Recipe Revisions

Sorry that I've not posted anything new this week! We've been enjoying some of our favorites and cleaning out our pantry in the process. No worries, I have a list of new recipes I'm itching to try in April, and I will pass the good ones along to you!

Anyway, I did want to let you know that in the process of enjoying some of our previous recipes this week, I have made revisions to a couple of them.

First, I added an optional step to Bowtie Lasagna. At the end of the recipe, dump everything into a casserole dish and cover it with as much shredded mozzarella as you want (you should have 1 1/2 cups left if you started with a new bag). Broil it for a few minutes until the cheese gets all melty and delicious. Perfect!

Second, this week I made Chicken Bacon Pizza, but I used a packet of pizza dough mix instead of the refrigerated pre-made dough. This switch saved me $2.00! I don't know about you, but that's exciting to me! It took only slightly longer because I had to mix the packet with water and let it sit for five minutes, but other than that there was no difference. If you use a packet of dough mix, follow the instructions on the packet for oven temperature, time, etc.--all the instructions for topping the pizza are the same, though.

That's all for now! Farm Style Spaghetti and Meatballs tonight! New recipes on the way in April!

Taco Pockets

First, I need to let you know of a change to a previous recipe. Now, thanks to this recipe these Chicken Pockets are even easier and faster than they already were and equally as yummy. The original chicken pocket recipe used puff pastry, but now I use refrigerated biscuits instead.
Anyway, taco pockets--these passed on all points: fast, easy, cheap, delicious. And, while these taste very similar to Taco Pizza, these are much easier for the kids to eat without making a mess (well, without making as big of a mess). This is also one of those recipes that gives a lot of room for creativity.
One more thing, this recipe uses ground beef, taco seasoning, AND half a cup of salsa. The salsa made a BIG difference in the meat. From now on I will definitely be adding the salsa in with the taco seasoning and beef for any of our recipes from south of the border...

INGREDIENTS

1 can refrigerated biscuits (the big ones--usually a can of 8)
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 packet taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup salsa (plus extra for garnish)
1/2 a bag of shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
anything else you want in or on your taco pockets

(1) Preheat your oven to 375.
(2) Combine your ground beef (browned and drained), taco seasoning, water, and 1/2 cup salsa in a pan. Let it cook on medium/high heat until it thickens--about 5 to 8 minutes.
(3) Grease a cookie sheet. Flatten out your biscuits.
(4) Add a spoonful of the meat mixture and one tablespoon of shredded cheese to each biscuit. Don't overstuff!
(5) Fold the biscuits over and press the edges with a fork to seal in the filling.
(6) Bake for 9-14 minutes, until the biscuit dough is lightly browned and done.
(7) Garnish with some extra salsa, sour cream, cheese, whatever. I love to drizzle on some El Pato Mexican Tomato Sauce (it's a little yellow can at Wal-mart).

Buttered Asparagus

I LOVE ASPARAGUS! My husband says he hates it (which means our son also hates it), although neither of them have ever tried it (my husband did touch a piece to his tongue, once, but that definitely does not count). Whatever, more for me :)
Anyway, here is the way I cook it most of the time. It is super easy and fast, and it has butter (so it can't be bad, right?). Also, before I list the ingredients, let me apologize. I have no idea how much asparagus I cook (a pound? half a pound? who knows?). At Wal-mart they come in bunches in the produce section, and this recipe is for one bunch, which usually ends up being 2-3 servings. Okay, ingredients:

INGREDIENTS

asparagus (one bunch for 2 servings)
2 tablespoons butter (that's not exact--throw in another tablespoon if you think it needs it)
salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

(1) Boil some water in a pot.
(2) Meanwhile, rinse your asparagus. Then snap off the tough ends. To do this grab each end of the asparagus and bend it in half. It will break itself in the right spot. Trash the tough ends.
(3) Boil the asparagus for 5-7 minutes, or until crisp tender (That's a real term. I heard it on Food Network).
(4) Drain the asparagus and pat dry with a paper towel.
(5) Add butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Turn your vent hood on because butter has a high smoke factor--another Food Network term :)
(6) Add asparagus to pan. Let them cook for about 3-4 minutes. Try to roll them around so they don't just cook on one side. Don't burn them, just let them get that good brown butter flavor.
(7) Add salt and pepper to taste. Voila! Enjoy! If you cut them in pieces your children might think they're green beans :)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is another of Pioneer Woman's recipes, and of course it was good! I did modify it in a few places, though. This recipe is a close cousin to Taco Soup...different, but I definitely wouldn't put them on the menu for the same week. I started this today during the kids nap. The long list of ingredients and instructions made me think this was going to be pretty labor-intensive (which I am not fond of), but (happily) it was quick and easy and most of the long list of ingredients were things I typically have in my pantry (spices, cornmeal, garlic...). Here's what you need for my shortcut version:

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, diced (about 1/2 an onion)
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (if you buy the jar of pre-minced garlic it is 1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder (unless you like it really spicy, I would start with 1/2 teaspoon and and more as needed at the end)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 (12 ounce) can chicken, drained
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles
32 ounces low sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups hot water
2 cans black beans, drained
3 tablespoons cornmeal
crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheese for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

(1) Add olive oil to pot on stove. Add diced onion, peppers, and garlic. Turn on medium/high heat and let it cook 3-4 minutes until onion begin to become translucent.
(2) Add in cumin, chili powder, and garlic salt. Stir to combine.
(3)Add Rotel, chicken, chicken stock, tomato paste, 4 cups hot water, and black beans. Stir it all up.
(4) Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes.
(5)Mix cornmeal with a couple tablespoons of water in a separate bowl to moisten. Add mixture to pot and stir it up. Let it simmer for another 30 minutes. (The longer it simmers the thicker it will get. I simmered mine about 45 minutes after adding the cornmeal.)
(6) Let it sit 15-20 minutes before serving...I don't know why...because the Pioneer Woman said so, that's why.
(7) Add some crushed tortilla chips and cheese and serve it up. I dumped my chips in the pit and let them get soft. So good.

Bowtie Lasagna

This one is from Tasty Kitchen. This is another super fast, filling, and yummy recipe. The sour cream really differentiates it from your generic pasta and tomato sauce dish. My kids also LOVED this! Here's what you need:

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground beef
1 pound bowtie pasta
3 cups of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I just dumped in a whole jar...I don't really know if that is 3 cups or not)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (or more) teaspoons Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup light sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS

(1)Brown you ground beef in a skillet & drain. Meanwhile, cook your pasta as directed on package.
(2) After pasta is done, drain it, return it to the pot, and drizzle the olive oil over it.
(3) Add EVERYTHING else to the pot. Stir it well to combine.
(4) Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until it is warm and cheese is melted.
(5) Optional: Dump everything in a 13x9" casserole dish, cover it with some more shredded mozzarella, and broil it until it gets all melty and delicious.Serve and enjoy!

Easy Hashbrown Potato Soup

This is super easy, super fast, and great for cold windy days like today! We usually pair it with grilled cheese or something along those lines...something that you can use to wipe the bowl clean when you finish your soup :) This was the soup that made my "soup is girl food" husband a "I like soup" person.

INGREDIENTS

2 cans cream of potato soup
1 bag frozen shredded hash browns
2(+) cups of milk (I use 1% because that's what we usually have)
salt & pepper to taste
crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese for toppings

INSTRUCTIONS

(1) Dump your soup and hash browns in a pot on the stove.
(2) Add as much milk as you want...if you want thicker soup add less and if you like "soupy" soup then add more. I usually fill my pot until the milk just barely covers the top of the canned soup and hash browns.
(3) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir it all together to combine.
(4) Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes or until it is hot.
(5) That's it! Serve it up and load it up with bacon and cheese!

Oven Fries and Creamy Dinner Grits

Today is another double recipe day just because I feel like it. Tonight I needed a side dish for James and I, and all I had was one baking potato. The solution? Oven Fries. This is slightly modified from Leigh's garlic oven fries found here, and it's so easy I hate to even call it a recipe.

OVEN FRIES INGREDIENTS (makes 4 normal servings...3 if you have a hungry husband)

2 large baking potatoes, rinsed
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
garlic salt to taste

OVEN FRIES INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
(2) Cut your potatoes in half length-wise. Then lay them skin side up on your cutting board. Cut fries by slicing length-wise about every 1/4 inch.
(3) Put fries in bowl and toss with olive oil and garlic salt to coat.
(4) Place in single layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle on a little more garlic salt if desired.
(5) Cook for about 35 minutes, flipping half way through.

This next dish could be a dinner side or breakfast. My little girl devours these. Many thanks to Emily for sharing this recipe HERE a while back. They have (briefly) graced our dinner plates and breakfast bowls many times since.

CREAMY DINNER GRITS INGREDIENTS

3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup QUICK COOKING grits

CREAMY DINNER GRITS INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Bring chicken broth, cream, and butter to a simmer over medium heat.
(2) Add in grits, whisking continually to prevent lumps.
(3) Put the lid on and let them cook for the time directed on the package of grits, stirring occasionally. Mine says 5-7 minutes on the stove top.
(4) Add salt and pepper if you want, but I agree with Emily that they don't need either.

Chicken Bacon Pizza & Sauteed Garlic Green Beans

We tried this tonight paired with some sauteed garlic green beans, and it was a winner. It was also really fast (minus the eternity it takes my oven to preheat). AND Elijah enjoyed helping!

CHICKEN BACON PIZZA INGREDIENTS

1 package refrigerated pizza crust (regular, not thin crust) OR 1 packet pizza dough mix (this is about $2.00 cheaper--follow instructions on packet)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 6-ounce package Tyson pre-cooked grilled chicken breast strips (if you are not going to add other toppings I would do 1 1/2 or 2 packages of chicken and little extra bacon)
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
whatever other toppings sound good to you!

INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Preheat your oven to 400 for refrigerated dough or to whatever the packet says if you are using a packet of pizza dough mix.
(2) FOR PRE-MADE REFRIGERATED DOUGH: Roll your dough out on a GREASED cookie sheet or pizza pan. Press it out as big as you want. Mine took up most of our cookie sheet.
FOR DOUGH FROM A MIX PACKET: Follow instructions on packet until you get to the part where it says to add the toppings. Then continue with recipe here...
(3) Drizzle olive oil on and rub it around to coat the whole surface of the dough.
(4) Sprinkle minced garlic onto crust evenly.
(5) Add half of each kind of cheese to pizza.
(6) Add chicken, bacon, and whatever else you want.
(7) Add remaining cheese.
(8) FOR REFRIGERATED DOUGH: Bake 15-20 minutes. I baked mine 20 and (in my oven) it was a little too long. My crust was a little to brown on the edges. Just keep an eye on it.
FOR DOUGH FROM A MIX PACKET: Follow directions on packet for how long to cook after adding toppings.

Enjoy! Oh yeah, SAUTEED GARLIC GREEN BEANS:

(1) Get about 3/4 pound fresh greens beans and snap off the ends.
(2) Boil them for 10 minutes and drain.
(3) Add them to a nonstick skillet with 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil on med/high heat.
(4) Saute for about 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic.
(5) Saute for another 2 minutes.
(6) Season with garlic salt and pepper to taste.

Filled Oatmeal Muffins

The key word here is "filled." Filled with what? Well, really you could be very creative here, but allow me to suggest my two favorite fillings:
(1) Nutella--you can find this at the grocery store next to the peanut butter...it is a chocolate hazelnut spread, and it WILL be your new favorite food.



(2) Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves--When we lived in Ohio you could find this at Wal-mart. I have no idea if they have them in all Wal-mart stores...? You could really use any kind of preserves, but these are the best you will ever put in your mouth.



Okay, on to the recipe:

FILLED OATMEAL MUFFIN INGREDIENTS

1 cup milk
1 cup (2 packets) Quaker Maple & Brown Sugar flavored oatmeal
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
your choice of filling (any kind of jelly, jam, preserves, spread, etc.)

INSTRUCTIONS
(1)Preheat oven to 400.
(2) Grease muffin pan or use paper liners (it should make 8 muffins).
(3)In one bowl combine milk and oatmeal. Let it sit and soak for 10 minutes.
(4)In a separate bowl beat egg and oil together. Add that to the oatmeal mixture.
(5)Add remaining ingredients (EXCEPT FOR THE FILLING!) and stir.
(6)Spoon batter into pan, filling each hole halfway.
(7)Add a small dollop of filling (a teaspoon?) to each muffin. Pour remaining batter over filling.
(8)Bake 10-12 minutes. Ovens vary so keep an eye on them. They should be done if you insert a toothpick (avoid the filling) and it comes out clean (not with batter on it).

These are great for breakfast, a snack, or whatever. This is also a fun recipe for the kids to help with!

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

I must warn you--this sauce made me despise Ragu and all those other store-bought sauces. I licked the pot--no lie!--after I canned this. Which brings up another point. This is actually a canning recipe. So if you want to know how to "can" (I think it should be called "jarring" since you actually put it in jars) this, then just comment and I will send you instructions. You can also just put it in the refrigerator if you plan on using it all within about 2 weeks. OR you can freeze it in Freezer bags (double bag it just in case you have a hole!). Anyway, we love this sauce. It should make enough to make spaghetti about 8 times, depending on if you like a lot of sauce or not:

HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE INGREDIENTS

10 lbs fresh tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 1/2 cups onions, chopped (I use yellow or Vidalia)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano*
2 bay leaves*
1 tablespoon plain non-iodized salt (this is important if you are canning)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of red pepper (or more if you like it spicy)*
1 tablespoon dried parsley*
1 tablespoon dried crushed celery leaves*

*All these spices are things you should find in the dried spice section of your grocery store

INSTRUCTIONS (for using, refrigerating, or freezing)
(1)Peel, core, and chop tomatoes.
(2)Combine with remaining ingredients in heavy saucepan (a big pot).
(3)Simmer 2 hours, uncovered, until you reach desired consistency (the longer you simmer it the thicker it will get). Your house will smell amazing.
(4)If you like chunky sauce leave it as is. If you like smooth sauce, then put it through a food processor or blender before storing.
(5)Let it cool completely before storing it in refrigerator or freezer.

Chicken Pockets

I got this one from Leigh's blog, and, WOW are these good. When I originally posted this I used puff pastry, but I have now found that refrigerated biscuits are just as good and WAYYY easier. Anyway, this is so good. I kept eating the filling straight out of the mixing bowl...cold. It was that good--almost like a dip. I was very tempted to get out some Wheat Thins, call it a night, and go watch What Not to Wear with my "dip." BUT, thankfully I didn't, because these were so yummy. Here's what you need:

CHICKEN POCKET INGREDIENTS

1 can refrigerated biscuits (the big ones--there are usually 8 in a can)
1 8-ounce tub chive and onion cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (I used a 12 ounce can of white meat chicken)
1/3 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled (make it easy on yourself and get the microwaveable kind)
salt and pepper to taste (I didn't add any salt)

INSTRUCTIONS

(1)Preheat oven to 375.
(2)Soften cream cheese in microwave for 20 or 30 seconds.
(3)Combine cream cheese, mozzarella, chicken, and bacon in a bowl. Salt & Pepper to taste.
(4)Don't eat it yet.
(5)Flatten out each biscuit into about a six-inch round.
(6) Put some of your chicken mixture on each biscuit and fold the biscuit over the mixture into a half moon shape. Press the edges with a fork to seal in the filling.
(7)Bake 9-14 minutes until golden brown. Y-U-M.