This recipe puts a delicious twist on your normal taco salad. The main difference between this salad and a normal taco salad is the flavor from the French dressing. The process to making this salad is very easy—ground beef is cooked in a pan and combined with taco seasoning, chili beans, and French dressing. The beef mixture is mixed together with various ingredients such as Doritos chips, lettuce, tomato, and cheese. It is important if you do not want the chips to be soggy to mix them in just right before serving the salad. This salad makes a great dinner or an excellent dish to bring to parties or events. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1lb lean ground beef
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (16 ounce) bottle French dressing
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 (14.5 ounce) package Doritos (or tortilla chips)
2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives (drained)
4 tablespoons sour cream
½ cup prepared salsa

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef. Drain of any excess liquid. Stir in taco seasoning, chili beans, and French dressing. Fill the dressing bottle 2/3 full with water and add to the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Crush the Doritos and set aside. In a large bowl combine the meat mixture with lettuce, cheese, black olives, and tomatoes. Add sour cream and salsa. Stir in the crushed Doritos just before serving.
(Makes 8 Servings)

The combination of bacon and cheddar as a breading for chicken tenders is amazing. What is even better is that these chicken tenders are baked and not fried. When I came across this recipe on the Progresso website, I knew I had to give them a try. The chicken tenders are first dipped in an egg mixture and then coated with Panko breadcrumbs, shredded cheddar cheese, and bacon bits. What is really great about this recipe is the bacon flavor that the chicken tenders have. For even more flavor I served these with Ranch Cucumber dressing garnished with additional bacon bits and minced fresh chives. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 egg
½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
½ cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 (3 oz) package cooked real bacon bits
1 (14 oz) package uncooked chicken tenders (not breaded)
Ranch dressing (for serving)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the lined cookie sheet with cooking spray.
Step 2: In a shallow bowl beat the egg. In another shallow bowl or a pie plate, combine bread crumbs, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits. Dip the chicken tenders first in the egg mixture, then roll in the breadcrumb mixture until evenly coated. Place onto the baking sheet. Repeat until all of the chicken strips are coated.
Step 3: Place into the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is fully cooked (the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees) and the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve with Ranch dressing.
(Makes 4 Servings)

The idea of a Snickers salad might sound strange but it makes a delicious dessert. This salad is great to bring to parties or events. If you are not familiar with this salad, it combines Snickers candy bars, granny smith apples, cool whip, powdered sugar, and cream cheese. It is important to soften the cream cheese and to let the cool whip thaw before mixing them together. After the salad is mixed it can be topped off with caramel ice cream topping, peanuts, and additional chopped Snickers bars. If you need to feed a large crowd this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (softened)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (12 ounce) container Cool Whip (thawed)
6 Snickers candy bars
4-6 granny smith apples
Optional toppings-
caramel ice cream topping
additional Snickers candy bars
peanuts

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a large bowl mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until thoroughly blended. Fold in the thawed Cool Whip.
Step 2: Cut the Snickers bars into bite size chunks and fold them into the cream cheese mixture. Chop the apples into chunks and fold them into the cream cheese mixture as well. Top the salad with caramel ice cream topping, additional chopped Snickers bars, and peanuts if desired. Chill 1 hour before serving. Do not let the salad chill for too long (such as overnight), it will result in liquid being released.
(Makes 8 Servings)

Making chow mein noodles with chicken is one of my favorite meals to prepare. I like the chow mein noodles because of their texture and the how quick they are to cook—they are also good at absorbing the flavors from the sauce. This recipe consists of stir-fried chicken pieces and chow mein noodles mixed with a honey soy sauce. The original recipe called for cooking the chicken in the slow cooker, but I decided to stir-fry it instead. This recipe gets most of its flavor from the sauce, which consists of a mixture of soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, chili sauce, and Dijon mustard. I like to serve this recipe with egg rolls. Enjoy. Adapted from The Recipe Critic.

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into about ½ inch chunks)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 ¼ cups low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
¼ cup rice vinegar
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tablespoon chili sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 ( 8 ounce) package chow mein noodles
2 tablespoons sesame seed
sliced green onion

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a medium bowl whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, chili sauce, mustard, and chili sauce.
Step 2: Heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds (be careful not the burn the garlic). Add the chicken pieces to the wok and stir-fry until the chicken is fully cooked (the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees). Remove the chicken from the wok and set aside. Pour the sauce mixture into the wok and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Cook the chow mein noodles according to the package directions and drain. Mix with chow mein noodles with the chicken and the sauce. Top with sesame seeds and green onions.
(Makes 4 Servings)

This recipe is a great way to make hot dog sauce using ground beef. The beef is simmered in the pan with various seasonings. It is important to cook this slowly so that it is nice and moist when you want to serve it. You want to cook the mixture just until the liquid is almost gone but not completely. You can adjust a lot of the seasonings to your taste and add additional seasonings as well. Along with this hot dog sauce you can top your hot dogs with whatever you like; some good options would be cheddar cheese, ketchup, and mustard. What I did was top them with warmed nacho cheese and green onions—it was delicious! Enjoy.

Ingredients:
2 1/2lbs lean ground beef
1 cup water
½ cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
½ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Crumble ground beef into a large deep skillet over medium heat. Stir in water, and mash the ground beef thoroughly with a potato masher. Stir in tomato sauce, ketchup, salt, pepper, sugar, chili powder, dried minced onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, until the sauce reaches a medium consistency that is not too soupy.
Step 2: Serve this on hot dogs. You can grill the hot dogs, boil them, etc.
(Makes 12 Servings)

This recipe combines the ingredients of a bacon cheeseburger in a quesadilla. These quesadillas are so easy to prepare and make a great appetizer. If you want you can even serve them for dinner with fries or a side dish. Some of the ingredients in this recipe include hamburger, bacon, cheese, onion, and pickles. You can add just about any of your favorite cheeseburger ingredients if you want. I like to serve these cheeseburger quesadillas with lettuce and tomato. It is important to get the flavor of the meat mixture right. You will want to adjust the amount of ketchup and mustard to your taste. I would recommend starting off with a little of each, tasting the mixture and adding more if needed. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1/2lb smoky bacon (chopped)
1 ½lbs ground  beef
salt and pepper (to taste)
ketchup and mustard (to taste)
2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
16 dill pickle slices
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter (for spreading)
For garnish-
shredded lettuce
diced tomato

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Pour some of the bacon fat from the pan (reserving a little). Add ground beef to the same pan, and cook ground beef while breaking it up into chunks with a spatula or spoon. Cook until the beef is fully cooked. Drain off any excess grease. Add the bacon back into the pan and season with mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in ketchup and mustard to taste.
Step 2: Heat a large non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Spread butter lightly on one side of the flour tortilla shell. Place the tortilla butter side down into the pan.
Step 3: Sprinkle a layer of cheese evenly over the entire tortilla. On half of the tortilla sprinkle a layer of the meat mixture, a layer of chopped onion, and 2 dill pickle slices. Cook until the cheese has melted and the bottom has browned. Using a spatula fold the tortilla in half and press down the edges gently. Remove from the pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Slice each quesadilla into three triangles. Serve with lettuce and tomato.
(Makes 8 Servings)

Using smoked Gouda in mac and cheese makes a delicious and flavorful pasta dish. What I like about smoked Gouda is that it has a strong enough flavor to really stand out in this mac and cheese recipe. Not only does this recipe use smoked Gouda but it uses sharp cheddar as well. The original recipe called for baking the mac and cheese but I deiced to do it all on the stove-top. There are numerous seasonings in this recipe that contribute to the flavor; some of these seasonings include ground mustard and Cajun seasoning. You can add more of each of the seasonings if you wish. You might want to taste the sauce and add more seasoning if you think it is needed.  I like to serve this as a side dish with popcorn shrimp. Enjoy. Adapted from Just A Dash.

Ingredients:
4 cups dried macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups fat-free half and half
2 teaspoons dried mustard
1/3 lb. smoked Gouda cheese (shredded)
½ lb. sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
sliced green onions

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1:  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package directions.
Step 2: While the noodles are cooking, in a large deep skillet melt the butter and then sprinkle in the flour. Whisk together over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the mixture. Cook for about 2 minutes while whisking. Pour in the milk, a little at a time and whisk until smooth each time. Cook the mixture while whisking until it has become very thick. Add the smoked Gouda and cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Stir in mustard, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Remove from heat.
Step 3: Drain the macaroni noodles. In a large bowl mix the noodles with the cheese sauce. Top with green onions.
(Makes 4 Servings)

This recipe is apparently very similar to the Sweet Fire Chicken Breast from Panda Express. I have not actually tried this dish at Panda Express so I cannot comment on how close the taste is to the actual dish. The flavor of this recipe is very similar to that of sweet and sour chicken. The chicken is coated in panko breadcrumbs and then fried until golden brown. It is then tossed with a sweet sauce and served with pineapple chunks, sweet peppers, and onion. The dish does get a little bit of heat from the chili paste. This dish goes great served with white or brown rice.  Enjoy. Adapted from The Divine Chef.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (sliced into ½ inch chunks)
Oil (for frying)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 ½-2 cups Panko bread crumbs
Sauce-
½ cup lemon juice
6 tablespoons plum sauce
1 teaspoon chili paste
1 cup pineapple (sliced)
1 medium onion (sliced)
3 sweet pepper (sliced)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Heat oil in a deep fryer for 375 degrees. In medium bowl whisk together
the eggs with the milk. In another bowl or shallow pie dish add the flour, salt, and white pepper. In another bowl or shallow pie dish add the panko bread crumbs.
Step 2: Roll the chicken pieces first in the flour mixture, then dip in the egg mixture, and then roll in the breadcrumbs. Repeat until all pieces of chicken are covered.
Step 3: Place chicken pieces into the deep fryer and deep fry in batches until the chicken pieces are golden brown and fully cooked (the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees). Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all of the chicken is cooked.
Step 4: Add about 1 teaspoon of oil to a wok or skillet and heat to medium-high heat. Add sweet pepper and onion and stir fry in about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice , plum sauce and chili sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in pineapple chunks. Mix the sauce with the chicken and serve immediately.
(Makes 4 Servings)

Using crushed Doritos as a breading for chicken strips is a great idea. The Doritos give the chicken strips an excellent flavor and a nice crunch. The strips are baked in the oven so no frying is involved. The process to making this recipe is very easy—the chicken is first dipped in mayonnaise, and then rolled in a mixture of taco seasoning and crushed Doritos chips. If you want to leave the taco seasoning out, that is okay, it should taste fine without it. You can use whatever flavor of Doritos you like for this recipe; I used both Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch. I actually think I preferred the flavor of the Cool Ranch ones a little more. You can serve these with your favorite dipping sauce or they taste great without any at all. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ cup fat-free mayonnaise
3 tablespoons skim milk
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 bag Doritos chips (your favorite flavor)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Cut the chicken breasts into ½ inch strips.  In a large bowl mix together the mayonnaise and the milk. Place Doritos and the taco seasoning in a zip lock baggie, crush the chips into medium sized crumbs. Pour the chip mixture into a medium size bowl.
Step 2: Coat the chicken strips in the mayonnaise mixture and then roll in the crushed Doritos mixture. Place onto a baking sheet in a single layer (be sure not to overlap).
Step 3: Place into the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked (the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees).
(Makes 4 Servings)

If you enjoy cheeseburgers, this casserole is a dish that you will definitely want to try. This casserole uses cheeseburger ingredients such as ground beef, onion, tomatoes, mustard, pickles, and cheddar cheese. What I really like about this recipe is the combination of flavors, I really feel that the dill pickles topped this dish off nicely. You could make this casserole even better by adding some additional cheeseburger ingredients such as bacon and mushrooms. This casserole is very easy to prepare and makes a great dinner for any night of the week. Enjoy. Adapted from Skinnytaste.

Ingredients:
6 ounces uncooked rotini pasta (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons oil
1 ½ cups onions (finely chopped)
1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
1lb lean ground beef
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup chopped dill pickles

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13” inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente, drain.
Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground beef and cook while breaking up into chunks with a spoon or spatula until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in tomato paste, and then add the tomatoes and mustard. Let the mixture bubble gently until it is slightly thickened (about 2 minutes).
Step 3: Toss the meat mixture with the cooked pasta and spread it into the prepared baking dish. Top with cheddar cheese. Place the baking dish into the oven and bake until the cheese has melted (about 15 minutes). Remove from the oven, sprinkle the chopped dill pickles over the top and serve.
(Makes 4 Servings)