New Year's Meatballs

Our meal yesterday was what I traditionally make on New Year's Day. Since I am a creative genius, I have named it New Years Meatballs. I have had these meatballs on New Year's as far back as I can remember. (I won't comment on exactly how far back I can remember). What I CAN remember is being so excited for my mom to make these meatballs every year. It was the only day of the year she would make them, and they were SO GOOD! I always looked forward to New Year's Day so much more than New Year's Eve, entirely because of these balls of meaty goodness!


I made a double batch this year, since my boys are getting bigger and along with that comes bigger appetites. It was a good thing I did, because my oldest son came home with two of his friends in tow, and they finished off two or four meatball hoagies a piece! It was so fun listening to them talk about girls, muscles they claimed to have (I think my son lied said he had a four pack), and tease each other about who was going to get clobbered when they all start on the wrestling team next month. This is what I've always wanted, to be the home the kids want to hang out in, and if that means I need to make double or triple batches of New Year's Meatballs every year from now on, then I'm all over it!!


New Year's Meatballs

(recipe courtesy of Maxi Patty, a.k.a. Mom)

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. parsley
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup milk
2 beaten eggs
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and shape into 1 inch meatballs. Fry in a saucepan drizzled with olive oil. Meanwhile, make the sauce. You can use any kind or recipe of spaghetti sauce, but I always use the kind my mom used all those years ago, Lawry's, which is now called McCormick. Prepare your sauce and when the meatballs are browned all on sides and cooked through, add them to your sauce. We like to eat them on sub rolls topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Macaroni and Cheese

I'm pretty sure the picture above explains how my children feel about this dish.  It was completely gone in 3 point 2 seconds.  It is perfect, I love it!!
Down Home Macaroni and Cheese

4 tbsp. butter, divided
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
1/4 pound Velveeta
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (sharp please, if you're boring mild will do.....)
2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked and drained (or any other small pasta)
2 tbsp. seasoned dry breadcrumbs


Directions:

Melt 4 tbsp. of the butter in a large saucepan on low heat. Blend in flour and salt; cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually add milk; cook, stirring contantly, until thickened. Add Velveeta, (cut into cubes) and 1 and 1/2 cups of the cheddar cheese. Stir in macaroni. Pour into lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Melt remaining tbsp. of butter and mix with the bread crumbs. Sprinkle casserole with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Vicki's Hawaiian Casserole

So Thom is out of town. I hate it when he is out of town. I miss him so much. He's my best friend, you know. We have so much fun together. There is only ONE positive thing about him being gone and this is it - I get to make things for dinner that he doesn't like. Now he's not a super picky guy, there aren't a lot of things he doesn't like, but it just so happens that he doesn't like a couple of things that I LOVE. One of them is Vicki's Hawaiian Casserole, which he doesn't like because I made it once a week for a year when we were first married. What's the big deal about that??!!

Now Vicki, the lovely lady behind this recipe, lives across the street from my parents, and besides being the sweetest woman around is an AMAZING cook. Is it horrible that I would look forward to one of my parents being sick, so Vicki would bring us over some lasagna, ravioli or this casserole?! (I didn't really look forward to them being sick, I swear!!) The combination might sound weird, but I'm telling you, it is delicious!!


Vicki's Hawaiian Casserole
Recipe courtesy of Vicki Kovalesky


Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 stick butter
1 bunch green onion, diced
8 carrots, cut into slivers
6 eggs, scrambled
1 package thin pasta noodles (angel hair, fettucinne, spagetti...) cooked and drained
Soy sauce, to taste


Directions:

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the green onions and carrots. Cook until tender. Add chicken, scrambled eggs and butter mixture to the pasta. Drizzle soy sauce over the top and stir it all together. Taste it to see if you like the amount of soy sauce, if not, add some more. If you think you added too much, sorry. That's a bummer.

Cheeseburger Soup

I love this soup, it is SO GOOD. I could seriously eat it by the vat. And if you could see how big that bowl in the picture actually is, you would say, "Yes, Kathee, I believe you, because that bowl looks suspiciously like a vat to me." Listen, you, don't judge me!!!!


My laugh out loud moment at the dinner table tonight was when my 10 year old asked my 12 year old to go outside after dinner to shoot hoops with him. "Kid..." he said, "I just can't. I've been at work all day and I'm just plain tired." He went with his dad to work today to help out and ended up doing such a good job he stayed all day, the poor kiddo was tuckered out. The way he said it was priceless though, like he was so much older and mature than his brother.


Cheeseburger Soup


1/2 lb. ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion (of course I omit this because I'm anti onion)
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup diced celery (I almost always forget to buy this, not an essential ingredient!)
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley
4 tbsp. butter or margarine
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced potatoes
1/4 cup flour
8 oz. processed cheese (Velveeta)
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup sour cream


Directions:

Brown beef; drain and set aside. In same saucepan saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tbsp. butter until tender (about 10 minutes). Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the cheese melts. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. Done!! Get out your vat!!!

Homemade Twix Bars

Homemade. Twix. Bars. Yes, you heard right. I'm not going to lie and tell you they come together in a snap, because they're a TAD time consuming, but worth every minute.



Homemade Twix Bars
Recipe courtesy of Not Without the Salt


Ingredients:

Shortbread

5 1/2 ounces (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ground rice (rice processed in a spice grinder until it is able to pass through a fine sieve to remove chunks)* (I DID NOT ADD THE RICE - Kathee)

Make the Shortbread:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-X-13-inch baking pan with pan spray and line with parchment paper. Spray the parchment.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Gradually add the flour, ground rice and salt and allow the dough to come together. The dough will be crumbly but should hold together when you squeeze it.

Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the baking pan. Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. Rotate the pan from front to back and bake for another 10 minutes, until the shortbread is a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack to room temperature.

Meanwhile, prepare the ….

Caramel

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon salt plus more for sprinkling over the caramel layer

Make the Caramel:

Combine the sugar, golden syrup, water, and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Remove any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan by wiping down the sides with water. You can use your hand or a pastry brush. Place the pot on medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Wipe down any stray sugar crystals that appear using a very clean and wet pastry brush. Do not stir from this point on. Keep an eye on the pan. The mixture will be very bubbly.

When the sugar syrup starts to turn golden brown insert a candy thermometer to check the temperature. When it reaches 300°F, remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for 1minute, or until the bubbles subside. Carefully whisk in the heavy cream. Stir until smooth, then whisk in the condensed milk. Add the salt. Whisk until smooth.

Return the pan to the heat and stir constantly over medium heat until the caramel reaches 240°F. Remove from the heat and pour over the shortbread. While the caramel is warm sprinkle the surface with the best quality salt you have. Kosher is fine, Fleur de Sel is better, Maldon would be my preferred choice.

Allow to set. This will take about 2 hours.

Once the caramel layer has cooled prepare your …

Chocolate Glaze

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (Bittersweet chocolate chips also work)(I USED SEMISWEET BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I HAD ON HAND - Kathee)
2 tablespoons butter

Melt the chocolate and butter over a bain marie or in the microwave. If using the microwave melt it slowly – in 30 second intervals. Stir well after each interval.

Once completely melted pour over the caramel. Using an offset spatula, smooth the chocolate in a nice even layer.

Place in the refrigerator to set. They cut best when chilled.

Cut into desired shape and size. Serve.

Coconut Shrimp

I think it's well known that I HATE seafood.  I just do.  Imagine my surprise, then, when I found that I am totally and completely in LOVE with these shrimp.  Of course, the coconut disquising the very essence of the shrimp is the key, I'll admit it.  I would make these lovlies once a week if I could!!
Coconut Shrimp

Recipe from Allrecipes


Ingredients:

1 egg
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup water (the recipe really calls for beer, but we were all out. I kid, I kid!!)
1 1 /2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups flaked coconut
24 shrimp (I ended up doing more like 40)
3 cups oil for frying

Directions:

In medium bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup flour, water and baking powder. Place 1/4 cup flour and coconut in two separate bowls. Hold shrimp by tail and dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour. Dip in egg batter; allow excess to drip off. Roll shrimp in coconut and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil to 350 degrees in a deep fryer (I used a large pan). Fry shrimp in batches; cook, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Using tongs, remove shrimp to paper towels to drain. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce. (I made a quick dipping sauce from orange marmalade and some Chinese hot mustard - AMAZING.)

Rice Balls with Meat Sauce

Rice Balls with Meat Sauce

Recipe from Taste of Home


Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped (since I HATE onions, I used about 1 tsp. of onion so finely minced it is nearly non existent, more like onion juice I guess)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15 oz. each) tomato sauce
1 can (14 oz.) water packed artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 jar (4 1/2 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. pepper

CHEESE STUFFED RICE BALLS:

3 eggs
2 1/2 cups cooked rice
1/3 cup butter, melted
2/3 Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into 3/8 inch cubes (3/8 in.?? really???)
1 cup dry bread crumbs
oil for frying


Directions:

In a large saucepan, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the next nine ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. In a bowl, lightly beat 2 eggs. Stir in the rice, butter, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls. Press a mozzarella cube into each; reshape balls.

In a small bowl, lightly beat remaining egg. Dip each ball into egg, then roll in bread crumbs. In a deep fryer or skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry rice balls until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Discard bay leaves from meat sauce; serve with rice balls.

Spicy Chicken Corn Chowder

Spicy Chicken Corn Chowder



Ingredients:

5 bacon slices, chopped
2 tbsp. butter
1 med. onion, chopped (of course I omitted this)
2-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 cup chopped red or orange bell peppers
3-4 tbsp. flour
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 1/2 cups russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme (or 2 tsp. dried)
1 16oz. bag frozen corn
2 cups half and half or cream
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (plus more for garnish)
1 or 2 4 oz. cans chopped green chile's
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup green onions (do I even need to say I skipped this?)(plus more for garnish)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish)

Directions:

Cook bacon in a large pot over medium high heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and cool; crumble and reserve for garnish. Pour off all but 1/4 cup drippings from the pot. (Save those drippings for your refried or black beans for another day!!!!) Add butter to pot and melt over medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, chicken and bell peppers; saute until onions are soft and chicken is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add flour; stir and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.

Whisk in broth, then add potatoes, cumin, and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered until potatoes are somewhat tender, about 8 minutes.

Add corn, half and half, cheese, green chile's, and Tabasco; simmer until corn is tender, about 8 minutes more. Add green onions and cilantro; simmer for 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with bacon, cheese, green onions and cilantro.

Barbecue Beef

Barbecue Beef



Ingredients:

1 3-4 lb. cross rib roast
1 can Coke (or Pepsi)
1 tsp. garlic
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup Coke (or Pepsi)


Directions:

Place roast in slow cooker. Pour 1 can of Coke on roast. Cook on low for 5 to 7 hours. After meat has cooked put it in a bowl and use two forks to shred meat. Drain the coke and fat out of the slow cooker. Mix the garlic, ketchup, brown sugar, barbecue sauce and 1/4 cup of coke and add along with the shredded beef to the slow cooker. Cook for another 1 to 2 hours.

Butter Bars

Last night for dinner we had breakfast burritos, not really something I need to share a recipe for. But our dessert? Oh, my, the dessert. In the name of everything buttery and bad for you, make these Butter Bars - NOW!!!


One funny thing that happened at dinner....... we were all talking and sharing, having a great meal. Suddenly, Cam speaks above everyone else, "Hey! Guess what? I entered the drawing in the library for one of the Justin Bieber posters!!!" Complete SILENCE. Everyone looks at each other. Massive laughter ensues. "What in the world did you do that for?" "Justin Bieber? What is wrong with you?" After we settled down he told us his plan, "I want to draw a mustache and beard on it and put it in Colby's room!!" Oh!!! That made sense, because that particular brother gets accosted on the street by preteens who think he is the Bieb's in the flesh!! We were all worried there for a second though!!!


Butter Bars
Recipe courtesy of Everywhere on the Internets


Ingredients:


Crust:

1 yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted

Filling:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 cups powdered sugar


Directions:

Combine crust ingredients and pat into a 9X13 pan. Beat cream cheese, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add butter and sugar. Mix well. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Inhale at a dangerously unhealthy speed or hoarde for youself.

Crispy Orange Beef

Crispy Orange Beef

Recipe from Allrecipes


Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds beef top sirloin, thinly sliced
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons orange zest
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
8 broccoli florets, lightly steamed or blanched
2 cups oil for frying


Directions:

Lay beef strips out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Allow to dry in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, rice vinegar, orange juice concentrate, salt and soy sauce. Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Add more water at the end if necessary. (I use Calrose rice, because I really love sticky rice and I just make it in the rice cooker. Comes out perfectly sticky and yummy every time).

Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Toss dried beef in cornstarch to coat. Fry in the hot oil in small batches until crispy and golden brown; set aside. Drain all of the oil from the wok except about 1 tablespoon.

Add orange zest, ginger and garlic to the remaining oil, and cook briefly until fragrant. Add the soy sauce mixture to the wok, bring to a boil, and cook until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Add beef, and heat through, stirring to coat. Serve immediately over steamed rice, and garnish with broccoli.

Crescent Chicken Squares

Crescent Chicken Squares




Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp. butter
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic
2 (8 oz.) cans crescent rolls
2 tbsp. butter
Crushed seasoned croutons

Directions:

Blend cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and garlic and mix well. Seperate dough into 4 triangles (per can), spooning meat mixture into center. Bring corners of dough together and press with fork. Brush tops with melted butter and crushed seasoned croutons. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets according to crescent roll directions.

Hot Sandwiches

Hot Sandwiches

Recipe for rolls adapted from RecipeShoebox

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups warm water
3 tbsp. yeast
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar or honey
2 eggs
1 tbsp. salt
5-6 cups flour (I used 5 cups white, 1 cup wheat, and threw in 1 tbsp. ground flax seed for good measure!)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and knead for 10 minutes.

After kneading, divide the dough into four equal sections. Roll out each section of dough and with a pizza cutter slice the dough into 4 pieces.

Place on the dough your filling. I had roast beef, ham and turkey available for the meats. For the cheese, we could choose from cheddar, mozzerella, swiss, provolone, american and gouda.

Tuck in the fat end and roll towards the narrow end.

Place rolled crescents onto greased cookie sheet, let rise for 10-15 minutes and bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to overbake. You'll want to catch them just as they're beginning to brown.

Pulled Chicken Sammies

Pulled Chicken Sammies

Recipe from Taste and Tell

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped (of course I skipped this ingredient)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups salsa verde
1/2 cup sour cream
1 rotisserie-style chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded
4 sandwich rolls, split
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Directions:

Preheat the broiler. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and honey, then stir in the salsa and heat through. Mix in the sour cream. Add sauce a little at a time to your bowl of shredded chicken. YOU MAY NOT NEED ALL THE SAUCE depending on how much shredded chicken you have. Stir in the sauce to coat.



Pile the chicken mixture on the roll bottoms. Top with the cheese and broil to melt.

Cake Mix Chocolate Bars

Cake Mix Chocolate Bars



Ingredients:

(1) yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine the cake mix, eggs and oil. Press 2/3 of the mixture into a 9X13 pan.  In a seperate bowl, combine the milk and chocolate chips. Microwave to melt, stopping every 30 seconds to stir. Pour chocolate mixture over crust. Sprinkle the remaining crust over the chocolate mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until they start to turn golden.

Cinnamon Syrup

I saw the recipe for this syrup and knew I just had to make it. Unfortunately, I've been trying to eat healthier (I know, UNFORTUNATELY!) so I figured if I was going to go all sugar crazy with the syrup I should at least TRY to make the pancakes a little healthier. (waaahhhhh)

This syrup is fantastic! I'm thinking how great it would be to drizzle the left overs onto some vanilla ice cream........................... uh, oh, I'm sorry. I was off in a food fantasy. These things happen when you're trying to eat healthier.

UNFORTUNATELY.




Cinnamon Syrup

Recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients:


1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk


Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the first four ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in milk.

Breadsticks

This is a quick and easy breadstick recipe!

Breadsticks

Recipe from Siggy Spice


Ingredients:

1-½ cups warm water
1 tbsp. instant (rapid rise) yeast from a jar. Sorry, the packets don't hold a full TBSP
2 tbsp. sugar
3-½ cups all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
2-4 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp. garlic salt
1-2 tsp herbs/seasoning of your choice. I am using an herb blend that is for mixing with olive oil and dipping bread, but any herb or combo of herbs that you like would work well.
4 tbsp. melted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Mix together water, yeast, sugar, flour, and salt in a large bowl or electric mixer and knead for three minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread 1-2 tbsp. olive oil (just enough to coat) onto the bottom of a 16"x14" cookie sheet. Roll out the breadstick dough about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick and large enough to fit onto baking sheet. Place whole sheet of dough on baking sheet, then brush 1-2 tbsp. olive oil over top of dough making sure it is all lightly covered. Sprinkle garlic salt and herbs of choice over top of olive oil. Using a pizza cutter, cut breadsticks into desired length and width. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.

Remove plastic wrap and place in preheated oven and allow to bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush melted butter all over top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Nicea's Favorite Fried Rice

Since I am a known Rice Addict, I knew I had to make this as soon as I saw it. I loved it. There were a couple of family member's who freaked out about the peas (ok, fine, I was one of them) but they come out easily. This makes a lot!!!



Nicea's Favorite Fried Rice

Recipe from Good Things Utah


Ingredients:

1-2 chicken breasts or 10 chicken tenders
3 scrambled eggs
2 carrots (finely grated)
½ white onion (finely chopped)
¾ cup frozen peas
½ cup butter
1-2 garlic cloves (crushed) or 1 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups white rice (not instant)


Directions:

Marinate chicken in soy sauce, if you do not have much time, mix it with chicken before cooking.

In a large frying pan Cook chicken in small amount of olive oil, add carrots and onions and sauté until clear. Add frozen peas and cook until soft.

In a separate pan cook rice then add to the mixture .

In another pan, scramble three eggs, chop finely and add to mixture

Melt 1/2 cup butter, add crushed garlic cloves to butter, stir and add to mixture.

Mix all together well, add soy sauce to taste.

Homemade White Castle Sliders

After biting into one of these babies Colby leaned over to me and whispered "There's O's in these, isn't there?" Yes, I did it. I put O's in something for once in my life. O's would be onions, which I hate. Detest. Loathe. Curse. Despise. Shun. Usually...... But I knew in my heart of hearts that I couldn't honestly make a fake White Castle wannabe without onions. And shock of shocks, I ate TWO of these guys, I loved it, and I didn't mind the O words at all. Now husband, don't get all jazzed thinking we're going to have onions in our meals now, because that is just crazy talk. While we were eating dinner, one of the kids said out loud, "Are there onions on these burgers??!" and another one answered immediately, "Onions! No way! Mom made these!"

See? I have a reputation to uphold!


Homemade White Castle Sliders
Recipe from Big Red Kitchen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried onion flakes (of course, you know I only used about 1 tsp. Baby steps! Baby steps!)
2 pounds ground chuck- 80/20 ground beef
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
6 slices cheddar cheese
24 small party rolls (potato if possible)
24 dill pickle slices

Directions:

Evenly spread the onions on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Gently press the ground beef on top of the onion flakes. Press evenly making one giant pattie. Sprinkle with seasoned salt. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Using a paper towel, pat the excess grease from the top of the pattie. Top with cheddar cheese, return to oven for 2 more minutes. Remove from oven, let set 5 minutes then cut into 24 patties. Slice open and separate each party roll. Place bottom of rolls on a large platter. Using a spatula lift pattie with onion layer onto each bun bottom. Top each slider with a pickle slice then the bun lid. Serve immediately. Makes 24 Sliders.

No Peek Beef Tips

This was a super easy dinner that the kids all loved. I served it with mashed potatoes although I was told that next time they would like it with noodles. I loved sticking it in the oven after church, taking my required Sunday Afternoon Nap and waking up to delicious smells and our meal finished.



No Peek Beef Tips

Recipe from Mommy's Kitchen


Ingredients:

2 lb. - Beef tenderloin tips, Stew Meat, Chuck Roast or Chuck Eye (Cubed)
1 - 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 – packet brown gravy mix
1 - packet lipton dry onion soup mix
1 – small can mushrooms
1 - cup water or ginger ale

Directions:

Add cubed meat to a 9 x 13 inch pan. In a big bowl mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over the meat add mushrooms and stir to coat. Cover with foil and bake at 300 degrees for 3 Hours do not remove foil until done. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or noodles.

Nacho Pie

I should have made two of these because it was inhaled in 2 point 3 seconds. It has already been requested as a birthday dinner, high praise in our home!!





Nacho Pie

Recipe from Mommy's Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef, browned
1/2 cup chopped onion (of course I skipped this!)
1 8 oz. can tomato cauce
¾ cup water
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 tube crescent roll dough
1 1/2 cup crushed tortillas chips
1/2 cup sour cream (I didn't add this)
1 cup cheddar jack or plain cheddar cheese
additional sour cream for garnish, diced tomatoes and sliced black olives.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. In large skillet brown beef and onion over medium heat until done. Drain off any grease. Stir in tomato sauce, water and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes. Separate crescent rolls into 8 triangles. Place in greased 9 inch pie plate points facing towards the middle. You might have to maneuver the triangles a bit at the end and turn some of them side ways, that's OK as long as the pie plate is covered completely. Press onto bottom and up sides of plate to form crust. Seal perforations. Sprinkle 1 cup crushed chips over crust. Top with meat mixture. Using a spatula spread sour cream over meat. (I skipped this step because I don't like sour cream). Sprinkle the cheese and then remaining 1/2 cup crushed chips. Bake 30 - 40 minutes or until cheese melts, pie is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Cool 10 minutes before cutting. Add a dollop of sour cream, diced tomatoes and black olives for garnish. If the crust starts to brown to quickly cover the pie plate with foil from the bottom and up around the sides to cover crust.

Chicken, Bacon and Veggie Pizza

I thought for sure my children would hate this pizza, so I made one for my husband and I, and one regular cheese pizza for the kids. Well, they loved it! Next time I will make two of them! The no fail pizza crust recipe is a keeper, very easy. It makes a thick dough if that is the kind you like, if not, then use your favorite pizza dough recipe. Oh, and see that red pepper on the bottom of the picture, on the edge of the crust? That would be my dividing line - on the right of that is the onion free zone, on the left is Onion City. I was VERY careful when putting the onions on, I didn't get them even CLOSE to the dividing line!! This pizza was delicious!!! When I grilled the chicken, I also put barbecue sauce on it. Yum.





Chicken, Bacon and Veggie Pizza

Recipe from Mommy's Kitchen


Ingredients:

1 recipe no fail pizza crust or use your own favorite pizza dough recipe
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups cheddar or Colby jack cheese, shredded
1/2 red pepper, cored, seeded & cut into strips
1/2 medium red onion, sliced vertically
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled & diced
6 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the pizza crust and roll out to fit into one 14 inch pizza pan or stone. Drizzle two tablespoon olive oil and the garlic onto the pizza crust, followed by half of each of the cheeses. Scatter half of the bell pepper, sliced onion, chicken, and bacon.

Add the remaining chicken, bacon, veggies and the rest of the cheeses. Finish it off by drizzling the last tablespoon of olive oil all over the top. Bake the pizza at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned. Remove from the oven, let cool and slice.

Machaca Burro

We have yet to find a great Mexican food restaurant near where we live. It's been nearly two years, and to say we are in withdrawl is no exaggeration. Luckily, I have some recipes that help us hold out until the next Arizona trip and was able to pull some fantastic tortillas out of the freezer from my last Arizona trip in January!!




Machaca Burro

I have no idea where I got this recipe, I've had it about 15 years


Ingredients:

3 lb. chuck roast
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup bacon drippings or vegetable oil
1 cup beef stock
1 medium onion, chopped (Obviously, I only used about 1/16 onion, finely minced into practically a paste)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 small tomatoes, chopped (I only used 1 tomato so my kids wouldn't freak out)
1/2 cup chopped green chiles
1 tbsp. lime juice


Directions:

Rub the roast with salt and pepper. Warm 2 tbsp. oil, brown meat on all sides. Reduce heat to low. Pour stock over the meat and add half the onion and garlic to the pan. Cover and simmer until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the meat, reserving liquid. Shred the meat.

Warm remaining oil and saute remaining onion and garlic until soft. Add the meat, stirring for about 10 minutes. Stir in the reserved liquid, tomatoes, green chiles and lime juice. Cook over low heat for 25 minutes.

I made some black beans and added them to my burrito, along with cheese and fresh salsa.

Baked Chicken Parmesan

My husband and I are TRYING to eat healthier, but, sigh....... sometimes that's not so much fun. Last week we had salads for dinner for four nights. That got old pretty quick. I was excited to find this recipe because I really love chicken parmesan. It was SO good. I was sad that there wasn't any left overs.




Baked Chicken Parmesan

Recipe from SkinnyTaste

Ingredients:

4 (8 oz) chicken breast halves, sliced in half
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
1 cup marinara
cooking spray


Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with spray.

Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Melt the butter in another bowl. Lightly brush the butter onto the chicken, then dip into breadcrumb mixture. Place on baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Lightly spray a little more cooking oil on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn chicken over, bake another 5 minutes. Remove from oven, spoon sauce over chicken and top with shredded cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

S'Mores Bars

Umm, I'm pretty sure I don't need to tell you how good these bars were. Just look at it for crying out loud!! I've already been asked to make this again, I was told it was the best thing ever created in the existence of Earth, I was offered a bribe to give someone an extra piece, I could go on and on. This dessert was VERY well received!!!



S'Mores Cookie Bars

Recipe from Mommy's Kitchen


Ingredients:

1 stick of butter, room temperature (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 king-sized Hershey’s milk chocolate bars
1 large egg
1 7 oz jar marshmallow creme/fluff
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
(7 full-sized graham cracker sheets, processed til fine)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan (I line my pan with foil for easy removal and cutting). Use an electric mixer to cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Set aside. Meanwhile,whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture until combined.

Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place blobs of it on the chocolate and then spread it around.

Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (I rolled the dough out between two pieces of waxed paper and use a spatula to place pieces of it on the top and pressed the pieces together). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (I did mine a little longer to get that nice brown color), until lightly browned. Be sure to cool completely before cutting into bars. Makes 16 squares.

Spagetti Carbonara

I decided to try another recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara and I'm glad I did. I like this one a lot better than the one I previously posted. I forgot to buy pancetta, but you can substitute bacon and I luckily had some bacon I could use, because you KNOW I didn't want to make a last minute run up to the grocery store.




Spaghetti Carbonara
Recipe from Mommy's Kitchen


Ingredients:

1 16 oz box spaghetti
2 tablespoon olive oil, separated
8 slices bacon or Italian bacon, diced
1/2 small onion, chopped (I omitted this of course)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 - 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)(I didn't use this)
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp heavy cream or milk (I used half and half)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Extra grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions:

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti pasta until al dente. Drain well and reserve a bit of the pasta water, about 1/2 cup. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside. While the pasta cooks start on the bacon. In a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain onto paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat in reused large skillet. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add wine if desired; cook one more minute.

Return cooked bacon to pan; add cooked and drained spaghetti. Toss to coat and heat through, adding more olive oil if it seems dry or is sticking together. To ensure a creamy, silky sauce, mix the cheese, cream and beaten eggs together then stir into the pasta, off of the heat. Tossing constantly with tongs or large fork until eggs are barely set. If the mixture is too thick add a bit of reserved pasta water. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember that bacon and Parmesan are very salty). Serve immediately with chopped parsley sprinkled on top, and extra Parmesan cheese at table.

Bolognese Sauce

I found this recipe on a site where there are a lot of healthy recipes because I'm making those baby steps towards eating better. This is so good it's hard for me to believe that is good for you, but there you go.


Mental note: things that are good for you can also be tasty Kathee!!!

Good to know!



Bolognese Sauce
Recipe from Skinny Taste


Ingredients:

4 oz pancetta, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, minced
1/2 cup carrots, minced
1 lb 95% lean ground beef
1/4 cup white wine (I didn't add this)
2 - 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
salt and fresh pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup half & half


Directions:

In a deep heavy saute pan, saute pancetta until fat melts. Add butter, onions, celery and carrots and cook until soft. Add meat, season with salt and pepper and saute until browned. Add wine, cook until it reduces down, about 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaf. Simmer covered on low, at least 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add half & half and parsley, cook 2 minutes longer. Makes about 8 cups.

Cheeseburger Rolls

I am all about making easy, fast meals - as if you couldn't tell. If I wasn't in a hurry, there is a really good chance I would have made homemade dough for this recipe (really!), but I was having a busy day, so I left out some Rhodes rolls to thaw and they worked out perfectly. These were great, I will definitely make them again.



Cheeseburger Rolls
Recipe made up by me after seeing similar things here and there.


Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
Salt, pepper, and garlic to taste
2 tsp. Worcester sauce
12 Rhodes rolls, thawed out
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

(I'm sorry about these directions, for some reason I had a hard time putting in writing what I did!!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground beef in a pan. Add salt, pepper and minced garlic to your taste. Add 2 tsp. Worcester sauce. Stir everything together and set aside.

Take a roll and press it out. Put a few tablespoons of the ground beef mixture onto the roll, then put a little bit of cheddar cheese on top. Close the roll by bringing the sides up and pressing them tightly together. Repeat with all the rolls.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

I saw this recipe on Pioneer Woman's blog a while back and put it on my 'To Try' list.  I am SO glad I did, I loved this.  I made one little change, because of my issues with cottage cheese, and I've also seen modifications where people have added corn and other things.  This is a keeper

Sour Cream Noodle Bake
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ingredients:

1 ¼ pound ground beef
1 can 15 oz. tomato sauce
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 oz., weight egg noodles
½ cup sour cream
1 ¼ cup small curd cottage cheese (I used a 15 oz. container of ricotta cheese)
½ cups sliced green onions (less To Taste)(I didn't add these because I forgot to buy them)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese (ricotta cheese for me). Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.

To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.

Three Cheese Beef and Ziti

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe yet, I make it ALL THE TIME. I found the recipe in a random cookbook my Grandpa gave me right after I got married, so, that was pretty much just a few years ago. No? Almost 20 years ago? What the? Anyway, I started calling it Fake Lasagna after awhile, because that usually got a more favorable response than the actual recipe name. Please feel free to call it ANY NAME YOU WANT!!! I was super nice to my kids with no taste (you know who you are!), and only put ricotta cheese on half of it. You two are spoiled.

There is a reason why this is on my regular recipe rotation, this is fast and yummy!!



Three Cheese Beef and Ziti
Recipe from some old Reader's Digest Cookbook from five, twenty years ago.


Ingredients:

8 oz. ziti, macaroni, or other small pasta
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (of course I don't add this, are you kidding?)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
10 oz. frozen french style green beans, or whatever kind you like, partially thawed
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:

Boil the pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, saute the beef and onion(bleh) in a large skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently to break up any clumps, until the beef is browned - about 5 minutes. Drain off the excess fat. Stir in the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the green beans, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

*** Let me just take a second to confess that I don't ALWAYS add the green beans. I would love for them to be in it, but I get a lot of complaints when I do, and sometimes, I just don't want to deal with that.

Stir in the cooked ziti, then place large spoonfuls of the ricotta on top but not touching. Sprinkle the mozzarella in between. Cover and cook just until the mozzarella melts and the ziti and beans are heated through - about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Sweet Pork

My kids love it when I make this Sweet Pork. They know it means they can make whatever they want with it; one had nachos, another a burrito, a couple had stuffed quesadillas and I made myself a big salad with it! They love having a choice, and frankly, I just love the sweet pork!! I've tried a lot of recipes for it and this recipe is what I've ended up with after mixing a whole bunch of recipe ideas together.





Sweet Pork




Ingredients:


4 lb. pork roast
2 tbsp. canola oil
32 oz. can Macayo's enchilada sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup Coke

Directions:

Heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Sear the roast on all sides until golden brown.

Combine the enchilada sauce, brown sugar and Coke in a slow cooker. Add the pork, cover and cook on low for 7 hours (I've done it 4 hours on high too).

Remove the pork and shred. Put back in the slow cooker and stir to combine with the sauce.

Serve on salads, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, tacos, whatever you can think up!!!

Overnight Sausage Casserole

Overnight Sausage Casserole
Recipe from Our Best Bites


Ingredients:

6-8 slices white bread
Softened butter for bread
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
12 oz. pork sausage browned
1 (4 oz.) can green chiles
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dry mustard

Directions:

Remove crusts from bread and butter on one side. Place bread, buttered side down, in a 9 X 13 baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over bread. Sprinkle sausage over cheese, then top with green chiles.

Whisk the eggs, add milk and seasonings and combine.

Slowly keep stirring while pouring over casserole.

Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes, then serve.

Panna Cotta

Last night's dessert was DELICIOUS! My husband and I had panna cotta for the first time a few months ago and I have been wanting to make it ever since. The recipe only made 6 ramekins, but I didn't double it because I was almost sure my kids wouldn't even want to try it. (Was I sure, or was I hoping?) Three of them decided they wanted to try it so I divided one ramekin into thirds (yes, I am THAT greedy) telling them, "I know you will hate this, I am sick that it is getting wasted." Well, they inhaled it and pronounced, "This tastes like wiggly vanilla ice cream!!! More! More! More!" So, being greedy, I divided another one into thirds!!! I know!! But in my defense, I had made a backup pan of brownies that they had all already eaten one of, so really, I was just limiting their sugar intake. (wink). One of my boys spent about an hour thinking of all the different things we could do to panna cotta ("lemon flavored, chocolate sauce, oh, I know Mom, BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE!") so I know that they really did love it and weren't just being silly. This is easy and delicious, it's a perfect summertime dessert.


 
Panna Cotta
Recipe from Allrecipes


Ingredients:

1/3 cup skim milk (I used 1%)
1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
2 1/2 cups heavy cream (I used half whipping cream and half half and half, that's what I had)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Pour milk into a small bowl, and stir in the gelatin powder. Set aside.

In a saucepan, stir together the heavy cream and sugar, and set over medium heat. Bring to a full boil, watching carefully, as the cream will quickly rise to the top of the pan. Pour the gelatin and milk into the cream, stirring until completely dissolved. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and pour into six individual ramekin dishes.

Cool the ramekins uncovered at room temperature. When cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight before serving.

Serve with fresh berries, chocolate sauce, use your imagination!

Pasta with Alfredo Sauce and Vegetables

This is versatile and delicious. If it weren't for that inconvenient problem of my lactose intolerance I would have 6 bowls of this. Aren't you so glad I shared that information with you?! Really, though, this comes together so fast and tastes fantastic.  (of course I don't need to mention the shining star of this recipe, BACON)


Pasta with Alfredo Sauce and Veggies (and BACON)



Ingredients:

1 lb. pasta (angel hair, fettuccine, penne, whatever you like/have on hand)
Vegetables (This is where you can really customize. I only happened to have red pepper today so I used that. You could use zucchini, broccoli, carrots, spinach, whatever you like/have on hand!!)
6 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup heavy cream (I used half cream and the rest half and half)
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and boil pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta is boiling, fry the diced bacon until crisp. Add in the veggies and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until they are tender-crisp.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, add the butter and cream until heated through and butter is melted. Add in the Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir until the cheese is thoroughly melted and sauce is a smooth, creamy consistency.

Drain pasta when done and add to a large serving bowl. Pour in the bacon and broccoli and toss it in with the penne. Pour the Alfredo sauce over top of the penne and stir until well combined.

* I don't actually do this because, surprise, some of my children don't like Alfredo sauce and, don't be shocked, but some also don't like vegetables. I just leave everything separate and customize everyone's serving. The children who don't like Alfredo sauce love pasta with just butter and Parmesan cheese on it, so that works easy enough.

Homemade Magic Shell

I have had an obsession with Magic Shell for a long, long time. I just really love it. I've tried several recipes to recreate it and this is by far the best. It was so delicious on my ice cream, and the bananas were amazing. I'll be putting some on strawberries for a snack later today, because, what the heck, I have strawberries and now I have a huge container of homemade magic shell to use up!!!




Homemade Magic Shell
Recipe from Smilemonsters

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut oil


Directions:

Pop in the microwave for about a minute and stir together well.

Done!

The chocolate sauce will harden as soon as it hits something cold.

Have fun!!!