Cheeseburger Macaroni

This is just a good, "taste like mom's" kinda meal. It warms your heart and soul and makes the family happy. It's a quick and easy meal. Try to find some time with your family during this busy holiday season to sit down and eat dinner together.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes (optional)
3 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
12 ounces macaroni
1 lb Velveeta reduced fat cheese product, cubed
chopped tomatoes, if preferred

Brown hamburger and onion, drain well. Whisk together water, ketchup, and mustard in a bowl. Pour over meat and bring to a boil. Add macaroni and turn heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until macaroni is cooked and almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in cubed Velveeta cheese until melted and distributed evenly. Top with tomatoes and serve.

Oreo Truffles

There are so many great candies to make this time of year but I always fall back to this one. I love these things. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've ever seen or made this recipe but maybe it will entice you to make more Christmas candy~

1 (16 ounce) package Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package Cream Cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate (or almond bark), melted

Crush cookies to fine crumbs in food processor (cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin); place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.

Place truffle ball in melted chocolate to coat; roll if necessary. Lift truffle from chocolate using 2 forks (this will allow excess chocolate to run off); place on wax paper lined baking sheet. Coat with topping of choice. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Note: white almond bark works just as well.

Bacon Wrapped Cocktail Wieners

This is my favorite (non-sweet) appetizer of the season. It could be very easy to eat the whole pan if you put will-power aside. There are never any left of these, ever. Give 'em a try and join the club. Tis the season to be fat and jolly!

1 pound bacon, cut into thirds.

1 package cocktail wieners

3/4 cup brown sugar, or to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Refrigerate 2/3 of the bacon until ready to use. (it's easier to wrap weiners if bacon is cold.) Wrap each weiner with a piece of bacon and secure with toothpick. Place on large baking sheet (line with foil sprayed with cooking spray for a quick clean up). Sprinkle all over with brown sugar. Bake for 40 minutes or until sugar is bubbly. If bacon isn't crispy you can increase heat to 350 degrees towards the end or you could broil, just be very careful not to catch toothpicks on fire! To serve, keep warm in a crock pot. For extra flavor, place brown sugar in plastic bag and shake the bacon in it before coating then coat with a little more brown sugar before baking.

Oven Baked Chimichangas

I wanted something Mexican, but not the same-old, same-old and I came across this recipe. I was leary at first. I just couldn't imagine how they would be crispy? Well, let me tell you, they were very crispy and will be regulars at our house! I've already got ideas running through my head for the next batch and can't wait to make them again. Plus, these are so quick and easy, you can't beat that!

1 big can of chicken, drained

2/3 cup picante sauce

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves

1 cup shredded cheese

2 green onions, chopped, tops included

4-6 flour tortillas (8 inches)

2 TBS margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix chicken, picante sauce, cheese, onions and spices together. Place about a 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture on a tortilla. Fold one end, roll the sides and then fold the other end (you may need to warm tortillas to keep them from cracking). Place seem side down on cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crispy. Garnish with salsa, sour cream or whatever you like.

P.S. mine didn't get very golden but were very crispy so don't judge doneness by color. Also, no need to warm the mixture first, they are steaming when they come out of the oven. Be careful biting into the chimi's. I had to cut them in a couple different places to get them cooled down for my kids.

Tater Tot Casserole

We haven't had this casserole in so long. I'm not sure if my kids have even had it before? I somewhat made it like my favorite breakfast casserole and it turned out scrumptious. The kids devoured it! I wish it were a little healthier but they at least had good protein that night!

1.5 lbs. hamburger

1/2 onion, chopped

garlic powder, salt and pepper

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can milk

8 oz. light sour cream

2 TBS softened butter

2 cups shredded cheese (I used the mexican blend b/c it's what I had)

sprinkle each of cayenne pepper and seasoning salt

1 bag frozen mini tater tots

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brown hamburger with onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine soup, milk, sour cream, butter, cheese, cayenne pepper and seasoning salt.

Grease 9x13 baking dish. Spread hamburger over bottom of dish. Coat with soup mixture. Top with tater tots.

Bake for 45-60 minutes, broiling at the end for crispier tots. Let cool at least 10 minutes, it holds in a lot of heat and be careful serving to children because of temperature.

Tippin's Cornbread

You gotta have a good cornbread to go with the ham and beans and here it is. My kids love this stuff and why wouldn't they? It tastes like cake! Combine 2 pkgs Jiffy cornbread and 1 Jiffy yellow cake mix, make according to package directions. Pour into 9x13 greased baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes. It makes a lot of corn bread, but my kids will gladly eat it again the next night.

Ham and Beans

I was concerned, while making this dish, that my kids would not like it so I made it pretty brothy and turned it in to a soup (my mother's recipe was always thick and creamy). And the verdict? My kids thought it was really good soup. They did ask why there were so many beans in it! However, they ate every last bit, after the cornbread of course!

1 lb. Great Northern beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained

2-3 smoked ham hocks

1/2 pkg chopped ham (I used the kind already chopped by Farmland)

2 cans chicken broth

2 can water

chopped onion

2 celery stalks

3 carrots

3 tsp minced garlic

1 TBS dried parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything in crock-pot and cook for 8-10 hours on Low. I removed celery before serving, but not carrots, just out of personal taste. Also, I removed the lid and turned the crock-pot on High for about an hour to thicken it up before serving. The adults in our house eat in with a few drops of hot sauce to spice things up a bit. And please, don't forget the cornbread!