Green Bean Tater Tot Casserole

No cream of "stuff" soup for this dish.  Make your own mushroom gravy, it's really easy!

Green Bean Tater Tot Casserole                                                         Printable Recipe

2 Tablespoons butter
8 ounces sliced/cleaned mushrooms
few dashes of salt
2 Tablespoons flour (or gluten free all purpose flour)
2 cups chicken or beef broth (preferably homemade) or milk
Dash or two of dried thyme

1 pound ground beef
1 can green beans
tater tots or tater rounds (check your ingredients for wheat!)

Make mushroom gravy with first 6 ingredients.

Brown hamburger, drain if needed.

Mix in green beans and mushroom gravy.

Pour into glass baking dish. This one was 2.2 qt rectangular (more surface area for tots!)

Add tater tots or rounds

You can bake according to tot directions (mine was 450 degrees for 25 mins) or bake at 350 for 30 minutes and then broil. My husband chose the latter of the two this time.

Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e Fagioli

1 pound ground beef
3/4 - 1 cup diced onion
3/4 - 1 cup diced carrots
3/4 - 1 cup diced celery
2 - 14.5 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes (or a 28 oz can)
1 - 15 ounce can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 - 15 ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 - 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 can water (use tomato sauce can)
1 - 12 ounce can V-8 juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup elbow macaroni (3 oz)
shredded Parmesan or Mexican-Blend cheese


Brown ground beef in large saucepan and drain off most of fat. If your hamburger is as lean as mine you won't need to drain it.
Meanwhile, dice vegetables. I used my Pampered Chef Food Chopper.

Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to hamburger. Saute for 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients except for pasta. Simmer for 45 minutes - 1 hour or until veggies are tender.
Meanwhile cook pasta. When soup has finished cooking, add pasta to the soup. Serve with shredded cheese or grated Parmesan on top.

TO FREEZE....cool and place in freezer bag or vaccuum seal bag. When you are ready to use just thaw and reheat!
** To make gluten-free, use rice noodles. I used Tinkyada PastaJoy Brown Rice Penne I picked it up at Wal-Mart.

Oatmeal Scotchie Cookie

1 cup soft butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 medium eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease cake shaped pan. Using an electric mixer, cream butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla together. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Scoop into pan. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheet or cooling rack.

NOTE: I used a 10" springform pan for easy removal. Cool cookie COMPLETELY before trying to move it as it is very soft when it comes from the oven.