Pineapple Cheese Casserole

This is Dee.lish.is!  Ok.  So this might sound absolutely disgusting to those of you have not tasted it before, but I tell you...it is SO good.  I never had this before moving to the South.  It pops up at potluck dinners every-so-often now that I've been living here for five years.  If you like pineapple, I encourage you to give this dish a try!  It's sweet and sort of salty all in one.  

Pineapple Cheese Casserole

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons flour

2 (20) oz cans in its own juice pineapple chunks, drained (reserve 6 tablespoons of juice)

2 cups cheese, grated

1 cup crushed Ritz or Townhouse crackers (I just use a whole sleeve of crackers.)

1 stick melted butter

Combine sugar, flour and pineapple juice. Add pineapple and cheese. Mix well. Pour into a 2- qt. casserole dish. 

Use fork to combine crackers to melted butter together in a small bowl. Mix well.  Sprinkle cracker mixture on top of casserole. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serves 8  

Tater Tot Casserole

Our friend Steven is home on furlough from his time in China this summer.  When he's home, we try to have him over for dinner and I try to make something that he can only get here in the States.  When he was over for dinner last week, I decided to make one of his favorites (from my menu)...a simple Tater Tot Casserole.  This is easy and delicious and a family favorite in our house!  (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture!)

Taco Tot Casserole

Ingredients

4 Cups Ore-Ida® Tater Tots®

1 Pound Ground Beef

1 packet Taco Seasoning (My favorite is the Taco Bell Brand taco seasoning.)

11 oz. can Corn with Peppers, drained

11 oz. can Soup Nacho Cheese (In the stores near me Campbell's is the brand that has the soup.  If you can't find the nacho cheese soup, you can also use the Fiesta Cheese Soup.)

Salsa, optional for topping

Sour Cream, optional for topping

Sriracha, optional for topping

Directions

1.  Heat oven to 375°.

2.  Cook ground beef with taco seasoning mix according to package directions. Spoon meat mixture into an ungreased or 2-quart casserole. 

3.  Spoon corn over meat mixture; spread soup over corn. Arrange frozen Tater Tots® in a single layer over soup. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned and mixture is bubbly. Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.  

Note:  I double this recipe all the time.  Just make sure to use a 9x13 baking pan if doing so.

Steven (pictured far left) and a group of our friends at a picnic this summer.
What a fun time to catch up with people from our old Thursday Night Bible Study.

Original recipe found here.

Easy Goulash

Ever looking for something that will cook all in one pot and be easy enough that you can have the meal finished in a half hour?  This is one of those meals.  Plus, it’s hearty and filling.  Pair it with some fresh cornbread and you’re good to go!

Easy Goulash

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 pound ground beef

1 cup uncooked pasta of your choice    I choose elbow macaroni.

1 can of Corn, drained

1 can of Lima beans, drained

1 can Diced tomatoes with Oregano and Basil

1 can Tomato Soup

Sauté onions and green pepper together.  Brown and cook meat.  Mix onions and green peppers together with meat.  Add corn, Lima beans, tomatoes, and tomato soup.  Cover, stirring occasionally until entire mixture is heated through.  While meat mixture is heating, make your pasta according to package directions.  Drain when finished.  Add pasta to meat mixture.  Stir and serve.  This one-pot dish is great served with fresh corn bread!