Garlic Bread Pizza (Copy Cat Pizza Hut)

Ummmmm, can I just say, where did summer go? I can't believe it is already August. I am ready for our lives to slow back down, but does that ever happen? Anyway......

I am sure you have probably all seen Pizza Hut's new Garlic Bread Pizza. When I first saw it I though, "Yum.........why haven't I thought of that.......what? $8.99 for 9 pieces?........I can make that myself!"

So, maybe you thought the same thing. And maybe you have already made your own. But if not, add it to your dinner menu, and you won't be disappointed. We have definitely had the classic french bread pizza before where you slice the loaf lengthwise and spread the sauce on each side and then add toppings. It's a basic. But can I tell you, I think this is SO much better! Garlic Bread Pizza is so easy to make and even better it's pretty cheap. You are looking at about $3-4 for one loaf! That's is about 1/3 of the price if you bought it from Pizza Hut. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Pizza Hut, it's the pizza I grew up eating, and I understand the want to eat out. But, it isn't always an option, so why not get a great meal in only 15 minutes of time?

All you need....... loaf of french bread, butter, garlic bread seasoning, shredded mozzarella, and toppings.
Think how cheaply you could make this, especially if you pick up a clearanced loaf of french bread for under $1!

Garlic Bread Pizza (Copy Cat Pizza Hut)
Servings: 9-12 slices
Time: Under 15 minutes

1 loaf of French Bread
1 cube melted butter
Garlic Bread Seasoning (I used OOB recipe found here)
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Pepperoni (or whatever toppings you choose)

Start by lining your baking sheet with tin foil for easy clean up. Then start slicing your french bread into medallions (do not slice lengthwise). Get as many slices as you want by adjusting how thick your slices are. Arrange your pieces on your baking sheet by laying them flat so they are open face up. Add some garlic bread seasoning into your cube of melted butter (about a tablespoon or so). Then brush the garlic butter onto the tops of your bread slices. Then sprinkle with some mozzarella cheese and lastly add your toppings. Then stick it under your broiler in the oven for a few minutes. Just watch for the cheese to melt and get a little bubbly and golden and that's it! Pull it out of the oven, and enjoy! For a well rounded meal you could serve it alongside a green salad.

Your husbands will love it, your kids will love it, you will love it! You will love the price, the time and the taste!

Raspberry Cream Pie

I was able to taste this de.li.cious. pie at our friend's annual Pi Party back in March. It won best pie, almost hands down, it was amazing. We all sat there trying to figure out what was in it. Finally we asked. A couple weeks later a friend of mine made the pie but in a blackberry version with graham cracker pie crust and it was also amazing. I am telling you, you HAVE to try this pie. It is so good!
If you have never visited The Pioneer Woman's Blog then you are seriously missing out. She really has some amazing recipes. And I have read that her cinnamon rolls are amazing! Head on over to her site, the pictures are great!

Raspberry Cream Pie
from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

25 whole Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

1 cup (generous) Raspberries

3 Tablespoons Sugar

2 containers (6 Ounce Each) Raspberry Yogurt

1 package (3.4 Ounch) Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Extra Raspberries For Garnish

Preparation Instructions

To make the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crust cookies in a food processor (or smash in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin). Stir in melted butter until all combined. Pour into a regular pie pan and press crumbs all over the pan and up the sides. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes---just long enough for it to set.
Cool crust completely.

Place raspberries on a plate or in an empty pan. Smash them with a fork, then sprinkle on 3 tablespoons of sugar. Stir together and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine raspberry yogurt with the instant vanilla pudding mix (just the powder itself.) Beat on low until combined, about 1 minute. Pour in heavy cream and whip on low for 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn mixer on medium-high speed and beat for two minutes, or until mixture is thick.

Turn off mixer, then fold in raspberries until just combined. Pour into cooled pie pan and spread evenly. Freeze for two hours, or until very firm. Cut into slices and top each slice with cookie crumbs, dollops of whipped cream, and extra raspberries. Keep in freezer, allowing time to thaw before serving.

Peasant Pasta

As my Mom said, life has been a little busy. After baby #2 made his debut on April 9th life has been a little crazy. Between family coming to visit, and then traveling to see our brothers graduate High School, I have had no free time. And now summer is in full swing, and I am busy with other things. But life as a family of four has been a new adventure.

Which leads me into this next recipe. Peasant Pasta. A good friend of mine brought over this dish for our family just after I had the baby. And let me tell you, it is GOOD. And not to mention a fairly easy recipe. It comes from Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals and it feeds A LOT. I would say 6-8, maybe more if you combine it with a salad and french bread on the side. My husband and I were eating it for like 3 days as leftovers. And even the leftovers are good, which is saying something for me. (I am a very picky leftover eater).

So, go ahead. Give this recipe a try. You will not regret it!

Peasant Pasta
Servings: 6-8
Time: 20 minutes

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan

1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, available in bulk at butcher counter or, 2 links, casings removed

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, available in bulk at butcher counter or, 4 links, casings removed

3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped, optional

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup frozen green peas

24 leaves fresh basil, torn or thinly sliced

1 pound penne rigate pasta, cooked to al dente

Grated Italian cheese, for passing

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan. Add sausage meat. Crumble sausage meat as it browns. Add chopped garlic to the pan. When all of the crumbles have browned evenly, deglaze the pan drippings using chicken or vegetable broth. Stir in crushed tomatoes and bring the sauce up to a bubble, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir cream into your sauce, this will blush the color and cut the acidity of the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir peas and basil into your sauce to combine. Toss hot drained penne rigate in pan with the sauce, then transfer pasta to serving bowl.

This was the dish I made for Mother's Day, so satisfying.

And for dessert we had this........

Raspberry Cream Pie

recipe coming soon

Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

I know it has been a while since we posted anything new.  I have actually had these pictures for awhile and didn't realize I hadn't pposted.  I know Chelsea also has a couple of recipes she'll be putting up soon.  Life has been very busy for both of us lately.

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

At the end of last summer a friend and I went on a road trip to the Midwest.  We visited my sister-in-law in a suburb of Chicago and she took us out to have traditional Chicago Pizza.  We went to Lou Malnati's Pizzeria.  It was wonderful.  After arriving home I began searching for a similar recipe.  This is the one I found and love.  The dough has a perfect texture.  Try it you might really like it!

Originally found at:  http://annies-eats.com/2010/01/21/chicago-style-deep-dish-pizza/

Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

Ingredients:

For the dough:

1½ cups plus 2 tbsp. (8 1/8 oz.) all-purpose flour

¼ cup (1 3/8 oz.) yellow cornmeal

¾ tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

1 1/8 tsp. instant yeast

½ cup plus 2 tbsp. (5 oz.) water, at room temperature

1½ tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

For the sauce:

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tbsp. grated onion

Pinch of dried oregano

¼ tsp. salt

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes

Pinch of sugar

2 tbsp. fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

1½ tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Ground black pepper

For assembling and topping:

2 tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups)

¼ oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2 tbsp.)

Directions:

To make the dough, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook on low speed. Mix until blended, about 1 minute. Add the water and melted butter and continue mixing on low speed until fully incorporated, 1-2 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is glossy and smooth, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 4-5 minutes.

Using your hands, coat a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turning once to coat with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled, about 45-60 minutes.

While the dough is rising, prepare the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until reduced to about 1¼ cups, about 25 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To laminate the dough, turn the dough out onto a dry work surface and roll into a 8- by 6-inch rectangle. Using an offset spatula, spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. With the seam side down, flatten the cylinder into a 9- by 2 inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a business letter, pinch the seams to form a ball, and return to the oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator until nearly doubled in size, 40-50 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. To assemble, coat a 9-inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Transfer the dough ball to a dry work surface and roll out into a 13-inch disk about ¼-inch thick. Transfer the dough to the pan. Lightly press the dough into the pan, working into the corners and 1 inch up the sides. If the dough resists stretching, let rest 5 minutes before trying again.

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the surface of the dough. Spread the tomato sauce over the cheese and top with Parmesan. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

***Although the recipe only called for cheese, I added desired toppings on top of the cheese before adding the sauce.  

Yield: 1 9-inch deep-dish pizza

***The first time I made one and the second two pizzas.  1 pizza will serve 4 as the pieces are very filling, but we had no leftovers, therefore we went for doubling the recipe the next time.  The crust ends up very thick.  You could possibly make a small individual serving out of each recipe as well.

Pink Lemonade Ice Cream Pie

This pie can be described in two words. Simple and Delicious. Pretty good words right? I don't know about you, but it has mostly been in the 70's here for the last 3 weeks, and at 38 weeks pregnant I have had no desire to turn on the oven and cook. Which has left things very interesting come dinner time. Anyway, when I found out about our friends annual Pi Party (you know 3.14), I knew I wanted to make something refreshing.
And then I remembered this pie:

So perfect, just 3 ingredients and put it in the freezer. And I don't think there was anyone who didn't enjoy it.

Pink Lemonade Ice Cream Pie
Servings: 16 or 2 (9-inch) pies

1 can frozen pink lemonade concentrate
1 tub of vanilla ice cream (just a cheap, no-name brand one)
2 graham cracker pie crusts

Set your ice cream and pink lemonade out on the counter to soften. Don't let your ice cream melt completely. Once they have softened, pour the ice cream and pink lemonade into a large bowl and stir until well combined. You don't want any big chunks so just work with it for a few minutes. Then divide your pink lemonade ice cream mixture evenly between the 2 pie crusts and place in the freezer to set up until ready to serve. Once the ice cream has set just slice, serve and enjoy!

Variations: Because you are using vanilla ice cream, this recipe leaves a lot of room for variation. Try out some different juice flavors: like raspberry lemonade, regular lemonade, limeade, you could probably even try orange juice for a take on an Orange Dreamsicle Pie. (I have never tried it, but I bet it would work!) Also feel free to add some mix-ins like marshmallows or even fruit. You could add some frozen raspberries with raspberry lemonade concentrate and I am sure it would be great! You can also use a regular pie crust instead of graham cracker if you prefer. Get creative and have fun with it!

This is a great summer recipe so hopefully you can get some use out of it over the next few months to come. Make it for a party and share with friends and family, or just eat two pies yourself, I won't judge.

Let me know if you try it, or if there are other variations you have tried!

Our Best Bites - Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls

This is one of my new favorite recipes.  They are oh, so delicious.  They are also very easy to make.  Sometimes I mix them up, put them in the cupcake tins before church, stick them in the refrigerator, and then cook them when we get home.  In about 30 minutes you have warm, tasty rolls.



http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/08/cheesy-garlic-bread-swirls/
French Bread Dough
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4-5 1/2 c. flour
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 egg yolk

Garlic Butter:
1/2 c. (1 stick) of real butter, no substitutions
1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning (see recipe)

1 1/2 c. Shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine yeast, water, and sugar in large mixing bowl and allow to stand 10 minutes or until bubbly. Add salt, vegetable oil, and egg yolk (set white aside for later) and combine. Add 3 c. flour and mix well until combined. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that barely sticks to your finger. Knead, either by hand or in mixer (my personal and very lazy choice) for another 2-3 minutes. Cover and allow to rise 1 hour.

While dough is rising, combine butter and garlic bread seasoning. Set aside.

Garlic Bread Seasoning

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/04/garlic-bread-seasoning/
1/2 c. powdered Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. Kosher salt

2 Tbsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. basil

2 tsp. marjoram

2 tsp. parsley

Shake ingredients together in an airtight container.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.  (Seriously this is great on french bread from the grocery store - and keeps really well.)

When the dough has risen, roll the dough into an 18 x 6-inch rectangle on a work surface lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or sprinkled with flour. Smear garlic butter over the entire surface of the dough and then sprinkle with cheese.
Roll up the dough jelly-roll style and then use dental floss or a knife to cut it into 12 equal pieces.  Place each piece in a muffin tin cup that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Let rise while oven is preheating to 350 decrees.
When the ovenis ready, bake for 18-22 minutes.  Be sure to keep a close eye on these during the last 10 minutes or so -- once you notice the cheese getting brown, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the rolls- just lay on top.  This will keep the cheese from burning.
Eat while hot and gooey!!!
This makes 12 VERY large rolls.

Rainbow Jello Salad - Happy St. Patrick's Day

Yeah, I know St. Patrick's Day was a week ago, but hey I am trying here. The weeks seem to be filled with so many things to get done that I don't have much spare time. There are actually like 5 other things that I SHOULD be doing right now, but oh well. :)

In case you didn't know, we're Irish. My mom has Irish heritage and we always celebrated with Corned Beef and Cabbage each year. For the last three years I have really missed out on this tradition and finally decided that I would go ahead and do it for my own family this year. But, also because I have a wonderful group of friends, we used St. Patrick's Day as an excuse to get together and enjoy some food. Everyone brought a green food to share, the kids played, the women talked, and the men......watched March Madness. :)
So I made a delicious green salad as well as this........

I know it isn't just green, but rainbows are totally festive for St. Patrick's Day too. It isn't a hard recipe, but it is a little time consuming. There is a lot of waiting timed while you let each layer set up. But don't let that intimidate you! This jello is totally worth it. (Ha, people don't usually say things like that about jello.)

So here you go:

Rainbow Jello Salad
Servings: about 12 (makes one 9x13 pan)

One small box (3 oz.) of each jello: lime, lemon, orange, raspberry, and grape
1 1/4 cups of sour cream
1 tub of Cool Whip (optional)

Take one cup of boiling water and add to lime jello. Stir until dissolved. Divide in half. Add 3 tablespoons of cold water to one half of the jello and pour into your glass bowl or dish.

Refrigerate that layer for 20-30 minutes until set.

To the other half of the jello add 1/4 cup of sour cream, mix well. After the first half has set, add your sour cream layer over the top and let that set for another 20-30 minutes.

Continue with the other flavors in order (lime, lemon, orange, raspberry and grape) until you have 10 layers.

Top with Cool Whip if desired.

I always use Cool Whip, I like to think of it as the clouds around the rainbow. :)

I know that these are pictures of the Raspberry, but just pretend I took pictures of lime.

 Adding the first half with just the cold water.

 Making the 2nd half with sour cream.

 The color will become more solid and creamy.

 All of the finished layers. Doesn't that look awesome!

I am telling you, this Jello is GOOD! And all of your friends will be so impressed! It is a great dish to take to a BBQ or other summer party. I don't know about you, but it feels like summer is right around the corner.

Pinterest: Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

Most of my posts have been coming from Pinterest lately. Sorry, about that. But believe me, I have tried quite a few recipes from Pinterest that haven't worked out, so in my opinion it is nice to know which ones to try!

As you might have been able to tell, we have been busy lately. My sister recently had to have her baby 5 weeks early due to preeclampsia and my Mom (Vera), was helping her out for a while. My nephew was in the NICU for about 2 weeks but is now home with his family! And I have been getting ready for our second little boy to come in 4 weeks. It is like I suddenly realized I actually need to start getting things ready now. :) But, that's why I didn't get a post out last week. I have also been trying to spend lots of fun time with my toddler, knowing he is going to be seriously neglected in the coming weeks. It breaks my heart a little, knowing my world won't focus around just him anymore. But he is SO excited for his little brother to come, and so are we!

Anyways, a good friend of mine, whose due date is tomorrow, is also having a little boy. And as her wonderful friends :), we put on a baby shower. We decided to go the route of a brunch, instead of a lunch this time and I think it turned out great. We had a variety of bagels with cream cheese, juice, and build-your-own yogurt parfaits. It was all SO good! Normally we do some kind of cake or cupcakes for dessert at baby showers, and we were trying to figure out what to do since it would be earlier in the morning. Then I stumbled across Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes from Pink Parsley on Pinterest. I couldn't believe how perfect these would be. I mean it is just a cinnamon roll in a cupcake liner, but seriously how cute! And so easy to eat.

I will be honest, making breads are not my favorite. I always stress about it rising just right and such. Everything turns out fine in the end, but you know, I am learning and getting better each time. I choose to use the recipe found on Pink Parsley because I wasn't sure if other recipes would work just as well. I liked the cinnamon rolls, they were a little denser and drier than I expected, definitely not a gooey cinnamon roll. If you want gooey I would try your own recipe. But, I liked how they held up and everyone said they tasted great. My husband LOVED the frosting and raved about it for days, which is totally uncommon for him. So give it a try. I will definitely try to bake them as cupcakes using different cinnamon roll recipes in the future, and see how they turn out! Happy Baking!

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes
adapted from Beantown Baker, originally from La Fuji Mama
Servings: 24

• 2 1/4 tsp. or 1 packet dry active yeast
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 cup warm milk (approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit)
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter, softened

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar 

Dissolve the yeast and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar in the warm milk in a large bowl and let stand for about 10 minutes until foamy.

Mix in the eggs, butter, salt, and other 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Add flour and mix until well blended and the dough forms a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead about 5-10 times. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about one hour).

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. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners, and lightly spray over the top of them with cooking spray.

Roll dough into a 12x22 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 24 rolls using dental floss or a pastry cutter. You may have to unroll each roll and re-roll in order for the dough to fit in a cupcake tin.

Place each roll in a cupcake liner. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Alternatively, allow to rise overnight in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Let rolls cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, mix cream cheese and butter using the whisk attachment of a mixer. Slowly add the powdered sugar until desired consistency has been reached.

A few notes, my dough did not rise hardly at all overnight in the refrigerator. But they cooked up just fine. I did re-roll each one, and cut off excess that was too long, and then I pieced all the excess pieces together to make other rolls.

Seriously, how cute are those? I know you want one! :)

Old Fashioned Mac N Cheese

This is comfort food at our house.  It is adapted from an old Betty Crocker cookbook and has become a family favorite.  It is best with freshly grated cheeese, but I often use the preshredded.  The original recipe calls for a 9x13 pan, but we like it better thicker in a 9x9 or 7x11 dish.

Old Fashioned Mac N Cheese

7 ounces elbow macaroni (about 2 cups)

1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 cups shredded cheese
2 cups white sauce


Heat oven to 375.  Cook macaroni as directed on package.  Place half the macaroni in ungreased 2 –quart casserole.  Sprinkle with half the salt, pepper and cheese; repeat.  Pour white sauce over casserole.  Bake about 30 minutes till hot and bubbly. 

Thin White Sauce:
2 Tbl butter
2 Tbl flour
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 cup milk

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat.  Blend in flour salt and pepper.   Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly.   Stir in milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.

Pinterest: Hawaiian Sweet Roll Ham Sammies

I have to say the second I saw these on Pinterest, I was like, YUM! They looked so delicious, and to be honest I am not really a ham person, I much prefer turkey, but you know ham and swiss just go together so I stuck with the recipe and used ham. I found this recipe on Pinterest from Beyer Beware. There is also a similar recipe on The Girl Who Ate Everything, where she uses individual rolls as opposed to the King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls. I chose to go with the Sweet Rolls because they taste amazing and it was also much faster than cutting and stuffing 24 individual rolls (you will see what I mean).

 Image from Beyer Beware

I made them for our Super Bowl Party, which is more like a small get-to-gather with friends and we usually have cake for my hubby's birthday. Everyone RAVED about them, and I thought they were really good. I would totally make them again for a party. My husband did not enjoy the sauce over the top, maybe too messy, but I liked them that way. I made a double batch so I just put them on a sheet pan instead of two 9x13s. And really they were SO simple too, it maybe took me 10 minutes to put it all together. I really hope you get a chance to try out this recipe, it is awesome!

Chop up your onion, if you have a food chopper, use it! (By the way, I only used one whole onion instead of two for a double batch, and I thought it was more than enough). Then combine your butter, onion, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and poppy seeds in a sauce and simmer for several minutes.
Then cut your entire package of rolls in half lengthwise. Place the bottoms in a foil lined baking sheet and spread 3/4 of your onion mixture on the rolls.

Then layer your ham and then swiss cheese over the top of the onion mixture. I will be honest I didn't go to the deli and get fresh cut ham and cheese I just bought the regular old packaged stuff and it worked out great! So much cheaper too!

Then place the top half over the rolls and spread the rest of the onion mixture over the top. Cover the entire thing with foil and you can bake or refrigerate until you are ready to bake them. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. Believe me, you will not regret making these. Oh man, I think I want one right now!

Image from Beyer Beware

Sorry not all of the images are mine, I was in a hurry and my pregnancy brain tends to forget a lot of things. But I promise mine looked exactly the same, and that rarely happens!

Hawaiian Sweet Roll Ham Sammies

From: Beyer Beware

Servings: 12 rolls

1 package of 12 Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

1 onion, chopped finely

1 stick of butter

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

3 teaspoons of poppy seeds

1/2 pound of shaved ham

8 slices of swiss cheese

Melt butter in saucepan and add onion. Combine mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and poppy seeds with onion and butter. Simmer for several minutes.

Slice rolls as a group lengthwise and place in a foil lined baking sheet.

Spread 3/4 of the onion mixture over the bottom half of the rolls and top with ham and cheese.

Place roll tops on and spread the remaining onion mixture over the top. Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

 

I hope you enjoy these! Let us know what you think! What recipes have you tried and loved from Pinterest?

Pinterest: Chicken Broccoli Supreme

I found this recipe on Pinterest via Just Get Off Your Butt and Bake. She has some great recipes, with lots of inspiration, so go check it out. I was interested in trying this recipe because it doesn't use any mayonnaise or cream of chicken soup. Unlike our families version of this recipe called Chicken Divan, this is a staple in our home and a fairly simple casserole. When my brother returned home from his mission, Chicken Divan was his meal of choice. Too funny. I will have to post our Chicken Divan recipe later.

So this recipe is quite similar in that you have your veggie, chicken, sauce, cheese and crumb topping. I liked this recipe because I felt like it was a little healthier for our family without all the fat or mayo and cream of chicken soup. My husband liked it, but I think he still prefers Chicken Divan so see what you think. I know there are a lot of people out there who HATE using cream of anything soups, so this is a great alternative for you. I definitely suggest that you give it a try!

Make your sauce using butter, cornstarch and water, chicken broth, milk, salt and pepper and cheese. Sounds like a good sauce to me!

Once your chicken is cooked cut it up. How do you like to cook your chicken. I boiled my chicken for a long time, because I could just throw the frozen chicken breasts in and I didn't have to wait to thaw it. But I have learned that chicken just doesn't taste great that way. Thaw your chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag in cold water for a few hours. Then rinse them, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread some olive oil, salt and pepper on them and bake at 350 for about 25-30 min. or until juices run clear. It adds great flavor for chicken in a casserole.

I used frozen broccoli and just steamed it for a few minutes and then I layered the broccoli and chicken in the pan. Add the sauce and the rest of the cheese over the top. Then finish it off with your Ritz, poppy seed and butter mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 min. I actually only made half a batch of this recipe and it could easily feed 4 maybe even 6.

FRENCH CHICKEN BROCCOLI SUPREME

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

1 – lb. fresh broccoli Break in pieces, and steam for 2 minutes.
3 cups cooked chicken breasts – Break up in small pieces
3 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese divided
2 tubes Ritz Crackers
1 stick melted butter
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

 

SAUCE:
1/3 C. Butter melted
1/4 C. Cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 C. COLD Water
1/3 C. Chicken Broth
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
2 Cups Milk
1 1/2 cups of the above Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

In greased 13×9 pan, layer the broccoli and chicken, then set aside. In saucepan over medium heat, combine the melted butter, cornstarch dissolved in water, chicken broth, seasonings, and milk. Stir well, and continue stirring until sauce has thickened. Turn heat down to low, and add 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. Pour over the chicken and broccoli. Top with 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese.
Melt the butter, and add the poppy seeds, and stir well. Crush Ritz crackers in large zip-lock bag with a rolling pin. Don’t crush too small. Add crumbs to the melted butter. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the grated cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until hot & bubbly.

Eat and enjoy!

Recipe from Just Get Off Your Butt and Bake

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe comes from my Young Women's President back in high school who did a dinner exchange each week with my family and few other families. This was one of the meals that she would bring. It is a great Sunday meal at our house because I can put it in the crock pot before church and finish it up as soon as we get home. The use of toasted english muffins for the crust make it probably the easiest chicken pot pie ever! No stress about rolling out the crust and all that other stuff, just ladle your chicken mixture over your english muffin and start eating!

Really, this is one of my husband's favorite meals! And although he will eat pretty much anything, there are few things that he actually will ask for and this is one of them. And it really makes a lot. I usually invite people over for dinner when I make it and I don't even have to double recipe. Plus it reheats well, you just reheat the chicken mixture in the microwave, toast an english muffin while you are waiting and you are done.

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie
Servings: 6-8

4 Chicken Breasts             Diced potatoes
diced carrots                      1/2 - 1 tsp garlic salt
black pepper                     salt
onion                                2 cans cream of chicken soup
frozen peas                       chicken broth or milk
english muffins

Fill cooker 2/3 full of cut up vegetables  Lay chicken breasts on top.  Sprinkle with garlic salt, salt, pepper, and onion.  pour on 2 cans of cream of chicken soup.  Cook 4 –5 hours on high.  Stir together and shred meat.  Add frozen peas and thin with broth or milk as desired.  Heat another 20-30 minutes.  Serve over toasted english muffins.

I have always thinned with milk as I like it creamy, but I am sure that it would be great thinned with chicken broth as well. I hope you get a chance to try this recipe let me know how it turns out!

Our Best Bites Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Here at Tried & True, we are HUGE fans of Kate and Sara over at Our Best Bites. They have amazing recipes! If you have never visited their site, it is a great for recipe ideas, or if you have always been a little cautious about trying new recipes OBB is a great place to start. My mom and I both have their cookbook and have used many recipes out of it. These Creamy Chicken Taquitos really are a great recipe and fairly simple to make. Plus, they are baked instead of fried, cutting down of so many calories!

Have you heard about the trick of putting your cooked chicken into a KitchenAid with the paddle attachment to get perfectly shredded chicken? It is all over pinterest. I have done this so many times since I saw the idea! The biggest time saver! And can I say cleaner. You don't have to wait for the chicken to cool down to use your hands and you don't have to try and pull it apart with two forks. Just toss it in the KitchenAid while it is still hot, turn it on, and within a minute or two your chicken is perfectly shredded.

Anyway, these are a great meal in our family with just three of us we can eat them for dinner and then hubby and I have them for lunch the next day as well. Definitely worth trying!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
From Our Best Bites
Serving: 12-16 taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small flour or corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or Sara suggests this dressing.

Easy Tortellini Dinner

I searched for some different ways to make Tortellini, I looked all through pinterest but I wasn't really finding just what I wanted. I also wanted a meal that could go together fairly quickly, because some nights you just don't have time in the kitchen. So I took inspiration from a few different recipes to create my own. The hubby really seemed to enjoy it and I was happy with the end result. The great thing is, you can change this recipe depending on what you have on hand with veggies and cheeses. Mine was pretty basic, but it tasted great and the leftovers were just as good.

First fry up some bacon......

Or pop it in the microwave, whichever is easier. I like to cut the bacon into chunks first and then fry it in the skillet, you definitely want it crispy to add some crunch to your pasta. Place the cooked bacon on a plate with a paper towel to soak up the rest of the grease and set aside.

While your bacon is frying, boil your water and get your tortellini cooking. Just follow packaged directions. I bought this family sized packaged of refrigerated Cheese-filled Tortellini. I used half the package and froze the other half to use for later. This way you can buy the tortellini a little cheaper and use it for two meals, or one depending on how many you need to feed.

Drain your pasta once it is cooked completely and return to your pot. Now add some Alfredo sauce. To make it easy I used half a jar of store bought Alfredo, but if you have more time make your own and it will add more flavor to your pasta. Then add in some cheese, I used mozzarella, like 1 or 2 handfuls. Then add in your bacon and some frozen peas (just eye-ball it) and lastly, salt and pepper to taste. Tortellini is such a hearty and filling meal you won't be able to eat too much.


Easy Tortellini Dinner
Servings: 4

4 slices of Bacon
1 pkg. Refrigerated Tortellini
1 jar of Alfredo Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese
Frozen Peas
Salt and Pepper

Cook bacon and crumble. Set aside. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add Alfredo sauce, cheese, cooked bacon, frozen peas and salt and pepper. Cook until heated through. Serve with a salad and garlic bread. Enjoy!