Hamburger Gravy

This is by far the most requested recipe in the Cooley household right now. I always oblige when it's requested because it's about the simplest dinner to throw together, not to mention one of the cheapest.

Hamburger Gravy

Whatcha Need
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small jar of mushrooms (if ya have them on hand. I chop them up really fine so the picky eaters don't know they are there.)
1 can milk (from cream of mushroom soup) (Didn't make it into the picture)
Brown gravy mix
Sour Cream
+
2 cups cooked rice

That's it!!!


Whatcha do with it...
1.) Cook Hamburger, chopped onion, and mushrooms (season meat with the usual...salt, pepper and my favorite spice of all McCormick Hamburger Seasoning, I use this in everything.) About 8-10min


2.) Throw in Can of Mushroom Soup, can of milk, and about 1/4 cup of sour cream. Stir it all together and let it simmer for about five minutes


3.) Add some gravy seasoning and let simmer another five minutes.


4.) Throw Ham gravy over some rice (biscuit, mashed potatoes, toast, or noodles)
We usually go with a green vegi with this dinner and Viola ya got a quick and super easy dinner.

Tuna Noodle

This dish is comfort food at it's best. I found this Tuna Noodle recipe a couple years ago and really liked it so it's became my staple recipe. In the fall and winter I am usually making this once a month. In the spring/summer it seems to go off our meal rotation.

I gotta tell you though once the house is filled with the smell of Tuna Noodle I swear it takes me back to when I was a kid. My mom made this all the time growing up. This recipe is a little different than hers, but I've kept some of her signature staples on this recipe.

Whatcha Need...
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Cream of Celery Soup (If you like a dryer Tuna Noodle then omit one can of either soup)
1/2 cup Milk (Not pictured)
2 1/2 cups of Uncooked Elbow Noodles
1 12 oz can of Tuna
1 small bag of Mozzarella Cheese
Sour Cream and Onion potato chips (Not Pictured)


Whatcha do with it...
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Cook 2 1/2 cups of Noodles and drain
While Noodles are cooking mix soup(s), milk, 1/2 bag of Mozzarella cheese, and tuna in baking dish. Season with Salt, Pepper and Italian Seasoning.


Stir in Drained Cooked Noodles and mix together...top with remaining Cheese...


Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes...top with crushed up Sour Cream in Onion potato chips and return to oven until browned


Viola...ya got dinner. We serve with a side of peas instead of traditional recipes that call for you to add the peas to the casserole. The only reason I don't add peas to the casserole is because there are a couple of Cooleys that frown at peas.



This is the super duper easy version of Tuna Noodle. I also make another Tuna Noodle that's a little more dressed up. It is super good. I'll post that recipe too, but this is definetly the casserole that comes up on the meal rotation a lot. :o)

Pesto Burgers

This is a super simple easy meal that tastes ohhhh so yummy. If you like pesto, you'll like this burger.

Whatcha Need
1 lb ground beef
1 pesto seasoning packet
Mozzarella Cheese



Whatcha Do with it...
This is super easy. It's so easy I didn't even take a picture of what to do. You simply throw ground beef and seasoning packet into bowl, mix it up, and shape into hamburger patties.
Cook 7-9 minutes on each side and top with some mozzarella cheese. I then drizzle a little sun dried tomato vinaigrette on it.
Viola, easy yummy dinner. I know it looks like a regular burger, but let me tell ya the pesto packet takes this burger to a whole new level.

(We served with Italian Seasoned Roasted Potatoes and Edamame.)

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

My favorite pork chops to buy is the big 'ole thick cut pork chops from Sams Club. I am able to get at least three meals from one package.

This is a really simple slow cooker pork chop meal. I found this recipe one day when I was looking for a slow cooker pork chop recipe that didn't utilize creamed soup. I'm as big a fan as the next person when it comes to that good 'ole creamed soup, but there comes a point when it's the last thing I want to grab in my pantry.

I threw this all together one day before work so I wasn't able to take pictures, but to be honest...no pictures are needed, it's so simple.

Whatcha Need...
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 teaspoon italian seasoning
3-4 thick cut boneless pork chops
salt and pepper

Whatcha do with it all...
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, chicken broth, garlic, paprika, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and italian seasoning. Pour into the slow cooker. Place Pork chops in slow cooker and season chops lightly with salt and pepper. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Whatcha Get...

All I had to do when I got home from work was make some mashed potatoes and green beans seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Poor some brown gravy over it (made from a gravy mix, not the crock pot juice...it was a little too oily to use as a gravy) and Viola!! The meat on the chop will be SO tender it will cut easily with a fork.

Cheese Bread

I got this recipe from Josh's family. It is Oh so yummy. It goes with a lot of stuff. We eat it in the Summer/Spring with BBQ and salads. The Fall/Winter with Stews and roasts. (Cowboy Stew and this go great together).

Whatcha Need
Round Loaf of Sourdough Bread. (If you're making for a big group buy a big round, this is just a little round for our family.)
Butter / Margarine
Mustard
Poppy Seeds
Monterrey Jack Cheese


Whatcha do with it
Cut Sourdough loaf horizontally and vertically, but don't cut all the way through, so the loaf is intact on the bottom.


Melt 2 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp mustard, and 2 Tbsp Poppy seed in microwave until melted.


Cut the Monterrey Jack block of cheese into strips


Place strips of Monterrey Jack into Sourdough Loaf


Spoon Mustard, Poppy Seed and Butter mixture over the Loaf and Cheese strips..microwave until everything is melted. Enjoy :o)