Monday, February 18, 2013

Garlic & Butter Broccoli

When I made this, I originally served this with the Poppy Seed Chicken I made one night, but this could really go with so many things. If you're looking for a good, healthy, AND Gluten-Free side-dish, or really could be a lunch time meal if you so wish it to be, look no further than here! It's also great if you're a broccoli lover like myself!

(Not my picture or recipe. Click title for original.)


Ingredients:
20 oz (2 1/2 c.) Broccoli (can be fresh or frozen)
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Cook broccoli in salted boiling water until tender (about 5 minutes) and drain.

In a pan, melt butter. Add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add broccoli and toss.

Garnish with pepper. Enjoy!


See? Quick, easy, and practically fool proof! I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did!

For pin, click here!

Until next time,

Amanda


Poppy Seed Chicken

In our house there's a tad bit of a divide on meat preferance, though we're all accomodating of each other. My husband loves beef, I love chicken, and our son, well, we're lucky if we can get him to eat it, though pork and chicken are usually what he'll try - beef is a no go. So, I try to keep it relatively even for what kind of meats I cook with and with meatless meals so we can all win when I do my meal planning. But I have to say, when you take a look at my Pinterest, you'll find that I have SEVERAL more chicken meals and dishes than I do of any other kind.

When I came upon this recipe it had to be tried. Now, when I meal plan from pinterest, I like to go to the very bottom of the board so that I make sure I'm not just repinning the same things or that I'm actually not just trying the new stuff. I was SO happy when I finally reached the point of being able to try this recipe and boy was it a good one! I didn't eat much because I wasn't all that hungry, but between my son and husband, there was no leftovers to be had and they both said it was definitely something to make again.

(Not my picture or recipe. Click title for original.)


Ingredients:
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (8 oz.) container light sour cream
2 tsp. poppy seeds
salt and pepper, to taste
1 sleeve (approximately 31) Ritz crackers
1/4 c. butter (approximately 4 Tbsp.)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot, bring water and bouillon cube to a boil. Add chicken breasts and cook until no longer pink. Remove breasts and place on a plate to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, add chicken soup, sour cream, poppy seeds, and season with salt and pepper. When chicken is cool, shred or cut into bite-sized cubes and mix in with soup mix.

In a smaller bowl, crush crackers and add butter. Microwave for 20 seconds or until butter melts. Stir to coat the crackers.

Coat an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Add chicken mixture and spread evenly. Top with cracker topping and bake for 30 minutes. Remove, allow to cool and set for 5-10 minutes.

Enjoy!


I'm sure if you try this with your family it'll be a hit!

For pin, click here!

Until next time,

Amanda


Sunday, February 17, 2013

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

I made this as a side dish one night thinking that it would likely go over well. It's since become one of my favorite salads to make and serve. It's so creamy and delicious and just as easy to make! If you're looking for a quick, easy, new salad to take to a family get-together, picnic, or potluck - look no further!

(Not my picture or recipe. Click title for original.)


Ingredients:
12 oz. cool whip
1 small pkg. cheesecake pudding (powder)
3 6oz. strawberry yogurts
1 lb. fresh strawberries, sliced
3 bananas, sliced (add just before serving or they'll brown)
miniature marshmallows (add just before serving)

Directions:
Thaw cool whip and in a large bowl stir it together with yogurts and pudding powder. Let this set up in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. Wash and slice strawberries and add into mix. Add bananas and marshmallows just before serving. Keep refrigerated.


Use this and I'm sure it'll be a big hit!

For pin, click here!

Until next time,

Amanda

Bacon Pear Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

My husband and I both love grilled cheese sandwiches. On nights when neither of us really feel like making much of an effort we'll make them because they always go over well. While looking through one of my favorite food blogs, I came across this recipe and wanted to try it. At first my husband was skeptical because it involved fruit and he's just one of those guys that thinks things like this shouldn't go together, man did I prove him wrong ;).

(Not my picture or recipe. Click title for original.)


Ingredients:
8 slices of bread
Bacon, cooked until crisp
1-2 Bartlett Pears, sliced
Sharp White cheddar cheese, sliced (I actually used Mozzarella because I couldn't find white cheddar)
butter, softened and spreadable

Directions:
Heat either a cast iron skillet, griddle, or panini grill to med-high heat. Layer the sandwich: bread slice, cheese, pear, bacon, more cheese (if you wish), and another bread slice. Butter the to slice of bread and place on the pan, buttered side down. Then butter the remaining side.

If you are not using a panini press, you can use a spatula or heavy pan to press down on the sandwich during grilling to get a similar result. The sandwich is done when the sides are toasted and the cheese is melted.

Enjoy!


Here's hoping you like it as much as we did. Even my skeptical husband loved it! :)

Until next time,

For pin, click here!

Amanda

Lasagna Cups

My husbands favorite food on this planet is Lasagna. I'm fairly certain that if I allowed it he'd probably eat it morning, noon, and night day in and day out. I'm not kidding when I say I've gone to visit family for a week or weekend and before I leave I'll make up up a pan of lasanga and he'll spend the next few days eating it. This man LOVES his lasagna. So when I found this recipe on Pinterest I knew it'd be a hit.

While I was planning out meals for the next while a couple weeks ago I decided I would try this out for Valentine's Day as a special treat to the hubby. Man was he glad to see me making lasagna, even if in a different form. He's even asked me to make it again for his birthday next week! We'll have to see about that one... ;)

So without further adieu, I bring you...

 
(Not my picture or my recipe. Click on title for original.)


Ingredients:
Sauce:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 large onion
1/2 lb. lean ground beef, cooked and drained
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small zucchini, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce (+ 1/2 can water to wash out can)
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. dried basil
1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Cheese Filling:
1 10 oz. tub Philidelphia Italian Herb & Cheese cooking cream
1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese
3/4 lb. mozzarella cheese, grated and divided
1/3 c. ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 egg

21 Lasagna pasta sheets

Directions:
Sauce: Heat oil over medium heat and saute onion, pepper, zucchini, and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in cooked ground beef and tomato paste until well incorporated. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes or so. (The longer it cooks, the better it will taste!) This will be very thick.

Cheese Filling: Stir all ingredients together excluding half of the grated mozzarella cheese, set aside.

Pasta: Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta sheets 2 minutes less than package directions and drain. Place pasta on greased baking sheet until you are read for assembly.

Assembly: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 jumbo muffin tins (I just did 18 regular) with squares of parchment paper. If they don't stay in on their own, that's okay - the pasta will help wihtthat. Line the edges of the muffin tins with 1 pasta sheet per cup (sheet will overlap about 2 inches). Spoon about 1/2 Tbsp. of sauce into the bottom of each cup. Next cut 9 pasta sheets into quarters and press one of these pieces of pasta into the bottom on top of the sauce. Top pasta sheet with a generous tablespoon of sauce and then a generous tablespoon of cheese filling. Repeat this pasta-sauce-cheese layerong one more time being sure to press out any air bubbles. Top these lasagna cups off with a third piece of pasta, more sauce, and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until everything is hot and bubbly. Serve hot.


If you love lasagna, I'm sure you'll love this as much as us!

For the pin, click here!

Until next time,

Amanda

Sorry for the break...

So it's been almost two weeks since my last post, and I want to formally apologize for the wait. Myself and my smally family have just had a lot going on lately with some added stressors as of recently. However, to make up for it, I'm going to make a couple quick posts with recipes to ge you all by in the mean time! For the few that do follow me, thanks for sticking around, I'm hoping to be back more and more coming soon! :) Until next time, Amanda

Monday, February 4, 2013

Creamy Ranch Pork Chops and Rice

One of my favorite things to make is pork chops in a mushroom gravy. We hadn't had it in awhile so when I made my grocery list for the week, I decided to try out this recipe and see if maybe I'd have a new favorite on my hands. Turns out, it was a huge hit. The three of us loved it! My husband is a huge Ranch fan so I knew he'd be game. My son, who is normally very picky with meat even gave it a try, though I'm sure he liked the sauce over his rice more than anything.

So, without further adieu, I bring you tonight's latest addition in the recipe book!

(Not my picture or recipe. Click title for original.)


Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 boneless pork chops, 3/4-inch thick
1 (10.75 oz) can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 (10.75 oz) can milk
1 (1 oz) pkg. ranch salad dressing mix
Paprika
Ranch-style rice (I just used regular white rice)

Directions:
Heat oil in skillet. Add chops and cook until browned.

Add soup, milk, and 1/2 package salad dressing mix. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes or until done. Sprinkle with paprika.

Serve with rice.


Such a simple and quick meal, which you all already know is my favorite kind! ;)

Until next time,

To view the pin, click here!

Amanda

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Pizza Casserole

We're super busy around my house. I know we're not alone. Monday-Friday (and some Saturday's) my husband and I work. From there it's trying to keep things up around the house, pay bills, be parents to our son and fur-babies, alongside projects for our new house and various other small side things going on. We're always doing something or going somewhere so quick, easy, and filling meals are a must in our day-to-day life. If they bring on leftovers? Even better! It means we have lunches and that I may not have to cook supper the next night!

I came across this Pizza Casserole through Pinterest. I've actually seen a number of them over time and finally decided to give one a go, despite my being nervous with using pepperoni (I'm not afraid, I just can't have spicy food and pepperoni can be iffy with my stomach). It turned out fantastic! My husband told me he definitely wants me to make it again. Even our four year old loved it! And since I got plenty of leftovers with it, we had supper for the next night and lunches for the next two days!

(Not my picture or recipe. Click title for original.)


Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 (26 oz.) jars spaghetti sauce
16 oz. rotini pasta, cooked and drained
5 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz. sliced pepperoni

Directions:
Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in oil. Drain. Stir in pasta, spaghetti sauce, and 3 cups of cheese.

Place mixture in two greased 9x13 pans. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with pepperoni. Cover and freeze or bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.


Told you it was really simple!

To see the pin, click here!

Until next time,

Amanda

BLT Pasta Salad

Every time we all get together with my in-law's it's kind of a fight of what to bring because with so many of us, we can only have so many fruit and veggie trays or some sort of salad. I'm always looking for some sort of new salad or dessert or something for these kind of events just so I know we're not eating the same thing or I'm not the one bringing the same thing every time, or if I am that it gets an added creative twist.

When I stumbled across this recipe (thank you Pinterest!) I knew we had to try it because it's something that would be great for our big group, and I love me a BLT, so getting it in a salad form was just an added plus! So here, I bring you with a salad version of a delicious lunch item!

(Not my picture or recipe. For original click on title.)


Ingredients:
12 oz. corkscrew-shaped pasta
1/2 c. milk
12 oz. lean bacon
3 medium rip tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 c. mayo
1/4 c. sour cream
4 Tbsp. chopped chives or scallion greens
5 heads Bibb lettuce, quartered, or 5 c. chopped romaine lettuce

Directions:
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with milk in a large bowl; set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over med-high heat until crisp (I always bake my bacon). Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3 Tbsp. of pan drippings. Add the tomatoes, thyme, and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper. Crumble the bacon into bite-sized pieced; set aside 1/4 c. for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and tomato mixture with the pasta.

Mix the mayo, sour cream, and 3 Tbsp. chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add lettuce; toss again to coat. Garnish with the reserved bacon and the remaining 1 Tbsp. chives. Serve at room temperature.


I hope this works as well with your family as it does ours. I know I'll definitely be making this next time we're all together!

To view pin, click here!

Until next time,

Amanda


30 Minute Rolls

I love meals that are quick an easy. Especially when I'm making buns or bread to go with it. I stumbled across this recipe thanks to good ol' pinterest and have found it to be amazing! We didn't eat them all with supper, but we had rolls for the next couple of days for lunches and snacking. My son and husband loved them and have asked me to make them again and again!

These rolls are SO easy and super quick with only taking 30 minutes! That's from start to finish even! So if you're looking for a good, quick, and easy roll recipe, especially for family get together's, I've got you totally covered!

(Not my picture or recipe. For original, click on title.)



Ingredients:
1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. warm water
1/3 c. oil
2 Tbsp. yeast
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
3 1/2 c. bread flour (could use all-purpose though too)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In your mixer bowl, combine the water, oil, yeast, and sugar and allow it o rest for 15 minutes. Using your dough hook, mix in the salt, egg, and flour.  Knead with hook until well incorporated and dough is soft and smooth. (About 5 minutes.)

Form dough into 12 balls and then place in a greased 9x13 pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown.


I hope you all enjoy these like we did!

To see the pin, click here!

Until next time,

Amanda