Popcorn Shrimp Tacos

I am always keeping my eyes open for a new idea to add to the lenten recipe file. This one was easy and tasty and took care of our lenten obligation to avoid meat on Friday.  

Here's what you need, but please change it up to match your family's tastes!

Frozen Popcorn Shrimp ( I used SeaPack brand)

Small flour tortillas

Shredded lettuce

Shredded cheddar cheese

Homemade Pico de Gallo, or diced tomatoes

Ranch dressing, or sour cream

Optional

taco sauce or salsa

sour cream

shredded cabbage or creamy cole slaw instead of lettuce 

Warm popcorn shrimp in oven according to package directions.

While shrimp is warming, shred lettuce and cheese and prepare pico de gallo or diced tomatoes. 

Pop the tortillas in the microwave to warm, I usually wrap them in paper towels and warm for 30 seconds, then keep in a tortilla warmer (is that what that dish is called?) until serving.

Once everything is warmed, shredded and diced it's time to assemble! 

I started with the shrimp in the middle of the tortilla and then let everyone build to suit their tastes. Mine ended up being shrimp, lettuce, pico de gallo, Shredded cheddar and ranch. And it was yummy! 

Next time I think I will mix ranch dressing with taco sauce to create a different flavor combo. I have done the same thing for taco salad and really enjoy the combo. 

Cheez-It Chicken Tenders

I actually saw this recipe on the Today program one morning and have been making them ever since. It's easy to make as many or as few as you need, depending on how many hungry humans you are feeding. I would love to take credit for the fun photo, but it is from the aforementioned, tv program! 

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups cheddar crackers, such as Cheez-Its (I use the reduced fat Aldi's brand)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 1/4 pounds uncooked chicken tenders (I usually just estimate how many I need)
3 eggs
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (this is optional, I have made it with and without, both delicious)
1 cup all-purpose flour


Preheat the oven to 475°F with the rack in the lower third of the oven.

Line a baking sheet with foil and brush it with the olive oil.

Pulse the cheddar crackers in a food processor until finely ground, or alternately (which is what I do), place the crackers in a plastic bag, remove excess air, seal it and use a rolling pin to crush the crackers. Transfer the crackers to a wide, shallow bowl and sprinkle in the paprika.


In a separate wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs with the Dijon mustard. 

Place flour in a third wide, shallow bowl.


Prepare each tender by coating it in the flour, shaking off any excess, and then dipping it in the eggs. Transfer the tender from the eggs to the crackers, pressing the crumbs into the chicken to ensure an even coating, and then placing the tender on the prepared baking sheet.  Finish the breading process with the remaining tenders, arranging them about 2 inches apart.

Lastly, bake the tenders, turning them over once, until they're golden brown, about 15 minutes total.

Serve with honey mustard, or ranch for perfect weeknight dinner.

These are a quick easy way to enjoy crispy chicken tenders without frying. Everyone likes these little gems! 

Source: The Today Show

http://www.today.com/food/make-dinner-25-minutes-cheesy-chicken-tenders-zucchini-fritters-t40186 

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

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

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

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

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!

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.

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!

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

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!

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.

*********************************************************************************

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!

Pesto Chicken Pizza

A quick and easy recipe idea I found on the internet and changed it up a little to suit Doug and I. We did indeed enjoy it with a glass of Chardonnay. It doesn't make a lot, enough for 2 people or you could cut it smaller and use as an appetizer, which I think would be great.

1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed or any type of pizza crust
4 tablespoons of basil pesto
1 cup of cooked, shredded or diced chicken, tossed with a little olive oil
1 cup, more or less, mozzerella cheese, shredded
parmesan cheese for sprinkling
salt and pepper to taste


Unroll puff pastry and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Squish together any cracks.

Top with pesto spreading all the way to the edges.  Feel free to add more if you would like. We love it, so the more the better!

Sprinkle chicken (I salted and peppered the chicken), then the mozzarella and finish with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese if you like.

Bake at 400* for 15 minutes. It should be golden brown and crust cooked. If not, give it a few more minutes.

Cut into squares and serve.

Little Pigs in a Blanket

On a rainy, fall  Saturday, when you are suppose to travel to watch the local university football team play their #1 rival on an NFL field, and you make the decision NOT to, based on the potential of severe weather, Mom better make some good treats to eat while watching said game on a pretty fuzzy internet feed. Here's a sampling of what we ate...

Little Smokie Sausages
Refrigerated Pillsbury Crescent  Rolls

Unroll crescent rolls.

Using a pizza cutter, cut rolls into long thin strips. (about 4 per roll)

Wrap strips around sausages, leaving ends exposed.

Some times my strips were too long, I just cut it in half and made 2 out of those. 

Place on greased baking sheet.

Bake at 350* for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with ketchup, mustard, bbq, or your favorite dipping sauce...

Make these for the people in your house...

they are easy, 

taste great, 

take only 2 ingredients,

 kids love 'em, 

adults love 'em, 

and I know you will too!

Seriously though, these little babies with some mac and cheese and apple slices would make a perfect fall lunch or dinner!

Open Face Italian Sloppy Joes

 

Remember the spaghetti sauce from Pioneer Woman I posted a few weeks ago? We love it! So when I saw her do a follow up recipe using the sauce, I knew I had to try it, too. So easy to make if you already have some sauce stored away in your freezer, which I did. If not, this is a good reason to make the sauce just so you can have this dish! Very satisfying for lunch on a VERY cool fall day.

Spaghetti sauce
Frozen garlic bread
Sliced mozzarella or provolone cheese
Parmesan for sprinkling on top, if desired

Heat garlic bread in oven as directed on box.

Meanwhile, heat up meat sauce in saucepan or nuke it in the microwave.

When everything is hot, top garlic bread with desired amount of sauce and one slice of cheese.

Return pan to oven until cheese is melted.

Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving if desired.

Enjoy this guys...soooo good and soooo easy!

Source: Pioneer Woman 

Stove Top Mac and Cheese

Guess what?!? Caleb is in his first apartment! Yay for him! He is loving it and doing some cooking! I know he refers to the blog for many of our favorite dishes. So some of my posts may be boring for the more experienced cooks, but my purpose has always been to create a place where our boys can see how I make the dishes we have at home. I think these are the kind of recipes that are lost from one generation to the next, simply because they aren't written down.

Like this dish...I assume everyone makes simple mac and cheese like this when the occasion arises, but maybe not. My mom made it like this and this is how I make it for a quick and easy side dish. Jonah will eat a mountain of it and has always has. It's comfort food for him. Sometimes a big bowl is his entire meal. He does like it with ketchup and it used to embarrass his brothers if he ate it like that in public...isn't that what little brothers are for???

Elbow macaroni, 1 1/2 cups or however much you need to serve your crew
Water for boiling macaroni
American cheese slices, sometimes I use Velveeta if I want to change it up. 5-6 slices if I am making enough for 5 servings...you can add more if you love cheese!
Milk, 1/4 cup or so
Butter, a couple tablespoons, more or less depending on your preference
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring water to a rolling boil.

Add macaroni slowly to boiling water, stir to separate.

Boil as directed on package or until desired done-ness, usually 9-10 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking together or sticking to bottom of pan.

Drain water off of macaroni, return mac to saucepan.

Add milk, butter and cheese to hot macaroni.

Stir to melt and incorporate all ingredients. 

The heat from the hot pasta should melt the butter and the cheese, but if not just place over low heat and keep stirring until all is melted.

Salt and pepper to taste.

You can totally add more of any ingredient to satisfy your family. Maybe you love it with more butter...just add more! I make this in all different serving sizes. Sometimes I make it up for only 1, other times I make enough for all 5 of us . Don't be afraid to change it up, it's one of those recipes that has no rules! And kids love it....much more than the box!