Untitled “Nacho Casserole”

This was a quick and easy supper to make! I think cooking the ground beef took the longest. While that was cooking I was shredding cheese (freshly shredded is always better than bagged!), crushing tortilla chips and assembling the bottom sauce layer. We debated on what to call this since it didn't have a name. We decided on Nacho Casserole. It got a thumbs up from the husband and both kiddos. I think it might even make it onto our monthly menu planning! 

Now normally I like to follow the recipe exactly how it's written. I did have to make one big adjustment for me personally. I HAD to season the meat when cooking. Ever since having my two wonderful kiddos, I cannot stand the smell of meat cooking. I have to season it right at the beginning or it grosses me out. So I added some of our favorite seasoning (it's also a secret ingredient in my famous hot sauce! If you want to know what it is, I MIGHT let you in on it :)) along with my standard taco seasonings: garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

 My interpretation of the recipe:

Untitled "Nacho Casserole"

1 lb. ground beef

1½ cups thick chunky salsa

1 10oz can corn (drained)

¾ cup miracle whip

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 cups crushed tortilla chips

2 cups colby cheese (shredded) 

1. Set oven for 350 degrees

2. Brown meat and drain. Remove from heat.

3. Mix salsa, corn, mayonnaise and chili powder in 2 quart casserole dish.

4. Cover with layer of one-half meat, tortilla chips and shredded cheese, ending with cheese on top.

5. Repeat step 4.

6. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

7. Let stand for 5 minutes.

* I seasoned the meat while it cooked

* I grated my own cheese instead of using a bag of shredded cheese.

* If you use more than 1 pound of meat, you'll need to use a bigger baking dish. All the ingredients fit perfectly (although I doubted it) in a 2 qt. dish.

I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.

Shrimp Salad

 I've been looking for recipes to make that require a short baking time or no baking at all since it's so hot in Texas this summer. This sounded like the perfect one to try. I personally love a cold pasta salad. Plus shrimp? Yes please! Now, I'll be honest. I've been the only one eating this. My family snubbed their picky little noses at it. It's been a good lunch for me the past few days. 

I used the big shell pasta. Not the big ones that you can stuff, but bigger than the shells and cheese kind. They were the only ones my Aldi carried so that's what I bought while I was there. I like how the little pieces of shrimp and things get caught inside the shells. I can't help but wonder if the smaller shells would work better though for more even bites. Either way, I liked this salad!

My interpretation of the recipe:

Shrimp Salad

Mary Ann

12oz noodles (shell)

1½ pounds shrimp (or 3 or 4 cans -> drained but don't rinse)

pineapple (cut up 4 little "tibbits) just a few

dash of black pepper

2 green onions (greens and all cut-up)

4 or 5 hard-boiled eggs cut up

Miracle Whip -> add milk and about 2 teaspoons sugar

Mix - let sit overnight

Next day add more mayonnaise if dry

* I used the medium sized shell pasta

* I used jumbo shrimp and then cut them up into smaller pieces

* I used 4 pineapple chunks cut up into 8 pieces each

* I used 4 hard boiled eggs

* The ingredients called for miracle whip, so that's what I used. Although the directions say mayonnaise.

* The measurements I used for the miracle whip/sugar/milk mixture were: 6Tablespoon miracle whip, 4 Tablespoons milk, 2 teaspoons sugar. You might use less if you use smaller pasta shells.

* After letting it sit overnight, the next day I did end up adding more salt and pepper along with 2 Tablespoons of miracle whip. 

I hope you enjoy and give this recipe a second chance in your kitchen too.