For some unknown reason (maybe call it the  quarantine effect) I’ve been craving butterscotch. So…I did some recipe research and quenched that with these.

• 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
• 3/4 Cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1¼ Cup flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 Cups quick oats uncooked
• 1 package butterscotch flavored chips

Heat oven to 375°F
In large bowl, beat margarine and sugars until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Add combined flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.
Add oats and butterscotch morsels; mix well.
Drop dough by level tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 7 to 8 minutes for a chewy cookie or 9 to 10 minutes for a crisp cookie.
Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack.
Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Okay…so I didn’t realize when I named this, that there actually IS a recipe with this name! HA! So cute! (it’s below) I know there are many Frittata recipes out there, but this is what I did. I called it Hakuna Frittata because it’s got bacon in it and Pumbaa from The Lion King was from the hog/pig family! Haha. So make this for dinner and put on The Lion King for a fun family night!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pkg bacon, cut into little pieces
• 12 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Mrs. Dash original blend
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 10-12 grape tomatoes
• Shredded cheddar (or your choice of cheese)

1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. Fry chopped bacon in an oven-proof non-stick skillet until almost done
3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and spices until well blended
4. Transfer bacon to plate and discard most bacon fat the put most of the bacon back in the pan
5. Put tomatoes in  pan (whole) and warm them until they pop
6. Stir in egg mixture and cheese; sprinkle remaining bacon on top
7. Let it get to where the edges are set
8. Run rubber spatula around the edges to loosen a bit
9. Place skillet in oven and bake 18 to 20 minutes or until center is set
10. Remove frittata from oven and let stand 5 minutes.
11. Run rubber spatula around edge of pan to loosen the rest of the way
12. Cut into 8 equal wedges to serve.

You can doctor this however you want. Add spinach, add broccoli, peppers, sausage, it can be custom made!

ENJOY!

I’m Irish. And I’m always joking about “never meeting a potato I didn’t like”. When I went to Ireland, I fell even more in love with Shepherd’s Pie. (My original recipe is one of the most popular that I’ve ever posted…click this for that recipe) Since St. Patrick’s Day is a couple weeks away, it’s something I like to make!

But I saw a friend of mine made a “Mexican” version. He said he was hungry for Shepherd’s Pie and Mexican food one night, so he created this. Since I “never met a potato I didn’t like”, I thought I’d pass it along! I think your kids are going to LOVE it!

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Ground Beef
1 Pkg Taco Seasoning
Small Jar of Salsa
1 Cup of Corn
1 Cup of Black Beans
1 Cup of Queso
4 Cups of Mashed Potatoes
1 cup Sour Cream
8 oz. Shredded Cheese (or more per preference)

Brown ground beef and prepare per taco seasoning packet directions. Spread in casserole dish. Top with salsa, corn, beans, queso. Mix mashed potatoes with sour cream. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for another 15 minutes.

The Captain and I went to my mom and dad’s for dinner a couple of weeks ago and had the most amazing meal! I don’t know why I’d never had this before, but it was a new recipe for my mom. Come to find out, it’s actually been around awhile. It’s super easy and very tasty! After I had it there, I immediately craved it so I had to make it myself. Mmmm…perfect for this cold week!

Ingredients

• 3-4 pound chuck roast
• 1 packet ranch seasoning
• 1 packet Au Jus seasoning
• 5-6 pepperoncinis (or sliced banana pepper rings)
• ¼ cup pepperoncini juice (or banana pepper juice)
• 1 stick butter

Instructions

1. Place the roast in crock pot.
2. Sprinkle the ranch and Au Jus seasoning over roast.
3. Place the pepperoncinis around the roast and then add the juice.
4. Place the stick of butter on top of the roast.
5. Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4-6.
6. Use two forks to shred the meat.
7. Serve over potatoes or rice.

I’m forever looking for ways to use ripe bananas. This is a GREAT option! Plus, if you or the kiddos need breakfast on the go, this will do! (they’re easy and yummy, too!) Oh…and these could also be made with applesauce instead of bananas. If you do that, swap out the chocolate chips for raisins or cinnamon chips.

When someone says “meatloaf” it conjures up all sorts of thoughts and memories. Some good, some bad! But my mom’s meatloaf was literally the BEST! She got it from our favorite local cookbook author Deanna House. Well, I figured not everyone can get out for a Valentine’s Date, so here’s an option to bring the LOVE to the table! Super easy! And it can be done with any meatloaf recipe. But I think you’ll love my mom’s and this will become your new favorite!

HEARTY MEAT LOAF
1-2 pounds ground beef
2/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 envelope onion soup mix
TOPPING
3 TBS brown sugar
3 TBS ketchup
1/2 tsp mustard

Mix first 4 ingredients together well. Press into pan in the shape of a heart.

In the original recipe, Deanna says to press into 9″ round microwave-safe dish (like a pie plate) and to cover with wax paper. Microwave on high 8-10 minutes, drain juices. Spoon topping over meatloaf and microwave again 3-5 minutes until cooked in center.

What I do, is bake in the oven at 350 about 45 minutes until set in center. Mix up the topping and spread it on the meatloaf and bake until fully cooked in the center.

Want to feel warm from the inside out? This is it! And it’s something even picky eaters will love! I combined a couple recipes to come up with this one. It’s delicious!

If you want it to taste like a cheeseburger even more, serve it in a bread bowl!

• 1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
• 2 cups diced hashbrowns
• 1 small sweet onion, diced (I sauteed with the ground beef)
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1 TBS chopped mild green chiles (optional)
• 3 cups chicken broth (put 2 in first, then add last cup if it’s too thick) 
• 2 cans condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar

1. Add the cooked beef (with onion) potatoes, salt, pepper, basil, garlic, chiles and chicken broth. (DON’T add cheese yet.)
2. Cover and cook and LOW for 7 hours.
3. Cut the cream cheese into cubes. Stir with the soup into the slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook for one more hour on low.
5. Stir until the cheeses are blended into the soup.
6. Top with shredded cheddar as serving

Serve and enjoy!

This can even be a main course entrée or just an appetizer. Teens as well as adults really go for this recipe. YUMMY!

½ cup chopped onion (I used onion powder)
½ pound lean ground beef
2 (10 and 1/2-ounce) cans pizza sauce with cheese
1 tbl cornstarch
2 tsp oregano
½ tsp basil
¼ tsp garlic powder
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Cubes of French bread

1. Place onion and ground beef in skillet. Cook until beef is browned and onion cooked. Drain.
2. Return beef mixture to skillet.  Add the pizza sauce, cornstarch, oregano, basil and garlic powder.  Stir and heat until mixture reaches a boil and thickens, about 5 minutes.
3. Combine Cheddar and Mozzarella cheese.  Add 1/3 of the combined cheeses at time and stir after each addition until melted.
4. For serving, put mixture in electric fondue pot or chafing dish and spear French bread cubes with toothpick or fondue fork.

I saw an idea on Pinterest for a way to have Nachos in one big casserole and I thought I’d give it my own twist and try it out on my family. WOW! It was delicious. You can make your own, too. And get this! It can feed your family for about $10!

1 (12 oz) bag tortilla chips
½ cup melted butter
1 pound lean ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded pepper-jack cheese
1 jar (16 oz) picante sauce

(optional)
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
chopped jalapenos
green chilies
chopped tomatoes

Heat oven to 375 degrees

• Put tortilla chips in a blender and pulse into fine crumbs
• Melt butter and mix in chip crumbs
• Press into the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
• Cook taco meat per seasoning packet directions.
• Add picante sauce.
• Mix the two cheeses together.
• Stir ½ into the meat mixture.
• (this is where you would stir in any other nacho favorites like olives or jalapenos or whatever)
• Scrape entire mixture into the prepared crust.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the top.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melty and golden