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. 

 

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. 

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.  

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.  

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!  

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. 

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! 

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?

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.

print recipe

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. 

 

Tasty Tuesday: Breakfast Roll-Ups

So the other morning I wanted something different for breakfast. Unfortunately, I really didn't feel like making anything too extravagant & only had some sausage links to work with. That's when it hit me.

These Breakfast Roll-Ups are insanely simple to make, not to mention a huge hit with the family. I mean sure, they still have that "regular ol' breakfast" taste, it's just a whole new way to eat it. 

All you need is your favorite pancake batter recipe, (just add a bit of water to thin it out a bit & keep the pancakes "silver dollar" size), sausage links, scrambled eggs, shredded cheddar cheese & a dish of maple syrup. 

But just as a fair warning, especially if you serve these to children, they can get extremely messy. So just be ready with a wet washrag to clean them up before they touch...anything. 

Tasty Tuesday: Grecian Style Chicken

Have you ever gotten the craving for feta cheese? Well, I did. Of course eating it straight out of the container is a feat I have yet to conquer. So I did the next best thing, I made chicken! 

 

*Note: this is extra yummy with homemade pita bread.

print recipe

Grecian Style Chicken

by Melissa Smith June-24-2014

Ingredients

• boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Greek vinaigrette salad dressing, such as Kraft
• feta cheese
• fresh lemon juice
• dried oregano
• ground black pepper
• sea salt
• lemon wedges, for garnish

Instructions

Please use desired amounts.In a large resealable plastic bag, combine chicken with vinaigrette. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour. After placing the chicken in the refrigerator to marinate, combine the feta cheese with fresh lemon juice, oregano, black pepper & sea salt. Place in a sealed container & also place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour. After the chicken & feta cheese has marinated for the desired length of time, cook the chicken until it is no longer pink. (I prefer to grill it, but you can also saute or bake it if you'd like.)To serve, top the chicken with the marinated feta cheese & an additional lemon wedge.

Details

Prep time: 1 hour 15 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 1 hour 35 mins Yield:

Tasty Tuesday: Cheesy Broccoli Noodle Soup

I know, I know. You think I'm crazy for talking about soup in June. Well, in my defense, no one ever said I wasn't crazy & this is some really really good soup. 

•1 Tbsp. butter
•1/3C. chopped onion
•3C. chicken broth
•8 oz. thin egg noodles
•1/2tsp. salt
•1-10oz. pkg. frozen broccoli
•garlic powder
•3C. milk
•1/2lb. Velveeta

*You can double the amount of noodles if desired. Simply increase the broth & milk to 4½-5C. each.

- Saute onion in butter. 
- Add the broth & bring to a boil. 
- Add the noodles & cook until al dente.
- Add the broccoli & desired amount of garlic powder (a couple shakes should be good). Cook for 6 min. 
- Lastly, add the milk & Velveeta. Cook on low heat until Velveeta has melted through. 
- Season with salt & pepper.

Enjoy!
 

Tasty Tuesday: Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Pizza is probably our main go to meal when I don't really feel like cooking. And while, yes, on occasion we do order out, more often times than not, it's homemade. There's just so many different options when it comes to toppings. But recently I've been experimenting with different crusts too. And what's more experimental than a cauliflower pizza crust?! (You should probably know that it's delicious too.)

Cauliflower Crust topped with pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, cubanelle pepper rings, sliced onion & sliced Roma tomatoes.

•1 head cauliflower

•1/4C. Parmesan cheese

•1/3C. shredded mozzarella cheese

•1/4C. flour

•1 egg

•garlic powder

•oregano, basil &/or Italian seasoning (dried)

•salt & black pepper

 •desired pizza toppings

- Start by cutting the florets from the head of cauliflower & rinsing under water. 

- Working in batches, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles a snow-like consistency. 

- Place in a medium sized microwave safe bowl, cover with a kitchen towel & cook for 4-5 min. 

- Invert cauliflower onto the kitchen towel & allow it to cool 10-15 min. 

- When the cauliflower has cooled, gather it up in the towel & wring as much water out of it as you can. If it's too hot, lay it out to cool for an additional 5-10 min. 

- Return the cauliflower to the bowl you cooked it in & add the cheeses, flour, egg & desired seasonings. (I go heavy on the garlic, but that's because I love garlic crusts.)

- Preheat the oven to 450º before spreading the crust evenly on a lightly greased pizza pan. 

- Bake the crust 8-10 min. or until it's just beginning to brown. 

- Remove from the oven, add desired sauce & toppings & bake for another 5-7 min.

- Allow to cool slightly before slicing. 

Cauliflower Pizza Crust!

Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday: Roasted Garlic Shrimp

Since I've been making a conscious effort to eat better, the strangest thing has happened. I have been wanting seafood. For the record, I do eat a bit of seafood (cod, salmon, shrimp, scallops, tuna & crab cakes - not plain crab). But for as little as I eat, I prepare it myself even less. So for me to want shrimp, buy it, prepare it & plan to make it all again as soon as I go grocery shopping...what is going on here?! Well, whatever it is, it can stick around because this Roasted Garlic Shrimp is amazingly delicious!

*Please remember to use desired amounts.

•medium shrimp, peeled & deveined

•fresh garlic, minced

•paprika

•cayenne pepper

•sea salt

•coarse black pepper

•olive oil

•fresh lemon, halved

•aluminum foil

- In a larger bowl, combine paprika, cayenne pepper, sea salt & coarse black pepper. 

- Add minced garlic (don't skimp on this key ingredient), juice from at least half a lemon, olive oil (I went pretty heavy on this because I wanted a "sauce" to blend with my whole grain & wild rice and roasted asparagus - but the amount is completely up to you) & shrimp. 

- Thoroughly mix until shrimp is evenly coated.

- Cover & allow to marinate in the refrigerator at least 20-25 min. 

- Preheat oven to 450º & line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 

- If you went light on the olive oil in your marinade, you will need to spread a bit on your aluminum foil to help prevent the shrimp from sticking. 

- Roast the shrimp along with any extra marinade in the oven for 5-7 min. or until it turns pink. Just be sure to not overcook it. 
- Serve with lemon wedges.

Enjoy! 

Tasty Tuesday: Vegetable Stuffed Crepes

Brinner (breakfast food for dinner) is pretty popular at my house. But I've been trying to eat healthier lately which means that fried eggs, fried potatoes, bacon & toast slathered in butter just won't do. 

•2 eggs

 •1C. all purpose flour

•1/2C. water

•1/2C. milk

•2Tbsp. melted butter or margarine

•1/4tsp. salt

•nonstick cooking spray

•scrambled eggs

•frozen chopped spinach, thoroughly thawed & squeezed dry of excess liquid

•vidalia onion, sliced

•baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

•olive oil

•shredded Swiss cheese

•tomatoes, diced

•Hollandaise sauce

•salt & pepper to taste

 

-In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs before adding flour, water, milk, butter or margarine & salt. Stir to thoroughly combine. (Mixture will be smooth.)

-In a medium (or large if you prefer) nonstick skillet, lightly spray nonstick cooking spray & heat over med.-high heat.

-Add crepe mixture 1/4C. at time. Quickly remove pan from the heat, slowly turn the pan in a circular motion so the mixture evenly coats the entire bottom. When you no longer see the mixture moving, replace pan over heat.

-After a couple minutes, slightly jerk the pan to see if the crepe moves, if so carefully flip it.

-Cook other side of crepe for 1-2 min. & remove from pan. Repeat process with remaining batter.

-In a nonstick skillet, saute onion in a turn of the pan of olive oil.

-When the onion begins to separate, add the sliced mushrooms & saute until just about done. 

-Add the spinach, stirring well to combine, until heated through. 

-To assemble the crepes, place scrambled eggs down the center & top with vegetable mixture. 

-Roll up & place seam side down on a plate. 

-Top with Hollandaise sauce, diced tomatoes, salt & pepper to taste. 

 

 Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday: Nachos Supreme

Every now & then, I love to over indulge myself in a huge plate of nachos. Supreme, of course, just like Taco Bell. But better!

•tortilla chips

•1lb. hamburger

•jarred salsa

•refried beans with green chiles

•shredded lettuce

•pico de gallo (homemade salsa of diced tomatoes, peppers, onions & cilantro)

•guacamole 

•sour cream

•queso dip

•green onions, diced

•black pepper

- In a nonstick skillet, cook hamburger until browned. Drain grease & add salsa to flavor.

- Place tortilla chips on a baking sheet & place in a 350º oven until heated. (Roughly 5-7 min., but as soon as you can smell them, they're done.

- In a small saucepan, heat refried beans.

- To assemble, place warm chips on a large plate. Top with refried beans, hamburger mixture, lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, queso dip, green onions & black pepper.

- Grab a napkin or three & enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday: Meatball Subwich

I am a huge fan of meatball subs. Well, most of the time anyways. I've had a few that simply tasted like hamburger topped with canned tomato sauce & a bit of cheese on a bun (yuck!). So needless to say, I generally only eat them when I make them at home (or Subway, theirs are always good). Of course calling them subwiches make them taste better too. OK, maybe not, but they sure do sound better!

•1lb. hamburger

•1 sm. onion, minced

•1 egg

•fresh bread crumbs

•Parmesan cheese

•garlic powder

•salt & pepper

•marinara or your favorite pasta sauce

•seasonings for the pasta sauce (I usually add basil, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes, sugar, salt & pepper)

•mozzarella or provolone cheese

•hoagie or sub buns

- In a med. bowl, combine the hamburger, onion, egg, and desired amount of bread crumbs, Parmesan, garlic powder, salt & pepper.

- Form into 1in. meatballs & place in a nonstick skillet. Cook over med.-high heat until lightly browned.

- Drain any accumulated grease from the skillet, add the pasta sauce & season to taste.

- Bring sauce to a boil, lower heat to a simmer & cook, covered, for 10-15 min., stirring occasionally.

- Place the buns on a baking sheet & place in a 400º oven until lightly toasted. Remove & set aside.

- When the sauce has been simmered, open rolls & place desired amount of meatballs & sauce down the center. Top with cheese & return to the oven until the cheese has melted. 

Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday: Spicy Peanut Chicken

I have done it again! I have managed to perfect yet another one of my favorite Asian dishes to make at home whenever my little heart desires. Which honestly, has been once a week, but that's OK with me. Even if I do make huge amounts & get to have leftovers for lunch for at least 2 days. So please overlook the fact that there's only 4 days out of the week that I don't indulge myself in spicy peanut deliciousness. 

•boneless skinless chicken breast halves, sliced thin

•olive oil

•salt & pepper

•instant white rice

•carrots, sliced diagonally

•green pepper, cut into large chunks

•1 med. red onion, cut into large chunks

•sugar snap peas, ends trimmed

•bamboo shoots

•sliced water chestnuts

•dry roasted peanuts

•1/2C. creamy peanut butter

•1/2C. soy sauce

•2Tbsp. white vinegar

•Tbsp. water

•1/3C. sugar

•1Tbsp. fish sauce

•1/4tp.-1Tbsp. Sriracha 

Notes:

* I used a spicy peanut butter (The Heat Is On from Peanut Butter & Co.) & omitted the Sriracha.

** You can also add halved button mushrooms, beansprouts & baby corn to the vegetable mixture.

*** Remember to use desired amounts.

- Season both sides of your sliced chicken breast halves with salt & pepper. Saute in olive oil, until lightly browned & cooked through. Set aside. 

- Cook the instant white rice according to package instructions. Set aside. 

- In a large nonstick skillet, go a couple turns of the pan with olive oil. Saute the veggies until crisp-tender (about 5-8 min.) & set aside. 

- In a small saucepan, combine peanut bitter, soy sauce, vinegar, water, sugar, fish sauce & desired amount of Sriracha (if using). Bring to a boil, lower heat & simmer for 5 min. Set aside to cool & thicken slightly.

- While waiting for the sauce to cool, dice up the cooked chicken.

- To serve, top a bed of rice with desired amount of vegetables & chicken. Drizzle the sauce over top & finish with a small handful of dry roasted peanuts.

Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday: BBQ Pork Sandwiches

I never used to like BBQ pork sandwiches. To me, they just seemed kind of, well, plain. It must be because a majority I've (tried) to consume were just shredded BBQ pork on a bun. Of course I make mine the same way, before I add some yummy extras of course.

•shredded BBQ pork

•cheese (any kind will do)

•coleslaw

•onion ring (I skipped this on my sandwich since I ran out of time to make them. It still tastes good, but that onion ring makes a huge difference in the taste.)

•extra BBQ sauce, for drizzling

•buns or bread

- Simply top a bun bottom or slice of bread with BBQ pork, cheese, coleslaw, onion ring & extra BBQ sauce. Replace top.

- Be sure to grab a napkin or three & enjoy!