First Daze of School III Subtitle: Feeding Them

When back to school hits I feel like I need to get my game on in the kitchen. Lunches to pack, and timely dinners to be prepared. Max has football after school, sometimes we need to eat quickly before the next comittment. Or we come home from games and everyone wants dinner NOW. To prepare I did the big Shop this past weekend and on Monday. This means the grocery store, Trader Joes, Costco and Target. After looking for new recipes though, I am back to Safeway today. Ugh.

I like to buy my cantalopes and pineapple at Costco, come home and chop. Watermelons have been really good from Trader Joes this summer. Once it is sliced, it goes fast at our house. It's good for everyone and they love it.
Dinners, I am trying make some new recipes. On Monday I made a new chicken sandwich filling. Pretty good, we had it on croissants.
My Mom made this Taco Bake recipe and I had to have it. Best of all, it is easy peasy.
1 Pkg. Kraft Deluxe mac and Cheese Dinner 14 oz.
1# ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup thick salsa *I chopped one fresh tomato and then added salsa to make one cup. Yummy.
Prepare the mac and cheese dinner. Brown the hamburger and add seasoning and water, simmer. Stir sour cream into the mac & cheese dinner. Spoon 1/2 into 8-9" pan. Top with 1/2 the meat, 1 c. cheese and then rest of m&c and taco meat. Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Then top with salsa and the rest of the cheese and bake 5 more minutes. *You can also top with crushed tortilla chips.
During the school year I sometimes brown hamburger and freeze it. I do the same with taco meat. It is nice to have ready on busy nights. It would make this recipe even easier.
*Watch for more Fall, easy, back to routine recipes this week.