Sweet Potato Casserole

Taco Soup

I love making this soup because I always seem to have the ingredients on hand in my food storage. It is great to make when unexpected people show up because it is fast, easy, and you can make it for large groups really easy. If more people show up, just add a couple more cans of something.

1 lb. ground beef
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can whole kernel corn
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 can water
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
Fritos
shredded cheddar cheese

Brown the ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning mix and prepare according to package instructions. Open all the beans and rinse and drain. Add beans, corn and crushed tomatoes to the ground beef mixture. Fill one of the empty cans with water and add that to the soup. Heat through. Serve topped with shredded cheese, Fritos or corn chips and sour cream if desired.

If you don't have all of those kinds of beans, you can do 3 cans of one of them or mix and match in any way you like. I've even had it with Garbanzo beans too.

Mandarin Chicken and Fried Rice

This chicken is like the kind you get at Panda Express

MANDARIN CHICKEN

boneless skinless chicken thighs
2/3 c sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp. garlic
1/4 c. water
4 tsp flour

Put sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, oil, garlic and ginger in a saucepan and stir together. Place on stove on low heat. In a separate bowl, mix flour with water. When the sauce warms up, add flour mixture a little at a time to thicken.

Grill the chicken on your BBQer until done. Slice into bitesize pieces and drizzle with sauce until all pieces are covered. Serve immediately with extra sauce on the side in case someone wants more. I figure 2-3 thighs per person. This sauce is enough for 15-20 thighs and it keeps for quite a while in the fridge too. When I cut my chicken up, I use a fork and knife holding the chicken down with the fork and slicing through the tines with the knife to cut into strips.


HAM FRIED RICE

3-4 c. prepared rice (I use regular or instant, my kids like the instant better but I like the real rice better)
diced ham
1-2 eggs
frozen peas
2-3 green onions , diced
soy sauce
butter

Melt 1 T butter in skillet or wok. Brown onions and ham in the butter. Mix the eggs in a bowl and cook in the skillet or wok (scramble) along with the peas. Take onions, peas, ham and eggs out of pan. Melt 1/4-1/2 c. butter in the pan. Add rice and cook over high heat so that it fries the rice. After it is fried, add the rest of the ingredients back in and stir together. Warm through and add 1-2 T soy sauce. Serve with soy sauce in case anyone likes to add more.

Cornbread Muffins

I hate dry crumbly corn bread with a passion! When I found this recipe, I fell in love with cornbread again. They are moist and not crumbly and they are delicious!

Corn Muffins

1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cornmeal
3 T sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 c. sour cream

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl beat egg and sour cream; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes. Makes 8-10 muffins