Recipe Swap

Thanks so much to everyone who shared favorite recipes with me! It's made for some fun new dinners in the Borges house. In return, I'd like to share some of my favorites with you. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! Settle in, it's going to be a long one...

Mac 'n Cheese With Dogs

3 cups elbow macaroni, cooked

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

2 cups milk

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 package l'il smokie hot dogs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. In sauce pan melt butter, add flour, salt, pepper, onion, and garlic. Stir until smooth. Add milk and stir continuously until mixture thickens and begins to boil. Remove from heat. In a deep baking dish combine noodles, cheese, and hot dogs. Pour in sauce and stir until well combined. Top with parmesan cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until parmesan is forming a crust on top. (Curious George didn't like mac'n cheese until he tasted my homemade stuff. It's sure to be a crowd pleaser, and kids love the hot dogs in it!)

Cowboy Delight

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove minced garlic

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can tomato soup

1 1/2 cups cooked macaroni

Combine beef, chili powder, garlic, salt, and pepper in a 12 inch skillet and cook until beef is browned. Drain fat from beef. Add soups and pasta to ground beef. Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Great when topped with shredded cheese.

Farmer Pie

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 pkg brown gravy mix

1 can corn, drained

1 can green beans, drained

2 cups prepared mashed potatoes

1/2 cup grated cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Brown hamburger and onions. Make gravy mix per package directions. Mix gravy into hamburger and simmer 5 minutes. Layer hamburger, beans, corn, potatoes, and cheese in deep baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes.

Chicken Pillows

1 package crescent roll dough

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 can cooked chicken, shredded

6 green onions, chopped finely

1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cream cheese, chicken, onions, and sauce together. Scoop into rolls and close up into a pouch. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until browned. Serve with chicken gravy and mashed potatoes.

Ranch Cheddar Chicken

1/2 cup ranch dressing

1 Tbsp flour

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup cheddar cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Combine dressing with flour in a shallow bowl. Coat each chicken breast with mixture. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Combine cheeses and sprinkle on chicken. Bake 25-30 minutes or until juices run clear.

Chicken Parmesan

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder

4 tsp paprika (I like smoked paprika)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 egg whites

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup flour

1 jar marinara sauce

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

2 Tbsp parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss bread crumbs with oregano, garlic, paprika, half of the salt, and half of the pepper.

In another bowl whisk together egg whites and milk.

In a 3rd bowl stir together flour and remaining salt and pepper.

Dip chicken in flour, then egg wash, then dredge in bread crumb mixture.

Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake about 15 minutes.

Top with sauce and cheese and bake an additional 15 minutes or until juices run clear.

Spaghetti Casserole

1 lb lean ground beef

8 oz tomato sauce

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup sour cream

1/2 bunch green onions, chopped

8 oz spaghetti noodles, cooked

3/4 cup mozzarella, grated

Brown hamburger. Add tomato sauce, salt, garlic, onion, pepper. Bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Combine cottage cheese, sour cream, and onions in a bowl. Combine noodles with mixture. Layer noodle mixture with hamburger mixture in 8x8 baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake 5-10 minutes more until cheese is melted.

Fish Tacos With Cabbage Slaw

4 cups thinly pre-sliced green cabbage

1 cup chopped plum tomatoes

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

5 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp salt, divided

1 lb tilapia fillets

1 tsp chili powder

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl. Add juice, one tablespoon oil, and 1/4 tsp salt; toss well to combine.

Heat remaining two teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with chili powder and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Add fish to pan; cook three minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat and cut fish into bite sized pieces.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon fish and cabbage mixture into tortillas.

Creamy Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 pounds)

8 slices mozzarella cheese

8 slices deli ham

8 slices bacon

1 can cream of mushroom soup

8 oz sour cream

3/4 cup uncooked long grain white rice (not minute rice)

1 cup water

Preheat oven to 375. Combine rice and water in bottom of 9x13 pan. Top each chicken breast with 2 slices of ham and cheese, alternating layers. Wrap 2 slices of bacon around each breast and secure with toothpicks. Place the chicken on top of rice. Stir the soup and sour cream in a bowl until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Cover the baking dish. Bake 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Crunchy Chicken with Ham Sauce

1 can cream of chicken soup

3/4 cup milk

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 Tbsp flour

2 cups herb seasoned stuffing, crushed

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese

1/3 cup chopped cooked ham

Cooked white rice

Stir 1/3 cup soup and 1/4 cup milk in a shallow dish. Coat the chicken with flour. Dip chicken in the soup mixture. Coat the chicken with the stuffing. Place the chicken on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Heat the remaining soup, remaining milk, cheese and ham in a saucepan over medium heat until the cheese is melted, stirring often. Serve the chicken and sauce over rice.

I hope these are helpful to y'all. Bon Appetit!