Caesar Salad

Cesar Salad

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 large head of Romaine Lettuce

1 baguette

1 tablespoon of fresh cracked black pepper

1 oz of anchovies

4 large cloves of garlic

1 lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard 

1/2 cup of olive oil

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

  

Directions:

1. Cut your baguette in half. Set aside one half to go with dinner. With the other half, cut into cubes. Toss them in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, coat well, and then bake at 400 F for 10 minutes.

2. Wash and chop your Romaine. Toss into your salad bowl and set aside.

3. With the rest of your ingredients add to a bowl and blend up well with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. 

4. Toss your salad and add your croutons on top. 

5. Garnish with some fresh cracked black pepper and a sprinkling of  shredded Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan

Yield: Serves two

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts (about 1/2 a pound each)

1 teaspoon of salt

1 egg

3/4 cup of homemade breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon of dry basil

1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

Two cups of homemade tomato sauce

Directions:

1. Heat your saucepan to medium and coat with olive oil.

2. Mix the herbs and breadcrumbs together and put on a plate next to your saucepan.

3. In a shallow bowl whisk your egg and salt.

4. Thoroughly coat each chicken breast in your egg and then move it to your breadcrumbs to coat. 

5. Cook each side of your chicken for about 2 minutes depending on how large. Each side should start to crisp up and turn a golden color.

6. In a baking dish, add your tomato sauce and chicken breasts. Sprinkle your cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake at 450 F for 10 minutes. 

7. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. 

Enjoy your juicy chicken on a bed of yummy pasta! I made this recipe up as I went along. I used my husband and children as taste testers and it was both husband and kid approved! Enjoy!

Mini Pecan Pies

Mini Pecan Pies

Yield: 16 mini pie shells

Ingredients: 

16 individual pie shells

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup melted butter

3 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Bake your empty mini pie shells at 350 F for 18 minutes.

2. Chop your pecans and set aside.

3. Mix together the sugars, corn syrup, salt, cinnamon, eggs, and vanilla. 

4. Slowly beat in your melted butter.

5. Pour your mixture over the chopped pecans. Make sure not to over fill.

6. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes. 

7. Enjoy! :)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I will post pictures of the feast I am prepping tomorrow! So far I have baked a cheesecake, a pumpkin pie, and these babies. I will be cooking a turkey for my very first time tomorrow. I am terrified! Wish me luck and good luck to you all too!!! :)

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Tortellini

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Tortellini:
Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 package of seven cheese tortellini
1 oz sun dried tomatoes (dried)
2 rotisserie chicken breasts (cooked)
4 cups of homemade tomato sauce (my recipe here)
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heated on Medium, add your tomato sauce, diced chicken breasts, and diced sun dried tomatoes. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Bring a large, salted, pot of water to a boil. Add your tortellini. Cook for 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Add your heavy cream and cheese to your tomato sauce mixture. Stir for 1-2 minutes until incorporated.
4. Add your cooked tortellini to your sauce. Turn off your heat and gently mix together for 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

I came up with this recipe a couple nights ago on the fly. I needed to get dinner on the table fast because I had two melting down children who desperately needed food in their bellies. This whole dish took twenty minutes from start to finish to make. Paired with roasted asparagus and rolls, in the oven, dinner was ready! Both my children chowed down on the pasta and my husband devoured two large helpings like it was going out of style! I hope you all enjoy as much as they did!

Chloe chowing down! :)

Three Cheese Lasagna

Three Cheese Lasagna

Yield: Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

1 box lasagna noodles (the regular kind NOT the no-cook kind)

2 pounds ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)

1 egg

pinch of salt and pepper

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 teaspoon of dry basil

6-8 cups of homemade tomato sauce (my recipe here)

Directions:

1. In a large pot bring your salted water to a boil. Boil your lasagna noodles for exactly 6 minutes, drain, and rinse.

2. In your Kitchen Aid mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together your ricotta, 1 cup of your mozzarella, parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, olive oil, and basil. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. 

3. In a large dish pour half of your tomato sauce on the bottom. Place a layer of noodles across the bottom length-wise. depending on the size of your dish 3-4 noodles should fit. I do a layer of 4 noodles with about 1/4" overlapping. You will have a total of four layers in this lasagna!

4. Spread out 1/3 of your cheese mixture across your layer of noodles. Place a second layer of noodles on top. Spread out another 1/3 of your cheese mixture and pour some tomato sauce in this layer. Repeat this process again, finishing your cheese mixture. Place your last layer of noodles on top, pour the remainder of your tomato sauce on top, and sprinkle the remainder of your mozzarella cheese on top of your lasagna!

5. Bake at 375 F for 40 minutes. I do not put tin foil on top of my lasagna because I feel like it makes the noodles more mushy. It could just all be in my head though.... :)

Lasagna is a family favorite here! This dish makes enough to feed our whole family for at least two days so plan for left overs! Let me know if you try out my recipe and what you think of it! Enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers

Yield: Serves 6-8

Stuffing Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, minced

3 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 cup of rice, cooked

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 jar of tomato sauce 

1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning

1-2 teaspoons of dried red pepper flakes (heat preference of your choice)

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

1/3 cup of vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Cook your rice in a separate pot or microwave. Set aside, when cooked.

2. In a large saucepan, add your vegetable oil and bring to a medium heat. When your pan is hot, add your ground beef, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. With a spatula, gently incorporate your meat. Make sure to brown your meat on all sides while breaking it up into smaller pieces. This takes about 10 minutes. 

3. Add your cooked rice to your browned meat, along with your jar of tomato sauce.

4. Cut up your onion, garlic, and your tomatoes, and mix into the meat and rice. 

5. Turn your heat down to low, cover and let simmer for about 30-40 minutes until your onions are translucent. Continue to mix your stuffing every 10 minutes when covered.

Making Stuffed Peppers:

1. Cut off the tops of your green bell peppers and with your fingers scoop out the inside pulp and seeds. Set your empty bell peppers on a foil lined baking sheet and preheat your oven to 400 F.

2. Spoon in your Stuffing until you are at the brim of the pepper. Don't over fill or else the stuffing will not stay in while baking.

3. Sprinkle a little mozzarella cheese on the tops of each pepper. 

4. Cover with foil (gently so as to not knock over the peppers) and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes take the foil off and let the cheese brown for another 10 minutes. 

5. Serve with your favorite pasta dish (my Linguine with Tomato Cream sauce shown above), and some yummy steamed veggies! I love the greens from the vegetables and the reds from the sauces popping off the plate!

6. Any left over Stuffing can be frozen in Ziploc bags. I actually double this recipe when I make it to be able to freeze half. When you wish to use your frozen stuffing, just pull it out the night before and pop it in your fridge to let it unthaw. 

Note: I picked these bell peppers from my garden and that's why they are a little on the small side. If you also have small peppers to use lower your bake times by half: 15 minutes with foil and 5 minutes without foil in the oven. Enjoy!! 

Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese

Homemade Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 box of Penne
1 stick of butter
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
1 pinch paprika
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup shredded Munster Cheese
3 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heated on low-medium (on a 2 or 3 notch) add your stick of butter and your pepper, mustard, and paprika. Let melt completely.
2. In a separate, large, saucepan fill with water. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Heat on high and cover. This is for your Penne.
3. Add you flour to your melted butter and whisk flour until lump-free and smooth. Let the mixture come to a light golden brown color and will take 3-5 minutes. Make sure not to let it burn. Continue to mix very well with your whisk.
4. Add your box of Penne to your boiling water in the large saucepan. Cook for 9-10 minutes.
5. Slowly add in your milk with little splashes at a time. Mix very well while adding your milk in or else it will curdle. Your arm should start to feel like you are holding you 25 pound baby now as your are whisking with all of your might. This process takes 3-5 minutes to incorporate your milk properly. Your mixture should be slightly thick and white....looking almost like paste.
6. With little handfuls at a time, slowly add in your cheese. Keep whisking with all of your might or else your cheese will separate. Nobody likes a chewy cheese sauce. To reach the perfect cheese sauce yummy goodness it will take you about 5-8 minutes to add all the cheese in. Keep on whisking!!
7. Drain your Penne and in a large serving bowl mix together your Penne and your cheese sauce. Serve immediately.

This is a family favorite of ours! It is super unhealthy so we only eat it on occasion, but it is the only macaroni and cheese that I like. The irony, of course, is that no macaroni is involved. I hope you all enjoy and happy whisking! :)


Note: I am actually in the process of trying to loose weight and am using My Fitness Pal to try and help facilitate that. I plugged all the ingredients into the recipe builder and it told me that per serving this recipe is still under 500 calories. I honestly thought it would be more than that. It still is a heavy meal, but I am glad that it isn't as devilish as I originally thought. Plus, you get a super awesome arm workout while making it so that burns some calories! :)