Tag: easy dinner ideas

Recipes and Cooking

Twist on Frito Pie with Spanish Rice

Brandi C

Twist on Frito Pie with Spanish Rice

Twist on Frito Pie with Spanish Rice
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Here is a Twist on Frito Pie with Spanish Rice. I had some leftover chili from the week prior. It was not enough to fill four bowls, so I stretched it with some extra ingredients and rice. This was a winner for my family. I hope I can remember everything I did. Honestly, I tend to find joy in reinventing leftovers so we aren’t eating the same thing over and over. The downsize is, I don’t remember how I made it.

Frito Pie

Chili (leftover)

Chili cheese fritos

That’s about it LOL. Have I ever written out my exciting chili recipe? I dunno. Should I add it? I dunno. Chili isn’t hard. You can even buy it in a can, which I never knew until recently. Who buys chili in a can when you can make more, with ingredients you are familiar with, and it is cheaper. Mind boggling.

Spanish Rice

I did this in the instant pot.

2 c. rice

1 can crushed tomatoes

GF Taco Seasoning

Seasoning

Cilantro (gross and didn’t use)

Minced garlic

4 c. water

Chicken bouillon

Cheddar

Green Onions (optional)

Sour cream (optional)

Jalapenos (optional)

Salsa (optional)

Directions for Spanish Rice

I put the instant pot on saute and threw in the rice and garlic (with a bit of butter to keep it from sticking). Whirl that around until the rice is sauteed up and then add in the crushed tomatoes and seasoning. Whirl more. Add in chicken bouillon and water. Turn it off and then put on the lid. The knob needs to be on the sealing function and I hit the rice button. Once it is done, I did a quick release.

Assembling the Frito Pie

Grease a 13×9 dish. On the bottom, add the rice and then the leftover chili. I crushed the bag of fritos and poured that over the top. I baked this at 350 for about 30 minutes. Then, I pulled it out and added some cheddar. I popped it back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Serve with the optional toppings above.

Recipes and Cooking

Easy Ham and Hashbrown Soup Recipe

Brandi C

Easy Ham and Hashbrown Soup Recipe

Easy Ham and Hashbrown Soup Recipe

Thanksgiving is over and we have some leftover ham. That is how I came up with this Easy Ham and Hashbrown Soup Recipe. There is also a half an onion that needs to be used up, a bit of garlic, a half of a bag of cheese, and some bacon bits. What on earth can I do? That was my thought process yesterday when I made this. I knew I had class for two hours starting at five, so it had to be a crockpot recipe. Also, I have my granddaughter so it was necessary for it to be super quick.

We love potato soup, but frying bacon and cutting potatoes was not on my agenda. I guess it wouldn’t have been on it anyway because I had no bacon and I am out of potatoes. Bart was going to make pizza but then what would the kids eat because there isn’t enough of that to go around. With one child being gluten free, I have to actually think about what I cook now. It can’t just be thrown together. So, here we are with what Bart calls one of the “best soups” he has had in a while.

Ingredients for Ham and Hashbrown Soup

1/2 KY legend ham, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 T. minced garlic

Seasoning

1/2 bag bacon bits

2 T. bacon grease (if you don’t have this, just throw in some butter)

6 cubes of chicken bouillon (if you don’t have this, you can use chicken broth and eliminate the water)

32 oz. water

1/8 c. nutritional yeast (you can omit this if you desire. I use it for nutritional value)

32 oz. shredded hashbrown

1/2 c. sour cream

1 c. heavy cream (I did not have this so I used 2% milk and it worked just fine)

3 T. gluten free flour (you can use any)

Cheese (I used a combo of about 1 1/2 c. colby and about a cup of cheddar)

 

Directions for Easy Soup Recipe

In crockpot, I put in the chopped up ham, onion, seasoning, nutritional yeast, bacon grease, bacon bits, hashbrown, and chicken bouillon powder (or cubes if that is what you have). I mixed this up really well and added 32 oz. water. Pop the lid on and cook on high for about 2 hours. I came back and stirred that around and then put it on low until I was about an hour from eating.

When I was about ready to serve, I took the lid off and added the cheese. While the cheese was melting, I got a measuring cup and put in my milk, sour cream, and flour. I whisked that together to get the lumps out. From there, I poured in the liquid and stirred well. You will start to see it thicken up fairly quickly. I put the lid back on for about 35-40 minutes (low) warm it all back up.

Then it was time to eat!  It really was good. You need to try it to see if you need to adjust the seasoning. Remember, you can add seasoning to a soup but you can’t take it back out. The secret to that is start with a little amount and adjust to taste. I was afraid it was going to be too salty with the ham, bacon grease, nutritional yeast, and seasoning. I thought it could use a bit more but didn’t put it in because it might have just been my tastebuds out of whack.

What I Would Do Differently

Hmmm, I would add some sauteed red, yellow, and orange peppers. I could get away with adding finely shredded zucchini. Fresh mushrooms would have been amazing in this soup as well. There was no cream of type of soup. That is good because it is hard to find gluten free, though it can be made. I just didn’t want to do that because of time constraints. It made a big crockpot full, so we will definitely have it for lunch and the boys will eat it tonight for supper.

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Recipes and Cooking

Copycat Lipton Onion Soup Mix Recipe

Brandi C

Copycat Lipton Onion Soup Mix Recipe

Copycat Lipton Onion Soup Mix Recipe

I went to make Tater Tot Casserole tonight and realized I had no Lipton Onion Soup Mix. What does one do during quarantine? I concocted a Copycat Lipton Onion Soup Mix Recipe. The recipe is enough for 2 packets, so if you are using this, 1/2 of it if you need the equivalent to one packet.

Ingredients

1/2 c. minced onions

4 T. beef bouillon granules

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 T. parsley

1/4 tsp. paprika

Directions

Put it in an airtight container or a Ziploc baggie. Use immediately or store for up to a month. You can also double or triple this recipe and keep it in a mason jar. I don’t use this often. Always, though, I put it on a roast. Also, I put it in my Tater Tot Casserole, which I will post the recipe for tomorrow.

Anyway

I’ve been cooking up a storm during the quarantine. Well, who am I kidding? I cook all the time. Honestly, I feel like that is all I do: cook, clean, or educate. The highlight of my day is driving down the road to see Kevin, the pig. He is my neighbor’s pet pig that lives in the front yard. If you want to join in on the fun, I post daily on my quarantine log with my crew on my Facebook page. Come on over and “like” my page and join in. Let us all know what you are doing during this bizarre time in history.

 

Recipes and Cooking

Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot

Brandi C

Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot

Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot

**This Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot is terrific.  I wish you could smell my house.  It smells WONDERFUL**  I have used round steak, chopped up, leftover roast, or stew meat in this recipe.  They all taste great.  It smells like home.  Make some homemade biscuits and gracious.  This is a meal!

It reminds me of being at my Aunt Bettye’s house when I was younger.  I loved the smells that came out of her kitchen.  That and the chaos of all us cousins playing.  The grown-ups doing grown-up things!  LOL.

Now, I’m the grown-up.  That’s a scary thought.

Ingredients

1 lb stew meat

1/3 c. all-purpose flour + 2 T.

Seasoning

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

bay leaves, 2

2 tsp. paprika

Worcestershire, 2 tsp.

2 onions, chopped

4 potatoes, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

4 beef bouillon

4 c. water

1 lb. squash, chopped

Directions

Put beef in crockpot.  Mix the flour and seasoning in a separate bowl.  You can find my seasoning recipe on my blog.  Once that is done, pour that over the beef.  Stir to coat meat.

Place the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 4-6 hours.

This Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot recipe is a comfort food classic that’s perfect for busy days when you need a hearty meal to come home to. The beauty of using a crockpot is that the flavors meld together beautifully throughout the day, making for a dish that tastes even better as it sits. The beef becomes tender and the vegetables soak up all the delicious seasoning, creating a rich and savory broth. It’s one of those meals that fills your home with warmth, making it the ideal dish for cold nights or when you’re craving something comforting. Pair it with homemade biscuits or crusty bread, and you’ve got yourself a meal that the whole family will love.

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Recipes and Cooking

Bacon and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

Brandi C

 

Bacon and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

Bacon and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

This soup is slap-your-mama good—seriously comforting, smoky, and full of flavor. Perfect for chilly evenings or when you just need a big bowl of cozy. Here is my Bacon and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 6 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 cup chopped onion

  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained (about 3 cups)

  • 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

  • Seasoning to taste (salt, pepper, smoked paprika, etc.)

  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or more to taste)

Directions:

  1. Cook the Bacon:
    In a heavy soup pot, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.

  2. Sauté the Veggies:
    Add olive oil to the pot. Over medium heat, sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent (about 3–4 minutes). Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant—about 30 seconds.

  3. Simmer the Soup:
    Pour in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes (puree first if you prefer a smoother texture), broth, and fresh thyme. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer. Add your favorite seasonings and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  4. Finish with Bacon & Cream:
    Stir in the crumbled bacon and heavy cream. Let it heat through, then taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Notes:

  • Swap heavy cream with milk or whipping cream if preferred.

  • You can use real bacon bits instead of fresh bacon for a shortcut.

  • Want to sneak in extra nutrients? Add a handful (or two) of chopped spinach or kale during the last few minutes of simmering.

This soup is amazing on its own or paired with a grilled cheese for the ultimate comfort meal.

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