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Taco Pie

April 19, 2012 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 22 Comments

My family loves tacos.

Let me repeat that…

MY. FAMILY. LOVES. TACOS.

Seriously, they’d eat them every day if they could.

Sometimes I don’t feel like a regular taco.

Enter my girl, Tiffanee at One Crazy Cookie.

She came up with a new spin on our Fitz Family Taco Night.

The boys had a blast making this one.

And eating it too!

Taco Pie = $ 10.72

Family of 4 = $2.68 per person

Taco Pie

1 lb ground beef $2.49

¾ of a large onion, diced $.50

taco mix $.88

Meat Filling:

Brown 1 pound of hamburger with 1/2 cup chopped onions, drain. Add 1 packet of taco seasoning mix and 3/4 cup water, simmer while you make the crust.

1 can refried beans (optional) $1.29

Taco Crust

2 cups flour $.50

2 1/2 teaspoons yeast (or 1 packet) $.34

1 Tablespoon sugar $.30

2 teaspoons finely chopped onion (optional) (from above)

3/4 teaspoon salt $.05

2/3 cup warm water

2 Tablespoons oil $.15

1/2 cup crushed corn tortilla chips $.20

Toppings:

shredded cheddar cheese $1.94

shredded lettuce $.79

chopped tomatoes $.52

sour cream $.25

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, salt and onion. Mix well. Add warm water and oil to the flour mixture. Mix by hand until smooth. Stir in chips and enough remaing flour to make a stiff dough. (I used 2 cups). Spread into a well greased pie pan, forming a rim around the edge. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 10 minutes.

If desired spread 1 can of refried beans on the bottom.

Spread taco meat over top of beans.

Sprinkle with some shredded cheese about 1/2 cup.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes until the edge is crisp and light golden brown.

Sprinkle with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and serve with some sour cream.

Meaty Morsel: Let the kids help you make the pie crust. Kids love getting their hands into mixes and dough while baking. Also you can let them spread out the refried beans and sprinkle the cheese. Let them get creative with their toppings. It’s a great opportunity to get them to try new foods.

I had some jarred jalapenos in the fridge that I added to mine…I like it spicy!

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Dinners on a Dime, Featured, Kid Favorite Recipes Tagged With: budget dinners, cooking with kids, dinners on a dime, ground beef, pie, tacos

Baseball Week – Sliders into home plate

April 9, 2012 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 12 Comments

Play Ball!!!!

I love this time of year.

Bring on the Boys of Summer!

What says baseball more than grilling burgers?

Well, sliders in this case.

Sliding into home plate?

Get it…?

Serve ‘em up with some garlic fries on the side!

This’ll be a home run for sure!

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 1/2 lbs ground beef (I like 85/15 for burgers)

1 T dried onion

1 T montreal steak seasoning

1 T cold water

sliced cheddar

baby brioche buns

WHAT TO DO:

In a large bowl combine the meat, onions, steak seasoning, and water. Mix well to blend and then form the meat into sliver dollar sized burgers. Stick em on the grill for about 4 minutes on the first side. Flip ‘em and then toss the cheese on top and grill for another 3-4 minutes.

Place these little beauties on a brioche roll and serve to your little leaguers!

Keegan loves to help grill

I dress up the grown ups with drunken onions and mushrooms…

I sauteed onions and mushrooms in a pan with olive oil, S&P, and beer till they were nice and soft! Pile ‘em high on your burger!

How are you celebrating the start of baseball season?

Oh, yeah, I’d wouldn’t be a proud member of the nation if I didn’t end this post with…

GO RED SOX!!!

Filed Under: Appetizer Recipes For Kids, Dinner Recipes For Kids, Featured, Kid Favorite Recipes, Lunch Ideas For Kids Tagged With: baseball recipes, brioche bread, cheddar cheese, cooking with kids, fun food, fun with kids, game time food, ground beef, kids recipes, onions

Fiesta Week – Ole Taco Casserole

July 20, 2011 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 10 Comments

My attempts to liven up

Fitz Family Taco Night continue…

I decided to try another taco casserole.

But I don’t like my chips mushy or my veggies warm in any way.

Sooooo….

I kept ‘em separate.

Perfect combo of crunchy chips…

Hot and spicy filling….

Cool and crisp veggies.

Can I get an ole???

Ole Taco Casserole

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 lb gound beef

1 packet taco seasoning

3/4 cup water

1 onion chopped

1 can low fat refried beans

1 can black beans

2 cups low fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup Spikes Santa Fe Black Bean and Corn Salsa

1 large bad tortilla chips

1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped

2 tomatoes chopped

1/2 red onion chopped

1 can sliced olives

1 avacado chopped

jalapeno slices

sour cream

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When skillet gets hot, add beef and brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add in onions and cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes.

Meanwhile in a 13×9 inch baking pan, spread our refried beans in an even layer on the bottom. Top with 1 cup black bean and corn salsa, then a layer of black beans.

Once meat has browned, add in taco seasoning and water. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 more minutes.

Add meat on top of the black bean layer.

Top with 1 1/2 cups cheese and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

While the casserole is baking assemble your plates.

Spread out some chips as the bottom layer.

Top with lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, and remaining cheese.

Scoop a dollop of meat on your fixings and top with sour cream and jalapeno.

Tell me how you like this version….

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Dinners on a Dime, Featured, Kid Favorite Recipes Tagged With: Avocado, budget meals, cheese, dinners on a dime, ground beef, jalapeno, lettuce, sour cream, taco, taco casserole, tomato

Baked Ziti

January 5, 2011 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 22 Comments

Tightening the purse strings?

Don’t let dinner take the hit for it.

Baked Ziti = $11.94

Family of 4 = $2.99 per person

Baked Ziti

1 16 ounce package ziti $.89

1 lb ground beef $2.49

1 onion chopped $.50

1 red bell pepper chopped $1.29

1 8 ounce can mushrooms $.68

2 cloves garlic $.33

1 T Italian seasoning $.10

1 20 ounce can crushed tomato $1.67

S&P

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese $3.99

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large pasta pot, set 6-8 quarts water over high heat. When it’s hot, add salt for flavor and cook ziti 8-10 minutes, until al dente.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When it’s hot, add in 1 pound ground beef. Allow it to brown up nicely, about 5-7 minutes. When the meat has browned, add onions and red pepper. Allow veggies to cook for a few minutes to soften up, about 5. Next add in your garlic, mushrooms, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 2-3 minutes and pour in your tomatoes. Sprinkle with S&P. Bring to a boil, then knock the heat back to low and allow to simmer until your pasta is ready.

Drain pasta and add it to your sauce. Sprinkle in 1 cup of cheese and mix well. Pour into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cup of mozzarella cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Dinners on a Dime, Featured, Kid Favorite Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: budget dinners, casseroles, cooking with kids, ground beef, italian

Cheeseburger Casserole

January 4, 2011 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 18 Comments

First up for our Dinners on a Dime week is a new favorite of my family’s.

We love our burgers around here, but I was looking for a new cost effective way to spread a buck.

Enter the casserole…

The Cheeseburger Casserole.

Oh yeah, it’s a winner.

Cheeseburger Casserole $8.16

Family of 4 = $2.04 per person

Cheeseburger Casserole

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

1 lb ground beef $2.49

1 onion chopped $.50

1 packet onion soup mix $.87

2 T worcesteshire sauce $.26

½ T flour (optional) $.25

½ cup water

½ cup ketchup $.05

¼ cup mustard $.12

2 russet potatoes sliced thin (either by hand or with a mandolin) $.66

2 cups cheddar cheese $2.96

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and cook ground beef until brown. Add in onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

When onions are soft, stir in onion soup and a touch of flour. Mix well. Pour in water and scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

Next pour in your ketchup, mustard, and worcestshire sauce. Once it begins to boil knock back your heat to medium low and allow your mixture to simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour your burger mixture into a 8×8 baking dish. Line the top with potato slices then top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Meaty Morsel: Top your casserole with shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, anything you’d put on top of a burger. The kids really love helping to make this dish. Let them mix the ingredients to pour into the meat, lay on the potato slices and cheese, and top their servings with good stuff like shredded lettuce, tomato, and pickles.

No potatoes in your pantry? No worries! Top your casserole with Tater Tots!

I added some bacon I had in the freezer to the top…I love me some bacon cheeseburgers!

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Dinners on a Dime, Featured, Kid Favorite Recipes, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: casseroles, cheeseburgers, cooking with kids, dinner ideas, ground beef

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

September 28, 2010 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 12 Comments

Enjoy this little blast from the past…I had to repost it since I can sum it up in one word…Yummy!!!

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes

For the meatloaf:

1 lb ground beef

1/2 lb ground veal

1/2 lb ground pork

2 T water

1 egg, bean

1 clove garlic, chopped

½ c bread crumbs

2 T Worcestershire sauce

¾ c chili sauce (you can use ketchup too)

½ c onions, finely chopped

½ c mushrooms, finely chopped

8 strips cooked bacon roughly chopped

6 oz cubed sharp cheddar cheese

½ c canned fried onion strips

S&P

for the topping:

1/4 cup ketcup

2 T mustard

1 T mayonnaise

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place all the ingredients for the meatloaf in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, mix the ingredients gently until well combined being sure not to overhandle it, you don’t want to end up with tough meatloaf!

Place the meat into a baking dish and shape into a loaf. Some people place the meatloaf on top of sliced bread to catch all the grease but I look at that as a waste of bread! I mean that’s a sandwich or two for the kids right?

In a small bowl mix the ketchup, mustard and mayo. Spoon it out on top of the meatloaf. This will create a yummy crust on top, and you like this on your bacon cheeseburger right?

Bake at 375 for an hour and 10 minutes then allow to rest on the counter for 10 minutes before serving.

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: bacon, cheddar cheese, comfort foods, garlic, ground beef, ground pork, ground veal, ketchup, Meatloaf, mustard

Taco Pie

Baseball Week – Sliders into home plate

Fiesta Week – Ole Taco Casserole

Baked Ziti

Cheeseburger Casserole

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Featured Cooking With Kids Videos

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Taco Pie

Baseball Week – Sliders into home plate

Fiesta Week – Ole Taco Casserole

Baked Ziti

Cheeseburger Casserole

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Featured Cooking With Kids Videos

Join Our Mailing List

Find us on Facebook

Connect With Ma

Find A Local Farmer’s Market

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