Taco Soup

This is a staple around our house. I know a lot of people only like hearty soups when it's cold outside, but we eat it all year long. It's super easy and makes enough for leftovers!

Taco Soup:
1.5 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can beef broth
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cans kidney beans


{I leave the beans out because I don't like them. Also, I have gotten lazy over the years and usually leave out the onion and bell pepper. The Rotel contains both of those vegetables anyway, plus John doesn't really like them.}


After browning the meat with the onion and bell pepper, put all ingredients in a big pot and stir. Bring to a boil. Then turn it down to simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. {Can simmer longer.} Serve with grated cheddar cheese and tortilla chips on top.

Just about as easy as you can get!

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

I'm not a big casserole person. In fact, this is the only one I cook. Our neighbors brought us something similar to this when C was born and we really liked it, so we added it into our usual dinner rotation.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole:

1 box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice {original recipe}
1 pkg chicken breasts {I usually get the chicken tenderloins since they are smaller and easier to cut up}
1 pkg fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 small onion, diced
8 oz sour cream
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
Cheddar cheese, grated
Ritz crackers, crumbled

Cook rice according to package instructions. In a sauce pan, saute onions {in either vegetable oil or a little butter} for a few minutes. Add cut up pieces of chicken. I let that cook a little while and then add mushrooms and let saute until done.

Once rice is cooked, stir in sour cream and Cream of Mushroom soup. {You can also mix in some cheddar cheese at this point, but I really don't think it needs it, and I try to cut calories where I can.} Mix that with the chicken and mushroom mixture. Poor mixture into a 9 x 13" baking dish {or I split it into two 8 x 8" pans and freeze one}. Top with shredded cheese and Ritz crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until bubbly. {If frozen, it cooks for about an hour.}