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

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

Cheese Bread

I really wish I had a better picture than this.

I will make it again soon and hopefully will get a better one.

We were behind schedule for dinner so I had to just point and click.  Quickly.

Anyway, tonight we had the Grilled Shrimp Boil Kabobs.  Well, some shrimp. I made some without. 

Anyway, I was trying to decide what kind of bread to have, and a picture from Pinterest flashed through my mind.  Cheese bread.  You know, like the kind you get at a certain seafood restaurant? 

What I really liked about the recipe was that it makes one load, not biscuits.  That means easier for me which I am all about. :)

And it was good.

Or at least I thought it was. 

Took a good deal of willpower to not eat several slices.

Ingredients:
3 cups flour (I used all purpose)

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I omitted that)

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper (I just added some ground black peppercorn...didn't measure)

4 oz cheddar cheese, cut into little cubes (I used sharp)

1 1/4 cups milk

3/4 cups sour cream

3 Tbsp butter, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Grease/spray a 9 x 5 bread pan.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. 

Add the cheese so it is coated with the flour mixture.

In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, sour cream, butter, and egg.  Once mixed, pour into the flour mixture and stir until just mixed.  Do not overstir.

Spoon/pour the mixture into the bread pan.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.  After about 10 minutes, remove the loaf from the pan on a cooling rack.  Wait an hour or so to cut (unless you are in a hurry like me, then you just cut it as soon as it has cooled just a bit because it is time to eat). 

Then enjoy.

Happy cooking!

Reba

Smashed Potatoes

The other night we ate "glazed" pork chops (good flavor but mine did NOT glaze properly).  I wanted a good potato dish to go with it.  So I turned to my Taters and Spuds folder on Pinterest and searched for just the right recipe. Lo and behold, this recipe popped out to me. 

So I made them.

And loved them.

I could have eaten the whole dish.

I don't think I have ever met a potato that I didn't love.

Anyway, this was fairly easy and full of good taste. And it complemented the pork chop nicely.

We will be having these again!

Ingredients:
2 lbs fingerling potatoes, scrubbed clean (I used Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes...they were just the right size)

Olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

3 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 cup parsley minced (which is about 1/4 cup)...I never actually measure. I just cut with kitchen shears until it looks like enough :)

zest of a lemon (I did not add very much and it was pretty strong "lemon" tasting)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
Boil potatoes in water until tender (about 15-20 minutes).

Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 400.

Remove potatoes from stovetop and drain/dry.

Sprinkle olive oil on a cookie sheet (I actually just used a glass baking dish).  Okay, I totally forgot to spread the oil first and did so after the fact. Thankfully, I didn't have much problems with sticking. Oops!

Place potatoes on the cookie sheet/baking dish in a single layer.  Flatten the potatoes (smash them) with a meat tenderizer or the bottom of a glass.  That was kind of fun. :)

Drizzle more olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 30 minutes, flipping once during the process.

I actually didn't have time to do it for 30 and did NOT flip them at all and they worked just fine.

Toward the end of the baking time, mix together the garlic, parsley, lemon zest, and Parmesan cheese. 

After removing the potatoes from the oven, stir the parsley/cheese mixture in with the potatoes. I went ahead and topped with a little more Parmesan cheese because who doesn't want more Parmesan??? :)

Enjoy!

Reba

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

I saw this recipe (or rather the pictures from it which are MUCH nicer than my pictures) on Pinterest and decided we just really needed to try it.

So finally last week, we did.

And I really liked it. 

It was good stuff. :)

Ingredients: 
2 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed (or in my case, minced)

6 boneless chicken breasts

1 jar of tomato sauce (or in our case, a jar of homemade non-tomato sauce)

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded

Croutons (the original recipe called for a whole package...I didn't use that many. I think I am too cheap :)

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven at 350.

Spread the olive oil over the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Sprinkle the crushed garlic over the olive oil.

Place chicken on top of garlic.

Sprinkle the chicken with half of the chopped basil.

Top with the tomato sauce (or in my case, the non-tomato sauce :).  Sprinkle remaining chopped basil.

Top with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Sprinkle croutons over the cheese.

Then top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 35-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Reba

Ham and Egg Cups

 I try to have a "breakfast for dinner" at least once every other week if not more. It gives us a break from a heavier meal. Plus the kids LOVE it.  Especially pancake or waffle night.

But sometimes I just want to have some eggs.

I kept seeing these ham/egg "cups" on Facebook.  I thought they looked like fun so I decided we would have them earlier this week.

And they were fun.

For the most part they were well liked too.  I have one non-eater who (bless her heart) tried REALLY hard to eat it. She just couldn't do it.  She did eat the ham though.  The egg was too much for her. Thankfully I also used homemade bread to make toast and we had some fruit, so she didn't go hungry.

Oh, and these are EASY. They would make a great breakfast or brunch food and would be wonderful for those "brunch" type baby or wedding showers. They are kind of elegant looking (not that you can tell looking at my pictures:) and easy to eat with the hands.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound (or so) of deli sliced ham (mine was kind of a cross between thick and thin so I just used one slice per "cup".  For thin, I would use two)

eggs (one per cup depending on how much you want to make)

shredded cheddar cheese of your choice (or whatever cheese you prefer)

chives

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Spray the cups of a muffin tin.

Push a slice or two (depending on thickness) of ham into each cup to conform to the "cup" shape.

Break open an egg in each "cup".

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Top with cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes (until whites of egg have set except that is hard to see under the cheese :).

Sprinkle chives on top.

Enjoy.

The only change I would make is possible scrambling a few of the eggs next time in the cups because my hubby doesn't care for the yolk all in one piece. He would rather it all be mixed together. :)

Otherwise, it was a hit with my egg eaters.

Kind of a nice twist on eggs and cheese.

Enjoy!

Reba

Pepperoni Roll

We rarely eat pizza "out" these days (though I do miss it like crazy!).

But about once a week, I still get an intense "pizza" craving that must be fixed.

I have grown to love homemade pizza. But I don't always have the time to make the crust or the pizza.

So I love finding quick pizza alternatives.

That is why when I saw THIS recipe on Pinterest, I knew we needed to try it. 

I mean, the base of it is Rhodes dough which we can eat almost any day around here. 

(I just got a Rhodes cookbook for Christmas...as a gift, not a "payment" for praising their products, though that would be nice.  A recipe similar to this is in there also...)

Ingredients:
1 Rhodes bread dough (I used two...I made a pepperoni version and a cheese version), thawed but not risen

olive oil (I didn't measure, I just used what I needed)

pepperoni (size and amount of your choice)

shredded mozzarella cheese

shredded cheddar cheese (if you wish)

Italian seasoning

freshly grated Parmesan

pizza sauce (for dipping)

Directions:
Thaw the Rhodes dough until it is pliable but hasn't started rising yet.

Preheat oven to 375.

Roll the dough out with a rolling pin into a rectangle.  If it is too tough to roll, give it a few more minutes to thaw and "rest".  Then try again.

Brush the dough with olive oil.

Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the olive oil.

Lay the pepperoni (or other toppings of your choice) on the dough.

Sprinkle with mozzarella and/or cheddar cheese.  Then add some Parmesan.

Starting at one of the long sides of the rectangle, roll up the dough like you would for cinnamon rolls.

Place the "log" on a baking sheet.

Brush the top of the "log" with melted butter.

I think I also sprinkled a little garlic salt and some more Parmesan on top but I am not positive.

Place the "log" on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the roll is a golden brown color.  Make sure the middle is cooked!

Let the roll cool.

Slice and enjoy. (And dip in sauce if you like)

Reba

Cheese Stuffed Rolls

I have been wanting to try these ever since I saw them on Pinterest. Cheese and bread. My favorite combination. 

So last night since I had a little free time (not really but I pretended like I did), I decided to give them a try.

I have just started dabbling in the world of bread making.  And I am actually starting to enjoy it. There is something therapeutic about kneading bread with my hands. I can't explain it but it is just relaxing to me.  And of course, in the end, I get to eat my product.  There are few foods I love more in the world than bread. Especially bread hot out of the oven.

And this one? Worth every second.

I ate two of them!

Since I am careful with calories, I really try to limit my bread intake.

But I couldn't resist.

And honestly, if I hadn't already indulged on other treats that day, I would have had three. Or four.

They were that good.

They literally melted in my mouth.

Throw in the cheese, and I was in food heaven.

And honestly, they were not that much work.

Even a bread newbie like me can make them.

In less than an hour.

Convinced yet?

Ingredients:
1 cup hot water (just hot from the tap)

2 Tbsp yeast (I used Rapid Rise for this one)

2 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp garlic powder (You will really be able to smell it but it is not overpowering at all in the end)

1/4 cup melted butter (I used salted for this one)

1/4 cup olive oil

2-3 cups all purpose flour (I used King Arthur's unbleached.  The original recipe called for 3 but 2 1/2 was plenty for mine.  I am learning that you just have to work with the dough until you get the right consistency rather than trying to stick with a certain measurement on flour)

8 oz. mozzarella, cut into chunks

shredded Parmesan


Note:  The original recipe also added other cheeses to the top. But in the interest of calories, I stuck with Mozzarella and Parmesan. And honestly, that was enough for me.

Directions:
Add yeast to water.  Set aside for a few minutes. The yeast (if active) will kind of foam in the water after a few minutes.

In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, the garlic powder, the melted butter, and the olive oil.  Stir in yeast mixture.

Slowly add flour. I added half a cup at a time.  Mix thoroughly. You can use a mixer with dough hooks.  I actually prefer to mix by hand.  Add flour until the dough becomes less sticky and more elastic.  Add in the salt.  Knead for 10 minutes. I don't really think I kneaded it that long. But I did really work the dough to make sure all ingredients were mixed in. Oh, and I just kneaded in the same bowl I had mixed in.  I didn't even oil it since there was a little extra flour. I didn't have any trouble with stickiness.

Set the bowl in a warm place, covered with a wet towel.  Allow to rise for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.  I put my bowl on top of the oven which was preheating (to 375).  It gave it warmth but not too much.  I think mine doubled in around 20 minutes.

Divide dough into pieces (whatever size you want).  I flattened the dough into circles that fit into the palm of my hand. Take a mozzarella chunk and place in the middle of the flattened dough, then wrap the dough around it to make a ball.  Place the "balls" on a greased cookie sheet. I used my pizza stone.  I got around 14 "balls" from my dough.

Sprinkle shredded Parmesan (or any other cheese of your choice) over the top.  That was a little difficult because they are balls, so the cheese slid off. I kind of pressed the cheese into the top instead.

Bake at 375 for 11-15 minutes until rolls are golden brown.

Take out of the oven and brush with butter. I also sprinkled some Italian seasoning on top.

Enjoy.

Reba
PS This is probably my favorite bread recipe to date...and that is saying a lot because I have tried some good ones recently.

Cheesy Potato Sausage Casserole

One of our favorite new dishes this year has been the sausage and potatoes skillet meal.  I have only one child who won't eat it (doesn't eat potatoes in ANY form) but the rest of us devour it...TWO skillets worth! 

So when I saw this on Pinterest, part of me thought, "I already have a meal like that...I don't need another."  But what I couldn't get past was the fact that cheese was involved.  The only thing that can make foods better for me is cheese (or chocolate, depending on what kind of food it is :).

So I gave it a try.

And I loved it.

I have a feeling I will be alternating between the two from now on. Still love that skillet meal in all of its simplicity and with the right herbs/spices involved.  But there is something about gooey cheese on potatoes too...

It is hard to see much of the cheese in the picture; it all just kind of melted into the dish.

But it was there.

Dancing on my taste buds.

Yum.

Ingredients:
6-8 potatoes, peeled and sliced (I used my mandolin on a medium slice, I think I used 6 and had PLENTY of potatoes)

1 lb smoked sausage.  I like the beef.  The one change I would make to this recipe is that I would use TWO lbs. instead. I wanted more sausage. :)

1 medium onion diced (I do not like cutting onion, so I totally cheat with frozen chopped onion :)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 stick butter

1/2 lb (around 12 slices) American cheese or other preferred cheese. I got REAL American cheese from the deli for this. Oh yum.

Directions:
Boil sliced potatoes until tender.

Slice sausage and heat in the skillet.  The original recipe had the sausage and the onions sauteed separately.  I just did it all together. :)

In a casserole dish, alternate layers of potatoes, sausage and onions, and cheese.  So I had potatoes, sausage and onions, cheese, potatoes, sausage and onions, and cheese.

Top with salt and pepper.

The original recipe called for using the butter by dotting the top with it.  I honestly think I forgot to do that.  The cheese on top was enough richness for me. :)  I don't think I used butter at all.

Tightly cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Happy cooking!

Reba

Cheeseburger Flatbread Melts

Recently I wanted a quick "sandwich" type meal.  But not just a regular sandwich.  I saw a picture of this (but photographed much better :) on Pinterest and decided to give it a try.

In some ways, it is similar to a sloppy joe. But different.

Either way, it is good stuff.

I changed little of the recipe except for adding more meat for our family. I didn't add any more ingredients (meaning I didn't double anything else) and I was fine with the flavor.  But that is just my opinion.

Ingredients:
1-2 lbs of ground beef, browned (I think the original recipe used a half pound but I used 1.5)
1/4 cup water
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 envelope dry onion soup
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp mustard
1 garlic clove minced
2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
thin crust pizza dough (I used Pillsbury)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
After browning and draining the beef (I rarely have to drain), add in the water, vinegar, soup mix, ketchup, mustard, and garlic.  Simmer over low heat.

Meanwhile, in a different skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.

Divide the pizza crust into 6 equal portions and shape them. I tried but I didn't ever accomplish much of a circular shape. Mine were more rectangular. And I am okay with that. :)

Fry for one minute on each side in the oil until they are a nice golden brown.

Drain on a paper towel.

Top with meat mixture and cheese.

Enjoy.

Very easy and fairly quick.  Nothing fancy but it was fun to try something new.  We will be having these again one day...

Reba

Taco Pasta Shells

Recently I was trying to figure out what to have for dinner. I wanted something with a Mexican food flavor but wanted to try something new. So of course, I went to the beloved Pinterest and looked at what I had pinned recently.

Hmmmm, Stuffed Taco Shells.

That sounds good.

 The only problem is that try as I might, I could NOT find the large "shells" for stuffing that were called for.  I looked.  And looked.  I did that whole "stare at the shelf at the grocery store just waiting for it to magically appear" thing. I asked someone I know who works with the store.  Some were coming but they were out for now.  Bummer.

So I threw in the towel and bought medium shells.

They could have probably been stuffed but it would have taken a REALLY long time.  Plus, there were a bunch of shells in the box.

So I decided to improvise a bit.

I used the basic recipe from the Stuffed Taco Shells and made minor changes.

Oh yum.

Good stuff.

(If I can ever find the large shell pasta, I would like to try it the way it was originally written.)

Sadly the Hubs was out of town for the afternoon/evening and didn't get to participate.

But the rest of us did.  And we enjoyed it.  I even had some leftovers for today, and it was just as good heated up again.  I will be making it again.

Ingredients:
Ground beef (1 lb or more...I use 1 1/2 pounds because that is how our half a cow came packaged)

1 envelope (1/4 cup) taco seasoning

4-6 oz cream cheese cubed (because I had more ground beef, I used more cream cheese, light of course...)

pasta shells cooked according to package (all I could find were medium shells)

salsa (I didn't measure, I just used enough to cover the bottom of my dish. I did make my own)

taco sauce (I used one bottle which is probably more than called for but it worked :)

2 cups shredded cheese (I used Colby Jack but cheddar and Monterrey Jack would also be good)

Directions:
Brown ground beef over medium/medium high heat.  Add in taco seasoning.  Stir to combine.  Drop in cubed cream cheese.  The original recipe called for simmering with the lid on to help the cream cheese melt. I just dropped the temperature on the oven a little and stirred with the lid off.

Preheat oven to 350.

Pour salsa in the bottom of a baking dish (I used a 9 x 13).

Pour pasta shells into the baking dish.

Spread beef mixture over the pasta shells.

Pour taco sauce over the top, then tightly cover the dish with foil.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven.  Remove foil.  Spread shredded cheese over the top.  Return to oven for about 10 more minutes.

You can top this with avocado, guacamole, sour cream, olives, etc.  I just took a few tortilla chips and crumbled them over the top.  Gave it a nice little crunch.

Enjoy!

Reba

4 Cheese White Pizza

I have been in the mood for pizza for a while.  My dear husband promised me when he got a job (I don't remember if I mentioned on this blog but his position was eliminated unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago) that I could order a pizza from my favorite Chicago pizzeria (it is shipped on dry ice then baked here :).  And I have been dreaming about it.

Except this job thing is more complicated than I thought.

Not in a bad way. 

He is just not rushing into any decisions, exploring options (and doing some work while he waits).

Meanwhile, my pizza craving has intensified.

And while we haven't given up eating out, with three birthdays this month, our eating out budget is used up.

So I decided to make some homemade pizza.

Sometimes I buy ready made pizza crusts and we create our own.

But today I was in the mood to make it all.

The crust.

The sauce.

The pizza.

When I saw this recipe via Pinterest, I knew I had to create a similar pizza.  It has everything I like in a pizza.  Crust.  Olive oil.  Garlic.  And cheese.  Lots of cheese.

I did make a regular pizza for the rest of the crew.  (Pepperoni and cheese)

This one was for me.  I did let a couple of my kids try it though. :)

Now for the actual pizza, I used a different crust recipe which I will share tomorrow.

This recipe is just for the actual topping.

I used the original recipe as a guide, but changed things a little.  And I didn't truly measure very much. :)

Ingredients:
a crust, ready to bake

3 Tbsp olive oil

Minced garlic (around 3 cloves)

Ricotta cheese (I used light :)

Mozzarella cheese (I used fresh, about 7 ounces)

Feta cheese crumbles (I used in place of goat cheese)

Parmesan, shredded

Fresh basil, thinly sliced

Directions:

Mix garlic and olive oil.  Spread about 2 Tbsp on the uncooked crust, leaving a "crust" around the outside edge.

Layer (I don't think order really matters, though I put the Parmesan on top since it is the "lightest" cheese) the four cheeses all over the crust.

Place some fresh basil slices around the top of the pizza.

Drizzle the remaining olive oil/garlic over the top of the pizza.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes.

The original recipe said at 450 degrees.

The crust recipe said 400.

I went with the crust recipe's direction since I was cooking two different pizzas.

I just kept an eye on it.

Then as soon as it was ready, I had it out on my plate, ready to eat.

Yum.

I limited myself to 2 pieces since it was approximately 300 calories a slice.

However, I wanted to eat more.

Yum.

More soon,
Reba

Pizza Bread

I don't think it is a secret. I LOVE pizza. Like I could eat it every week.

Except that I am counting calories these days.

And pizza is not a calorie friendly food.

Especially restaurant pizza.

Which is my favorite.

So I find myself looking for substitutes.

Constantly.

And in this age of Pinterest, I have found plenty.

So every week or other week, I find myself attempting a new one.

And most of them are met with "That is good..." or "Yeah, this is nice." response.

When I saw the photo for this pepperoni and cheese stuffed ciabatta bread on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it.

I also figured I would be the only one who really liked it.

So yesterday, I took a large oval shaped loaf of ciabatta bread (I think the original recipe probably uses the smaller ciabatta rolls, but that seemed more time consuming than I had time for :). And in less than 30 minutes, I had this "pizza bread".

We ate in shifts yesterday because hubby and oldest son attended a school meeting.

I heartily ate my one serving size (though I would have LOVED to have more...dumb calories).

Child 4 wasn't really in a hungry state; you just never know with him.

Child 2 made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which I expected. She tells me often how much she doesn't like pizza. Yes, she is one of my biological children...how is that possible??? :) She did glance at it during the meal though and announce that she might have liked it if she had tried it.

Child 3 happily asked for seconds.

Then later the boys came home.

They are the big "pizza" judges.

Not that this is pizza.

But they are the ones who will usually eat the pizza substitutes I make but not with much gusto.

Except this time they did.

They loved it.

And they ate every single bite.

No leftovers for me. :(

I think next time I will make two...

Ingredients:
Ciabatta Loaf

Pepperoni

Provolone Cheese

Directions:
Carefully cut the "top" off the ciabatta loaf and and hollow out the inside. My daughter likened it to a pumpkin. It did remind me of the act of gutting a pumpkin actually.

You can save the inside for bread crumbs for future recipes. Or feed the local ducks at your duck park. Or if you are really tired and too overwhelmed to think, you can just throw them out and think of it as disposing of calories.

Layer pepperoni and cheese as many times as needed to fill "bread bowl". It took two layers of each (10 slices of provolones and about 50 pepperoni).

Then replace the top.

The original recipe also places more provolone cheese on TOP of the "bread bowl".

I didn't...dumb calories.

Place on a piece of aluminum foil on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes.

I served ours with the squeezable pizza sauce on the side for dipping.

Enjoy!

I know.

It is simple. Nothing fancy.

But it works.

(I imagine you could add about whatever you wanted as far as toppings go)

I am already ready to make it again!

Reba

Manchego Mashed Potatoes

Right before Thanksgiving, our local grocery store (Harps) had a cheese tasting event. I didn't really realize that; I just stopped in with child 2 for some groceries. It was pure luck on my side. I LOVE cheese. And while all of the cheese treats were tasty, one stood out.

Machego Mashed Potatoes.

I do like mashed potatoes. I really do.

But these potatoes. I loved.

Why?

The cheese of course.

I was ready to go home and make a pot of them (since I only seemed to be allowed to have one sample). Child 2 was ready to join me too. She loved them too.

I got the recipe and checked out the cheese.

Manchego.

Then I saw the price.

And the dream was over.

Manchego is apparently a special cheese.

I am not overly frugal; I am terrible at cutting out coupons, and I do buy brand names mainly because there are some things I just prefer brand names for.

At the same time, I just cannot splurge. I mean, I am feeding a family of 6, including one very hungry teenager. I cannot use our whole paycheck for food. That is one of the reasons I plan out menus. It keeps us from buying food that will go to waste (and waist) as well as from eating out frequently.

My biggest splurge in the cheese department is Parmesan wedges to grate/shred on demand (usually my own demand). And even then, I do NOT get the high end Parmesan.

This cheese costs about 3 times what I pay for Parmesan.

Bummer.

Fast forward to this week.

I asked my parents if they would like to come over for Easter dinner (which is a twist since we usually go there :).

I had already decided we would have ham, the traditional meal. Sidenote on ham: One of my friends explained that one of the reasons we eat ham on Easter is because with Jesus' death and resurrection, we were freed from the law which banned ham as an unclean food. I don't know if that is true, but it sounds neat.

Anyway...
I thought Easter might be the perfect time to splurge.

I will admit, I almost walked away when I looked at the price again.

But in the end, the memories won out.

I bought the cheese.

And we had the potatoes tonight.

They were just as wonderful as I remembered.

This will not be in the regular line up for us due to the cost of the cheese. I just cannot justify spending that money.

But for very special occasions...well, if we can, we just might.

I do think I will use this basic recipe and substitute Parmesan on occasion. It isn't a fancy recipe but I REALLY liked the texture. And honestly Parmesan and Manchego have a similar taste, though I daresay that I like Manchego more.

I am not totally positive who to attribute this recipe to...I guess Harps? The main adjustments I made were reducing the amount of ingredients to what I could find.

Ingredients:
3 pounds baby red potatoes (or baby Yukon gold potatoes)

4 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces (I used Blue Bonnet light)

1/2 cup milk or cream (I used milk...did add a little more)

5 to 6 oz Manchego cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash the potatoes (I just have to...I can't use dirty potatoes). I chose not to peel them; peels in mashed potatoes don't bother me. The recipe said to halve the potatoes, but I actually quartered them

Place potatoes in a large pan, filling with water just above the potatoes. I went ahead and added some salt at this point (just in the water).

Bring to a boil.

I didn't cover to bring to a boil but if you do, uncover once the water starts boiling.

Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.

Drain potatoes.

Return potatoes to the still warm pan.

Add milk, butter, cheese, and pepper (which I actually forgot this time around) to pan.

Mash potatoes until smooth.

Enjoy. Each and every bite.

And don't think about the cost. :)

Reba

Lasagna Rolls

It seems like lately I have "seen" lasagna rolls mentioned everywhere. In a book. On a friend's blog. On Pinterest.

I LOVE lasagna, but I just don't make it often. It isn't usually as loved by my family as me. It can be a lot of work. And we usually prefer mostaccioli which is easier and just as tasty.

But when I kept seeing these recipes, I was intrigued. And hungry.

So I decided to make some, using a combination of recipes.

And they were good. I wanted several. But I only ate one (stupid calories).

They were fairly well received by the family. The boys ate them right up, the girls weren't as enthusiastic.

It really wasn't any less work than making lasagna itself.

What I did like though was that I could "customize" them.

Since I am watching calories, I put two in a separate dish (picture two) and just topped with a little spaghetti sauce. For the rest of the family, I baked them in a bigger dish with beef and spaghetti sauce. (picture one)

And I like the idea of making them ahead of time, like on Pillsbury's site. That way on days I need a quick lunch or dinner for me, I could just take them out of the freezer/fridge, pop them in the microwave, and enjoy.

Anyway, here is my version:
Ingredients
8 lasagna noodles
1 12 oz. container ricotta cheese (I am sure the cottage cheese Pillsbury uses is lower fat but I did use the light ricotta...I just like ricotta)
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan (using my little rotary grater, love that thing)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup parsley (I am sure fresh is good but I only had dried)
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 pound (or less) ground beef, browned

Directions
Cook lasagna noodles according to directions. Drain and let cool slightly.

Mix together cheeses, egg, parsley, and basil.

Spoon mixture down the center of lasagna noodles. Start at end and "roll" the lasagna noodle.

Place in a greased baking dish.

Mix together spaghetti sauce and ground beef.

Pour over lasagna rolls.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

The one thing I didn't do that I would do differently is cover the dish with aluminum foil to help the noodles not covered by sauce not dry out.

The last few minutes, I topped with a little added Mozzarella cheese.

I served them with the rosemary rolls I mentioned in the last post.

Pretty tasty!
(According to Pillsbury's site, you can make them ahead, sans sauce, and refrigerate or freeze them. When ready to eat, place roll seam side down in a bowl and cover with wax paper. Heat in the microwave on high 1-2 minutes, then spoon about 1/4 cup sauce over roll and cook for about 30 more seconds. If frozen, cook on low for 1-2 minutes to thaw then follow the same procedure)

Happy cooking!
Reba

Parmesan Pull-Aparts

Yes, another Pinterest recipe. Of course, I saw the word "Parmesan" (probably my favorite kind of cheese) and I just had to try this. Had I known how easy it was, I would have made these a long time ago.

Oh, the original recipe can be found here.

I did modify this recipe some (mainly measurements) and probably would a bit more even next time.

That being said, I loved these. I liked using just regular biscuits and adding a little flavor. Hubby actually compared it to the bread at a favorite restaurant which I took as quite a compliment.

Ingredients:
1 can Grands Homestyle biscuits (I used the wheat/low fat)

3 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp garlic powder (I do love garlic but that was a LOT of garlic. I did maybe half of it? And honestly don't know that I would do that much even next time)

1/2 tsp parsley

1 tsp dried minced onion

1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (I didn't measure...I just used my rotary cheese shredder and shredded Parmesan to my heart's content. :)

1/3 cup Mozzarella Cheese (I actually did NOT use this. I didn't have any grated/shredded and I thought there was plenty to add already)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.

In a small bowl, mix the onion, Parmesan, melted butter, garlic, and parsley.

Spread the mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan (I used glass).

Okay, I confess. I didn't do it exactly like that. I poured the melted butter into the pie dish. Then I just sprinkled the other ingredients around in it. I was in a hurry. It probably would have been more evenly spread had I actually followed directions. :)

If you are using the Mozzarella, sprinkle on top of butter mixture. Like I said, I didn't even bother with that. And I don't think I was missing anything.

Place the biscuits close together on top of the butter/cheese mixture. I had one biscuit left over. I felt bad throwing it out but I didn't feel like making a whole other pie plate with butter/cheese either.

Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Let stand for 3 minutes.

Turn pie dish "upside" down onto a serving plate.

Enjoy.

I sure did. :)

Reba

Pizza Snowballs

A couple weeks ago, my friend Megan mentioned making "Pizza Snowballs" with her girls for dinner. I sat there dazed and confused. I am on Pinterest and Facebook all of the time. How had I never heard of pizza snowballs? To add to my confusion, some of Megan's friends responded like they knew EXACTLY what she was talking about. Finally, I couldn't stand the unknown anymore. I put it out there. "What are those?" I asked. When she told me how easy and how good they were, I knew I wanted to try them.

So here I am a couple weeks later. And we aren't eating out. I am craving pizza. BAD. Really bad. I love pizza.

And it is Friday night.

We needed something simple. Something good. Something fun.

The pizza snowballs sounded like a good fit.

Unfortunately, Megan's explanation of them is lost in a sea of Facebook messages and updates. So I did what any red-blooded American would do. Googled it. :)

And I found this website.

It described exactly what my friend Megan had described. Perfect. :)

I also liked that it was "kid friendly". Child 3 has been on a "help in the kitchen" kick recently, so I thought this might be a fun activity. And it was. She was rather proud of her creation and reminded us several times at dinner that she was responsible for the yumminess. :)

So, if you have never heard of pizza snowballs (or maybe I was the only one), here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
2 (or more) cans of biscuits (I didn't realize the website above had used Grands; I just got the four pack of country style biscuits...not nearly as big but I was able to make 24 and still have dough left over for very cheap)

cheese (I shredded a small block of both Mozzarella and 2% sharp cheddar)

pepperoni chopped up (I also did a few with Canadian Bacon chopped up)

cooking spray (I actually used cupcake/muffin liners because our muffin tins are in rough shape...I would definitely do that again. EASY clean up!)

1 jar pizza sauce (we used it for dipping)

Directions:
Cut the biscuits into four pieces with kitchen scissors.

Take three or four pieces and add a heaping spoonful of the desired cheeses and/or meat. (I made one pan of pepperoni, and a half a pan of pepperoni and Canadian Bacon and a half a pan of just cheese with some Parmesan added)

What I did was give Child 3 a shallow bowl. I would add in all of the ingredients and have her work over it. At the same time, I did the same for myself so it wouldn't take quite so long.

Anyway, so you take these ingredients and squish all together just like Play-Dough. It was fun. You shape it into a "ball". Then drop it in the muffin pan (or in my case, muffin liner).

Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes or until the snowballs are golden brown.

Serve warm.

As I said, we used pizza sauce for dipping. I love my ramekins...they are perfect for holding dipping sauces.

Enjoy.

Hubby said it was as good (actually better) than the little individual pizzas we make.

The nice part is that I don't think it was very high in calories and fat.

The biscuits I used were small, and three biscuits (which was basically three pizza snowballs for us) was only 2 grams of fat. You really only use a couple of spoons full of cheese. And I used turkey pepperoni.

Which means I have no guilt about how many I ate. :)

Oh, hubby is campaigning to change the name. He is voting for "Pizza Dippers" which I ironically have a different recipe for but these are MUCH better.

I will be making them again. Well, Child 3 and I will. :)

Enjoy!
Reba
PS I have several other recipes to share but this was fresh on my mind, so it came first...

Cheese Filled Breadsticks

Our school does a fundraiser through Schwan's on occasion. I don't typically order through Schwan's (though I like their food), but for a fundraiser, I do. One of my favorite Schwan's foods is a frozen crusty French bread. It is delish. This last time I noticed a new item...cheese filled breadsticks. I ordered a box. My family loved them. LOVED them. However, after two meals, they were gone. And we probably won't have a fundraiser again until the spring. (The links are if you are interested in seeing what I am talking about...I am getting NO kickbacks from Schwan's. :)

Anyway, I have been thinking, "Surely I could make some kind of cheese filled breadstick. It may not be the same but cheese and bread, how can you go wrong? So the Google search began.

Cheese Stuffed Garlic Breadsticks

That looked like a good starting point.

However, that recipe involved making a pizza crust dough.

I didn't have enough time for that.

So I just bought some refrigerated pizza crust dough.

And cheese. Mozzarella string cheese.

Add a little butter and some other minor things, and we were ready to go.

They were a hit.

I will be making them again.

I will probably toy with the recipe. I would love to actually make the dough from scratch one day...not pizza crust even. Like real breadstick dough. (We used these as a side dish for our meatballs and gravy) But in a pinch, using the refrigerated dough worked fine.

Ingredients:
1 can refrigerated pizza dough

2 bags of Mozzarella string cheese (I didn't need quite both bags but they don't let you buy one and a half bags at the store. :)

melted butter

1 1/2 tbsp dried Parmesan cheese

1/2 tbsp oregano (I might cut back on that next time)

1/2 tbsp onion powder

1/2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

There is also a recipe for a dipping sauce on the original site but we just ate it for bread.

Directions:
Roll out the pizza dough. I rolled it out on a cookie sheet. Then I used a knife cut it in half. I then just took the string cheese and rolled it until it was covered to get an idea what size "rectangle" to use. I pinched the ends, put it on the cookie sheet, and then did the same with the rest.

Does that make sense?

I then brushed them with melted butter and sprinkled with the garlic/Parmesan/oregano/salt topping.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes (or until top is golden brown).

Enjoy!

They were yummy.

But then again, it is bread and cheese. How do you really go wrong?

Reba

Grilled Cheese Rolls

Once again, not the prettiest picture.

But looks aren't everything.

The other day when I made the tomato tortellini soup, I wanted a little side dish.

I had seen these grilled cheese rolls on Pinterest.

As I read through the recipe, I thought, "Why have I never thought of that?"

I don't really have an answer.

I just know they were a big hit and I will make them again.

These are basically a different way to make grilled cheese sandwiches.

Ingredients:
bread (we use whole wheat white), crusts cut off
cheese (whatever kind you want; I just used American cheese slices
butter

Directions:
Take the bread slices (with the crusts cut off) and flatten with a rolling pin.

Place ONE slice of cheese on top.

Roll the bread up.

Place the bread in a skillet with melted butter in it.

Roll the "rolls" on occasion to butter and brown on all sides.

Cook on medium heat until cheese is melted.

Yes, that is it.

Simple. But good.

I don't know if I will ever make a grilled cheese sandwich again.

These are so much faster since I can cook several at once in a skillet.

Yum, yum.

Happy cooking!
Reba

Aunt Janet's Cheese Dip

I honestly have no idea who Aunt Janet is. I got this recipe from my friend Carrie (who also gave me the "square ham sandwiches" recipe. And this is how she labeled it. I will have to ask her if SHE has an Aunt Janet. The funny thing is that I have made this for school, and now one of my co-workers brings it on occasion. And when people ask her about it, she always responds, "It's Aunt Janet's Cheese Dip".

Probably more information than you wanted.

Anyway, I made this tonight for our Life Group and wanted to share the recipe.

Ingredients:
Hawaiian King Bread Bowl
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup Parmesan (it calls for freshly grated...I priced fresh Parmesan once. It was way beyond my price range. I use bagged shredded...I prefer it anyway.)
2 cups Mozzarella
8 oz. sour cream
1 tbsp Accent salt
garlic powder to taste

Take the bread bowl. Cut a large hole on top and then pull out the bread. Save the bread for "dipping" later.

Mix together all of the other ingredients and place mixture into bread bowl.

Use "extra" bread pieces and/or Fritos for dipping.

Enjoy!
Reba