Taco Tuesday casserole

My recipe!

1 lb, ground beef

1/2 tsp. Onion powder

I pkg. dry taco seasoning mix 

2/3 cup water 

1/2 can diced tomatoes with chiles(drain juice)

1can red enchilada sauce

4 large soft tacos

1 package taco cheese with jalapeños

Cook on medium heat ground beef until browned. Drain.

Add onion powder , seasoning mix and water. Add 1/2 drained diced tomatoes and 1/2 red enchilada sauce. Cook for a few more minutes. It should thicken slightly.  Mix the other half of the enchilada sauced with diced tomatoes and mix. This will be for topping.

In a 9 x 9 baking dish place half of red sauce. 

Place large tablespoons of beef mixture in center of soft taco, add cheese. Roll and place taco filled side down. Cover with sauce and any leftover cooked beef mixture and cheese.

Bake 350° for 20 or 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

Cappelletti Filling:

 Cappeletti's!  Little dough hats filled with Mom's special Cappeletti filling. Mom's record was making 2,000 cappeletti's and I doubt I'd beat that but I'll at least try.  My kids love them and so do my grandchildren.  

Some Italians fill them with finely minced chicken with a touch of lemon but not Mom..Her filling was a little spicy but oh so good..She'd make chicken soup and that's where the Cappelletti's come in..She boil some and add to the soup..Great taste and we'd have them usually at Thanksgiving and maybe Christmas too..

Here is her recipe:

2 lb. ground lean beef 
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tablespoon cinnamon( I use 1 tsp.)
1 tsp. nutmeg( I use 1/2 tsp.)
1- 6 oz can tomato paste
1-can water
1 egg slightly beaten
2 cups Italian cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons oil



Fry meat in oil until all red disappears, add salt, pepper and tomato paste plus 1 can of water. Add cinnamon and nutmeg and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes..Take off stove add cheese, egg  and breadcrumbs.  This recipe should make at least 8- 1 cup portions which she would bag and put in freezer..Take out as many bags as needed..Each bag should make 100 caps.. Note:  Her caps were on the small side..

I will post photos as I make them.

Homemade pasta dough recipe in separate post.

Buon Appetite from my kitchen to yours,

 11/16/2013 original 

Cappelletti: Our Family Tradition/ updated video

 I decided that today was the day I was starting to make the Cappelletti for our traditional Thanksgiving dinner.. 

Today’s Cappelletti 12/8/2024 sampling a few.  Yummy!

Growing up they were a wonderful addition to our Turkey dinner.  Mom spent hours making them and usually made anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 of those little pasta filled caps..

 I remember my grandmother making them and how it was expected that this tradition would be continued on Thanksgiving.

Fortunately Mom, until recently, she's 88, had kept it up.. 

She had learned that making them and freezing them would be the answer to the exhaustion that was felt trying to make enough to make everyone happy.. 

Today I am happily carrying on the tradition with my daughter (Susan)at my side helping.. 

We serve them in homemade chicken soup and I  make that ahead of time as well to ease the stress of the day so I can enjoy the holiday as well..  

I Hope you enjoy this recipe.. I know I had promised it and I hold true to a promise made... Happy Cooking!

My Italian handy Food Companion explains them as:

Cappelletti:  small pasta hats (ka-pel-ett-ee) similar to tortellini( stuffed with a variety of fillings)

We chose the below recipe:  Some use cooked chicken chopped in place of ground meat

Filling:

1 ½ lb. Ground chuck(or beef and pork)

1 can tomato paste (optional)it was in grandma’s traditional recipe)

1 can water

¼ tsp. Cinnamon

¼ tsp. Nutmeg

salt and pepper

1 ½ cups breadcrumbs

½ cup Pecorino cheese grated

1 egg beaten

By adding the tomato paste it gives your filling a slight red color

In a medium pan sauté chuck (beef) in small amount of oil..

 Season with salt and pepper. 

Add 1 can tomato paste, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1 can water while cooking slowly..

 Remove from heat, add breadcrumbs, cheese and egg.  Mix thoroughly..

Cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pasta Dough ( double or triple recipe)

2 ½ cups flour

3 eggs @ room temperature

dash salt

shot glass water or less

shot glass oil or less

In your upright stand mixer add eggs, pinch of salt and water.  Mix.  Using dough hook slowly add flour until a ball forms.  Remove place on a slightly floured cutting board and work dough with hands until a soft ball is formed.

Cut dough in sections and press down to be able to slide into your pasta Machine.  Set on 2 than 3 then 4..

After dough is mixed take from mixer and put on floured cutting board. (I use an acrylic board)

Mix together with hands into it forms into a ball

Slice in sections and press slightly so it will go into pasta machine easily

I start with #2 and proceed to 3(my pasta machine reading) on side of machine

Easily goes through

Cut into small sections.  I had doubled the recipe and I made 300 cappelletti's.. I bagged the rest of the filling in small bags and froze..(approx 5 bags)I will make them between now and Thanksgiving..

Fold in half and then , twist the pasta between index and forefinger, crossing hands and pressing pasta ends together..

I place cappelletti on cookie sheet and freeze until set .

Place cappelletti after frozen in bag and put in freezer until ready to use..Bon appetite!

Happy Holidays from my kitchen to yours,


M.j.

10/26/11

Crockpot Pineapple beef

Tonight’s early dinner. 

I didn’t feel like making a brown gravy with this roast so I improvised and we enjoyed this crockpot  meal.

Small top round roast, ( about 1 lb. 4 oz.) salt and pepper and seared in oil

and added to my crockpot with one jar pineapple salsa. Slow cooked for about 5 hours. 

Removed roast allow to rest for 5 minutes and slice.  Add sliced roast to liquid salsa drippings.

Our side tonight.

Sautéed thin slices of zucchini with onions, salt and pepper.  Served with brown rice.  Easy summer meal. Slight bite to the salsa. Enjoy!!

Simple crockpot beef in salsa

Summer convenient meal.

1 lb. Beef cubes cut into small pieces

1 jar organic salsa

1/4 cup beef broth (optional)

Refrigerated macaroni and cheese or

****steamed rice 

Place beef in crockpot.  Add salsa and broth cook  3 to 4 hours on low.

Enjoy!

I served it over store bought macaroni and cheese.  Yummy.

Side salad to make it a very nice summer meal.

 

Shortcut taco lasagna or casserole

Easy shortcut recipe!

Craving Tacos?

This easy recipe can be made and on the table in 60 minutes.

I lb. Ground beef , turkey or chicken)cook until browned.

I package taco seasoning (cook according to directions)

1/2 can refried beans ( save other half can as your side)

4 oz. Softened cream cheese

6 to 8 Small tortillas 

1can Red Enchilada sauce 

8 oz. Shredded cheddar cheese

Salad, corn , refried beans or rice are great sides .

Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking with cooking spray.  Add  1/2 of the can of red enchilada sauce to baking dish.

Layer first layer of tortillas (you may have to cut to size).

Top layer with approximately 1/4 cup seasoned meat.

Add several tsp. Softened cream cheese and refried beans

Keep layering until you feel the casserole is full enough or if you are running out of ingredients.

Note: leaving enough of meat mixture, sauce and cheddar cheese to cover casserole.  Cover with foil and bake 350° for approximately 30 minutes covered. Remove cover and bake an additional 5 minutes if necessary.

Enjoy!

Shipwreck dinner my way

I saw this recipe and it interested me so I made it according to directions and it was blah so I added a heaping tablespoon of soft cream cheese and a heaping tablespoon of soft cheddar cheese and now I taste tested it and it’s all GOOD!

I felt a light salad would be a nice touch to make this a meal.

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1 (7.25 ounce) package macaroni and cheese mix (I used ALDIs brand)

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with chiles(I drained my tomatoes)

• ***1  1/4 cup milk

• ***1 cup frozen peas( I used baby limas for a change)

• 1 cup frozen corn

• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt or to taste

  ***1 heaping tablespoon soft cream cheese

  ***1 heaping tablespoon soft sharp cheddar cheese 

  1cup cheddar cheese for topping.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain
 

1. Stir in the mix, tomatoes, milk, and frozen vegetables. 
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the pasta is tender. 
3. Season and add the shredded cheddar cheese. 
4. Dessert too!

Shortcut cheeseburger soup

This was a very delicious shortcut recipe that I’m sure you can make with other brands of Tomato soup.  I happened to have Costco’s creamy tomato soup

on hand so I used it as my base.

 

 

Going to put either the toast on the bottom or top of this soup when I serve it.

Shortcut cheeseburger soup.

Ground beef fry until browned thoroughly.(1/2 lb. Works fine)

Add tomato soup (1quart)(Costco) and 1 cup milk.  ( you can add less but this soup was a bit salty).  After it boils for about 10 minutes add American cheese (I added 6 to 8 slices) and I’ll pour the soup into my bowl and top it with a nicely browned slice of Texas toast.   You can use plain croutons if you prefer.

**** I think a thicker crustier bread is your best choice imo.

Easy and delicious!

Enjoy!