Taco Soup

We have come to love this "soup".  I use that term loosely as its much more of a stew consistency, though you can make it soupier if you prefer it that way.  We make sure we have at least one bag of scoopable tortilla chips & lots of good chilled drinks on hand too!

2lbs ground beef
2 cans corn
4 cans diced tomatoes (with jalapenos if you like some heat)
1 can dark kidney beans
1 can light kidney beans
1 can northern beans
1 sm. jar favorite salsa (though it will lose some heat, so take that into consideration)
2 pkgs taco seasoning

Brown ground beef, add taco seasoning, stir to coat well.  Add remaining ingredients, stir well...bring to a boil, reduce heat to low & allow to simmer for no less then 30 min, better if closer to an hour, but that is up to you & how much time you have to let it go.

serve w/grated cheese, chips, sour cream, whatever you like on your tacos!

***You can use any kinds of beans that you like.  You can use all one kind or cut back on them...that is up to you.  You can also put the cayenne pepper on the "goodies" tray for people to add some kick to their personal bowl if you want to make it milder for the kids.

Springtime Supper Plans

It's another beautiful sunny day in the northeast...flowers are all blooming, breeze is gentle, pefect kind of day to enjoy a dinner out on the deck!  What to have...well, we pulled out all the stops on this dinner & came up with a great combination of flavors.
Bonnie Blair Chicken; Strawberry-Spinach Salad; Vegetable Pasta Salad; Crusty French Bread & Apple Crumb Pie for dessert.  The colors are fabulous & the flavors are as delicious as they sound! 
Enjoy something off the grill for your dinner tonight & make the most of these delightful Spring evenings!

Beef Stroganoff

Easy way to toss together dinner on those rushed nights...quickly became a family favorite!

Serves 4

1lb beef, cooked, cubed
2 c sliced mushrooms
1 med onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c sour cream
1 bag wide egg noodles

Cook noodles as directed on pkg...while water is heating & noodles are cooking make up the rest of the meal
In a skillet, melt 1 Tbs butter & saute mushrooms & onion untl tender
Add soup & sour cream, heat to boiling.
Add meat to skillet & heat through.
Put the noodles on the plate first, then top with the beef mixture

Coconut Easter Eggs

A fun way to get the kids into the kitchen is to pursuade them to help you out making Easter candy...seriously, who can say no to that??  Homemade candy always has such great flavor & its fun for the kids to see they can make what they see in the store without all the preservatives & with the chocolate they like best!  Even better, these do not have to be shapped like eggs, so make them into squares, balls, whatever floats your boat & works for your family.

8oz cream cheese
1 stick butter
2lbs 10x sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c coconut

Mix all ingredients together
shape into eggs (or whatever you have decided to do)
place eggs on cookie sheet lined with wax paper & place in refrigerator to chill
once eggs are cold, coat them with melted chocolate of your choice (you can use traditional chocolate chips, the microwave kind of chocolate in the baking aisle for dipping, dark chocolate, white, or get colored for the season or the party colors if they are for a bridal or baby shower)
return to the fridge to set the chocolate & enjoy

Frito Dip

Another fabulous dip from Len's amazing mom!  Great for after school snack, as an appetizer at a party, or one of those "but mom, we're starving to death!!!" after you already made dinner & they are watching a movie...

2 8oz pkg cream cheese
1 Hormel chili with beans
1 Hormel chili without beans
1 pkg shredded cheese

Mix cream cheese & chilis together, spread in a small baking dish
Sprinkle cheese on top
Bake at 325 until cheese has melted & its bubbling

Serve with frito corn chips or scoopable tortilla chips

Taco Dip

Len's mom gave me several fantastic dips...which I confess, we don't make up nearly as much as I should for how much the kids love to snack!

8oz cream cheese
8oz sour cream
1pkg taco seasoning

Mix together & spread onto pizza pan

Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, diced cucumber, diced onion (all are optional based on your family's preference)
Finish the creation by topping it all off with shredded cheese
Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips

Cheese Ball

Tired of spending 5.00 on a cheese ball for parties?  I can't seem to get the dumb thing into the cart...which prompted a search to figure out how to make one!

1 wedge soft fancy cheese
3 1/2 oz blue cheese
1/2 sm grated onion
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
8oz cream cheese
3-4 drops hot pepper sauce
1 Tbs sour cream

Mix all ingredients thoroughly with a mixer.
Pat into a ball shape with a spatula
Spread chopped parsley on waxed paper & roll ball until covered
Set on dish, cover & refrigerate till solid
Enjoy with a cracker assortment, even pretzels