SUMMERTIME MEALS + FRUITY PIES | Shrimp | Chicken | Venison Burger

Here are all the recipes for you along with my notes for some of the best in summertime meals.

HAMBURGER NOODLE BAKE
4 cups uncooked egg noodles
1 pound hamburger
1\4 c. chopped onion
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1\2 tsp. sugar
1\4 tsp. salt
1\4 tsp. garlic salt
pepper to taste
1\2 c. cottage cheese
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 T. sliced green onions
2 T. chopped green pepper
2 T. sour cream
4 T. Parmesan cheese
Cook noodles. Set aside. Brown hamburger along with onion. Remove from heat and add in tomato sauce, sugar, salt, garlic salt, and pepper. In small bowl combine cottage and cream cheese, green onion, green pepper, sour cream. Make two layers of noodles and meat with the cottage cheese mixture in between. Top with parmesan cheese and bake covered at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until hot. Can be made as a freezer meal. Thaw in refrigerator for 1-2 days and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until hot.

COWBOY CASSEROLE (twist on tater tot casserole)
Brown 1 pound hamburger. Add 2 cans corn, drained or 2 cups frozen corn, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1\2 c. shredded cheese, 2\3 c. milk, 4 T. sour cream, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1\2 tsp. pepper. Stir well to combine. Place 2 cups tater tots in bottom of greased casserole dish. Spread meat mixture over and place 2 or more cups tater tots on top. Sprinkle with 1\2 c. shredded cheese. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. This was good, but not as good as my regular way of making tater tot casserole; recipe is in my cookbook.

BEEFY MACARONI CASSEROLE
2 boxes spiral macaroni and cheese
1 pound hamburger
1 c. chopped green pepper
1\2 c. chopped onion
1 can diced tomatoes (any kind) with 1 tsp. Italian seasoning added
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 c. French-fried onions
Prepare macaroni and cheese according to box directions. Brown hamburger along with onion and green pepper. Stir together macaroni, meat mixture, and tomatoes. Pour into greased casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot. Then top with French-fried onions to taste and bake for 5-10 minutes more. This is really yummy!!

BBQ CHICKEN OVER BAKED POTATOES
Place all ingredients in slow cooker set to low. 5-ish pounds of bone in chicken with skin removed, sprinkle with 2 T. garlic powder, place 1 large red onion, sliced on top. Stir together 1 (18 oz.) bottle of barbecue sauce, 1 c. Italian salad dressing, 1\2 c. brown sugar, 1\2 c. cider vinegar, 1\4 c. Worcestershire sauce, and 2 T. Liquid Smoke. Pour over chicken. Slow cook for 6-8 hours. Check meat at the 6 hour mark and depending on what cut of chicken you're using it might be done. You want it very tender. Allow to cook enough to handle and remove meat from bones. Discard bones and place meat back in sauce. Prepare 10-12 baked potatoes however you like. I rubbed mine with olive oil and kosher salt, wrapped in foil and then baked at 350 degrees for well over 1 hour, probably close to 1 1\2 hours. I put them in and then went back out to plant cranberry vines. Serve with sliced green onion, blue cheese crumbles or your favorite shredded cheese, and sour cream. This was so delicious!!

TUSCAN CHICKEN FRITTATA
Whisk together 8 eggs and 1\2 c. heavy whipping cream. Add in: 1\2 c. (or less) minced fresh basil, 1\4 c. Parmesan cheese, 1\2 tsp. salt, 1\4 tsp. pepper, 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (4 oz. of cream cheese would be plenty), cubed to 1\2 inch pieces, 1\3 c. blotted and chopped oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, 1 c. chopped chicken. I seasoned and pan fried my chicken breast, let it rest until cool enough to handle and then sliced it. I would not recommend using boiled chicken because I don't think it would offer enough flavor to the frittata. Pour in greased (I used the same skillet as I cooked the chicken) 10 inch cast iron skillet, place over medium low heat and allow to cook 3-4 minutes until eggs begin to set. Then place in 400 degree oven and bake 15-20 minutes until eggs are completely set. Cut in wedges. This can be served warm or cold. I liked it cold best for lunch the next few days.

CHICKEN & KIELBASA KABOBS
1 can peaches, chunked, drained, juice saved!!
1\4 c. cider vinegar
1\4 c. vegetable oil
2 T. sugar
2 T. soy sauce
1\2 tsp. garlic powder
1\4 tsp. Mrs. Dash (lemon pepper would be a fine substitute)
2 pounds boneless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
1 ring of kielbasa (I used beef) sliced into 1 inch pieces
1-2 green peppers
2 c. grape tomatoes
2 red onions, chunked
Combine peach juice, vinegar, oil, sugar, soy sauce and seasonings. Whisk. Fill 16 kabob skewers (soak if using bamboo) with meat, vegetables and peaches. We put one peach and one tomato on each and then filled with other ingredients. Make these to your taste. Switch up the veggies if you like others like mushroom, zucchini, etc.

Sorry, I've run out of space so the shrimp pad Thai and pies will be in next week's email.