Redneck Casserole

Redneck Casserole

1 (28 ounce) can baked beans

6 -8 hot dogs

4 cups tater tots

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Set your oven to 450.  Dump your can of baked beans (we use Bush's vegetarian) into a casserole dish. (We use a medium sized glass bowlish looking -- thing). Set the dish aside.  Cut up your hotdogs into bite sized pieces and throw those into your casserole dish and mix until dogs are well coated with baked bean sauce.  Cover the bean and dog mixture with tatertots. We usually use a couple handfuls. Use as many as you'd like. Just make sure to cover the mixture completely.  Place the casserole dish in the oven for 1/2 an hour or until tater tots are golden brown. When Redneck Casserole is all cooked up, turn off the oven and sprinkle the top with cheese.  Redneck Casserole is completely done when cheese is melted and you just can't take it anymore -- dig in! (You can mix pretty much anything with this dish. Sour cream, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, etc.).

Cake Batter Fudge

Cake Batter Fudge

1 cup yellow cake mix

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter or margarine, cut into small squares

1/4 cup milk or 1/8 cup soy milk

sprinkles (optional)

Mix cake mix and icing sugar in microwave-safe bowl. Add butter and milk. Don’t stir.  Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir immediately until completely combined. Add sprinkles. Do not overmix as sprinkle colour may bleed.  Spread into greased pan. Refrigerate for at least one hour.  * Makes one 6 x 6” container, or double for an 8 x 8” pan.  ** Notes: If the batter comes out too runny, stir in about 1 tsp or sugar or cake mix at a time until stiff. If too thick to stir in all components, slowly add 1/2 tsp of milk at a time, but batter should be thick!

Baked Ravioli

Baked Ravioli

1 bag (25 Oz. Bag) Frozen Ravioli

1 jar (26 Oz. Jar) Marinara Sauce

2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Parmesan Cheese, For Sprinkling

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray bottom and sides of a 9×13 rectangular baking dish with cooking spray.  Spread 3/4 cup of the pasta sauce in baking dish. Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce; top with half of the remaining pasta sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once, starting with ravioli. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes longer or until bubbly and hot in the center. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Blondies

Pumpkin Blondies

2½ cups all-purpose flour

2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

1 cup dark brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, with enough to hang over the sides; set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and salt; set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and both sugars until completely smooth and no lumps remain. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk to incorporate, making sure the egg has been completely mixed in. Add the pumpkin and again whisk to fully incorporate. Add the flour mixture to the batter and, using a rubber spatula, fold the mixtur until combined and no pockets of flour remain. Fold in the butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips and pecans. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.  Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, then use the parchment handles to lift the bars out of the pan and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Buffalo Chicken Doritos Casserole

Buffalo Chicken Doritos Casserole

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 onion, chopped and sauteed

2 tsp ranch seasoning mix

5 T Louisiana hot sauce

15 oz can great northern beans, drained {or cannellini or other white beans}

10.5 oz can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup

2- 4oz diced green chilies, drained

11.5 oz bag Blazin' Buffalo & Ranch Doritos {about 3/4 of the bag}*

1 C shredded colby and monterey jack cheese

Cilantro for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put shredded chicken and sauteed onions in a bowl. Mix in the ranch seasoning and hot sauce.  Add in the beans, soup, and green chilis.  Crush up a handfull or two of chips and layer them on the bottom of the dish. Layer the chicken mixture over the chips. Crush remaining chips on top, then top with cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until nice and bubbly. Top with cilantro and serve. 

Black-eyed Pea Soup

Black-eyed Pea Soup

1 pound dried black eyed peas

1 pound spicy sausage (I used some kielbasa sausage)

6 cups chicken broth

1 yellow onion, diced

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

4 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Tabasco sauce (to taste...or omit!)

Soak your beans overnight. (This is the hardest part for me to remember...don't forget!:)) Drain in the morning.  Dice the veggies, and put them into your crockpot with the beans. Add your sliced sausage and then pour in the broth, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for about 6.  Ladle into bowls, and add Tabasco sauce to taste.