Frisco Patty Melt--Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Let's Get Started:

Frisco Patty Melt

Copycat version of Steak 'n Shake

Slightly adapted from here

1 lb ground beef or 1 lb chuck

8 slices sourdough bread

1 tablespoon butter 

2 tablespoons onions diced fine

8 slices American cheese

4 slices swiss cheese

Frisco Sauce-2 versions

4 Tablespoons Thousand Island Salad Dressing

2 Tablespoons Ketchup

or

4 Tablespoons Thousand Island Dressing

2 Tablespoons French Salad Dressing

I made both and we like the Thousand Island and French Salad dressing combo best.

Combine Thousand Island Dressing and ketchup or French Dressing thoroughly, set aside.

Form ground beef into 8 thin patties.

Pan fry to desired doneness, set patties aside.

While patties are cooking, lightly toast all 8 slices of bread.

Drain the excess fat from the skillet, add 1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine to the skillet (medium heat) and add all the onions when butter has melted.

Cook onions 2-3 minutes or until softened, remove and set aside- do not drain skillet.

Place 4 slices of bread in the skillet (or as many as you can at once; repeat the following steps in smaller increments if necessary).

Cook 1-2 minutes, or until the bread is lightly toasted. Flip bread and toast other side.

Remove from the skillet, melt the remaining butter and repeat the toasting with the remaining slices of bread.

Top bottom slices of bread with one slice of American cheese.

Layer one beef patty on top of cheese, then a slice of Swiss cheese, another beef patty, another slice of American cheese.

Distribute grilled onions evenly on all four sandwiches.

Spread top slices of bread with the dressing mixture, and close sandwiches.

Reserve any additional sauce for dipping.

Print Recipe Here



Mexican Layer Dip

This is one of my husband's favorite dips.  

Quite possibly, his #1 favorite dip.

I'm sure he'll ask me to make it at least every other weekend so he can snack on it while watching football.

Usually have to double it and make one side light on the tomatoes and without the black olives for my kiddos.

It's always gone by the time football comes to an end for the day!

Let's Get Started:

Mexican Layer Dip

1 (16 ounce) can of refried beans

1 pound of ground beef

water

4 ounces cream cheese--softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1 packet taco seasoning (divided)

Shredded Lettuce

Shredded Mexican Flavored Cheese

Diced tomatoes

Sliced Black Olives

Taco Sauce

Additional toppings if desired

Avocado, Jalapenos, Banana Peppers

Brown ground beef, drain grease, add taco seasoning, reserving 1 tablespoon, add water according to package directions.

Mix softened cream cheese, sour cream, and reserved taco seasoning in a small bowl and set aside.

Spread refried beans on the bottom of an 8x8 pan.

I like to heat my beans in the oven or microwave for a few minutes.  Not to get them hot, just a little warm (optional step).

Layer taco meat on the top of beans, lightly press meat down into the beans.

Evenly spread taco flavored sour cream/cream cheese mixture over meat.

Spread taco sauce over sour cream/cream cheese layer.  I use Taco Bell's taco sauce. You could use salsa if you prefer.

Layer lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and black olives on top of taco sauce layer. Layer additional toppings if using.

Serve with chips.

Print Recipe Here

Cocoa Chili and my very first award!

I'm so thrilled to announce that I have been award The Versatile Blogger Award! It is absolutely amazing to be recognized by another blogger. 



Dawnie, from The Coach's Wife's Kitchen extended the honor to little 'ol me!  She's got some great stuff on her blog, so head over and check her out. Be sure to tell her congratulations on her upcoming new addition!   

So here is how the award works...I pass it along to 15 other bloggers that I think are  super duper and tell you guys 7 random things about myself. 

Let's Get Started:

Seven Random Facts about Me

1. I'm addicted to Diet Coke.  I always have one....always!  I will leave my house at midnight and run to the store to make sure I have one in the morning, I sleep with one beside my bed, and there is an on going joke that I will be buried with a 12 pack!

2.  I work for a small catering company called The Silver Spoon Cakes and Catering.  My best friend for the last 16 years, Jennifer, owns it.  The days can be long but I love it!  I'm surrounded by food...my obsession!

3.  I'm a real life Army wife, and mother to three children.  We are stationed at Fort Campbell, KY, home of the 101st Airborne Division. We live on post which has it pros and cons. The housing is a little old, my kitchen is so out dated that I will never show you guys a picture! :) But, my children are around other kids that have parents that deploy.  My husband just returned from his 4th deployment so having that support system or common bond for them is worth more than a stellar kitchen. At least that is what I tell myself :).

4. I'm a TV junkie.  I'm positive that I couldn't live without my DVR.  It even has a name...Dave.  I'm a big fan of Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, NCIS, all the CSI's, Modern Family, and so many more.  In the past when my husband has been gone these shows have been my escape from reality or my "me" time.  Oddly though, the only food show I watch is Masterchef (I have a crush on Gordon Ramsey).

5. I have a couple of food related quirks.  I don't like fruit and meat combos, or meat and nut combos.  The thought of it is just weird to me.  The only exception, I think, is tomatoes.

6. I grew up in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.  I've lived in North Alabama, Tennessee, and now Kentucky.

7.  As soon as I log into Blogger to start typing away about something I've made I lose just about all of my confidence.  I type and type and then feel like a complete goofball about some of the things I've said. I tend to get a little long winded at times and then delete the majority of what I've said.  I've found it a little difficult at times to put myself out there. Each time it gets a little easier though.

Now it's time to pass The Versatile Blogger on to some deserving bloggers.

These wonderful blogs are in no particular order.

Drumroll please.......

1. Jam Hands

2. Cookin Cowgirl

3. Cassie Craves

4. Christine's Pantry

5. Flour Trader

6. Big Bear's Wife

7. One Perfect Bite

8. Off The Menu

9. Taking on Magazines

10. Eat. Drink. Love

11.Bake Me Blush

12. My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good
13. What Is Cooking Now
14. Steph's Bite By Bite
15. I Heard It's Yummy






Ready for some chili?




I'll keep this short and sweet, considering I've already said so much. This is my adaptation of a previous neighbor's chili recipe. 


It has unsweetened cocoa powder in it!!


Don't worry, it won't taste like chocolate.  In my opinion the cocoa powder gives the chili a rich taste. 
 We love it!  And it's perfect for those chilly days that are on their way! (Hopefully sooner than later)

Cocoa Chili




2 pounds of ground beef-cooked and drained
1 (16 ounce) can of chili flavored beans (do not drain)
1 can (14.5 ounce) petite diced tomatoes
1 small onion-chopped
3 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 Tablespoon butter
2 (8 ounce) cans of tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons Oregano
3 Tablespoons Cumin
1 1/2 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
2 Tablespoon chili powder


Add butter and chopped onion to a large pot, cook over medium low heat for about five minutes.  Add minced garlic and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. 

Add browned ground beef, beans, tomato sauce, spices, vinegar, and cocoa powder.

Stir until combined.  Bring to a slight boil and reduce heat to simmer.  Continue to simmer for about 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Top with cheese, onions, and/or sour cream.

Taco Chip Casserole

This is so simple, so quick, and so kid friendly.  It's a recipe my mother has been making for years.  My brother and I loved it as kids and now my kids love it.  My mother always served it with onions and salsa (only). But, we like to add all the fixins'.  It's easily doubled too!

Let's Get Started:

Taco Chip Casserole

1 pound ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

water

1 (16 ounce) can refried beans

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups Mexican flavored shredded cheese

Nacho chips or tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Grease an 8 x 8 pan, set aside.

Brown ground beef, drain.  Add taco seasoning and water according to package directions.

In a medium bowl mix refried beans, tomato sauce, and 1 cup of shredded cheese until combined.

Crush chips and add to cover the bottom of pan.  I usually reserve some and add them (whole-not crushed) to my plate before serving. 

Layer bean mixture on top of crushed chips, spread to cover.

Layer taco meat on top of bean mixture, spread to cover.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of shredded cheese on top of taco meat.

Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Garnish with more chips, lettuce, black olives, shredded cheese, sour cream, and/or salsa.

   Print Here



Simple Baked Ziti

Simple Baked Ziti

I've been making this Ziti for several years.  I believe I got the recipe from allrecipes.com., which is a great site if you want a new one to check out.  This makes a lot so prepare for leftovers unless you are feeding a small army.  It's a great meal to freeze too!  Which is exactly what I did.  My husband is in Afganistan, and my children are spending some time with their grandmother for a couple weeks.  Home alone....the silence has been golden!  A couple of days ago I'm enjoying my quiet time on the couch watching daytime TV and get the itch to cook something.  There's no one here but me and Lord knows my thighs do not need a full pan of baked ziti.  I make it and freeze it....problem solved! 

Let's Get Started:

Simple Baked Ziti

1 pound dry ziti pasta

Salt

1 onion, chopped

                                                              1 pound lean ground beef

2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce

6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced

1 1/2 cups sour cream

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (or more)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta and cook until al dente. Should take about 8-9 minutes. Drain pasta of water. Set pasta aside.

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef and onion together until the beef is no longer pink and onions are tender and translucent. Drain grease then add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Layer as follows into the casserole dish:

½ of the ziti noodles, ½ of the provolone cheese, ½ of the sour cream, ½ of the sauce mixture.

I used Breakstone's Roasted Garlic and Herb for the first time in this dish and thought it was perfect.

I used a four cheese spaghetti sauce but any kind will do.  You can also add extra spices like oregano, basil, or garlic.

Repeat and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Italian cheese blend works great too.

If you are going to freeze this do not bake, cover well and freeze at this point in the process.

If not,

Bake for 30-40 minutes

   Print Here

Taco Pancakes

When I saw these I knew I had to make them!  My people (hubby and kids) are big fans of Mexican food.  I personally, could live off of cheese dip (and chocolate chip cookies) forever. I only made a few minor changes to the original recipe.  I was so excited to make these I started on them before my son's baseball practice but, to my dismay they didn't turn out as I had expected.  They were flat!  In the frig went the batter and to practice we went.  We returned home and it was back to the pancakes.  This time they were perfect! These are a perfect twist to a tex-mex dish!



Taco Pancakes

ORIGINAL RECIPE FROM plainchicken

1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
2 cups Mexican flavored cheese, shredded
1 (4 oz) can of chopped green chilies
1 cup self-rising corn meal
½ cup all-purpose flour 2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
¼ cup vegetable oil
Salsa
Sour cream
Lettuce
Black olives
Guacamole

Let's Get Started:

Cook beef in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water, cook 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together corn meal, flour, egg, buttermilk and oil.

Stir in taco meat, cheese and green chilies.

Refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight.


Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.

 When bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip carefully with a spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Serve stacked and topped with salsa, sour cream, lettuce, olives, and guacamole.

PRINT RECIPE HERE