Candy Bar Pie

Seriously good!

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 Butterfinger candy bars, crushed & divided
9 inch graham cracker crust

Cream together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Fold in the whipped topping and three of the crushed candy bars. Spoon mixture into the graham cracker crust. Sprinkle remaining candy bar on top; refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Adapted from: http://www.flourmewithlove.com/2013/06/no-bake-candy-bar-pie-gooseberry-patch.html

Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli

I am not a fan of Italian food. There, I said it. I'm that crazy person you find in every group who detests lasagna and doesn't want any sauce on their pizza. On those rare occasions when we go to Olive Garden, this is what I order, along with salad and breadsticks. It's crazy good!

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup diced onion
1 cup julienne carrot
1 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. diced tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans, with liquid
1 can white kidney beans, with liquid
15 oz. tomato sauce
12 oz. V-8 juice, plus extra as needed
1 tbl. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 lb. ditalini pasta

Brown ground beef in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. Transfer to crockpot and add remaining ingredients, except pasta. Cook on low 5 hours. Before serving, cook pasta according to package directions just until al dente and stir into soup. Makes 8 servings.

Notes:
• If soup is too thick, add more V-8 juice until desired consistency is reached.
• Substitute 2 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning for oregano, basil, and thyme, if desired.
• Try adding pasta to serving bowls and ladling soup on top instead of adding pasta directly to soup. This will keep pasta from becoming mushy if leftovers are refrigerated or frozen.

Adapted from: http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/Olive-Garden-Pasta-e-Fagioli-Recipe.html

8 Can Taco Soup

Great for those days when you have absolutely no time to cook. This soup is ridiculously easy and crazy good.

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 (15.25 oz.) can sweet corn, drained
1 (12.5 oz.) can white chicken breast, drained
1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 packet taco seasoning

Mix all ingredients together in a large pot. Heat until warm, stirring occasionally. Serve with tortilla chips.

I used two cans of pinto beans and added an extra 1/2 can of water because I didn't think it was "soupy" enough. This would be excellent with a bit of grated cheese and/or sour cream on top.

From: http://highheelsandgrills.blogspot.com/2012/09/8-can-taco-soup.html

Beefy Salsa Mac

1 lb. ground beef

Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ground cumin to taste

1 can beef broth

1 can cheddar cheese soup

1 can Rotel

2 cups macaroni

Brown ground beef with spices to taste and drain. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until pasta is cooked and sauce is thickened. Add additional water during cooking if necessary.