Easy chili

I made this chili today because it seemed like a perfect fall day for it. I actually didn't know what I was doing, so I just threw a bunch of stuff in a crockpot. It turned out to be the best chili I've ever had and Eddie agreed. He told me to make sure I write the recipe down and make it over and over again. The picture isn't too pretty, but I promise the taste is great!

1 lb. hamburger (I accidentally used DH's beef with bacon hamburger)

1 lb. sausage

2 lg. onions, chopped

1 can beans in chili sauce

2 cans light red kidney beans, drained

2 cans petite diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1 pkg. Carroll Shelby's chili kit (it is in the spice aisle. It comes in what looks like a small brown bag. I'm guessing other chili seasonings would work.)

Brown hamburger and sausage. Drain grease and add meat to crockpot. Throw in remaining ingredients and mix. Mine ended up cooking on low for about 5 hours, but I'm guessing longer would be even better. Top with your favorite chili toppings and enjoy!

Easy Chicken gravy

This recipe is adapted from a couple of recipes I found on Allrecipes.com. It is really the easiest crockpot recipe, and while not healthy by any means, it is the ultimate comfort food. I served it over mashed potatoes and with some broccoli and cheese.

4 chicken thighs - usually I use chicken breasts, but all I had were thighs

1 pkg. onion soup mix

1 can cream of mushroom

1 can cream of chicken

Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4. Take out chicken and shred. Add chicken back to crockpot and stir in some sour cream (I used the kind with onion and chives).

Nothing fancy, but ultimate comfort food and very kid friendly.

Banana Cream Cheesecake

I got this recipe from the fall edition of the Kraft Food and Family magazine. It sounded syummy and easy, which is my perfect combination so I decided to make it. My picture isn't the best because it didn't cut as well as I would have hoped. The cheesecake portion just tastes like cheesecake, and I'm disappointed that the banana flavor didn't come out more. I think next time I'm going to add some banana extract in the cheesecake portion to give it that extra flavor or I might just mix the bananas in with the cheesecake part instead of slicing them.

1 pkg. white cake mix, divided

4 eggs, divided

3 Tbsp. oil

2/3 c. packed brown sugar, divided

2 bananas, sliced

2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (I used reduced fat)

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 1/2 c. milk

1 1/2 c. whipped topping (I used Cool Whip)

Preheat oven to 300 F. Reserve one cup dry cake mix. Mix remaining cake mix with 1 egg, oil, and 1/3 c. sugar with mixer (mixture will be crumbly). Press into bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 13x9 baking pan. Top with sliced bananas.

Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar with mixer. Add reserved cake mix, remaining eggs and lemon juice. Beat 1 minute. Blend in milk (batte will be thin). Pour into crust.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 4 hours. Top with whipped topping. Refrigerate leftovers.

**I also think this would be good as a basic cheesecake recipe. Just omit the bananas and serve with pie filling or a topping of your choice**

Swedish Meatballs

So, I've decided I should try and update this thing more often. Here is a great recipe for Swedish Meatballs. I got this from my friend Heather and made some slight modifications, which are in bold print. My son even ate two of these, and they taste great reheated also!

1 lb. ground beef
1 small potato, grated
1 med. onion, grated
1/3 c. half and half
1/2 c. crackers
salt and pepper to taste

Mix those ingredients together. I added some beef grill seasoning. Form into balls.

Roll balls into flour and brown in a pan. Put all browned meatballs into a casserole dish.

1 can cream of mushroom
1 can water I used one can of half and half so I could use the rest of it up.

Mix cream of mushroom and water (half and half) and pour on top of meatballs. I actually poured the mixture in the pan that I had browned the meatballs in to get up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Then I poured over meatballs.

Bake at 300 (350 since I misread the recipe card) for 1 hour.

These were great with mashed potatoes!!

Breakfast Casserole

This is another wonderful recipe from my friend Joan. It didn't have a title, so I'm just calling it breakfast casserole.

6 c. loose packed hashbrowns, thawed
2/3 c. butter, melted
8 oz. hot pepper cheese, shredded (like pepperjack)
12 oz. diced ham (2 cups)
8 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 c. milk
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt

Press hashbrown s in bottom of pan. Drizzle with butter. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350.

Toss together remaining ingredients. Spread over crust. Bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Let stand 10 minutes.

**I made this recipe past the first step of baking. I refrigerated the rest and baked the second half the next morning and it worked fine.**

Amish Breakfast Casserole

Another favorite brunch item from Allrecipes.com.
1 pound sliced bacon, diced (I used sausage)
1 med. sweet onion, chopped
6 eggs, lightly beaten
4 c. frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 c. small curd cottage cheese
1 1/4 c. shredded Swiss cheese

In a large skillet, cook bacon (sausage) and onion until browned; drain. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir in the meat mixture. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 2-in. baking dish.

Bake, uncovered at 350 for 35-4 minutes or until set and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

**I made this the night before and refrigerated and baked the next morning. It still tasted great.**

Blueberry French Toast

Another one made for my son's baptism. A big hit and super easy. I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com.
1 (1 lb.) loaf Italian bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, diced
1 c. blueberries
12 eggs
2 c. milk
1/3 c. maple syrup

1 c. white sugar
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 c. water
1 c. blueberries
1 Tbsp. butter

Place half of the bread cubes in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle cream cheese on top of bread cubes. Top with 1 cup blueberries and remaining bread. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, and maple syrup. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover pan and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, remove the pan from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Uncover pan and bake for an additional 30 minutes until golden brown and center is set.
To make sauce:
In a saucepan, combine sugar and corn starch, add water. Boil over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in blueberries and reduce heat. Simer 8-10 minutes, or until the berries have burst. Stir in butter until melted. Serve the sauce over the squares of french toast.

Brunch Lasagna

This is also from Taste of Home website. Another one made for my son's baptism and another hit.
8 uncooked lasagna noodles
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
butter flavored cooking spray
2 jars (16 oz. each) Alfredo sauce
3 c. diced fully cooked ham
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1/4 c. chopped green onions
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat eggs and milk. In a large nonstick skillet coated with butter-flavored cooking spray, cook eggs over medium-low heat until set but moist. Remove from heat. Drain noodles.
Spread 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce in a greased 10-in. square or 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with four lasagna noodles (trim noodles if necessary to fit dish), ham, green pepper, and onions.
Top with half of the remaining Alfredo sauce and the remaining noodles. Layer with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, and remaining Alfredo sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 45-50 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

**I made this the night before and refrigerated overnight, and it still turned out great.**

Breakfast Pizza

I got this recipe from my friend Joan. I'm not sure where she got it, but it was a hit at my son's baptism.

1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 pkg. crescent rolls
1 c. frozen hash browns, thawed (Simply Potatoes brand works great)
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
5 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Cook sausage. Separate crescents into 8 triangles, place in 12" pizza pan with points toward center. Press over bottom and up sides to form a crust. Seal perforations. Spoon sausage over crust. Sprinkle with potatoes. Top with cheese.
In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour into crust. Sprinkle parmesan over the top.
Bake 375 for 25-30 minutes.

Baked Brunch Sandwiches

This recipe is from Taste of Home website. I made these for my son's baptism and they were easy and a big hit.
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
12 slices bread
6 slices fully cooked ham
12 slices cheddar or swiss cheese (I used cheddar)
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
4 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/4 tsp. pepper

Spread mustard on one side of six slices of bread. Layer the ham, cheese, and tomato over the mustard; top with remaining bread. Butter the outsides of the sandwiches; cut in half. Arrange in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and pepper; pour over sandwiches. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Sweet Potato Casserole

My sister-in-law found this on Allrecipes and made it for Thanksgiving dinner. It was the best sweet potato casserole that I'd ever had. I highly recommend it.
4 c. sweet potato, cubed
1/2 c. white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk, and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is course. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes or until topping is lightly browned.

Chicken Wing Dip

I found this recipe on Allrecipes some time ago, but have modified it a little big. It is always a big hit.
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
3/4 (or more if you prefer) hot pepper sauce (I use Franks Red Hot)
1 c. blue cheese dressing (ranch if you prefer)
2 c. shredded cooked chicken
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (or whatever you have on hand)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese and hot pepper sauce until well blended. Mix in the dressing, chicken, and cheese. Spread into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. If oil collects on top, dab off with a paper towel. Serve with tortilla chips and veggies (I like celery).

**I've also put all ingredients in a crock pot and it's worked out great that way also**

Bacon Pull Apart Bread

I found this online when I was looking for a savory monkey bread. I made this for the Superbowl and it was a huge hit.
12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1 small onion, chopped finely
3 cans buttermilk biscuits, each biscuit cut into quarters
1/2 c. butter, melted
pepper to taste
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 10 inch bundt pan. Combine bacon, Parmesan cheese, onion and fresh pepper. Set aside. Dip each biscuit piece into butter. Place 1/3 of the pieces on the bottom of the bundt. Sprinkle half of the bacon mixture over biscuits. Sprinkle half of the cheddar over the top. Repeat layering of biscuits and remaining bacon mixture, and chedar. Finish with last 1/3 of the biscuits. Brush the tops with butter. Bake for 40 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack and then invert onto a serving platter. Serve warm.

Raspberry Lemonade Cake

I made this for Easter and it was a hit. This recipe is from Betty Crocker, though I made a couple of changes.

1 c. very hot water
1 box (4 serving size) raspberry flavored gelatin
1 box white cake mix
1/2 c. frozen (thawed) lemonade concentrate
1/4 c. water
1/3 c. vegetable oil
4 egg whites
1 container whipped vanilla frosting
1 c. frozen whiped topping (thawed)
1 1/2 c. fresh raspberries, if desired
lemon peel strips, if desired

**substitute 1/3 c. unsweetened applesauce for the vegetable oil to reduce fat**

Heat oven to 350 and spray bottom of 9x13 pan with baking spray with flour. In small bowl, mix hot water and gelatin until completely dissolved; cool slightly.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, 1/4 cup of the gelatin mixture, 1/4 cup of the lemonade concentrate, the water, oil (applesauce), and egg whites with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds and on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into pan and reserve remaining gelatin mixture and lemonade concentrate.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Poke warm cake every inch with a form. Remove 1 tablespoon of reserved gelatin mixture to a microwavable container. Mix remaining gelatin mixture and 1/4 cup lemonade concentrate and pour slowly over the cake. Cool completely about 1 hour or overnight.
In medium bowl, mix frosting and whipped topping. Frost cake. Microwave the reserved gelatin for 10 seconds to liquify. Using a small spoon, place small drops of the gelatin mixture over frosting. With a spoon or toothpick, swirl gelatin into frosting.
Garnish with raspberries and lemon peels if desired.

**I added about 1 tsp. of lemon extract and some of the lemonade concentrate to the frosting/whipped topping mixture which added great flavor**

This could also be made with other combinations of gelatin like lime or strawberry.

Chicken Parmesan

This is a very tasty dish first made for me by an ex-boyfriend, but I'd like to think I've improved it since then. =)

4-6 chicken breasts pounded out
box of shake n bake italian style
2 c. whipping cream
16 oz. pasta, egg noodles or any kind of your choice
olive oil
onions
pasta sauce, jarred or home made
cheese-mozzarella or whatever you have on hand

Coat the chicken in the Shake n Bake mixture and brown in skillet with olive oil. While cooking, make pasta according to package directions. Put pasta in the bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Pour whipping cream over the top of the noodles and put dabs of butter over the top. I like to top this with chopped up onions or dehydrated onions. Place chicken on the top of this, covering the pan as much as possible. Top with jar of pasta sauce. Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 350. Uncover and top with cheese. Bake until cheese is brown and bubbly. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Corn Chowder

This is another great winter meal. I adapted this variation from several recipes I found on Allrecipes.com, and mostly from Paula Dean's "Chef Jack's Corn Chowder". It freezes well and tastes great with a good sandwich or some crusty bread.

1 lb. bacon
1 stick butter
1 small onion, diced
1 small carrot, finely diced
1 small celery stalk, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3 c. corn kernals, fresh or frozen
3 c. chicken stock
1 bag cubed hashbrown style potatoes
2 c. half and half
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

**shredded chicken may be added if you'd like**

Fry bacon in skillet. Take out and drain on paper towel. Melt half stick butter in with bacon grease over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook until the roux is lightly browned, set aside to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, combine the corn, potatoes and chicken stock in a stockpot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the roux in slowly with the bowling stock whisking as you go so it doesn't clump. Return to the heat and bring to a boil. The mixture should become thick.

Stir the half and half, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste into the chowder.

Creamy Tomato Soup

It gets very cold here in Minnesota during the winter. There is nothing better than a big bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. While I don't mind the canned tomato soup, I like to make it a little more special with this version I found in Taste of Home.

1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp. butter
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 - 1 tsp. paprika
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in the butter until onions are tender. Stir in tomatoes, soup, milk, sugar, basil, and paprika. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Serve immediately.

Cheesy Hashbrowns

I got the original recipe for this from my grandma, but I've tweaked it to my tastes over the years. It is pretty simple and actually can be modified to what you like or what you have in the house.

1 1/2 pkg. frozen shredded hashbrowns, thawed
8 tbsp. butter, melted
2 cans cream of mushroom, celery or chicken (whatever you have works fine, I generally mix a couple of them for variety)
1 onion, chopped
3 c. cheese (whatever you have works)
16 oz. sour cream (sometimes I use the flavored chive/onion variety)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the above ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread in a 9x13 baking dish.

corn flakes, crushed
melted butter

Mix the above ingredients together and place on top of hashbrown mixture.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Banana Pudding

This is a recipe that I'm often requested to bring to holiday gatherings with family. I think if everyone knew how easy it was, they'd make it themselves. I found this on Allrecipes.com.

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (5 oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding
3 c. cold milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping, thawed
4 bananas (or more if you'd prefer) sliced
vanilla wafers.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in 1/2 of the whipped topping. Line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with the vanilla wafers. Arrange banana slices evenly over the top of the wafers. Spread 1/2 the pudding mix over the top of that. Repeat layers. Top with the remaining whipped topping and chill.

Taco Bake

This recipe is courtesy of Kraft Foods. It is a great and easy recipe using ingredients you will probably have on hand already.

1 pkg. macaroni and cheese
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. salsa
tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 400. Prepare dinner as directed on the box. While that is cooking, brown the ground beef. Drain and add taco seasoning and water. Simmer for five minutes. Stir sour cream into the prepared macaroni and cheese dinner. Spoon half of the dinner mixture into a 8 inch square or 9 inch round baking dish. Top with layers of the meat mixture, 1 cup of the cheese, and some crushed chips. Add the rest of the dinner mixture and cover. Bake 15 minutes. Top with salsa, crushed chips, and remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes of until the cheese is melted.

Shipwreck Dinner

This recipe is courtesy of Kraft Foods. It is a great family friendly meal.

1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. macaroni and cheese dinner
1 (16 oz.) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 c. frozen green peas
1 c. milk
1 c. mozarella cheese

Brown meat in skillet and drain. Stir in macaroni, cheese sauce mix, tomatoes, peas, and milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 12 minutes or until macaroni is tender. Sprinkle with cheese and let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Meatballs

This is my husband's favorite. They sound weird but are really the best meatballs that I've ever had.

1 lb. hamburger
1 c. rice krispies
1 egg
salt
pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. ketchup
1 tsp. mustard
2 Tbsp. vinegar

Mix hamburge, rice krispies,egg, salt, and pepper. Shape into balls and bake on a jelly roll pan at 350 for 1/2 hour. While baking, mix the rest of the ingredients and boil together. After balls are baked, put into baking dish. Pour the sauce over the top and bake for another 1/2 hour.

Tex Mex Chicken Taco Soup

This is from Emeril's show on the Food Network. Very good soup and freezes well. It tastes great over rice or with chips.

1/2 c. diced onions
1/2 c. diced green bell pepper
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
vegetable oil
1 lb. chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 (8 oz.) jar salsa
14 oz. frozen corn
1 (14 oz.) can hominy
1 (16 oz.) can ranch style beans
2 (4 oz.) cans tomato paste
2 (14 oz.) cans chicken broth
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

Saute onions, pepers, and garlic in small amount of vegetable oil. Add chicken, taco seasoning mix, salsa, vegetables, beans, tomato paste, and chicken broth. Adjust liquid to your taste. Bring to a slow simmer and simmer for 20 minutes. Place cream cheese in a separate bowl. Use a measuring cup or spoon to pour some of the hot liquid from the soup over the cream cheese to melt. Add back to the soup. Simmer on low for another 10 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and cheese. Also great over rice.

Overnight Lasagna

This is a great lasagna for kids or those who don't like cottage cheese or too much going on in their lasagna. This is also a great make ahead supper for those busy nights when you are short on time.

1 pkg. lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine the following and cook into a sauce:
1 1/2 lb. ground beef, browned
1 pkg. spaghetti sauce mix
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can tomato soup
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 c. chopped onion

Put a layer of the uncooked noodles in a 9x13 pan. Cover with sauce. Cover the sauce with cheese. Repeat layers. Place noodles and cheese on the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Before baking, pour a little tomato sauce around the edges of the pan. Bake at 350 for one hour. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting.

Seven Layer Salad

This recipe is from recipezaar. It is a great dish to make for family occasions or for a potluck. So easy, and so yummy.

Salad:
1 bag lettuce
6-8 hard-boiled eggs
shredded carrot
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas, thawed
3/4 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (1 oz.) pkg. shredded cheese, cheddar or monterey jack

Dressing:
2 c. mayonnaise
2 c. sour cream
2 pkg. ranch dressing mix (like Hidden Valley)

Make dressing the night before and refrigerate so the flavors can meld. Layer salad ingredients in a 13x9 dish or salad bowl except the last two. Spread the dressing over the top of the salad making sure to cover the dish completely all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the bacon and shredded cheese over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving. Serve chilled.

Cranberry Jello Salad

This is a great jello salad that I bring often to potlucks.

1 can whole cranberries
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple
1 sm. pkg. raspberry jello
1 sm. ctn. cool whip

Drain juice from the fruits into a measuring cup. Add enough water to make 1 1/4 cup. Bring to a boil; dissolve the jello in the boiled mixture. Let cool and slightly thicken. Add fruit and cool whip. Mix. Serve chilled.

Southwestern Brunch Casserole

4 (4 oz.) cans chopped mild green chilies, drained
9 6" corn tortillas, cut into 1/2 inch strips
12 oz sausage, cooked crumbled and drained
4 oz. hot sausage, cooked crumbled and drained
1 pkg. dry taco seasoning
2 c. shredded monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 c. milk
8 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. onion salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
paprika
cilantro
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
sour cream, optional
salsa, optional

This must be assembled the night/day before serving.

Add 1/2 pkg. taco seasoning to the cooked sausage. In the buttered 13x9x2 in. baking dish, layer 1/2 of chilies, 1/2 tortillas, 1/2 sausage and half of the cheese. Repeat the layers with the second half of the ingredients.
In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, salt, black pepper, garlic salt, onion salt and cumin. Beat together until well mixed and pour over layered ingredients. Arrange tomato slices over the casserole and garnish with the paprika and cilantro.
Chill, covered overnight.
Bake, uncovered at 350 for 45-55 minutes or until firm in the center and lightly browned on the edges. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

This recipe is from Paula Dean. It is so good, and one of the most requested desserts of mine. I promise you won't be disappointed. This has actually taken the place of our pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.

Cake
1 pkg. yellow or white cake mix
1 egg
8 Tbsp. butter, melted

Filling
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
8 Tbsp. butter, melted
16 oz. powdered sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg

Combine all of the cake ingredients and mix well. Pat into a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking pan and use hands to make into an even layer. Set aside. Prepare the filling by beating the cream chese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together. Next add the powdered sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. Spread the pumpkin mixture over the prepared crust and bake for 40-50 minutes. Do not over bake as the center should be a little gooey. Serve with whipped cream or cinnamon ice cream.

Crockpot Oniony Pork Chops with Creamy Mustard Sauce

This recipe is courtesy of recipezaar. It is wonderful and I highly recommend it. The sauce makes a lot, and I usually serve the sauce over mashed potatoes. So yummy.

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4-6 one-inch thick pork chops
2 onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 c. white wine
2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1/2 c. whipping cream

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet and brown pork chops on both sides. Place browned chops in the bottom of the slow cooker. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and saute onions until softened. Add the garlic, dry mustard, salt, pepper, and cayenne and cook for one minute. Add flour and cook, stirring for one minute. Add vinegar and wine and cook until thickened. Pour this mixture over pork chops and cook on low for 4-5 hours on low and 2-2.5 hours on high until the pork is tender. Remove pork chops from slow cooker and place on a warmed platter. Stir dijon mustard and whipping cream into the juices in slow cooker. When well combined, turn slow cooker off and pour the sauce over chops on platter and serve immediately.