Serves 8   (Cut recipe in half to serve 4 or freeze half for a later meal.)

You’ll need:

2 lbs Ground Beef or Buffalo
2.5 lbs Green Chile (pick the level of spice you prefer)
*Use Fresh Roasted Green Chile, or Flash Frozen Roasted Green Chile (Bueno Green Chile is one example of a brand you can purchase at the grocery store that is already roasted, chopped and ready to go)
One 14.5 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
4 Cloves Garlic – minced or chopped
1 Large Onion Chopped
1 Cup Cold Water mixed with 2 to 3 table spoons of Tapioca Flour, Arrow Root or Flour (thickening agent)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Cilantro Chopped for garnish
Chips and/or Flour Tortillas

Footnote: If roasted chilies are not available you will need to roast them yourself. A grill works best. Roast Anaheim or New Mexico Chiles on a grill till they are black on all sides. Place in a plastic bad in the freezer for ten minutes. This will make it easier to peel them. Rub the blackened skin off and rinse clean. Then cut in half lengthwise, seed and chop.

Method:

1. Brown the beef on med heat, then drain the fat
2. Add onion to the meat and let it cook for a few minutes,  then add the garlic and let it cook for another min.
3. Add the water with thickening agent to the cooked beef (1 cup cold water mixed in 2 to 3 table spoons of tapioca flour). Wait for it to thicken. If its not thick enough for your liking, then you do it one more time but add less water and more of the thickening agent.
4. In a large pot add tomato, chile, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil.
5. Once the mixture is boiling then add the meat mixture and mix all together.
5. Lower heat, cover and simmer for approximately 20 min
6. Top with Chopped Cilantro for Garnish
7. Serve with chips and/or flour tortillas

Green Chile & Rice Casserole

For a variation of the Green Chile Stew (or if it’s too hot for your taste — especially if you used hot chiles):

With half of  the above recipe add:
1 cup sour cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 to 3 cups of cooked brown rice

Heat through and serve with organic corn chips and a green salad.

This recipe is in Baby Bites: Transforming a Picky Eater into a Healthy Eater. The taste and texture is slightly different from the boxed version of Macaroni and Cheese.

Most picky eaters don’t like “different.” If your child is used to eating processed macaroni and cheese, then call this recipe “Cheese Casserole,” so it won’t be compared to the lifeless boxed stuff. Once taste buds have experienced Nonna’s World Famous Mac & Cheese,  they’ll never want to eat the boxed variety, again.

You’ll need:
2 cups macaroni shells
1 stick butter
¾ cup chopped onions
¾ cup chopped carrots
¾ cup chopped celery
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup pastry wheat flour or arrowroot powder
2½ cups whole milk
8 ounces grated cheddar cheese

Method:
1. Finely chop all vegetables. For a very fine texture, use a food processor.
2. In a medium saucepan cook elbow macaroni according to directions.
3. Melt butter in saucepan.
4. Saute vegetables in melted butter for about 10 minutes.
5. Whisk in salt, pepper and flour to mixture.
6. Pour in milk and mix until all lumps disappear.
7. Turn heat to low and add cheddar cheese.
8. While cheese is melting, drain the water from the macaroni noodles and then add to sauce.
9. Stir and heat through.

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You’ll want to be sure that you have already cooked brown rice in your refrigerator, before you make this recipe.

2 cloves minced garlic

8-10 ounces of frozen chopped spinach (if you use fresh spinach, saute spinach until wilted)

28-ounce can of tomatoes

2 cup already-cooked brown rice

½ cup raisins

1) Sauté 2 cloves of minced garlic in olive oil.

2) Squeeze out the water from of defrosted frozen spinach, add along with one 28-ounce can of tomatoes, ½ cup raisins for a little sweetness, and 2 cups already cooked brown rice.

3) Stir and heat everything for just a few minutes.

4) Serve topped with grated mozzarella cheese.

Mmm, just the way I love it! Eating is believing!

This recipe is found in Baby Bites.
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Bring a pot of water to boil, cook wide egg noodles according to the package directions, then drain. As the water’s boiling, you’ll need to cut two minute steaks into thin strips.

Then thinly slice 1 medium onion and about ½ pound of fresh mushrooms, about 1 cup. Sauté the onions for about ten minutes in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, add 2 cloves of minced garlic the last minute. Then brown the minute steak strips and sauté the sliced mushrooms.

Add one can of cream of mushroom soup (purchase an organic brand without GMOs, MSG, and low sodium), 1 cup of sour cream, and 2 teaspoons of Tamari soy sauce and heat through.

Serve over the cooked noodles coated with a little olive oil.

Use 8 ounces of fresh spinach or defrost frozen spinach and squeeze out the water.

Bring a pot of water with a dash of salt to boil. Then cook a small package of egg noodles according to the directions. Drain; add a little olive oil to the noodles while you’re preparing the casserole.

Chop one small onion and mince a clove of garlic. Sauté the onion in a couple tablespoons of olive oil for about 8 minutes, add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute. Brown the meat and drain off any liquid.

Add ½ teaspoon salt and pepper and the defrosted spinach. Heat through. Add 3 eggs and stir until the eggs are cooked. Mix in the meat mixture (remember it’s kind of green).

While your oven is pre-heating to 350 degrees, make a thick white sauce by melting ¼ cup butter in a small pan, then whisk in ¼ cup flour. Add 1 cup milk, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Whisk until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat.

Then chop ½ cup of green olives. Drain and remove the bones from two 7-ounce cans of salmon; then flake with a fork. Or, you may use one pound of grilled salmon, remove the skin and cut into bite-size pieces.

Arrange by layers in a greased casserole dish:
Layer 2 cups of already cooked brown rice on the bottom of the dish. Next place the salmon and top with the green olives. Pour the white sauce over the fish and green olives and sprinkle 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese on top.

For hesitant fish eaters, add more brown rice and more cheese, which will further mute any fishy taste.

Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, until lightly browned. It’s simply delicious!

Okay, Ben caught a trout, not a salmon.
It’s still a fish and you could substitute trout for the salmon in this casserole.

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Throw together this quick and easy casserole with refrigerator leftovers and items from your pantry. Left-Over Casserole will bring out your hidden chef, because you’re creating a new recipe each time you make it.

Begin by opening up the refrigerator to see what’s there.

Saute one onion; ½ chopped pepper (green, red, yellow or orange); ½ cup chopped celery and 1 large minced garlic. (Optional a couple of chopped tomatoes, 1 can of drained artichoke hearts, and/or sliced mushrooms.)

Then add any of the following: 2 to 3 cups cups already cooked, chopped or sliced, left-over chicken or turkey or roast beef; add 2 cups of already cooked brown rice. Heat through and serve.

Turn Leftover Casserole into Leftover Hash

Omit the brown rice and substitute 3 or 4 cooked whole potatoes. Slice the potatoes and brown in olive oil. Then add the sauteed onions, green peppers, celery and garlic. Mix in the cooked turkey, chicken or beef and heat.

You’ll need:
1 medium eggplant (about 4 cups)
1 medium onion
1 bell pepper
2 to 4 cloves minced garlic
2 small zucchinis
1 (14 ounce) can of chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons fresh basil
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup white wine (optional)
½ teaspoon each salt & pepper
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (mozzarella may be substituted)

Method:

1. Cut eggplant into one-inch cubes.

2. Chop basil, onions, Bell pepper, and zucchinis.

3. Add eggplant cubes to the top of a double boiler. Boil on high heat for about 10 minutes.

4. In a large fry pan, sauté onions and Bell pepper for 5 minutes.

5. Add garlic, basil, salt, and pepper sauté for about a minute.

6. Lower heat; add tomatoes plus the juice, chopped zucchini, and white wine.

7. Cover and cook for another ten minutes.

8. Add cooked eggplant and heat through.

9. Serve Ratatouille in small soup bowls and top with shredded Swiss cheese.

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