Meatloaf

Recipe from: Beverly (LA's mom)

1 lb ground meat
6-8 saltine crackers, crushed
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp A1 steaksauce
1/2 onion chopped
1/8 cup of ketchup

Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. No more than 2 inches thick.

Beverly's Lasagna

Recipe from: Beverly (LA's mom)

1 diced onion
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1.5 lbs ground beef
3Tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. basil
1.5 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 14oz can of petite diced tomatoes
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 lb mozzarella cheese
1 pkg. lasagna noodles
Parmesan cheese

LA adds:
1 14oz can of petite diced tomatoes
1 14oz can of tomato sauce

Brown beef and onions. Drain if necessary. Add parsley, garlic, basil, salt, pepper, tomatoes, paste, and sauce. Cover and cook 40 minutes. Cook noodles in salted boiling water for 11-12 minutes or according to the box. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange in layers: noodles, meat sauce, cheese, ending with sauce on top. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake 20 minutes or until bubbly.

**I (Beverly) do not put Parmesan on until right before it is ready to out of the over, 5 minutes or so until ready.

**This recipe freezes very well. It is a great recipe to double since it takes a while to cook as well. I (LA) usually use loaf pans and 1 recipe makes about 4 pans of lasagna, but as my family is getting bigger and eats more, I will probably start using 8x8 pans. You should being to get about 2 pans out of 1 recipe. It all depends how you layer. Any extra sauce there is I freeze for spaghetti.

**If you want to cook it frozen, then it takes about an hour or so. I would leave it covered with foil until the last 20 minutes or so.

Broccoli Rice Casserole

Recipe from: Beverly (Leigh Ann's Mom)

1 package chopped broccoli, cooked
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup of chopped celery
2 cups cooked rice
8oz. jar of Cheese Whiz
1 can of French Fried Onions

Saute onion and celery in large sauce pan. Cook broccoli and rice. Add cheese whiz, milk and soup to onion and celery. Stir until cheese whiz is melted and smooth. Add broccoli and rice. Pour into casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Top with French Fried Onions and cook another 5 minutes or until browned.

**This is a great recipe to double and freeze. Do not put the French Fried Onions until you have cooked the casserole and are ready to eat it. You could use two 8x8 foil pans for larger groups or four loaf pans if you had a smaller family.

**If cooking this frozen, least double the cooking time. Or let defrost overnight or set out the morning of that you want to cook it.

Taco Pockets

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury Grands Biscuits

1 package of taco seasoning

2/3 cup water

1 lb of cooked ground meat

1/2 cup salsa (the recipe recommends a store bought kind like Old El Paso, Pace, etc)

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend or Monterey Jack

In skillet, mix cooked ground meat, taco seasoning, water and salsa. Cook until thickened. Press each biscuit into a 6 inch round. Fill each with taco mixture and 1 spoonful of cheese. Fold dough over and press edges to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake 9 to 14 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve with salsa, cheese, chips, etc.

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

Ingredients:

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 clove of minced garlic

heaping tablespoon of butter

breadcrumbs

large handful of shredded cheddar cheese

Put butter and minced garlic in skillet on medium heat. Melt butter and let garlic soften and mix together well. Dip each chicken breast in garlic butter, covering well. Mix breadcrumbs and cheese in bowl. Dredge chicken breasts heavily in breadcrumb mixture. Place in 13x9 baking dish. Drizzle any remaining butter over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with veggies.

Southwestern Chicken Skillet

Ingredients:

2 large Split Chicken Breasts

1 cup rice, cooked (makes 2 cups cooked)

1 can black beans, drained

1 can corn

1 can Rotel

3/4 cup enchilada sauce

tortillas

Boil chicken and tear into strips. Discard skin and bones. Put all ingredients into a skillet over medium-high until sizzling. Then reduce to medium-low and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve in tortillas with cheese on top.

Frugal Tip: If you buy a package of 4 split chicken breasts, boil all of them at once. Go ahead and tear it up into strips and whatever you don't use for this recipe, you can freeze. That way, when you make this again or other recipes like chicken and dumplings, you'll have meat ready to go. Also, you can freeze the broth to use for soups as well.

Larra's Easy Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 lb ground meat

1 can Wolf Brand chili

1 can enchilada sauce

10 tortillas

8 oz Velveeta, cut into strips

2 cups shredded cheddar or mexican mix cheese

Brown meat. Season with salt and pepper. Mix chili, enchilada sauce, and half a can of water. Spoon meat into tortillas and put a few strips of Velveeta in. Roll tightly and place in 13x9 baking dish. Pour the chili and sauce mixture over tortillas. (Be sure to cover the corners of the tortillas with the mixture or they may get crispy during baking.) Cover with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.