Bean & Cheese Burritos

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 can refried beans
1 can cheddar cheese soup

tortillas

enchilada sauce (optional)
grated cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Brown hamburger. Drain fat and season to taste.

2. Add chopped onion, cook until soft.

3. Add refried beans and cheddar cheese soup. Heat through.


4. Spoon mixture into tortillas and roll (see below). Place in a sprayed 9x13 pan.

5. If desired, top with enchilada sauce and cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Tips for folding burritos:

1. Top tortilla with burrito filling.


2. Fold in sides of tortilla.


3. Roll from bottom up.


4. Place in pan seam side down so everything will stay inside.


5. If you coat the bottom of the pan with enchilada sauce, the burritos will not stick to the pan after being baked.

Enjoy!

Bonus:

Made from scratch Enchilada Sauce--

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil

1 t. dried onion
1/2 t. oregano
2 1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. basil
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1/4 t. cumin

6 oz. tomato paste
1 1/2 c. water or chicken broth
1/4 c. salsa

1. Saute garlic in olive oil until fragrant (about 30 sec.).

2. Add tomato paste, salsa, and spices. Stir.

3. Add water or broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

from the kitchen of laura w.
(i even made this one up myself)

Shrimp Alfredo

(adapted from Secret Recipes)

I love Olive Garden's Alfredo sauce, so I looked up the recipe online.  I added a few changes to make it my own, so here is my version

Ingredients:

1 pint half and half

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons butter

2 TB cream cheese (I was out of cream cheese, but a good substitute for cream cheese is blended up cottage cheese, which I have used in a pinch many times)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2-3 cloves minced garlic

shrimp - optional

In a pan melt one stick of butter.  Add shrimp.  I use frozen cooked shrimp, which is easy to overcook so I just make sure it's warmed through.  Remove shrimp from the pan and add extra butter. (If you are not adding shrimp, skip that step and don't use the extra butter)  Add garlic and cook for one about 30 seconds to one minute.  Add half and half, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese and stir until all is melted. Simmer for a few minutes.  If the sauce is still too runny, mix in a separate cup a little cornstarch and water and add to sauce to thicken.  Add the shrimp back in until all is combined and warmed.  Pour over pasta.