Recipes and Such...

Hello Sweet Friends!!!

How are you?  How is February treating you?

So far, so good here!

It's a busy month for us as we celebrate my birthday

(I'm a Valentine's baby)

And we are celebrating my son's 16th birthday on the 16th!!

Whew....So as my mom in law puts it

we party all month long!!

😊

And we do!!

Do you ever get in a rut when you cook?

I do and for some reason it takes awhile to get out of it.

I get tired of making all the same 

meals over and over again.

So, I've been digging into my cookbooks 

and looking online

for something new to try.

I want something quick to make 

but I want it to taste good too.

Yes, I might be asking a lot here, but hey...

that's why I cook! Ha!

So, I came across this recipe 

somewhere in outer space

and gave it a try... it was easy, 

didn't require a lot of ingredients

and it tasted delicious! 

*Score!!

If you are in a cooking rut, 

then give this a try...

One Pot Kielbasa Pasta

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 pound Kielbasa Sausage

1 onion, chopped 

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes

8 oz. dry pasta (I used elbow)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp. salt and pepper

1 cup shredded cheese of choice

green onion to garnish

Add oil, sausage and onions to a large skillet. Cook till tender.

Stir in garlic and cook for 3 more minutes.

Stir in broth, tomatoes, milk, pasta, salt and pepper.

Simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Remove skillet from heat and stir 

in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese.

Top with the remaining shredded cheese 

and cover till melted.

Sprinkle with green onion and serve!

Enjoy!!

Have a great week! 

Thanks for stopping by....

Cooking Up Some Love...

Hello Dear Friends!

Thank you for stopping by for a quick visit.

This Summer has been flying by, hasn't it?

I can't believe tomorrow is all ready July 1st!!

Seriously?!  Summer...feel free to slow down a bit, please!

It's been so hot here, so I haven't really 

felt like cooking a lot of hot meals. 

I did manage to bake some cupcakes this morning, 

but I baked before it got hot out!

I made homemade Stromboli awhile back

 and thought I would inspire you

or well even myself  to make it (again in my case) soon.

I didn't take a before shot,

 for I tend to get in the baking mode

and don't think to grab my camera until all the mess is gone!

Any who...here's what I did:

2 batches of pizza dough made or

 you can use frozen bread dough thawed

1 jar of your favorite kind of spaghetti sauce

your choice of meat, cooked

(I used Italian sausage and ground hamburger)

2 cups cheese, shredded

any kind of sauteed veggies you like

(I used mushrooms, bell peppers, onion and garlic)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

On a flour dusted counter, roll out your dough into a large rectangle.

Spread your sauce, meat, veggies and cheese into the edge of your dough.

Roll the dough like a jelly roll.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

If you'd like, brush some melted butter and an 

Italian herb over the top of the hot bread.

Serve with additional sauce for dipping.

I hope you all have a great week!

Oh... and have a Safe and Fun Independence Day!

Hugs,

Easy Pasta Salad...

Summer is here and you know what that means...

 it's extremely HOT outside!

And you need something light 

and cold to fill your tummies.

This pasta salad has been made

 more times than I can count.

This is my Auntie's specialty and the recipe

 was given to me when I got married.

I hope you all are doing well and 

are enjoying your summer.

Lots to do, place to see and fun things 

are on the agenda here!

How about you?

Do you have anything fun planned?

Pasta Salad

1 box Tri-Colored Spiral noodles, cooked

1/2 bottle Italian Dressing-more if needed

1 bag, frozen Broccoli/Cauliflower pieces,cooked and cooled

1/2 bag pepperoni

shredded cheese

Mix the cooked noodles, broccoli/cauliflower,

 pepperoni and the Italian dressing into a large bowl.

Serve with a handful of cheese on top.

(I don't mix the cheese in, for it tends to get soggy)

Store in the fridge.

ENJOY!

Thanks for taking the time to stop by....

Easy Beef Stir Fry...

Hello Friends!

How is your month of February going?

I have been trying really hard to eat more veggies 

and I have found it very easy to

 put veggies in a one pot meal.

When I can't eat the veggies

 I do a green smoothie!

I've been going through cook books

 to try and get a bit more inspired 

on new recipes and I had found 

this one from the Food Network magazine.

You can find the  original recipe HERE.

I really liked how easy it was to make

and I put in the veggies I had on hand.

She called for baby corn, but I couldn't 

find them at the store so I 

used fresh green beans instead.

I think you can add in any kind of veggie you and

 your family like and it will taste just as yummy!

Do you like to find new recipes to try?

I encourage you to try something new this week!

Even if it's just a side dish!

Enjoy your week!

HUGS AND BLESSINGS,

Dinner is Served...

This has got to be one of my most favorite meals

now I know I say this about all my recipes, 

but this time I mean MY FAVORITE!

Have you ever tried tamales?

They are a bit time consuming to make...

And when I found this recipe,

well it's a keeper and it doesn't take a lot of time to prepare!

Once you cut into it,this is what it looks like.

It's full of hamburger, cheese and a salsa mixture.

And it's MY FAVORITE!

Wait did I all ready say that??

Are you hungry yet?

Well, would you like the recipe now?

I thought so...

Here you go....

 and watch next you'll be saying it's YOUR FAVORITE!!

Tamale Round About

For Filling:
2 1/2 cups Ground Beef 
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 jar (16 ounces) thick and chunky medium salsa

1/4 cup red or green bell pepper or combination of both, chopped

For Corn Bread:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup shredded cheese

Sour Cream, Optional

Preheat oven to 375.

Spray a fluted pan with cooking spray.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Add in the eggs, milk and oil. Mix just until ingredients are moist.

Spread 1 1/2 cups of the batter evenly onto the bottom of the fluted pan.

Top with the meat mixture and then with the remaining batter, spreading evenly.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Loosen cornbread from edges of pan with a knife and invert onto a serving  plate.

Slice into wedges and serve with sour cream if desired.

Enjoy your Week!

Menu Planning & Spicy Chicken Casserole...

Good Day Everyone!

With the new year here and everyone

 back to a normal schedule

(well hopefully back on schedule)

It's always nice to have a general idea 

on a menu for the week or month...

I normally go grocery shopping every other week,

so it's nice to have an idea of what

 to purchase for meals before hand.

I make a lot of casseroles!

And I make a lot of soups!

They seem to stretch at the dinner

 table since I'm feeding boys!

I rarely do anything fancy,

I'm a cozy comfort food kind of lady!

A casserole and a small side is really

 all you need to fill your tummies!

This one is a favorite in our home...

Roxy's Spicy Casserole

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 medium onion, chopped

2 small cans diced green chilies 

1 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp garlic salt

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 package taco flavored chips, crumbled

12 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

4 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350.  

Mix all ingredients, except cheese and butter 

and place into a greased 9x13 pan. 

Sprinkle with the cheese and dot with the butter.

Cover with foil and bake for 

35-45 minutes or until bubbly.

Serve with a side of rice or a salad.

Have a wonderful week!!

Blessings & Hugs,

Pepperoni Stromboli...

I love anything that is baked in a bread dough!

And I love anything Italian!

Heck, I just love food! (Insert smiles)

I made this some time ago and I thought 

I would share the recipe with you.

*Note to self: I need to make this soon!*

Easy Pepperoni Stromboli

2 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed

1/2 cup spaghetti or pizza sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 pkg. pepperoni

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

extra spaghetti or pizza sauce for dipping

Punch down your dough.

 On a lightly floured surface, roll each loaf into a rectangle.

Place one rectangle on a greased baking sheet.

Spread the spaghetti sauce on to the dough. 

Sprinkle with oregano, garlic, pepperoni, bell pepper and cheese.

Fold long sides of dough up toward fillings, set aside.

Repeat with second loaf of dough.

Sprinkle both loaves with 

Parmesan cheese and more oregano.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes

 or until golden brown on top.

When I have time to spare, 

I prefer to make my own dough and sauce.

But, this way is still delicious!

I hope you all are having a great week!

Hugs & Blessings, 

Very Easy Tamale Pie...

I have been all about simple these past few weeks.

It's been very hot and very humid here

and we aren't quite use to the humidity in our neck of the woods.

It's too hot and sticky to be outside much during the heat of the day

and when you are, the mosquitoes will eat you alive!

So, when I do bake anything, I try to either do it early in the morning 

or later, much later in the evening.

Very Easy Tamale Pie

2-3 cups shredded beef

(mine was left over from a roast)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cup beef broth

4-5 green chilies, chopped

or 2 cans of the diced green chilies

1 1/2  Tbsp. chili powder

2 garlic gloves, minced

 1/2 cups cheese

3/4 cup cornmeal 

1 cup water

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

salt and pepper to taste

Sour Cream to garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat up the beef, beans, green chilies and 1/2 cup beef broth in your cast iron skillet.

Stir in the chili power, salt and pepper and the garlic.

Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, combine the cornmeal with the remaining 

1 cup broth and 1 cup water in a medium pan.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until very thick, about 5 minutes or so.

Remove from heat and stir in the cheese and butter.  

Spread the cornmeal mixture over the filling and bake until cooked through,

about 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Serve with sour cream. 

Enjoy!

Hugs,

Homemade Sloppy Joes...

My boys absolutely LOVE Sloppy Joe's!

I mean, who wouldn't?!

Well, I finally got smart and brave enough 

and decided to make my own sloppy sauce.

Boy was I ever glad I got brave and smart enough

 to try something new!

I mean after all, I create and experiment all the time in the kitchen!

Well after googling and searching online

I found this one from the Pioneer Woman's Blog.

I will NEVER go back to buying this from a can. NEVER EVER!

It's that good!

(My hubby even liked this and he's not a Sloppy Joe kind of a guy)

Click on the link below to get her recipe:

Best Ever Sloppy Joe's

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Hugs,

Taco Baked Potatoes...

We LOVE Tacos at our house

and we LOVE Potatoes!

So, why not make a Taco loaded Bake Potato?!

Oh yes.. we did!

And it turned out yummy-licious!

Is that even a word?  

Yes, yes it is!

Here's how to make your own:

Bake some taters, 375 degrees for about 1 hour.

While the taters are baking, grab a skillet 

and cooked your ground beef

drain off fat

 and stir in 3 Tbsp. Chili Powder, 

1 Tbsp. Garlic Salt 

and about 1 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Add in about 1/2 cup. beef broth 

(Or 3 tsp. beef granules and 1/2 c. water)

Cover and let that simmer until almost all the juices are gone.

You can use a package of taco seasoning

 instead of adding in the other spices, 

if you'd like.

Next:

Chop up some fresh tomatoes and lettuce

grate some cheese

sour cream

salsa

Once your taters are baked, split them open

 and load on the taco toppings!

Next:

Nothing, now you can simply ENJOY!

I hope you give these a try...

 these are a favorite with my boys.

Happy Cooking!

Many Blessings,

Ham & Tomato Pie



I love to experiment with pies.

 

They can be sweet or they can be savory.

 

What can go wrong with a pie?!

 

Absolutely NOTHING!

 

 

We had an abundant amount of tomatoes this year from our green house,

and I just happen to come across this recipe tucked

 in one of my cookbooks and thought I would give it a try.

 

I hope you all do too,

 it's such a  flavorful pie!

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Ham & Tomato Pie

 

1 1/2 cooked and cubed Ham

1/2 c. Green Onions, sliced

1 Pie Crust, unbaked

1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard

1 c. Mozzarella Cheese

2 medium Plum Tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 egg

1/3 c. Half & Half

1 Tbsp. Basil (fresh or dried)

1/8 tsp. Black Pepper

 

 

Lightly sauté the ham and the onion, for about 3-5 minutes.

 

Brush the bottom of the pie shell with the Dijon mustard. Sprinkle with 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese and then top with a single layer of the sliced tomatoes.  Beat the egg and the half and half, until well blended.  Pour over the tomatoes.  Sprinkle evenly with the basil, pepper and remaining cheese.

 

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 20-23 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  Cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

 

Have a great week!

 

Blessings,

Amy

Zucchini Boats

What do you do with loads of zucchini?

 

Make Zucchini Boats of course!

 

And, this has got to be one of the best ways to eat your veggies.

 

 

 

Zucchini Boats

 

 

2 zucchinis, washed and cut in half

 

1 box of stuffing mix

 

1 package Italian sausage

 

2 sliced tomatoes

 

 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

 

1/4 cup cheddar cheese

 

4 Tbsp. Italian bread crumbs

 

salt and pepper to taste

 

 

 

First preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut your zucchini in half and scoop out the pulp. 

 

 Boil your zucchini in a large pot of water for approximately 3-5 minutes or until zucchini is soft.

 

 Prepare your stuffing mix according to package directions.  Set aside. 

 

 In a large skillet cook your sausage until fully cooked and golden brown.  Stir in the stuffing. 

 Mix in the cheddar cheese.

 

Spoon a good portion of the sausage stuffing mix into each half of the zucchini.  Place into a lightly greased baking dish.

 

Now, sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese and top with the sliced tomatoes. 

Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and the salt and pepper.

 

Cover with foil wrap and bake for 30-35 minutes, take off the foil

and bake another 10 minutes or until

cheese is melted and heated all the way through.

 

I ended up making my own version of this after looking at numerous recipes for these.

 

I hope you give these a try, you won't regret it!

 

Have a great week!

 

In God's Grace,