Summertime Haystacks

Name: Summertime Haystacks
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 cup crushed saltine crackers, about 20 crackers; 2 cups shredded lettuce; 2 medium tomatoes, diced; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 cup cooked rice; 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, browned and drained; 3/4 cup tomato juice; 1/4 cup water, plus; 2 tablespoons water; 1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix; salt and pepper; 1/4 cup butter, melted; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 cups milk; 1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed; 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 5 ounces jars sliced stuffed olives

Submitted by Gwanny Hill

"Yummy! A wonderful summertime meal because it's easy to fix, needs no baking and is appealing to the eye. If you're having guests, make cheese sauce ahead of time so that you don't have to fuss with that instead of visiting with your guests."

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Ready In:: 45mins
Ingredients:: 17
Serves:: 8

ingredients

1 cup crushed saltine crackers, about 20 crackers
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup cooked rice
1 ¹⁄₂ lbs ground beef, browned and drained
³⁄₄ cup tomato juice
¹⁄₄ cup water, plus
2 tablespoons water
1 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons taco seasoning mix
salt and pepper
¹⁄₄ cup butter, melted
¹⁄₄ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
¹⁄₂ lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 ¹⁄₂ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
5 ounces jars sliced stuffed olives

directions

Put crushed saltines in bottom of 9"x13" ungreased baking dish.
Prepare lettuce, tomatoes and onion and set aside.
Layer rice on top of cracker crumbs.
Brown and drain ground beef.
Add tomato juice, water, taco seasoning mix, and salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer 15-20 minutes to allow some of the liquid to absorb.
In a heavy saucepan, melt margarine, stir in flour and blend until smooth.
Gradually stir in milk.
Bring to boil, cook and stir for two minutes.
Reduce heat, add Velveeta cheese cubes and stir until melted.
Assemble dish by layering beef on top of rice.
Top with prepared lettuce, tomato and onions.
Pour cheese sauce over top.
Top with shredded cheddar cheese and garnish with the sliced stuffed olives.
NOTE: Cooking time refers to time for making cheese sauce and browning meat.

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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Gwanny Hill

Charlotte, NC

I am a retired RN living in Charlotte, NC. My husband died in 2003 on July 4 so my only housemates are my two dogs, FuTu and Little Bit. My 3 children and their families all live within 45 minutes of me. I love to cook, and often send meals out to sick and elderly or families with new babies. I collect cookbooks, have about 500 but still love to check 'ZAAR daily for new ideas and recipes. The cookbook I use most often is called "Recipes and Remembrances" and has 1000 recipes compiled by my Sunday School class from church members--in compiling the recipes, each committee member included their on favorites so that we could use this as our main source for cooking.

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