Parmesan Baked Pork Chops

One day my dear friend Carol mentioned a favorite pork chop recipe she had found on Pinterest. She told me how easy it was and how good it was. That was all I needed to hear.  So a few days later I perused her Pinterest page and found the link.  I could not wait to make them. And the verdict is?  Yes, definitely a keeper. We will be having this again.  Soon!

(I would encourage you to visit the original link; the picture is much more appetizing there)

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless pork chops
Olive oil
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 cup Italian bread crumbs (I used plain Panko and added a few herbs to give it an Italian flavor)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, black pepper, and garlic powder on a plate or in a shallow bowl.

Spray/rub olive oil onto the pork chops.

Dip into the cheese mixture, covering the pork chops completely.

Place on a cookie sheet (I just covered one with Parchment paper).

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pull Apart Cinna-Buns

The other night I was cleaning out my fridge. You know, like that deep cleaning.  Pull everything out.  Toss the old stuff. Wipe down/wash the shelves.  Put things back nice and neat.  It was quite an exciting evening.

Then I remembered that I had told my kids I would make breakfast for the morning.

At this point, it was maybe 11 p.m.  And I had more work to do.

What to do? What to do?

Well, Google of course.

I searched for quick and easy cinnamon rolls.

And this recipe popped up.

So they aren't exactly cinnamon rolls.

But they looked easy, fairly quick, and tasty, so I went for it.

Because of our food issues at our house, I had to change it up just a little bit.  The original recipe uses butterscotch pudding mix  (and I am pretty sure my sister does a similar recipe with vanilla pudding mix).  We can't/don't do instant pudding mixes, so I did no pudding at all.

And it still worked for us.

Ingredients:
18 frozen Rhodes dinner rolls
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
(Do the night before)
Spray a Bundt pan with cooking spray.

If you are using nuts (we didn't this time), spread the nuts in the pan first. 

Place 9 frozen dinner rolls in the pan.

Mix the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Spread half the mixture over the frozen rolls.

Place 9 more frozen dinner rolls in the pan (like a second layer). 

Spread the second half of the butter mixture over the rolls.

Cover loosely with parchment paper.

The next morning, you will find a risen mound of dough and butter yumminess.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly then invert onto a serving platter.

You can stop there and probably be fine.

Or you can add a little cream cheese frosting.

Which we did.

Yum.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting Directions:
Use a mixture to cream the cream cheese and butter together.
Add in the vanilla.
Add in powdered sugar a little at a time until it is light and fluffy.
 Spread over warm cinna-buns.

Enjoy!

Bread Bowls

I should have had my husband take the picture. He does SOOO much better than I do.  (If you look at the picture on the original recipe website-link below, you will see a much nicer picture...)

Anyway, I have been making these for a while but never got around to posting them.

I don't remember how I found the recipe, but I am glad I did.

Bread bowls.

When I eat baked potato soup, I always want some bread with it. I mean, can't have enough carbs/starch, right?

So when i saw these, bread bowls, it seemed like THE way to go.

And it was. And is.

The original recipe involves a bread machine. If you know me at all, I typically prefer to knead and mix by hand.  So I do.  Either way, it is easy.  And delicious.

This recipe makes 4.  I sometimes halve it just to make a couple or double it to make more (then freeze any leftovers).   My recipe is for hand mixing.  For the bread machine, check out the original recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup plus 3 Tbsp warm water

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (I do use rapid rise)

1 tsp sugar

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 cups bread flour

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Add yeast and sugar to the warm water in a bowl.  Give a few minutes to "foam" (to show the yeast is working).  Then add in the olive oil, Parmesan, flour, and salt.

Knead for a few minutes, adding flour as needed. It should not be too sticky.

Cover the bowl with a warm towel and set aside to rise.  Mine typically takes about an hour, but house temperature and weather can play into it.

After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down.  Divide the dough into four parts, shaping them into balls.  Place on a greased cookie sheet (I typically use parchment paper).  Let the dough balls rise for about 30 minutes.

Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

After the bowls have cooled, cut off the tops and pull out the inside of the bowls.  You could use that extra bread to make bread crumbs or if you really like bread (like I do), just drop the bread pieces back into your soup for a little treat. :)

Enjoy!

Pork Chops and Potatoes

This picture doesn't do this dish justice. Oh, it showcases the pork chops perfectly (thanks to the Hubs for taking it). But what you can't see is the pile of tender potatoes underneath the broth/sauce.

Yum.

The one and only negative about this meal was that it needed to cook for an hour and a half. By the time you throw in prep time, it takes about 2 hours total. That isn't a big deal on a Saturday.  On a Monday, it meant a late dinner for us. 

But it was worth it. 

I found the original recipe here. 

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp flour
28 oz. chicken broth (I used 32 because that is what I had on hand)
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 pork chops (I used boneless because that is what I had...)
sage (to taste)
4-6 red potatoes (depends on size of potato), thinly sliced (HIGHLY recommend using a mandolin)
1 small sliced onion
paprika and parsley to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour over medium heat.  Add the chicken broth, stirring often until it begins to thicken and bubble.  (I used a whisk to remove lumps)  Then cook one minute longer.  Add salt/pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet.  Brown the pork chops (each side), sprinkling the sage, salt, and pepper over the meat as it cooks. 

Layer in a 9 x 13 inch pan:
Potatoes (thinly sliced)
Onion Slices
Broth/Gravy
Pork Chops

Cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Bake for 1 hour.  After an hour, remove the aluminum foil and continue to cook for another 30 minutes.

Enjoy.

It is two hours after dinner here, and my house still smells amazing. 

Reba

Garlic Parmesan Baked Chicken Wings

I meant to get a better picture but we were halfway through the meal before I thought, "I need a picture of this!"

And by the end of the meal, there was nothing.

All gone.

Lesson learned.

When I make this again, I need to double the recipe.  Or at least the chicken wings...

I cannot remember exactly where I got this recipe but it is a keeper for sure!

Ingredients:

 

Garlic-Parmesan Chicken Wings 

1/4 cup butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (I always use freshly grated)
24 chicken wings (baked- I baked ours in a baking dish at 375 for 45-50 minutes)

Directions:

Melt butter.

 Add garlic powder, onion salt, and pepper. 

Arrange hot fresh baked wings on a serving platter and drizzle with the butter mixture. 

Top with the Parmesan cheese.

We ate ours with new potatoes in white sauce and homemade parkerhouse rolls.

Enjoy! 

Reba

Chicken Stuffing Bake

Tonight one of my kiddos asked me why I always take pictures of our food. Another one responded, "She is a foodie photographer."  I had to laugh. I told them that I don't have enough time or patience to be a food photographer. Once it is out of the oven, we are ready to eat.  So this is the best I can do under such circumstances.

I have still been cooking. Just lax about blogging lately. :)

This recipe is an old family favorite.

Tonight I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner, which is rare for me. I usually have my menu planned by Sunday.

I knew I had chicken, that I wanted to avoid pasta, and that we had no potatoes.

What to do, what to do.

It just so happened I had some stuffing and some Swiss cheese on hand.

Perfect.

Chicken stuffing bake.

It is a simple recipe (my favorite kind) and easy.

Just what I needed.

Ingredients:
Chicken breasts or tenderloins (skinless, boneless)

Swiss Cheese, sliced

1 container of cream of mushroom soup

1 package stuffing

1/4 cup white wine OR chicken broth

1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:
Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray.  Okay, I totally didn't do that, and it worked just fine.

Spread the Swiss cheese slice on top of the chicken. 

Mix together the cream of mushroom soup, the stuffing, the white wine OR chicken broth, and the melted butter.

Spread over the top of the chicken/cheese.

Cover with foil.

Bake at 350 for 55 minutes.

I served this with green beans and rolls.

Enjoy!

Reba

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

For Super Bowl Sunday, we were supposed to go to my parents' house.

Except it snowed.

A lot.

Well, a lot for us. 

So suddenly we were having our own Super Bowl party at home.

Thankfully I had some Taco Soup in the crockpot already. 

What I didn't have was a plan for dessert. 

My mom was going to make brownies.

And I love brownies.

But I decided we would try something new.

I hit Pinterest and was reunited with this recipe.

Seemed easy enough.

During halftime, I ran to the kitchen to whip these up.

A little while later, we were enjoying these chocolate chip cookie bars. Thoroughly.

Ingredients:
2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup salted butter, softened
3 eggs whisked
2 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose works fine)
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2-2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together the brown sugar and the softened butter.  Add in the whisked eggs.

In another bowl, mix the baking powder and salt with one cup of flour.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix.

Add in the remaining flour as well as the vanilla.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Grease a 13 x 9 inch pan.  Spread batter in the pan, pressing down.

Bake for 25-35 minutes, until lightly browned.

Let them cool off for a few minutes.

Enjoy!

Happy cooking!
Reba

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

I really need to make this again and take a better picture. I will just say it was a really hectic day when I made this and I was just happy we were finally sitting down to eat.  I didn't have time to do much photography...

So the other night I wanted to try a recipe I had pinned for chicken Alfredo roll ups.  I mean, it had Alfredo sauce, cheese, and pasta. How could I go wrong?

Except like I said, it was a bit of a hectic day.

And I started thinking, "Why do I have to roll up anything? That is more time than I have..."  So I decided to go for more of a lasagna instead.  And thought it wasn't beautiful (as noted above), it was well-received.  And almost all of it was gone before the night ended.

Best of all, it really was easy (especially since I didn't roll anything).

Ingredients:
9-12 lasagna noodles (I did 12)
2 1/2 cups Alfredo sauce (I make a homemade version...YUM)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
oregano
garlic salt
2-3 cups shredded Mozzarella

Directions:
Boil lasagna noodles according to directions on package.

Spray a 9 x 12 inch pan with cooking spray or olive oil.

Heat oven to 350.

Spread a small amount of the Alfredo sauce on the bottom of the pan.

Lay 4 lasagna noodles down on top of the sauce.

Mix the chicken and the Alfredo sauce together.

Spread 1/2 of the chicken/Alfredo sauce over the noodles.

Lay down 4 more lasagna noodles.

Again, spread 1/2 the chicken/Alfredo sauce on top of the noodles.

Place the remaining four noodles on top.

Sprinkle the shredded Mozzarella on top.

Sprinkle the oregano and garlic salt over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

We ate ours with breadsticks.  I would have thrown in some corn or a salad but once again, it was a bit of a crazy night. So we just ate a simple meal.  And loved every bite!

More later,
Reba

Cinnamon Roll Cake

I cannot believe it has been a month since I posted!

It isn't that I am not cooking. I really am.

Or that I haven't made recipes that we liked. I really have.

My life is just a bit chaotic right now.

As in seriously chaotic.

There is dust everywhere. Carpet pulled up. And I now have a stairwell I didn't have a few weeks ago.

We are adding on to our house.

Which hasn't really stopped my cooking, though we have had to call the builder a time or two to say, "Please get my stove turned back on!" (which thankfully he has).

It is just tiring to me.

I come home after a busy day, do the normal stuff like help kids with homework or cook dinner, and then there is extra stuff like vacuuming the kitchen and countertops which is truly futile but I feel like I must do anyway.

So when it is finally time to sit down, I can't stay awake. I am spent for the day.

I guess I have been on hiatus.

But I am back.  At least some.

When I am awake anyway.

So the other day I saw a recipe for a cinnamon roll cake.

I love cinnamon rolls.  And I have made several different kinds.

But they can be kind of a pain to make.

So a cake?

That sounded perfect.

The taste of cinnamon roll but not the work.

Okay, a little work.

But not as much work.

Yet just as much taste.

Between my family and the workers at our house, TWO cakes were gone before 10.

Delicious.

Here is the original recipe. I really didn't change much.  I actually didn't change anything on purpose, just forgot a thing or two and didn't always follow directions (accidentally).

Ingredients:
3 cups flour, plus 2 Tbsp divided  Okay, totally forgot to add the 2 Tbsp later. But it still worked.


1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1 1/2 Tbsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter melted

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp cinnamon

Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease two 8-inch cake pans, then line with parchment paper. Okay, I technically used pie plates because I don't have good cake pans, AND I didn't bother with the parchment paper. I just "greased" (with cooking spray) really well.

Use the mixer to blend the 3 cups of flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, milk, eggs, and melted butter.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.

In another bowl, beat (with a mixer) the softened butter, the brown sugar, the cinnamon, and the 2 Tbsp flour (which I forgot).

Use a tablespoon to drop the butter mixture onto the cake batter, alternating between the two cake pans.  Or pie pans. However you roll. :)

Swirl in with a knife.

Bake for 25-30.

Remove from oven and let them cool for 10 minutes in the pan.

Flip cakes out onto serving plates. Which I discovered I had none of. :( Not big enough for this anyway.  I just improvised. Story of my life.

Whisk the icing ingredients and drizzle over warm cakes.

Enjoy!

The original recipe states that one cake can be frozen (pre-icing) then re-heated later.

In my house, we are not likely to have ever have any leftover cakes. :)

But it is a good suggestion.

Happy cooking!

Reba

Creamy Spaghetti Bake

I am still alive.

Still cooking.

Still snowed in.

For five days now.

And apparently I'm not too motivated to blog this week.  Or last. :)

But I am going to break the dry spell.  And at least try to look productive.

I have seen a recipe like this all over Pinterest, so I decided it was time to try it. I mean, it is pasta and cheese.  How can I go wrong?

What I liked about this recipe (other than the pasta and cheese and creamy taste) is that it was easy.

And I like easy so much.

Even on snow days.

Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 pound ground beef, browned (or in our case, 1 1/2 pounds)
1 jar spaghetti sauce (or homemade sauce in our case)
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature (that part is important...mine wasn't quite room temperature)
8 oz sour cream
8 oz cottage cheese (I omitted this part...it was just too much for me)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350.

Mix meat and sauce together.

Mix the cream cheese and sour cream (and cottage cheese if desired) together. I would recommend using a mixer for this. By hand, it is hard to mix it well.

Layer in a 9 x 13:
spaghetti (1/2)

cream cheese mixture (1/2)

meat mixture (1/2)

spaghetti (1/2)

cream cheese mixture (1/2)

meat mixture (1/2)

Top with shredded cheese.

Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

It makes a LOT.

We ate ours with Rhodes bread (garlic salt/butter on top) and corn.  A salad would have been nice but I didn't have any on hand.

Happy Cooking!

Reba

Hamburger Buns

Oh wow.

I don't think I have ever had this much time between posts.

I am still alive. I am still cooking. I am just not posting much at this moment. No reason other than life. :)

I have actually made these before but haven't blogged about them.

(Note:  I have made other buns such as these but I find that this recipe is just a little quicker and just as tasty.)

These are called 40 minute buns.  And they can be made in 40 minutes.  BUT if I have time, I try to let them rise a little bit longer.

Oh, and you haven't had homemade buns, you need to know that the texture is a little different. They tend to crumble a little easier.  But they are also delicious and worth the effort.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp active dry yeast (I use rapid rise)
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp warm water (not too hot, not too cold)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil after reading some of the suggestions on the original recipe)
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp salt
3-3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (more as needed)

Directions:
Dissolve yeast in the warm water in a bowl.  Add the oil and sugar and let it rest for about five minutes.

Add the egg, flour, and salt to form a soft dough.  If it is too sticky, add more flour.

Knead for about 3-5 minutes. 

Divide into 12 pieces.  The buns will be fairly small so if you want bigger buns, divide into fewer pieces (8-10).  Shape into balls.  Place about 3 inches apart on a greased baking sheet.

Cover and let rest for about 10 minutes.  As I said, I usually let them sit longer if possible.

Preheat oven to 425.

If desired, brush the top with olive oil or melted butter and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

When ready, bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown.

Split in middle when cooked/cooled.

Enjoy!

Reba
PS I read that these can be formed into hot dog buns but I haven't tried those yet...

Turtle Cheesecake Bars

Not long ago we celebrated our 17th anniversary. 

I wanted to celebrate with a special dessert.

The one dessert we both love?

Turtle Cheesecake.

I remembered a recipe I had found on Pinterest for turtle cheesecake bars.

Perfect.

It was a little work. You have to plan ahead because the bars have to chill for a while.  And just looking at the ingredients can give me a headache; I like simple.

But there was no doubt that it was worth the effort.

Yum.

We will be having this again, though not too often.  If we did, I would weigh a TON!

Cheesecake crust:
3 cups finely chopped pecans
1 stick unsalted butter melted
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Cheesecake filling:
24 oz cream cheese, softened (yes, that is THREE boxes!)
1/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt OR sour cream (I used sour cream, full fat)
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
3 large eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Toppings:
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 11 oz bag caramel candy, unwrapped (I actually used a caramel sauce...it worked fine)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 Tbsp milk, divided (unless you use the caramel sauce, then you only need 2)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Line a 13 x 9 inch pan with parchment paper, overlapping on the ends.

Use a fork to mix together the crust ingredients.  Press into the bottom of the 13 x 9 pan.

Bake for 20 minutes.

While the crust bakes, prepare the filling.

Cream together the cream cheese, yogurt/sour cream, sugar, and vanilla with a mixer.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

After the crust finishes, sprinkle 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips over the crust.

Pour the filling over the crust and return to the oven.  Bake for 50 minutes.

Allow the cheesecake to cool off for an hour, then put it in the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator.  Lift the parchment paper off/out and place the cheesecake on a serving dish.

Toast pecans at 350 for 10 minutes.

If using unwrapped caramels, microwave the caramels and 4 Tbsp of milk at 30 minute intervals.  Stir until sauce is smooth.

Pour over the top of the cheesecake.

Microwave chocolate chips with 2 Tbsp milk.  Cook for 30 seconds, stirring in between.

Drizzle the chocolate over the top of the cheesecake bars.

Allow the chocolate to harden before serving.

Enjoy!

And don't think about the calories!

Breakfast Bake

Not the best picture but considering the craziness of the week, I have to take what I can get...

So this past week I have been clipping recipes from the paper and then actually trying them instead of just sticking them in a pile to deal with later.

This recipe caught my eye because it is a breakfast casserole. Now I have another recipe that is actually similar. 

But with ONE major difference.

At least a major difference to me.

This recipe uses bacon.

Bacon.

Bacon.

Oink. Oink.

I LOVE bacon.

Most recipes I have seen use sausage.

I don't love sausage as much.

So I decided to give this a try.

And I loved it. 

In fact, I have been eating the leftovers for lunch.

Most of my family liked it, with the exception of one child who doesn't care for eggs (though she admitted this wasn't so bad) and another who won't touch a potato to save his life...

By the way, this is EASY to put together. It does take a while to cook though so plan ahead.

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled (or in my case, just cut into small pieces)
1 package frozen hash browns, thawed (I used Southern style)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 eggs
pinch paprika (optional...I left it out)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix the bacon crumbles, hashbrown potatoes, salt, and half the cheese.

Spread into a greased 9 x 13 dish.

Whisk the eggs and the milk together and pour over the top of the potato mixture.  Sprinkle paprika if desired. 

Bake for 45-50 minutes (mine took more like an hour).

Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.

Enjoy.

We actually ate it for dinner (we like "breakfast for dinner" around here) with fruit and toast.

Yum.

Enjoy!

Reba

Chocolate Chip and Walnut Blondies

 The other day a recipe in the paper caught my eye.  It looked easy enough and looked yummy enough, I decided to give it a try. 

This is a miracle in itself because I often clip recipes then forget that I clipped them. 

Thankfully this one was fresh on my mind (and on my counter).

Today we went for a hike which meant I had a whole bunch of extra calories to enjoy. :)

So tonight after dinner, I threw these together and baked them.

Oh, yum.

Delicious.

Here is my version of the recipe. I followed it fairly closely though I adjusted the actual chocolate part.  The original recipe calls for 1 1/4 pounds of semisweet chocolate chunks. I used chocolate chips and only used about half that amount.  We agreed that any more than what I used would have been TOO much and too rich for us!

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, room temperature (the original recipe calls for unsalted, I just had salted)
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
1 egg white, room temperature (I just put three eggs out when I put the butter out)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (I think I used only about 1 cup)
9-12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used about 9 oz which was plenty for me)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease/flour a 9 x 12 inch baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer.  Mix on high for 3 minutes.  It should be fairly light and fluffy.

With the mixer on low, add vanilla.  Then add the eggs one at a time.  Add the egg white.  Mix well, scraping the bowl as needed.

In a separate bowl, sift together (or just stir in my case :) the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Add to the butter mixture with the mixer on low. 

Fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips.

Spread/spoon the batter into the pan.  Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (no batter).  Don't overbake. 

Cool completely before slicing.

Enjoy!

French Dip on Homemade Sub Rolls

The other day I really wanted to make French Dip. And that is fairly easy.  But the hard part for us is finding the rolls for sandwiches that don't contain a lot of things we avoid (like preservatives).

So I did a quick search via Internet and found this recipe.  It had great reviews.  And it didn't look too hard.

So one night, after a long day of school and parent/teacher conferences, I threw them together.

A little while later I had this most amazing scent coming from my kitchen.

Homemade rolls.

When I took them out of the oven, I just had to have a little nibble.

Yum.

My teenager wandered in, ready to sample.  Or devour.  Whichever I would allow.

The next night we ate our French dips on these rolls.

And they were still delicious.

Here is the recipe for the rolls...
Ingredients:
2 packages (or 5 tsp) active yeast (I use instant)

3 cups warm water (divided...1/2 cup and 2 1/2 cups)

2 Tbsp sugar divided (1 and 1)

1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil (I used olive because I LOVE olive :)

1 Tbsp salt

5-9 cups all purpose flour (I think I used close to 8 but I lost track)

sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:
 Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup water.  Add 1 Tbsp sugar.  Let it sit for about five minutes.  It should kind of "foam" up.

After a few minutes, add the remaining water and sugar.  Add in the oil and begin adding flour (about 4 cups).  Add in the salt.

Knead to make a soft dough, adding flour as needed until it is "not sticky", about 6-8 minutes.  Do NOT over-knead.

Form into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl (again, I used olive oil).

Cover and let rise, about 45 minutes.

Punch down the dough and divide the dough into small pieces.  The original recipe called for 18 pieces; I decided 16 was easier so my buns were just a bit bigger.  Shape the pieces into an oval.  I need to work on my shaping skills but thankfully that doesn't affect taste. :)  Place on a greased baking dish, about 2 inches apart.

Use scissors to cut a small slash across the top of the buns.

Cover and let rise for about 20 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Add sesame seeds if desired.

Bake for 12-18 minutes, until golden brown.

Enjoy!

They were my favorite "sub" roll that I have made so far.  The original recipe is A LOT so if you don't want that many, I would just halve the recipe. I ended up freezing our leftovers for future meals.

Onto the French dip.

I had a recipe I liked for French dip but with changes in diet around here, I had to re-think some recipes. That was one.  Thankfully one day a good friend of mine posted this recipe.   Perfect!  All things I could use or improvise.

So, here is my version based on her version. :)

French dip
Ingredients:
1 lb thin cut sirloin steak  (I actually use a bigger sirloin though I have never weighed it)
14 oz beef broth (though I add a whole container since I am using a bigger sirloin)
1 packet onion soup mix...this is where I have to improvise.  I make my own using the following recipe instead of using a packaged mix:
  8 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 

Directions:
Combine soup mix and beef broth and pour over the sirloin in the crockpot.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Shred meat with a fork.

I had provolone cheese on hand for those who wanted cheese.

We then ate it on our buns (which we toasted slightly in the oven).

And of course, we used the "au jus" from the crockpot for the dipping part.

Yum.

Easy and yum.

Enjoy!

Reba

Baked Pork Tenderloin

I just can't take pork pictures.

I know what you are thinking.

I just can't take food pictures at all.

And that is true.

But I really can't take pork pictures.

They just don't do the food justice.

So go to the original recipe site and ooh and ahh over their pictures.

Though my pictures didn't turn out quite right, I will say that this was delicious.

My kids LOVED it. 

And they aren't typically big pork eaters.

Even I horded the ONE small leftover piece for my lunch a couple days later, threatening anybody who suggested eating it.

And though it takes a little bit to cook (around 45 minutes), it was easy to assemble.  And worth every bite.

Ingredients:
1 package pork tenderloins (around 2 to 2 1/2 pounds).  I buy the Farmland which has two tenderloins together.

4 garlic cloves quartered/slivered/sliced

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp whole grain mustard (I used a spicy brown mustard because that is what I had...)

4 Tbsp honey (I HIGHLY recommend raw honey; I could eat it by the bowl full)

2 Tbsp fresh orange juice (with food sensitivities, we avoid orange so I used lemon juice)

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary or Herbs de Provence (I used rosemary)

3 Tbsp olive oil

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse and pat dry the pork tenderloins and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Use a paring knife to poke holes all over the pork.  Place the garlic slivers inside the holes.  I know, it looks funny but YUM, tastes really good.

Mix together the remaining ingredients for the marinade (add the olive oil last, whisking together). Pour over the top of the tenderloins.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.  Baste halfway through the baking process with the sauce.  I think I forgot that part.  Oops. :)

Let it rest about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Then enjoy.

The sauce/marinade is delicious.

We ate it with black eye peas, baked potato halves, and parkerhouse rolls.

Happy cooking!

Reba

Deep Dish Pizza

As you may or may not know, I LOVE Chicago pizza.  LOVE it.  Like we have it shipped to us on occasion. We made a special stop there on our way to Niagara to eat some.

So once in a while I will see a recipe for deep dish pizza on Pinterest.

And I usually pin them then put them to the side.

Mainly because I know that I am not going to make anything that tastes like Chicago pizza does.

At least I haven't.

Until tonight.

I decided to give this recipe a try.

I actually tripled the recipe and made three "pies".

And the verdict is...

Yum.

Okay, it isn't Chicago pizza.

It can't be.

I don't live in Chicago.

But it is a really good deep dish pizza.

I wanted to eat the whole thing.

The only warning I have with it (other than it is a LOT of calories if you eat the whole thing) is that it is a bit time consuming due to the rising of the dough.  I did it on a Monday which was a bit of a challenge with school, homework, and kid activities.  Next time I will make this on a weekend...

Here is the recipe for the crust.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 1/8 tsp yeast (I use instant)
5 oz warm water (or 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp)
1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
1 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp  unsalted butter, softened

Directions:
 Mix the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast together.

Add in the water and melted butter.

Mix together for about five minutes.  (You can use a mixer like in the original recipe; I usually just do it by hand)

Roll dough into a ball.  Place in a bowl with a little olive oil, coating the ball with the oil.  Cover and let rise until almost doubled (45-60 minutes).

After the dough has doubled, roll out into an 8 x 6 rectangle.

Spread the softened butter over the top of the dough (leaving a border around the edges).

Start at the short edge and roll up into a cylinder.  Flatten the cylinder (into another rectangle).

Fold the rectangle like a business letter, folding into thirds.  Form into a ball, pinching the seams.  Place back into the oiled bowl and let it rise again (about the same amount of time, until doubled).

Lightly oil a 9 inch pie plate/pan with olive oil.

Take dough and roll out into a 13 inch circle.

Place in the pie plate, pressing down on the bottom and up the sides.

Add cheese (I used about 8 oz of shredded mozzarella), the toppings (we had a cheese, a pepperoni, and a salami/sausage version), then top with sauce.  Add a little shredded Parmesan to the top.

Bake at 425 for 20-30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

Let it sit about 10 minutes before cutting.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chess Pie

Last night we had company over.  I wanted to have some sort of dessert but couldn't decide what to have.  I checked out this recipe from my Pinterest Sweet Treat board and decided to give it a try since it was simple and I had all ingredients on hand.

I know, it is always a risk trying a new recipe with company coming over. BUT I figured with chocolate, how could I go wrong?

And the answer is...? You can't.  Not with this.  It is easy and delicious. Almost sinful.

Ingredients:
Crust-
1 sleeve graham crackers crushed (the original recipe used chocolate graham crackers but one of my kiddos can't do that so I used regular)
1 stick butter.  Yes, a whole stick.
1 Tbsp sugar

Filling-
1 stick butter (yes, another stick)
1 oz unsweetened chocolate (or 3 Tbsp cocoa powder...I used the unsweetened chocolate square)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350. 

Melt the butter. I just stuck it in the microwave.  Mix with the sugar and graham cracker crumbs until well combined.  Press into a 9 inch pie pan (I did spray mine first), forming the bottom/sides of the pie.

Bake for 8 minutes.

Let it cool for a bit then chill for an hour or more.

When ready, preheat the oven to 325.  Meanwhile, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat in a sauce pan on the stove.  Stir.  Remove from heat and add sugar, again stirring until well-combined.  Next add the eggs, vanilla, and salt.  Again stir.

Pour into the now chilled pie crust.

Bake for 40-50 minutes depending on how gooey you want it.

Let it cool for 20-30 minutes before serving.

You can serve it warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.  However, I have to say that I have found that I like it best chilled from the fridge. Oh, yum.

Sinful.  Absolutely sinful.

And rich.

Oh, yum.

Enjoy!

Reba

Chicken Enchiladas in White Sauce

My family loves Bubble Up Enchiladas. And I love easy chicken enchiladas. 

However, about a year ago, we realized that one of our kiddos has some food sensitivities.  And unfortunately, one of those sensitivities includes tomatoes.  He/she can handle them in small doses but we really just steer clear for the most part. I have even learned how to make an "untomato" spaghetti/pizza sauce using pomegranate juice and carrots.

The other day I was cruising on Facebook and happened upon a recipe for chicken enchiladas in a white sauce. The recipe wasn't quite what I wanted (or had on hand) but it inspired me to do a little Googling to find others.

And finally I found one that worked for us.

So last night I made them.

And today they are gone.

They were a hit.

Actually, probably more than the easy chicken enchiladas I usually make...

I had one leftover enchilada for lunch today. I was actually counting down until lunch to eat it. And then I was sad when it was gone.

Ingredients:
10 tortillas (I used flour)
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I browned my chicken tenderloins in a skillet with just a little oil)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend; Monterrey Jack would be good too)
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
4 oz can green chilies (my food sensitive kiddo doesn't eat chilies, so I just added a little cumin instead)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350.

Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

I did not do this but I would start the sauce NOW.  It takes a little time to thicken.  You can thicken the sauce as you assemble the enchiladas.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Add the flour.  Stir.  Cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken broth.  Whisk until smooth.  Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly.  Once it is thick and bubbly, remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream.

As the sauce thickens (before adding the sour cream), assemble the enchiladas.  Mix together the shredded chicken and half of the shredded cheese.  Put a couple spoonfuls in the middle of each tortilla and roll up.  Place in the baking dish.  (Mine were in there pretty tight)

Pour the sauce over the top and then add the remaining shredded cheese.

Bake for about 20 minutes.  Place under broiler for just a few minutes to brown the cheese a bit.

Enjoy!

We at ours with chips (and I added guacamole for me :).

Good stuff.

Reba

Taco Pie

 

The other night, I needed a quick and easy recipe.  I was kind of craving Mexican food but didn't have the time or energy to make tacos or tostadas.  And though my kids LOVE Taco Pasta Bake, they had had it not that long ago.  Then I remembered a dish that we had when I was a child.  Taco Pie.  I rummaged through my family cookbook and found the recipe.  Easy.  Quick.  Perfect for us.

One little note:  This is very similar to Easy Cheesy Beefy Crescent Squares but with a Mexican twist.  One of the kids noticed that right away.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, browned

1 packet taco seasoning prepared according to directions on package (I just use a homemade version and 1/4 cup of water)

8 oz sour cream

1-2 cups cheddar cheese (I actually used a Mexican blend)

1 cup crushed corn chips

1 tube crescent rolls

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.

Roll the crescent rolls out (and up the sides of) into a pie dish.  (I sprayed cooking spray so it wouldn't stick)  Honestly, next time, I think I will roll this out into a bigger dish like a 11x7.  My crescent rolls puffed up a LOT, leaving little room for the meat. The crescent rolls wouldn't necessarily go up the sides of the dish like it does the pie dish but that is okay with me...

Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the taco seasoning/water to the ground beef.  Simmer for a few minutes.  Remove from heat and add in the sour cream.

Once the "pie crust" is baked, layer with 1/2 of the crushed chips, 1/2 of the cheese, the ground beef mixture, the remaining chips, and the remaining cheese on top. 

Bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy.

Like I said, very simple, very quick.

I think we had 1/2 of a serving left at the end of dinner; I ate it the next day for lunch. :)

Reba