Holiday Cheese Ball

Melissa's favorite cheese ball! Jenn loves this recipe, too.

Ingredients:

• 2, 8oz blocks of cream cheese
• 3 tsp. Bon Appetite* see notes 
• 1/2 tsp. dill weed 
• 1/4 tsp. dried mustard 
• 3 green onions chopped 
• Chopped pecans 
• Chopped parsley 

Directions:

Once cream cheese is softened mix *Bon Appetite, dill weed, dried mustard and green onions all together. Then roll into a ball and roll it in the pecans and parsley.

*Notes: they no longer make Bon Appetite seasoning. So I found the spices that is in it and mix those together to get Bon Appetite. I have never figured out the exact measurements to get the 3 tsp you need so it’s always more then I need and I just keep it in a baggie in my seasonings for next time.

To make Bon Appetite

• 1 TBL celery salt 
• 1 TBL sugar 
• 1 tsp. onion powder. 

Mix it all together and then use 3 tsp. for the cheeseball.

Creamy Chicken Lasagna

Make this.  You will thank me later.  And so will everyone you serve it to.

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts 
• 1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, chopped 
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA, divided (Plain mozzarella can work, too.)
• 1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese 
• 1/2 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes 
• 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 
• 1/4 cup tightly packed fresh basil, chopped, divided 
• 12 lasagna noodles, cooked 

Directions
HEAT oven to 350°F.
COMBINE chicken, artichokes, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan and tomatoes. Beat cream cheese, milk and garlic powder with mixer until well blended; stir in 2 Tbsp. basil. Mix half with the chicken mixture.
SPREAD half the remaining cream cheese mixture onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with 3 noodles and 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers of noodles and chicken mixture twice. Top with remaining noodles, cream cheese mixture and mozzarella; cover.
BAKE 25 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining basil. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve.

Maple Drizzled Apple-Cinnamon Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Oh, these sandwiches are heaven.  I found these on the OurBestBites website this afternoon while trying to think of what to make for dinner.  We made them tonight for a quick and easy dinner, and the blend of different flavors was amazing.  I love when food is easy AND delicious!!



Photo from OurBestBites.com

Measurements are approximate. These are sandwiches- don’t overthink it!

Ingredients

• 4 slices rustic sandwich bread 
• 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese (or enough to cover all the slices) 
• 1-2 sweet, crisp apples 
• ground cinnamon 
• kosher or sea salt 
• 3-4 tablespoons real butter 
• 100% real maple syrup 

Instructions

Butter each slice of bread and place slices butter-side down on a cutting board. Place cheese on each slice of bread. Core apples and slice into 1/8 inch slices. Place apple slices on 4 slices of bread and lightly sprinkle them with ground cinnamon and salt. Put sandwich halves together and grill in a hot skillet, or on a Panini grill, or broiled in the oven, flipping sandwiches and cooking until each side is golden brown and cheese is melted. Drizzle with maple syrup, or serve on the side for dipping. Makes 4 sandwiches.

This would also be delicious for breakfast, lunch, snacktime, whatever!   :)  

Homemade Fishy Crackers

Okay, as promised, here is another DIY snack that you can make with your kids.  I was skeptical, but these really came out with that perfect cracker texture and my family and friends agree that these are actually BETTER than fishy crackers you buy.  Who knew you could make crackers like this?  And so easily? And with such wholesome ingredients?

This recipe is found over at Tasty Kitchen, complete with great pictures and instructions.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces, weight Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
• 4 Tablespoons Butter, Cut Into Cubes
• 1 cup Flour
• ¾ teaspoons Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Cold Water

 Directions:

Pulse everything (except water) together in the food processor until the dough resembles coarse sand.  Pulse in water, 1 tablespoon at a time.  Remove dough from the processor, wrap in plastic, and chill for 20 minutes.  Roll out the dough and cut into desired shapes. (The Tasty Kitchen link even has easy directions for making your own fishy cutter out of a pop can.  We just used my itty bitty fondant cutters for some fun cracker shapes.)  You can use a toothpick to make the eyes and smile if desired. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes, or until crispy. Makes approximately 7 dozen crackers.  Delicious!  Store in an air-tight container.

Here is a bowl of cheese crackers we made ourselves!

Baked Penne Casserole

If you are looking for a truly crowd-pleasing, family-friendly dinner that is easy and delicious, look no further!  I found this recipe on pinterest.  It's done by The Country Cook, and after I read through the recipe, I knew I had to try it.  My family GOBBLED this up.  I seriously don't think Katelee or Blake have ever eaten so much in their lives.  And Gerald and I loved it too!  A great dinner to please kids and adults!



 
Ingredients:

• 1/2 - 1 lb. ground beef 
• 1/2 cup onions, diced 
• 1/2 cup green peppers, diced (I left these out, as the sight of green peppers is enough to make Katelee refuse to even try it...)
• 1 jar (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce 
• 1 tub (10 oz.) Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme, divided (I used Light.)
• 1 cup Kraft shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided 
• 3 cups cooked penne pasta (about 1 3/4 c. dry)

If you haven't already cooked your pasta, do so first. You'll need to bring water to a boil and then add in about 1 3/4 cups uncooked pasta (this should give you about 3 cups cooked since pasta nearly doubles in size after cooked). I always throw a little extra in for good measure.

When pasta is cooked al dente, make sure you drain excess water thoroughly.  Be careful not to overcook, as you will be baking the pasta as well and don't want it to come out soggy.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish (or 9x9 baking dish) with nonstick cooking spray.

Begin browning and crumbling ground beef with onions and green peppers (if using).

You'll need to do this in a large skillet because you'll be adding in your sauce and pasta to it later.

Once beef is browned, drain any excess grease.  Stir in spaghetti sauce, 3/4 cup cooking creme and 1/2 cup mozzarella.

Cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until mozzarella is melted. Add pasta and mix lightly.

Spoon mixture into your prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cooking creme. Then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Cover with lid or aluminum foil.  When using aluminum foil, I like to spray the inside of the foil with nonstick spray so the cheese doesn't stick to it while baking.

Bake for 15 minutes. Then uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes so the cheese can get nice and melted and bubbly.

 

Serve warm, maybe with a green salad and some Tuscan bread on the side.  Enjoy!

Egg & Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

We had a delicious Christmas morning breakfast this year, and the best part of it is that I didn't have to do anything Christmas morning other than bake the already made casseroles.  We served the Overnight Caramel French Toast with this egg casserole, and they were both scrumptious, easy, and complimented each other well.  This recipe is definitely a keeper that we will use all year round!  

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed 
• 1 pound pork sausage 
• 1/2 small onion, diced 
• 5 eggs 
• 1/4 cup milk 
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 
• salt and ground black pepper to taste 
• 6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2 quart baking dish. Place the hash brown potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish.

2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook and stir the sausage and onion until the sausage is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink; drain. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk, onion powder, salt, and pepper, and pour over the potatoes. Layer with half the Cheddar cheese, the sausage mixture, and the remaining Cheddar cheese. Cover with aluminum foil. If making the night before, refrigerate now until morning.

3. Bake, covered with the tinfoil, in the preheated oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour. Remove foil cover; return casserole to the oven and bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

In the past year or so, baked potato soup has become my new personal favorite soup.  

In Denver, we lived across the street from a Panera, and anytime I was sick Gerald would pick up a tub of their loaded baked potato soup for me.  I've also had Kneaders version, and they are both delicious!  So, when I knew it was going to snow this weekend, I decided it was high time that I learned to make this delicious soup myself.  I was thrilled to find that Our Best Bites had a recipe; I knew it was bound to be great, and it was!  I tweaked their recipe a little bit, but mostly used their recipe as is.  I love that this recipe isn't horribly fattening, as some others I've seen are, but that it is still rich and flavorful.  (Click on the above link to see the full instructions/pictures on Our Best Bites.)

I hope you give this a try.  My family LOVED it, and it is definitely one we'll make again soon!

• 3 Tbs butter
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 C flour
• 4 1/2 C milk (low fat works great)
• 1 14oz can chicken broth
• 4 medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds) baked*
• 2 C grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 1/2 C  sour cream (low fat is fine), divided
• 1/2 C chopped green onions, divided
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

*don’t have time to bake potatoes in the oven?  Just pierce them with a fork a few times and then pop them in the microwave.  Cook in 5 minute intervals until a knife easily pierces through them.  It usually takes 5-10 minutes.  To bake in the oven, pierce each potato with a fork and place directly on oven rack.  Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes.
Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat.  Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.  Add flour to pan.  Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps.   Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth. (Now, if you get to this point and don’t have a smooth liquid.  Stop!  Save your soup by popping the mixture in the blender, then continue.)  Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes. (Jennifer's note: my didn't thicken as much as I thought it would at this point.  I cooked it for about 15 minutes and it wasn't getting any thicker, so I added a bit more flour and then went ahead and added the potatoes.  In the end, it turned out perfectly.)

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low.  Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot.  Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps.  (Note: there will be some lumps.  As long as they are bite sized, I think that's great, even preferable!  But don't expect pureed potatoes, think lumpy mashed potatoes.)  Add 1 1/2 C grated cheese (I added more like 1 3/4 c.) and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted.  Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 C sour cream, 1/4 C green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon (I added all 8 strips of crumbled bacon now, and crumbled an extra piece or two on top later.)  Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

Leftovers?  I'm freezing mine in single portions for a quick and yummy lunch!

English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas

I am always on the lookout for new breakfast ideas.  I like to send Gerald to work and Katelee to school most mornings with a hot meal in their stomachs, but mornings can be crazy.  So I love it when I find more quick and easy breakfast recipes to add to our usual line up.

This recipe we tried last week, and we LOVED them.  I found this recipe on from Our Best Bites, and like everything they do, it's WONDERFUL!

Ingredients:

• 6 whole wheat English muffins at room temperature 
• 4 eggs, at room temperature 
• 2 tablespoons milk 
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 
• About 10 dashes Tabasco sauce (I didn't have this on hand, and so didn't use it.  I'm sure it would add some kick, but they were still yummy without it!)
• 12 thin deli slices of ham or 10-12 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled 
• 3/4-1 c. shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese 
• Optional: Chopped vegetables like green onions, tomatoes, sliced olives, mushrooms, green peppers, etc. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray liberally with non-stick cooking spray or brush with oil or melted butter. Set aside. In a pie plate, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and Tabasco sauce. Gently pull apart each English muffin and soak each side (like you would for French toast) in the egg mixture–you want the egg mixture to soak into the bread, but you don’t want the English muffin to be completely falling apart. Place the muffin, cut side up, on the baking sheet. If using ham, slice the ham into thin strips and then place on top of the English muffins. If using bacon, just sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top. Add any additional desired toppings and then sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for 15 minutes and serve immediately.

THIS IS THE BEST PART!!  You can make these and FREEZE them for another busy morning.  AWESOME! 

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

Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo Bake

I think Taylor originally found this recipe on Pinterest, and we made it at mom's house on Christmas Eve. I think everyone loved it, and I know Katelee especially gobbled it up! Great noodle casserole. :)

By the way, someone still needs to post the recipes (mom or Taylor!) for those amazing ribs we ate that week! And Taylor's mom's rolls! And whatever else I am forgetting. :)

1 (16-ounce) package penne or elbow macaroni
2 (10-ounce) containers refrigerated Alfredo sauce
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 garlic clove, minced
3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot. Stir together all ingredients except mozzarella cheese. Spread mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Homemade Mac n' Cheese

I cannot remember EVER liking macaroni and cheese, though I probably did as a child. (Did I, mom?) But as far back as my memory goes, I've found it revolting. Katelee and Gerald like it, though, so it is (very rarely) made around here at times. I ate a bite of Katelee's once - blech.

But recently Katelee ordered mac n' cheese at a restaurant. I could tell it was the REAL thing (no Kraft from a box, thank you), and it was yummy! I don't think I'd ever tried mac n' cheese that wasn't from a box before. So lately I've been craving a nice bowl of real macaroni and cheese.

Martha Stewart's recipe for macaroni and cheese showed up on Yahoo this week, and I was excited to try it. But when I went shopping I found I was going to have to spend about $40 making this one meal if I bought the expensive cheeses listed in her recipe - no thank you!!

So my friend shared THIS recipe with me and we tried it for dinner tonight. It's from the Pioneer Woman! I LOVE her. (In fact, why didn't I think to look there for a mac n' cheese recipe first?) It's simple, made with everyday regular ingredients, and it was yummy. A great dinner on a fall Sunday evening. :) Hope you enjoy! (You can see step by step photo instructions on her blog here.)

Ingredients

4 cups Dried Macaroni
1 whole Egg Beaten
1/4 cup (1/2 Stick Or 4 Tablespoons) Butter
1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
2-1/2 cups Whole Milk (I used 2%)
2 teaspoons (heaping) Dry Mustard, More If Desired
1 pound Cheese, Grated (I used sharp cheddar, but want to try a blend next time.)
1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
1/2 teaspoon Seasoned Salt, More To Taste
1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Optional Spices: Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Thyme

Preparation Instructions

Cook macaroni for only about 5 minutes, until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.

In a small bowl, beat egg.

In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.

Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick, almost like a cream gravy. Reduce heat to low.

Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the egg. Whisk together till smooth.

Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.

Add in cheese and stir to melt.

Add salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.

Pour in the drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top. (You can serve it without baking - it will be very soft and creamy. I chose to bake mine.)

Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole

I took dinner to a friend tonight, and made one of my favorite casseroles that I often use when I need to take dinner to someone else. I didn't realize until now that this recipe wasn't on this blog, so I'm happy to share it! This meal always gets rave reviews - people usually ask for the recipe. I really love to use this recipe when I'm taking dinner to someone else, because kids and adults love it, it's a "comfort" food type of meal, and because it's unique enough that people will rarely have another similar meal brought to them. Also, our family just happens to love this for ourselves. ;)

(This serves 4-6, so double if you want to share!)

• 2 c. potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 2-3 potatoes, depending on the size. I have also successfully substituted frozen hash browns for the potatoes.)
• 2 c. cooked ham, cubed
• 1 can corn (I have also used frozen sweet corn instead)
• 1/4 c. fresh parsley, finely minced
• 1/4 c. butter
• 2 T. onions, chopped finely
• 1/3 c. flour (I have used both white and wheat successfully)
• 1 3/4 c. milk
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 4 oz. cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil the potatoes until tender, but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. Combine the potatoes, ham, corn, and parsley. Set aside. Melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the onion in butter for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in the flour until blended well. Gradually add the milk and the pepper, stirring. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over the ham mixture. Pour the whole mixture into a greased baking dish and cover. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 5 - 10 minutes longer, until cheese melts. Enjoy!

FREEZER NOTE: We have made this recipe to freeze, and it turns out well. Just freezer in a disposable casserole dish before baking, thaw, and bake as instructed. Keep in mind that the potatoes will be a little mushier after freezing, so sometimes I slightly under cook the potatoes when I am planning to freeze this meal.

Best Ham Soup EVER

Melissa got this recipe from a friend, and it is probably my favorite soup ever! Everyone asks for us to share this recipe.

4 c. water
5 red potatoes, cubed (leave the skins on)
4 carrots, cut into slices
1 onion, chopped
3-4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 bag of frozen broccoli
3 c. cooked ham, cubed
1 stick butter
1/2 c. flour
3 c. milk
4 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Combine the water, salt, pepper and all the vegetables except the frozen broccoli in a big pot. Bring to a boil. About 5 minutes before the vegetables are done, add the broccoli. Cover and boil until all the veggies are done. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the flour slowly, whisking constantly to make it smooth. Add one cup of milk. Continue whisking. Add another cup of milk. Still whisking. Add half the cheese. Don't stop whisking! Add the last cup of milk. I hope you're still whisking! Add the last of the cheese. Keep whisking until the whole mixture is perfectly smooth. Re-attach your arm. Now pour the cheese mixture into the cooked vegetables. DO NOT DRAIN THE WATER from the vegetables - you definitely want this still. Stir until well blended. Turn to low heat and add the cubed ham. Leave on warm heat and stir a bit until the ham is warmed through. Serve and enjoy.