Tomato Basil Soup

This is one crazy easy, super tasty, awesome fall lunch or light dinner. Make it today!

1 can Tomato soup, I like Campbell's  Healthy Request
3/4 of a soup can of water
1 heaping tablespoon pesto
Parmesan cheese, if desired

In a medium saucepan, empty soup and add water, stir until smooth.

Add Pesto and stir to combine.

Heat according to directions on the soup can.

When serving, sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese, if desired.

This is wonderful served with a grilled cheese sandwich or grilled ham and cheese...YUM!

Pesto Ravioli

 The pesto really takes this dish to the next level!

This recipe was originally for the crock pot, but it was late in the day and I really wanted to try it. I simply cooked it at a lower temperature, and for a longer time, than I do for most casseroles, and it worked great. It's a really easy dish and it looks, smells and tastes wonderful! This will definitely make an appearance during lent.

1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup pesto, I buy mine by the marinara sauce in the grocery store...feel free to use homemade
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 pkg frozen ravioli, 25 oz (your choice of cheese or meat filled)
1 jar or can of marinara sauce, 24 oz (I use Hunt's Traditional in the can)

In a mixing bowl,  add ricotta cheese, pesto and grated Parmesan, stir to mix well.

Start by adding one cup of marinara sauce to the bottom of your 9 X 13 baking dish. Spread it around to cover the bottom.

Add a layer of frozen ravioli over the sauce, side by side.

Top ravioli with a layer of half of the ricotta/pesto/Parmesan mixture.  Spread it over the ravioli the best you can, it doesn't have to be perfect.

Sprinkle a little mozzarella over the top.

Layer it all again, marinara/ravioli/ ricotta mixture/mozzarella.  Use the remaining marinara to dot the top with after the last layer.

Cover with foil to bake. 

I baked mine at 300* for 45-50 minutes. I watched and waited for it to be bubbly all around the edges.

I made only 1/2 of the recipe for Doug and I and it was enough for dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day for the two of us. It warmed up great in the microwave the next day.

If you want to use the crock pot, layer everything just as above and cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Adapted from: Real Mom's Kitchen

Pecan Pie Bars

   It's fall and what a great time to start thinking about all those recipes we enjoy around the holidays.This one's a keeper!

1 can crescent rolls
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, beaten

Open crescent rolls, unroll and press into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9X13 inch pan (sprayed with cooking spray), sealing all seams.

Bake in oven for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients, pour over partially baked crust.

Return to oven for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool completely for at least an hour. Cut into bars and serve.

This is an easy way to enjoy pecan pie taste, without the trouble or enormous amount of calores in a traditional pie. One little bar (ok, maybe two) will satisfy your craving, I promise!

S'Mores...changed up!

Sunday evening, after a busy week and weekend, we built a little fire and decided to make s'mores. I have seen lots of "new" ideas for creating s'mores out in blog-land and thought we might change ours up as well. 

We started with a Ritz cracker,

topped that with a Reese's Peanut-butter Cup,

topped that with a roasted marshmallow (very roasted!),

and finished it off with another Ritz cracker. 

It was yummy! 

Everyone liked the change, a little salty, little sweet WITH a peanut butter cup! 

Does it get any better? I think not! 

And hanging out with this kid is always a good way to end the weekend...

Bruschetta Chicken

We love Bruschetta! It's so fresh and flavorful and even better when you have home-grown tomatoes. I have seen recipes for topping chicken with the tomato topping and even ordered it before in a restaurant, but hadn't attempted it at home until now. All I can say is WOW! You have to try this one!

What you will need:

Grilled chicken Breast 

Chicken Breast or breast tenders, boneless, how ever many you need
Zesty Italian salad dressing, enough to really soak the chicken
Minced garlic, optional
ground black pepper, optional
I think the garlic and black pepper just give this recipe a little something extra for the taste buds!

Make a marinade with dressing, garlic and ground black pepper, place chicken breast in marinade and turn to coat both sides. Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes...more if you have time.

While chicken marinates, make the topping.


Bruschetta topping:
2 cups diced tomaotes, romas work well
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 dashes balsamic vinegar
12-16 whole basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste.

Combine all Bruschetta ingredients, taste to ensure you have enough salt and pepper. I like to let it sit in the refrigerator for up to an hour or so to really develop the flavors, but if you don't have time, it will still taste wonderful.

Heat grill to medium-high and grill chicken about 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness (more if it's thicker, less if it's thin-cut).

Serve grilled chicken with bruschetta topping and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

This is so fresh and wonderful, I just can't get enough of it!

PW's Meatloaf

This is a real man-pleaser. I mean, just look at it...and anything wrapped in bacon makes my guys look forward to dinner! My dad, who is 70, says it's the best meatloaf he has ever eaten. And he isn't biased one bit by his only daughter's cooking. :)
It's another Pioneer Woman recipe. Yes, I check out her site almost daily, and if I didn't have to worry about gaining weight, I would cook even more of her recipe. And please, go look at her photos...so much more appetizing than mine.

Here's what you need to make this delish dish:

1 cup milk
6 slices white bread
2 lbs ground chuck
1 heaping cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, minced
4 eggs, beaten
10 slices bacon, thin or regular sliced
Sauce:
1 1/2  cups ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Heat oven to 350*

Pour milk over bread in large bowl and allow to soak for several minutes.

To the bread mixture, add ground chuck, Parmesan, seasoned salt, salt, black pepper, parsley and  beaten eggs.

With clean hands, mix all ingredients together.

Shape mixture into a large loaf and place on a large broiler pan, this will allow the fat to drain while cooking. I like to line the pan with foil to avoid a big clean up.

Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking ends under the bottom of the meatloaf.

Make the sauce by combining all ingredients and mixing well. Using 1/3 of the sauce cover the top of the meatloaf with  your spoon.

Bake for 45 minutes, remove from oven, add another 1/3 of the sauce and return to oven for 15 minutes.

Slice meatloaf and serve with remaining sauce.

This recipe makes a ton of meatloaf, so I usually cut it in half and have plenty for 4-5 people. 

I made a couple small changes from PW's original recipe, be sure to check her's out to see the differences.


Source: Pioneer Woman

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait

This is an easy, quick way to have a healthy breakfast or late afternoon snack with minimal effort.

Here's what you need:

1 vanilla yogurt, individual serving size
1-2 tablespoons granola, I like Special K
2 tablespoons frozen strawberries w/ sugar, thawed
blueberries

Layer thawed strawberries, yogurt, granola and top with blueberries.

You can change up the fruit and/or yogurt flavors to make your people happy...

Easy, Peasy! 

Chicken, Bacon, Cheddar, Ranch Breakfast Tacos

This recipe came about out of desperation! Caleb was home for the weekend and I wanted to send some breakfast items back to school with him. Unfortunately, or fortunately in this case, I didn't have any breakfast type meat. But I did have some leftover Chicken Bacon Ranch from the night before. So, I did what I usually do...I made something up! And it was darn good!

6 eggs, beaten
1 cup, or whatever you have leftover, chicken bacon ranch meat mixture
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
4 flour tortillas, soft taco size

Spray a skillet with non-stick spray, or melt a tablespoon of butter.

Add eggs and let cook a minute or two until they begin to set up a little.

Scramble them around to continue cooking and when close to being done or when they aren't runny anymore, throw in the chiken, bacon ranch mixture and stir it around to heat.

When the eggs are cooked, the meat mixture should be heated through. Remove from the heat and toss in the cheddar cheese, stirring to incorporate it throughout the eggs and meat. It'll melt as you stir.

Warm flour tortillas in the microwave for 10 seconds or until they are easy to handle/fold.

Fill each tortilla with a generous helping of the eggs and meat mixture.

Fold over and enjoy!

Chicken Florentine Pasta

this photo doesn't do this dish justice...

This is a dish I originally made for Doug and I, but since then, the boys have enjoyed it, too. It goes together quickly and is a lighter option than many pasta dishes.  Great for summertime. Use a wedge of fresh Parmesan if you can...it really enhances the flavor.


1 pound Penne, I like the mini kind
4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
Salt And Pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3/4 cups white wine (you could use all chicken broth)
3/4 cups Low-sodium chicken broth, may need a little more
1 bag Baby Spinach
2 cups diced tomatoes
Parmesan Cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler, can use grated if it's all you have on hand


Put pasta on to cook according to package directions.

In a skillet heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. When hot, drop chicken in and let cook till brown on one side. Flip over and cook until done. Remove from skillet.

Turn heat on skillet to medium and add minced garlic. Stir around for 1/2 a minute or so to avoid burning the garlic.

Pour wine and chicken broth in skillet and stir to deglaze the pan. The liquid will bubble and reduce.

When it has reduced by about half, turn off the heat.

Add in the tomatoes, spinach chicken and drained pasta.  Gently stir to combine, the spinach leaves will wilt as you combine.

Shave plenty of parmesan on top and toss gently once again.

Serve with extra Parmesan if desired.

Source: Pioneer Woman

Ice Cream Cake

This is seriously the easiest dessert EVER! 

But it looks pretty impressive, don't you agree?

And you can totally customize it to appeal to your family!

Wanna make one??? 

Here's what you need...

9 ice cram sandwiches

1 container of cool whip

1-2 candy bars of your choice...I used Reese's, chopped or crushed

Caramel Sauce

Chocolate Sauce

 Unwrap all your ice cream sandwiches...try not to eat one!

Lay 3 sandwiches side by side on a cake plate.

 Top with a layer of cool whip and sprinkle on about half of the crushed candy bars

Next lay 3 ice cream sandwiched, in the opposite direction, on top of the first layer.

Top with a layer of cool whip.

Lay the 3 remaining ice cream sandwiches, in the same direction as the first layer, on top of all. 

"Frost" the entire cake with remaining cool whip.

Sprinkle remaining candy bar on top and drizzle with caramel and chocolate sauce.

Pop it in the freezer until you are ready to serve!

ENJOY!

This made 4 very large pieces of cake. You could make a cake that would serve more people, simply by using more ice cream sandwiches, cool whip and candy bars. I would put it in a 9x13 glass dish if I were making a bigger cake.

Also, you can use any candy bars or ice cream sauce that appeals to your people! 

I hope you make one and you LoVe it!

White Bubble Up Pizza

We've been trying quite a few new recipes lately. I need to freshen things up before my boys come home for the summer. This one is easy and a really big hit! I am already dreaming of ways to make it even more delicious and can't wait to make it again. 

Give it a try...I think you'll thank me!

1 can (12oz) golden layer buttermilk biscuits the Pillsbury Grands Jr Brand
1 jar (15oz) alfredo sauce
1-2 cups mozzarella cheese depending on how cheesy you like things
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1&1/2- 2 cups cooked, chopped or shredded chicken
cooking spray

Cut biscuits into quarters.

In a large bowl, pour 3/4 of the jar of Alfredo sauce, sprinkle with garlic powder.

Add half the mozzarella cheese, and the chicken.

Gently toss all ingredients to thoroughly coat.

Pour into an 8 x 8inch baking dish, I used an iron skillet this time.

Top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 375* for 25-30 minutes or until biscuits are done and cheese is golden brown.

Serve with a little extra sauce, if desired.

Source: Adapted from Plain Chicken...yes I like her recipes...she rocks! 

BBQ Chicken Taquitos

we loved these, and the leftovers heated up nicely the next day!

3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
3/4 cup bbq sauce, I used KC Masterpeice
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese
Corn Tortillas
Kosher salt
Ranch Dressing for dipping, if desired
Fresh cilantro for garnishing, if desired

Heat oven to 425*.

Mix chicken and bbq sauce together.

Warm tortillas in microwave so they won't crack when rolling up, 30-60 seconds.

Top each tortilla with a couple heaping tablespoons of bbq chicken.

Sprinkle chicken with shredded cheese.

Roll tortilla up tightly and place seam side down in baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray, trying to leave a little space between each one.

Once all the tortillas are in the dish, spray the tops with non-stick spray then sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until the edges are becoming browned and crispy.

Optional...when serving, drizzle a little ranch over the top and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro.  A little extra ranch for dipping is nice, also.


Source: Adapted from Plain Chicken's Chiplotle BBQ Chicken Taquitos. 

Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Chicken

The lighting on this pic is awful, I promise it gets nice, golden brown and yummy!

So I have been on a Pinterest kick lately, but my family is benefiting with some very tasty meals, this one is no different! If you have chicken breasts or tenders, bacon and a few other pantry basics, you can make this tonight!

6 chicken tenders or 2 chicken breasts cut into thirds
6 slices bacon
chili powder
garlic powder
1 cup brown sugar

Sprinkle each piece of chicken with chili powder and garlic powder using your own judgement on how spicy you want it.

Wrap each piece of chicken with one piece of bacon, tucking ends under the bottom.

Roll each chicken/bacon bundle in brown sugar, place in baking dish.

Sprinkle remaining brown sugar over tops of chicken.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is done and bacon is starting to crisp.

Spoon extra sauce over when serving.  

Can also grill these, I didn't, but will try when the cold weather decides to make it's exit.



Source: 1 Tasty Meal

Greek Tomato and Feta Dip

Whoa baby was this ever good!

I found this recipe on Pinterest and knew I had to try it. It looks so fresh and tasty and I have developed a real obsession affection for Feta cheese. Doug and I were going to have this as an appetizer before a simple pork chop and pasta salad meal. Well here is what happened.....

Yes, it was that good!

Needless to say, we are having pork chops tomorrow! 

Here's what you need to put this deliciousness together...

1/3 (about) cup olive oil

3-4 roma tomatoes, diced

4-5 green onions, sliced thin

4 oz Feta cheese, crumbled

2 teaspoons Greek seasoning ( In the spice section at WalMart, Cavender's brand, yellow/red label)

1 french baguette 

Start by pouring olive oil onto your platter. Let it coat the bottom. you may need a little more or less, you be the judge.

Top oil with tomatoes, green onions, Feta cheese and Greek seasoning.

Using a spoon, gently mix everything together. 

Warm bread, then slice thin.

Spoon dip onto sliced bread and enjoy. 

This was so good guys... I could have eaten it with a spoon and no bread...mmmm! 

It reminded us of bruschetta, which we love. I can't wait to try it in the summer months when the tomatoes are garden fresh! 

For all you family members, you will be seeing this at a family gathering in the future!

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Seasoned Roasted Potatoes

4 whole potatoes, washed, pierced and baked in the microwave
(I bake mine 6-8 minutes or until tender, larger potatoes will obviously take a bit longer)
seasoned salt, just enough to sprinkle each potato
butter, about 2 tablespoons
grated Parmesan cheese

Turn oven on to broil, prepare potatoes while it heats up.

Take each potato and cut in in half lengthwise.

Score each half into little cubes, refer to picture. Being careful not to  cut all the way through the skin.

With cut side up, drizzle the potato halves with butter, sprinkle with seasoned salt and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Place in oven for 10-15 minutes or so checking every few minutes as to not over bake them. You want them to be golden-brown and crispy, but not so browned they get all dried out or burnt. Make sense?

Serve them up!

Source: Iowa Girl Eats 

Chili Stuffed Baked Potato

We wanted to enjoy chili one more time before the weather got warm...yeah looks like we have a while before that happens! Here is one way to serve it just to change it up a little. We liked it a lot...hope you do, too.

One recipe of Christie's Sweet Chili *
Baked potatoes, how ever many you need for your crew (I just nuked them in the microwave)
Butter, shredded cheese and sour cream. Green onions would be a nice addition, too.
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Split open potato.

Add butter, a tablespoon or so. Work it into the potato.

Top with a heaping scoop of hot chili.

Then, sprinkle on the cheese and top with a dollop of sour cream.

Salt and pepper to taste.

ENJOY!

*Feel free to use your own chili recipe, it will be delish with whatever you choose!

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

I made this for a funeral dinner at our church and it got rave reviews so I knew I had to make it for us at home, too. It's not difficult at all and comes out so moist and delicious I just know you will love it!

1 box yellow cake mix and the ingredients to make it (eggs, oil and water)

2 boxes instant banana pudding mix, the small box

4 cups milk, I used skim

one container of cool whip, I used light

20 vanilla wafers, crushed

banana for garnishing

Make cake according to package directions.

When cake is about 5 minutes from coming out of the oven, make pudding according to package directions using the 4 cups of milk.

Set pudding aside to thicken just a bit while cake finishes baking.

When cake is done and still hot, poke holes all over the top with the handle of a wooden spoon or something similar.

Pour pudding all over the top of the cake. It should be pourable, but not thin and runny.

Spread pudding around to make sure it works down into the holes in the cake.

Place in refrigerator to cool completely.

When cake is cool, top with cool whip.

When ready to serve, sprinkle top with crushed vanilla wafers.

Cut into serving size pieces and garnish with sliced bananas.


Source: The Country Cook

A new Pope...what a glorious day!

Thank you Lord for the gift of the Catholic faith and for giving us a chance to show the world our universal Church. Please bless our new leader, Pope Francis, as he begins his role as the leader of Your church on earth.

St Francis...Pray for us!

Smothered Chicken Fajita Chicken

This is one of those recipes that just sort of pops into your mind when "plan A" for dinner doesn't quite sound as good as it did earlier in the day. I totally made this up as I went along and we thought it was great! Hope you like it as well.

6 chicken breast tenders

1 large onion, sliced into thin strips

1 large green pepper, sliced into thin strips

cumin....lots of cumin

olive oil for saute'ing

pico de gallo, fresh or store bought, recipe below to make your own

Rotel Cheese dip, 
(I only made a 1/4 of a batch of cheese dip and it was plenty)

Start by sprinkling chicken with cumin. We like a lot, but do what your family prefers when it comes to the amount. Let chicken sit and absorb the flavor of the cumin.

Meanwhile, slice up onion and green pepper into thin strips.

Heat skillet over medium/high heat, then add a couple tablespoons olive oil. 

Saute' onion and peppers in hot oil until they begin to brown up. While veggies are cooking, sprinkle on some cumin to give them a Mexican flavor as well. 

When veggies begin to soften, remove them from the pan to a bowl and set aside.

Drizzle a little more olive oil in the skillet and add chicken, cumin side up. 

Let chicken cook 2-3 minutes until first side is done, then flip over to the other side and sprinkle with more cumin. I told you...we like the stuff!!!

When chicken is done, you're ready to plate your dinner. Start by placing a "bed" of onions and peppers on the plate, top with chicken, rotel sauce, fresh pico de gallo, and dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy! 

Fresh Pico De Gallo

5 whole (roma) Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 whole Large (or 1 Small) white Onion, diced small
1 tablespoon (more or less) diced jalapeno pepper
1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
Lime Juice, 1/2 of a fresh squeezed, or a couple squirts from a bottle
Salt To Taste

Once everything is diced/chopped, throw it all together and gently stir to combine.

Apple Crisp

Such a simple and scrumptious way to use up apples you have on hand. This is really the only recipe for apple crisp I have ever used. When you find any recipe you really like, you better hang on to it!

This particular time, I made individual servings...so sweet and special for the
peeps in your life! 
I also added a scoop of ice cream and a generous drizzle of caramel, WOW!

4 cups thinly sliced tart apples, I have found that whatever I have on hand works just fine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg*

Heat oven to 375*

Arrange apples in a 8X8 inch greased square pan.

Mix remaining ingredients; sprinkle over apples. I always try to completely cover the top of the apples so you get a bite of topping with each bite of apples.

Bake until top is turning a golden brown and apples are tender, about 30 minutes.

Best served warm! If I make ahead of time I always slip it back in a warm oven for a couple minutes to re-warm.

Top with ice cream and caramel sauce if desired.

*Sometimes I omit the nutmeg and use a whole teaspoon of cinnamon.

source: Betty Crocker Cookbook

Rotini with Maria Rosa Sauce

Here is a simple pasta dish that we enjoyed on a Friday during Lent. The sauce is easy, not as easy as opening up a jar of marinara, but easy enough and tasty enough to make it worth a little effort. Just give yourself enough time to let the sauce simmer to enhance all the flavors.

Here's what you need to get started:

rotini pasta, however much you need for your family,
or pasta of your choice, I think penne would work great, too
grated Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top

Maria Rosa Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onions
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian, flat leaf parsley
4 cups canned whole plum tomatoes, about one 35 oz. can
(crush the tomatoes using your hands or chop with a knife before adding to the sauce, or puree them in a food processor if you like your sauce less chunky)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter in the olive oil.

Add carrots, celery and onion and garlic and cook until softened about 8-10 minutes.

Stir in the parsley and tomatoes.

Bring the sauce to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the tomatoes are sweetened and cooked about 45 minutes.

When sauce is close to being done, prepare pasta according to package directions.

Drain pasta and toss with enough of the sauce to thoroughly coat pasta.

Dish up the pasta and top with extra sauce and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

*You could add a pound of ground chuck to the sauce to make a meat sauce for topping pasta. Just add it to the vegetables after they have begun to soften and cook until done, then finish the recipe from that point, adding the tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper.

This was very reminiscent of pasta we would have ordered in Italy. And even though I made it without meat, it was very filling and healthy with all the veggies in it.

We loved it!

French Puffs

Basically a muffin, rolled in butter, cinnamon and sugar! 

Easy to make and even easier to eat!

 Lets make a batch...

Muffins:

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup canola oil

1 egg

2 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Topping

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup sugar 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 400*

Grease bottoms of muffin pan or line with paper liners.

Beat milk, oil and egg.

Stir in flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix just until flour is moistened, batter will be a little lumpy.

Divide batter in muffin cups.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

While muffins are baking, melt 1/2 cup butter or margarine, and in a separate bowl mix cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.

Remove muffins from oven, and as soon as you are able to handle them, roll in butter then cinnamon and sugar mixture. 

Serve 'em up to hungry people!

Source: my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook!

SIXTEEN!

My favorite fifteen year old, is SIXTEEN today! Not sure where the years have gone, but I do know we have so many wonderful memories when we look back over time. Born a whopping 9lbs 3 oz, he burst into this world and stole all our hearts. He is the best little brother his big brothers could ask for and he has loved them from day one. As the youngest of the family, Doug and I have the good fortune to still have him at home while his brothers are away at school. We enjoy and love him so very much!

HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY J

love, MOM

Big Chocolate Chip Cookie cake recipe found here.

Chicken Rice a Roni Casserole

Plain Chicken is a great blog for tons of quick and tasty meals. I stumbled upon this one this weekend and knew I had to give it a try.  My old standby Chicken and Rice  recipe is loved by all my guys and requested often, so I wondered if I should even bother with trying a new one, but my enjoyment for trying new recipes got the best of me so here we go...

1 box chicken flavor Rice-A-Roni, I found a lower sodium choice
1 can cream of chicken soup, low fat/reduced sodium
1 cup sour cream, I used light
3-4 cups cooked, chopped chicken, I used Rotisserie Chicken
1 (6 oz) can French fried onions, I only used about 3/4 of the can

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Prepare Rice-A-Roni according to package directions.

Add soup, sour cream and chicken. Stir to combine.

Spread rice mixture in a lightly sprayed 9x13 pan.

Top rice with fried onions.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.


Super quick to put together, the most time consuming part was removing the chicken from the bones. Doug, J and I all enjoyed it. The recipe makes quite a bit, so it is definitely good for families.

Give it a try!

Source: Plain Chicken Blog

Hash Brown Potato Casserole

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 can cream of chicken soup, reduced sodium
8-10 oz of 2% Velveeta cheese, cubed,
1 cup sour cream, light
1 pkg hash brown potatoes, we like the southern style cubes

Topping:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups cornflakes, crushed
In a small bowl, mix the two together. 

Saute onions in butter in a large skillet over medium heat until onions are soft.

Add cream of chicken soup, combine well.

Add Velveeta cheese and stir until melted.

Remove from heat and add sour cream, stirring well to combine.

Add hash browns and stir to incorporate sauce through the potatoes.

Transfer potato mixture to a well greased 9 X 13 inch casserole dish.

Top with cornflake/butter topping.

Bake at 350* for 50-60 minutes.

This dish is so good served with lots of main courses. It's great for brunch with an egg casserole, with turkey or ham for Christmas dinner or one of our favorite ways...a juicy cheeseburger with all the fixins! Where's my fork?

it's an "oldie but a goodie"


p.s. we might get another snow day this week! yippee! Jonah has requested 
 Snow Day Doughnuts
 if we do,  you should make them for your kiddos too...snow or no-snow!!

Snow Day Doughnuts!

How lucky are we to get a snow day? Actually it's an "ice" day, so...much...sleet! I should be doing house work instead of posting doughtnut recipes, but this is so much more fun!

These are so simple and really tasty. Oh, they don't compare to a good old fashioned homemade donut, but I promise your family will eat these up and you will be out of the kitchen in no time.

One can of canned biscuits, more if you have a big crew to feed!

Canola oil for frying...I know I hardly ever fry things!

cinnamon and sugar mixture 

or 

powdered sugar glaze (1 cup powdered sugar, and enough milk to make a smooth glaze, 1-2 tablespoons, mixed until smooth and creamy)

Heat oil in a small saucepan or skillet.

Meanwhile open biscuits and cut a small hole in center to make a doughnut or cut into quarters to make donut "holes".

Dip a slotted spoon into the hot oil, then sit one of the donuts on top of the spoon and gently lower it into the oil. Even if making "holes", just lower one at a time into the oil. It's okay to cook more than one at a time, but to keep them from sticking together, put them in individually.

Watch closely and when browned on the bottom, gently flip over to brown the other side.

When both sides are browned remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

If sprinkling with cinnamon and sugar, do so quickly after removing from hot oil. The mixture will stick better. 

If dipping in glaze, simply dip one side then flip over and dip the other. Remove to a plate to let the glaze set a bit, and the excess to drip off. 

Tips for cooking the doughnuts...

• Don't get your oil too hot, you want the doughnuts to immediately rise to the top of the oil and gently fry, not brown as soon as you lower them into the oil. Just be careful and adjust your heat as needed.
•  
• Make sure your oil is hot enough...you don't want to lower your doughnut into the oil and have it sink to the bottom.

• Between each set I fried, I left my burner on and just moved the pan off the heat so I could sprinkle with cinnamon/dip in glaze without being in a hurry and it kept the oil from becoming overly hot.
• Don't fret if the first few aren't just right. Canned biscuits are cheap and you can afford a few trial runs before you get it perfected.

Ham and Cheese Omelete

We had a very large ham given to us at Christmas time. Too big even for a family with 4 guys! I cut it up in different size pieces and slid it in the freezer to use later. I had plans to make Crockpot Ham and Potatoes , but didn't get going earlier enough in the day for it to have time to cook. So I changed last nights dinner plans to "plan b"....Ham and Cheese Omelets. Really easy to put together and we like to change things up once in a while and have breakfast for dinner.

Here's how I make them...

To make one omelet:

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup ham, diced

1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1 tablespoon red onion, diced very small

In a skillet over medium high heat, rub a stick of butter over the bottom to prevent eggs from sticking. You can totally use a non-stick spray if you prefer.

Pour the eggs in the center of the skillet and if needed swirl the pan around or use the back of a spoon to spread the eggs out in a thin circle. Don't worry if it isn't a perfect circle...it will taste great no matter what the shape is!

Turn heat down to medium and let eggs cook until beginning to set on top. If you have never done this before, don't fret...it's easy and you won't mess it up. 

When eggs are almost set, sprinkle ham, cheese and onions down the center of the omelet. 

Using a spatula, flip one side over the middle, then flip the opposite side over the top of all, creating almost a burrito effect with the ends open. Make sense? 

Let cook for 30 seconds or so until the cheese begins to melt and the ham has had a chance to warm through.

Transfer to a plate and top with a little salsa for a little kick, or a little ketchup if you like.

I served this with some Hash Brown Potatoes and Pumpkin Bread. My Fruit Bowl fruit salad would be a delicious  addition, too.

You could make this a Lenten recipe by using only cheese and onion. Maybe use different cheeses to make a unique flavor...hmmm, I may have to try that this Friday!

Applesauce Bread

When Drew was home a of couple weekends ago, he took some pumpkin bread back to school that I had made ahead and popped in the freezer. He called a few days later to say how much he had enjoyed having a couple slices for breakfast. He likes  being able to have something in his room to eat and not go to the dining hall every morning. So, I decided to get back to baking and make a few loaves to send to him. He can keep them in the freezer until he is ready to cut into them. 

This is a new recipe and I think it turned out great. Wonderful with a cup of coffee, a tall glass of milk or in my case a Green Monster.

1/2 cup of canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup sweetened applesauce

Preheat oven to 350*

In a mixer bowl, mix the oil and sugar.

Add eggs and beat until well blended.

In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.

Mix in half the dry mixture with the batter mixture, then add half the applesauce.

Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and the last half of the applesauce, mixing well.

Pour into one regular size loaf pan, or two small loaf pans. If using a large pan bake for about an hour. For the smaller pans, about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Vegetable Lasagne

Doug bought me a new cookbook for Christmas and this weekend we decided to make a dish from it together. Tough choice as to what to make...it's an Italian cookbook and we love almost all Italian dishes.
We chose this lasagne recipe not even realizing it could also be a Lenten recipe. Whoo-Hoo...double duty recipes ROCK!

The real name of this recipe is Green Lasagne. But in our small town, no green lasagne noodles were to be found, so we're going to call it Vegetable Lasagne. Works for me!!

It looks a bit much at first, but really it's easy to put together. We chopped all the veggies earlier in the day and that helped speed things up. You could even make your sauces completely in advance and then you just have to assemble it and pop it in the oven. (If not making in advance, just be sure to give yourself plenty of time, the red sauce needs to simmer for 45 minutes.)

Here's what you need to get this started:

1 recipe Maria Rosa's sauce, recipe follows
12 Lasagne noodles, cooked, cooled and drained on a dish towel (I like to cook extra just in case some stick to the pan, I cooked 15)
1 recipe White sauce, recipe follows
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350*.

2. Ladle 1/2 cup Maria Rosa sauce on the bottom of a buttered 9 X 13 baking dish.

3. Place 3  lasagne noodles side by side over the sauce.

4. Top noodles with one quarter of the remaining Maria Rosa sauce.

5. Top Maria Rosa sauce with one quarter of the White sauce.

6. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese over all.

7. Place 3 more lasagne noodles over Parmesan and  repeat steps 4, 5 and 6.

8. Place 3 more lasange noodles on top and repeat steps 4,5 and 6 again.

9. Place last 3 lasagne noodles on top and repeat steps 4, 5 and 6, using all the remaining sauce for this layer.

10. Bake until bubbly and lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.


Maria Rosa Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onions
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian, flat leaf parsley
4 cups canned whole plum tomatoes, about one 35 oz. can
(crush the tomatoes using your hands or chop with a knife before adding to the sauce, or puree them in a food processor if you like your sauce less chunky)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add carrots, celery and onion and garlic and cook until softened about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and tomatoes.Bring the sauce to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the tomatoes are sweetened and cooked about 45 minutes.

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White sauce:
6 tablespoons of butter
6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
3 cups skim milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Melt butter in medium size saucepan set over medium-low heat.When butter is foaming, whisk in the flour. Whisk in the milk.Cook, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes, more or less time as needed.Remove from heat and stir in salt and pepper to taste and nutmeg.


This was a very tasty lasagne. Not a traditional "American" lasagne, and I think that's what I liked about it. You could definitely add some browned sausage or ground chuck to the red sauce and make it more hearty. Without the meat, it's a  great addition to our Lenten recipes, for sure! AND it heats up well the next day for leftovers! Does this make it a triple duty recipe???

According to the cookbook the Maria Rosa sauce is good on any type of long tubular pasta, like penne, ziti or rotini. I'll be trying that in the future!