Recipe(tried): Easy and Quick Main Dishes - 6 recipes

Eileen- best wishes to your Mom hope she's feeling better soon. Here are a few of my favorites.

MEXICAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE
From: Becky,LA

1 small bell pepper -- chopped
1 medium onion -- chopped
2 cans mushroom soup
1 can rotel
1/2 pound cheese (any kind)
2 cups cooked chicken -- cubed
1 bag Corn chips -- crushed
1 can Niblet corn -- drained
1 can red kidney beans -- drained

Saute onion and bell pepper. Add soup rotel and cheese.
Stir until blended.
Layer in deep casserole- chips, chicken, beans, corn, sauce. Repeat layers.
Top with a few chips and cheese.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

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BECKY'S CHICKEN TETRAZZINI
From: Becky,LA

1 chicken
4 oz spaghetti, uncooked
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/4 pound American cheese, grated
1/4 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 pound Parmesan cheese, grated
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 jar pimiento, chopped
1 cup buttered bread crumbs

Boil chicken.* Strain broth and reserve for boiling spaghetti. Set aside.

Cook spaghetti in the reserved chicken broth (adding water, if needed); drain.

Saute chopped onion and celery; set aside.

To make the white sauce, melt butter, stir in flour, add milk and simmer until it begins to thicken. Add cheeses and (undiluted) soup. Stir until blended.

Fold in sauteed onion-celery, chopped pimento, chicken cubes, and spaghetti. Pour into buttered casserole dish top with bread crumbs

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes.

*When boiling the chicken, add celery, onion, parsley carrot, salt, pepper for flavor.

Note: sometimes I add halved artichoke hearts to spaghettie mixture before baking.

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MICROWAVE LASAGNA
From: Becky,LA

1 pound lean ground beef
1 32oz jar Ragu spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup water
1 12oz carton cottage cheese
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
9 lasagna noodles
2 cups Mozzarella cheese -- grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

In 2 1/2-3 quart dish, put ground beef.
Microwave on High 7 minutes.
Drain off fat.
Add Ragu sauce and water to ground beef.
Microwave on High 5 minutes.
In small bowl, mix cottage cheese, eggs, pepper and salt.
In 7x11 inch oblong casserole, layer 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce,
3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 egg mixture, 3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese.
Repeat two more times. (Reserve a little tomato sauce to top last layer of noodles)
Top with Parmesan cheese. Cover with double layer of plastic wrap.
Micro on High 8 minutes, then on 50% power 30 minutes or until noodles are tender.
Let stand 10-15 minutes.

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PASTA SALAD
From: Becky,LA
Recipe by: MOM (BETTY DIKE)
Makes 10 servings

12 ounces vermicelli -- cooked

1 tablespoon accent seasoning mix
2 tablespoons Lawry's seasoning salt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons oil

1 cup celery -- chopped
1/2 cup green pepper -- chopped
1/2 cup green onion -- chopped
1 jar pimento
1 small can black olives -- sliced
1 cup mayonnaise -- Hellman's
garlic salt -- to taste
meat(ham,chicken.turkey) -- chopped

Combine-accent,season salt, lemon juice, oil.

Pour on warm pasta.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Chill.

BECKY'S VARIATIONS:
1- Use shrimp or pepperoni in place of or in combination with other meat.
2- Use olive oil and double lemon juice. * Exported from MasterCook *

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JUMBO STUFFED PASTA SHELLS
From: Becky,LA

12 ounces Ricotta cheese
1 package spinach -- chopped and drained
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large egg -- beaten
1/4 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese
salt and pepper -- to taste
10 jumbo pasta shells -- cooked

2 cups spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese

Boil jumbo pasta shells. ( add 2-3 extras in case a few break)
Mix first six ingredients in a bowl.
Drain shells and rinse with cool water.
Stuff each shell with ricotta mixture place in greased casserole.
Top with spaghetti sauce( I use Grisanti's any type is fine) and cheese bake for 30-45 minutes at 350.

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SPICY PINTO BEANS
From: Becky,LA

1 pound pinto beans -- soaked overnight
1 pound ground chuck -- cooked and drained
1/2 pound ham -- chunks
1 1/2 cups onion -- chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper -- chopped
1 tomato(chopped) or -- 2 TBS. tomato paste
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic -- minced
salt and pepper -- to taste
water

Soak beans over night. Drain water.
Add fresh water and all other ingredients.
Cook on high in crockpot all day.
Or cook in cover pot on stove about 2 hours or until tender.

Serve on rice.