Main Dishes

Leave a comment with your favorite recipes and I will add it to my post so everyone can enjoy! Thanks! ~Marianne

Baked Spaghetti
12 oz spaghetti or any other pasta
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 pound ground Italian sausage (mild)
1 16 oz can diced tomato that has Italian type seasonings (i.e. Oregano, Basil, Garlic, etc.)
1 4.5 ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1 10.75 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup water
¼ cup grated Parmesan
1 cup spaghetti sauce

Cook pasta according to directions, drain and set aside. Sauté onions, bell peppers and Italian sausage. Once sausage is browned add tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, mushrooms and oregano. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Grease 9x13 baking dish with Pam. Layer in dish 1/2 pasta, ½ meat mixture, ½ cheese, ½ pasta, ½ meat mixture, ½ cheese. Mix cream of mushroom with water. Stir until smooth and spread on top of casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Taco Soup
1 lb of ground beef
1 whole onion, diced
1 1/2 packet taco seasoning
1 1/2 ranch dressing seasoning
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes
2 cans of pinto beans (you can get the kind with jalapenos if you want)
1 can of whole kernel corn 2 cans of stewed tomatoes regular (you can get Italian or Mexican flavored if you want)
1 can of water
Crackers, tortilla chips or Fritos
Shredded cheese

Brown the ground beef with diced onion. Drain oil and add ground beef to large pot to make soup. Add all canned goods (undrained). Add the 1 can of water. Then stir it around and add one packet of each seasoning. After it has simmered for a bit on the stove check for taste. Normally I end up putting about 1 1/2 packets of each seasoning.
If you would like to make a vegetable soup, substitute the ground beef/onion with 1 or 2 zucchini or yellow squash(sliced). You will most likely only need 1 packet of each seasoning if you do it this way. Just have fun with it until it tastes the way you want.
Simmer the soup for 45 minutes to an hour on low heat. You can cook it for less time, but the more it simmers on low heat the better it will taste.
Serve soup warm with crackers, tortilla chips or Fritos and shredded cheese on top (optional).

Hearty Italian Sausage & Potato Soup
1 pound of mild ground italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 clove of garlic minced
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans of chicken broth
1 (14 1/2 oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
1 package Betty Crocker julienne potatoes (this is in the aisle with au gratin potatoes in a box)
1 cup milk
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained

Cook sausage, onion, celery and garlic in 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain. Stir in broth, tomatoes, water, potatoes, and sauce mix (from package of potatoes). Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender. Sir in milk and spinach, simmer 5 minutes.

Creamy Chicken & Chile Enchiladas--Recipe is on the Old El Paso green enchilada sauce can
1 pound uncooked chicken breast cut into strips
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso chopped green chiles
1 pkg (12 count) Old El Paso flour tortillas for soft tacos & fajitas
2 cans (10 oz each) Old El Paso green chile enchilada sauce
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
2. Cook chicken in 10-inch skillet over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center. Add cream cheese and chiles; reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir until blended and cream cheese is melted.
3. Spoon chicken filling onto tortillas; roll up and place seam side down in baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over top; sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.

Easy Parmesan Garlic Chicken
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 env. GOOD SEASONS Italian Salad Dressing & Recipe Mix
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (2 lb.)

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Mix cheese, salad dressing mix and garlic powder.
MOISTEN chicken with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170°F). For a golden appearance, after chicken is cooked through set oven to Broil. Place, 6 inches from heat source. Broil 2 to 4 min. or until chicken is golden brown
Modifications that I make--
I normally cut each thick chicken breast in half so it is half as thick. I think the chicken is more flavorful this way. I normally buy a 1.75 pound of chicken breasts instead of 2 pounds. You can play with it and see what ratio works for you.

Mexican Lasagna
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2-1/2 cups Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
12 corn tortillas (6 inch), divided
1 container (16 oz.) Cottage Cheese
1 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 can (2-1/4 oz.) sliced pitted ripe olives, drained

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Brown meat in large skillet on medium heat; drain. Return meat to skillet. Add onions and peppers; cook until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Add salsa, corn and seasonings; mix well.
LAYER one third of the meat mixture and one half each of the tortillas and cottage cheese in 13x9-inch baking dish. Repeat layers; cover with remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and olives.
BAKE 30 min. or until heated through.

Creamy Chicken Casserole - I got this from Michelle
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 (8 oz) carton sour cream
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1.5 cups crushed round buttery crackers (40 crackers)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine first 4 ingredients; spoon into a greased 11x7 baking dish. Combine crushed crackers and butter, and sprinkle over chicken mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 min. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken and Mushrooms with Lemon White Wine Sauce

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup milk
1 cup breadcrumbs (I used garlic and herb because we like super flavored food)
1 T parsley
1 T thyme leaves
1/2 cup parmesean cheese
1 pkg whole fresh mushrooms
olive oil
4 T butter (use real butter, not margarine)
1/2 cup white winejuice from one lemon
4 T minced garlic

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, and parmesan cheese together in small bowl. Put milk in a separate bowl. Bread the chicken cubes by dipping them first in milk, then coating them in the breadcrumb mixture.

In a large skillet, brown chicken in about 2 T of olive oil. Transfer to foil covered baking sheet and bake in oven for about 15-20 minutes, until chicken is done. (You could stop at this point and have some yummy seasoned chicken . . . I may do this if I don't have as much time on my hands).

While chicken is baking, deglaze pan with wine (this means to use a liquid to remove cooked-on residue from a pan). Add minced garlic and let simmer. Wisk in lemon juice. Wisk in butter. Add mushrooms and cover to cook. You can add salt to taste.

When chicken is cooked through, return to sauce and mushrooms in pan.

Can be served alone or on rice or pasta (we made it with angel hair pasta).