Noodles and Gravy

Here's a really simple recipe and really cheap too!

1 package extra wide egg noodles (you may not use whole bag)
2 packages brown gravy mix
1 lb ground beef

Brown ground beef. Cook egg noodles until tender. Cook brown gravy according to directions. Mix all elements together. You can also add onion to this recipe and cook it in with the beef. Good with Tabasco sauce :)

Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

So we got a little tired of this recipe so I haven't made it in a while but I figure with the fall/winter coming we will start making it again.

1 tube biscuits (buttermilk)
1 tube Bob Evans original sausage
Country Gravy Mix (I usually use McCormicks)

Make country gravy to directions on the package. Brown sausage and then mix in with gravy. Cook biscuits to directions on the package.

Aunt Audrey's Hashbrown Casserole

I have gotten RAVE reviews on this casserole and everyone always wants me to bring it to the next cookout. Ben's Aunt gave this recipe to me at my bridal shower :)

2 lb bag frozen has browns, thawed
1 pint sour cream (this is 16 ounces but I only use 8 because I'm not a fan of sour cream)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
2 sticks butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups crushed Ritz crackers

Melt 1 stick butter, place in 9 x 13 casserole dish with hashbrowns, sour cream, cheese, onion and cream of chicken soup. Mix until through combined. Melt other stick of butter and mix in crushed Ritz crackers until combined. Pour cracker mixture over casserole. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Grandma's Cheesy Green Beans

This is my Grandma Evan's recipe for cheesy green beans. She adds mushrooms to the mix but I don't like mushrooms so I don't add them :)

2 T butter
2 T corn starch
1 1/2 cups milk
3 slices of american cheese
1 can green beans, drained
Salt
Pepper

Melt butter in pan. Add corn starch and stir until mixed well. Slow add milk in to the pan, mixing as you go. Let it mixture warm but not boil. Add cheese slices. Let cheese melt and then add green beans. Cook 5-7 minutes.

Easy Lasagna

I've only made this once before but it turned out pretty good.

1 lb ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups water
1 small container ricotta cheese
3 cups mozzarella
1 egg
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
12 lasagna noodles

Brown beef, drain. Add sauce and water and simmer 10 minutes. Combine all other ingredients except lasagna noodles. Pour 1 cup sauce on bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Make 1 layer of noodles and cover with sauce. Spread 1/2 of filling over sauce. Repeat layer of noodles, sauce and filling. Top with layer of noodles and remaining sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Remove foil and cook 10 more minutes.

Crockpot Beef Stew

I've gotten great reviews of this dish (other then from hubby!) and it's so easy because it's in the crockpot! I go heavy on the celery and potatoes because hubby is not a fan of carrots but you can even it out a little more if you would like.

1 pkg beef stew meat
1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp paprika
Salt, Pepper
5 potatoes, cleaned and cubed
3 stalks celery, cleaned and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 cups beef broth (about 2 cans)

Put stew meat in bottom of crockpot. Mix flour, paprika, salt and pepper, pour over stew meat. Mix with your hands until meat is covered. Put vegetables in the crockpot. Cover with beef broth and stir to mix. Cook 8 hrs on low, stirring occasionally.

My Meatloaf

I know there are about a gazillion meatloaf recipes out there (and yes I've tried my share) but I seem to like this one the best.

1 1/2 lbs ground beef (or meatloaf mix from the store)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 T brown sugar
2 T (Jack Daniel's) dijon mustard
1/3 cup ketchup
1 cup dried bread crumbs
salt
pepper

Combine beef, onion, egg, milk, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Place mixture in a lightly greased 9x5 pan. Combine mustard, ketchup and brown sugar and pour over the meatloaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hrs.

Ricotta Stuffed Shells

This is a standard favorite...you could do it without the ground beef but my husband is a meat eater so gotta have it there.

20 pasta shells, cooked
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb ground beef
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 small container ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg

Cook ground beef until brown. Once brown, drain and return to pan. Add spaghetti sauce and cook on low until warm. Meanwhile, mix 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and egg in a large bowl. Pour a small amount of spaghetti sauce in bottom of a casserole dish to keep them from sticking. Stuff cooked pasta shells with a large spoonful of cheese mixture and place seam side down in the dish. Pour beef sauce over top of the stuffed shells and make sure all are throughly covered with sauce. Sprinkle remaining cup of mozzarella cheese over the top of the dish. Cover with foil and cook at 350 degrees for 25 mins.

Just the beginning

So my name is Ann obviously from the title. I really deep down do love to cook I just need to find recipes that interest me. I have found some good ones over the past few years since moving in with my now husband (hamburger helper doesn't cut it anymore!). So this is my journey on trialing recipes. I will be sure to denote the ones that I have made before and which ones I want to try!