Magic Potion Meat Sauce

Magic Potion Meat Sauce

Prep Time: 45 minutes. Start to Finish: 8 hours and 45 minutes. Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

½ pound bulk Italian pork sausage

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup finely chopped carrots

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 can (6 oz) organic tomato paste

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

3 teaspoons Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

16 oz uncooked spaghetti

Shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired

Directions:

In 12-inch skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked and sausage is no longer pink; drain

In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix beef mixture and all remaining ingredients except spaghetti and Parmesan cheese

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours

About 20 minutes before serving, cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package

Serve sauce over cooked spaghetti

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

Big Smile Chalupas

Big Smile Chalupas

Prep Time: 30 minutes. Start to Finish: 30 minutes. Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 package taco seasoning mix

2/3 cup water

1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle southern style biscuits

½ cup ranch dressing

¼ cup Thick 'n Chunky salsa

2 cups shredded lettuce

¼ cup chopped onion

1 cup shredded cheese (8 oz), if desired

8 pimiento-stuffed olives

8 grape tomatoes, quartered

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F

Cook beef, taco seasoning and water as directed on taco seasoning packet

Meanwhile, separate dough into 8 biscuits; press each into a 6-inch round

Place on ungreased cookie sheets

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, rotating pans halfway through bake time

In small bowl, mix ranch dressing and salsa

To assemble each chalupa, layer lettuce, onion and cheese on warm biscuit round

Fold in half to form chalupa; Use toothpicks to secure filled chalupa, and attach olives on top to look like eye

Use quartered tomatoes for teeth

Drizzle with ranch sauce mixture, so serve on the side

Pumpkin Patch Brownies

Pumpkin Patch Brownies

Prep Time: 25 minutes. Start to Finish: 2 hours and 25 minutes. Serves 12

Ingredients:

1 box brownie mix (plus ingredients for mixing) (or use Cassie’s Disgustingly Rich Brownies Recipe)

1 cup peanuts

3 cups miniature marshmallows

½ cup milk chocolate chips

1/3 cup vanilla frosting

8 drops food coloring

12 pumpkin candies

Directions:

Heat oven to 350

Grease bottom only of 13x9 inch pan with shortening or cooking spray with flour

Make brownies as directed, stir in peanuts when almost done; Spread batter in pan

Bake 24 to 26 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from edges comes out almost clean

Sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chips; Bake for 3 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed

Cool for 30 minutes on wire rack

In a small microwaveable bowl, microwave frosting uncovered on high for 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle, stir in food color

Drizzle over brownies

Cool completely

Cut into rows and top each brownie with a pumpkin candy

Spooky Shepherd's Pie

Spooky Shepherd’s Pie

Prep Time: 30 minutes. Start to Finish: 55 minutes. Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 bag (12 oz) frozen mixed vegetables

1can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained

1 jar (12 oz) beef gravy

1 ¾ cups water

2 tablespoons margarine or butter

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ cup milk

2 ¼ cups instant mashed potatoes

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg, slightly beaten

Directions:

Heat oven to 375°F spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat

Add beef and onion; cook until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently, drain

Set aside 12 peas for garnish, and add remaining frozen vegetables, tomatoes and gravy; mix well

Heat to boiling, than reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally

Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, heat water, margarine and garlic powder to boiling; Remove from heat; add milk. Stir in potato flakes and cheese, add egg; blend well

Into ungreased 8-inch square (2-quart) or oval (2 1/2-quart) glass baking dish, spoon beef mixture

With large spoon, make 6 mounds of potato mixture on top of beef mixture to resemble ghosts. Place 2 reserved peas on each mound to resemble eyes

Bake at 375°F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are set and mixture is thoroughly heated

Halloween Madness Chili Bake

Halloween Madness Chili Bake

Prep Time: 20 minutes. Start to Finish: 40 minutes. Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 ¼ lb lean (at least 90%) ground turkey

1 can (16 oz) spicy chili beans in sauce, undrained

1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 oz)

1 can (8 oz) refrigerated reduced fat crescent dinner rolls

1 tablespoon cornmeal (or 1/3 cup crushed dried fried onions)

Directions:

Heat oven to 375°F

In 10-inch skillet, cook turkey over medium-high heat 7 to 9 minutes, stirring frequently, until no longer pink; drain if necessary

Stir in beans; heat until hot

Pour hot mixture into ungreased 11x7-inch or 8x8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish

Sprinkle with cheese

Unroll dough onto flat surface; firmly press perforations to seal

Using small Halloween-shaped cutter, cut 2 or 3 shapes out of dough

Place dough sheet evenly over top (for 8x8-inch dish, fold under short sides to fit

Sprinkle cornmeal (or fried onions) all over dough, except on cutout area

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown

Snakes in Grass

Snakes in the Grass

Prep Time: 20 minutes. Start to Finish: 40 minutes. Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 cups kix cereal

1 cup panko crispy bread crumbs

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ cup buttermilk

1 egg

2 tablespoons melted butter

Shredded lettuce

Capers for eyes (I used sliced olives)

Honey mustard or ranch for dressing if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 and spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray

Between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper, place each chicken breast smooth side down; gently pound flat side of meat with a meat mallet or rolling pin until about ¼ inch thick; then cut chicken into ½ inch thick strips

Place cereal in a resealable food-storage plastic bag; crush with rolling pin to make 1 cup. In a pie plate, mix crushed cereal, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. In another pie plate, beat butter milk and egg with a whisk. Dip chicken strips in buttermilk mixture; coat with crumb mixture and place on cooking rack, letting stand for 5 minutes

On each of 16 (6-inch) metal or soaked bamboo skewers, thread chicken strips to look like a snake. Place skewers on cookie sheet. Drizzle melted butter evenly over chicken. Bake 12 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink in the middle

Remove chicken from skewers; arrange on lettuce-lined plate and place two capers on each snake for eyes, than serve with dressing of choice