Brunch Pizza

Ingredients:
1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
½ pound sliced bacon, chopped
½ pound bulk pork
½ pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon butter
8 eggs, lightly beaten
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sour cream
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella
Optional: Picante sauce, extra sour cream

Directions:

• Unroll crescent dough in a greased thirteen by nine baking dish; seal seams and perforations.  Bake at 375° for six to eight minutes or until golden brown.
• Meanwhile, in a small skillet, cook bacon and sausage over medium heat until bacon is crisp,  and sausage is no longer pink  Using a slotted spoon, remove meat to paper towels; drain, reserving two Tablespoons of drippings.  Using the drippings, saute mushrooms, onion, and green pepper.  Remove and set aside.
• Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add eggs, cook and stir until almost set.  In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, and Italian seasoning; spread over crust.  Layer with eggs, sausage, bacon, sauteed vegetables, tomatoes, and mozzarella.
• Bake at 375° for fifteen to eighteen minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve with picante sauce and additional sour cream if desired.

Makes 12 servings.

Beef Sirloin Steak with Baby Spinach

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 boneless beef sirloin steak, ¾ inch thick, cut into four pieces
1 large onion, sliced
1 small red pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (10 ¾ ounce) condensed cream of mushroom soup
½ cup water
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 bag (7 ounces) baby spinach
Hot mashed potatoes

Directions:

• Heat one Tablespoon of oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add beef and cook until well-browned on both sides.  Remove beef from skillet.  Pour off fat.  Heat remaining oil in skillet.  Add onion and pepper and cook for one minute, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic and cook until vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring often.
• Stir in soup, water, vinegar, and rosemary in a skillet and heat to boil.  return beef to skillet, reduce heat to medium.  Stir in spinach.  Cover and cook for two minutes or until desired doneness.  Serve with potatoes.

Baked Spinach Supreme

Ingredients:
1 cup reduced-fat biscuit/baking mix
2 egg whites
1 egg
¼ cup fat-free milk
¼ cup finely chopped onion
For Filling:
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 ½ cup fat free cottage cheese
¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 egg whites
1 egg
1 teaspoon dried minced onion

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine biscuit mix, egg whites, egg, milk, and onion.  Spread into a greased eleven by seven baking dish.
• In another bowl, combine filling ingredients.  Gently spoon over biscuit mixture.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for twenty-eight to thirty-two minutes or until golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Makes 6 servings.

Bacon Potato Waffles

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 ½ cups mashed potatoes (with added milk and butter)
1 cup 2% milk
5 Tablespoons canola oil
¼ cup finely chopped onion
3 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
Maple syrup or chunky applesauce
Optional: additional crumbled bacon

Directions:

• In large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, whisk eggs, mashed potatoes, milk, and oil.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in onion and bacon.
• Bake in preheated waffle iron according to the manufacturer's directions until golden brown.  Serve with syrup or applesauce  Sprinkle with additional bacon if desired.

Makes twelve waffles.

Pinto Bean Chili

Ingredients:
1 pound dried pinto beans
2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups water
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon sugar
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1½ teaspoons salt

Directions:

• Place beans in Dutch oven or soup kettle; add water to cover by two inches  Bring to boil; boil for two minutes.  Remove from heat; cover and let stand for one hour.  Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid.
• In Dutch oven, cook beef, onion, and celery over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Stir in flour until blended.  Gradually stir in water.  Add beans, chili powder, cumin, and sugar.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for one hour and thirty minutes until beans are tender.  Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, and salt; heat through, stirring occasionally.

Makes 8 servings.  Serve with Chili Cheese Quesadillas.

Family Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (46 ounces) tomato juice
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 jar (4½ ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
2 cups frozen cut green beans
2 cups each finely chopped celery, cabbage, carrots
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:
In a Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for two hours.

Makes 14 servings.

Italian Stew

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
½ pound bulk mild Italian sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cut fresh green beans
1 can (14½ ounce) Italian stewed tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 bunch escarole, trimmed and torn
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the beef, sausage, and onion over medium heat until beef is no longer pink; drain.  Add cannellini, green beans, tomato, broth, tomato paste, oregano, salt, and pepper.
• Bring to boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for fifteen minutes.  Add escarole; cover and simmer about five minutes longer until escarole is wilted.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Taco Meat Loaf

Ingredients:
1 cup crushed saltines (about 30 crackers)
1 envelope taco seasoning
½ cup ketchup
1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 can (2¼ ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 small onion, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 pounds lean ground beef
Optional: salsa, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, additional olives

Directions:

• In large bowl, combine first eight ingredients.  Crumble beef over mixture; mix well.  Press into greased nine by five inch loaf pan.
• Bake uncovered, at 350° for one hour and thirty minutes until temperature reads 160°.  Serve with salsa, sour cream, cheese, and/or olives, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Zesty Horseradish Meat Loaf

Ingredients:
4 slices whole wheat bread, crumbled
¼ cup fat-free milk
½ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup prepared horseradish
2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoon chili sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
½ ketchup

Directions:

• In large bowl, soak bread in milk for five minutes.  Drain and discard milk.  Stir in celery, onion, horseradish, mustard, chili sauce, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.  Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.
• Shape into a loaf in eleven by seven inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Spread top with ketchup. Bake at 350° forty to fifty-five minutes until no more pink remains and temperature reads 160°.  Let stand for ten minutes before slicing.

Makes 8 servings.

South Dakota Meat Loaf

Ingredients:
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup evaporated milk
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup quick-cooking oats
¼ cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 ½ pounds ground beef
¼ cups ketchup

Directions:

• In large bowl, combine egg, milk, Worcestershire sauce, oats, onion, salt, sage, and pepper.  Crumble  beef over mixture and mix well.
• Press into an ungreased eight by four loaf pan.  Bake, uncovered, at 350° for one hour and fifteen minutes; drain.
• Spread ketchup over meat loaf.  Bake ten minutes until no longer pink and temperature reaches 160°. Let stand ten minutes before slicing.

Makes 6 servings.

Mom's Meat Loaf

Ingredients:
2 eggs
¾ cup milk
2/3 cup finely crushed saltines
½ cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon rubbed sage
Dash pepper
1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
1 cup ketchup
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

• In a large bowl, beat eggs.  Add milk, saltines, onion, salt, sage, and pepper.  Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.  Shape into an eight by four inch oval in ungreased shallow baking pan.
• Combine the remaining ingredients and spread ¾ cups over meat loaf.  Bake at 350° for sixty to sixty-five minutes until no longer pink and reaches 160°; drain.  Let stand for ten minutes before slicing.  Serve with remaining sauce.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 ½ pounds medium potatoes, peeled
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoon butter, melted
1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
½ cup chopped onion
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

• Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat; cover and cook for fifteen to twenty minutes or until tender. Drain.
• In large bowl, mash potatoes.  Add sour cream, milk, butter, and one cup of cheese.  Stir in onion, bacon, salt, and pepper.  Spoon into greased 2-quart baking dish.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for thirty to thirty-five minutes or until heated through.

Makes six servings.

Pepper Jack Mac

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
2 bacon strips, chopped
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup sliced fresh mushroom
1 ½ teaspoons butter
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons chicken broth
¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons 2% milk
¾ cups shredded pepper Jack cheese
¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Dash of salt and pepper

Directions:
Cook macaroni.  Meanwhile, in a small skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain, reserving 3/4 teaspoon of drippings.  In same skillet, saute onion and mushrooms in drippins and butter until tender.  Stir in flout until blended; gradually stir in broth and milk.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for one to two minutes or until thickened.  Stir in cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.  Cook and stir over medium heat until cheese is melted.  Drain macaroni; stir macaroni and bacon into sauce.

Makes two servings.