Italian Sausage & Three Cheese Tortellini

I tried a new recipe tonight. It was so good I decided I needed to share it. It's super quick and easy to make. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• 8 oz. cream cheese (I set this out for a couple of hours to soften. It makes it easier to melt.)
• 32 oz. chicken broth
• 2 cans Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
• 21 oz. Buitoni Tortellini

Directions

• In a large pot, brown sausage.
• Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes and cream cheese.
• Stir well until cheese is melted and bring to a boil.
• Add tortellini and bring back to a boil.
• Stir to insure all tortellini is covered.
• Boil for 7-8 minutes or until desired tenderness (stir frequently). 

Rotel Chicken Soup

This is a super simple and super quick recipe that I just threw together. My son has now declared it his favorite and wants me to make it all the time.

Ingredients:

2 Cans Chicken Breast, Drained
1 Can Rotel
1 Can Corn, Drained
1 Can Black Beans, Drained and Rinsed
4 Cups Chicken Broth
16 American Cheese Slices
1 Packet Chili Seasoning Mix
1 Packet Ranch Dressing Mix

Instructions:

Combine chicken, Rotel, corn, beans, broth and seasonings in large pot and bring to a boil. Add cheese slices, stirring until melted. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

Easiest Meatloaf Ever

Meatloaf is by far one of my favorite foods. I've always wanted to be able to make a great meatloaf, but my many attempts in the past have failed every time.

Recently, I found a very simple recipe on Pinterest and I thought, what the heck, I'll give it a try.

I'm so glad  I did. I finally have a recipe that works and tastes great! I couldn't believe how easy it was and my family absolutely loved it. Requests for a repeat of this meal were immediate, in fact, we're having it again tonight.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef
• 1 box any flavor Stove Top Stuffing Mix (I used Savory Herb)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of water

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together and smoosh into a loaf pan.  Bake on 350 for 45 minutes.

I served this will mashed potatoes and green beans.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do.

Hamburger Vegetable Soup

I made this wonderful vegetable soup for dinner last week.  It was amazing and it's the perfect time of year for it.

I made this on the stove, but you could also pre-cook your onions, peppers, celery, garlic and ground beef and throw it all together with the other ingredients in the crock pot.  The longer it cooks the better it tastes.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 3 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can sliced potatoes, drained
• 1 can carrots, drained
• 1 can green beans, drained
• 1 bag frozen corn
• 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 4 dashes hot sauce
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 2 tsp salt
• pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Using a large soup pot, heat oil to medium/high. 
2. Add chopped onions, peppers and celery and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
3. Add ground beef and garlic and cook until no longer pink.
4. Drain excess fat and sprinkle in flour.
5. Stir till blended and cook for about 3 minutes.
6. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes.  

You can change this up to match your taste.  Add whatever vegetables your family likes.  The possibilities are endless!

Creamy Chicken & Rice

I normally just throw chicken and rice together. I've not really used a recipe in the past. But the other day I was looking for chicken recipes on Pinterest and I found a recipe for creamy chicken and rice and it sounded so good, I thought I would give it a go.

I didn't have all the ingredients so I tweaked it a bit to use the ingredients I had on hand.

It was such a success, my husband asked me to write it down and make sure to put it on my list of regular meals. I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as we did.

Ingredients:

• 3 Large Chicken Breast (mine were frozen)
• 1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 2 Cups Chicken Broth
• 2 Cups Water
• 2 Cups Carrots (I used baby carrots and I didn't cut them up, but I will next time.)
• 3 Shake Celery Salt
• 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tsp. Paprika
• 1/2 Tbs. Minced Garlic
• 2 tsp. Garlic Salt
• Black Pepper to taste
• 1/8 tsp. Cyan Pepper
• 1 1/2 Cups Instant Brown Rice

Directions:

• Turn the crock pot on high.
• Place the chicken breasts and carrots in the bottom of the crock pot.
• Mix up all the other ingredients, excluding the rice and pour over the chicken and carrots.
• Let chicken cook for approximately six hours or until cooked and tender.
• Once chicken is cooked, remove it from the crock pot and shred with two forks.
• Add rice to the crock pot and mix.
• Add shredded chicken back to crock pot and mix well.
• Let cook for approximately one more hour or until rice is tender.

Chicken & Black Bean Taco Soup

I hope you all don't get tired of me posting Taco Soup recipes.  I think this is my third version, but I do love Taco Soup.

This is a twist on the original Chicken Taco Soup Recipe I posted a while back.  I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did.

Ingredients:

• 2 large cans chicken breast meat, drained
• 2 cans Rotel
• 1 can sweet whole kernel corn, do not drain
• 1 can cream corn
• 1 large can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cans Spicy V8 (5.5 oz.)
• 1 envelope ranch dressing mix
• 1 envelope taco seasoning mix

Directions:

• Combine all the above ingredients and mix well.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for at least 20 minutes.  

This is a super simple and quick recipe and it is really yummy.  Serve with cornbread or with tortilla chips and shredded cheese.

Spicy Taco Soup

This is my spiced up version of Taco Soup.  I found a basic recipe and altered it to my taste buds.  It must have been pretty good, because my guys loved it.  I hope you will too!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans Rotel
• 1 can condensed tomato soup
• 2 cans Spicy V8 Juice (5.5 oz. each)
• 1 - 12 oz. bag of frozen sweet corn
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 1 packet ranch seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Brown ground beef with chopped onion and drain.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. 
• Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for at least 30 minutes.

This was super easy and really yummy.  I served it with tortilla chips and shredded cheese.

I wish I could tell you the exact nutrition facts on this recipe, but I just threw it together.  I did find a similar soup on My Fitness Pal which was 238 calories for 1 cup. 

Yielded approximately four generous servings.