Sour Cream Noodle Bake

This is a quick and easy recipe when you are looking for some good old comfort food. I really like the use of cottage cheese in this recipe since it is something I usually have around. Give this a try to warm you up as it starts to get cooler outside.

From: The Pioneer Woman

INGREDIENTS

1-¼ pound ground chuck
1 can 15-ounces tomato sauce
½ teaspoons salt
pepper
8 ounces, weight egg noodles
½ cups sour cream
1-¼ cup small curd cottage cheese
½ cups Sliced Green Onions (I omitted)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.

To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.


Recipe Rewind: White Lasagna Toss

Cheesy Chili Chip Dip - with a Buffalo Chicken Twist

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It is a good thing I had another recipe swap because they make me update my blog. This time around the criteria was something for tailgating or an appetizer for watching the game. The original recipe of Cheesy Chili Chip Dip came from Kerry. I made a few changes to accommodate what I had and to give it a Buffalo Chicken spin. I will list my version and then Kerry's under it. It turned out great and is perfect for a crowd.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground chicken
1 can rotel
1 can tomato sauce
1 packet chili seasoning (I used low sodium)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup hot wing sauce
8 ounces velveeta, cubed
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

Cook ground chicken in a pan with high sides. Once cooked stir in rotel, tomato sauce, chili seasoning, black beans and wing sauce. After ever thing is well combined and warmed though stir in cheeses. Cover, keep on low and stir occasionally.

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Kerry's original version:

1lb of ground turkey (cooked)
2 cans of diced tomatoes in garlic and onion
1 can of green chilis
1 packet of chili seasoning
1 can of black beans
1 can of corn

Don’t drain any of the cans before you throw it in

¼ cup hot sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 shakes of hot pepper flakes
½ cup ketchup
½ cup tomato sauce
8oz velveta cheese
4oz swiss cheese
4oz white American cheese

Throw everything in the crock pot for 8 hours on low….or whatever works.

Recipe Rewind: Chocolate Covered Oreo Cookie Cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Passion Bars

If you are like me and most of the world you enjoy the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter. These sweet treats are in that category. The best part of these are you can make them for a last minute function, and chances are you already have everything on hand.

From See Aimee Cook

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 pouch chocolate brownie mix (9x13 size)
1 cup peanuts, chopped (I omitted these)
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together the oil and eggs. Add the brownie mix and peanuts; stir until moistened. Press half of the brownie mixture into the pan (use your hands - it's way easier); reserve the other half for the topping.

To make the filling, stir the sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Spread it evenly over the brownie layer in the pan.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of the reserved brownie mixture over the peanut butter layer.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is set. Cool thoroughly before cutting.

Recipe Rewind: Italian Spinach Pie

Risotto

Italian was the theme for my most recent recipe swap. I submitted this wonderful White Pizza Dip and in return I received Mushroom Risotto. Risotto is so creamy and comforting...I can't think of anything to not like. I always find it odd that so many Italian restaurants in my area never offer risotto. It seems like a classic staple to me. As you can tell by my photo there are no mushrooms, and that is because I do not like them. But that should come as no surprise to you. I will share recipe to include the mushroom since most people like them.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups chicken broth
8 ounces mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/3 cup white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

DIRECTIONS

In a medium pot, heat the chicken broth over low heat until warmed through.

Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms and saute until tender and fragrant. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add about a 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and the onions and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion is slightly soft. Add another 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and then the arborio rice.

Stir frequently with a wooden spoon until the rice has absorbed the oil and is a very pale golden color. Pour in the white wine and stir until the rice has absorbed the wine.

Add approximately 1/2 cup of chicken broth at a time, stirring until the rice has absorbed almost all of the stock is is just about to stick to the pan. There should be a milky looking trail when you're stirring around the rice. Continue to add the chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring until it is absorbed. This should take about 20 minutes total to use all of the stock.

Reduce the heat to very low and add the butter, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and then add the mushrooms back to the skillet. Stir until everything is combined.

Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Recipe Rewind: Creamy Chicken Sausage Bake

Slow Cooker French Dip

I just love coming home from a long day at work to the smell of dinner that is ready to go. This is an easy recipe that is filling and tasty. And don't skip dipping your sandwich in the sauce, it is a must!

Adapted from: Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS

4 pounds rump roast
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
a few good dashes of worcestershire sauce and hot sauce
6 French rolls
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Trim excess fat from the rump roast, salt and pepper the roast, and place in a slow cooker. Add the beef broth, onion soup, beer, worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Cook on Low setting for 7 hours. (Mine cooked for about 11 hours while I was at work).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Split French rolls, and spread with butter. Bake 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Slice the meat on the diagonal, and place on the rolls. Serve the sauce for dipping.

Recipe Rewind: Manly Meaty Pasta Salad

Key Lime Pie

This key lime pie recipe could not be any easier. I did take some help from bottled key lime juice. My local store did not have an fresh key limes and they can be little pricey. Even with the bottled stuff this pie is tart, creamy and refreshing.

From: Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Juice

INGREDIENTS

9" graham cracker pie crust
14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks (whites not used)
½ cup Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice

DIRECTIONS

Combine milk, egg yolks and lime juice. Blend until smooth (I used a blender). Pour filling into pie crust and bake at 350º for 15 minutes. Allow to stand 10 minutes before refrigerating. Just before serving, top with freshly whipped cream, or meringue, and garnish with lime slices....which obviously I did not do.


Recipe Rewind: Southwestern Pulled Brisket

Ranchero Chicken Crostada

As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it. Usually it takes me a while to getting around to trying new recipes....but this one I made within days of seeing it. It definitely lived up to my expectations. My favorite part (besides being quick, easy and delicious) was the flaky crust around the outside...perfection!

Barely adapted from Recipe Shoebox

INGREDIENTS

1 roll Pillsbury pie crust, thawed
2 cups shredded chicken
1 can (10 ounce) mild Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained
2 teaspoons ranch dressing powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup shredded cheese
1 can (15.5 ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed
ranch dressing (I used a spicy ranch)
olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Roll crust onto Pam-treated baking sheet. Preheat over to 375.

In large mixing bowl, mix chicken, Ro-Tel, ranch powder, cumin, 1/2 cup shredded cheese, and black beans. Spread chicken mixture onto pie dough leaving a 1-2-inch border around the edges. Fold this border up over chicken to make a deep-dish pizza-like crust, forming pleats every 2 inches or so. Brush olive oil on crust. Top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes. Top with a drizzle with ranch dressing.

Recipe Rewind: S'more Brownies

Pretzel Crusted Mustard Chicken

This is a variation of a recipe I received for a recipe swap. I decided and to simply it a little, and I opted not to make the cheese sauce since I didn’t have any milk around. Plus I am trying to eat better and cheese sauce is a huge weakness of mine, ha!

Adapted from Kate's Recipe Box

2 chicken breasts, cut into strips (6 strips total)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 heaping tablespoon stone ground mustard
5 ounces pretzels, finely crushed
shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Mix butter and mustard in a shallow dish. Place crushed pretzels in a separate shallow dish.

Dip chicken strips into the butter mixture making sure the entire piece is coated. Then dip into pretzels. Place strips into a casserole dish.

Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, turning once, until juice runs clear and chicken is no longer pink at the thickest part.

Sprinkle cheese on the strips as soon as they come out of the oven.

Recipe Rewind: Creamy and Zesty Black Beans with Corn and Baked Southwest Eggrolls

Buffalo Chicken Bites

I am a sucker for anything "buffalo chicken". When I first saw this recipe I was dying to try it, but since I do not fry things at home, it never happened. So imagine my excitement when I saw a baked version. These were incredible and I didn't even miss the fact that they were not fried. Confession: There is a part of me that wants to make a big patty out of this mixture and eat it like a sandwich.

Adapted from Pennies on a Platter

INGREDIENTS

3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/4 to 1/2 cup hot sauce (or more to your taste)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sharp or medium shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3 – 4 cups panko breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix the chicken, cream cheese and hot sauce until combined. Stir in the cheddar cheese.

Using a small cookie or ice cream scoop, spoon out the chicken mixture and roll into about 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on a plate or separate baking sheet (not lined) until ready to dip.

In three separate bowls, set out the flour, eggs and panko. Dip each chicken ball first into the flour, then the egg and ending with the panko. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

**If freezing for later, place the dipped and uncooked chicken balls onto the parchment lined baking sheet and flash freeze for 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a freezer bag and store in the freezer until ready. To bake, place the frozen chicken balls back on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350˚F for 25 to 30 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.

Recipe Rewind: White Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Dip and Chili Lime Rice

Oven-Fried Pickles

I am a huge fan of fried pickles. When see them on a menu out some place I must have them. I've never tried to make them myself because I try to avoid frying things at home. (I have to draw the line somewhere, ha!) Imagine my excitement when I saw a baked version. Although you can't beat a true fried pickle, these were a great substitute.

From Prevention RD

INGREDIENTS

20 ounce jar dill burger slice pickles (I used a small jar of dill chips)
2 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS

Turn oven broiler on to 450 F.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and flour together. Add worcestershire, hot sauce, garlic powder, cajun seasoning, and pepper to egg mixture. Mix well.

Place panko bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Dunk each pickle slice into the egg mixture, than dredge it in the panko bread crumbs.

Place coated pickles on a baking sheet that’s been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Place pan in middle rack of oven. Broil about 2-3 minutes on each side. Watch closely to be sure they don’t burn

Recipe Rewind: Chicken and Orzo and Overnight French Toast