Mom's Favorites: Cinco de Mayo

Ok, so you are thinking ... what if Mom is crazy and doesn't actually want something cooked on the grill. Perish the thought I know! Well, here's another neat trick - use her own recipe on her. If it's a family favorite, then certainly it's one of her favorites or why would she cook it so much? 

So, in honor of my mom and Cinco de Mayo...you get one of her recipes. I don't know where she got, if she made it up or what but it's really easy and really good!

Taco Pie

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground meat             1/2 c. chopped onion            1 envelope taco mix
4 oz. green chilis              1 1/4 c. milk                           3/4 c. bisquick
3 eggs                               2 tomatoes, sliced                1 c. shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Grease a pie plate.
2. Cook beef & onion until brown and drain.
3. Add taco mix.
4. Spread in pie plate.
5. Top with chilis.
6. Beat milk, bisquick and eggs until smooth.
7. Pour into pie plate.
8. Cook at 400 for 25 minutes.
9. Add the cheese and tomato with 10 minutes left.

See...it's so easy you could call it easy bake pie...well I bet it tastes better than what came out of an easy bake oven. Just sayin!

As always, have fun!

Quick Dessert

Have a sweet craving that won't quit? Need a relatively quick and simple dessert you can take to a pitch in?  Perhaps you're just a cheese addict. Don't worry - this recipe will fill all your needs!

Dessert Cheese Ball

Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened            1/2 c. butter, softened              1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. confectionery sugar                  2 tbsp. brown sugar                  8 oz. chocolate chips
chopped pecans                                 graham crackers

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except pecans and graham crackers.
2. Roll into a ball and refrigerate until firm.
3. Roll ball in the chopped pecans
4. Serve with graham crackers.

Like I said, easy right? As always, have fun!

Sweet, Spicy and Cheesy?

Sometimes you don't have a reason for picking a recipe. Sometimes it's just luck of the draw as you flip through your box, hoping something will inspire you.  My sausage and potatoes recipes caught my eye but I don't really have anything profound to say about either. I will warn you the sausage patties come with some kick! Actually, both recipes do.

Paprika, red pepper, cayenne and hot sauce give these recipes some heat but I'm not a huge fan of heat, so know that the quantities listed won't leave you begging for water. Of course, you can always add in spice and heat if that's what you are into!

Sweet & Spicy Sausage Patties

Ingredients:
1 tsp. onion powder           1 tsp. garlic powder      1 tsp. red pepper           1/2 tsp. fennel
1/4 tsp. paprika                  1 tsp. salt                      1/4 tsp. black pepper     1 lb. ground meat
1 tbsp. & 1 tsp. brown sugar                                   1 tsp. olive oil

Directions:

1. Mix your meat with all the seasonings.
2. Portion it into 8 balls.
3. Flatten each ball to 1/8 in. thick.
4. Heat oil over medium high heat.
5. Sear patties on one side until caramelized about 2 minutes.
6. Flip to cook 1 minute more.

Cheesy Vacation Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 potatoes, sliced 1/8 in. thick          oil and salt, to taste             

pico de gallo:  2 roma tomatoes       2 scallions              1 tsp. hot sauce      1 tsp. lime juice

                       1/8 tsp. cumin            1/8 tsp. cayenne

casserole:       1 tbsp. unsalted butter         1/2 c. jack blend cheese         1/2 c. mozzarella

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375.
2. Fry potatoes in 1 inch of oil, 3 minutes on each side.
3. Season with salt.
4. Prepare the pico de gallo in a bowl and set aside.
5. Butter an 8x8 pan.
6. Layer half the potatoes then half the jack blend cheese, then half the pico de gallo and half the mozzarella.
7. Repeat the layers, ending with mozzarella.
8. Bake until cheese melts (app. 18 minutes).

So there you go, a pair of fun recipes that aren't super hard to put together.  Oh and I absolutely don't remember why they are called vacation potatoes. As always, have fun.

Kid Friendly Vegetarian

Most kids love burgers, spaghetti and meatballs, hot dogs, pizza, chicken fingers etc. The thought of making them eat a vegetarian meal might make you quake and quiver. Vegetables are not fun! They don't taste good! And of course they are healthy! What are we thinking? Well, with feeding a family, sometimes you need to make your meals stretch and your grocery budget would be helped out quite a bit by one night a week not having to pay pesky meat prices.

So, I give you a casserole with a lot of flavor and a lot of ways to keep the budget under control as well as keep it healthy.

Tomato Sour Cream Casserole

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped                               2 tbsp. oil              1 lb. 12 oz. can of tomatoes
1 pkg. mexican style sloppy joe seasoning     4 oz. green chilies, chopped
5 1/2 oz. package Doritos, slightly crushed    3/4 lb. monterey jack cheese, grated
1 c. sour cream                                               1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Saute the onion in oil.
2. Add tomatoes, seasoning mix and green chilies.
3. Simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes.
4. In greased, deep 2 qt. casserole dish, layer ingredients in the following order: sauce, doritos, jack cheese, sauce, jack cheese.
5. Top with sour cream.
6. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.
7. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake 10 minutes longer.

Ways to make it healthy:

• Use fresh tomatoes instead of canned to cut your salt intake.
• Use lowfat cheese
• Use lowfat sour cream.

Ways to spice it up:

• Switch up the sloppy joe seasoning with chipolte or hot spices.
• The original recipe recommends nacho cheese doritos but I say use your favorites.
• Use pepper jack cheese.

As always, have fun!

Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Rolls

I really had no good blog topic in mind tonight, so I figured why not go through my chicken recipes. I mean, chicken is kind of an easy default. Even picky eaters usually don't have an issue with chicken. In fact, as an event planner, I've often joked about the "rubber chicken" dinners you get at most hotel functions. 9 times out of 10 the chicken is not in fact overcooked. It's more that because it's so user friendly that most big groups go with it.  In fact, I've tried some sauces and vegetables with chicken that are typically out of my comfort zone at events and found that I really like them! It's just sometimes tiring to have chicken at every meal.

Tonight's recipe is one of those out of my comfort zone instances, mostly because of the choice of veggie. Once I find I like something, I tend to beat it to death, so you get yet another asparagus recipe!

Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Rolls

Ingredients:
8 fresh asparagus spears            2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (abt. 5 oz. each)
1 tbsp. dijon mustard                   4 fresh sage leaves               2 slices provolone cheese
2 slices deli ham                          1/4 c. flour                             1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs               1/4 c. parmesan cheese       1 1/2 tsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil                         1/4 c. white wine or chicken broth

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, bring 1/2 in. of water to a boil. 
2. Add asparagus and cover and boil for 3 minutes.
3. Drain and immediately place in ice water.
4. Drain and pat dry.
5. Flatten chicken to 1/4 in. thick.
6. Spread mustard over one side of each breast.
7. Down the center, place two sage leaves, a slice of cheese, a slice of ham and 4 asparagus spears.
8. Fold chicken over asparagus and secure with toothpick.
9. Place flour and egg in separate shallow bowls. 
10. In a third bowl, combine bread crumbs and parmesan.
11. Dip chicken in flour, egg then breadcrumb mixture.
12. In a large skillet, brown chicken on all sides in butter and oil.
13. Transfer to an 8 in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray.
14. Add wine to skillet, stirring to loosen brown bits from pan.
15. Pour over chicken.
16. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

As always, have fun!

Did You Know I Eat Broccoli

Well, some broccoli anyway. Like this recipe and one other. But that's a start right? In this case, I'd say the cheese probably helps a lot!

Hot Broccoli Cheese Dip

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter               2 onions, chopped                2 4 oz. cans of sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. flour  5-6 oz. garlic cheese, cubed 2 cans of cream of celery soup
2 10 oz. pkgs. of broccoli spears, chopped            french bread cubes and bell pepper strips

Directions:

1. Melt butter in skillet.
2. Add onion and mushrooms and saute until translucent.
3. Stir in flour and cook 2-3 minutes.
4. Place mixture in crock pot.
5. Stir in soup, cheese and broccoli.
6. Cover and cook on high until cheese is melted, stirring frequently.
7. Turn to low and cook for 2-4 hours or until ready to serve.
8. Serve with french bread cubes and bell pepper strips.

As always, have fun!

Just One of Those Days

Did you ever have one of those days where nothing sounds good? You look in your cabinet and you are quite sure there's just nothing good to eat. Maybe, you don't even feel that hungry. Whatever the case may be, hopefully by now you are amassing quite a box of recipes to flip through on those days. I do that a lot. I just flip and flip until something catches my eye. 

Today was one of those days - so here's a filling munchie for those nights where you don't want a full meal or a great appetizer for your next dinner party.

Hot Spinach Spread with Pita Chips

Ingredients:
2 c. shredded monterey jack cheese  10 oz. chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed dry
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed                           2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3/4 c. chopped onion                                     1/3 c. 1/2 & 1/2 
1 tbsp. finely chopped & seeded jalapeno     6 pita breads (6 inches)
1/2 c. butter, melted                                       2 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
2 tsp. ground cumin                                       1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients.
2. Transfer to a greased 1 1/2 qt. baking dish.
3. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.
4. Meanwhile, cut each pita bread into 8 wedges.
5. Place in 2 15 in. x 10 in. x 1 in. baking pans.
6. Combine the butter, lemon pepper, cumin and garlic salt.
7. Brush over pita wedges.
8. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until crisp.
9. Serve with spinach spread.

You can keep this fairly healthy by using lowfat cheeses and a butter substitute.  Making your own pita bread is healthy as well. I used to not even like spinach but somewhere along the line I began to like spinach artichoke dip and this seemed like a fun alternative.

As always, have fun!

Easter Morning Breakfast

It's Easter morning. You've got kids who want to get into their Easter baskets and go on egg hunts. You have food to prepare for that crowd coming in the afternoon.  The last thing you want to think about is breakfast I'm sure. However, considering how busy your day will get, I think a nice Easter breakfast is a great tradition to start.  This sweet and savory casserole is super quick to fix and won't take long in the oven, so dig in!

Maple Bacon Oven Pancake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. bisquick                        1 tbsp. sugar                3/4 c. milk                    2 eggs
1/4 c. maple syrup                     1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar              1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine bisquick, sugar, milk, eggs, syrup and 1/2 c. cheese.
2. Mix well.
3. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 425 for 10-15 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with bacon and remaining cheese.
6. Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
7. Serve with additional syrup if desired.

Happy Easter everyone - enjoy your day! And as always, have fun!

Are Deviled Eggs Evil?

I totally sucked you in with that headline ,,,, just admit it. Deviled eggs really have nothing to do with devils, but I couldn't resist. If you do want to know their origin, check out this article.  If you just want to get started with your first course of your Easter dinner, read on....

Feeling adventurous? Instead of cutting your eggs in half, get crafty and make Easter Egg Chicks. I linked to a photo of the finished product in case you need a visual to my directions. These are just so fun and crafty! I've also included 2 different egg recipes to suit different tastes. You could try either or do both depending on your group.

Easter Egg Chicks

After boiling the eggs, peel them and cut a thing straight slice from the wide end so they will stay on their own. Cut he top of the egg about one third of the way down. Scoop out the yolk.  Once you've made the filling (two options listed below), go ahead and refill the large bottom section of the egg. Mound the top of the filling and cap with the top egg portion  Use a tiny triangle of carrot for the chick's beak and small snippets of raisins or olives for the chick's eyes.

Bacon & Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs

Ingredients;
1 dozen hard boiled eggs            1/2 lb. cooked bacon          8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 c. mayo                                  3 tbsp. yellow mustard       1/2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
cayenne pepper - to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare eggs, cool and peel.
2. Slice them in half and scoop out the yolks or cut them as described above to make Easter Egg Chicks.
3. Put yolk in a bowl and mash.
4. Add cream cheese, mayo, mustard, worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper.
5. Blend until smooth with mixer or food processor.
6. Add finely chopped bacon and mix well.
7. Add to egg halves (in either scenario).
8. Chill overnight, if you can wait that long!

Creamy Herb Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

1 dozen hard boiled eggs          1/4 c. ranch salad dressing                3 tbsp. Greek yogurt

2 tsp. Dijon mustard                  1/4 tsp. pepper                                   1/8 tsp. paprika

Directions:

1. Prepare eggs, cool and peel.
2. Slice them in half and scoop out the yolks or cut them as described above to make Easter Egg Chicks.
3. Put yolk in a bowl and mash.
4. Stir in salad dressing, yogurt, mustard and pepper.
5. Add back to egg halves (in either scenario).
6. Refrigerate, covered, until serving.
7. Sprinkle with paprika.

Tomorrow, we'll tackle a nice healthy salad to include in this meal. As we progress this week, notice how many similar flavors I have from dish to dish. It brings continuity to the meal overall but also is a meal planner's dream as you are often using the same ingredients, and cutting down your grocery bill.

As always, have fun!

Cheesy Fish

Adding a crust to the top of fish is a very popular way to cook it. It gives it a little more flavor and texture and you can vary it up depending on what you like. Some recipes are a straight breadcrumb crust and some have cheese involved. With this recipe, you get both plus an easy dash of flavor with Italian dressing. My personal favorite part is the sliced mozzarella and tomatoes. In fact, during the summer, one of my go to dinners is chunks of tomato and mozzarella with balsamic vinaigrette.

Cheesy Flounder Bake

Ingredients:
6 flounder fillets                 2 medium sliced tomatoes                   1 c. zesty Italian dressing
3 oz. sliced mozzarella      1/2 c. breadcrumbs                              1/4 tsp. oregano
3 tbsp. parmesan               2 tbsp. butter

Directions:

1. Marinate fish in 3/4 c. Italian dressing for 1 hour.
2. Place fillets in a 9x13 pan.
3. Top with tomato slices. 
4. Pour the rest of the dressing over it.
5. Mix the breadcrumbs, oregano and parmesan.
6. Pat over the top.
7. Drizzle butter.
8. Bake for 15 minutes at 450.

As always, have fun!

Back to Buffalo

I wasn't quite sure what to write about tonight. So, in keeping with the hot and spicy stuff, I'm treading back over a topic I've covered a few times. Buffalo stuff! I always disliked buffalo wings because they were too hot. I'm not sure what's changed in the last few years but I have learned to love the flavor. Obviously since I've got all sorts of recipes in this arena I suppose!

This time, we're going to cover a crispy chicken recipe that is punched up with hot sauce and some slaw on the side. Slaw is also another relatively new like of mine. I don't particularly like traditional slaw as it's too mayo heavy. I've found several variations of it and this particular one goes well with buffalo flavored stuff.

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves                   3/4 tsp. salt                      1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. crumbled blue cheese                                        1/4 c. hot pepper sauce    2 tbsp. mayo
1 c. crushed cornflakes

Directions:

1. Flatten chicken breast to 1/4 inch. 
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Sprinkle with blue cheese.
4. Roll up each from a short side and secure with toothpicks.
5. In a shallow bowl, combine pepper sauce and mayo.
6. Put cornflakes in a 2nd bowl.
7. Dip chicken in pepper sauce then coat with cornflakes.
8. Place seam side down in a greased 9x13 pan.
9. Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 20-30 minutes.

Blue Cheese Slaw

Ingredients:

4 c. shredded green cabbage         4 c. shredded red cabbage        4 large carrots, shredded

Dressing:

1 c. mayo       2 tbsp. Dijon mustard     1 tbsp. stone ground mustard      1 tbsp. cider vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt    1/4 tsp. pepper               1 1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese    

1/4 c. minced parsley

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine cabbages and carrots. (You could also just buy coleslaw mix to save time).
2. In a small bowl, combine the mayo, mustards, vinegar, salt and pepper. 
3. Pour over cabbage mixture - toss to coat.
4. Stir in cheese and parsley.
5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

As always, have fun!

Grab Your Dip in Bite Size Pieces

Do you often struggle when you make a dip, wondering what you should serve with it? Bread? Crackers? Vegetables? Chips? Well here's a thought ... why not build your dip and your "dipping stick" together so that it's just one easy bite at a time? 

I'm sure at some point you've had a monkey bread. This is a different spin on that ... rather than a sweet breakfast bread, this recipe is a savory appetizer that you can serve at any dinner party or even just as a standalone munchie on a Sunday afternoon. And, just think, you could even dip it in some of that homemade tomato sauce that you made and froze so many months ago. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

Spinach Dip Pull Aparts

Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened              2 minced garlic cloves        1/4 tsp. pepper
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed dry                1/2 c. mozzarella
1/4 c. parmesan cheese                       1/4 c. mayo                         2 tubes buttermilk biscuits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, garlic and pepper.
3. Stir in spinach, cheeses and mayo.
4. Separate biscuit dough.
5. Cut each biscuit in half horizontally.
6. Wrap each half around 1 tbsp. of spinach mixture, pinching to seal and form a ball.
7. Layer in a greased 10 inch fluted tube pan.
8. Bake 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Cool in pan 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.
10. Serve warm with marinara sauce if desired.

As always, have fun!

Seafood Shortage

I've been combing through my posts trying to get a sense of any holes I've left in my recipe picking and it occurred to me for as much as I love seafood, I don't have a lot on here. I'm not sure why except maybe it's that I know so many people don't like certain seafood. I have a confession to make. I didn't start eating seafood until I was an adult. My mom will tell you how much fun it was to bring a piece of steak and some cut up carrots and celery to my grandparents' house for me to eat while they all had lobsters and clams. I really had no idea what I was missing!

So, I've chosen a seafood recipe that you could easily substitute in meat if you don't like shrimp or crab but I'm telling you this is good stuff!

Seafood Tortilla Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 jar picante sauce            1 1/2 lbs. uncooked medium shrimp         4-6 minced garlic cloves
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper    1 tbsp. oil                 1/3 c. butter              1/3 c. flour
1 can chicken broth           1/2 c. whipping cream                               15 corn tortillas
16 oz. crabmeat, flaked      3 c. colby jack cheese (or your favorite)

Directions:

1. In a skillet, cook shrimp, garlic and cayenne in oil until shrimp turns pink (3 minutes).
2. Remove and set aside. 
3. In the same skillet, melt the butter.
4. Stir in flour until smooth.
5. Gradually add broth and bring to a boil.
6. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thick.
7. Reduce heat and stir in cream and picante sauce.
8. Heat through.
9. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce in a greased 9x13 baking dish.
10. Layer with 6 tortillas, half of the shrimp, crab and white sauce and 1 1/4 c. cheese.
11. Repeat layers.
12. Tear or cut remaining tortillas and arrange over cheese.
13. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
14. Bake uncovered at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.
15. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

This is a great twist on the traditional lasagna with a nice spice that you can either go hot or mild with. Add in some hot sauce or ratchet up the picante sauce. You could even switch out colby jack for pepper jack....get creative!

So for you seafood lovers, enjoy. For the anti seafood crowd, try some pork or chicken or both. Again, you can use any recipe as a launching pad to making your own version, catering to your specific tastes.

As always, have fun!

Pitch In Creativity

You've all faced it, whether you like it or not. Work is having a pitch in and you have to bring something. Some people love it, but some dread it.  Hopefully, whomever came up with the great idea doesn't just leave it as "everybody bring some good food". That's a nightmare for either group. Those who don't cook get stressed out as to what qualifies as "good" and what if they don't want to make something. Is store bought enough? The other group, the "foodies" get stressed because they are wondering what everyone else is bringing. Will whatever we choose go with the rest of the menu? What if everyone brings a dessert and no one brings an entree? Either way, a fun group activity turns into chaos.

Case in point, my birthday pitch in at work today.  It was a co-worker's birthday over the weekend so the mantra of the day was "bring good food". Well, long story short, we ended up with asian peanut butter spread, a cheeseball, a small amount of chicken wings, chips and french onion dip, corn casserole, pasta salad, donuts, a birthday cake, some mini tarts from the local supermarket bakery and 3 boxes of Little Debbie's snacks. Not exactly what I would call a normal lunch! This is the same group who put on a wonderful baby shower a few weeks ago with a Mexican theme. Everybody brought in something on their level and it all jelled together. I'm a big proponent of theme to keep everyone on task. I even suggest a sign up sheet with suggested items. That way, those who don't know what to bring can get ideas and those who may not want to feel obligated to cook can pick something easy (soda, plates, chips, condiments). 

You also have to remember quantity when you have 13 people all bringing food. No one needs to bring enough food for a small army! Even if you don't have a theme, you can still do a simple sign up:

Breakfast ______1_______      _______2_________  (fruit, pastries)

Main Lunch _____3_______  _______4__________ (chicken wings, meatballs, pulled pork)

Side Dishes ____5______    _______6________ (salad: potato, green or pasta, rice, pasta)

Appetizer _____7_____      ______8________ (chips & dip, bite size snacks, salsa, queso)

Dessert  _______9______     ______10___________ (cupcakes, cookies, brownies, candy)

Drinks _______11__________

Misc. _____12______      ________13_______ (plates, forks, napkins, condiments, chips)

Just for those of you keep score, I say even the most non baker in the group can do better than Little Debbies. You just have to have some imagination. So, here's one for the next pitch in that even the most inexperienced cook can handle. It barely even takes having to measure the ingredients but I assure you it's quite tasty. In fact, it goes in my "everything's better with bacon" mentality.

As always, have fun!

Bacon and Tomato Cheddar Dip

Ingredients:
16 oz. sour cream               2 c. shredded cheddar cheese           2 oz. bacon bits
10 oz can diced tomatoes w/ green chilis                                      1 envelope ranch dressing

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. 
2. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour to blend flavors.
3. Use this dip with vegetables, potato chips or tortilla chips.

Chicken & Spinach

Spinach is one of those vegetables that was on my do not eat list for what seems like forever. I still don't know that I could eat a pile of it cooked, but I do love to cook with it. I even have a few spinach salads up my sleeve that are pretty good too. My post about the manicotti the other night got me thinking in Italian mode again and this little gem popped in my head. It's got a lot of similar flavors to the manicotti but no pasta to make it carb heavy. It's a few extra steps than the last few recipes I've blogged about but they aren't hard, I promise!

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana

Ingredients:
8 thin chicken cutlets (3 oz each)           1/2 c. breadcrumbs          1/4 c. parmesan cheese
5 oz. frozen spinach, squeezed dry        6 tbsp. egg whites            6 tbsp. ricotta cheese
6 oz mozzarella                                      1 c. tomato sauce

Directions:

1. Wash and dry the cutlets - season with salt and pepper. You can also use regular chicken breasts but I would suggest pounding them down pretty thin so they roll easily.
2. Preheat oven to 450 and lightly spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
3. Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp. of the parmesan in one bowl and 1/4 c. of egg whites in another.
4. Shred or finely chop 1.5 oz of the mozzarella and combine with the remaining parmesan, spinach, 2 tbsp. of egg whites and ricotta cheese.
5. Spread 2 tbsp. of this mixture on each cutlet.
6. Loosely roll each one and keep the seam side down.
7. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture then in breadcrumbs.
8. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Recipe says you dont need to hold it together with a toothpick. We did because our chicken was not thin enough.
9. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
10. Bake 25 minutes. 
11. Remove from oven, top with sauce and cheese.
12. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 3 more minutes. 
13. Serve with pasta if you want or you could just do a salad or a veggie on the side.

My only advice with this is to make sure your chicken is thin.  It's a pain to get these rolled if it's not.  As always, have fun!                          

Bake Your Pasta

I used to think red sauce was the only thing you put on pasta. I sure loved my spaghetti and meatballs! As I got older, I discovered the joys of white sauce. In fact, I even eat Donato's "Chicken Spinach Tomato Alfredo" pizza!  This particular recipe can be a relatively easy fix for those who don't love to cook or you can tweak some of the ingredients and really make it your own. The hardest part is stuffing the manicotti shells.  It takes both red and white sauce, so you are already off to an interesting flavor!

Three Cheese Manicotti Florentine

Ingredients:
1 jar marinara sauce (or your fabulous homemade sauce)         12 uncooked manicotti shells
1 jar creamy Alfredo sauce                  1/4 c. water                      1 c. shredded mozzarella

Cheese Filling: 15 oz. ricotta cheese      2 c. chopped spinach       1 c. shredded mozzarella
1/2 c parmesan     1 egg, beaten            1/2 tsp. salt                       1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375.
2. Spread marinara sauce over bottom of a greased 9x13 dish.
3. Combine filling ingredients and put in a gallon food storage bag.
4. Press out air and seal.
5. Push filling toward bottom corner of bag
6. Snip off corner and squeeze mixture into manicotti shells.
7. Arrange the manicotti in the baking dish.
8. Combine alfredo sauce and water; pour over manicotti.
9. Sprinkle with 1. c mozzarella.
10. Cover with aluminum foil. 
11. Bake for 60 minutes; uncover and continue baking for 10 minutes.
12. Let stand 5 minutes.

Easy, right? If you wanted to add some fun .. sub in red pepper flakes for the black or add some garlic to one or both of your sauces.  You could even try and make your own alfredo sauce to go along with your fabulous homemade red sauce. This recipe is high in yum factor!

As always, have fun!

Cold Days...Warm Crockpots

Ok so this lovely cold "snap" doesn't seem to be ending, so let's embrace it. What's better than a hot cup of soup to warm you up? One you can make in the crock-pot, filling your house with yummy smells all day long of course!

I am not a huge soup fan because it often conjures the image of some weenie vegetables and noodles floating in a thin broth. But, I've learned that is far from the only soup out there. In fact, a nice thick chowder is even better. I have some recipes for seafood ones, which are very tasty. But today I'm going with something a bit more well liked across the board.

Chicken Bacon Crock pot Chowder

Ingredients:
4 garlic cloves          1 shallot          1 leek             6 oz. mushrooms         1 sweet onion
4 tbsp. butter            2 c. chicken stock                 1 lb. chicken                 8 oz cream cheese
1 c. heavy cream     1 lb. bacon, crumbled            1 tsp. salt                     1 tsp. pepper        
1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. thyme

Directions:

1. On low, add garlic, shallot, leek, mushrooms, onion, 2 tbsp. butter, 1 c. chicken stock, salt and pepper to crock pot.
2. Cover and cook for 1 hour.
3. While vegetables are cooking, in a large skillet, pan sear the chicken breasts in the remaining 2 tbsp. butter until brown on both sides (app. 5 min. per side).
4. Remove from pan and set aside.
5. De-glaze the pan with the remaining chicken broth. 
6. Using a rubber spatula, scrape up any bits of chicken stuck to the pan.
7. Add chicken stock to crock pot.
8. Add heavy cream, cream cheese, garlic powder and thyme.
9. Stir until well combined, with no visible chunks of cream cheese.
10. Once the chicken is cool, cube it and add to the crock pot along with bacon.
11. Stir until well combined. 
12. Cover and let cook 6-8 hours. 

It might be miserable to walk outside, but everyone will want to come over for the smell of this permeating your house and oh of course to eat it too!

As always, have fun!

Happy Anniversary

I love celebrations, mostly because it's a good excuse for me to cook and/or bake. Like I really need a reason, right? Saying you'll come over for dinner is enough for me to plan a full out meal. I remember having our friend Brian Craw for dinner and making cornish game hens. He was a typical bachelor and had never seen them before. He certainly never left our house hungry!

Anyway, today's recipe is honor of another really special person, my cousin/little sister/friend/mini me Danielle. It's her and Berto's anniversary today so I asked her what she likes - cheesecake! Of course, I can never just make a simple cheesecake. That just wouldn't be me!

Tiny Cherry Cheesecakes

Ingredients:
1 c. flour                   1/3 c. sugar                 1/4 c. baking cocoa           1/2 c. cold butter       
2 tbsp. cold water     6 oz. cream cheese    1/4 c. sugar                        2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla             1 egg                           1 can cherry pie filling

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar and cocoa.
2. Cut in butter until crumbly.
3. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms.
4. Shape into 24 little balls.
5. Place balls in a greased mini muffin pan.
6. Press dough to bottom and up the sides of each cup.
7. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
8. Beat in milk and vanilla.
9. Add egg and beat on low just until combined.
10. Spoon about 1 tbsp. into each cup.
11. Bake at 325 for 15-18 minutes.
12. Cool on wire rack for 1/2 hour. 
13. Remove from pan and finish cooling.
14. Top with pie filling and store in the refrigerator.

What's your favorite sweets to share  with your sweetie pie? 

As always, have fun!

Food Phobia

How many of you out there have stories about the one food you just can't stand? Or perhaps the time some tricked you into trying something you thought you hated, only to find out it was really yummy? Or maybe you just have a list of "no way" foods because they just sound, look or smell gross to you? Yes, you guessed it; you have food phobia!

My food phobias come from all sorts of places. I don't do Cheez-Its just because of the story of me eating too many of them when I was little and getting sick. All I have to do is smell them and it grosses me out. I also have a ton of foods I don't like because they are creamy. I truly believe having to eat oatmeal after it making me gag and my mom not believing that I wasn't faking it has helped contribute to that one. It's not all creamy foods - but oatmeal and mashed potatoes are still on my "no way" list.

One area where I've slowly come around is cooked vegetables. I used to be all about salad and carrot sticks and even raw string beans and peas. Nice and crunchy and tasty too! Now mind you, there's still some vegetables I won't eat but all in all, I've discovered I need to retry them now to know for sure. I think it all started with a tasting at the downtown Marriott with our incoming President Pat Williams. I wish I could remember exactly what soup they served but it was totally delish! It has some sort of bean in it and I'm pretty sure it was cream of asparagus or artichoke or something equally weird. I loved it...she loved it...we served it at her Inaugural to rave reviews. My mom was stunned I ate it.

So here we are at tonight's recipe. I'll have plenty more that involve stuff no one ever thought I'd like, but I thought I'd start with a pizza. For my friends who are picky eaters or have kids who are picky eaters, a pizza is a great way to throw some toppings on that you want to try but you don't want to "ruin" your meal if you don't like them. You cut your vegetables or meats in small pieces that can be easily picked off if absolutely necessary, but I bet you won't!

White Pizza with Artichoke Hearts

Ingredients:
1 c. mozzarella         1/4 c. chopped onion       1 tsp. minced garlic        1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. oregano       1/2 tsp. cumin                   1/4 tsp. paprika              1/8 tsp. black pepper
8 cherry tomatoes    14.75 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, drained        1 c. feta cheese
3/4 c. swiss                2 oz. sliced havarti          1 tbsp. basil                    1 pizza crust

Directions:

1. Prepare and measure all ingredients.
2. Oil a large cookie sheet or pizza pan and dust with cornmeal.
3. Spread prepared crust evenly.
4. Sprinkle mozzarella. 
5. Saute onion and garlic in oil about 3 minutes.
6. Stir in seasonings and then sprinkle over cheese.
7. Quarter the tomatoes and spread both them and the artichoke hearts next.
8. Layer with feta, swiss and havarti.
9. Sprinkle basil all over.
10. Bake at 400 for 8 - 10 minutes until crust is lightly brown and cheeses are all melted.

I have to confess. This is my version of the recipe. There are some of my food phobias I'm not quite ready to give up. The author recommends a 4.75 oz can of black olives too. I just can't do olives!

What foods do you hate? What do you love? What do you think you might want to give another chance?

As always, have fun!

Wonton Stars

In the spirit of all things Asian and my obsession with Chinese food, I'm moving into appetizers next. I've played with rice paper and spring roll wrappers and wonton wrappers. I have tried teriyaki and soy sauce based stuff. I love fresh ginger too - it's got quite a zing!

We'll start with a pseudo Asian recipe that uses wonton wrappers but mixes in some distinctly American flavors too.  A lot of popular Chinese food here in the U.S. is more American Chinese than what you would actually find in China. That doesn't make it bad - it's just its own unique style I think.

Sausage Wonton Stars

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (12 oz) wonton wrappers    1 lb. bulk pork sausage       2 c. shredded colby  cheese
1/2 green pepper                           1/2 red pepper                    2 bunches green onion
1/2 c ranch dressing

Directions:

1. Lightly press wonton wrappers on the bottom and up the sides of a greased mini muffin pan.
2. Bake at 350 for about 5 minutes, or until edges are brown.
3. In a skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain.
4. Stir in cheese, peppers, onion and salad dressing.
5. Spoon a rounded tablespoon into each wonton cup.
6. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until heated through. 

Pretty easy, right?  And it makes about 4 dozen so it's a great little appetizer. Sometimes, you just need something to munch on and these bites are nice and filling.

As always, have fun!