Tater Tot Casserole

I have a TON of cookbooks. I have ones that are for specific meals, like desserts, pasta, and chicken. I have others that are geared towards cooking methods, like cooking in foil pouches or using slow cookers. I have a few dedicated to TV shows and cooking contest winners. And I have a bunch that cover everything from soup to nuts. But my absolute favorite cookbooks are the ones that only have recipes using 4 or 5 ingredients. This recipe came from one of those, maybe 7 years ago, and it used to be one of the most requested dishes in our house. I haven't made it in a while, but Andrew has been begging for it lately, so I finally gave in. It's quick, it's easy, it's a real family-pleaser, and I'll bet you already have all of the ingredients on hand.

Fiesta Chicken Enchiladas

Andrew makes the most amazing beef enchiladas. He uses corn tortillas and a ton of cheese, and they are so, so good. He knew somebody whose sister had a friend who was from Mexico and she made "authentic food". She was kind enough to share a few of her recipes with him. Because of this, Andrew is the go-to guy around here whenever we want mexican food.

I make tacos. From a packet. That's about where my expertise ends. But I decided to give it a shot and see what I could come up with. Andrew looked at me kind of funny when I told him I was making enchiladas and no, it wasn't his recipe. It only got worse when I started talking about beans and rice and such. But when it was all over, he was hooked and we were fighting over the leftovers. K even cleaned his plate before I was half done, and that's saying something. Move over Andrew, Mama's going south of the border.

Cheddar Mushroom Patty Melts

I have a thing for mushrooms. And cheddar cheese. And beef. Do you remember a while back when Wendy's had those burgers that were topped with sauteed mushrooms and warm cheddar sauce? They were the messiest thing ever, with the cheesy sauce oozing out everywhere and you needed about 327 napkins just to get through it. They advertised them for weeks before they finally started selling them. The day they actually launched them, I think I was in line before they even opened. Do you remember? Well, this is kind of like that, only better. My son calls them beef-stuffed grilled cheese and that just about sums it up.

Tortilla Pizza

When I was a kid, we had take out once a week. It was usually on Friday and we usually got pizza. This sounds great in theory, but there were six of us and we all wanted different things. Pizza is expensive, and obviously my parents weren't going to buy six different pizzas, so we usually ended up with plain or some various meat-topped pie. Today, pizza isn't any cheaper and I simply can't justify dropping 12 bucks on a glorified version of cheesy bread. These tortilla pizzas are so quick and easy, each one can be made to suit everyone's favorites (kids love this!), and they offer built-in portion control for those of us who lose all willpower before the delivery driver has even finished counting his tip. Score!

Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice

In honor of Crock Pot Thursday, I really wanted to make Ranch Pork Chops, but my slow cooker is a 6-quart beast and I don't think it would handle 3 tiny pork chops well. I really need to get a small one for those days when I'm not trying to make enough food to feed an army AND hoard leftovers in the freezer for another day, since that's about all this one is good for.

Cheesy Breakfast Burritos

The school bus comes earlier and earlier every year, so having a variety of quick breakfasts is a must at our house. I used to eat breakfast burritos like this from fast food restaurants until I had my a-ha moment and realized that I could make these at home for much cheaper, and know exactly when they were made and what was in them. I make a bunch at a time, wrap them in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze them. Throw a couple in the fridge at night and they will be ready for a quick zap in the microwave in the morning. Just don't forget to take the foil off!

Cheesy Turkey Meatloaf

See that melty cheese dripping out?
That's perfection on a plate right there.

I followed a pretty standard meatloaf method, but added some cheese inside and barbecue sauce on top. Oh my goodness, it was super yummy - there was only one slice left after we went back for seconds. (Okay, I went back for thirds, but that's nobody's business but my own.)

Unrolled Chicken Rolls (or Cheesy Skillet Chicken)

So I found this recipe the other day where you roll a chunk of cheese up in some flattened chicken breast, tie the rolled-up chicken, brown it in a pan, then finish them off in the oven. It sounded amazing. I immediately took some thin-sliced chicken out of the freezer and started debating on cheddar versus mozzarella while I waited.

When the chicken finally thawed, I pulled out my favorite kitchen string and heated up the oven. I pounded out the chicken to the required thinness (thickness?) and started tucking beautiful cuts of mozzarella inside. With my son's help, I tied up the prettiest little chicken parcels you've ever seen. The rolls took their turn in the pan and then I parked them in the oven. In 15 to 20 minutes, we should have been in cheesy chicken heaven. Note my use of the phrase "should have".

Cheesy Chunky Veggie Soup

I love broccoli. I love cheese. I love broccoli and cheese. Unfortunately, one cannot live on broccoli and cheese alone, so I figured a few extra veggies could help balance things out in this super-yummy soup. Perfect for chilly nights!

More Cheese, Please

I am a total cheese addict. Cheddar, colby jack, port wine, cottage, american - anything but the stinky or moldy cheeses. I can totally live without those. But my favorite has got to be mozzarella. Now keep in mind that this whole loving food thing is relatively new to me. I am used to pre-shredded bagged cheese that is coated in various starches (to prevent caking, or so the bag tells me) and has mold inhibitor (?!) in it.