Our family loves Mexican food. Any of all varieties, flavors, you name it, we’ll eat it!

So one of the most important aspects of having a 10 Minute Dinner philosophy ready and waiting on a moments notice is having the proteins made up in advance.

With cooked chicken and ground beef prepped for the week, I can throw together so many of our favorites in no time at all.

One of those that tops that list is my quick and easy Sour Cream Enchiladas recipe. Packed with delicious chicken and oozing with cheeses, it’s a comfort food that always makes the meal plan.

With so many options for how you prepare it, it will be a hit for every person in your family, plus it’s perfect for serving large groups as well.

This will feed a crew and it freezes well, so in my world, those are critical criteria met, making this a winner for sure!!

Hop on over for the directions to this quick and easy Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Recipe.

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Yes, I know you may be rolling your eyes, thinking there’s nothing as good as plain ‘ole Southern Fried chicken. Here in the South, they have perfected fried chicken and it’s truly an art, so it is really possible to have a low fat chicken recipe that mimics that crunch?

While I can’t quite match the full fledged deep fried perfection, I can come fairly close with flavor and I can guarantee that your arteries and fat count content will thank me.

For the last few weeks, I’ve kicking back to my low carb and no white sugar eating habits. You may remember when I tackled the 17 Day Diet with amazing success. It truly taught me a lot about my eating habits and the fact that I do have a tiny bit of discipline left in me.

Can I be honest and admit that I want to lose the ten pounds I’ve gained because I don’t want to go into the holidays adding even more? So I’m losing it, to have a little freedom with my treats because I love my easy Pumpkin Bars recipe a whole bunch. That’s a kind of balance, isn’t it?

Enough about me. Here is a fantastic recipe that mimics the crunch of fried chicken that we love without sacrificing all the flavor.  Plus, it’s a great recipe for which to include the kids. They love mixing and shaking and can master this one on their own.

As I’ve played around with this recipe, I’ve tweaked here and there with various seasonings, cereals and even added a touch of Parmesan cheese. Plus, it meets all the requirements for my 10 Minute Dinners prep time and that’s always a win-win!

If you enjoy this, you’ll love my 10 Minute Parmesan Ranch Chicken Tenders that don’t need the extra bake time or my Cheesey Ranch Chicken, which is always a hit (it just isn’t fit into my 17 Day Diet recipes.)

Click here for this quick recipe: 

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Yes, potatoes are my love language. It’s hard to admit this next fact, but I’d choose a variety of them over a steak any day. That’s wrong. I know it and admit it.

This post has been sitting in a draft for four years. It’s time I hit publish, even with the original photo and new ones taken. I have 60 more recipes waiting. Some day this site will be back up and humming.

Some of the best additions to a meal can be the most simple. Mashed potatoes are a staple of many homes, but so often we let them be plain and bland. With a little extra effort, you can make them the highlight of your meal.

We served these for our Thanksgiving dinner, and I think just about everyone present raved about them.

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Our family stirs up varying debates.

Sometimes topics run deep and introspective, swapping between politics, religion and other politically incorrect table talk discussions, while others, well, they are a debate for debate sake.

Tonight’s debate sparked discussion on chili vs. soup.

You see this delicious and oh, so easy Tex Mex Chicken Chili, er, Soup can be either, depending on how much broth you choose to add.

All I know is that we love it and it’s a great change from the traditional chili. Of course, since we already have our chicken cooked up in bulk and ready to go, this is one of those perfect comfort night meals that is ready to go on a moment’s notice.

Keep the pantry stocked and you’ll be ready all winter long.

Terrible late night i-phone picture, but shows that teens spoon this up on demand at midnight,

Chock full of some of my favorites, this is a perfect meal for large groups of guests because not only can you make this ahead of time (the flavors are always better the next day,) but the toppings are what takes the Tex-Mex status to the next level.

Serve the toppings in a buffet style and guests can customize to their hearts content. If you are like my guys, Tabasco Sauce is front and center. They like it hot.

When I served this last, I made it hearty, but then I realized it was getting gobbled up quickly and two more kids needed to eat, so I added a bit more broth to it and voila, it stretched.

This is a versatile meal and you can tweak it to your family’s likes by adding additions or making subtractions. You can also easily make this in a crock pot using already cooked chicken and sautéed onions.

If you love this, you’ll want to make sure you add on my Dump and Run Taco Soup.

Enjoy!!  (And make sure to double or triple this recipe because it freezes SO well.)

The post Oh, So Easy, Tex Mex Chicken Chili (or Soup) appeared first on 10 Minute Dinners.

There’s nothing like thinking back on your early childhood and remembering the sounds and smells of the kitchen. A good ole fashion beef stew is one of those recipes that sends our scenes swirling, not to mention, it’s whole foods at their finest.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret that may seem kind of odd.  I don’t drink, at all…nope, not any alcohol. I just never have, but I do use it to cook with because there’s something incredible that happens when a bit of wine is added to comfort foods. I just wish I liked it more straight from a glass.

A good, homestyle beef stew can have lots of improvisations with seasonings (I used only the basic simple ones), varying veggies and even the wine you choose, but this is a hearty, flavorful meal.

I hope you’ll give this recipe a try and see if it brings back memories of your Mom’s or Grandma’s beef stew.

What do you change or add to your favorite Old Fashioned Beef Stew recipe? 

Ole Fashioned Beef Stew

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Remember when you were a little kid, and there were some foods you just wouldn’t touch? For me, onions were near the top of my list, if not at the very top. If a meal had onions in it, you’d better not tell me or I was immediately turned off.

Now, I can’t think of many things I wouldn’t want with onions. To me, onions are the king of all vegetables and during my sugar, carb detox, I learned to just love them carmelized. Yes, they became like treats, so you know I must have been desperate.

I love onion rings, but the fat grams and calories. Yikes!! This little side dish, easy to whip up, (not to mention burn), is a great addition to every onion lovers menu and you can mix and match your favorite spices. Once I finished my carb detox and wanted to incorporate healthy “junk food”, this was a great lower carb appetizer.

This recipe, along with about 30 others, have been sitting in my drafts for two years waiting for me to retake better pictures. Well, I’m just going ahead with it anyhow. Envision perfect photography and these taste better than they look.  

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Were you a church potluck attender or gatherings that you rack your head wondering what to make? Well, if you grew up in church, or attended family reunions, you probably remember at least one green bean casserole showing up on the buffet table.

I’m convinced the French fried onions on top are simply a lure to get all the kids at the potluck to try the green beans underneath and for the most part, it works. This is one of life’s all time favorite comfort food casseroles, isn’t it?

We always had this at Christmas and those memories stick. I love how certain recipes do that. 

Do you have some like?

This is not like your basic green bean casserole. We’ve definitely taken it up a notch or two and I broke my ten minute prep rule by just a tad. You can easily cut the prep time down to ten by using store bought croutons, canned mushrooms (or admitting them completely based on preference). I wanted to give you the full flavor variety and I sure hope you enjoy it.

It’s perfect for the upcoming holidays.

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I looked at the clock and panicked.

Time had slipped by in a flurry of  “What in the world.  It was just 2:00. Where did the afternoon go?”

By 6:25, this epitome of all comfort foods dish was heating in the oven. By 6:45, the kitchen was flooded with smells that warmed my heart, alongside sounds of children singing my praise for serving their favorite food of all time – this oh, so very Simple Shepherd’s Pie. (Although, they do say that about a few other things as well.)

There’s just something about Shepherd’s Pie that equals comfort. Yet, often, we equate it with a lot of work in the kitchen.

Not.Any.More.

It’s all about just layering your favorites of what you have on hand.

If I haven’t convinced you before to cook up a big batch of Ground Beef in your Crock pot, this should make up your mind. Run, put that meat in your crock pot now, well, unless it’s dinner time. Then it will be ready for tomorrow.

Fortunately, I had already taken a bag of my ground beef out of the freezer. I had added some simple seasonings when I cooked it – garlic salt and onion powder, plus some minced garlic and onions mixed in as well.

With that on hand, I looked at my freezer and saw that I had a bag of frozen corn, and my pantry housed some long forgotten dried potatoes. Now before you run for the hills with that thought, know that I am a potato connoisseur.

My favorite food in the world consists of anything with potatoes and often, I have some Gourmet Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes made up in my freezer, but yesterday, I didn’t.

With that being said, if I think this is delicious with “fake” (as my kids call them) potatoes, trust me on this, it’s still amazing. If you have the extra 30 minutes to go ahead and make some fresh homemade mashed potatoes, go for it, but then you won’t be a hero in less than 10 minutes.

I was going for hero status in a jiffy, and you can too.

First, I layered the ground beef mixture across the bottom of my pan, and sprinkled a bit of extra seasoning salt on top. Since I am feeding seven, I typically use a 9×13 and a bit more ground beef than just 1 1/2 pounds. Shepherd’s Pie reheats beautifully, so I do love leftovers with this.

Next, I used my favorite steak sauce, BBQ sauce or even ketchup (see here for easy homemade ketchup) and spread a thin layer across the ground beef. This gives it the great “homemade” flavor.

Then I sprinkled a layer of frozen corn right from the bag across my cooked ground beef. (This is when you use what you have. If I had frozen mixed veggies with carrots and peas, I may have used that as well. I’ve even put shredded zucchini on top when it’s in garden season. For a full 9×13, I typically use a one pound bag of corn.)

The top layer is when the mashed potatoes make their entrance. Mix up the bag of potatoes according to their instructions, but to give it the extra flavor edge, stir in some sour cream to make it extra creamy. Spoon that across the entire pan, and then liberally sprinkle your favorite cheese. There is no wrong way to make this Simple Shepherd’s Pie, and I hesitate to give you exact amounts since every one will desire different portions.

Remember, it’s just about layering, and then topping it off with a good ‘ole amount of yummy taters and cheese. That’s the key to a win for this quick meal.

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For years, this easy taco soup recipe has been a staple in our home.

In fact, it’s quite possibly the most requested recipe by our kids, and the fact that it takes less than 10 minutes to throw together makes me “Mother of the Year” quite often.

They don’t need to know just how simple it is to grant them their favorite meal requests, and I don’t plan on announcing it anytime soon. What’s wonderful about this meal is that it gets better with time. The seasonings deepen as they mix, so making extra to serve later is something that’s a given.

They always remind me though, “Make sure you make lots, Mom. It will be even better tomorrow.”

It’s one of my three top choices when entertaining large groups, along with my Mom’s Homemade Lasagna. Everyone loves Taco Soup (and it’s very easy to make it vegetarian for special guests),  plus it freezes perfectly, so it meets just about everyone of my criteria.

In posting this recipe, I am at a disadvantage because I don’t use a recipe for this anymore. That is the beauty of this Dump & Run Taco Soup; use what you have on hand. It may be a tad different every time, but with the flavorings, you can not go wrong.

It’s a foolproof recipe with room for “self expression.” (Can we do that in cooking?)

As you read through it, know that there is room to experiment. For instance,  while my base recipe calls for Dry Ranch Dressing, many times I do not add it, thereby substituting an additional package of Taco Seasoning. If I have green peppers on hand, I will add them to the meat mixture. If you are veggie lover, add more corn, peppers, or zucchini.. One of our goals in the kitchen, is to get to the point where we can mix, taste test and improvise.  That is difficult for many in the kitchen, but Taco Soup is a perfect recipe to start implementing that creativity.

10 Minute Tip:  if you are following the 10 minute dinner philosophy, you will already have the Taco Meat pre-cooked and ready to grab from your fridge or freezer. This will significantly cut down on the prep time of this meal, making it as quick as five minutes to whip together. I always have Bulk Ground Beef options which have the onion and garlic already added.

C.O.S.T Cooking ideas: Use the leftover soup, add a few more beans to thicken the consistency up and use as filling for an Easy Taco Ring or as stuffing for the Mini Biscuit Meatloaves.

Follow along with the rest of my 31 Days Towards 10 Minute Dinners here.

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What kind of strong emotions does the words Hamburger Helper bring to mind?

I am going to admit, that for many, it brings back fond memories of family meal time around the table and distinctively says comfort food at its finest.

To others, the instantaneous thought of, “How can you ever purchase that box mix?” undoubtedly rings true. Well, I am going to combine the two ideas and create the best of both worlds.

Yes, this is a Homemade Hamburger Helper recipe with a true gourmet touch and it’s delicious!

Oh, I wish I could capture a better picture to let you know just how delicious this is, but we all know that Hamburger Helper has never quite been known for it’s beautiful look, just the delicious blend of flavors.

How can I make sure this Homemade Hamburger Help Recipe meets the 10 Minute Dinner prep time guarantee? 

Better yet, from fridge to feast in 10 Minutes?

• Use the previously prepared ground beef ready and waiting in your fridge.  (I’ve Cooked this ground beef in bulk in the crock pot or prepped it during my Power Cooking Hour.)
• Use a bag of store bought diced onions or carrots or better yet, include this task in your weekly Power Cooking Hour.
• First thing, start the noodles. Then while noodles are cooking, stir fry the veggies and add ingredients for meat mixture. It will be done by the time your noodles are finished.

It’s such an easy, but delicious recipe. To elevate the taste even further, omit a bit of the broth and add some cooking wine. You may also substitute milk  instead of the cream, it just won’t quite be as rich, but still very good.

ENJOY!!!

Stand proud and declare your love of Hamburger Helper!!

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