beef and bean crescent pie

this recipe turned out soooooooooo good!! i even brought leftovers of it over to the in-laws for sunday lunch, and it got gobbled up! try this with some tortilla chips (i like the blue corn kind) or fritos. it's not a dip, but it pairs well with something crunchy. i couldn't believe how unbelievably easy this was or the fanfare that it received. this is a crowd-pleaser with mexican flair.

ingredients:

1 - 1 1/4 pounds ground beef

1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning

1/3 cup salsa (i didn't measure. i just eye-balled it, but i probably used more like 1/2 cup.)

1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls

8 ounces cream cheese, softened (i used light and it turned out great)

1 can refried beans

2 cups Mexican blend cheese

directions:

1. unroll crescent roll dough. press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 13x9 baking dish. be sure to seal perforations.

2. in a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain the fat.

3. add taco seasoning and salsa.

4. simmer, uncovered, until thickened.

5. while the meat mixture is thickening, spread cream cheese over the dough. the recipe called for 4 ounces. i used more than that (probably 6 ounces), but i didn't empty out the container. but i probably could have. just spread it until the dough is generously covered. feel free to use all 8 ounces. :)

6. stir the refried beans into the beef mixture until warm.

7. spoon beef mixture over cream cheese layer. (i must admit, this looked kind of gross at this point, but just trust me. the outcome is great!)

8. bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

9. remove from oven. sprinkle with cheese. 

10. bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

although the middle steps look pretty disgusting, i can assure you, the end result is DELISH! as i said before, this is a crowd pleaser. it's like mexican lasagna but creamier. i also appreciate the few ingredients and little time involved. makes for a great weeknight dinner AND the leftovers taste even better. i swear! yum, yum, and yum. try it. tonight. :)

fin.

crockpot beef stroganoff

here's another crockpot creation! and this one yields a LOT of servings, so it's great for family dinner night!!

you all probably know by now that i am addicted to crock pot dinners, especially ones that i can make ahead... just like this little gem. beef stroganoff is the epitome of comfort food, and this recipe is perfect for this time of year. the weather gets a bit chilly, and you want something warm to come home to... THIS is the answer. and, for the record, this is going to greet you at the door with an AMAZING aroma. another reason to LOVE that crockpot!!

ingredients:
2 pounds beef stew meat
1 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of golden mushroom soup
1 can cream of onion soup
1 jar (6 ounces) green giant sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
6 cups hot cooked noodles or rice

NOTE: i cut this recipe in half. well, i cut the stew meat and the noodles in half.  i left everything else as it was. and it still made enough that, even after consuming leftovers, we still had to throw some out. but cooking for two is difficult, so i recommend just cutting back to 1 pound of beef stew meat and maybe one package of egg noodles.

directions:

in 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 quart slow cooker, mix beef, onion, soups, mushrooms, and pepper. (you can do this and then leave it overnight in the fridge and stick it in the slow cooker and simply turn it on before you leave the house in the morning. genius!)

cover and cook on LOW heat setting 8-10 hours or until beef is tender. (since my slow cooker is 6 quart and i cut down on the meat, i actually cooked mine for 6 hours, and it was great.)

once meat is cooked and tender, begin working on your rice or noodles. if i'm ever given the option of rice or pasta, i'll choose pasta, especially egg noodles.

once your noodles are getting close to al dente, return to your crock pot. stir in cream cheese until it has melted. then stir in sour cream just until it is warm. it should look a little something like this...

voila! dinner is done! serve stroganoff over noodles. it will look delicious!

ANOTHER CLEAN PLATE VICTORY!!

if you're looking for a "light" dinner, this ain't it. you are going to walk away from this meal feeling full, satisfied, and completely comforted. and at this time of year, who wants a light dinner? not this girl! which is why i'm a fat girl on the inside. always...

fin.