Recipes??

Who doesn't want more? Who's tired of eating the same meals? I read in a book recently that most American families eat the same 5-7 meals each MONTH! No wonder we as a culture eat out (unhealthy) so often! So, I've been doing 14 day meal plans, and pulling new, EASY recipes from old cookbooks, friends emails, etc. I've also been trying to use up what's in my pantry before trucking out to the store, trying to save money. So, anyways, my plan is to post my recipes/dinners for the next few weeks. I wanted to start with last nights meal, because it has quickly become a new family favorite. It's quick, easy and YUMMY. I'd post tonight's meal, but I DIDN'T cook! :) My in-laws made a yummy stuffed bell peppers, green beans and mashed potatoes, and I LOVED it. And even better, they sent home leftovers for Eric's lunch tomorrow, YEA!

Ok, here's the Beefy Taco Soup recipe I got off Dine Without Whine . com. Read below to see what I did each time (I've never actually made the actual recipe).

Makes 4 servings (this can be stretched to 6)
1 pound ground beef, browned
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
Stir ingredients together; pour into crock pot. Heat on low setting for 6-8 hours; stir occasinally. Add water to thin consistency as desired (I usually add a cup of water every hour or more when I stir).

Ok, so I have yet to make this with beef. I usually use a serving size of shredded cooked chicken out of the freezer from my previous crock pot chicken. You can also substitute any tomatoes for the stewed tomatoes. I've used rotel and crushed tomatoes as well. Ialso forgot to mention, I rarely use mixes, like the taco seasoning mix. If you look at the ingredients, you can usualy figure it out. But for any mexican dish, I usually throw in: Ground cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder :)