Mashed Potato Cassserole

4 potatoes chopped (your choice. I used red)

1 small onion chopped

1 large celery stalk chopped

1 red pepper chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

2-4 tbsp milk

2 tbsp butter

grated romano cheese(optional)

paprika to taste

1. Boil potatoes for 15 min. or until soft enough to mash

2. Preheat oven to 450

3. heat skillet. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and sautee the onion, celery, and red pepper until soft

4. when potatoes are done add butter and milk and mash. Add the veggies and salt and pepper to taste

5. add rest of olive oil to 8X8 pan and spoon in potato mixture. Add cheese and paprika. Bake for 20 mins.

Migas!

From the Nuevo Tex-Mex Cookbook, with a little adjustment. This makes 4 servings, or two adults, three kids, and a little extra.

4 slices bacon
2tbsp vegetable oil(or bacon drippings)
2c crushed tortilla chips
1 onion diced
1 tomato
2 Serrano chilies**
8 eggs
2tbsp milk
Salt
8oz cheese

In skillet over med-high heat, fry bacon to crispy, remove to paper towels to drain and then crumble in pieces.

Heat oil or drippings in skillet over medium heat. Add tortilla chips and cook, stirring for 2 minutes, or until they start to brown. Add onion, bacon, tomato, and chiles and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the onion is slightly cooked.

In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, and then beat in the milk. Slowly add the beaten eggs to the pan, stirring and folding the eggs up from the bottom for 4-6 minutes, or until they are cooked to taste. Season with salt.

Divide the migas among 4 flameproof serving plates and top with the grated cheese, dividing it evenly. Slip each serving plate under a preheated broiler or in the microwave, and heat until the cheese is melted. Serve at once! It’s delicious! I like to load them up in warm, yummy, corn tortillas.

**To avoid the chopping and dicing first thing in the morning, simply buy the HEB Ready Fresh Go pico de gallo, it’s the exact same plus some lime juice and cilantro. You can get it in HOT, Medium or Mild. We use mild so we can share with the kids.

Bodacious Broccoli Salad (from Allrecipes)

INGREDIENTS

• 8 slices bacon
• 2 heads fresh broccoli, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/8 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and crumble.

2. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cheese, bacon and onion.

3. Prepare the dressing in a small bowl by whisking together the red wine vinegar, sugar, pepper, salt, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Combine dressing with salad. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bacon Appetizer Crescent Rolls

1(8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3c Parmesan cheese
2tbsp chopped parsley
2(8oz)cans crescent rolls
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4c chopped onion
1tbsp milk
1 egg beaten
1tsp cold water

1) Preheat oven to 375

2)Beat cream cheese, bacon, parm, onion, parsley, and milk at medium speed until well blended.

3) Roll out crescent roll dough. Either pinch the seams all together and make small squares for 48 appetizers, or leave in triangles to make 24 larger appetizers. Sometimes I get fancy and make small squares, then after filling, pinch them up to make little "purse" shapes.

4) Spoon 1tsp mixture(2tsp if making larger ones) onto each piece of dough, and fold in half(or roll up). Pinch seams to seal and place on baking sheet.

5) Brush tops of rolls with beaten egg mixed with the cold water, and bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. I sometimes like to sprinkle a little extra Parmesan cheese over the tops before baking.

King Ranch Chicken

Spicy, but not so much that the kids don't eat it.

1/4c margarine
1 medium bell pepper chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans rotel
2 large chicken breasts
12 corn tortillas cut into strips
2c shredded jack cheese

1) Place chicken breasts in medium pot with 1 can rotel and 1can water(enough to cover chicken) and boil until chicken is cooked. Drain liquid, but don't try to get out the rotel pieces, just shred the chicken and leave it all mixed up together.

2)Preheat oven to 325. I like to let my 9x13 heat in the oven with a pat of butter to grease the dish.

3)Cook pepper and onion in butter until tender; add soups, 2nd can of rotel, and chicken mixture. Blend well, and heat through.

4)In 9x13 baking dish, layer half the tortilla strips, half the mixture, and half the cheese, repeat.

5)Bake 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbly.

I like to serve this with some simple black beans, and sometimes a salad.

Bacon and Onion Smothered Pot Roast

From Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Slow Cooker Recipes. This will take a 6quart slow cooker, and feeds about 4 adults, or our family for two nights. :)

1 lb baby red skin potatoes, rinsed
3lb beef chuck roast, rinsed and patted dry
2tbsp Montreal seasoning
1box(1.9oz) pre-cooked bacon
1can cream of mushroom soup
1(1.5oz) packet meatloaf seasoning
1(8oz) pkg sliced, fresh, mushrooms
1 onion, peeled and sliced

1) Place potatoes in bottom of crock-pot

2)season both sides of chuck roast with steak seasoning. Place on top of potatoes. Lay bacon slices on top of the roast.

3)In medium bowl, stir together soup and meatloaf seasoning. Pour over roast and bacon. Top with sliced onions and mushrooms.

4) Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours