Cheesy Baked Tomatoes

What you need:
4 tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 oz reduced fat provolone cheese, shredded
1 tsp chopped fresh basil
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

How you make it:
Preheat oven to 450° F.
Place tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet.
Top with Parmesan, provolone, oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
Mist lightly with non-fat cooking spray and bake until the tomatoes are tender, about 15 minutes

Mushroom and Swiss Stuffed Chicken

 

Mushroom and Swiss Stuffed Chicken

6 chicken breasts
Marinade (recipe below)
16 oz. mushrooms
A few cloves of minced garlic
1 small white onion, sliced
Salt and pepper
An 8 oz. block of swiss cheese, sliced up
A sprig of fresh tarragon (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375º. Prepare the marinade and set aside 1/2 cup for later. Throw the chicken in a bag with the rest of the marinade and let it soak for about 20 minutes white you saute the mushrooms.
To saute the mushrooms, turn the burner on medium-high and add the onion, garlic, and a little bit of olive oil. You might want to do it in batches because if you get too many mushrooms in at the same time, they'll get soggy. I did it in two batches, saving half of the onion and garlic for the other half of the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper.
To assemble, slice the marinated chicken breasts in half, but not all the way, just like a hot dog bun. Place some mushrooms, a few slices of swiss cheese, and a little of the tarragon inside. Stab each breast together with a few toothpicks.
Turn the burner on high and drizzle a little bit of olive oil in your skillet. Sear the chicken for a few minutes on each side and then place on a foil lined baking sheet. I did three at a time because they wouldn't all fit in the skillet.
Bake the chicken at 375º for just about 10 minutes or until it's done. You should not see any pink, but as soon as you don't see any more pink when you cut a little slice in the thickest part, get it right out.
Garnish with a little more tarragon if you please.

Marinade:
The juice and zest of two lemons
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons minced garlic (I actually used the stuff in a jar)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar (I happened to use 1/4 balsamic and 1/4 cider)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Whisk all together.

       

Sloppy Casserole

1b lean (at least 80%) ground beef, cooked, drained

1 can (15.5 oz) original sloppy joe sauce
1 can Pillsbury® refrigerated original breadsticks
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

• 1 Heat oven to 375°F. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, mix beef and sloppy joe sauce. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
• 2 Meanwhile, unroll dough; separate into 12 breadsticks. Cut each into 4 pieces, about 1 1/2 inches long.
• 3 Pour beef mixture into ungreased 12x8-inch or 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish. Place dough pieces in single layer over beef mixture.
• 4 Bake uncovered 13 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake about 2 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Imitation Crab Salad Recipe

This image courtesy of cullyskitchen.com

Imitation Crab Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 small sweet onion (finely diced)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 stalks celery (thinly sliced)
• 1 pound imitation crab meat (flaked or minced)
• 1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing (or to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Boil macaroni according to directions on package. Strain and rinse with cold water.
2. Stir in the onion, celery, tomato, crab meat, mayo, then salt and pepper to taste.
3. Fold in the shredded cheddar-serve cold (I like to make this a little ahead of time so it has a chance to cool in the fridge)

Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz.) package meat-filled ravioli
• (fresh or frozen, but thaw if frozen)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 c. flour
• 1 c. plain bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Instructions

Mix water with eggs and beat well; set aside. Mix Italian seasonings and garlic
salt with the bread crumbs and set this aside. Measure flour in bowl and set
aside. Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer or skillet to 350 degrees for deep frying.
Dip ravioli in flour then in egg wash then in bread crumbs and carefully place in
hot oil. Fry until golden, remove from oil and drain. Serve with your favorite
marinara sauce.

Slow Cooker Pizza Chicken

1 1/2      lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

1/2        teaspoon salt

1/4        teaspoon pepper

1           small onion, sliced

2           medium bell peppers, cut into strips

2           cups tomato pasta sauce (from 26 oz jar)

1           package (16 oz) rotini pasta

1           cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

1 Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, place chicken. Top with onion and bell peppers. Add pasta sauce.

• 2 Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 6 hours.
• 3 Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Place pasta on platter. Top with chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs ( copy cat pizza rolls )

No need to stop by the grocery, these Pepperoni Pizza Puffs are better than the store-bought brand. The freezer aisle has nothing on this delicious take on Totino's Pizza Rolls. This homemade copycat recipe is crafted with pepperoni, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Surprise your kids with this delicious after school snack.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray and Cassie Craves

Printer Friendly Version

• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• pinch of salt (my addition, optional)
• pinch of red pepper flakes (my addition, optional)
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup cubed pepperoni
• 1/2 cup store-bought pizza sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes (if using) ; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella, Parmesan and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through. Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.
NOTE: All my batter did not fit into the 24-mini muffin pan. So I made a full size muffin with the leftover batter. Some pans are larger than others so you may not have have an issue.

Grilled Pineapple-Chicken Kabob Packets

1/3     cup pineapple preserves

2        tablespoons packed brown sugar

1        tablespoon soy sauce

1/4     teaspoon crushed red pepper

4        boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch cubes (1 lb)

1        medium red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

1        medium green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

1        cup pineapple chunks

1/4     teaspoon salt

• 1 Heat gas or charcoal grill. In small bowl, stir together pineapple preserves, brown sugar, soy sauce and crushed red pepper.
• 2 Cut 4 (24x12-inch) sheets of heavy-duty foil. Divide chicken, bell peppers, pineapple chunks and pineapple preserves mixture among foil sheets. Sprinkle with salt. Bring up 2 sides of foil so edges meet. Seal edges, making tight 1/2-inch fold; fold again, allowing space for heat circulation and expansion. Fold other sides to seal.
• 3 Place packets on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 6 minutes. Using tongs, carefully turn packets over, taking care not to puncture foil. Cook 10 to 12 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in center and vegetables are crisp-tender.

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Expert Tips

This new twist takes the work out of kabobs. Instead of skewering the vegetables and meat and brushing with the glaze, they are combined in a simple packet and grilled.
Substitute your favorite preserves for the pineapple variety in this recipe.

Slow Cooker Casserole

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 3 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3 teaspoons onion powder
• 3 (3 ounce) packages chicken flavored ramen noodles
• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite size pieces

Directions

1. Cut butter or margarine into small chunks and put chunks in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the vegetables, cream of chicken soups and cream of mushroom soups. Stir. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, onion powder and seasoning packets from the ramen noodle packages. Put chicken pieces in slow cooker. Cover and cook for 6 hours on LOW.
2. Break each ramen noodle packet into quarters (4 'pieces'). Put noodles in slow cooker and stir to cover noodles. Cook 1 hour on HIGH. Reduce heat and let simmer until ready to serve.

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti, cooked and drained
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
• 8 ounces processed cheese food
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - boiled and cut into bite-size pieces

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.
2. Put chicken soup, mushroom soup, tomatoes with green chile peppers and cheese in slow cooker over medium heat. Stir together and cook until cheese has melted.
3. Stir cooked chicken and spaghetti into cheese mixture and heat through. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 40 minutes.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops II

By: ERINVDIX

"A wonderful way to cook pork--it's extremely tasty and tender. With a mixture of spices and garlic, it's terrific. And it is extremely EASY."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 4 thick cut boneless pork chops
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, chicken broth, garlic, paprika, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and basil. Pour into the slow cooker. Cut small slits in each pork chop with the tip of a knife, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place pork chops into the slow cooker, cover, and cook on High for 4 hours. Baste periodically with the sauce.

 

Cheesy Tomato-Chicken Skillet

2

cups uncooked pasta nuggets or radiatore (7 oz)

3/4

lb chicken breast strips for stir-fry

1

can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup

1 1/2

cups chopped plum (Roma) tomatoes (4 to 5 medium)

1/2

cup milk

2

tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1

cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

• 1 Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain; cover to keep warm.
• 2 Meanwhile, heat 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Reduce heat to medium; stir in soup, tomatoes, milk and basil.
• 3 Stir in cooked pasta. Cook about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand until cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes.

         

Barbecued Wimpies ( Homemade Sloppy Joes )



This is a staple in are house.  My mom has been making it for years.  Everyone in the family loves it even the kids love it.

1 pound ground beef

1 cup finely chopped onion

1cup finely chopped green peppers

1 T mustard

1 T vinegar

1 tsp. salt

1 cup ketchup

Brown the ground beef and drain.  Place back into pan and mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Let simmer for 30 mins

Then sever on hamburger buns.

Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme from Taco Bell (copycat recipe)

This tasty treat recalls one of Taco Bell's best. The Homemade Crunchwrap Superem recipe is the perfect opportunity to master a Mexican-inspired copycat. The combo of nacho cheese, lettuce tomato and sour cream is irresistible.

Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme

adapted from Full Bellies Make Happy Kids

Ingredients:

6 large flour tortillas

6 small corn tortillas (or tortilla chips)

1 pound ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

sour cream

nacho cheese (or shredded Mexican blend cheese)

shredded lettuce

diced tomatoes

Directions:

Brown ground beef in a skillet, then add taco seasoning (according to package directions). Set aside.

Bake the corn tortillas in the oven at 400 degrees for a couple of minutes, until they are golden and crunchy.

Microwave the flour tortillas, one at a time (because they cool off quickly), for about 10 seconds to warm them up; this will make wrapping easier. You could also warm them up in the oven; just wrap them in aluminum foil and heat them up for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Lay out the flour tortilla. Spoon some of the seasoned beef into the center of the tortilla. Top with some nacho cheese, or shredded cheese. Place the crunchy corn tortilla on top of the cheese/beef; spread a dollop of sour cream on top of it, then toss on some diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce.

Starting with the bottom of the tortilla, fold the edge up to the center. Continue doing this in a clockwise or counter-clockwise movement until all of the tortilla is folded over, and the filling is entirely enclosed. If your filling isn't entirely enclosed and you have an open spot, simply cut out a circle from another flour tortilla and place it on the exposed area, then wrap the tortilla again.

Spray a frying pan with cooking spray. Carefully place the Crunchwrap, seam-side down, in the pan. Press with a spatula and cook on medium-low heat, for about 3 minutes, until the bottom is nice and brown. Flip it over and cook for another 3 minutes.

Slow Cooker Cowboy Beef and BBQ Bean Sandwiches

2    medium onions, sliced

2-pound beef boneless arm roast, trimmed of fat

1      can (16 ounces) baked beans

1/4   cup barbecue sauce

1      teaspoon finely chopped jalapeño chili

12    onion kaiser rolls, split

1 1/2   cups prepared coleslaw

• 1 Place onions in 3- to 4-quart slow cooker. Add beef. Top with baked beans and barbecue sauce.
• 2 Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.
• 3 Remove beef from cooker; place on cutting board. Shred beef, using 2 forks. Return beef to cooker and mix well. Stir in chili. To serve, place 1/2 cup beef mixture in each roll and top with 2 tablespoons coleslaw.

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Sandwiches

1 1/2   pounds lean ground beef

1/2      teaspoon garlic pepper

1         package (8 ounces) pasteurized prepared cheese product loaf, diced (2 cups)

2         tablespoons milk

1         medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

1         small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)

2         cloves garlic, finely chopped

12       sandwich buns, split

• 1 Cook beef and garlic pepper in 12-inch skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain.
• 2 Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix beef and remaining ingredients except buns in cooker.
• 3 Cover and cook on Low heat setting 6 to 7 hours. To serve, fill buns with beef mixture.

Slow Cooker Pineapple-Pork Tacos

1        lb boneless pork shoulder roast, trimmed

1        package (1 oz) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix

1        can (8 oz) pineapple tidbits in juice, drained

2        teaspoons lime juice

1        package (4.6 oz) Old El Paso® taco shells

3/4     cup shredded Cheddar cheese (3 oz)

1 1/2   cups shredded lettuce

3/4      cup chopped tomato

1/3      cup sour cream

1/3      cup Old El Paso® salsa

• 1 Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place pork in slow cooker; sprinkle with taco seasoning mix. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 9 hours or until pork pulls apart easily with fork.
• 2 Remove pork from slow cooker; shred pork. Stir into liquid in slow cooker. Stir in pineapple and lime juice.
• 3 To serve, divide pork among taco shells (about 1/4 cup each), and top with remaining ingredients.

Green Chile Mac and Cheese Cost per serving: $1.28

Don't scramble around the day of the party—you can partially make this dish (through step three) up to a day in advance. Simply cover and refrigerate; the morning of your get-together, sprinkle on the topping and bake.


















Salt and pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni $

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6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small onion, chopped $

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2 jalapeños, seeded, finely chopped

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups low-fat milk, warmed $

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2 4-oz. cans chopped green chiles, drained

8 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups) $

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8 ounces pepper Jack, shredded (about 2 cups)

1 1/2 cups crushed corn chips $

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Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 375ºF; line a large baking sheet with foil. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni until al dente, about 8 minutes, or as label directs. Drain; rinse under cold water.
2. 2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and jalapeños and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour on onion mixture and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. Raise heat to medium and slowly bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in chiles. Set aside 1/2 cup of Cheddar. Add remaining Cheddar and all pepper Jack to skillet and cook, stirring, until all cheese has melted. Season with salt and pepper.
3. 3. Add pasta to skillet; stir. Mist a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and pour in pasta mixture.
4. 4. In a bowl, combine corn chips with reserved 1/2 cup Cheddar; sprinkle over pasta. Place dish on lined baking sheet; bake until pasta mixture is bubbling and top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes; serve.

Oaxacan Grilled Corn Cost per serving: 60¢

Leave a couple of inches of stalk on the end of each ear of corn to make a good handle. Pull off a piece of the husk and use it to tie up the rest decoratively, as shown.

8 ears fresh corn, with husks

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

2 limes, cut into wedges

Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. 1. Pull down corn husks and remove silk. Place husks back over corn and soak in large bowls filled with cold water for 30 minutes.
2. 2. Preheat a gas grill to medium. Drain corn on paper towels and pat dry, pull down husks and brush kernels evenly with butter. Place husks back over corn and tie ends with kitchen twine to keep in place. Arrange corn flat on grill with string ends away from direct heat and cook, turning often, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. 3. Cut away twine and pull down husks. Spread mayonnaise on each ear, then sprinkle with chili powder and Parmesan. Serve with lime wedges and salt and pepper for seasoning.

Savory Pancakes

Recipe from GoodenessGracious.com

Truth be told, sweets lover that I am, I am still an absolute sucker for a savory breakfast (remember those uber-yummy savory muffins… yum!).

That is why I was so tickled that you guys choose Savory Pancakes from the Easy-Breezy Breakfasts section for me to share here.

This lovely recipe is just one of many yummy super-easy treats you will find in the brand new Gooseberry Patch 101 Easy Everyday Recipes.

And… despite the recent Blogger outage, we are still giving away a copy of this lovely book BEFORE it hits store shelves! Have ya entered yet???

This recipe is a fantastic recipe for the kiddos… Miss Add and I dubbed them “Pizza Pancakes”.

We started out with 2 Cups Bisquick…

Then 1 Cup Milk… and 2 Eggs- beaten… I just use whites…

Mix ‘er up

Now add 1/2 Cup Shredded Mozzarella

1/2 Cup Pepperoni… We used these cute little Turkey Pepperonis to cut down on the fat.

1/2 Cup of Tomato- chopped

1/4 Cup of Green Pepper- Chopped

2 t Italian Seasoning

And mix ‘er up!

Now take 1/4 cupfuls and pour them on a hot griddle… I used my large cookie scoop and it worked beautifully

Speaking of griddles… I have told ya how thoughtful my mom is… well she knew I wanted to build up my cast iron collection and she found this awesome griddle and a large skillet for $5 each at a garage sale and bought them right up for me!

They both need a little seasoning, but with all the cooking I do, they should be GOODe and seasoned in no-time.

Anyhoo–

Once you have the pancakes on the griddle… then you watch for the bubbles to start popping…

Then you know it is time to flip.

Now for keeping things real… PROOF that I am a lousy pancake flipper…

Ah well… I need to keep practicing…

Now top your pancakes with warm tomato sauce and fresh (or grated) parm…