Party Meatballs

Next time you are looking for a recipe for meatballs for a party try this instead of the grape jelly version. I cheated and used pre-made meatballs instead of making my own. They were still great.

Adapted from Kraft Foods

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds of frozen meatballs

1 jar (10 oz.) apricot preserves
1/2 cup BBQ sauce

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook to directions on meatball package.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

To be honest I do not like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. But I decided to make these for a baby shower. Of course I did try one....and they were SO good! I wonder if I should revisit the classic PB&J sandwich...nah!

From: Ina Garten

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (18 ounces) creamy peanut butter (recommended: Skippy)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (18 ounces) raspberry jam (I used Strawberry preserves)
2/3 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped (omitted)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch cake pan. Line it with parchment paper (I used foil), then grease and flour the pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.

Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with a knife or offset spatula. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; it will spread in the oven. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

My tips: I heated my preserves in the microwave to make them easier to spread. I didn't spread my jam to the very edge to prevent burning in case the dough did not spread out. Also, try your best to evenly drop dough over the preserves because mine didn't not really spread that much (luckily I had dropped my dough pretty evenly and it worked out).

Pepperoni and Parmesan Pasta Salad

I was looking for a simple, yet flavorful pasta salad recipe for a baby shower I was throwing. This one was perfect!

Adapted from One Particular Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

16 ounces of pasta, cooked to your preference

1 16 ounce bottle Ken's Lite Northern Italian with Basil and Romano

3/4 quarters of a bag of pepperoni, cut up

4 ounces shredded parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Combine drained pasta, 3/4 of the dressing, pepperoni and parmesan. Mix thoroughly.

Chill for 2 hours, or overnight.

Mix in the last of your dressing before serving.

Feel free to check out the original posters recipe for other variations.

Spinach Dip

I made this for a baby shower and it was a HUGE hit.

Adapted from Knorr

INGREDIENTS

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 10 ounce package chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/2 to 1 tablespoon dry ranch mix (depends on your taste)

1 package Knorr Vegetable Mix

crackers of your choice

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients and chill about 2 hours. Serve with your choice of crackers.

BLT Roll-ups

I saw these on Annie's blog and was waiting for an occasion to make them. Everyone thought they were great.

Adapted from Annie's Eats

INGREDIENTS

6 9" garden spinach or tomato basil tortillas

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoon Ranch dressing

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 cup shredded lettuce

3 roma tomatoes, diced

DIRECTIONS

Lay all tortillas out flat on a work surface. Combine the cream cheese and Ranch dressing in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Divide between the tortillas and spread in a thin, even layer over each. Sprinkle a sixth of the bacon, lettuce and tomato over each tortilla. Starting at one edge, roll each tortilla up tightly into a spiral shaped log. (If time allows wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill for about 2 hours.) Slice each log into 1.5"-2" sections.

Chessy Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Rice

I love making up dishes with rice...they are cheap and simple. Its a great way to use up leftovers you have hanging around.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rice, uncooked

2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon creole seasoning

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup white cheddar cheese

1 can tomato sauce

1/4 cup roasted red peppers (if using jarred, thoroughly pat them dry)

DIRECTIONS

Cook your rice in the chicken broth with the creole seasoning, cumin and red pepper flakes using your preferred method. I personally place the rice in a pot with some olive oil and toast it. Then I add in the broth and spices, bring it to a boil, cover it and simmer for about 20 minutes.

When your rice it cooked, stir in your tomato sauce, roasted red peppers and cheese. Cook until warmed through.

Tomato, Olive, Spinach and Feta Pasta

I had some leftover ingredients from the pasta salad I recently made and I wanted to use them up. It came out great. This is a quick meatless dinner for a busy weeknight.

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces pasta
1 can tomato sauce
1 can garlic and basil petite diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped fresh spinach, loosely packed
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
feta cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS

Combine your canned tomatoes, thyme, basil, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook on medium for 10 minutes, and turn down to simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering start cooking the pasta.

Add the spinach, olives and lemon juice to your sauce. Cook another 5 minutes so that the spinach wilts and olives are heated through.

Serve sauce over pasta and top with feta cheese.

Pimento Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I made this in honor of National Grilled Cheese Month. I took the concept of pimento cheese spread and turned it into a grilled cheese sandwich. This was fantastic!

INGREDIENTS

sourdough bread

butter/margarine
white cheddar cheese, shredded

sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

roasted red pepper, sliced and patted dry

mayonnaise

pepper

DIRECTIONS

Lightly spread one side of each piece of bread with butter. Then lightly spread mayonnaise on the other side. Sprinkle a little pepper over each side that has the mayonnaise on it.

Take one slice, buttered side down, and layer on the white cheddar, roasted red peppers and sharp cheddar. Top with another slice so that the buttered side is on the outside.

Cook on the stove top on medium until golden and flip until the other side is golden. Let it sit for a few minutes before cutting.

It will be messy....but it will be good!

Honey Vanilla Pound Cake

This is another recipe from my Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook by Ina Garten.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter at cool room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2 tablespoons mild honey
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and then grease and flour the pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until light. Meanwhile, put the eggs, honey, vanilla and lemon zest in a glass measuring cup, but do not combine. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the egg mixture, one egg at a time, scraping down the bowl and allowing each egg to become incorporated before adding the next egg.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, add it slowly to the batter until just combined. Finishing mixing the batter with a rubber spatula and pour it into the prepared pan. Smooth the top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a knife through the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then turn out and place on a baking rack to allow it to cool completely.

Mediterranean Style Pasta Salad

I came across a recipe for Pasta with Lemon, Feta and Arugula and it really got me thinking about my own creation. This is serisouly the most amazing pasta salad EVER. It has the perfect balance of flavors and textures. I only made a half batch because I didn't know how it would turn out, but I wish I had made a full batch, it was so good.

INGREDIENTS

pasta, cooked and drained
spinach, chopped
chickpeas, drained and rinsed
grape tomatoes, cut in half
black olives, cut in half
feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing
extra virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice
Dijon mustard
white pepper, black pepper and salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Combine the top 6 ingredients in a bowl.

Whisk together your dressing ingredients and pour over your pasta mixture. Toss thoroughly.

Honestly, this is good warm or cold. Serve however you would like =) !