Happy Halloween

It's been a busy week for us! I'll be back Monday with meal ideas! Happy Halloween and let the Holiday Season begin!

Taco Tuesday: Navajo Taco

This is a little harder...but not too bad and tasty.

Ingredients:
Rhodes Dinner Rolls Enough for however many scones you need (Thawed, but still cold)
1-2 cans chili
1 Bag Shredded Cheese
1 Bag Shredded Lettuce
1 Chopped Tomato
1 Can Sliced Olives

Optional:
Sour Cream
Salsa
Hot Sauce

So here's the hardEST part making the scones
Heat some vegetable oil to fry these babies up. I use my wok, it's deep and big enough to fry three at a time. (I need one of those cool fryers.)
When they are all thawed, flatten them out
Then fry those bad boys up. The oil has to be hot. Drop one drop of water in, if it pops and sputters, the oil is hot enough.
Fry one side until it is light to medium brown. I like them lighter than my hubbie does.
Then flip it over and fry the other side.
That's it, not so hard.

Meanwhile heat you chili up in another pan
Cook on medium until heat through

Assemble your taco:
Scone
Chili
Lettuce
Cheese
Tomatoes
Olives
Top with sour cream or whatever

This is another one of those on dish dinners, you've got all you need with the Navajo taco. No sides needed.

Quick and Easy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

So I messed up on Friday, it wasn't a fix it and forget it. Sorry. I posted a bunch and scheduled them. My bad. But Fridays are still fix it and forget it from now on!

Now, I have to say how excited I am that you are looking at this blog. It's so fun to get recipes from everyone so keep them coming! I know you have a meal that you turn to in emergencies!

This recipe comes from Amber is West Jordan, Utah. It sounds so simple Thanks so much.

Ingredients:
Thinly sliced chicken lunch meat cut into strips
1 bottle of BBQ sauce (She likes Famous Daves, me too.)
Kraft Cheese slices
Hamburger buns

Heat a sauce pan on medium
Put in BBQ sauce and chicken
Cook on medium until heated through
Place on buns and top with cheese

Ok, she was even so nice to add they eat this with chips and green salad. I think some oven baked fries would be nice too.

I'll be posting the next giveaway the first of November.

And the Winner Is...

From random.org the winning number is:

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

2
Timestamp: 2008-10-25 15:28:06 UTC

Here is what number 2 posted:

Amy said...
I love the quick stir pitcher!!!!! But I'm poor so I had to buy a generic and it's not as great. Please pick me!
Amy Dimick

October 20, 2008 6:13 PM

I know Amy, so I'll get the prize to her. Thanks to everyone who entered! Also, thank you to Liesel Steele for donating the Quick Stir Pitcher. Remember her for all your Pampered Chef needs!

I've also gone through and deleted all comments for this post. I realized that many of you might not want your email addresses available like that! Next months giveaway will be done differently! And yes, there already is a prize for next month, and we'll have 5 winners! That's right, 5! Keep checking this blog for recipes and your chance to win next month! Also, please send any recipes you want to share to mealtimehelp@hotmail.com If there is anything you would like to see a recipe for send it there too!

Another Sloppy Joe

In my new love for sloppy joes, I've found another way to enjoy them. Don't roll your eyes if you've been doing this for years, this was a first for me! My friend Amy made these for dinner Wednesday night and I love them! This would make a good snack too.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 can Manwich
1 tube Pilsbury Grands Rolls
Grated cheese

Brown the ground beef
Mix in Manwich
Put one roll per hole in a muffin pan
Press the roll to the bottom and sides
Fill with beef
Cook according to directions on roll package
Sprinkle with cheese right at the end so it will melt

We had spaghetti salad with this. So easy and so good.

Potato Chowder

This recipe is for clam chowder, but like I've said before, seafood is a no go around here. But if you like it, add the clams in.

Ingredients:
2 cups potatoes cubed
1 cup celery diced
1 onion diced
1 quart half and half
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Put all three veggies in a pot
Add enough water to just cover
Boil until potatoes are tender
In a sauce pan mix butter and flour to make a rue
Add half and half and mix
Put the half and half mixture in pot with veggies (Do NOT drain the water)
Add sugar and salt and pepper

We are going to put 2 cups corn in ours for a little extra. I like frozen corn the best. If you add thaw the corn first.

If you want the clams, add one can of clams with the juice.

This is thick enough that you can put it in a bread bowl. I love that! I'm just going to make rolls for this.

It's already Wednesday and there still aren't many entries for the Quick Stir Pitcher. Don't be shy! Enter yourself on the October 20th post before Saturday.

Crescent Roll Hot Pockets

My sweet sister in law sent this one. I love her, but she is self proclaimed non cooker. My kind of girl, so if she makes this, anyone can!

Ingredients:
1 can refrigerator crescent rolls

Filling 1:
Pizza sauce (Spaghetti sauce is the same thing right?)
Sliced pepperoni
Grated cheese

OR

Topping 2:
2 large chicken breasts, cooked, cubed or shredded (about 2 cups)
Mix with 1 package cream cheese

Here's how to assemble:
Unroll the crescent rolls
Press 2 together to make a rectangle
Put filling on half. You can stuff these, but make sure you can close them!
Fold over and press shut
If everything is precooked, bake them according to the directions on the roll package

Taco Tuesday

This recipe comes from Melissa in Idaho! Thanks for a good addition to Taco Tuesday!

Taco Soup
Ingredients:
1 can of corn
1 can of kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 lb hamburger meat
Grated cheese

Brown the meat with half the taco seasoning
Combine meat, canned goods (undrained) and rest of seasoning pack into a pot
Bring to boil.
Sprinkle cheese on top

I'm sure that sour cream would be good on top too. Add some tortilla chips or flour tortillas and you've got a meal!

Thanks Melissa! Keep those recipes coming!

First Giveaway

Finally, we are having the first giveaway on this blog! Are you so excited?
I have to say thank you to Liesel Steele who donated a Quick Stir Pitcher from The Pampered Chef. Anyone can buy The Pampered Chef from her. I also have to say that I have never met her and she was so nice and easy to work with! She even brought the pitcher to my house...twice! Here is how you can reach her 2steele08@gmail.com or (307)248-1953

So here are the rules:
1.Anyone can enter to win, but you have to enter yourself
2.To enter post your name and email as a comment on this post
3.For an extra chance to win, post the following paragraph on your own blog:

If you have ever had a hard time deciding what to make for dinner, there is a new blog for you: http://mealtimehelp.blogspot.com You'll find simple meal ideas, a place to share your favorite dinner time meals and maybe learn a trick or two for old time favorites. There will also be monthly giveaways. You'll always have an answer to the question "What's for dinner?"

If you do this, send me your blog address to mealtimehelp@hotmail.com and I will enter you a second time.
4.I will do a random.org drawing Saturday October 25
5.I'm adding a rule, you have to live in the 48 Continental US!

Fix it and Forget it Friday: Spanish Style Beef

This recipe comes from my friend Rhonda. She makes this super easy two ingredient dish.

Ingredients:
1-2 pounds stew meat, cubed
1 jar Pace Picante Salsa

Put meat in crock pot
Add salsa
Mix together
Cover
Cook on high 6-8 hours

That's it! You gotta love this one!

She serves it over rice with salad and green beans.

Garlic Pork Tenderloin with BBQ Sauce

I haven't tried this, but it sounds really good and way easy. I can't wait to try it!

Ingredients:
1 lb. pork tenderloin
1 Tbsp. GOOD SEASONS Garlic & Herb Dressing Mix
1/2 tsp. each paprika, dried thyme leaves, dried sage leaves
1/2 cup BULL'S-EYE Original Barbecue Sauce

Place pork in foil-lined shallow baking pan.
Mix dressing mix, paprika, thyme and sage until well blended
Rub evenly over pork.
Bake pork at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through (160°F).
Cut pork into slices. Serve with barbecue sauce.


Sides to go with this: Steamed broccoli and a baked potato

Baked Salmon with black olive salsa

I have never tried this. It's seafood!!!

Ingredients:
1 salmon fillet (1-1/2 lb.)
1/4 cup sliced pitted black olives
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped red onion
5 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing

PREHEAT oven to 400°F.
Place salmon, skin side down, on foil-lined baking sheet.
COMBINE remaining ingredients; spoon over salmon.
BAKE 18 to 20 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with fork.

Taco Tuesday

For this taco Tuesday we are doing the traditional taco with a chicken twist! Everything is the same except use chicken instead of ground beef.

Ingredients:
2-3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Taco Seasoning (1 packet or 1/4 cup bulk seasoning)
3/4 cup water
Taco shells soft or crunchy
1 Bag of shredded lettuce
1 Bag of grated Mexican cheese
1 Tomato

Cook chicken in skillet with a couple tablespoons of oil
Shred chicken
Add taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water
Mix well and heat through

Soft flour tortillas are better than crunchy corn.

I'm sure everyone knows how to put a taco together, if not email me and I'll walk you through it!

Sides we like with this: 1 can of refried beans, chips and salsa, and olives.

Cheesy Chicken and Salsa Skillet

I found this at kraftfoods.com

Ingredients:
2 cups multigrain penne pasta, uncooked
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1-1/4 cups TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 large green pepper, cut into short thin strips
1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Four Cheese Mexican Style Cheese

COOK pasta as directed on package.
MEANWHILE, heat large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat.
Add chicken; cook and stir 2 min.
Stir in salsa, corn and peppers.
Bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 10 min. or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
DRAIN pasta. Add to chicken mixture; mix lightly.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Remove from heat; cover. Let stand 1 min. or until cheese is melted.

Fix It and Forget it Friday

For a little while now, Fridays will be devoted to one of my favorite ways to cook...the crock pot! I love that you can make dinner in the morning and not have to touch it all day. Then when it is time to eat, the meal is done! I'm starting with my favorite crock pot meals, Beef Stew

Ingredients:
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 clove garlic or a couple shakes of garlic salt
1 bay leaf (I never use this because I don't have bay leaves laying around)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped (I also don't use this, my family doesn't like onions)
1 1/2 cups beef broth (You can buy it canned or use bullion)
3 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped

Place meat in slow cooker
Pour flour, salt and pepper over meat. Toss to cover meat.
Stir in remaining ingredients
Cover and cook on low setting 10-12 hours or high setting 4-6 hours

Serve in a bread bowl. Surprisingly, WalMart has amazing bread bowls.

French Onion Soup

This may sound crazy but my husband and I really don't like onions. However, we love this soup!

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large yellow onions, sliced 1/4-inch into half circles
1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups Beef Broth (I really love Swanson Beef Broth, it comes in a box)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Loaf french bread
Sliced Swiss cheese

In a large dutch oven pot, melt butter
Add onions
Cook on medium heat until onions become soft
Stir the onions just to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan
Sprinkle flour over onions and stir to coat
Add beef broth
Season to taste with salt and pepper
Simmer and heat through around 10 minutes

Meanwhile:
Cut bread into slices
Toast under the broiler
When both sides are toasted top with a slice of Swiss cheese
Put back under broiler to melt cheese

When soup is done serve in bowls with bread and melted cheese on top

Taco Tuesday

This variation is for taco salad

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
Taco Seasoning (1 packet or 1/4 cup bulk seasoning)
3/4 cup water
1 Bag of salad
1 Bag of grated Mexican cheese
1 Tomato
1 can pinto beans
1 Bag of tortilla chips
Sour Cream or salad dressing
Sliced Olives

Brown the beef in a skillet
Drain fat
Add taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water
Mix well and heat through
Microwave pinto beans until warm in a microwave safe bowl
Put chips on plate
Layer with salad, meat, cheese, beans and tomato
Top with sour cream or salad dressing and sliced olives

Manicotti with Cheese

This recipe is found on the back of the American Beauty Manicotti box.

Ingredients:
1 package Manicotti
1 3/4 cups Ricotta Cheese
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 cups Spaghetti Sauce

Boil pasta until tender
Heat oven to 350 degrees
In a large bowl mix all the cheeses, salt, pepper and parsley
Spoon into cooled pasta tubes
Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on bottom of a 13x9 pan
Arrange filled pasta in a single layer over sauce
Pour remaining sauce over pasta
Cover with foil
Bake 40 minutes
Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly

This is good with garlic bread, salad and green beans.

Chili Quesadillas

I had these at a friends house. They were so easy and I love chili so these were really good. I like it as a meal, but it can also be an appetizer.

Ingredients:
1-2 Cans of Chili depending on how many people you are feeding. I love Nalley Original Chili
1 Package of Flour tortillas
1 Bag of grated cheese

Take one tortilla and spread chili on it
Sprinkle with cheese
Put another tortilla on top

My friend had one of those sweet quesadilla makers, but I don't so...
Put in on a cookie sheet and broil until top starts to brown
Turn over and broil other side until brown

You can dip in sour cream which is tasty!

Shrimp Dijonnaise

I don't like seafood, period. But I realize a lot of people do. So any recipe posted will not have been tried by me. However, the picture for this one looks nice.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup melted butter
2 Tbs. canola oil
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
3 garlic cloves minced
3/4 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

In a Ziploc bag combine everything except shrimp
Mix together
Add shrimp seal bag and coat
Refrigerate 4 hours turning occasionally
Drain and discard marinade
Broil shrimp 4 inches from heat about 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink

The picture of this has a rice/veggie mix with broccoli on the side.

*This recipe comes from the Taste of Home Cooking School magazine

Italian Zest Chicken

I haven't tried this yet, but you can count on it within a week. It looks so good. But I'm not sure why it is Italian Zest I'm failing to see where the zest comes into play. And by the way, this is out of a magazine called Taste of Home Cooking School. I went to this with some friends and got the magazine free. There are a few things in it that I am going to post.

Ingredients:
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp paprika
1 tsp water
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1 ZIPLOC Brand Zip 'n Steam bag

In a small bowl combine garlic, paprika and water
Let stand one minute to thicken
Spread the mixture over chicken and rub on all sides
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning
Put chicken in bag and seal
Cook in MICROWAVE (what? sweet!) on high for 4-5 minutes or until chicken juices run clear
Let stand for 1 minute before handling


Oh my heck, if that isn't he easiest chicken meal ever I don't know what is. You can invite people over and they would never know it was nuked! I love it!

Here is a twist to mashed potatoes. After the potatoes are boiled and drained, add a block of cream cheese with the normal amount of milk. Mash like normal. The cream cheese alone gives the potatoes a good taste without gravy, but for a little extra sprinkle in some Montreal Steak Seasoning.