Category Archives: Dinner

Recipe: Italian Cheese and Pepperoni Bread

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 This is a quick and easy recipe for a bread that can be enjoyed as a snack or as dinner on night when you need something, well, quick and easy!

Italian Cheese and Pepperoni Bread

Ingredients:
3 cups self rising flour (or you can use regular flour and add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt for each cup of flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning, plus extra to sprinkle on top
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup olive oil
1 egg
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, plus extra to sprinkle on top
Pepperoni – as many as you want!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 bread pan.

Mix together dry ingredients. Slowly mix in the remaining ingredients until just mixed. Dough will be slightly sticky.

Place half the dough into the greased pan. Layer with pepperoni and cheese. Cover with the remaining dough. Top with more pepperoni and cheese and sprinkle with more Italian seasoning.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

With pepperoni…dip in pizza sauce for an extra side of deliciousness.

Can also be made without pepperoni!

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday
A Southern Fairytale’s Mouthwatering Monday

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

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So this recipe isn’t exactly the healthiest one, but it is made with real ingredients!  So if your kids are mac and cheese lovers, leave the blue box on the shelf and make it homemade!  I promise, it’s super easy and quick!  And delicious, might I add.  You need comfort food like this on these chilly winter nights!

Ingredients:
2 cups elbow macaroni
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
2 1/2 cups milk
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Cook and drain macaroni noodles.  Melt butter in a pot and then whisk in flour.  Add salt and pepper.  Whisk in milk, stirring until somewhat thick and bubbly. Add cheese and stir until melted.  Add in cooked noodles.

If you need it quick, keep in the pot and stir together until warm.  But if you like it nice and crispy-like on top, add a bit more shredded cheese on top and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

As you can see in my picture, I added a bit of chopped ham (Matt’s favorite meal!) and baked it for a full meal.  Normally, I will also add one cup of pureed squash as well for a little added nutritional boost!

Enjoy!

Wild Rice Soup

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My Step-Mom gave me this recipe a long time ago but, of course, I changed it and made it my own! 🙂 It’s so delicious and perfect for a cold winter night!

Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:
1 cup of wild rice, cooked
1/2 pound bacon
1 cup diced onions
1 can cream of potato soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 pound shredded cheddar cheese
1 pint half and half
1 pint milk

Cook bacon until crisp.  Remove bacon and place on a paper towel covered plate to let the grease drain off.  Place onions into the same pan you cooked the bacon in and saute.  (If there is a ton of grease, you may want to remove some of it first)  Remove onions and drain on paper towels as well.

Add together the rice, soups and cheese in a medium size pot. Cook over medium heat. Stir until mixed through.  Slowly add in half and half and milk.  Simmer over medium low heat until cooked through and cheese is melted.  Do not boil!

(I would prefer to have made the soup bases myself instead of using cans, but this time I didn’t have time. I plan on perfecting the recipe with some “from scratch” creamed soups.)

Recipe: Homemade Gravy

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I can’t give you turkey and stuffing recipes without giving you gravy how-to’s!  So here is how I make some good old fashioned (and maybe even a little southern?) GRAVY love.

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colleges are an option for those who want to take cooking classes!

First off, I melt butter in a pan. Once it’s melted, I whisk in some flour, a little at a time.  The general rule of thumb is one tablespoon of butter for every tablespoon flour.  I made a big ol’ batch of gravy, so I used 1 cup of each. This is also the same way I start out my Sausage Gravy for Biscuits and Gravy and my Homemade Cheese Sauce. Lots of butter. Paula Deen would be proud.

Next, I use the drippings from my turkey  (or roast or whatever meat I have drippings from) to add to the gravy.  First, be sure to strain the drippings to get out all the chunks!  Add in the drippings a little at a time and whisk as you go.  If you do not have drippings, or not enough to go around, you can use chicken or beef broth depending on the meat you are serving.  You can also add in some milk for a really creamy gravy.

You are going to want to skim the fat off the top of the gravy as you go too.

Whisk and add liquids like broth and/or milk as needed to achieve the desired consistency.  If it is too runny, mix some cornstarch and water in a separate bowl and then whisk into the gravy to thicken it.

Enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

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One of our family favorites!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
Homemade Cheese Sauce (or use 8 oz of Velveeta, cubed – but don’t, OK?)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 can of Rotel (tomatoes with green chilies)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Tortilla Chips

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Whisk in flour and cook, stirring often for about 3 minutes.  Slowly whisk in chicken broth just a little at a time, then whisk in milk the same way.  Reduce heat to low and add cheese sauce. Stir and cook on low until all melted together.  Stir in Rotel, chicken and spices.  Heat through.  Serve with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese and sour cream.

 Eat so quickly that you say to your husband, “WAIT! Don’t take another bite!  Take a picture of your soup with your iPhone so I can post the recipe because I already scarfed mine down so fast that I only have an empty licked bowl to show for it!”

Enjoy.

Recipe: Homemade Cheese Sauce

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Who needs that box of chemically formulated cheese? Who needs the jar of processed “I’m pretending to be cheese!” stuff? Not you! Because I am giving you this delightful and easy recipe for Homemade Cheese Sauce! Replace it in any recipe for that fake stuff and your taste buds will thank you! (Not to mention your body who is not a big fan of the chemically processed stuff.)  You can also serve over pasta for homemade mac and cheese, though I think my full recipe for that is better.  You decide!

Homemade Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk
pinch of salt and pepper

Melt butter in a pot over medium heat.  Whisk in flour, stirring for about 2-3 minutes.  Gradually whisk in the heavy cream and then the milk.  Simmer on low heat until smooth.  (Tip: You know it is smooth and thick enough when it coats the spoon)  Add in the cheeses and salt and pepper and whisk until smooth again. 

Sorry I don’t have any pictures to share.  I kind of just throw this together when I need a cheese sauce and never to think to snap a picture!

Enjoy!

Recipe: White Chicken Chili

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This is one of our family favorites. It’s easy, it’s quick, it’s delicious!  Oh, and it makes a big ol’ pot of soup. Thanks to my dear friend Teri, who gave me this recipe years ago! (except I may have changed it?!)

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic, sauteed together 
3 cans northern beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups chicken broth
1 (8oz) can Rotel (tomatoes with green chilies)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp ground cloves

So I basically throw this all in a pot and bring to a simmer. Cook until warmed through and the beans are soft, but not mushy. Also works great in a crock pot! Just leave the beans for the last 10-15 minutes so they don’t get mushy. We like to eat it over cooked elbow noodles. It is also good over tortilla chips.  Whatever you do, top it with shredded cheese and sour cream. Please, I’m begging you.

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday
11th Heaven’s Homemaker Monday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday 

Meal Idea: Taco Salad

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Most of the meals I make do not have a recipe.  I make stuff up…often.  But that shouldn’t keep me from sharing my meal ideas with you, should it?!  Here is one of our favorites, Taco Salad. Or Tostada Salad. I don’t know, meat and salad that tastes like a taco in a little bowl that you can eat.

So, basically, I take anything that I have on hand that is “Mexican” (ish) and throw it in one of those taco bowls you buy at the grocery store.  I get the kind that come flat and then you bake them on a little silver thingy to make them curl up like a bowl.  (so helpful, aren’t I!)  I have these yummy little bowls on my “make my own recipe for this so I don’t have to buy it in the store” list. Along with eleventy-billion other things.

In ours: taco meat, black beans, pinto beans, corn, raw spinach leaves, shredded cheese, salsa and sour cream.

Delicious, and the kids love it, which is why I will save some to put into Chandler’s lunch for school.

Because, unlike the rest of America, our kids still have two more weeks of school left!  The rest of you can enjoy this for a light summer dinner.  While we will still be doing homework. 🙂

Quick and Easy Chicken Pot Pie

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This is a family favorite around here.  It’s a really quick and easy recipe and very versatile as well.  It’s a freezer friendly meal, prepare and freeze, put straight in the oven on a busy night!  Or just throw it all together last minute, quick and easy!

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
Pie Filling-
1 (9 oz) package of frozen mixed veggies (you can also use fresh) or use any veggies you wish!
1 cup cooked, shredded or cubed chicken (made even easier when you use some already prepared from your freezer!)
1 can cream of chicken soup
salt and pepper as desired (I like to throw in a little garlic powder as well for flavor)
(I’ve also been known to mix a little veggie puree in too)

Biscuit Topping-
1 cup Homemade Biscuit Mix
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
I usually sprinkle some Italian Seasoning and Parmesan Cheese into there as well, just for fun.

Mix all of the filling ingredients together and place in a pie dish or a small casserole dish  (I usually have to double this to feed my family and use a medium size casserole dish)

Mix all of the topping ingredients together and pour over filling.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until topping is browned and cooked through.

(Mine might look extra brown because my homemade biscuit mix is made with wheat flour.)

Enjoy!

This post is linked to:
Homemaker Monday

Recipe: Pizza Stuffed Zucchini

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What do you get when you combine pizza ingredients stuffed into a zucchini shell? Pure healthy yumminess!
Even the kids will like this one, because, duh, PIZZA!

Pizza Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:
3-4 medium zucchini (about 2 pounds)
12 ounces Italian sausage, browned and drained
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 tbs chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
Grated Parmesan cheese
Grated Mozzarella Cheese

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise.  

Scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4 inch shell.  Reserve pulp.  

 

Cook shells in salted water for 2 minutes

Remove and drain.  Chop zucchini pulp.  

Place pulp in pan and add sausage, peppers, onion, seasoning and tomato sauce.  
Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  

Spoon filling into shells.  

Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Enjoy!

Charlie prefers to pick them up and just shove it in his mouth, but you can eat it however you like.
Oh! And you probably have plenty of extra pizza stuffing, so here’s an idea for serving that for lunch the next day!  Just spread on top of halved english muffins and top with cheese. 
Stick in the oven for about 10 minutes and Volia!  Mini pizzas!
You could also freeze the extra stuffing to use at a later time!