Italian bake

Preheat over to 425

step 1 boil 1 bag frozen cheese tortilini/ravioli

Step 2 brown 1 lb beef and drain 

Step 3 season beef with garlic salt & Italian seasoning

Step 4 combine beef and pasta with 1-1 1/2 jars of pasta sauce (depending on how saucy you want it) and 1 jar Alfredo sauce

Step 4 mix in 1 cup Parmesan cheese

Step 5 pour beef/pasta mixture into baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese

Step 6 bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly brown

Serve with garlic bread

Chicken bacon ranch pasta

Ingredients 

4 cups chicken broth

1 packet ranch mix

8 oz cream cheese

2 cups shredded chicken (we used rotisserie chicken)

1 lb pasta (we used rotini)

2 cups shredded cheese

1/2 cup real bacon crumbles

Instructions

Whisk broth and ranch mix Together until smooth. Add cream cheese and stir until smooth. Add chicken and pasta. Add 1/2 of your cheese. Cook for 14-16 minutes stirring occasionally. Add bacon and stir. Too with other 1/2 of cheese. 

Brooks gave this an 8 out of 10!

Cajun Pasta

Ingredients 

1 lb shrimp

1 lb Smoked Sausage

1 box Pasta

2 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Minced Garlic

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning 

1/3 cup White Wine

1/4 cup Unsalted butter

1 1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

1 can (15 oz.) Diced Tomatoes

Instructions 

Boil pasta according to instructions and set aside. In a large sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium heat and a tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Add shrimp and cook until fully done and set aside. In same sauté pan add the wine and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add butter & minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the butter is fully melted. Stir in the heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning and let it simmer on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the Parmesan cheese. Stir in the diced tomatoes, pasta and meat. 

Baked Beans with pork, bacon and summer smoked sausage

Ingredients

1 bag of real Bacon Bits
1 lb Smoked Sausage, sliced
1 bag of Frozen Onion
62 oz. VanCamp Pork and Beans
6 oz. tomato paste
1/2 cup Ketchup
1 cup Brown sugar (at least)
2 tblsp Golden Spicy Brown Mustard

Directions


Combine all ingredients in slower cooker and stir well. Cook on low for at least 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 (if you cook on high stir frequently).

Sloppy Joe Tator Tot Casserole

Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole 

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• ½ sweet onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained
• 1 can (24 oz.) Sloppy Joe sauce
• 4 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
• 32 oz. frozen tater tots

Instructions

1. Over medium high heat, brown beef until cooked. Drain any fat and remove and set aside
2. In the same pan, saute onions and garlic until translucent
3. Add red bell pepper and corn and cook until soft
4. Add beef, Sloppy Joe sauce, cream cheese, paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine
5. Simmer over medium low heat for 5 minutes
6. Pour the beef mixture in a 9x13 baking dish and spread evenly
7. Top with a layer of 1 cup of cheese
8. Arrange tater tots and sprinkle with remaining cheese
9. Bake at 450 degrees F for 20 minutes or until the tater tots are crispy and golden
10. Dish and serve hot

Chicken and Noodles

• • Ingredients 

    
    

    1 can of Cream of Chicken soup

    1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup 

    3 (14.5 oz) of Chicken Broth

    2 cups chopped chicken

    3 tsp Onion Powder

    1-2 tsp of Seasoning Salt

    1 1/2 tsp of Garlic Powder

    9 oz+ of Egg Noodles

    2 tsp of Chicken Powder or Poultry Seasoning

    
    

    
    

    Instructions 

    
    

    In a large pot, mix the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, and chicken meat. Season with onion powder, seasoning salt, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, and stir in the noodles. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Chicken Rice Bake

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast cubed

1 cup rice

1 cup water

1 can cream of celery

1 can cream of mushroom

2 packs onion soup mix

Some black pepper and garlic powder to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cube the chicken breasts and toss the cubes with 1 packet of the Onion Soup Mix. Set it aside.

For the rice mixture: ox 1 cup of rice, 1 cup of water, 1 can of cream of celery, 1 can cream of mushroom and add pepper/garlic powder to taste. *My rule of thumb when the recipes says to use a spice ‘to taste’ is to cover the top of the mixture with a thin layer *.

Spray/grease the bottom of the dish and add the rice mixture. Even the mixture out to level. Place the cubed chicken on top. 

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 40 minutes. 

PS I’ve made this multiple times and once or twice I was too lazy or rushed to cube the chicken and just placed the entire breast on top....the chicken will come out VERY bland and tasteless. Moral of the story? CUBE THE CHICKEN BREASTS!’

Enjoy! 

Chicken Alfredo Roll-ups

Chicken Alfredo Roll-Ups

Ingredients

15 lasagna noodles (for a 9x13 pan)

2 jars Alfredo sauce (I use Prego 3-cheese Artisan)

Shredded chicken (I used rotisserie - about 1/2-3/4 a chicken)

Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Garlic salt (I use California Blend)

Italian Seasoning

Cook lasagna noodles to al dente. I always cook a few extra because they sometimes break. Cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan in a thin layer of Alfredo sauce and cover with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning. Lay out the noodles on a cutting board and spoon out about 1 tablespoon of sauce on to each noodle. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Add shredded chicken and cover with a thin layer of mozzarella cheese. Roll-up and place in pan seam down. After you finish all 15 (3 rows of 5) cover in Alfredo sauce and then a good layer of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400* for 30 minutes. 

Burrito Casserole

This casserole is delicious! Brooks gave it a 10 out of 10!!!!!!

Ingredients 

1 bag frozen onion

3lb ground beef

2 cans refried beans

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

4 oz sour cream

Tortillas 

Shredded cheese (I used Colby jack)

3 packets taco seasoning

Directions:

Brown the beef, drain, and add the frozen onion. Add taco seasoning. Add refried beans. Meanwhile, mix cream of mushroom and sour cream together. Layer half of the sour cream/cream of mushroom mix in the bottom of the casserole dish. Add torn up (or cut up) tortillas. Add half the meat/bean mixture. Add layer of cheese. Repeat the layers again. Finish with a good layer of cheese. Bake a 350 for 30 minutes. 

I just layer the tortillas whole now. Also, for some texture maybe add some tortilla chips to the top in the last 5 minutes. 

Chicken noodle veggie soup

This soup is super easy and tastes great!

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

2-3 cups chicken (we use shredded rotisserie)

1 bag frozen veggies (your choice)

1 box pasta (I like barilla's mini pastas)

2 tblsp garlic powder

6 tblsp chicken bouillon 

1 tsp red chilli powder

Ranch taco chicken and rice

Ingredients 

2 cups chicken broth

4 chicken breasts

1 can black beans

1 packet ranch dressing mix

1 packet taco seasoning mix

3-4 cups cooked white rice

Add all the ingredients to your crock pot and cook on medium for 4-6 hours. Shred the chicken afterwards and let the chicken marinate in the broth. Cook the white rice. 

Serve over white rice.

Brooks gave this a 9/10! He's a food snob so that's saying something!!

Avacado pound cake

Ingredients 

1 large Avacado 

3 cups flour

1/3 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal 

1 tsp baking powder 

3/4 cup unsalted butter 

4 large eggs 

3/4 cup buttermilk 

2 9x4x3 loaf pans 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Bring eggs to room temp. Beat butter on medium in mixer until soft. Add sugar and beat for 4 minutes. Mash the flash of the avocado and add to the mixture. Beat for one minute. Add eggs one at a time. Add Bonoma. Reduce to low and add half the flour mix, all the buttermilk and then the rest of the flour mix.  divide between the two pans. Bake for 40-45 min. Check after 30 min.

Copycat chicken gnocchi soup

My husband get bed this a 10 out of 10 and he isn't even a soup person!!!!

Ingredients

2 tblsp minced garlic

1/3 cup butter

1 lb. chicken, cube

1/3 cup flour (may need more on certain days)

1 stick celery

1/4 cup onion, shredded (or you can use a frozen mire poix mix)

2 packages of gnocchi (small or large)

1/2 cup of spinach

1/2 shredded carrots

2 cups milk 

2 cups heavy cream

3 chicken bullion cubes

Salt and pepper

Directions

On medium heat melt the butter in the soup pot. Add the garlic and sauté with the chicken and cook through. Once the chicken is cooked add the flour and stir until the flower is cooked into the chicken. Add the milk and the cream.Bring to a boil and then add the veggies. Next at the bully on cubes and the gnocchi and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

Spaghetti lover's soup

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs. ground beef (or ground turkey)

Frozen mirė poíx mix

3 jars of Pasta Sauce (I used Ragu chunky super veggie)

1 box spaghetti (I used wheat)

Minced garlic 

1 cans Rotel

1 can chicken broth

Parm cheese

Spices:

Seasoning salt

Garlic powder

McCormick steak seasoning

Chili powder

Also, I usually add zucchini for some extra chunk and just to feel healthy about eating pasta 😉👍🏻

Directions:

Brown meat and season with all spices.

In separate pot sauté minced garlic and mire poíx mix. Add pasta sauce, parmesan, Rotel and chicken broth to the pot and simmer. Add spaghetti and allow to cook until tender. Add browned meat and allow to simmer. Serve.

Reheat in microwave 3 minute, stir and cook and additional 1:30-2:00 minutes.

Sausage Alfredo Pasta Bake

 

Sausage Alfredo Pasta Bake

 

 

This recipe is adapted from another recipe featured on this blog, Pasta Bake, that uses marinara sauce. My husband LOVES the homemade Alfredo sauce that I make so I decided to try altering the Pasta Bake recipe to include the Alfredo sauce instead of the Marinara. 

Ingredients:
2 lbs pasta
Alfredo Sauce (See recipe below)
2 Lbs. Sausage (I used Italian Sausage that I had to cut out of the casings)
1/2 cup diced onion (yellow or white will do)
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Tin Foil
At LEAST a 9x12 baking dish, I recommend glass

Alfredo Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
4 ounces of cream cheese
4 cups heavy cream
4 tsp minced garlic ( I add a little more because we LOVE garlic)
4 tsp garlic powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tsp Oregano
1 1/2 cups Parmesan Cheese

* The Alfredo Sauce may be a little thin BUT THIS IS GOOD! We need the excess moisture to cook the pasta! If  you were not using the sauce in a back I would say to add 2 tablespoons of AP Flour until thickened. *

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the onions in a large skillet to being carmelizing.
Step 2: Meanwhile, IN a large saucepan begin melting 2 sticks of butter over medium heat and begin taking the sausage out of their casings. Also, begin boiling a large pot of water.
Step 3: Place the de-cased sausage into the pan with the onions and start breaking it up into preferred sizes (at least bitsized).
Step 4: Add minced garlic to Alfredo sauce and cook for 1 minute before adding the cream cheese.
Step 5: Once the cream cheese is melted, slowly whisk in the heavy cream to the sauce. Do this slowly or you'll get chunks and/or curdling. Add the garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper and Parmesan Cheese.
Step 6: Place the pasta in the boiling water and cook 2 minutes shy of the recommended cooking time. Also, ensure that the sausage is cooked through and that the alfredo sauce is completed.
Step 7: Rinse the pasta and pour into the baking dish. Stir in the sausage and cover with the Alfredo Sauce and stir.
Once everything is well mixed togeter place the baking dish in the 350 degree oven for 45 minutes covered in tin foil.
Step 8: Remove the baking dish, remove the tin foil (but don't throw away) and cover the top of the dish with your desired amount of Mozzarella Cheese. Recover with the tin foil and cook for another 10 minutes. Let cool approximately 5-10 minutes before serving.


Bainigí sult as an bia

Tomato Squash Sauce with Pasta

*recipe adapted from Joy the Baker*

Ok….this picture is NOT really pretty but believe me….this is the tastiest thing I’ve ever cooked.

This is ACTUALLY supposed to be soup, however, it comes out a little thin for my tastes and when I added pasta it became AMAZING!

Tomato Squash sauce with Pasta

Ingredients

1 large Zucchini

3 medium carrots

1 celery stalk

2 medium yellow squash

1 large white onion

4-6 tablespoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons Thyme

4 cups Crushed Italian Tomatoes

2 cups water

2 ½ cups heavy cream

1 pound pasta, cooked and drained

2 cups Chicken Broth

Red pepper flakes

Salt

2 Bay Leaves

Instructions:

Chop Zucchini and Yellow Squash into small cubes. Chop the carrots and celery into small pieces. Julienne the onion.

In a stock pot add the zucchini, yellow squash, celery, carrots and onion and cook until the onions are translucent and the carrots are tender, approximately 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional one minute while stirring. Add the thyme, bay leaves and red pepper flakes (add enough to thinly cover the surface) and cook for an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, broth and water. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Add salt to taste. Remove the bay leaves.

Now you will need to blend the mixture. NEVER fill the blender more than half full of hot liquids or you’ll be SORRY! Blend in batches and add the blended mixture to another bowl. Once the entire mixture is completely blended add the heavy cream.

Serve over cooked pasta and top with Parmesan Cheese.

Spaghetti in Garlic Gravy with Herbs and Lemon Marinated Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes

Spaghetti in Garlic Gravy with Herbs and Lemon Marinated Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes *recipe adapted from Goddess of Scrumptiousness Recipes*

Ingredients:
500 grams spaghetti pasta (cooked al dente)
1 pound chicken breast fillets (sliced into 1 inch chunks)

For the chicken marinade:
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ a lemon
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt (not table salt)
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (to sauté the marinated chicken)
-  Add all the marinade ingredients into the chicken and marinade for 20 minutes (if making this dish in pronto) or over night (if making this dish the next day… much better).
-  Saute the marinated chicken in extra virgin olive oil until cooked (about 4-5 minutes) then set aside.

For the garlic gravy:
½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced (approximately 4 tblsp)
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (* I added 1 additional tblsp*)
2 ½ cups chicken stock ( I used a 14.5 oz can)
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup parsley, chopped (to sprinkle/finish the pasta)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups whole cherry tomatoes



Place sauté pan over medium heat and add butter and olive oil.
-  Saute garlic until fragrant and soft.
-  Add the flour and cook for a minute.
-  Add chicken stock and simmer gravy until thickened then add the chopped basil.
-  Season with salt and pepper.
-  Add the sauteed chicken in the gravy then toss the cooked spaghetti into this  sauce.
-  Add the cherry tomatoes and finish the dish with the chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese (serve extra on the side).
Makes 5-6 servings


I allowed the chicken to marinade for a full day. Brooks gave this one a 10!!! Love to make my husbands tummy happy :)

Bainigí sult as an bia

Crock Pot Lemon Chicken

Crock Pot Lemon Chicken  *recipe adapted from Plain Chicken*

This is maybe the BEST recipe I have made in a Crock Pot! The Chicken was ridiculously juicy and you barely have to give any pressure with your fork before it just falls apart! Here is the original recipe:

Crockpot Lemon Chicken
1 lb chicken breasts
1 packet Italian dressing mix
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup chicken stock
egg noodles or rice

Place chicken breasts, Italian dressing mix, butter, lemon juice & chicken broth in the crockpot.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours. When finished cooking, shred chicken with 2 forks. Serve chicken over egg noodles or rice and top with juices from crockpot.


Adaptations:

Ok, I had only 1 packet of Italian dressing mix and I trippled this recipe so I used this recipe for Italian Dressing Mix from allrecipes.com

Also, I added 1/4 cup of chicken stock per pound of chicken. I didn't have any lemons so I used bottled lemon juice but it worked wonderfully.

It is delicious over egg noodles and I added a little Parmesan cheese and it was yummy! Brooks gave this a 10/10!!!

Bainigí sult as an bia

Homemade Fruit Snacks

These are AMAZING!! Not the prettiest snacks but they are so yummy!

What you will need:
1 Silicone ice cube/chocolate candy tray (make sure it is COMPLETELY Silicone or they will not come out)
1 (3 oz.) box of Jello (any flavor BUT I find the sugar free DO NOT work as well)
2 (.25) packets of unflavored gelatin (found in the baking isle)
1/3 cup water
1/2 small can of crushed pineapple (drained)

Place a small sauce pan on the burner and turn to medium heat. Add water. Add all gelatin to the water and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Add the pineapple. Pour into the Silicone mold. Let sit for AT LEAST 20 minutes. In order to decrease the stickiness place the mold into the fridge for at least 20 minutes before taking the snacks out of the mold.

The flavor I used was Kroger brand Cherry and they are the yummiest i have ever tasted. I plan to get shaped silicone trays and use the same flavor as the shape (i.e. orange/lemon slices with orange or lemon flavored jello, strawberry shape with strawberry jello, etc.) as I think they would make cute gifts.

*****UPDATE*****

Pouring WITH the pineapple in the mix is REALLY messy. Place a small bit of pineapple in the mold before pouring the gelatin mix in. It's MUCH easier!

Also, if you like your treats on the tart/sour side add about a teaspoon of lemon juice. YUM!

Cheesy Enchilada Casserole

Cheesy Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 lrg Onion
2 1/2 cups of salsa
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1/4 cup Italian Salad Dressing
Taco Seasoning ( I made my own Taco Seasoning, found here. Cumin was already in this so I didn't add it to the dish)
Taco size Tortillas
1 small bag frozen corn OR 1 (15 oz) can of sweet corn, drained
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups Mexican Blend Cheese

Directions
In a large skillet cook the beef and onion. Stir in salsa, beans, corn, dressing, sour cream and taco seasoning. Once cooked spoon a generous about of the meat mixture onto the bottom of a large baking dish. Sprinkle with the Cheese Blend lightly. Layer tortillas on meat mixture. Continue alternating meat mixutre and tortilla layers until the dish is full. Sprinke the top with a generous dose of the cheese blend. Top with foil that has been sprayed with a cooking spray OR use non-stick foil and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Review
Brooks gave this an 8 out of 10. My biggest dish was dirty so I didn't get to layer many times, however, Brooks thinks he'd like it more with more layers. If you are going to double this recipe (which we do so we have left overs for Brooks' lunch) use a LARGE skillet.

**UPDATE**

Brooks says that heating an individual slice of this in the microwave takes about 3 minutes (depending on size). I heated a single slice up in the oven at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes.

.

Bainigí sult as an bia