Khyra's Lasagna

This is my best friend's recipe and she is a great cook.  We all love this lasagna!

5 links hot/mild Italian sausage (I do 3 links one, 2 links the other)
1 small yellow onion, small dice
2 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
1 package spaghetti seasoning (it is in the package, like taco seasoning packets)
I large can tomato sauce, get a good brand
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes, good brand
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 box lasagna noodles
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Cheddar cheese

Brown sausage and drain most of grease
Put diced onions in with meat and sauté. I do this until the onions are super soft.
Pour in can of diced tomatoes and break up any big to chunks.
Pour in tomato sauce
Mix in garlic, spaghetti seasoning packet and Italian seasoning.
Sit and simmer 2-4 hours stirring occasionally. Make sure the burner is super low, you don't want it to burn.
When you are ready to assemble, cook lasagna noodles and drain

Assembly: (I usually do a 9x13 pan and also a 9x9 pan)
A little bit of sauce on the bottom so it doesn't stick
Layer of lasagna noodles
Layer of sauce
Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese
Layer of lasagna noodles
Layer of sauce
Light layer of mozzarella cheese
Top with cheddar cheese

Bake at 350 for around 40 minutes ...just make sure the top is starting to golden
Let sit for 10-15 min to set before you cut into it.

*I like to freeze one of the pans before I cook it.  Cover well with foil.  Cook an additional 5-10 minutes.  It freezes pretty well!

Pulled Pork

My friend brought us this meal when I had my baby recently and it was delicious!

Marinade
1 bottle of Jan Daniel's Original No. 7 Barbecue Sauce
1/2 t. garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. lemon juice
pepper
1.5-2 lbs. boneless country style ribs

Marinate ribs in marinade overnight or for a few hours.  Cook in crockpot on low for 7 hours or on high for 4-5.  Remove pork from crockpot and shred and discard fat.  Place the pork back in the juices.  Pour off a little of the liquid if it is too juicy.  Serve alone or on rolls or buns.

TORTILLA SOUP

My cousin's wife has brought tortilla soup to our family Christmas Eve party the last few years. We all love it! Thanks, Nicole.

1 bunch green onions
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
3 chicken breasts
2 T olive oil
1 can ready-cut tomatoes
7 1/2 oz diced green chiles
14.5 oz can chicken broth
4-6 c water
7 3/4 oz can El Pato tomato sauce (yellow can found in Mexican food aisle)
1-2 cans corn
Lime juice
2 cans olives
3 small avocados
1-2 cans black beans
Tortilla chips
Grated Colby jack cheese
Sour cream


Sauté green onions, bell peppers, and cubed chicken breast in olive oil. Add tomatoes, green chiles, broth, water, tomato sauce, and corn. Simmer 20 minutes.

Remove from heat. Just before serving, add lime juice, olives (I like to leave them whole), cubed avocados, and beans. Layer soup with chips & cheese. Top with sour cream and enjoy.


Recipe from Nicole Long, with my own alterations

This soup freezes really well.

Chicken Taquitos

These are really yummy; we have made them several times since I got the Our Best Bites cookbook.

8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small flour tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Serve plain or dip in sour cream or guacamole.

These freeze really well.  Skip the step of toasting them in the oven.  Freeze them, when you're ready to eat them, toast them for an additional 8-10 minutes.

Recipe adapted from: www.ourbestbites.com

Breakfast Burritos

These are such good burritos and everyone that tries them loves them. We like to wrap up the leftovers in tin foil and put some in the fridge and freezer. My husband just pops them in the oven in the morning and they taste great and are so filling.

• 2-3 leftover baked potatoes



• 1 pound sausage, we like hot



• 12 whole eggs



• chopped chives, to taste (optional)



• seasoned salt And pepper, to taste



• 1 cup monterey jack cheese



• flour tortillas, we like the uncooked found near the cheese

We like to make these after we have had baked potatoes. We put the leftovers in the fridge. Peel potatoes. Then brown a pound of your favorite kind of breakfast sausage. Drain off the fat.

In a bowl, whisk together a dozen eggs (adjust according to your needs), chopped chives, seasoned salt, black pepper and about 1 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese.

Once your sausage is browned and drained add in the breakfast potatoes and stir to combine over low heat. Pour the egg/cheese mixture over the sausage/potato mixture. You don’t want to stir too much or the potatoes will fall apart and become mushy. Cook over low heat and turn them occasionally to cook.

Cook uncooked tortillas in frying pan or warm in the microwave.


When fully cooked throw some into a nice warm tortilla, wrap it up and, if they need to be kept warm for a bit, wrap them individually in sheets of foil.

This freezes really well. Wrap burritos individually in aluminum foil.  Reheat in oven or microwave.

Recipe adapted from: www.thepioneerwoman.com/cooking

Mango Chicken Fajitas

This is a great recipe that you've got to try! This recipe makes a large batch, about 12-15 servings.

3 lbs. chicken breast, boiled

1 jar mango salsa (I used Newman's Own Mango Salsa, or you could use Chachie's Mango Peach Salsa (in Walmart's deli) or make your own with this recipe)

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained

1 T. taco seasoning

Place ingredients in a crockpot. Cook for 6 hours on low. Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred. Return to crockpot and serve on tortillas. May add cheese and tomatos. Enjoy!

These freeze really well. 

Cafe Rio Pork Barbicoa

Sweet Pork

3 lbs rump roast
1 C dark br. Sugar
1 C. Worcestershire Sauce
1tsp. Oregano
1tsp. Powdered ginger
1tsp. salt
1tsp. chili powder
1tsp. garlic powder
2Tbsp minced onions

Cook in a crock pot all day on low. 1 hour before serving shred pork and discard juice.
Add:
1 c dark brown sugar
1 C. red enchilada sauce


Lime Rice

1C. rice
2C. chicken broth
1Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1Tbs. minced onion

Bring to a boil and then simmer covered for 15 minutes or until rice is
done.


Dressing

1 ranch dressing packet
½ C. buttermilk
½ C. Sour Cream
1C. Mayo
2 Tomatillos
1jalapeno I took the seeds out first
½ bunch cilantro
1-3 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lime

Mix in blender and refrigerate 1 hour


Put together like burritos with black beans, rice, meat, romaine lettuce,
tortilla strips, sauce wrapped in flour tortillas
--or--
Serve as a salad.

This freezes really well.