Tasty Tuesday: Meatball Pizza

We're pretty big on pizza here, but honestly, I tend to get pretty bored with it really quick. So after a debate about what we were having for dinner one evening, either meatballs subs (my choice), or pizza (everyone else's choice), I decided to get a bit creative. After all, I was the one doing the cooking.

This Meatball Pizza definitely ranked high on the list of "most loved pizza's"! 

Ingredients:

• pizza crust

• pizza sauce

• cooked meatballs

• shredded mozzarella cheese

• garlic powder & other desired seasonings

Directions:

• Partially bake pizza crust if needed, before topping with pizza sauce, meatballs, shredded mozzarella cheese & seasonings.

• Bake in a 350º oven, until cheese is fully melted. 

 

Snacktastic Saturday: Pumpkin Crunch

I know, I know. It's almost 2015 & I'm STILL eating pumpkin flavored foods. But I just can't help myself. The same can be said for my friends when I treated them to this delicious Pumpkin Crunch at an impromtu lunch date at my house. 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

• 1-15oz. can pumpkin puree

• 1 can evaporated milk

• 3 eggs

• 1C. sugar

• 1/2tsp. cinnamon

• 1 box yellow cake mix

• 1 1/2 stick margarine

• 1C. chopped walnuts or pecans

 

Directions: 

 

• Thoroughly mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar & cinnamon in a large bowl with a mixer.

• Pour into a greased 9x13in. baking pan. 

• Sprinkle dry yellow cake mix over top of pumpkin mixture. 

• Melt the margarine & drizzle over the top of the cake mix. 

• Top with chopped walnuts or pecans & bake for 350º for 45-55 min.  

Tasty Tuesday: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

I know the season to eat everything pumpkin is over, but quite frankly, I don't care. This Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal is my new morning obsession. And just in case you couldn't tell, I prefer to add some pecan pieces to mine for a little added crunch. 

Ingredients:

• 1C. milk

• 1C. quick cooking oats

• 1/3C. pumpkin puree

• 1/2tsp. pumpkin pie spice

• 1/4tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/4tsp. maple extract

• 1/4C. brown sugar

• pecan pieces or other tasty toppings, optional

Directions:

• Bring milk to a light boil in a medium sized saucepan & add oats, stirring to combine. 

• Set heat to low & stir in pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, maple extract & brown sugar.

• Remove from heat & place servings in bowls, adding toppings if desired. 

Snacktastic Saturday: Cranberry Applesauce

Every Thanksgiving I go a bit crazy making cranberry sauce & always have a ton left over (one little bag of cranberries never seems like it's enough). But that's OK, because I always make a big crockpot of applesauce the day after too. 

Just combine some cranberry sauce with some applesauce & let it sit for a couple hours for the flavors to blend. 

Tasty Tuesday: Chicken Fried Rice

Every now & then, I want some good ole' Chinese comfort food like Chicken Fried Rice. Good thing I've perfected my recipe over the years & don't even need to leave the comfort of my own home to get it. 

Ingredients:

• 4C. cooked rice

• 1/2lb. boneless skinless chicken breast pieces

• salt & pepper

• 6Tbsp. sesame oil, divided

• 1C. frozen peas & carrots

• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced

• 3 eggs

• 1/3C. soy sauce

• Sriracha, if desired

Directions:

• Heat 3Tbsp. sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

• Add chicken, season with salt & pepper and cook until done. 

• Set chicken aside.

• In the same skillet, heat remaining 3Tbsp. sesame oil.

• Add frozen peas & carrots, onion & garlic, cooking until tender & stirring frequently.

• Crack the eggs into the skillet & scramble into the vegetables. 

• Add the soy sauce, chicken & rice, stirring to combine. 

• Top with Sriracha, if desired.  

Snacktastic Saturday: Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm just going to cut to the chase with this Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. I made this for the hubs birthday this year & it was a hit! Plus it was another excuse for me to eat something pumpkin flavored. 

 

Ingredients: 

• 2C. sugar

• 4 eggs

• 1C. oil

• 2C. pureed pumpkin

• 2C. flour

• 2tsp. baking powder

• 1tsp. baking soda

• 2tsp. cinnamon

• 1/2tsp. allspice

• 1/2tsp. ground ginger

• 1/2tsp. nutmeg

• 1/2tsp. salt

• 8oz. (1pkg.) cream cheese, softened

• 2Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

• tsp. pure vanilla extract

• splash of milk

• 2C. powdered sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.

• In a large bowl, cream together sugar, eggs, oil & pumpkin.

• Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg & salt.

• Pour mixture into a greased 9x13in. baking pan. 

• Bake for 35-45 min., or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

• Allow cake to cool completely. 

• For frosting, beat cream cheese & butter together until combined. 

• Add vanilla, milk & powdered sugar 1/2C. at a time. 

• Spread frosting over cake. 

• Store covered, in the refrigerator. 

WORLDFOODS Recipe Swap: Patatas Bravas from Mum Reinvented

 This has to be one of the coolest posts I've ever posted. 

Remember my review on WORLDFOODS Sauces? (If not, check it out here.) Well, have I got something to tell you. 

In a pen-pal type setting, I was teamed up with Kat, a blogger from the UK & owner of Mum Reinvented. We chose to come up with our own Fusion-style dishes incorporating WORLDFOODS Sauces & simply share the recipes on each others blog (you can see my recipe here). Which honestly was the best choice considering that she is currently in Spain (I'm a tad jealous over here, LOL) & my shipment of sauces took much longer than expected. So without further ado, here is Kat's recipe!

Patatas Bravas

As I spend more time in Spain than the UK these days, I thought I would take a well known Spanish dish and transform it using the Asian influences from the World Foods range. I wanted something that was quick and easy and could be enjoyed by the whole family so I went with Patatas Bravas, or 'Brave Potatoes' to give them their English translation. These fiery potatoes are a staple on restaurant and tapas bar menus throughout Spain and are not only quick and easy to make, but cheap too, which makes them great for feeding a family.

I often serve Patatas Bravas with a roast chicken (the English influence coming through there), in smaller portions as part of a tapas style meal or even on their own. They are proper comfort food after all. Garlic Mayo or Alioli as it's known in Spain is another quick and simple menu item and goes really well with patatas bravas, tapas, as an alternative to sandwich spread or on steak.

The addition of the Thai sweet chilli dipping sauce to the tomato sauce gives it a really lovely sweet taste, with the kaffir lime adding a cheeky after bite. I usually just flavour my sauce with the sweet paprika for the kids and add a pinch of hot paprika for my partner and I, but even the kids wolfed this down and I actually prefer it to my own sauce. As for the garlic mayo, the hint of chilli running through the garlic paste gives it a slight kick and it makes a lovely smooth and creamy mayo that we all enjoyed. I'm surprised at how much of a difference these little tweaks made to a dish the kids wouldn't usually be that bothered about can actually make and have turned it into a real favourite. It just goes to show that adding something a little different can actually make a dish all the more enjoyable so don't be afraid to experiment with flavours and perhaps even try my recipe for Patatas Bravas yourself?

Ingredients:

• 1lb potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes

• 1 tin/can of chopped tomatoes or tomato frito/passata

• 1⁄2 a red onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 1tbsp sweet paprika

• Shop bought mayo

• World Foods garlic paste

• World Foods Thai sweet chilli dipping sauce with kaffir lime

 Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/375F/Gas Mark 7

2. Add a splash of olive or canola oil to a skillet/frying pan and brown the potatoes on all sides

3. In a smaller pan fry off the onions and garlic until soft in a little oil

4. Add the tomatoes, sweet chilli dipping sauce and paprika and reduce the sauce

5. Once browned, transfer the potatoes onto a baking tray and cook in the oven until crispy

6. In the meantime mix the mayo and garlic pasta in a small dipping bowl

7. Once cooked serve the potatoes in a dish with the spicy tomato sauce poured over and the garlic mayo on the side (or as we do on top).


 I have to say that I've never had Patatas Bravas before, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to get my hands on these particular WORLDFOODS Sauces as soon as I can because this dish looks amazingly delicious!

  Kat is a cake loving, serial dieting, history geek with wanderlust and mum of two - a toddler and a tween. Needless to say things are never boring (or quiet) in her house!Learn more about her here.

WORLDFOODS sauces are available worldwide, with a different selection available in each country. To find out the selection of sauces available in your country along with stockist details please visit HERE.

Tasty Tuesday: Quick & Easy Enchilada Pie

The hubs is a huge fan of enchiladas, but on busy nights when there's a million things to do, I opt to make Enchilada Pie instead. It still has that yummy enchilada taste, but takes far less time to prepare. And as an added bonus, the kids prefer this version just because it's a "pie".

Ingredients:

• 1lb. hamburger

• 2 small cans enchilada sauce

• nonstick cooking spray

• 6-8 flour tortillas

• 1 bag (2C.) shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

• sour cream & sliced green onions, if desired

Directions:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, brown hamburger & drain off any grease. 

• Add one can of enchilada sauce & simmer for 5-10 min. 

• In a glass pie pan, lightly spray nonstick cooking spray.

• Spoon just a bit of enchilada sauce from the second can on the bottom of the dish before layering tortilla, hamburger mixture & a pinch of shredded cheese. 

• Repeat layers until hamburger mixture is gone. 

• Top with remaining enchilada sauce & remaining cheese.

• Bake in a 375º oven for 20 min. or until the sauce is bubbling & the cheese is melted. 

• Allow Enchilada Pie to sit for 10-15 min. before slicing. 

• Top with sour cream & sliced green onions, if desired.  

Snacktastic Saturday: Simple Chicken Parmesan Pizza

Oh my goodness, this Simple Chicken Parmesan Pizza is not only incredibly simple to make, but insanely delicious too. Which makes it perfect for an afternoons snack for the family, lunch for you, or dinner when you really don't feel like putting forth an effort. 

Ingredients:

• breaded chicken fingers

• garlic bread 

• pizza sauce

• shredded mozzarella or pizza blend cheese

• Italian seasoning

• garlic powder

• salt & pepper

Directions:

• Start by cooking the breaded chicken fingers according to package instructions. 

• Prepare the garlic bread according to package instructions also, but shorten the baking time by 2-3 min. 

• Remove garlic bread from the oven & top with pizza sauce, sliced breaded chicken fingers, cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt & pepper. 

• Return to the oven & bake for 2-3 min., before finishing off under the broiler until the cheese just begins to brown.  

Tasty Tuesday: Sweet Beer Brats & Onions

The hubs is always asking for bratwursts for dinner, but I'm really not a fan. Ironically I'm not a fan of beer either, but I have to say that the two definitely go together. With a bit of brown sugar & onions of course. 

Mine are a little on the dark side, but that's just because I like to finish everything off in a skillet to reduce some of the beer & really caramelize the onions.

Ingredients:

• bratwursts

•brown sugar

• sliced onions

• salt & pepper 

Directions:

• Place bratwursts in a slow cooker & cover with beer. Cook on HIGH 4-6 hrs. 

• After about 2 hrs, add some brown sugar (1/4-1/3C. depending on desired sweetness), sliced onions, salt & pepper. Stir to blend.

• You can serve as is, or on buns (topped with mustard - yum!)

Enjoy!  

Snacktastic Saturday: Homemade Uncrustables

I don't know what it is, but my kids would choose a frozen Uncrustable over a regular PB&J any day. Unfortunately, they can go through an entire box in a day & that gets a bit costly. 

OK, so they may not look as pretty as store bought Uncrustables, but they taste just as good if not better. And if you make them yourself, you can fill them with anything you'd like - hello, Nutella! 

• Simply cut off the crusts of the bread (white works best) & roll flat with a rolling pin. 

• Spread your filling in the middle of both sides of bread. *TIP: Combine your fillings together in a small bowl before spreading for an even distribution of flavors. 

• Place two pieces of bread together with the filling on the inside & seal the ends together with a pastry roller or the tines of a fork. 

• Place Uncrustables on a baking sheet topped with a Silpat mat or waxed paper & freeze for 2-3 hours. 

• Transfer to a large resealable bag & store in the freezer until ready to use. 

*Uncrustables will thaw on their own by lunchtime if packed in school lunches, or you can zap them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. 

 

Tasty Tuesday: Oven Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus is one of those vegetables that I wouldn't touch as a kid. But now, it's one of my favorites. (As long as it doesn't come from a can that is.) But the best part about asparagus, is that you can change up the flavor to suit your taste buds.

•Preheat oven to 425º. 
•Start by bending the bottom ends of the asparagus stalks, the woody part of the stalk will naturally break off & discard the woody ends. 
•Lay asparagus in a single layer on a cooking sheet or glass pan. 
•Sprinkle with sea salt, ground black pepper, or other desired seasonings (garlic powder & curry powder are two of my favorites). 
•Roast for 10-18 minutes, depending on the amount of crunchiness you like to it (I do about 14 minutes for a slightly crunchy asparagus). 

If you think you might like this, but have never had asparagus before (which actually tastes like a woodier version of a green bean), try serving it with a drizzle of Hollandaise sauce. 

Snacktastic Saturday: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Everyone that knows me, knows that I love anything pumpkin. I always pick up all the "limited edition" pumpkin flavored foods at the store (yogurt & bagels are my favorites) & I've even tried pasta in a Pumpkin Cream Sauce before. But nothing, absolutely nothing, compares to the taste of a real pumpkin. But of course if I'm going to roast the sweet flesh, you can bet I'm going to roast the seeds too. 

Some people go on & on about how labor intensive roasting pumpkin seeds can be. But it's really cleaning the guts off the seeds that takes the most time. But after I don't know how many times of roasting pumpkin seeds, I've finally discovered an easy way. 

• Pull off any big pieces of the pumpkin guts that you can. 

• Place seeds in a large bowl of warm water & a majority of the remaining guts should slide off the seeds. (It's ok if a bit remains.)

•Bring a pot of salted water to a boil & gently boil the seeds for 5-10 min. This will not only parboil the seeds, but will also remove any remaining guts.

•Scoop the seeds from the boiling water with a slotted spoon, (they will rise to the top of the water) & place on a clean kitchen towel to dry slightly. 

•Place seeds on a baking pan (I use a Silpat mat also, although not necessary) & drizzle with a bit of olive oil before sprinkling with desired seasonings.  (Cinnamon sugar, sea salt & garlic salt are my favorites so far.)

•Roast for 10-15 min., remove from the oven & sprinkle with just a bit of extra seasoning. 

These pumpkin seeds will keep for a few days when stored in an airtight container. if they last that long. 

What flavors are you going to try?

Tasty Tuesday: French Onion Soup

This time of year, I love to eat soup. Especially for lunch. But of course, I'm a total soup snob & will only eat a handful of soups from a can. The rest of them better be homemade. Which leads me to my favorite French Onion Soup that I can whip up on about 15 minutes or less! 

*Please use desired amounts, depending on your tastes & how much soup you intend to make. 

Ingredients:

• onions, peeled & sliced

• olive oil

• water

• beef bouillon

• dried thyme

• salt & pepper

• shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:

• Saute the sliced onions in olive oil, over medium heat, until they just begin to brown. 

• Add desired amount of water & beef bouillon, bring to a boil. 

• Reduce heat, add dried thyme, salt & pepper.

• Simmer for 5 min. 

• Allow to cool slightly before placing in a bowl & topping with shredded Parmesan, if desired. 

If you like your French Onion Soup "cafe style", place croutons in the bottom of an ovenproof bowl, top with soup & then a variety of cheeses such as mozzarella, Parmesan, provolone & Swiss. Broil until the cheeses are slightly browned & bubbly. 

Enjoy! 

Snacktastic Saturday: Harvest Roasted Pears

I'm all for scouring Pinterest for new recipes to feed my family, especially when the seasons change. So a couple of weeks ago, I kept seeing the same salad come up, a Harvest Cobb Salad. Now normally I'm not one to top my salads with fruit, but the bacon & goat cheese on it were calling to me. So, much to the hubs dismay, i made it for dinner one night. It was amazing! But one by one, after having it for lunch the next two days as well (of course), I started running out of ingredients. But that was OK, because that's when I got the genius idea for these Harvest Roasted Pears. 

 •pears, cut in half with stem & core removed
•butter
•goat cheese
•pecan pieces
•dried cranberries

- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Melt butter in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook pear halves in butter for about 5 min., flipping halfway through.
- When done, remove pears from skillet & place in a baking dish.
- Top pears with goat cheese, pecan pieces & dried cranberries. 
- Place in oven & bake just until goat cheese becomes softened. 

Enjoy! 
 

Tasty Tuesday: Totchos

We're a Nachos-loving household over here. Mostly because they're so customizable, that even my picky eater loves them. But recently, I decided to switch our traditional Nachos night up. The result...Totchos! That were totally amazing, by the way. 

There's really no recipe for Totchos, simply replace the tortilla chips with tater tots (already cooked of course), and top them as desired. 

As an added bonus, and just because of the tater tots, I also topped my Totchos with bacon & a cheddar cheese sauce (instead of shredded cheddar or queso).

What would you top your Totchos with?

Snacktastic Saturday: Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips

Hi. My name is Melissa & I'm addicted to apples. Actually, they've always been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. But for some reason, I've never been a huge fan of apple chips. Until I started making my own Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips that is. (I have seriously been missing out!)

All you need are some apples & some cinnamon sugar, along with a little bit of patience. 

•Start by thinly slicing the apples. If you happen to slice a seed, you can simply poke them out with the tip of your knife. 

•Thoroughly coat the apple slices in cinnamon sugar (this is best to do in a small bowl), before placing on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.

•Bake at 200º for 1-2 hours, depending on the thickness of your apples. 

•Allow to cool completely before placing in an airtight container. 

These will last up to three days if you don't happen to eat them all before then. I know my batches usually last less than three hours! 

Snacktastic Saturday: Egg Salad Sliders

I know that technically it is fall, but the occasional warmer day has me yearning for summer. Which is exactly why these Egg Salad Sliders have been my go-to snack or light lunch lately. And if you happen to always have hard-boiled eggs on hand, you can whip them up in practically no time. 

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Egg Salad Sliders

by Melissa Smith October-11-2014

Ingredients

• hard boiled eggs, yolks removed & set aside
• mayonnaise
• yellow mustard
• relish
• seasoned salt
• ground black pepper
• paprika
• dried parsley
• dinner rolls

Instructions

•To prepare, simply mash the yolks in a bowl with a fork. •Dice the egg whites & add along with the remaining ingredients in desired amounts (except the rolls). •Spoon the egg salad mixture onto dinner rolls & enjoy! •Yum alert! You can also add diced onions (red, white or green) if decided, for an extra crunch.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins 

Tasty Tuesday: Southwestern Chili

With the temperature slowly lowering in NE Ohio, I have declared it to be Chili weather. (Not to be confused with chilly weather, even though it is.) But after years of making Chili the way my mom does, I decided it was time to really experiment. 

Of course this Southwestern Chili isn't that far off from my mom's recipe, but that's quite OK with me! (Baby steps, right?)

Of course who could forget the cornbread! Especially when you can make Easy Cinnamon Sugar Cornbread out of it to snack on later.

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Southwestern Chili

by October-7-2014

Think of it as chili with a kick!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. hamburger, cooked & drained of excess fat
• 1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 can diced green chiles
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1/2 C. diced onion
• 2 Tbsp. (or more to taste) chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. (or more to taste) cumin
• 1/4C.-1C. water
• desired amount salt & pepper
• if desired shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions &/or hot sauce

Instructions

•In a large slow cooker, combine all ingredients except shredded cheese, sour cream & hot sauce. •Cook on high 4-5 hours, or on low for 7-8 hours.•Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions &/or hot sauce if desired.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 4-8 hour Total time: 8 hour 15 mins

Tasty Tuesday: BBQ Pork Hash

This deliciousness came about the morning after Damien's birthday party, when I had an abundance of BBQ Pork & baked potatoes leftover. I'll admit, that I was a bit wary of how this would taste. But every flavor held its own without being too overbearing. And, since it was made mostly from leftovers, it gets bonus points for being one of the fastest breakfasts yet! 

Here's how simple it is to take leftover BBQ Pork & baked potatoes into a tasty BBQ Pork Hash (no real recipe required).

 *************

•Slice up the baked potatoes, fry them with a bit of olive oil & season with seasoned salt and black pepper.

•While the potatoes are frying, heat up the BBQ pork with a bit of extra BBQ sauce since the leftovers tend to get a bit dried out. 

•For the eggs, you can make sunny side up, over-easy or over-medium. Just be sure that you cook them in a bit of olive oil to help keep this already heavy dish on the lighter side. 

•To layer it all up, begin with the potatoes, BBQ pork, some shredded cheddar if you'd like) & the eggs. 

•Top it all off with some sour cream & green onion for a light finishing touch if you'd like & serve it with a side of toast.