covering noodles. Spread pepper mixture evenly over sauce; sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese.

3. Arrange 4 noodles crosswise, slightly overlapping on top of cheese. Spread about 1 1/2 cups sauce over noodles, completely covering noodles. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese and the olives over sauce. Arrange 4 noodles crosswise, slightly overlapping on olives. Spread remaining sauce over noodles, completely covering noodles. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.

4. Spray piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover baking dish with cooking spray. Tightly cover baking dish with foil, sprayed side down. Bake about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with guacamole, salsa and sour cream if desired.

Makes 8 servings


Substitutions - I never have been able to find frozen bell peppers that just has onion and peppers in it. So I always just slice up the fresh stuff. It comes out just fine. I also use ground turkey or leftover chicken, chopped up in smaller than bite size pieces. I have yet to put the olives in it, mostly because we are always making this to enjoy with others who don't like olives.  I was worried about this one the first tried this. But it tastes like fajitas with noodles. Make sure you cover the noodles with sauce, if not where they aren't covered, they are chewy. You can always pre-cook your noodles and cut your sauce down if you prefer. I tried this once, and it's hard to not have too much or not enough sauce. Plus, what do you do with the rest of the mix and tomato sauce?  So just follow the directions and don't pre-cook your noodles.

Sloppy Joe Mac and Cheese

Sloppy Joe Mac and Cheese


1 package (16 oz) elbow macaroni
3/4 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 envelope sloppy joe mix
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp ground mustard
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 cups 2% milk
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
8 oz reduced fat Velveeta, cubed
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided


1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook turkey, celery and carrot over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and sloppy joe mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Drain macaroni; set aside. In a large saucepan, sauté onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gradually add the milk and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Velveeta until melted. Add macaroni and 1 cup cheddar cheese; mix well.

3. Spread two thirds of the macaroni mixture in a 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread turkey mixture to with 2 inches of the edges. Spoon remaining macaroni mixture around edges of pan. Cover and bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese. Cover and let stand until cheese is melted.

Makes 10 servings; 1 cup equals
Cal 353; fat 12; fiber 3; sodium 877



Can we say salt lick?!?! 3/4 of a tsp of salt. These people are nuts! I used 1/4 tsp of sea salt. I just couldn't bring myself to add more salt than that. And guess what, it came out just fine. No one added salt either. They added pepper, but we are pepper addicts. I made substitutions like you wouldn't believe. I only used 1/4 tsp salt. I used whole-wheat pasta. The cheese. The recipe calls for a pound of cheese between the Velveeta and the cheddar. When I make mac & cheese from scratch I never use anything but Velveeta. So, I played with this a little. I used what the recipe called for in Velveeta, and only half of what it called for in the shredded. Then I tasted of it, was happy with its cheese factor, and left it at that. Feel free to leave the recipe, but a pound of cheese in a "healthy" recipe. Who makes these guidelines? We were actually kinda disappointed in this.  We ended up mixing it all together, and it was mostly mac and cheese.  I highly reccomend cutting the maccaroni ingredients in half.  It makes a whole lotta food, we ended up throwing about 1/4 of it away because we just got so sick of it.  I kept the recipe, but not really sure if I will ever make it again unless I'm feeding a minimum of 6 people.

Pizza Tot Casserole

Pizza Tot Casserole

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 medium green pepper, chopped, optional
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
1 can (15 oz) pizza sauce
1 tsp dried basil
3 cups (12 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package (32 oz) frozen tater tots
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

1.  In a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper, onion and mushrooms over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Add pizza sauce and basil.

2. Transfer to a greased 3 qt baking dish.  Top with mozzarella cheese and potatoes.  Bake, uncovered, at 400* for 30-35 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned.

3. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.


We love this stuff.  I used ground turkey, because we don't eat ground beef.   My only question is - what's with the anti seasoning of the meat?  So I added garlic, pepper, and a small amount of sea salt.  I'm anti salt.  Plus you don't want to over power the spices in the pizza sauce and the basil.  So keep that in mind as you add that sort of stuff.  The last time I made this, I only had a pound of turkey, so I added some turkey breakfast sausage to make up the difference.  It was definately more "pizza" like.  But it's great either direction you take.  When the potatoes are done by most peoples standards, I leave them in a little longer.  I like my tots a little more crunchy as most, but you can adjust the cooking time based on your own needs.  Plus the crunchier the tots are now, the less soggy they are when you eat it for lunch the next day.

This makes a lot of food for just 2 people, so I would suggest that you feed more than 2, or that you prepare for leftovers for a few days. It usually gives us dinner, plus lunch for a couple of days.  We usually have a salad to go with it and call it dinner.