Twice Baked Potatoes

In order to get ready for my family to go back to school in a few weeks I have been trying to stock my freezer with meals and side dishes.  With my recent discovery of the perfect baked potato I decided to make twice baked potatoes, and put them in the freezer for an easy side dish.  These potatoes have been around for a long while with many variations, I am sharing with you how I prepare them for my family.

This potato is delicious with a creamy cheesy filling, flavorful skin, and brown, crispy top.  We love them with grilled meat and a light salad or even for lunch once in a while. They are easy to change and adapt depending on your family's likes and dislikes.  I hope you ENJOY!

Twice Baked Potatoes

Recipe Source: A Cook's Quest

5 Baked potatoes, cooled slightly

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Shredded Cheese

Salt

Pepper

Seasoning Salt

**The sour cream is an estimate.  The amount you will need will depend on the moisture in  your potatoes, along with the size of your potatoes.

When your potatoes are cool enough to handle slice them in half length-wise. (I made a lot more than five for this batch.  If you decide to do so remember to adjust your other ingredients.)

With a spoon, carefully scoop out the inside of the potato and place it in a bowl.  Make sure to be careful not to puncture the skin.

Mash the potato insides, and add the salt, pepper, butter and sour cream.   You want a creamy mixture that is a little thicker than mashed potatoes.  Add the grated cheese.  If needed add more sour cream or seasonings to achieve the flavor and texture you need.  

Spoon the filling into the empty shells.

At this point, you can bake the potatoes at 350 for 15-20 minutes and broil for a few minutes to brown the tops, or freeze for later.  If you decide to freeze the potatoes, place them in a pan and cover and freeze. 

To bake from frozen:

Heat oven to 350 F.  Bake 35-45 minutes or until centers are warm.  Broil for a few minutes to get the top nice and brown.  

Italian Chicken Dunkers

I have a little confession to make.  There is a certain  national fast food chain that makes chicken nuggets that I will eat whenever I can justify it.  There is nothing healthy or good about them and after reading the ingredient list I should be utterly appalled, vowing to never consume them again.   But, something about how they taste, their crispy texture and the bar-b-que sauce I dip them in makes me crumple and I consume them all along with the fries and a diet soda. Yes, I admit I not only eat the nuggets but I also buy them in a combo meal.   Unfortunately all three of my kiddos also love these bites of fried, over-processed goodness too.  It is not something I am proud to admit.

Do I endorse this kind of eating?  Absolutely not. It goes against all the changes I have been trying to make for the health of my family. But what is a girl to do when the nugget craving hits not only her but the entire family?  Well come up with a recipe that we all can be happy with and that is at least somewhat healthy.  And that is how the Italian Chicken Dunkers I am about to share with you were born.

Are they similar to many other recipes out there? Yep, they sure are but my kiddos and I have made them more than once perfecting the recipe into something we all love.  You can eat them straight out of the oven or pop them into the freezer like the over processed and expensive nuggets seen in stores but, these are soooo much better! They are baked, not fried.  They have homemade breadcrumbs seasoned with lots of garlic and best of all parmesan cheese.  YUM!  Go make up a batch and see for yourself, I promise you will love them too.  Enjoy!

Italian Chicken Dunkers
Recipe Source: A Cook's Quest

1-2 pounds chicken breasts-cut into strips
1-2 cups flour for dredging
fresh breadcrumbs (I used about 8 large slices of bread) or store bought if you want.  I would suggest panko.
2-3 eggs, beaten
onion powder
garlic salt
1/4-1/2 cup parmesan cheese
4 T melted butter or olive oil

I wish I could give you exact measurements, but really this is a recipe that can be customized to your liking.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Season flour with salt, pepper and garlic.

Place bread into your food processor and pulse until the consistency you want.  I like a bigger fluffy crumb so I leave mine pretty rough.  Pour into a pie plate and add onion powder, garlic salt and parmesan cheese.

Set up an assembly line to dredge the chicken.  Start with the flour, then egg, then breadcrumb mixture.  Place chicken pieces on a buttered baking sheet.  Brush with melted butter and bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of your nuggets, or until the juices are clear and the meat is cooked through.

Dip in your favorite sauce.  We chose marinara because it's what we had on hand, but any dipping sauce would be great.  I think next time we will use homemade ranch.

Corn Dog Muffins

I don’t know about your house, but summers are BUSY around here! Lately I have been very dependent on my stand by recipes for dinners. Breakfast in the evenings has been occurring at least twice a week, and the easy options of sweet and spicy chicken tacos, spaghetti with slow cooker marinara and bean and chicken burritos have been regulars. In between baseball practices, tournaments all weekend, work, and everyday life I just didn’t want to make new dinner recipes. Instead I made sweet treats, breads, and food that, while they are OK in moderation, probably wouldn’t do so great as dinner.

It is time to start incorporating some healthy options for snacks, lunches and dinners. That is why I made these corn dog muffins. My kids LOVE corn dogs but I don’t love the deep fried, processed versions that I buy at the store. I have seen this idea floating around blog land for a while and decided to give it a try. My kids loved them and think it is even funnier to say they want to put ketchup on their muffins; they laugh and laugh about it like it is the funniest thing in the world to them. Which makes me start to laugh too because they are just so darn cute!

Ok…so the muffins…they are a cinch to make, tasty and like most of my favorite recipes can be changed up to suit your tastes. Plus, and don't tell my kiddos this, they are much healthier.  The basic idea is to whip up a batch of cornbread, throw in some hot dogs, bake and eat. But you can get fancy if you like, we add cheese, jalapenos and once in a while if I have a wild hair I might use turkey dogs instead of beef dogs, they would even be good topped with chili…OH MY! ENJOY!

I'm also linking up, go check out the other great recipes people are sharing!



Corndog Muffins

Recipe: A Cook’s Quest inspired by Blogland

Cornbread batter (my recipe is below)
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup honey
2 Tbsp sugar

High quality hot dogs/turkey dogs/chorizos/sausages cut to fit your tins

Extra filling items to make your muffins even tastier-jalapenos, grated cheese, green onions, and peppers are some that we like.

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 F.  Line muffin tins with liners.

Mix one batch of your favorite cornbread. Fill muffin tins about ½ full with cornbread mix. Add cut hot dogs, cover with more batter. Bake 16-18 minutes. Eat





Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli and Cream Sauce

I don't think I can ever get tired of pasta with cream sauce.  Even on a hot summer day, I can devour a warm, saucy, creamy, cheesy, bowl of pasta.  It is comfort food for me and love trying different variations.  This recipe is ideal, I think anyway, because it can be made ahead and the end result is still the same--a delicious pasta nestled in cheesy cream sauce with bites of tender chicken, crisp broccoli and sweet tomatoes from my garden. Definitely go try this soon, and I would recommend doubling the recipe so you have one for the freezer too.  Enjoy!

I'm linking this recipe go check out all the other great recipes people are posting!

Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and  Mozzarella

Recipe Source: Modified slightly from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

*Note from Mel: See the asterisk below the recipe for make-ahead directions.

Serves 6-8

Topping:
3/4 cup bread crumbs (store-bought or make your own)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Filling:
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds), stalks cut off, florets trimmed into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces penne pasta or small pasta of your choice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
6 medium garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3), trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
3 ounces mozzarella, shredded
8 ounces oven roasted tomatoes chopped or jarred sun dried tomatoes drained and chopped
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and butter and set aside. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and make sure the oven rack is placed in the middle of the oven. In a large pot, bring the water for the pasta to a boil. Stir in one tablespoon salt and the broccoli.  Cook the broccoli for 1 minute, until it is bright green but not longer or it will end up mushy in the end. Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon to a plate. Return the water to a boil and add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than how you would eat it normally (it will cook a bit more in the oven while baking). Drain the pasta in a colander and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Leave it in the colander and set it aside.

While the pasta is cooking, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the flour, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth, cream and milk; bring to a simmer, whisking often. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and  mozzarella.

Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce; stir to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the casserole is bubbling and the crumbs are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

*The casserole can be prepared in advance with the following steps: after the broccoli is removed from the boiling water, plunge it into a bowl of ice water and cool completely. Assemble the casserole following the directions in the recipe. After the casserole is spread in the prepared baking pan, let it cool for 5-10 minutes before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating for up to 8 hours. To bake, preheat the oven to 375 and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Sweet Shredded Pork Tacos with Cilantro Chili Lime Ranch

I really love Mexican food.  Well, let me re-phrase that, I love anything that resembles Mexican food.  OK, I love anything that goes in a tortilla even if it isn't Mexican.  The tortilla is really the perfect carb for just about anything.  These pork tacos are no exception!

I have been eyeing this recipe for close to two years over at A Thrifty Mom.  This is where I learned to coupon and cook from a stockpile.  Sarah has a ton of great recipes that are easy to prepare, and even easier on the budget.  But, back to the tacos, these are sweet but not overly sweet.  The pork combined with the cilantro lime ranch topping are a perfect combination all wrapped up in the warm flour tortillas  Yes, I will say they are quite delicious! I bet you could make them with beef or chicken with great results too.  Enjoy! 

Sweet Shredded Pork Tacos
Recipe Source: A Thrifty Mom

1- Pork tenderloin roast (6-10 pounds) any type of roast will work
2 cans of Tomato sauce 15 oz
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 can of Dr Pepper
1 clove garlic diced
1/4 cup cilantro minced

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low 6-8 hours or until the roast is tender.  Remove roast from crock pot and shred with two forks.  Return meat to the sauce and serve in warm tortillas with Cilantro Chili Lime Ranch and your favorite toppings.

**Cook's Note-The leftover meat mixture freezer beautifully and is great for a quick dinner on busy nights.  Just take the freezer container out of the freezer in the morning and let it thaw in the refrigerator.

Jenn's Cilantro Chili Lime Ranch
Recipe source: A Cook's Quest

1 cup prepared Ranch dressing
1/4-1/2 cup cilantro
juice of 1 lime
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin

Combine all ingredients in your food processor and blend unitl smooth.  Use as a topping for Sweet Shredded Pork Tacos.

Mexican Lasanga

We like pasta in my house.  We also like Mexican food.  So when pasta and the flavors of Mexican food can be combined we are happy campers!  I thought I had hit the jackpot with Taco Pasta, but this gem of a recipe might, be a smidge better. It comes from Mel's Kitchen Cafe and like everything I have tried from Mel this lasagna is everything she promises it to be.  (Please go look at her beautiful photos of this dish!  They do it much more justice than mine!)

This recipe has everything a good lasagna needs; layers of noodles nestled between a delicious rich sauce and topped with cheese galore oh, and I can't forget to mention that throughout are rich creamy pockets of cream cheese and sour cream.  There is a hint of spice but nothing over powering and the black beans and sweet corn are wonderful additions.  And, the best part, it is fast, thrifty, and EASY to prepare.  I made two small lasagnas instead of one large one and now we have dinner for another night waiting in the freezer.  Enjoy!

Mexican Lasagna
Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

**Because I changed nothing about this recipe I'm including a note from Melanie's recipe: this lasagna isn’t super heavy on the sauce, just enough to plump up the pasta noodles perfectly and help everything hold their shape (not dry…just not overly saucy). I split all the ingredients (sauce, cheese, noodles) into three layers but feel free to simplify and just halve everything and do two layers only. Less noodles, more sauce. It’s up to you. Also, the ingredient list looks long, but it comes together quickly, especially with the no-boil lasagna noodles.


*Serves 6-8


1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
dash of ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ½ cup frozen corn kernels, white or yellow
1 (6 ounce) can olives, chopped
9-12 no-boil lasagna noodles (I love the Barilla brand), or boil and drain regular lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream, light or regular
8 ounces cream cheese, light or regular

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan and set aside.

In a large 12-inch skillet, brown the ground beef or turkey and onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the grease. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste. Stir to combine well and cook for about a minute. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, oregano and salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Add the black beans, corn and olives. Mix well and heat through, about 5 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer three (or four, depending on the brand of noodles you use) noodles over the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the sauce over the noodles. Dollop 1/3 of the sour cream and 1/3 of the cream cheese (just pinch off chunks and toss them on top) across the sauce. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheeses. Repeat the layers two more times until all the ingredients are used.

Cover the lasagna with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more, until the lasagna is hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into and serving.

Turkey Stuffing Eggrolls

There is one combination that I adore at Thanksgiving, turkey and stuffing all in the same bite. Add in cranberry sauce or gravy and it is perfection! I made these egg rolls a few years ago and they have become a staple turkey leftover meal every year since. I make these the day after thanksgiving and freeze them individually, or use turkey meat from the freezer and make a quick batch for dinner.  Enjoy!

I added this post to Real Food Deals over at Premeditated Leftovers

Turkey Stuffing Egg Rolls
Recipe Source: A Cook's Quest

1 package square egg roll wrappers
leftover turkey
leftover stuffing

Lay an egg roll wrapper on the counter. Place some stuffing and some turkey on top. Wrap up and seal the edge with water. Fry or bake until golden brown and serve with gravy or cranberry sauce for dipping.

Total Cost-$2.99
Egg Roll wrappers-$2.99

Reader Recipe! #92 Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

This meatloaf recipe was sent to me by my friend Randy.  I was told it is the best meatloaf ever!  I love a good meatloaf and the fact that this is basically encased with bacon and baked with a glorious glaze made it a winner before I had even tasted it!  I had to make a few adjustments simply because I didn't plan accordingly but the results were still wonderful.  I'm sure if you follow the recipe as Randy provided it, your results will be even better than mine!

If you have a recipe that you love, or that you think I would love please send it me.  I would love to give it a try and feature a delicious dish!
P.S. I apologize for the photos.  It gets dark so early now and it is hard to get nice photos with indoor lighting.

Bacon-Wrapped Meat Loaf
Recipe Source: Reader Recipe from my friend Randy

printable version

**Cook's Note-Randy tells me this recipe is good with all beef.  I increased the amount of meat using half ground pork(1 1/2 pounds) and half beef (1 1/2 pounds) in order to make a freezer meal.  I am sure any combination of proteins will work fine. To cut costs, I used half a package of bacon which was plenty for both my meat loafs.  I also had to use 1 cup of fresh bread crumbs because I forgot to buy saltines at the store.  Just increase your salt a little bit.  And last but not least I was out of parsley so that was omitted**

Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider or white vinegar

Meat Loaf:
2 teaspoons oil
1 medium onion -- chopped medium
2 garlic cloves -- minced
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
1/2 cup whole milk or plain yogurt
2 pounds Meat Loaf Mix Of Pork, Veal, Beef
1 cup Saltine Crackers -- Crushed
1/3 cup Minced Fresh Parsley Leaves
10 slices Bacon

Directions:

For the glaze: Mix all ingredients in small saucepan; set aside.

For the meat loaf. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion and garlic; saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients. Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, and milk or yogurt. Add egg mixture to meat in large bowl along with crackers, parsley, and cooked onion and garlic; mix with fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture sticks, add additional milk or yogurt, a couple tablespoons at a time until mix no longer sticks.) Turn meat mixture onto work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into approximately 9-by- 5-inch loaf shape. Place on foil-lined (for easy cleanup) shallow baking pan, or wrap tightly and place in the freezer, with sauce and bacon packaged on the side.

Brush with half the glaze, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking only bacon tip ends under.

Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160F degrees, about 1 hour. Cool at least 20 minutes. Simmer remaining glaze over medium heat until thickened slightly. Slice meat loaf and serve with extra glaze passed separately.

**The cook was able to get two large meatloaves from this recipe.  We served it with baked potatoes, and canned green beans, both of which have been on sale frequently lately.

Total Cost-$6.20 for two meatloaves (one went into the freezer)
Ketchup-Free
Vinegar-$.05
Sugar-$.08
Pork-$1.25 (manager markdown)
Beef-$2.98 ($1.99 per pound)
Onion-$.30
Garlic-$.05
Salt and Pepper-$.01
Mustard-$.015
Worcestershire-$.05
Milk-$.04
Bread Crumbs-Free
Bacon-$1.24

Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce

The minute I read this recipe I knew I would make it sooner than later for many reasons:

• Since the middle of summer, I have been slowly weaning my family away from processed foods, opting instead for a more healthy approach. 
• Because I have never been very successful at making homemade Marinara Sauce, I was still using the jarred varieties.
• My attempts at the homemade version always ended up acidic, tangy, too sweet or some strange combination of flavors that wasn't enjoyable to eat. 
• I wanted to make the sauce that tasted like an Italian grandmother had made it. 

Finally, I found this recipe and it is not understatement when I say, this sauce has saved me from Marinara despair!  Yes, it is more expensive to make than getting a jar for free using coupons, however sometimes it's worth it to me to pay a little more for the flavor and health benefits of making my own.  It is rich and tomatoey, but not with that weird raw tomato flavor.  It is wonderful alone on pasta with a sprinkling of cheese or with the addition of Italian sausage or ground beef.  So next time you can get canned tomato products on a great sale stock up and try this sauce, you might never go back to the free stuff again!

I am sharing this recipe over at Premeditated Leftovers, go take a look!

Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce


Recipe Source: Modified ever so slightly from The Cooking Photographer

printable version
**Note from The Cooking Photographer- This marinara cooks for about 10 hours, so it’s often easier to make this the day before you’ll be using it for your recipe.
Using good quality canned tomato products makes a big difference in this sauce. Also, If you have time, rubbing the leafy spices between the palms of your hands helps release their flavors.

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes in rich puree
29 ounce can no sugar tomato sauce
6 ounce can tomato paste

1 cup water
1/2 cup good red wine
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, crushed and finely minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 teaspoon sugar, to taste

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 large bay leaf or two small



Stir the ingredients together and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours in your slow cooker, stirring occasionally.


Total Cost- About $3.76
for 9 cups of sauce.  I froze half and used half for spaghetti
Tomato Products-$2.00
Olive Oil-$.20
Wine-$1.00
Sugar-$.16
Spices-$.40 (give or take I haven't figured all my spice yet)

Kansas City Sue's Slow Cooker Chicken

It is slow cooker season at my house.  It seems that when Fall and Winter are here I utilize my slow cooker more than ever.  There is just nothing better for me than coming home to the smell of dinner waiting, especially when the recipe is so utterly simple to make.

Kansas City Sue's Slow Cooker Chicken was discovered at My Kitchen Cafe.  The chicken cooks all day in a flavorful, tangy sauce creating a moist delicious chicken perfect for any variety of side dishes.  I did exactly what Mel did and served ours over rice, spooning the extra sauce over the top.  Delicious!

Kansas City Sue's Slow Cooker Chicken
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from  My Kitchen Cafe

Printable Version

*Serves 6-ish
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup low-sodium beef broth

Place the chicken in the slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine all the other ingredients. Whisk well. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours. Serve with rice or noodles.

English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas

Mornings around my house are hectic.  Typically my husband is just getting home from work and the rest of us are blow drying, dressing, searching for matching socks, and looking for the homework that was supposed to be put in the backpack last night, before rushing out the door.  Somehow sleep feels so much better than the idea of getting up just a little bit earlier so we would all have time for breakfast.  Until this year I didn't worry too much about breakfast.  My older two ate breakfast at school and the youngest at daycare.  But this year the kids just aren't as thrilled with school breakfast, nor am I after I heard some of the things they get to choose from.  So I am making an effort to have portable breakfast options available; maybe this way we can all eat something hot, and homemade for breakfast each morning.  Until now, we have been eating breakfast burritos because they are super easy to transport in a backpack and waffles heated up in the toaster oven (on the rare occasion we have time to eat at home.)  But, then I found this idea at Our Best Bites and thought it was a great alternative to the burritos.

Easy to make ahead of time and easy to re-heat these little babies are not your typical breakfast sandwich.  No siree!  Instead of putting everything together between two pieces of bread, it is served pizza style.  The muffins are soaked in egg first, French toast style, and then topped with your favorite toppings.  After baking, just wrap them up place in the freezer until you are ready to eat.  I find the oven is best for re-heating but the microwave will do in a pinch as well!  Try these and enjoy a hot homemade breakfast :)

English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas

RecipeSource: Our Best Bites

6 whole wheat English muffins at room temperature

4 eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

About 10 dashes Tabasco sauce

Your favorite breakfast meat, cooked (ham, bacon, sausage, chorizo etc.)

3/4-1 c. shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese

Optional: Chopped vegetables like green onions, tomatoes, sliced olives, mushrooms, green peppers, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray liberally with non-stick cooking spray or brush with oil or melted butter. Set aside.

In a pie plate, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and Tabasco sauce. Gently pull apart each English muffin and soak each side (like you would for French toast) in the egg mixture--you want the egg mixture to soak into the bread, but you don't want the English muffin to be completely falling apart. Place the muffin, cut side up, on the baking sheet.

If using ham, slice the ham into thin strips and then place on top of the English muffins. If using bacon, just sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top. Add any additional desired toppings and then sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for 15 minutes and serve immediately.


FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS: After baking, loosen them from the baking sheet with a spatula and then allow them to cool completely. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer. When the pizzas are solid, transfer them to a large Ziploc freezer bag. To reheat, place on a plate and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes at a time until the pizza is heated through (actual time will depend on how powerful your microwave is).

Total Cost- Will Vary depending on your topping choice-mine were about $5.00 to make with bulk sausage and bacon.

Stuffed Divine Bread Sticks

The divine bread sticks I posted originally really are divine.  Light, chewy pieces of bread coated lightly with butter and topped with herbs and cheese, or anything else that your heart desires.  The recipe is fast, and dare I say...fail proof?  The dough is so easy to work with that I decided to play with it a few weeks ago in an attempt to recreate some stuffed bread sticks we order from a local pizza restaurant.  Once again, the dough was divine and the few extra steps I took to make a cheesy centers made the final sticks even better than the originals.  So follow along with me below to find out how easy it is to make something divine even better!

Stuffed Divine Bread sticks
Recipe Source: A Cook's Quest (Bread stick recipe Mel)

1  batch of Divine Bread stick Dough
1/2 stick  butter
Ranch Dressing Mix (I use my homemade variety) or your favorite herbs/seasonings
Cheeses of your choice

After allowing the dough to rest, roll out into a rectangle approximately 1/4 inch thick.

Drizzle dough with melted butter and spread with a pastry brush evenly.

Top 1/2 of the dough with a sprinkling of ranch mix, and your choice of cheeses.

Fold the plain buttered half over the seasoned half and gently press down to eliminate large air pockets between the layers. 

I have found that  pizza cutter works best to slice the dough into bread sticks. 

This part is a matter of preference. You can make them long and skinny. short and fat, or somewhere int he middle.  Just try to make then approximately the same size so that the baking time will be even for all of them.

Twist each piece of dough. Place on a cookie sheet and brush with more melted butter. This is a great job if you have little helpers like I often do!

 Top with more cheese if desired and allow the bread stick to raise for 30-40 minutes.  Bake in a 375 F oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

**This recipe makes double what I typically need for my family.  Instead of raising the second time, I place the cookie sheet in the freezer and allow the sticks to freeze solid.  Then place in a plastic bag.  When you are ready for breadsticks later, remove the breadsticks from the bag, place on a cookie sheet and allow to unthaw and raise (approximately 1hour.)  Top with butter and bake as normal.

Total Cost $1.54 much less than an order from our local pizza place!
Bread stick Dough $.35
Butter $.25
Ranch Mix $.19 (I used about 2 T)
Cheese $.75

Reader Recipe! Creamed Corn

My only eating encounters with this version of corn preparation have always come from a can, and always tasted like sweet gooey corn.  Not surprising considering the ingredients in commercially made cream style corn. One name brand Cream Style White Corn contains corn, water, sugar, modified food starch and salt. Did you notice what I noticed? There is no cream on the ingredient list! hence why it is only called cream style corn.  It was never a side dish I asked for, nor is it one I make on my own now as a grown up cook.  But, here I am posting a recipe for creamed corn  because my friend and co-worker, who is a creamed corn convert, told me how utterly wonderful this version is.

When I say creamed corn I mean made with cream, not mashed up corn to make a creamy consistency.  There is no added sugar.  I have not added extra food starch.  And there is no added water.  I made this recipe from all things good and wonderful.  Corn, half and half, and butter.  Really just try to convince me it isn't good.  I am now a creamed corn convert too.  I love this recipe.  It is simple, rich, and perfectly lovely as a side dish for almost any meal.  I am thinking of starting a club, Creamed Corn Converts so try this recipe and join me in the happy land of creamed corn, made with real cream!

Creamed Corn
Recipe source: My friend Cindy

6 ears of fresh corn
1/2 stick of butter cubed
3/4 c half and half
Salt and Pepper to taste

Shuck your corn and cut the kernels off the cobs.

 Gently, using the back of a knife scrape the cob to release the starchy milk inside the cob.

 Add the half and half and cubed butter.  Place in a baking dish, covered and bake at 375 F for 1 hour or so. 

Enjoy!

**After this dish is cooled you can place in baggies or containers for your freezer.  A great way to enjoy fresh creamed corn all year round!

Total Cost $1.64 this makes more than what is in a 15 oz can for about the same price.
Corn $.75 (Farmer's markets ROCK)
Half and Half $.64
Butter $.25

Cinnabon Clone Cinnamon Rolls

In honor of my friend Nikki, who had a terrible craving for cinnamon rolls while she was pregnant, I am posting this cinnamon roll recipe.  It is supposed to be a clone of the famous Cinnabon Cinnamon rolls and while I can't say they taste the same to me, I can say that these are the best cinnamon rolls I have ever made, ever, without a doubt, seriously delicious!  I dare you to eat only one because I don't think it is possible. 

The cream cheese frosting is rich and buttery, there is a perfect cinnamon to sugar ratio going on and the dough itself, well it is wonderfully delicate and light while being full of rich flavor.  I would highly suggest making a double batch to ensure everyone can have seconds!

Cinnabon Clones

Recipe Source: All Recipes.com

Dough

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine, melted and cooled
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Filling
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

Icing
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Place the dough ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start. Or you can mix everything in your mixer or by hand.  After ingredients come together, knead for 3-5 minutes and allow to rise, covered in a warm place.

After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls (or more if you want smaller rolls.  I cut mine into 16). Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

 Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes (Mine took 18 minutes, I like them a little more well done). While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Total Cost-Does it really matter?  I know the whole pan cost less than buying store made cinnamon rolls and that makes me feel good.

Chicken Pinwheels

These little babies are simple, flexible, and delicious!  Don't repeat this but I ate three in one sitting. It was only because my family needed to eat their dinners that I didn't eat more.  The recipe idea came from a few different places.  The first from my friend and fellow book club member who brought a version made with crescent rolls, cream, cheese, onion and bacon...can you say mouth watering?!  They were sooooo good!  Then a few days later Mel at My Kitchen Cafe posted a similar recipe using ham and broccoli. 

Any combination of meat, cheese, veggies and seasoning can be used.  Next time I think I might do a Mexican style one with cream cheese, salsa, seasoned taco meat etc., or a chicken cordon bleu style with chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese.  I used the french roll recipe in mine because that is what Melanie used but try any favorite roll recipe you have or even refrigerated crescent rolls or the bread dough that can be found in the freezer section.

Chicken Broccoli Pinwheels
Recipe Source: Adaptations of Lisa and Mel's Recipes

1 recipe French Roll Dough, or your choice of dough will work too
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (I used Yogurt Cheese)
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups finely chopped broccoli
2 cups cheese (Use your favorite, anything works.  I used a mix of cheddar and mozzarella)
3/4 cup finely chopped green onions

Follow the recipe for your roll dough until the dough has risen. Punch down the dough and roll the dough out into a large rectangle (approximately 13x20 inches).

In a small bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Spread the rolled out dough with the butter/cream cheese mixture. Top with each of your fillings. 

Roll the dough up, like you would a batch of cinnamon rolls. Slice the roll into about 1-inch segments.
 Place the rolls on a lightly greased baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.

 Let the rolls rise until nearly doubled and bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly.  Enjoy with a nice salad and great friends!

***These freeze beautifully.  After slicing the pinwheels, place them on a cookie sheet and freeze.  Once frozen, wrap the pinwheels, label and return to the freezer.  On the day you want to serve them, set them on a cookie sheet lightly covered.  They will raise as the they thaw.  Place in the oven and bake as directed above. 

Total Cost $5.72 for the whole batch (This made 20 pinwheels, I baked half and froze half for dinner another night so each dinner cost is $2.86!)

French Roll Dough $.51
Yogurt Cheese $1.11
Butter $.31
Broccoli $.77
Chicken $.98 (I found a killer deal on Chicken Breasts)
Cheese $1.24
Green Onion $.80

Pâte à choux (batter for cream puffs and eclairs and profiteroles...)

Cream puffs and eclairs and profiteroles of any flavor or size are a weakness of mine.  There is something about the light, airy pastry filled with marvelous flavors and topped with even more flavor that just makes me throw all reason out the window.  They are all basically the same thing, a pastry made from choux paste and piped or dropped and even sometimes fried to create a lovely light pastry.  I used to think that these little gems were hard to make, but my dear readers I was wrong, so very very wrong!

All of these creations begin by making a pâte à choux.  Yes, it sounds all fancy dancy and like something that doesn't belong in a home kitchen, but really it's not.  It only sounds fancy because it's French, and unless you speak French, which I most definitely don't, it will have that fru fru sound to it.  Pronounce it paht-ah-shoo, or call it by what most Americans call it,  cream puff shells, or make up your own name, really it doesn't matter as long as you try these perfect little bites of delectable goodness.  They are truly simple, easy food to make especially since you can fill them with anything.  Soon...very very soon I will show you what goes inside of them.

**Cook's Note-This is very similar to the recipe I used for the base of the Strawberry Cream Puff Cake

Pâte à choux

6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter
3/4 cup water
1 cup all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
4 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In sauce pan, combine the butter and water.

Meanwhile on a piece of parchment paper, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. This is also a good time to crack your eggs, get your mixer ready and fit a pastry bag with a coupler but no tip, or cut the corner off a plastic bag.

 Bring the water and butter to a rolling boil, remove from heat and dump the flour mixture in all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate.

Return the pan to the burner and cook, stirring, for about one minute. The mixture will form a ball and coat the pan with a thin film.

Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl or standing mixer equipped with the paddle attachment. Mix the dough for a minute or so, on low speed, to release some of the heat. Add the eggs, one at a time, completely incorporating each one before adding the next. Beat until the dough gets thick and ribbony.

Fill your pastry bag or plastic bag with the warm dough. Line a heavy cookie sheet with parchment paper and anchor it to the tray with a little dab of the dough at each corner.  Or you can  use stoneware like I do.  Pipe about forty to forty five 1 1/2-inch mounds about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

 

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and puffed. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes or until they are golden brown and there are no droplets of moisture in the crevices. Turn off oven, prop the door with the end of a wooden spoon and leave the choux to dry for another 10 minutes. Use when cool, or freeze, wrapped in a plastic bag, for 2-3 months.