Tastes Like Lasagna Soup

I am posting this one for Arin - found in on her fb a few weeks ago and made it last week. IT IS DELICIOUS! Tanner likes it even better than lasagna. The only thing about the recipe I changed was using ground turkey instead of ground beef because it is what I had. Other than that I wouldn't change a thing. Don't worry if you don't have oven proof bowls either - tastes pretty good to just let the cheese melt on top on its own. The soup was so hearty and thick and yummy - perfect for a fall or winter night! It took a while to make, so start early, but its super easy. Enjoy.

Thanks Hot Lips!

Paula Deen's Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:
1 pound ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1 (32-ounce) box chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups broken lasagna noodles
1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Garlic Crostini, recipe follows

Garlic Crostini:
1 thin French baguette
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves smashed garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a large Dutch oven, combine ground chuck, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and crumbles. Drain well.

Stir in thyme, brown sugar, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add noodles, and simmer until noodles are tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into 8 to 10 ovenproof bowls. Evenly sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Broil soups, 6-inches from heat, 3 to 4 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly. Add a garlic crostini slice on top. Serve immediately.

For the garlic crostini:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut bread into 1/4-inch round slices. Place on baking sheet and brush each slice with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; place in oven and bake until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Rub each side with smashed garlic cloves (I cheated and used garlic powder here - ran out of time).

Heavenly Pork BBQ

This is my mom's famous crock pot BBQ recipe - it's so easy and delicious. Freezes extremely well too.

Ingredients:
3 lb pork tenderloin
1 cup water
1 8 oz bottle BBQ sauce (Bulls Eye Original is what I use)
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 – 3 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Buns

Directions:
Place the pork tenderloin and 1 cup of water in a 4 quart slow cooker. Cook covered at high seven hours or until the meat is tender. Stir with the fork to shred the meat. Add BBQ sauce and next 5 ingredients. Reduce heat to low and cook covered for 1 hour.

Tips:
-If you have one of the bigger slower cookers, you might need a little more water so it does not dry out. You can just check it every so often and determine if you need to add more. I usually don't, but I have a smaller round one (I think mine is a 5 qt).
-I usually use more BBQ sauce - we like ours saucy, sometimes I even double the sauce. Just depends on how you like it - buy a big bottle of sauce just in case.
-I usually cook the pork for about 5 hours, then add the sauce/spices for the last hour - so a total of 6 hours cooking time. If you are in a hurry, it can probably be done in less time, just might not be quite as tender.
-Doubles easy if you want to make extra to freeze or share.

Aunt Suzi's Brisket

Aunt Suzi's Brisket (Southern Living January '03)

Prep 10 minutes, bake 4 hours
Servings: 6

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar (I reduce to 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup chili sauce
3/4 ketchup
1/2-3/4 envelope dry onion soup mix (i use the whole package)
1 bottle beer (best with a darker beer)
1 3-4 lb beef brisket
15 small red potatoes
1 1/2 lb baby carrots

1. Preheat oven to 325. Stir together first 4 ingredients; gently
stir in beer.
2. Place brisket, fat side up, in a large Dutch oven or roasting pan;
pierce several times with a fork. Arrange potatoes & carrots evenly
around brisket; then pour beer mixture evenly over it all.
3. Bake, covered at 325 for 3 1/2 hours, basting occasionally with
sauce. Remove from oven and let brisket stand in pan, uncovered, 20
minutes. Remove brisket and cut into slices. Return slices to pan
with potatoes and carrots.
4. Bake, uncovered, 30 more minutes or until tender (I think it
usually takes longer than 30 minutes - I just try it and give it a
little more time if it's not quite tender yet).

Taco Pie

It is not a glamorous dish, but it is easy, yummy comfort food that makes an extra dinner to freeze!

Ingredients:
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 taco seasoning packets
2 cans refried beans
½ cup chopped onion
4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
½ bag tortilla chips
2 deep dish pie crusts

Instructions:
Bake pie crusts according to instructions on the package.

Chop onions. Brown meat with onion. Drain meat. Add taco seasoning and water per instructions on packet. Simmer beef for 15 – 30 mins until all water simmers out.

Crush tortilla chips and grate cheese.

Assemble taco pie using the following layers:
1. Refried beans
2. Meat
3. Shredded Cheese
4. Light layer of crushed tortilla chips
5. Refried beans
6. Meat
7. Shredded Cheese on top

Bake at 350˚ for 20 – 25 minutes. If refrigerated prior to baking, bake for 30 – 35 minutes.

The pies can be made 24 hours ahead of time and/or can be frozen prior to baking. They store and freeze well.

Note: These ingredients and instructions make two pies. The recipe can easily be doubled or cut in half.

Spicy Meatloaf

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
1 envelope onion soup mix
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 C soft bread crumbs
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 bottle Heinz Chili Sauce or Ketchup (optional)

Instructions:
With your hands, gently mix all ingredients well.
Form into 2 smaller loaves or 1 large loaf.
Spread layer of chili sauce or ketchup over the top (optional).
Place in baking dish and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Tips from Shelby:
I usually make 1 loaf in a regular loaf pan for dinner the night I am cooking the meatloaf. I then use the rest to make meatloaf muffins to freeze. To make meatloaf muffins, just fill a regular size muffin cup mostly full of the meatloaf mixture and then top with sauce if desired. These take less time to cook - probably 30 minutes would do it. I freeze the muffins to pull out for meals for Kenzie one at a time or I'll pull them all out at once for family dinner. Very easy to thaw and versatile to use! You can even crumble them up and make last minute spaghetti if you are in a pinch for something fast for a kiddo.

It is not really that spicy - the rotel is the only thing that adds the spice and I think most of yall know what that tastes like. Also, the chili sauce is not that spicy either - just a little twist on ketchup. Kenzie eats this all the time with no problems with the spicy.

Y'all thank Carol for this one - it is her original recipe.