Pasta Salad

This is super easy, don't I say that a lot? 

But seriously, when you begin with pasta and end by dressing it with Italian dressing, you can't get any more simple or satisfying.  

Here's what I use to make a really quick and tasty pasta salad:

Pasta, your choice of shape, I like garden rotini for it's shape and color variety

Fresh Veggies of your choice, today I used broccoli, red onion, cucumber, and green pepper, chopped. Really, the sky is the limit and you can add whatever you have on hand or what your crew will eat.

Zesty Italian Dressing, brand doesn't matter

 

Cook and drain your pasta and dump it in an appropriate size bowl.

 

Place veggies in bowl and drizzle with Italian dressing.

 

Stir it all together and place in refrigerator for several hours. 

The longer it sit, the more the flavor develops. 

Right before I serve the pasta, I make sure to check and see if it needs a little more dressing.  While in the fridge it can absorb a lot and you want to make sure it isn't dry when you serve it. 

Serve this up with just about anything. A great dish to make in advance on busy nights, just make a quick entree and the side dish is ready to go. Or make it more of a meal of it's own by adding grilled chicken, ham or pepperoni.

Deviled Eggs

Who doesn't love a good old fashioned deviled egg?? The recipe I use is what my mom used when I was growing up...probably what her mom had used when she was growing up. My grandma's name was Cammie...not her real name, that was Mary. But my brothers and I called her Cammie. When my oldest brother was little he couldn't say grandma, instead he said, "Cammie," and it stuck. We are her only grandchildren who called her that (and our children, her great grandchildren, did too), made me feel kinda special! So here are my family's old fashioned deviled eggs, I love 'em.

6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced in two (from end to end), with the yoke removed to a small bowl.
1/3 to 1/2 cup  Mayo or Miracle Whip, makes no difference to me, I like to use a light variety (may need a little more or a little less, I really never measure this)
1 tablespoon Yellow Mustard
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish

To make the egg filling:
In small bowl add all ingredients except egg whites.
Mix well with a fork or even a small hand mixer to remove most of the lumps...it doesn't have to be lump-free, just no huge lumps or really lumpy filling.

To fill the eggs:
The eggs in the picture were filled with a pastry bag with a fluted attachment. I like them this way, but remember I live with much testosterone and once in a while I like things pretty. Really though, I usually only do this if I am serving them to folks other than my family.
You can simply fill the eggs with a couple spoons, like making drop cookies, or fill a zip lock bag with the filling and snip a corner off and squeeze the filling into the eggs. It doesn't matter how you fill them, they will still taste great!

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

4-5 large potatoes, I use whatever I have on hand, no room for being picky here!
2-3 tablespoons butter
4 oz cream cheese
1/3 - 1/2 cup sour cream
5 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbles
1 to 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
3 green onions, sliced thin
salt and pepper to taste

Peel and cube potatoes, place in saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil until softened.

Drain potatoes and mash with a potato masher.

Add butter, cream cheese, sour cream. Mash together with the potato masher.

Add 1/2 the bacon, cheddar cheese and green onions. Stir until well combined and salt and pepper to taste.

Place potatoes in a buttered casserole dish and cook in a 350* oven for 30 minutes or until heated through and a little browned on top.

Before serving garnish top with remaining bacon.

Obviously, potatoes come in different sizes, you may need to adjust amounts based on how much potato you have after you mash them. Good news is you can't mess this up!

It's no secret my family loves Twice Baked Potatoes. When I make them the boys always want me to use large baking potatoes, because I usually make one each and they want a lot of potato! So when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I knew I had to make up my own version. Doug and I were the only ones here to enjoy this yummy dish. We had a large rib-eye steak and these potatoes and definitely over-ate!

Steak Bites

1 pound sirloin steak, cut into bite size pieces
lemon pepper seasoning or salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter


Sprinkle generously with lemon pepper or simply salt and pepper, tossing the meat around a bit to thoroughly coat with the seasonings.

Heat the skillet over medium high to high heat. As the pan heats, add about 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Allow the butter to melt, then brown, before you add the meat.

Place some of the meat in the pan in a single layer. It should sizzle loudly when it hits the pan – if it doesn’t, the pan isn’t hot enough.

Don’t stir or disrupt the meat for a minute or so. You want it to sizzle and brown on one side. Scoop as many steak bites as you can with your spatula and flip them over.

Repeat until all the meat is turned. Cook for an additional minute or so—just long enough to sear the outside of the meat, and the inside will be medium.

Remove the meat to a clean plate.

Add a little more butter to the pan and repeat the cooking process with the next batch just as before.

Lastly, when all the meat is nicely browned and removed to the plate, pour all that browned/blackened butter all over the meat. And enjoy!

These are tasty and quick. A real man pleaser!

Source:
This comes from the Pioneer Woman. She likes her's a little more rare on the inside and therefore cooks them only 30-45 seconds on each side. We need ours a little more medium. You may have to experiment to see what works for you.

Chicken Bacon Artichoke Pizza

Who doesn't love pizza? This one is a flavor explosion that is probably going to appeal to more adults than kids...that's how it is at our house.  Make it for your sweetie and eat it in front of a warm fire with a glass of wine or out on the deck with an ice cold beer when the weather is warm. Either way, it's a great change of pace from traditional pizza with red sauce.

For the crust:

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 teaspoon dry yeast

To make crust, place warm water and salt into a medium mixing bowl.
Add a cup of the flour and the yeast, and stir.
Add remaining flour (1/3 cup) and stir or knead into a sticky dough, adding additional water if needed.
Allow dough to rest, covered with a clean towel, for at least 10 minutes but up to 30-45 minutes. 
Liberally oil a 16-inch round pizza pan with olive oil, and then with your hands, spread dough thinly over the pan, using olive oil to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
Be gentle and have patience, as this does make a perfectly thin crust!

For the garlic sauce:

1/4 cup light or fat free Italian salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash black pepper

Mix together in a small bowl.
Pour onto crust and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before topping.
Preheat oven to 450*.
While waiting, prep the toppings.

For the toppings:

1/2 cup cubed or thinly sliced grilled or rotisserie chicken breast meat
1 cup (loosely measured) baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, blotted dry and cut into bite-size (small) pieces
3 slices bacon, cooked, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, please shred your own!!
Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Once pizza has been sitting for 10-15 minutes, top with toppings., ending with cheeses. 

Bake in a preheated 450* oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired, slice and serve.

and this is what's left....seriously, it's that good!

Original recipe found on Tammy's Recipes, I tweaked it a little.

Going to check out more of her recipes, looks good.

And it's a take off our favorite pizza from Papa Murphy's.

Baked Penne Pasta

This is a recipe I saw over at Real Mom Kitchen. Hers is called Baked Ziti, but I had penne pasta on hand. She has lots of easy recipes that are family friendly.
I altered a couple things, but over all the recipe is her's. It satisfied Doug, Jonah and I  at the dinner table and me during the preparations!

1lb ground beef
1 cup onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced), I buy it in the jar already minced, so easy
1 (26 ounce) can meatless spaghetti sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
 3/4 of a (16 oz) package penne pasta (cooked and drained)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, shred your own, you'll love yourself for it
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, I didn't measure, just sprinkled what I thought it needed, probably not a full cup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet add ground beef, onions and garlic. Cook over medium high heat stirring frequently until the beef is browned.

Stir in spaghetti sauce, chicken broth and Italian seasoning. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup of sauce into the cooked penne noodles.

Spoon ½ of the penne mixture into a 13×9” baking dish.

Sprinkle 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup  parmesan cheese over the top of the penne mixture.

Top with 2 cups of the sauce, then add remaining penne mixture and top that with the remaining sauce.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Source: Real Mom Kitchen

White Chicken Chili

1 can chicken broth
4 cans great northern beans, slightly drain
3-4 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded OR 1 precooked 
rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 pkg chili seasoning mix, only use half if you want chili to be more mild
1 onion, chopped
olive oil

Saute onions in olive oil, till lightly browned.

Put all ingredients into crockpot. 

Cook on low heat for 5 hours.

I made this with 1/2 a package of seasoning as that is what the original recipe called for. In the future, I'll use the whole package to spice it up. Super easy, tasty and you can dress it up however you like to serve it. I offered Fritos, fresh grated cheddar and light sour cream. You could also serve it with cornbread or crackers. I think a few green onions would be good too.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

1 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375*.

Mix butter, sugar, brown sugar and egg with electric mixer until creamy.

Stir in flour, baking soda and salt, dough will be stiff.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Spray a 9 X 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Spread cookie dough in baking pan using a spatula and spread even.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Let cool, then cut into bars.

I haven't made these cookies in a while. I used to make them all the time when I was packing 15 lunches a week! The boys really like them in bars for a change and I can put them in the oven and forget them for a while, unlike regular chocolate chip cookies. 

Margarita Cupcakes

 

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons oragne -flavored liquor, such as Triple Sec

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil, I used canola

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon lime oil or grated lime zest, I used zest

1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350*

Mix together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together lime juice and liquor.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs and lime oil, or zest, until smooth.

Alternately whisk in flour mixture and milk and liquor mixture. 

Keep beating until all is added and batter is just smooth.

Scoop batter into lined cupcake pan.

Bake in preheated 350* oven for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Tops should be lightly golden and should spring back when lightly touched.

Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes.

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Syrup:

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons super fine granulated sugar, i used regular and it worked fine I just stirred to dissolve

1 tablespoon taquila

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice.

Whisk together all ingredients. Whisk well to dissolve sugar if using regular.

Using a skewer, poke four or five holes in top of each cupcake. 

Drizzle syrup over the top of each cupcake.

Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on rack. 

Top cupcakes with buttercream frosting.

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Buttercream: 

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat butter, powdered sugar and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. 

Add vanilla and beat until frosting is smooth. 

Tint frosting with food coloring, if desired.

Spread frosting with a spatula or pipe on with a pastry bag.

This is only 1/2 of the original recipe, and I felt is was plenty of frosting.

Doug gave me this cupcake cookbook for Christmas. He knows me well and knows how much I love to cook. One thing I really like it that many of the recipes only make 12 cupcakes. More than plenty for our family. I think next up will be Boston cream pie cupcakes! I'll let ya know how they turn out!

a few of my favorite girls....

Click on the picture for a closer look at all the fun!!!

Last week we had a fun girls get together and threw a "favorite things" party. Wow, it was fun. Not everyone could be there...missed you Amy. Kristen and Mindy were not in town and Sara was knee deep in kiddos! But never fear, we are planning another party for the summer.

Here's where we got the details...

Since I am without my mom and don't have any biological sisters (I do have one sister in law on my side and two really cute nieces who would love this party too!) , the girls in Doug's family are so good to me. I love 'em all and feel blessed to be journeying through life with them.

Chicken Pot Pie Biscuits

This is a spin off Pioneer Woman's Chicken Pot Pie due to 2 facts...I had some leftover frozen biscuits that needed to be used AND I make terrible pie crust!  Normally if I need pie crust, I just buy Pillsbury! Not as good as homemade, but better than what I make! Anyway, I made her recipe and we ladled it over hot, split biscuits. Filling and comforting, what more do you need? Everyone liked it!


3 stalks celery, diced
8-10 baby carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
3/4 cup flour (original recipe calls for 1 cup, it made it a little too thick for topping biscuits)
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 chicken bouillon cube, or 1 teaspoon bouillon granules
1/2 cup white wine, if desire..I did!
1 cup heavy cream, thinking next time I will use something lighter
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt, more if needed to taste
black pepper to taste
hot biscuits ( I used the frozen Great Value brand, they are excellent)

Melt butter in a large skillet or dutch oven.

Add diced vegetables and cook till they begin to soften.

Add chicken and stir to combine.

Sprinkle flour evenly over all and allow to cook a couple minutes, stirring gently.

Pour in the chicken broth, stirring contatnly.

Stir in the bouillon and wine, if using.

the flour will combine with the chicken broth to create a delicious gravy.

Pour in the cream and stir.

Allow the mixture to cook over low heat, thickening gradually, about 4 minutes.

Season with thyme, salt, and pepper.

Remove from heat and taste. Adjust seasonings as needed.

(At this point you could pour into a pie pan or casserole dish and create pot pie)

Split hot biscuits and generously ladle on the chicken gravy....mmmm.

Seriously this gravy is so good you could eat it by itself...and I'm pretty sure it's calorie free...
 

While I got this recipe from the Pioneer Woman's cookbook, I did change it ever so slightly, for instance I left out those nasty little peas....

BBQ Country Style Pork Ribs

Talk about an easy recipe...my sister-in-law Janice let me in on her little secret and boy am I glad, so is my family!

Our local super market is locally owned and they have a great meat department. One thing they have on sale from time to time are these Country Style Pork Ribs. They are thick and meaty and when I used to see them I would dream of grilling them to perfection, but really they are too thick to grill and there is quite a lot of fat on them. It would take forever to get them cooked through and then they would be dried out and tough and the fat would just be gross. Then Janice shared with me how she prepares them...

Each package usually has 4 large ribs.

Country Style Ribs, one or two packages depending on how big your family is, I use 2 and have leftovers

bbq sauce of your choice, I like honey bbq for these

Place ribs in a large pot and fill with water.

Bring to a boil and cook until ribs are falling off the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Remove from water and trim of all fat and bones...you end up with chunks of meat, not like ribs bones with a small amount of meat on them.

Place in a 9 X 13 dish and cover with bbq sauce.

Cover tightly with foil to lock in moisture.

Warm in a 325* oven to let the sauce marry with the ribs. Just 20-30 minutes or till sauce and meat is hot.

That's it!

Drew isn't a fan of bbq, so I just leave some ribs dry, season with a little season salt and reheat, he loves 'em.

I often get these ready early in the day, then pop them in the oven in time for dinner. 

Here is the reason you need to trim the fat and bones away...

I only buy these when they are on sale because there is a quite a bit of waste.

Happy New Year....new recipes coming SOON!

Been away for a while, but back and ready to get the blog up and running again for the New Year.
I will have a new recipe posted tonight!