Chili Dog Casserole #SundaySupper

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My goal in life has always been to provide these sweet little spirits,  that have been born into our family, with a life filled with love and kindness.  Cory has definitely filled those shoes and then some. I can't say it has always been easy for him to be married to a feisty-Irish-woman.  His patience and understanding with our kids are admirable.  I know that they roll their eyes when Dad says things but one day they will understand his wisdom.  I think, as kids, we all rolled our eyes at our parents.


Cory loves hotdogs.  I thought today I would share a quick and easy casserole. This is a great addition to your weekly line up of simple meals, especially with the busy summer days ahead of us.

The bacon and jalapeno give it that gourmet flair for our family. How would you jazz this dish up to fit the mouth-watering taste buds of your family?  Share below in the comments.

ENJOY!

We have 60 recipes that are centered around manly foods!  The recipes are listed with links at the end of this post.

Chili Dog Casserole

Serves 4, two small hotdogs per person

This dish can be thrown together with cans of chili, hotdogs, store-bought buns, pre-packaged shredded cheese, a jar of jalapenos and bacon bits OR go all out and make homemade chili (recipe here), fresh jalapenos, fried bacon, ciabatta rolls from your favorite bakery, and your favorite hotdogs. Make it so it fits into your schedule and family.  My recipe is just a guide.

2-15 oz cans of your favorite chili
4 large hotdogs, cut to fit buns
1 package of ciabatta rolls, I used gluten-free
2 cups of white cheddar cheese, grated
1 fresh jalapeno, sliced thin
1/2 cup fried bacon, diced small
yellow mustard, for the inside of buns
1/4 cup red onions, diced small

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 10X10 baking dish.

2.  Precook hotdogs in the microwave for 3-5 minutes.  Fry bacon, grate the cheese, dice the onions, etc.  Prepare your ingredients for the casserole.

3.  I used 4 ciabatta rolls and cut them in half.  I cut the hotdogs to fit perfectly inside of the buns.  The little pieces of leftover hotdog, I sliced and added to the chili.

4.  Add Chili to the baking dish.  Place hotdogs and buns in the chili.  See picture.

5.  Bake casserole for 25 minutes.  Chili should be hot and buns toasted.

6.  Remove from oven and top with cheese, bacon, jalapenos and red onion.  Bake for an additional 15 minutes.  Cheese should be melted.

7.  Serve immediately.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Isabella was anxiously awaiting for the photoshoot to be over so that she could get her little fingers into the bacon and cheese.  I just so happened to turn around in time to capture the amazing moment.  She sat there and watched the rainfall and was pleasantly surprised to discover that cheese and bacon go nicely together.   

Manly Starters:

• BBQ Chicken Nacho by Country Girl in The Kitchen
• Beer Battered Fried Mushrooms by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Burrata Bresaola and Arugula Appetizer by Family Foodie
• Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce by Hip Foodie Mom
• Chipotle Pork Belly-Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers by The Redhead Baker
• Coconut Beer-Battered Prawns with Spicy Marmalade by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Devils on Horseback by Nosh My Way
• Fried Pickles by Cookin’ Mimi
• Garlic and Herb Wine Jelly by What Smells So Good?
• Maple Sriracha Chicken Wings by Manu’s Menu
• Tomato Bacon Jam by Feed Me, Seymour

Manly Mains:

• Bacon Bourbon BBQ Burgers by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Bacon Cheeseburger Crustless Quiche by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Beef Barbacoa by Casa de Crews
• Beef Short Rib Sandwich by Life Tastes Good
• Beer Brats with Pepper Relish by Jelly Toast
• Beer Can Chicken by Curious Cuisiniere
• Chicago Style-Pizza by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Chili Dog Casserole by Simple Gourmet
• Chipotle Pork Chops by girlichef
• Coconut & Lime Grilled Shrimp Skewers by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Colossal Burger by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Gluten Free Lemon Pepper Wings by Gluten Free Crumbley
• Grilled Chipotle Chicken Pizza by Peaceful Cooking
• Grilled Lobster with Miso Butter by Kimchi MOM
• Grilled Sweet Guava Chicken by The Foodie Army Wife
• Ham and Pineapple Pizza Pockets by gotta get baked
• Huevos Rancheros Casserole by Pescetarian Journal
• Lacquered Short Ribs in the Slow Cooker by Shockingly Delicious
• Maple Chipotle Barbecue Pork Tenderloin by Flavor Mosaic
• Meatball Burger on Garlic Bread by Healthy.Delicious.
• Mom’s Slow Roasted Brisket by Food Lust People Love
• Perfectly Pan Seared Steak by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
• Pollo al Peperoncino by Run DMT
• Polish Coal Miner Piggies (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls- Golabki) by Rants from my Crazy Kitchen
• Red Chile Shredded Chicken Tacos. How to win over your man’s stomach and steal his heart. by Simply Healthy Family
• Ropa Vieja by Meal Diva
• Salt of the Earth Ribs by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Salisbury Steak w/ Loaded Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Smoked Turkey Drumsticks by Cindy’s Recipes and Writing
• Stuffed Chipotle Bacon Cheese Burgers by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Stuffed Pork Chops by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Tex-Mex Gut Buster Chili by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• The Cleveland Hogg Burger by Seduction in the Kitchen

Manly Desserts:

• Beer Funnel Cake by Killer Bunnies, Inc.
• Black Forest Cake by Noshing with the Nolands
• Carob Chip Cookies by Pies and Plots
• Chunky Monkey Vegan Banana Bread by Ninjabaking.com
• Classic Cheesecake by Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos
• Fat Man’s Pie by Magnolia Days
• Mandarin orange cake aka southern pig pickin’ cake by Baking & Browning
• Pizookies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Grilled Pound Cake Stacks with Roasted Strawberries by Melanie Makes
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie With Mascarpone Cream by La Bella Vita Cucina

Wine Pairings for Man Food #SundaySupper byENOFYLZ Wine Blog

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Easy Zucchini Bake

When I say this is easy--it really is.  This picture was snapped in a hurry as my family was waiting to consume the dish.  It is one of our favorite quick meals.

I use this recipe for my leftovers in the refrigerator.  It is not uncommon for my kids to eat pasta with "red sauce" at least 3 times a week.  They love it.  Red sauce is any kind of Italian sauce. We make ours from scratch but using a jar brand is okay too.

I always have zucchini in the fridge.  We use them for our spiral salad, as noodles (see the marinara recipe) and in smoothies.  I just find that when I get down to two zucchini's it is almost not enough to do much with them.

I ground one pound of hamburger with 1/4 cup diced red onion, 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic and salt/pepper at the beginning of the week. This saves me a ton of time on busy nights to have this combination already pre-made and ready to go. With this basic ground beef mixture, I can whip this casserole up, add taco seasoning for taco salad, add it to a soup or make a quesadilla for the kids lunch.

Do you find yourself using left overs to make casseroles?  I feel like my Mom.  LOL

I know that some may find that a casserole is cheesy and creamy.  Well, I love those types too but we are trying to cut back on that and so this is the closest I get to cheesy--a little bit melted on top.

Whats with the guacamole?  Again, another leftover in the icebox.  It was awesome with each bite.  The zucchini had a bit of a bite and the guacamole was smooth and creamy.  Hey, there is that casserole yumminess right there, in the guacamole.

Easy Zucchini Bake

Serves 4

4 fresh small zucchinis, washed and halved
2 cups of cooked ground beef, seasoned (see comments above)
2-3 cups red sauce (homemade or store bought)
1 cup of mozzarella cheese, grated
guacamole, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a small casserole dish (7X11) line up the halved zucchinis on the bottom of the pan.

3.  Sprinkle the meat, then pour the sauce, and add the cheese.

4.  Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.  The idea is to steam/cook until the zucchini is tender.  The zucchini will produce a small amount of water at the bottom of the dish when baking is complete.

5.  Remove from heat, serve and top with guacamole.

Written by Sherron Watson

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Yesterday was Mother's Day.  I had a splendid time with my family doing and going all day long.

We woke up early to hit the Farmer's Market in downtown Annapolis.  While downtown we stopped for coffee and crepes.  OH BOY were  THEY GOOD!  

I met a gentleman at his milk booth.  I was advised by the Italian bread man to go and get some freshly homemade butter.  In his opinion, it was the best.  I made my way around to the booths and stopped to talk to the Nice man.  You see, his farm is called Nice Farms Creamery.  He was young and enthusiastic about what he was doing.  He explained to me that the butter had been made that morning at around 2:30 am.  The milk had been milked yesterday from 30+ cows on his property, the cream separated in house and used to make the butter.  He had me at butter!  I went on to purchase a gallon of grass-fed beef milk. 

He took great measures to explain to me just how to drink his milk.  I needed to shake it before pouring each glass.  He also mentioned the color and possible taste variation due to his cows being grass-fed. The milk was a light yellow.  As for the taste, it was fantastic!  Cory said it reminded him of milk he drank as a kid.  

I am happy to have a local farmer that can provide our family with milk and butter. He is just over the bridge (Bay Bridge) from our home. I am able to get his goods at two different Farmer Market's in the Annapolis area.

I feel good about supporting local farmers in our area because they provide a valuable service to our community.

The day took us next to get new tires for our car.  FUN, huh?  Sometimes, despite a holiday, we still need to do everyday things.  The day before Cory took the car in for an oil change and the tires to be rotated.  The oil change was quick.  The tire rotation was an issue.  Our tires on the front were wearing good on the outside but the inside tread was rotted in parts.  We learned that our car, which is a 2008, was sold to us with 2002 tires!  UM, how does this happen?  

Our car was not safe to drive.  Cory immediately made an appointment for Sunday.  I think he felt bad because it was on Mother's Day but it did not bother me.  We were able to spend a few hours together while the kids were at home.  It was Finnley's nap time, Rye was studying, Drake was sleeping and Isabella was watching her favorite show.  

The day was proving to be beautiful. The temperatures stayed at around 75 degrees, the sun was shining and we had the whole day before us. As a group, we decided to head to the beach. Oh, we do love the sand and water.

I love watching the waves hit the shore and to hear the kids laughing as they splash and swim. Our two little kids are growing up with sand in their toes...and hair...and belly buttons...and everywhere. This makes me happy.

We returned home and watched a movie. I can't say that Phenomena was the best movie to watch on Mother's Day but it was a good movie. A true story about a mother who is forced to give her son up for adoption and the process of her discovering who he became. I don't want to give too much away.  The beginning is sad but by the end you are left with some sadness but a sense that this Mother felt that everything had come full circle.

It was lunch time and we were all hungry. I decided that I wanted to make something that featured the flavors of lemon and ricotta. I see these recipes everywhere and the flavor combination has my mouth watering with each picture that I come across. We made this recipe HERE for Lemon Ricotta Cheese Stuffed French Toast Crepes by Half Baked Harvest. They were delicious!

My day was perfect.  I enjoyed the time spent with my kids and husband.  I love how relaxed the day proved to be despite how busy we were.    

Our day ended with my favorite dip.  I love the combination of spinach and artichoke together.  I have tried a ton of recipes and for some reason they don't always taste great to me.

I decided that I needed to make my own.  I am looking for a lot of artichoke heart pieces--not just a small bit here or there.  I want to see the spinach.  I definitely want to taste the cheese.   The ingredients are all the same that you will find with any spinach and artichoke recipe but the amounts used for each recipe will vary.  This is how you attain the preferred flavor and texture that we are all looking for.

Honestly, I just want a powerful punch of flavor with each bite.  This recipe provides that for me and I hope that it does the same for you.  It is just as good warmed up the next day or prepared in a crock-pot to be served at a company party or friend gathering.

The key is to use the best ingredients that you can find.  I use a parmesan cheese that has been aged for 24 months.  It has a sharp and poignant flavor and smell.  I use fresh spinach.  I use fresh garlic.

By all means use the ingredients that you can find, just know, that the ingredients in any recipe can make or break any recipe.  

Enjoy this cheesy dip!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

1-8oz package of cream cheese, soft

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2  cup grated mozzarella cheese for dip

1/2 cup grated mozzarella for topping

1/4 cup sour cream

1-12 oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained

1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

dash of pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Spray the inside of a 7X11 or equivalent baking dish.

2.  Add all of the ingredients to a medium size bowl and mix well.

3.  Add mixture to baking dish and top with remaining mozzarella cheese.  Cover with foil.

4.  Bake dip for 30 minutes or until bubbly and edges are brown (see photo above).

5.  Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, pita chips, toasted bread rounds or crackers.

Written by Sherron Watson

Gluten Free Cheddar and Green Olive Bites

I first posted this recipe three years ago when I started my blog.  The idea was to share with my family and friends recipes that I grew up eating and enjoying.  These little bites of deliciousness were considered comfort food in my family and of course I wanted this recipe written down for my posterity.

To this day when we all get together, the three sisters, we have to make a batch...and sometimes two batches. They just remind us of home. They bring about memories that join our hearts together in a virtual wave of laughter, tears and endurance as we sit around the table and chat about our younger selves.

I have tried to share my love of green olives with my kids and they have decided that this is one part of me they don't want anything to do with. I am slightly heart broken that my kids don't like olives. I love olives. I have yet to taste or try an olive that I don't love.

I eat olives in my sandwiches, on my taco's, in my lasagna, as a snack, with salads, diced up by the spoonful (I mostly do this with black olives). I am an olive addict.

Each and every time I go to Whole Foods I am tempted by the olive bar. Did you know they have a huge variety of olives: black, red, green, stuffed, marinated, pitted, unpitted?

My daughter knows the look I get as I enter the area. My eyes are bouncing between the different rows, slightly narrowing as I attempt to read each label for the name and variety. My hand slowly reaches for the large plastic container and then it twitches back to the small. Large or small--I cant' decide. What will it be this week? I hesitate between the two and finally settle on the small container which leaves me with a limited amount of real-estate to stack my olives.  I hand select a few of the bright green olives and then go towards the feta cheese mix and then to the super duper large pitted marinated black olives.

AND. AND. AND....I want them all.

I have learned that my eyes are much larger than my stomach and I need to stick with just a few to get me through the week.

Heaven!  That is what the olive bar is for me.  A mixture of sweet and tangy flavors.  Olive flesh that is firm and soft in my mouth and to the touch.  The variety of saltiness that each type is brined with makes pairing the olives with cheese, fruit, salami and crackers, a wonderful way to experiment with different flavor profiles.  

Have I bored you yet with olive love?  I hope not.  The Cheddar and Green Olive bites are a great appetizer, a quick snack during the day or just a meal.  Yep, I have eaten a whole tray as my dinner on more than one occasion.  

I make these bites two different ways.  You can see from the pictures that I have made them using a mini size muffin pan or by hand rolling them into small balls.  Either method works well. 

The reason I use the mini muffin pan is because the dough holds up well and pushing the olive down into the dough is a bit quicker when I am in a hurry. I also like the shape it produces when I am serving these to our guest.

The hand rolling method does take a bit more time and they are not all uniform in shape and size. The dough tends to spread out a bit more and you are left with a blob bite.   Ha, that is a funny description.  Blob bite!!

If you love the flavor of sharp cheddar cheese and green olives I am encouraging you to give these a try.  They can be made with regular all purpose flour too.  Substitute one cup of all purpose flour for the rice flour, tapioca starch and xanthan gum.   The measurements for the Old English jar cheese, butter and baking powder are the same.

I am going to make a suggestion and this will produce a better cheddar bite.  You should use a high quality butter.  I know it is tempting to substitute something else, but for me, they don't always turn out perfect when I use a butter that has a lower fat content.  European-Style butter tends to offer more flavor, better texture and the fat content is higher.  I used Kerrygold Irish Butter in this recipe.  This is not a paid post.  I really do use this butter for special dishes and this is a special dish in my family.  

ENJOY!

Gluten Free Cheddar and Green Olive Bites

Makes 20-25, depending on method and size of each bite

1 small jar of green olives with pimentos, drained

6 tablespoons of cold butter, grated

1-5oz jar of Old English cheese, cold

1/2 cup fine white rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Prepare pans.  If using a mini muffin pan, spray with non stick spray.  If using a cookie sheet I usually lay a piece of parchment down.

2.   Spread olives on paper towels to dry.

3.  In a medium bowl combine all of the dry ingredients.  Blend well.

4.  Add the jar of Old English cheese and grated butter.  I used a pastry blender to cut the butter and cheese into the dry ingredients.  They will start to combine to form a thick dough.  Try not to over blend.

5.  Take a small amount of dough and form a flat disc in your palm.  Add the olive and wrap the dough around the olive to form a ball.  Place on cookie sheet every 2 inches.  If using the mini muffin pan, use a cookie scoop and add the dough to each mini muffin spot and push a green olive into the middle.

6.  Bake the bites for 10-12 minutes.  Try not to over bake.  Remove bites to a cooling rack.

7.  Serve immediately or microwave for a few seconds before serving them at a later time.

Written by Sherron Watson

Opened-Faced Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and 26 Years of Wedded Bliss

Wedded bliss?

You bet!

Smooth Sailing?

Hardly!

Crazy days, long stretches, enduring years, sleepless nights, changing personalities, ups and downs in finances and the best roller coaster ride of a lifetime is what the last 26 years have been.

Through it all we have remained the best of friends, parents and lovers.  Friends can laugh and say things to each other that lovers cannot.   In the heat of the moment emotions and feelings come under attack and our walls of defense become stronger and more fortified when we fear that we may lose that friendship.  We communicate with our "friend voice" when issues arise.  We try to always keep things friendly.

This past year has been our rockiest to date; but also the most compelling.

WHY?

We have come of age.  The age when we just don't give a shit anymore and life is passing us by faster than we care to admit.  The age when we sit back and say, "I am too old for this" or "life is too short to keep beating a dead dog with the same stick".

That coming of age. We both arrived there at the same time last year while I was pregnant.  We had a sit down discussion that lasted into the night. Our talk was honest, real and raw.

We asked ourselves, and each other, some serious questions:

Is this going to last?

Do you want out?

Is our love strong enough to make it another 25 years?

To answer these questions we had to be painfully honest with each other.  It hurt.  There were a few tears (I was 5 months pregnant).  We laughed.  We promised.

At the end of the night we concluded that it will last, that neither of us wanted out and we hoped, with all  of our hearts, that we will get another 25 years together.

Our son, Drake, made an interesting observations this past year too.  He said to us, "Your relationship is different.  You act like friends most of the time.  My friends are amazed that you are still married after only dating for two weeks and marrying two months later.  They don't get it."

I looked at him and said, " You're right.  We have remained  the best of friends. I will always love your Dad but with any relationship you have to have a firm foundation. The love that we started with is not the same love that we have today but our friendship has remained the same."

Our foundation is friendship sprinkled with love, passion, responsibility, longevity, endurance, fun, adventure, kids, laughter and lots of "benefits"--insert smiley with a wink. 

I love Cory more today than any other time in my life.  When they say that a person's love only gets stronger with each passing year, it is true.  He is a fantastic father.   A hard worker.  A powerful influence for good in our family.  He is a very spiritual man.  His heart is pure with the best of intentions.   He is the strength in our family.  He carries a lot of weight on his shoulders to be a good provider for our kids.

Simply put--We love him. 

Cory makes me a better person.  He allows me to be the spice in his life; sweet like sugar and fiery as chili pepper powder.  He lets me be me.

Today I am sharing his favorite sandwich.  It just happens to be National Grilled Cheese Month and this worked out great because I also got a surprise box from Kerrygold Cheese.   (Not a paid post)  The stars just aligned perfectly and this all happened at the same time: anniversary, free cheese and another national food day.  BONUS!

When I first met Cory we were young and poor.  We ate these a lot along with bowls of tomato soup.   He believes this is the "meal of the Gods".   He is totally a keeper in my mind. 

In my mind this would best describe the title of my blog: simply gourmet.  A simple sandwich using the best ingredients to create a gourmet meal in a matter of minutes.

SIMPLY.

DELICIOUS.

In my opinion.

ENJOY!


Opened-Faced Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2 tomato slices per slice of bread
1 square slice of cheese per slice of bread
2 pieces of bread
salt/pepper

1.  Set your oven to broil.

2.  Prepare your ingredients.

3.  Use a cookie tray to set your slices of bread on.

4.  Place tray under broiler until edges are brown and cheese is melted.

5.  Add fresh slices of tomatoes to each slice.

6.  Season with salt and pepper.

Written by Sherron Watson

Enchilada Dip

My kids ask for enchiladas about once a week.  They love the combination of corn tortillas and cheese layered with lots of red sauce.

I have seen versions of this dip around and decided that it may be a bit easier than making a couple of trays of enchiladas--especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  On those two days I am usually running kids from 4:30 until 8:00.  I try to make meals in the morning so that those that are home can reheat and eat at their convenience.  I miss eating together but busy families do what we have to do to get everyone fed and out the door.

I was correct.  It was much faster to whip this up.  I served the dip with corn tortilla chips.

I found that I could portion up the leftovers in small containers. This made for a great snack after school.

Beef Enchilada Dip with Green Chilies and Black Beans

1 pound of ground beef
1/2 medium onion, diced small
2 gloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of enchilada sauce (I make my own sauce--follow link)
2 cups of cheese, grated  (I used jack and mozzarella--but you can use any cheese you love)
1 small can (4.5 oz) diced green chilies
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 bag of tortilla chips

toppings:

diced tomatoes (optional)
avocado chunks (optional)
green onion (optional)
black olives (optional)
sour cream (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a large frying pan, cook meat and onions together until the meat is no longer pink.  Add garlic, cook another 3-5 minutes and remove from heat.  Drain any fat from the meat.

3.  Add black beans, chilies and 1 cup of cheese to meat mixture.  Combine well.  Transfer mixture to a baking dish.  I am using a round stone dish that makes the dip about 1 inch thick.

4.  Pour the enchilada sauce over the meat/cheese mixture.  The recipe says 2 cups but you can always use less if you prefer your dip not so runny.

5.  Top with remaining one cup of cheese  (add more if you want more)  I like lots of cheese so we usually add a bit more.  I also use what I have in the fridge.  This is a great way to use up small pieces of cheese.

6.  Heat in oven until cheese is melted.  In my oven this takes about 7 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve.

7.  While the cheese is melting, prepare your toppings.

Written by Sherron Watson

Tortilla Casserole

Snow, sleet and rain.

Three things we have had in abundance in Maryland over the last month.

I hate to complain about the cold weather but boy it sure gets to you after a while. It starts affecting your life which in turns messes with your mind.

Isabella told me that she has "cabbage fever". I laughed so hard when she said this. I didn't have the heart to correct her because it was so cute and memorable. She will figure it out and until then I smile each time she mentions "cabbage fever".

I can relate though, I am starting to feel a bit of it myself.


Cooking in the kitchen always helps me to clear my mind.

I needed something cheesy and warm. I decided to make this tortilla casserole and I am glad that I did.

I think we found a new family favorite for the winter months. It helped that I made the tortillas from scratch. I followed the directions on the back of the masa harina package (see comments below).

My wish is that everyone has stayed warm this cold cold winter.  

We are wishing for Spring almost daily.  I guess without the wintery blues we would not be able to fully appreciate the warm sunshine when it finally arrives for Spring.  I love the changing seasons.  This is one of the reasons that Maryland is so beloved by my family.  

We. Can. Not. Wait. For. Spring!

Enjoy

Tortilla Casserole

12 corn tortillas, (homemade are amazing)

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup salsa
1 teaspoon salt
8 oz cream cheese, soft
1.5 pounds ground beef, cooked
2 green onions, diced with green and white parts
4 cups of shredded cheese. You can use jack or cheddar or a combination of both.

To make the tortilla's from scratch I used Bob's Red Mill Masa Harina and followed the directions on the bag for one batch. This made 12 tortillas. You do have to let the dough rest for one hour and then the making and baking of the tortilla's takes about 30 minutes. It is a few extra steps but the freshness of the tortillas really shines in this recipe.

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 7X11 baking dish (or close to this size) with cooking spray.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, sour cream, salsa , salt and cream cheese.

3.  Layer the casserole in this order:  cooked ground meat, cream cheese sauce, cheese and then tortillas.  Repeat one more time.  You should have enough tortillas for two layers and everything else you will have enough for 3 layers.  You want to end with the cheese on top.

4.  Bake for 30 minutes.

5.   Serve immediately with sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and/or jalapenos.

Written by Sherron Watson

Italian Loaf

This sandwich is a family favorite!

I wanted to share it with you right before the big Super Bowl game coming up on February 2nd.

What I enjoy about this sandwich is that you make it the night before and let it sit all night.  Then when you are ready to eat, you simply pull it out and slice it up like a big pie or pizza.  The wedges look amazing, your guest will be thrilled with the flavors and the best part--you are not spending a lot of time away from the game.  

You did all the work the day before.

As with all of my recipes, I urge you to use the best ingredients to bring out the full flavor and potential of this show stopping meal.

Serve with a few of your favorite side dishes, chips, a vegetable platter and some cold drinks.  You should be set for the game!

ENJOY.

Italian Loaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 8-10

1 (6-8 inch) round loaf of your favorite bread (Use a gluten free loaf to make this gluten free)

4-6 slices of ham

12-15 slices of Genoa salami

4-6 slices of turkey

10-12 slices of pepperoni

3-4 slices of provolone cheese

3-4 slices of mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup olive medley-recipe below

2 slices of red onion

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, chopped

A handful of Arugula or lettuce greens

Dash of olive oil

Dash of balsamic vinegar-your favorite flavor

To prepare bread:  Cut a 5-inch circle in the top of the round loaf of the bread.  Using your fingers, dig out the inside so that you have a hollow shell of crust. Remove any extra bread on the "lid" of your loaf.

Layer your meat and cheese in any order on the bottom. 

To make the olive medley: Buy three different kinds of your favorite pitted olives; add them to a food processor. Pulse a few times.  Add this medley to your sandwich after the meat.

Layer the onions, sun-dried tomatoes and fill the top in with your favorite lettuce greens.  

Top the lettuce with a dash of olive oil and vinegar.  Replace the 5-inch circle and wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap.

Let sit overnight in the refrigerator.  When ready to serve, slice like a pie. 

Serve with your favorite side dishes and condiments.

Written by Sherron Watson

Reno Omelette Mix

This recipe for Reno Omelet is one that my family would serve in their restaurants. We were known for our huge 6 egg omeletes.  Many patrons would share because, lets face it, 6 eggs is a lot to eat.  On rare occasions we would be met by a challenger who would eat the entire omelet, the hash browns, toast and 10 cups of coffee.  These were usually men who spent their days behind the wheel of a logging truck.

We lived in the hills of Oregon and the logging industry was still very active and a huge part of my town growing up.  These are sweet memories of riding my bikes along the logging roads with my cousins and family.  These roads are all closed down now because the mills are no longer functioning.

On our menu, we had a variety of omelets to choose from: Denver, Seafood, Reno and The Spanish are just a few.  This is by far my favorite.  I love the combination of pork and the different cuts of meat.  I also like the red tomato base sauce.  Combine this with cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream and you will eat like a king or queen.

This recipe makes a large amount.  This is great because you can freeze half for a later time or eat it in a week like my family does.  We don't tire of this at all.

The sausage that I recommend in the list of ingredients is purchased at Whole Foods in their meat section. The reason I am making note of this is because they are large.  I would say 1.5 inches by 6-7 inches long.  If you purchase sausage that is not this size then you would want to make some adjustments.

I also don't make 6 egg omelets at my home.  I use 2 eggs, slightly whisked and poured into a hot cast iron pan that has a bit of melted butter in the bottom.  You can also use a non stick or omelet pan to make your eggs.

I like a dry omelet,  this means that I cook one side and then flip it so that my omelet does not have any runny eggs (I don't like this at all).  At this time I will add my cheese and warmed Reno mix then top with sour cream. Flip the right side over the fixings and slide to a plate. You can top the omelet with more cheese and sour cream too.

I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe that is wonderful for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Reno Omelet Mix

1 large chorizo sausage-cooked and sliced

1 cup of ham- diced and cooked

2 large pork sausages-cooked and sliced

6 slices of bacon-cooked and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large onion--sliced

3 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, do not drain

1  (14 oz) can of tomato sauce

After all your meat is cooked, diced and sliced add this to a large stock pot. Add sliced onion.  Let the onions and meat cook together on medium heat until the onions are soft.  Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Let simmer and then portion up and freeze or refrigerate.  I usually let this simmer on low for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Warm before serving in omelet if not using right away.

I like this omelet served with Sharp Cheddar Cheese and sour cream. 

To make omelet: See above.