Another Pinterest.com find. Recipe taken from plainchicken.com. I served this with some noodles in a cream sauce, but they’d be really good with a marinara as well.

• 1 lb hot sausage, uncooked
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 11⁄4 cups Bisquick
• 4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

Mix all ingredients until well combined. I used my KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook attachment. Roll into 1-inch balls. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until brown.
*Sausage balls may be frozen uncooked. If baking frozen, add a few minutes baking time.

Another great find from the Pioneer Woman. These steak bites are so easy and delicious. The prep instructions look long, but it’s actually really simple.

• 1  lb sirloin steak (without much gristle) or pre-cut beef tips
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1⁄4 kosher salt to taste
• 1 fresh ground black pepper to taste

Trim off the large obvious piece of fat that runs along the side of the meat. Cut strips less than 1-inch wide. Rotate the meat and cut into small bite- sized pieces. If you see any more large chunks of fat, gristle or long silvery membrane, cut them off. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss meat around to thoroughly coat with seasonings. Next, turn on your ventilation fan. Heat the skillet over medium – high heat. As the pan heats, add about 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Allow the butter to melt, then brown before you add the meat. Place some of the meat in the pan in a single layer. It should sizzle loudly when it hits the pan – if it doesn’t the pan isn’t hot enough. Don’t stir or disrupt the meat for 30-45 seconds. Scoop as many steak bites as you can with your spatula and flip them over. Repeat until all the meat is turned. Cook for an additional 30 -45 seconds – just long enough to sear the outside. Remove the meat to a clean plate. Add a little more butter to the pan and repeat the cooking process with the next batch just as before. Lastly, when all the meat is nicely browned and removed to the plate, pour the leftover butter over the meat.

This recipe also comes from the Pioneer Woman website. Since it appears that her husband and mine have very similar tastes in food, I have been getting quite a few recipes from her. This one was easy, and very tasty.

• 1 pounds ground beef
• 1⁄2  teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1⁄2  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1⁄2  teaspoon lemon pepper or garlic powder
• 1⁄2  tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 4 strips thin/regular bacon, cut in half
• 1⁄4 cup barbeque sauce
• 8 slices cheese of your choice
• 8 whole dinner/slider rolls

Combine meat with all seasoning ingredients. Knead with hands to combine. Form into small-to-medium sized balls. Wrap one piece of bacon snugly around the ball of meat, tucking in the ends, then repeat around the other side. Place patties, bacon seam down, on a baking pan with a drip tray sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Press gently on each patty to flatten as much as you can without squeezing meat out the edges. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to firm. Brush each patty liberally with barbeque sauce. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes, or until bacon is cooked to your specifications. Remove from oven and lay a piece of cheese on each patty. Serve on a roll with your choice of toppings/condiments.

This recipe is courtesy of the Pioneer Woman. I cut it in half because it would’ve fed 10. It made great leftovers.

• 1 lbs. ground chuck
• 1 1⁄2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• 1 14 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 10 oz can Rotel
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2  teaspoon ground oregano
• 1⁄2  tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoons chili powder (more to taste)
• 1 14 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1⁄4 cup masa, or regular corn meal
• 1⁄2 cup warm water

Brown ground chuck with garlic in a pot over medium-high heat. Add tomato sauce, Rotel, salt, oregano, cumin, and chili powder. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add drained and rinsed beans. Stir to combine, then cover and simmer for another 20 minutes. Mix masa with water, then add to the chili. Stir to combine and simmer for final 10-15 minutes. Set aside. Serve by slicing the individual Frito bags open lengthwise. Pile in chili and cheese. Serve immediately.

Another Pinterest find. This is simple, and delicious. You can easily prep in advance and freeze until you’re ready to bake it. I chose to make this with black pepper, garlic, and oregano.

• 1⁄2  large onion, diced
• 1⁄2  tablespoon canola oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1⁄2 box macaroni
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 cup each grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese
• salt to taste
• spices of your choice

Sweat the onions in the oil with a three-fingered pinch of salt. Add the beef and cook it, breaking it up as you do. Add another three-fingered pinch of salt or two, along with any dry seasonings you want. Add the tomatoes and any fresh seasonings, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Cook the macaroni in boiling water until it’s half done. Drain it and add it to the tomatoes. Stir it and taste it, adding more seasoning if needed. Put in an 8×11 pan and cover with foil. At this point you can store in the fridge for a couple days or freeze it for a couple weeks. Bake at 400 ̊ for 40 minutes, then pull the foil off, cover with cheese and broil on high until cheese is melted and beautiful.

This recipe comes from the Pioneer Woman website. I loved it because it was easy and quick to make, but tasted great for dinner, and lunch the next day.

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 5 cups bow tie noodles
• 3 cups spaghetti sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1⁄2  cup mozzarella cheese
• 1⁄2  cup sour cream

Fry ground chuck in a small pan. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions. After noodles are cooked, drain and drizzle with olive oil. Mix in your spaghetti sauce, the add the hamburger, seasonings, cheese, and sour cream. Fold together and allow it to combine and melt together, over low heat, for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

This super simple pasta was really nice. A good accompaniment to all kinds of things. Courtesy of Pinterest.

• 1⁄2 lb dried spaghetti
• 1 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
• 1⁄4 cup Parmesan cheese
• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Cook pasta in boiling, salted water according to package directions. While pasta cookes, heat a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add butter and when it’s hot, add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and gently saute until garlic is softening but not browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cream and a generous sprinkle of salt. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring a few times, then remove from heat and set aside. When pasta is done, just before draining, reserve 2 tablespoons of the pasta water. Drain the pasta, return to the pot, and add the garlic cream, parmesan cheese, pasta water, sprinkle of salt, and some fresh black pepper. Toss until sauce is creamy and pasta is coated. Serve immediately.

This recipe also comes from Pinterest. The original website was penniesonaplatter.com. It’s really easy, you can also prep in advance.

• 5 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1⁄4 cup guacamole salsa (or other green salsa)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2  cloves minced garlic
• 3  tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons sliced green onions (if desired)
• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 1 cup shredded Mexican flavored cheese
• small flour tortillas

Preheat your oven to 425 ̊F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic. Once combined, stir in the cilantro and green onions. Add the chicken and cheese; mix thoroughly. Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave between two paper towels for about 20 – 30 seconds. Spoon 2-3 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the tortilla and roll as tightly as you can. Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone. Make sure the taquitos are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.