A spoonful of sugar

Menu plan Monday

2010-04-05T18:22:00.002-04:00

My meal plan for this week. I plan lunches on the weekends when my husband is home. During the week I eat leftovers or something simple.

Monday: Egg Salad Sandwiches, potato chips, pickles
Tuesday: Lazy Lasagna, garlic toast
Wednesday: Kung Pow Chicken, rice
Thursday: French dip sandwiches, fries
Friday: Tuna Croquettes, Orzo with broccoli, feta and olives
Saturday lunch: BLTs, leftover orzo
Saturday: Thai Chicken Pizza
Sunday: My nephew's birthday party... will eat there

Egg Salad

2010-04-05T18:18:00.000-04:00

I was sent home from my mom's last night with a big bag of hard boiled eggs. I swear she must have made 3 dozen eggs so she had a TON of leftovers. When I have extra eggs I love to make some egg salad. Of course like most salads I dont exactly measure.... but here are the basics to some yummy egg salad

8 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 green pepper, diced
around 1 cup of Miracle whip (or mayo)
around 2 t of honey dijon mustard
salt
pepper

1. Mix eggs and green peppers in a big bowl
2. Add miracle whip a big spoonful at a time mixing it into the egg mixture. Stop when you get the consistency you prefer.
3. Add honey dijon and mix
4. Add salt and pepper to taste

Serve on croissants, toast, ciabatta or whatever bread you prefer.

Tomorrow I will share my awesome deviled egg recipe.

Cheesy Turkey Meatloaf

2010-04-02T18:23:00.001-04:00

Mmmmm meatloaf! This meatloaf is made of turkey and not the normal mix of beef and pork. It also has a well of cheesy goodness running through the center of it. Its awesome both right from the oven or cold for a leftover meatloaf sandwich. In fact this picture was taken the next morning before I scarfed it down for breakfast. (yes I said breakfast)

19.2 oz package of ground turkey
1/2 cup (plus 2T) of milk
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 T worchestershire sauce
1 cup of crushed saltine crackers
2t italian seasoning
1 egg
1/4 t pepper
8 oz shredded cheese (I use a mix of whatever I have on hand, cheddar, mozzarella, colby jack.. whatever)
ketchup

Preheat oven to 400

1. Toss everything (but the cheese) in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. (I use my hands)
2. Press 1/2 of mixture into a loaf pan. Make a well by pressing the mixture up the side of the pan
3. Fill the well with cheese

4. Top with remaining meat mixture
5. Spread a layer of ketchup on top of your meatloaf
6. Bake 50-60 minutes or until meat is cooked. Allow to sit 10 minutes before cutting

Mini Onion Cheese Burgers

2010-03-24T03:49:00.000-04:00

These mini burgers are perfect for parties, the big game or little fingers. The are similiar to the White Castle burgers that my husband loves but taste soooo much better. They are very quick to make a freeze beautifully.

1 1/2lbs lean hamburger (I use 92%)
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 T water
pepper

24 mini slider buns or dinner rolls.
6 slices of cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Mix hamburger, soup mix, egg, water, pepper and bread crumbs
3. Press into a cookie sheet. If you want perfect littel squares use a 15x10 pan. I use a 12x17 and it still works out fine.
4. Bake for 10 minutes.
5. Using a pizza cutter cut into 24 squares
6. Serve burgers on buns. Top with cheese

To freeze: Flash freeze burgers(on buns) on a cookie sheet. Once frozen wrap with plastic wrap and store in a big freezer bag.

To heat from frozen: upwrap plastic wrap. Wrap in a paper towel. Microwave 1 minute.

Peanut butter chocolate chip granola bars

2010-03-02T15:29:00.002-05:00

I love granola bars! I dont however love the cost or the extra junk thrown in. I looked around at a bunch of different recipes and combined them into my version. It will make about 24 quaker sized bars. They are chewy and delicious! I'll get the cost comparison up soon.

2 c Rice Krispies
1 1/2 c Quick Oats
1/2 c chopped peanuts
1/2 c light corn syrup or honey
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c peanut butter
1 t vanilla
1/2 c chocolate chips (frozen for optimal results)

1. In a large bowl mix rice krispies, oats and peanuts. Set aside
2. In a medium saucepan add corn syrup(or honey) and brown sugar. Bring to boil
3. Once boiling remove from heat. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla until creamy smooth.
4. Dump liquid mixture over dry mixture. Quickly mix it together
5. Mix in frozen chocolate chips. They dont have to be frozen, but it helps them not to melt.
6. Press mixture into a GREASED pan. I use a 9x13 glass pyrex pan.
7. Allow to cool. Cut into bars. I removed mine when they were "hard" enough and placed on a plate so they could dry completely.
8. Store in an airtight container.

Carmalized Onion and Rosemary Focaccia Bread

2010-02-24T03:46:00.000-05:00

My bread machine is SO hot right now. I have yet to use it to bake anything, but its been cranking out the dough all week. I have made 2 of these gorgeously delicious focaccia breads this week. One to use for breakfasts (grab and go hunk of bread for dh) and one for company as an afternoon snack. It's my adaption of this focaccia recipe

Dough:
3/4 c water (75-85 degrees)
2 T olive oil
2 c bread flour
1 T sugar
1 t salt
1 1/2 t active dry yeast

Toppings:
1 large sweet onion (sliced)
3 T butter or margarine
1 t dried rosemary
1 t minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 c cheddar cheese
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

1. Add dough ingredients to your bread machine in the order your manufacturer suggests. I add in the order listed above.
2. Choose the dough option. Allow machine to do its magic
3. When dough is finished remove it from machine. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
4. Place dough on a greased cookie sheet. Pat dough into a circle (around 12")
5. Allow dough to rise in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 30 minutes)
6. While dough is rising we will prepare our topping :)
7. In a large skillet melt butter.Cook onions until they start to caramelize. (about 15-20 minutes)
8. Add rosemary and garlic to onion mixture. Stir 2-3 minutes. Set aside
9. Back to dough: Once risen make indentations in the dough every inch or so. I use the back of my wooden spoon. You can use your finger if you'd like.
10. Cover dough with onion mixture.
11. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of onions.
12. Cover everything with cheddar cheese.
13. Bake 20 minutes or until edges are brown.
14. Cut into wedges and serve.

**dough before topped**

Ranch style Tuna Patties

2010-02-22T03:22:00.000-05:00

Tuna is something I buy in bulk at BJs wholesale. Its something that keeps a looooong time and is always handy for a quick lunch. Its way cheaper for me to buy 12 cans at a time than it is for me to buy them at the grocery on sale. So needless to say I have a lot of TUNA (why is it my brain still goes to big brother when I say that)

So today I had company and after everyone left I realized I forgot to defrost the chicken for dinner tonight. So I had to find a way to make tuna into dinner.... and since my darling husband will not eat tuna noodle casserole, I had to be creative. I found this recipe and adapted it to fit my needs. It was originally from Starkist Tuna. My husband loves them and asked me to put them in the rotation.

3 (5oz) cans of tuna in water (completely drained)
1 3/4 c bread crumbs (divided) (i use fresh bread crumbs... you may need less if using dry crumbs)
3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c Miracle Whip
1 egg
1/3 c Ranch dressing
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1/2 c finely chopped red pepper
1/2 t old bay seasoning
vegetable or olive oil for frying

1. Drain tuna making sure to squeeze as much water out of it as possible
2. In a large bowl mix 3/4 cup of bread crumbs and everything else (may be a little sticky but that is okay)
3. Form mixture into patties (I get 10 medium sized patties)
4. Fill a small bowl with remaining bread crumbs.
5. Coat patties with bread crumbs.
6. Place covered patties in the fridge for 15-20 minutes (optional, but helps hold them together)
7. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add patties. Fry 4-5 minutes each side or until they are brown.

Small patties would make a great appetizer! Large patties would make great sandwiches! I make medium patties and eat them like a crab cake.

Louisiana Chicken Pasta ( Cheesecake Factory )

2010-02-21T02:44:00.001-05:00

I break for the Cheesecake Factory. When I see one I jump for joy and whine til I get to go. Good thing I dont see one very often. I think the closest one is an hour drive to Beechwood. I usually only go when in Columbus.

I always get the same thing. Im sure they have a fabulous menu, but my brain focuses on the Louisiana Chicken pasta and it doesnt seem to look elsewhere. Of course I usually get a different cheesecake so I do shake some things up a bit.

Anyways, on my quest to try new recipes I found this one. It CANT be... I said to myself with glee. So of course I HAD to try it. And seriously... it SO is. This is my very close adaptation. I made it in honor of Mardi Gras

Chicken
Vegetable oil (for frying)
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3/4 c bread crumbs
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
2 T flour
1 cup milk (optional)

*Note* I cut my chicken up so it's easier to eat with bites of pasta. The original recipe calls for you to pound it flat, dredge with milk, the into dry mixture. If you want it authentic try it this way.

1. Cut chicken into bite sized chunks
2. Mix dry ingredients.
3. Toss chicken with dry ingredients Making sure to coat each piece
4. Heat oil in a large skillet. Fry chicken pieces until done. Remove to a paper towel. Set aside

Cajun Sauce

2 T butter
1 small red pepper (chunked)
1 small green pepper (chunked)
1 small sweet onion (chunked)
1 c baby portabella mushrooms (quartered)
2 t minced garlic
1 t crushed red pepper
12oz heavy whipping cream
8oz half and half**
1 c chicken broth
1 T dried basil
1 c grated parmesan cheese
1 box whole grain penne pasta (CF uses bow tie feel free to use)

1. Make pasta as directed on package. Set aside
2. Melt butter in a large skillet.
3. Add peppers, mushrooms and onions. Saute 4-5 minutes.
4. Add red pepper flakes and garlic. Saute 3 minutes
5. Add chicken stock, whipping cream and half and half
6. Simmer until sauce begins to thicken, About 5 minutes
7. Stir in basil and parmesan cheese.
8. Reduce sauce by simmering on low about 10 minutes
9. Toss pasta with sauce.

To serve:
Plate pasta, top with cooked chicken and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

** I used half and half to lighten recipe(and because I only had 12 oz of cream left. You can use all 20oz cream if you prefer)

Sesame Bagels using the bread machine

2010-02-19T13:50:00.000-05:00

The other day while unpacking boxes I found the user manual for my bread machine.I hadnt used the thing in forever so I decided to skim it quickly. I then discovered I could use it to make BAGELS!!!

Im addicted to bagels. When I was pregnant I ate one every morning to keep the morning sickness away. Buying bagels can be pricey. Bagels at the grocery store are 69 cents... and Panara (maker of my favorite bagels) gets a whopping 89 cents a bagel.

So I decided to try and make a batch. They turned out great! They are smaller than your mammoth store bought bagel but that just means less calories to burn.

1 cup water (75-85 degrees F)
2 t olive oil (or vegetable oil)
3 cups flour
1 T sugar
3/4 t salt
1 t active dry yeast

1 egg white
1 t water
sesame seeds

1. Using a 1 1/2 - 2lb bread machine Add first 6 accoring to your machines directions. With my machine I add water, oil, flour (to cover liquid) sugar, salt then yeast
2. Set to the dough (or bagel dough) setting. Push start
3. When done remove from machine. Punch down and set in a bowl to rest for 10 minutes. Cover with towel.
4. Divide dough into 9 balls. Form each ball into a ring (you know like a bagel)
5. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Allow to rise for 20 minutes
6. In a large pan put water (and 1 T sugar) on to boil (do it now so its boiling when you need it)
7. After the 20 minute rise place bagels under the broiler on high. Broil 2 minutes, flip bagels over broil 2 more minutes.
8. Drop bagels into boiling water. Simmer bagels for 7 minutes turning over after 3 minutes. (make sure bagels arent laying on top of each other. simmer in 2 batches if you need to)
9. Remove from water and place on cookie sheet
10. Mix egg white with water. Brush on tops of bagels. Sprinkle with sesame seeds
11. Bake bagels at 375 for 30 minutes

Toast and Enjoy!

Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-02-18T02:44:00.000-05:00

I threw this together one night when I couldnt find a recipe for stuffed shrooms and my internet was down. They are meatless yet fabulous!

12oz pkg Portabella mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped mushroom stems
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped green peppers
1 t minced garlic
1/2 cup bread crumbs (i made mine fresh by toasting a hot dog bun)
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t parsley
1 T parmesan cheese (grated)
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
2 T melted margarine

Topping
2 T melted margarine
more mozzarella cheese

1. Remove stems and gills from mushrooms
2. Mix all ingredients and stuff into mushrooms
3. Pour 2T melted margarine over shrooms, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese (however much you want... we make ours very cheesey, but a little will do.
4 Bake at 400 for 20 minutes

Valentine's Day

2010-02-16T15:33:00.002-05:00

The plan for Valentine's Day was to stay home and make a fabulous dinner to save some money. Then we remembered we had a gift card for a local steakhouse and decided to find a babysitter and go out. Since my husband had to work on Sunday we decided to go out Saturday night.

So Sunday while he was at work I decided to surprise him when he got home by making some of his favorites. This was our second vanetine's day dinner :)

Menu:
Stuffed Mushrooms
Italian Salad
Pizza Bianco with fresh tomatoes
Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes with homemade whipped cream
Chocolate covered strawberries

Decor:

i planned on getting out my wedding china and eating by candlelight, but we ended up in the living room eating on tv trays while playing with the baby. Oh well.

Photos: Recipes to follow this week

Stuffed Mushrooms

Pizza Bianco with fresh tomatoes

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Recipes will be posted over the next few days and linked back to this post! Hope you had a happy valentine's day!

Kung Pao Chicken Stir Fry

2010-02-11T16:28:00.001-05:00

Im dubbing this kung pao stir fry because typical kung pao only has green onions and I like to stretch out my chinese by adding lots of veggies. I added mushrooms, carrots and pea pods to my recipe, but feel free to add your favorite veggies. This is a pretty saucy version of the recipe because my husband enjoys extra sauce for his rice. Feel free to cut the sauce in half.

1lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1" pieces
1 T cornstarch
4 t sesame oil
5T rice wine vinegar
6T soy sauce
6t sugar
1/2 cup peanuts
3 green onions and tops (chopped)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
3/4 t crushed red pepper (like spice? add more, dont like spice? add less)
1t dried ginger
3/4 cup pea pods or sugar snap peas
1 medium carrot juillened
8 white mushrooms quartered
Rice

1. Coat chicken in cornstarch
2. On medium high....Heat 2t sesame oil. Add chicken and saute 5-7 minutes until no longer pink. Remove
3. Add remaining 2t oil to pan Add carrots, mushrooms and pea pods. Saute 5 minutes
4. While veggies are cooking make your sauce. Mix vinegar, soy and sugar until sugar dissolves.
5. To veggies: Add onions, garlic, ginger and red pepper. Saute 1 minute.
6.. Pour in sauce. Stir
7. Add chicken back to the pan. Add peanuts
8. Cover and reduce heat....simmer mixture about 4-5 minutes

Serve over rice.

Black and white brownie bites

2010-02-10T16:28:00.000-05:00

Okay so this is a semi-homemade recipe. I usually dont like to use mixes to make things, but sometimes I just cant help it. When I can snag a box of brownie mix super cheap I buy a few to have on hand for when a chocolate fix sets in.

1 box of Duncan Hines Chewy fudge brownie mix
(using 2 eggs, 1/2 cup oil and 1/4 cup water as directed)
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
55 pieces of vanilla (or white chocolate) candy disks

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Make brownie mix as directed
3. Mix in chocolate chips
4. Spray mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray
5. Spoon mix into muffin tin filling about 3/4 of the way
6. Bake for 18 minutes
7. Remove from oven. Press a vanilla candy on top of each brownie
8. Bake for 2 more minutes to let disk get melty
9. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack

Makes 55 brownie bites

(try making these with different kinds of candy disks. I have used peanut butter disks, mint disks, chocolate disks. My husband loves these little bites. I like them because I feel like a piggy when I have 3... but if I were to eat a BIG brownie it would be way more than 3 bites)

Thanksgiving leftover quesadillas

2010-02-09T13:31:00.000-05:00

I got this idea from one of those money saving Food Network shows with Sandra Lee. I didnt use her recipe but it is a fantastic way to use some thanksgiving leftovers for a quick and easy lunch. No measurements because I just used up what I had. You just have to wing it sometimes. It really helped me use up what was left from that chicken dinner!

Tortillas
Leftover turkey (or chicken)
Leftover stuffing
Cheddar cheese
margarine
sour cream (for dipping)

1. Melt 1T margarine in a skillet. Lay in tortilla
2. On half of the tortilla spread 1 scoop/spoonful of stuffing
3. Top stuffing with leftover turkey/chicken
4. Top chicken with a handful of cheddar cheese
5. Fold tortilla over the filling.
6. Toast tortilla until golden brown. Flip over and toast the other side
7. Serve with sour cream for dipping and maybe somecranberry sauce!

Mmmmm melty!

Impromptu Superbowl party

2010-02-08T02:33:00.001-05:00

My husband and I had discussed having a superbowl party and then decided against it. We were just going to hang out with the baby and watch the game. Of course last minute he decided to invite over some family members (and by last minute I mean about 4 hours before kickoff) I quickly threw together some snacks for the football lovin crowd. I was a little bummed because if I knew ahead of time I could have made some really cool food and rockin decor... but everyone had a good time and that is what mattered. GO SAINTS!

Menu:
Buffalo Chicken dip with celery and tortilla chips
Matt's famous dip with potato chips
Garden salad with lots of veggies
Hot dogs with secret recipe Coney Sauce
Baked Parmesan Garlic fries
Black and white brownie bites
Coca Cola
Beer

Decor:
None.... no notice

Recipes:

Buffalo Chicken Dip with celery and tortilla chips : aka crack dip. The ultimate football food

Matt's famous dip with potato chips: I wish I could tell you the exact measurements, but this is my husbands recipe. He doesnt exactly measure. He just keeps adding things and tasting it til he likes the result

2 (8oz) bricks of cream cheese
1/4 of a large onion (chopped finely)
ketchup
tobasco sauce

Garden Salad with lots of veggies
Romain, radicchio, cheddar cheese, grape tomatoes, mushrooms and carrots. Served with homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

*Insert pic*

Kosher beef hot dogs with secret recipe Coney Sauce.
I wish I could share the recipe, but my life has been threatened. It is hands down the best coney sauce Ive ever had, but it is a secret recipe among my husbands family. Rumor has it one of the aunties worked at a famous hot dog stand back in the day and snagged the recipe.

Oven Roasted Parmesan Garlic Fries
a healthier than deep fried french fry

Black and white brownie bites
A semi homemade recipe! I will be sharing this sometime this week.

Everyone loved the food! Not bad for a few hours notice.

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Bacon Quiche

2010-02-03T15:27:00.001-05:00

I was in the mood to try some new quiche recipes. Id only ever made my mom's recipe and wanted something different. I found this Emeril recipe and fiddled with it a bit. Its definitely NOT on the light side but it is so rich and decadent! Its perfect for a brunch when you want to impress. My husband proclaimed this to be his new favorite thing and that real men would eat quiche if it all tasted like this. BAM!

1 pie crust
8oz bacon (chopped)
3 cups thinly sliced sweet onion
8oz thinly sliced mushrooms
1 t dried thyme
1 t minced garlic
1 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
5 eggs
6 oz mozzarella/provolone blend shredded

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Press crust into a pie pan
3. Cook the bacon untl crispy. Remove to drain on paper towel
4. Add onions to the bacon grease. Cook until they start to wilt (8 minutes)
5. Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper to onions. Cook until they carmelize (8-10 minutes)
6. Remove onion/mushroom mixture with a slotted spoon (to drain excess grease) Allow mixture to cool.
7. Add chopped bacon to onions and mix. Pour into pie pan
8. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese on top of onion mix
9. In a separate bowl Beat 5 eggs with the heavy cream until frothy
10. Pour over onion mixture in pie pan
11. Top with remaining cheese
12. Place pie pan on a cookie sheet. Bake 35-40 or until golden brown. Rotate pan 1/2 thru

Orzo with broccoli, feta and olives

2010-02-02T00:22:00.002-05:00

My husband claims he doesnt like orzo. Whenever he claims he doesnt like something (especially something so versatile) I take that as a challenge. I came across this recipe looking for a way to use up the leftover feta cheese in my fridge. The oil takes on the flavor of the toasty pine nuts and the crushed red pepper adds just a touch of heat. I usually dont like to take a chance with an unrated recipe, but goodness this one was worth it! Im already looking forward to eating it for lunch.

.... and my husband ate a TON of it and loves it..... silly men!

16oz box Orzo cooked
16 oz bag of frozen broccoli florets
1/4 c Olive oil
3 T Pine nuts
1/2 t Crushed red pepper
3/4 c Feta cheese, crumbled
3/4 c Black olives, pitted, halved
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 c Fresh basil, chopped

1. Dump cooked orzo in a large bowl
2. Cook frozen broccoli add to large bowl with orzo
3. Heat olive oil in a small skillet (med high)
4. Add pine nuts to oil and cook until brown (about 3 minutes)
5. Add crushed red pepper to oil and saute (about 30 seconds)
6. Dump oil/nut mix into orzo/broccoli. Mix
7. Add black olives, feta, parmesan cheese and basil. Mix

Chicken and Brie Sandwich with Roasted Tomato

2010-01-28T00:56:00.001-05:00

I found this recipe here while looking for a way to use up the 1/2 round of brie I had in my fridge. Its from the June 2001 issue of Cooking Light magazine. Its such an amazing mix of flavors! I think I could eat the tomatoes on anything!! I used leftover shredded chicken and a loaf of sourdough bread (my grocery was out of french bread :0 ) I also used 1t dried thyme because I was out of fresh.

Makes 6 sandwiches

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (i used 1 t dried thyme)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (16-ounce) loaf French bread
3 ounces Brie cheese, sliced
3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh spinach

Preheat oven to 300

1. Mix mayo, garlic and mustard. Place in fridge til you need it
2. Heat 1t olive oil over med-high heat. Add tomatoes. Saute 5 minutes
3. Remove from heat. Add balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and thyme. Bake for 15 minutes
4. Cut loaf of bread lengthwise
5. Spread mayo on the top portion of the bread
6. Spread tomato mixture on bottom portion of bread
7. Top hot tomatoes with sliced brie (it wil start to melt)
8. Top brie with warm shredded chicken
9. Whisk together 2t evoo, 1t balsamic vinegar and pinch of salt. Dump in spinach. Toss
10. Top chicken with spinach mixture
11. Put the top on the sandwich
12. Slice into 6 sandwiches.

Chicken Gyro Salad

2010-01-26T03:14:00.000-05:00

This salad uses one of my OAMC freezer kits and tastes awesome! You do not have to use the kit. Just marinate a few chicken breasts in this marinade and make some tzatziki for dressing

Makes 2 dinner sized salads

1 chicken gyro kit (marinated chicken, tzatziki and pita bread from this post)
8oz chopped romaine lettuce
1 plum tomato (sliced)
1/3 can black olives
0.5 to1oz feta cheese (crumbled)
1/4 sweet onion (chopped)
1/2 cucumber (to use in frozen tzatziki)

1. Defrost gyro kit
2. Wrap chicken in foil and warm in the oven
2. Wrap pitas in foil and warm in the oven
3. Pile lettuce on a plate, place sliced tomatoes around the edges
4. Sprinkle lettuce with black olives, onions and feta
5. Top with warmed chicken
6. Chop and de-seed cucumber and mix with tzatziki packet. Use this as dressing
7. Serve with warmed pitas

French Toast Sticks

2010-01-25T15:54:00.000-05:00

I also love french toast. I never make french toast, but I love it. I actually just never think to make it. We only ever make breakfast on the weekends when my husband is home. If its just me and the baby I try to eat something quick like a bowl of cereal or a banana after I feed her. So when I found this recipe it just called out to me. It was french toast I could make ahead of time and microwave in 1 minute! This is my adaptation of that recipe.

This will make you 54 sticks. Best yet my estimated cost is only $3.25 (and that is rounding up) for the entire batch and I know what is in them. I know packaged frozen french toast sticks are very popular. I have never bought them but most of my friends with young children go thru them like a junkie goes through crack. I know that alot of fast food places also sell this. Burger King has them on their $1 menu. You get 5 for that $1. You get 5 of my homemade ones for around 30 cents. I bet kids could even eat them in the car

1 loaf Texas Toast (18 slices)
8 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 t cinnamon
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup melted margarine (1 stick)
Cooking Spray (like pam)

Preheat oven to 350

1. Cut each piece of bread into thirds (you know like a stick lol)
2. Whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla
3. Mix cinnamon and sugar. Mix into egg mixture
4. Melt margarine. Slowly whisk into the egg mixture. If you dump it in the hot butter might cook the eggs so go slow.
5. Spray cookie sheets with Pam (dont use a stone.. I did my first batch and they didnt cook right. Use a cookie sheet)
6. Dip each stick into egg mixture them place on cookie sheet
7. Place them in the oven (middle rack)
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes Flipping them over about halfway through baking

To eat fresh from the oven: Put on a plate, drizzle with syrup, enjoy!

To freeze: Allow to cool. Flash freeze sticks on cookie sheet. When they are hard transfer to large freezer bag.

To cook after frozen: Put 3 sticks in the microwave. Cook for 1 minute

I ate 5 right out of the oven! They are so good I couldnt resist. Plus my house smelled like french toast for hours. Yum!

Chicken Caesar Wraps

2010-01-24T02:15:00.001-05:00

Makes 4 wraps

2 cups shredded cooked chicken
4 10" flour tortillas
1/2 cup creamy caesar dressing (more or less to taste)
1/3 cup sliced black olives
2 plum tomatoes sliced
approx 6 oz chopped romaine lettuce (I used half a bag)
parmesan cheese to sprinkle

1. Mix shredded chicken with creamy caesar dressing. (you can skip this step and drizzle dressing on wrap but I think this makes alot less mess)
2. Warm flour tortilla
3. Lay tortilla flat. Add 1 handful of lettuce.
4.. Add 1/2 cup of chicken mixture in a line down the middle
5. Sprinkle black olives
6. Line sliced tomatoes along the top of chicken
7. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese
8. Fold bottom up and wrap mixture with tortilla
9. Repeat steps 3-8 with remaining tortillas.

Crockpot Salsa Shredded Chicken

2010-01-14T19:35:00.000-05:00

My husband for years has driven me crazy because he wont eat Mexican food. He wouldnt specify what about it he didnt like, he just didnt like it. It took me awhile to narrow it down, but I finally found he just didnt like cumin. He associated ALL things remotely southwest or mexican with cumin and therefor wouldnt even try things.

I for one LOVE mexican food. I love fajitas and quesidillas, enchiladas and burritos. It made me sad that I could never make anything remotely tasting like these things because he wouldnt eat it. Now that I know its the cumin I find ways to introduce non-cumin versions of my favorites so he will eat them.

Almost everyone has a version of salsa chicken. Most people have it as a meal with taco seasoning and sour cream mixed in. My salsa chicken is a base for many meals. Its basically a filling. I have never eaten just salsa chicken for dinner, but I have eaten a lot of it. I always make a BIG batch in my crockpot and freeze it in 2 cup portions. Its really basic and makes a ton.

3-4lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast
1 jar of your favorite medium salsa*
1/4 cup water(to rinse out jar)

1. Toss everything in your crock pot
2. Cook on high 4 hours.
3. Shred chicken in juice

*Use a salsa you have eaten and LOVE. Your chicken is going to taste like it. Dont just but the cheap stuff or something on sale. If you love it and its on sale... awesome! Just make sure you like it.

So far I have used this for: (I will share recipes soon)
chicken quesidillas
chicken nachos
chicken pitas
chicken burritos

and my husband eats them up!

Parmesan Garlic Oven Roasted Fries

2010-01-13T16:23:00.001-05:00

I have been craving fries for days but Im trying my best to stay away from fried foods. Last night I decided to try my hand at oven roasting fries. After looking around the net at various recipes I came up with this one. They are covered in bubbly parmesan cheese and have that nice bite of garlic. Make sure to scrap the little bits of cheesy garlic from the pan!

5-6 yukon gold potatoes
1/4 c olive oil
1/3 c grated parmesan cheese
2t minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450
2. Cut potatoes into a medium size fry. You can peel them first but I dont.
3. Soak fries in cold water until ready to go in the oven
4. Drain water and dry fries completely with a paper towel
5. Toss fries with olive oil, salt and pepper
6. Spread fries into a single layer on a cookie sheet or a baking stone.
7. Bake 35-40 minutes turning potatoes every 10-12 minutes
8. When brown remove from oven Sprinkle with parmesan and garlic. Toss fries with tongs to coat them.
9. Put back in the oven for 3-4 minutes to melt cheese

Quick tip: Stock Cubes

2010-01-11T21:31:00.000-05:00

When I make chicken stock I always make a huge stock pot full. I use lots of chicken so I have extras to use for other recipes. Lots of chicken lend me lots of rich delicious stock. I always make chicken noodle soup with some of it but I always have some left over. Sometimes it would get dumped out if not used in the next few days(which is wasteful and sad) I would freeze it but never remember how much was in there or Id need more/less for recipe.

On my quest to throw nothing out I decided to start freezing even little bits of stock. I found the best way to freeze stock is in an ice cube tray. That way I can just microwave however many cubes I need and have stock whenever I need it.

This also works if you open a carton of chicken broth and can't use it before the date. You can do this for beef broth, beef stocks or veggie stock!

Theme Party: Breakfast at Tiffanys Tea

2010-01-07T18:41:00.001-05:00

I wish I could take credit for all of the gorgeousness I am about to show you, but this party was ALL my Mom's doing. Now the cool thing is she threw the party for me on my 30th birthday. I adore Audrey Hepburn and Breakfast at Tiffanys is one of my favorite movies. We started with a lovely tea full of tasty treats and then watched the movie while sipping red wine and having desserts.

Decor:
Black and white Holly posters
Black tablecloth
Silver blue napkins with silver rings
Glass vase filled with tiffany blue and silver ornaments
Tiffany blue tablecloth (movie room)

The Menu
Chicken Salad on a croissant
Pimento cheese sandwiches (shaped like CAT)
Sal E Tomato Brushetta on baquette toasts
Cucumber Sandwiches
Cheeseball with crackers
Brie with crackers
Chocolate cups filled with fresh fruit
Scones
My SIL Pam's famous iced sugar cookies
Pumpkin Mini muffins
Mini brownies
Apple Cinnamon Tea

Sugar cookies are shaped like Holly's dress, lips, shoes, moon(river), cats and tiaras. Also cakes and martini glasses.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2010-01-05T18:40:00.002-05:00

My husband dreams of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits. Okay... not really but he loves them. Whenever RL is brought up all he can talk about is the biscuits. I dont even know if he can name anything else on the menu.(we rarely eat there) So I decided to surprise him and try to duplicate them at home. I found this recipe and tweeked it a bit by adding a little more cheese (at husbands request) I think I ate 6 out of the first batch! They rock!

2 cups bisquick
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t old bay seasoning

1. Preheat oven to 450
2. Mix bisquick, milk and cheese
3. Drop biscuits on ungreased cookie sheet
4. Bake 8-10 minutes
5. Mix butter, garlic and old bay
6. Melt butter mixture
7. Spoon over top of baked bisuits

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2010-01-04T20:44:00.002-05:00

This dip is SO hot right now. (dig the Zoolander reference) It seems everyone is making some variation of it. Its hot and bubbly and cheesey. Its good both hot (in a crockpot for a party) or cold (when you go sneak some out of your fridge at 2am) Best of all it tastes just like a chicken wing and you dont have to mess with the bones. Pardon the bad picture. The piggies at this house were eating it before I had time to put it in a serving bowl and take pictures :) It makes a TON and is perfect for a party.

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
2 (8oz) bricks of cream cheese (softened)
1 cup Franks hot sauce
1 cup ranch dressing
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Mix everything and dump into a 13x9 glass baking dish
2. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Serve with celery sticks or tortilla chips (I do both)

Pineapple Salsa

2010-01-03T17:54:00.001-05:00

Mmmmm pineapple salsa. I adapted this recipe from the pampered chef seasons best cookbook (spring 09) Its sweet and tangy with a little bit of bite. Add more jalapeno to make it hotter.... but whatever you do be careful when cutting that sucker. My thumb is still burning.

1 (20oz) can pineapple (or 1/2 fresh pineapple)
4 plum tomatoes
1/2 small red onion
1 (6") piece seedless cucumber (or a deseeded regular cucumber)
1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno pepper
1 lime
1/2 tsp salt

1. Dice tomato, onion, cucumber
2. Cut jalapeno in half and remove the seeds and ribs. Finely chop jalapeno
3. Chop cilantro
4. Dice pineapple
5. Toss all in a bowl.
6. Squeeze 2-3T of lime juice into mixture. Sprinkle with salt
7. Mix everything together.

Enjoy!

Chunky Tomato Basil Sauce

2009-12-30T22:25:00.000-05:00

Since its the week after Christmas and our pockets are a bit light Im trying to cook dinner with what I have on hand. Since I had a bunch of basil left over from my caprese salad I decided to try to make a tomato basil sauce with what I had in my pantry. Its a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy and bursting with basil. Its a very chunky sauce ans tastes great with whole grain spaghetti.

2T EVOO
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 large sweet onion (chopped)
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
2t balsamic vinegar
4t sugar
1/2t dried basil
1/4t crushed red pepper
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves

1.Heat olive oil in pan. Add onions and garlic. Saute over medium heat until soft
2. Add tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, water, sugar, dried basil and crushed red pepper. Stir
3. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer, stirring frequently, 50-60 minutes
4. Remove from heat. Stir in fresh basil leaves. Serve with your favorite pasta

Cranberry Nut Clusters

2009-12-30T01:06:00.002-05:00

A couple years ago I started making candy for Christmas. Everyone else was making cookies and I wanted to be unique. Each year I raid my pantry and toss in whatever I think would be tasty covered in chocolate. This year I came up with these bad boys. Its a pretty basic recipe, melt, dump, spoon, done.

Anyone can make this candy and it looks so professional and makes a great gift. Everyone raved about these! They are sweet, salty and tangy! They will be added to the list to return next year.

1.5 cups dried cranberries1 cup salted peanuts
1 cup salted cashews
1lbs vanilla candy melt or white chocolate chips
50 candy cups

1. In a medium glass bowl melt candy in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds until smooth (if using chips you will need to add a little shortening)
2. Stir in cranberries and nuts
3. Quickly spoon into candy cups
4. Place tray of candy in fridge for 10 minutes
5.Enjoy!

Pepperoni Rolls

2009-12-27T18:19:00.000-05:00

These are so good and quite easy to make.... the kids can even help. I usually double the batch for parties.

Rhodes Frozen white rolls (36 ct)
Sliced pepperoni (1 pillow pack)
1lb mozzarella cheese (cut into 36 pieces)
Mild banana pepper rings*

1.Allow dough to rise according to direction on the package.
2.Preheat oven to 350
3.Flatten risen roll in your palm. Add piece of cheese, 3-5 pepperoni, 1-2 banana pepper rings.
4.Fold dough to completely cover the filling. Be careful not to leave holes or cheese will run out
5.Place fold side down on greased cookie sheet.
6.Bake 8 minutes. Open oven and brush the tops with melted butter. Bake 12 more minutes or until brown.

*These can also be made minus the pepper rings.

S'more pops

2009-12-21T22:44:00.001-05:00

Holy crap these suckers are good! In the past I have made chocolate covered marshmallows. I have even made chocolate covered marshmallows on sticks... but never EVER did I think of coating those tasty chocolate covered marshmallows in graham crackers to have an instant s'more. I snagged the idea from the awesome blog Gimme Some Oven.

50 large marshmallows
1lb of milk chocolate (if using chocolate chips you will need to add a little shortening to thin/smooth it out. I used candy melt)
1 cup of graham cracker crumbs (give or take I didnt really measure)
50 lollipop sticks
* A thick piece of styrofoam (optional but will make your life easier and your suckers prettier)

1. Insert stick into marshmallow about 3/4 of the way in
2. In a glass cup (I use my pyrex measuring cup) melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until creamy smooth
3. Dip marshmallow in chocolate
4. Sprinkle all over with graham cracker crumbs
5. Insert sticks into styrofoam block (if no styrofoam place on wax paper)
6. Repeat
7. Put s'mores in the fridge for 10 minutes to allow chocolate to set

I made over 100 of these yesterday and packaged them prettily with some cellophane bags and ribbons to give as Christmas gifts. Of course that only left me with a few to photograph so these are the ones the chocolate didnt totally coat, but they were still delicious.

Chicken Fried Rice

2009-12-14T13:51:00.000-05:00

This comes out of your freezer and tastes JUST LIKE TAKEOUT! Im not joking here either. Its amazing! The cool thing is you can make it in mass quantities and freeze it. Just thaw the bag and in 10 minutes you have dinner! I adapted my version from this recipe from the oamc guru Tish at the Zaar. Its a gigantic recipe. I make 8 freezer packets from it.(feeding 2 people) Feel free to divide it to meet your needs.

For the rice mix:
2 cups frozen peas
2 cups chopped carrot
1 chopped sweet onion
12 cups rice (cooked and cooled and yes you can use minute rice if you want)
2lbs of chopped cooked chicken (yes you can use leftovers)

1. Mix everything is a large bowl.
2. Portion, label and freeze.
I get 8 bags out of this with 2 servings each in them. Portion your bags according to your family's needs. Just adjust the quanties below.

To cook a 2 portion bag:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs
3 TBSP soy sauce

1. Thaw bag and squeeze to break up rice
2. Heat oil in large skillet
3. Fry rice in hot oil over medium heat stirring frequently for 5 minutes
4. Add soy sauce to taste. (about 3 tbsp more or less to taste)
5. Push rice to the size of the pan. Add eggs to other side
6. Allow egg to cook until thick. Break up and the stir into rice
7. Serve

This is an easy thing to make for dinner. I serve with a couple egg rolls (I buy a big bag of frozen from BJs)

Asian Chicken Salad Bar

2009-12-13T23:20:00.004-05:00

Every now and then I get a craving for an Asian inspired salad with mandarin oranges, nuts and chicken. I ate them alot when pregnant. Applebees, Panara and even Wendy's have their own take on it. This is mine. It uses grilled chicken instead of fried because Id rather use my calories elsewhere. Its loaded with crunchy goodness! I didnt really measure as I kinda made it a "salad bar" so everyone could help themselves and create their own. This is what should make a salad bar for about 8 people. They will be dinner sized salads. There may be extras depending on how your clan fills their plates

*16oz chopped romaine lettuce
*16oz chopped iceburg lettuce
*4oz chopped napa cabbage
*2 carrots matchsticked
*1 bag of frozen peapods (defrosted)
*10 oz dry roasted almonds
*1 (24.5) oz jar of mandarin oranges (i used dole)
*1 (4ish) oz package of crunchy wonton strips (found in salad section made by fresh express)
*1 medium can of LaChoy rice noodles
*2-2.5 lbs of grilled chicken (depending on how carnivorous your crowd is. You tend to need more meat if their are more men)
*Seasoning for chicken (I use Pampered chef Asian seasoning mix because I have it, but you can pretty much use anything you want. A little garlic and soy would be really good. You can also use leftover chicken)
*Your favorite Asian salad dressing. I used Asian Ginger from Marzetti. You will probably need 2 bottles for 8 people. (or you can make your own! I was going to but I was out of sesame oil)

1. Season and grill chicken.
2. Mix romaine, iceburg, napa cabbage and matchsticked carrot in a BIG serving bowl.
3. Put other ingredients in their own bowl
4. Give your guests a plate and tell them to dig in

Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Cheesy Sausage Quiche

2009-12-09T19:46:00.003-05:00

Every Christmas morning my mom makes this awesome sausage quiche(its her own recipe) Its not as light and fluffy as traditional quiche as it contains no cream. It is however very cheesy and delicious. As kids we always quickly devoured both pies. Its a very kid friendly meal. Now I like to make this for dinner on occasion. The recipe makes 2 pies.

2 pie crusts
12 eggs
1 roll of sausage (I use Bob Evans)
4 cups shredded mozzerella cheese
1 pkg Good Seasons dry Italian dressing mix

Preheat oven to 350
1. Brown sausage and drain thoroughly
2.Crack and beat eggs. Add Italian dressing packet and stir
3. Add cheese and sausage to egg mixture and stir
4. Lay pie crusts into pie pan and pinch down the edges
5. Divide egg mixture evenly among both pans
6. Bake 50-60 minutes

2 pies = 16 servings I go ahead and make both even though its just the 2 of us eating because the leftovers are excellent both cold and microwaved. Plus it only costs about $10 to make both pies (shopping sales obviously which I do) even if you dont make your own crust (which I dont because hello I have a 2 month old)

Macaroni Grill Carmela's chicken rigatoni

2009-12-07T17:30:00.001-05:00

Nothing makes my mouth water quicker than the words marsala cream sauce!! This is my copy cat recipe for the Macaroni Grill's Carmelas chicken rigatoni. It so delicious and decadent (and I dont want to know the calories in it... I know it's BAD) I get this everytime I go to Macaroni Grill. Since we are budgeting I cant afford to go out to eat as much, I came up with my own version. This will make 3 big bowls. (like restaurant portions) You will need to grill your chicken breasts and carmelize the onion prior to starting... but then its super fast to make. Like 5 minutes fast! You can use leftover grilled chicken too!

Butter
8oz baby bella mushrooms (i use more than MG does in my version. You can use less if you arent a shroom lover)
1/2 sweet onion carmelized (cook down with butter until soft and mushy... I use marsala to de-glaze the pan)
8 oz grilled chicken breasts (chunked)
salt and pepper
2t dried basil
4oz of Marsala wine
10 oz heavy cream
12oz rigatoni (cooked)
2oz shredded parmesan

1.Melt butter in pan. Saute mushrooms, chicken, basil, carmelized onions salt and pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes
2.Add Marsala wine and cook for 1 minute
3.Add heavy cream and bring to a boil. 2 minutes
4.Dump cooked rigatoni in pan (if you have room in your pan. If not dump mixture over bowl of cooked rigatoni and mix
5.Sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese

Just look at the mushroomy cheesy goodness! If you love chicken marsala... this is it on steroids!

Peppermint crusted marshmallows

2009-12-05T16:38:00.002-05:00

I make these peppermint crusted marshmallows at Christmastime. They look so pretty in a candy tin and make a great gift. Plus they couldnt be easier to make and they are very inexpensive.

1/2lb white mint candy coating
5 crushed candy canes
30 marshmallows

1.Heat candy coat discs in microwave safe cup stirring every 30 seconds until smooth
2.Once melted dip marshmellows into candy and then dip into crushed candy cane.
3.Place candy side up on a cookie sheet. Place in the refridgerator for 10 minutes until chocolate sets.
4.Package in a pretty tin.

Freezer Hash Browns

2009-12-04T16:02:00.003-05:00

Bags of frozen hash browns cost $2.50-$3.00 each at the grocery store. Sometimes if Im lucky I can find them on sale 2/$4. That is for a 2pound bag.

Potatoes on the other hand can be pretty cheap. Usually you can get a 5lb for $2-$2.50... or if you are lucky like me you can score a 10lb bag at Giant Eagle for $1.49. With potatoes so cheap why am I spending money on bags of frozen hashbrowns when I can make my own? Here is the recipe I use. I adapted it from this one

5lbs potatoes
vegetable oil
salt and pepper (or seasoning salt) to taste

1. Scrub potatoes (you can peel if you wish... I dont)
2. Cut into around 1/4" squares
3. Rinse and dry squares, toss in a big bowl
4. Coat with vegetable oil. I just pour a little in and stir. Repeat until potatoes are covered.
5. Season to taste. You can use just salt and pepper or add garlic powder, onions, paprika... whatever. I used zesty seasoning salt.
6. Dump potatoes on a cookie sheet. Make sure its a single layer for best results. For 5lbs of potatoes I use 2 cookie sheets.
7. Preheat oven to 450. Bake potatoes 15-20 minutes or until tender
8.Remove from oven and allow them to cool
9. Once cooled place cookie sheet in the freezer and allow for them to freeze.
10.Once frozen portion them in a freezer bag or seal in foodsaver bags

To cook: Microwave frozen hashbrowns for 1 minutes to defrost slightly. The cook them in a preheated pan with a little oil (or butter) until browned.

**I freeze mine in 1lb pouches. I get 5 bags from this recipe. I saute mine in a little butter and add onions and green peppers.

So that is 5lbs of hashbrowns for about 75cents.... maybe 85 if you count the cost of oil/salt. So a 2lbs bag cost me 37cents! Smells like a bargain to me!

Cinnamon Toast roll ups

2009-12-03T14:16:00.004-05:00

These cinnamon toast roll ups are sweet and tasty right from your freezer. Not only are they quick and easy but they make your kitchen smell divine!

1 8oz brick of cream cheese (softened)
1 egg yolk
1 cup sugar (divided)
24 slices of white bread
1T cinnamon
3T butter/margarine (melted)

1. Beat cream cheese, egg yolk and 1/4 cup of sugar until smooth.
2. Trim crust from bread. Using a rolling pin (or whatever works) flatten each piece of bread
3. Spread cream cheese mixture over flattened bread
4. Roll it jelly roll style
5. Mix 3/4 cup of sugar with cinnamon in a shallow dish. Place melted butter in a shallow dish.
6. Dip roll up in butter and roll then in the cinnamon and sugar mixture
7. Place roll ups seam side down on a cookie sheet
8. Place cookie sheet in the freezer until roll ups are stiff (about 2 hours)
9. Bake and enjoy or toss them in a freezer bag to grab on the go

To bake: Peheat oven to 400. Place frozen rolls on a cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes

Recipe adapted from Mr Food

Stuffed Shells

2009-12-02T13:44:00.001-05:00

This is my awesome recipe for stuffed shells. They freeze wonderfully and taste fresh reheated. I like to make them after a big batch of sausage and peppers and use up the leftover sauce and sausage as my sauce. You can use whatever sauce you have handy whether it be homemade or a jar of prego.

1 package of shells
2 eggs (beaten)
16 oz Ricotta cheese
1lb shredded mozzerella (1/2'd)(sometimes I use more)
8oz granted parmesan (1/2'd)
1T dried parsely
1t salt
1t pepper
1 jar sauce (or homemade 26oz)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Boil your shells
2. Mix eggs, ricotta, 1/2 mozzerella, 1/2 parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper until well blended. Toss in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill
3. Fill cooked shells with cheese mixture and place in a glass 9x13 pan.
4. Pour sauce over shells
5. Top with remaining mozzerella and parmesan cheeses
6. Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes

This recipe makes a 9x13 pan full of cheesy shells. Since its just the 2 of us eating we get 4 meals out of this (8 big adult servings) We eat one fresh from the oven and freeze the other 3. If you have a bigger family you can easily double this recipe and make 2 pans (eat one and freeze one)

To freeze: portion shells in food saver bags (or other freezer bag) and seal
To eat: Thaw in fridge. Toss in the oven(or the microwave if you are me and lazy) til hot. I usually top with a little shredded mozzerella to make it taste like fresh baked

Ham Swiss and Dijon Sandwiches

2009-11-14T21:25:00.005-05:00

I cant remember where I got this recipe but its been around forever. Ive seen several variations of it around the web. You can use leftover ham or your favorite lunchmeat. Both give fantastic results. My recipe makes 16 sandwiches. That is enough for a tailgate party or dinner for several nights. They freeze very well and can be tossed in the oven right from the freezer. Every time we run out of these my husband begs me to make more.

16 hamburger buns
16 slices of swiss cheese
1lb of sliced ham
2t poppy seeds
1 cup of margarine (2 sticks)
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2t worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup honey dijon mustard

1. In a small saucepan heat margarine, poppy seeds, worcestershire sauce, onion and mustard on medium high heat until melted.
2. Lay out your buns open. Spread a sauce on both sides of the open bun
3. Cut your swiss cheese to fit the bun without hanging over. Place cut slice on lower bun. Place any leftover cheese on upper bun. Add 1oz ham to each sandwich
4. Wrap each sandwich in foil

To eat now: Preheat oven to 350. Place wrapped sandwiches on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes

To freeze: Place wrapped sandwiches in a freezer bag and freeze. To re-heat bake frozen sandwiches at 325 for 30 minutes

Pizza Bagels

2009-11-05T15:09:00.003-05:00

These turned out better that I could have hoped and are a really easy thing to have in the freezer ready for lunches or an afternoon snack. The best thing is you can use up leftovers and customize the pizzas for your family. I didnt really use a recipe as I just used a little of what I had on hand.

You will need:
*Bagels (I went to Nickels thrift and bought day old bagged bagels on the cheap)
*Sauce (pizza sauce, leftover spaghetti sauce... whatever)
*Shredded Cheese (mozzerella, cheddar, provolone... whatever)
*Pepperoni pillow pack
*Oregano
*Various other pizza toppings

1. Open bagels on a ookie sheet and place under the broiler until toasted
2. Spread a little sauce on your toasted bagel
3. Cover the hole in the bagel with a slice or 2 of pepperoni
4. Cover bagel with shredded cheese.. just a pinch or 2. You dont want to over do it (even though there is no such thing as too much cheese)
5. Sprinkle with oregano (optional)
6. Top with your favorite pizza toppings **
7. Place bagels in cookie sheet and flash freeze (just slide cookie sheet in freezer until bagels are solid and toppings are secure)
8. Remove from cookie sheet and place in a freezer bag. Store up to 3 months

** Pizza toppings! This is the time to use up little bits of veggies/meats leftover or from other recipes. I have used pepperoni green/red peppers, chopped onions, olives and sausage (chopped patties when I made my breakfast sandwiches) with great success. I wanted to try mushrooms, but I only had fresh. If you want shrooms use the canned kind. I always put pepperoni on top because it helps everything stay on better when frozen.

To bake:
Preheat oven to 350. Place frozen bagels on cookie sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes

Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli casserole

2009-11-03T12:37:00.002-05:00

This is another quick and easy recipe. I actually adapted it from a recipe I found on the back of a box of Stove top stuffing Its one of those less than 10 minute prep throw everything in a pyrex pan and bake recipes.

You need:
1 pkg Stuffing mix (prepared)
1.5 lbs chicken breast cut into chunks*
1 bag frozen broccoli florets (thaw and squish the water out)
1 can (10oz) cream of chicken soup
1/2 c milk
2 cups shredded cheddar

Preheat to 400

1.Throw broccoli and chunked raw chicken to a 13x9 glass pan.
2.Stir together soup, milk and cheese. Dump over chicken broccoli mixture.
3.Cover with pre-cooked stuffing. (i microwave mine)

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

*(I have substituted leftover shredded chicken or turkey with great results)

Chicken & Asparagus Risotto

2009-11-02T13:44:00.004-05:00

Hey hey Im back! My little Aubrey was born on October 12th happy and healthy. Between that and moving for the 2nd time in a month I havent been able to get on an actual computer (just my iphone) Now Im back and will be able to actually post some recipes on a regular basis. Im actually able to cook again too. Yay!

This recipe is both good for you and quick! It takes less than 30 minutes prep and cook time.

6 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1t olive oil
1/3 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic pressed
1/2 cup shredded parmeasan cheese (not grated... shredded)
1T lemon zest
2 cups milk
1 can (10 3/4) cream chicken soup
1/2lb fresh asparagus
2 cups instant long grain white rice

1. Season chicken with s&p and cook in the olive oil on med high until chicken is no longer pink (5-7 minutes) Remove from pan
2 Add milk, soup, asparagus, onion, garlic, cheese. and lemon zest to the pan. Bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes
3. Stir in rice and then top with chicken. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes covered.

**I chop my chicken up instead of cooking it whole... you can do it either way. This makes 6 servings.

Spicy Beef & Broccoli Stirfry

2009-10-12T01:54:00.005-04:00

I got this recipe at a Pampered Chef party a few years ago. It is so tasty and doesnt take a ton of time to make. I trim my steak, throw it in to marinate and do the rest of the prep while Im waiting. After that the stir frying takes only about 6 minutes max. That's enough time to make minute rice in the microwave (or boil asian noodles)

1/4 c light soy sauce (I am a kikkoman girl)
1T cornstarch
2T veg oil (divided)
1 boneless beef sirloin steak (about 1-1/4lb trimmed and cut in 1/4 inch strips)
3 cups broccoli flowerts
1 med onion
1 med red pepper
2 garlic cloves pressed
1t chopped fresh ginger root
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/2 cup beef broth

1. whisk soy sauce, cornstarch and 1T oil together. Add beef. Refrigerate 15 minutes
2. Cut onions and peppers into strips. Press garlic, chop ginger
3. Heat 2 t oil. (med hi) Add beef, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. Stirfry 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside
4. Add 1t oil to hot pan. Add broccoli, onion, and red pepper. Stir fry 3-4 minutes or until crisp/tender.
5. Return beef to skillet. Add broth. Bring to a boil. Boil 1 minunte stirring gently until sauce thickens slightly

**You can serve over rice or asian noodles. I just used a pack of ramen (10 cents baby) and made a spicy beef lo mein**

Halloween entertaining ideas

2009-10-09T23:27:00.000-04:00

I havent been online in nearly 2 weeks (and I survived much to my surprise) We moved at the end of September and my kitchen is still in disarray. I cant find any of my notebooks with my recipes to share. Heck I cant even cook! Im trying to cope by researching recipes online so I have new options to try once Im back in the saddle.

It's almost Halloween. I have always loved Halloween. I get the urge to have a cool costume party and make all kinds of ghoulish treats. My birthday is the very next day so when I was young and wild I would have a costume kegger and decorate myself silly. Since the baby is coming soon that isnt an option, but I can get some cool entertaining ideas bookmarked for next year! Here are some spooktacular ideas I have found online:

Halloween Recipes
*Pumpkin Candy Apples
*Owl-o-ween treats I *heart* owls and these are adorable!
*Brew-ha-ha punch gotta love the dry ice
*Chocolate Graveyard Plots with Tombstone Cookies
*Mummy Dogs kids will just love this
*Weiner Worms deliciously spooky
*Jack-o-lantern quesidillas
*Vampire Blood Tomato Soup and Muenster Sammies
*Candy Corn Cordials I seriously want to infuse vodka with candy corn!
*Shrunken Heads in Cider
*Eyeball Highball Im so making those eyeballs!
*Spooky Cocktails using black vodka
*Cheesenstein seriously cool
*Ogre eyes hot cocoa
*Strawberry Ghosties
*Eyeball Taco Salad here's looking at you kid
*Jack-o-lantern burgers awesome simple idea
*Stuffed Pasta Jack-o-lanterns kids will just LOVE this
*Tarantula Tostadas
*Bloodshot eyeballs i bet they taste like buckeyes

Cute Crafts and Decorations
*Pumpkin Party Cooler
*Hanging Gourd Lights
*Glittered Pumpkins a pretty centerpiece
*Owlie Treat Boxes
*Flying Bat Pinata
*How to Carve a pumpkin lots of cool info here
*Candy Corn Clay Pots
*Halloween Outdoor Decorating ideas
*Halloween decor ideas from Hgtv

I hope you find something to inspire you this halloween! If my laptop ever decides to start I will have a bunch of bone chilling cocktail recipes that I created for a place I used to bartend a few years back! Happy Cooking!

English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches

2009-09-19T16:35:00.006-04:00

I made these with the hope that my husband will microwave one on the way to work rather than stopping at one of those greasy fast food joints. They are super easy... really no recipe needed, but Im gonna give you one anyways.

24 english muffins
24 slices of cheese (any kind really)
24 eggs
24 meats (sausage patties, bacon, canadian bacon.... or none)
butter or cooking spray

1. Toast your english muffins. You dont have to sit at the toaster and do them individually. I just laid mine on a cookie sheet and put them under the broiler in the over for a couple minutes until toasty.
2. Lay muffin bottoms out on counter
3. Add slice of cheese to each muffin
4. Spray or add a little butter to a skillet. Cook an egg around the size of the muffin. If I had thought about it I would have gone to my parents house and borrowed the fancy mold my stepdad uses to make eggs benedict on Easter morning but I didnt. I just cooked mine at the side of the pan and used a spatula push them into a small size. Then I turned them and broke the yolk.
5. Lay cooked egg on top of cheese
6. Cook your meat and add on top of egg. Top with muffin top.

To freeze: Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap. Place each wrapped sandwich in a freezer bag (I was able to fit about 8 sandwiches in a gallon sized bag)

To eat: Unwrap frozen sandwich and microwave 1 minute or until heated though.

**Experiment with variations. I made 24 total(8 of 3 different kinds) Egg, Sausage and American.... Egg & Swiss, Egg Sausage and Pepperjack. I basically used whatever cheese was in my fridge. I havent tried bacon because Im one of those gals that prefers crispy crispy bacon... so I figure I can add microwave bacon after microwaving if Im really craving it on the sandwich and I'll only need an extra 20 seconds**

Chicken Gyros

2009-09-18T14:45:00.004-04:00

This recipe is SO tasty I completely forgot to take a picture of the finished product before I stuffed my pregnant face with it. Im almost ashamed to admit it, but I actually ate 2 of them for dinner the first night.

Makes 5 (4 serving) meals. Around 20 gyros.

3/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 T dried mint
1 T dried oregano
1 T black pepper
1/2 T salt
4-5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
20 pitas

1. Mix all ingredients but chicken and pita
2. Cut chicken into small chunks or strips.
3. Dump chicken in the marinade. Place in the fridge and marinate for at least 2 hours.
4. Saute and cook chicken.

And what would a gyro be without some gyro sauce??
12 oz cream cheese softened
16 oz plain yogurt
1/8 cup of lemon juice
2 t garlic
1 t salt

1. In a mixing bowl add all ingredients and beat until smooth.

** when ready to serve your sauce you may want to add 1/2 a chopped de-seeded cucumber... I always do as it adds SO much to the sauce**

Done for now!

To freeze you will build kits:
1. Divide chicken into 5 packets
2. Divide gyro sauce into 5 packets
(i used my food saver for both)
3. In a gallon size freezer bag add 1 packet of chicken, 1 packet of gyro sauce and 4 pitas wrapped in saran wrap or their original packaging

To serve:
1. Defrost in fridge
2. Preheat oven to 350
3. Wrap pitas in foil
4. Wrap chicken in foil
5. Warm pitas and chicken in oven until hot (about 10 minutes)
6. Stir sauce and add cucumber

**I also like to add chopped tomato and onion to my gyros. I prefer these items fresh, but if you'd like you can add them to the kit**

I seriously want to defrost another packet and make them for dinner tonight... but Im trying to be good and wait til after the baby :)

Minestrone Soup

2009-09-17T00:39:00.004-04:00

There is nothing like soup on a cold afternoon. This makes a gigantic batch perfect for a large family or for freezing. I got about 12 big steaming bowls out of this. We had some for dinner that night... then lunch the next day. Then I froze 2 gallon sized bags. Each bag holds 4 portions. mmmm mmmm good

1T olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped sweet onions
1 1/2 cups of diced carrots
4 cups of chopped zucchini (I peeled mine)
1 1/2 cups of diced celery
1 can cannellini beans (drained)
2(28oz each)cans of diced tomatoes w/juice
4 cloves garlic minced (or cheat like me and use 2t of pre-minced stuff)
3 cups of water
3 cups of chicken broth (if you want vegetarian use all water)
2 t basil
1/2 t oregano
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup ditalini (or other small) pasta

1. In large pot heat olive oil on medium. Add onions. Saute until lightly browned
2. Add tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, celery, beans and garlic. Stir
3. Add water, chicken broth, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil
4. Reduce heat to low/medium. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally
5. Bring to a boil again. Add ditalini and cook 9 minutes (or whatever the box says to cook the pasta for)

To freeze: Let cool completely (i stuck in fridge overnight) Ladle into gallon sized freezer bags for dinner sized portions or quart sized for individual bowls. To eat just thaw in fridge and reheat!

**I like to sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on mine before eating. Its also good with a bit of chopped fresh basil on top. My husband likes to eat this with a grilled cheese sandwich. I love a big piece of a baguette**

Chicken Broccoli Pesto Pasta

2009-09-16T23:57:00.000-04:00

This is SO good! This made 6 very large portions. I was able to freeze 2 meals and have one for dinner that night. Enjoy!

16oz Penne Pasta (I use the barilla whole grain)
2T olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
1 red bell pepper julienned
1 16oz bag frozen petite broccoli florets
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
12oz prepared basil pesto

1. Heat olive oil and cook chicken and peppers.
2. Cook pasta
3. Thaw frozen broccoli squeezing the water out
4. Toss pasta, chicken, peppers and broccoli in a large bowl. Add pesto and parmesan cheese. Mix thru.
5a. If eating now: Heat oven to 350. Add pasta to clear glass dish and bake 20 minutes until cheese is melty.
5b. If freezing for later: Let cook completely. Portion into freezer bags and label. When ready to eat thaw in fridge then bake 350 for 20 minutes.

*** I used an 8x8 glass pyrex dish to bake mine in the oven and sprinkled with more parm before baking.I used a ladle to make sure the portions were even ***

Intro

2009-09-16T19:55:00.001-04:00

At 36 weeks pregnant I have been cooking myself silly to get my freezer and pantry stocked and ready for baby. I love to cook and I love to entertain but sometimes I just dont have the time to do everything I want to do in my kitchen.

I admit I suffer a bit from "Martha guilt" I want to do it all... make everything from scratch, make dinner EVERY night, do everything as cheap as possible so we can save money.... It wasn't happening. I worked nights(until 2 weeks ago) and often just ate there. My husband is always on the go and would grab dinner out or order a pizza so he didn't have to do anything. (the man so cant cook)

We were tossing SO much money away on convenience food, takeout and restaurants. I refuse to do the math. I do NOT want to know how much we wasted, I just want to change the habits. I have to if I want to stay home with my daughter.

So my adventure begins. Some of my recipes aren't made from scratch. Some of them are. Some of them are perfect for entertaining. Some of them aren't for company but will fill your family up and taste great. Some are super cheap! Some will play double duty for more the one meal. Some are perfect to stock your freezer.

There are more than my own recipes posted here. Some I have swiped from family, friends or various places around the internet. If I know where I got it I will happily link the source. If I don't and I publish one of yours please leave a comment and I will give you credit. I usually tweak a recipe to suit my own needs. If you have a great idea from one of mine, please share it. I love to try new things. I hope you join in my adventure.

Hugs
The Recipe Chick ;)