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In , on January 19, 2016 with No Comments

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Stuffed Shells

I’m always looking for new ways to use leftover ham. My go-to recipes are ham and beans, which my husband and sons love, and the usual scalloped potato and ham casserole. Tonight I decided to try something a little different. My family loves Italian-style stuffed pasta shells, so I decided to mix it up a little bit and use my leftover ham and broccoli. I think it was a success judging from the few shells left at the end of the meal. This is easy to make, and you can vary the types of cheese and even the veggies you want to use.

ham, cheese, broccoli shells plated

1 package jumbo pasta shells

2 cups leftover cooked ham, finely diced

1 package frozen broccoli, finely chopped

1 package ricotta cheese

1 egg

2 cups shredded Italian cheeses (I buy the prepackaged mix of Italian cheeses)

1 jar Alfredo sauce (or use homemade)

Fresh Parmesan cheese for grating

Salt and pepper to taste

 

In a large stockpot, cook the pasta shells according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, combine all the other ingredients (except for the Parmesan) in a large bowl, and mix until completely combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray 2 9 x 13-inch baking dishes with cooking spray. Stuff each cooked pasta shell with the ham and broccoli mixture, and place the shells in the baking dishes.

ham, cheese, broccoli shells - no sauce

 

Pour the Alfredo sauce over each shell. You don’t have to completely cover them, but make sure each shell has some sauce. Grate the Parmesan cheese evenly over all the shells.

 

ham, cheese, broccoli shells with sauce 2

Bake the shells for approximately 40 minutes, or until the cheese on top is nicely browned.

ham, cheese, broccoli shells baked 2

 

Yield:  About 6 servings (makes about 36 stuffed shells)

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In , , on January 3, 2016 with No Comments

Cody’s Skillet Pasta

While I was busy working today, my oldest son decided he’d make dinner for everyone. He’s a good cook who has learned to look through the cupboards and freezer, see what’s available, and come up with something tasty to eat. Tonight he made a skillet pasta, and it was really good. Thanks Cody!

codys skillet pasta

codys skillet pasta on plate

Cody’s Skillet Pasta

1 pound ground venison or ground beef (he used venison)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 package egg noodles
8 ounces canned mushrooms (he used canned Hen of the Woods mushrooms)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Splash balsamic vinegar
Splash liquid hickory smoke
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Parsley flakes for sprinkling on top

Cook egg noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown ground meat until no longer pink; drain. To the ground meat, add the spaghetti sauce, cooked noodles, mushrooms, seasonings, balsamic vinegar, liquid smoke, and stir to completely combine. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top, and let cook until the cheese melts. Sprinkle parsley flakes on top just before serving.

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In , , , on December 31, 2015 with No Comments

Cheeseburger Mac Stew

All over the Internet I keep reading recipes for cheeseburger soup. My sister even makes a version of it, although I haven’t had the privilege (yet) of tasting it. So, when I was trying to think of something different for dinner last night, I thought I’d try my hand at making this soup. A lot of the recipes I read online included hash browns, and since I didn’t have any frozen hash browns on hand and didn’t feel like making them from scratch (I was feeling lazy), I omitted them, but feel free to include some if you try this.

I will confess that I keep the dreaded “blue box” macaroni and cheese in my kitchen cupboards. While I make mac and cheese from scratch (and my husband and I don’t particularly care for the store-bought stuff), my sons like to have the “blue box” on hand to make themselves a quick snack. I thought this recipe would be a good way to get rid of one of those boxes from my cupboards, and the cheese mix from the box did help thicken up the soup – hence I named the recipe cheeseburger mac stew.

cheeseburger mac stew

Cheeseburger Mac Stew

3 cups chicken broth
2 large carrots, scraped and shredded
2 cups milk
1/2 box Velveeta cheese
1 pound hamburger, cooked and drained
1 box macaroni and cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, brown hamburger until no longer pink. Drain and set aside.

In a large stockpot, combine chicken broth and shredded carrots. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the carrots become tender. Add the milk, Velveeta and cheese mix package from the macaroni and cheese box. Stir until well combined and the cheese mix is dissolved. Add the cooked hamburger and the macaroni from the package. Cook until the macaroni is tender, about 8 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper.

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In , on November 14, 2015 with No Comments

Unstuffed Cabbage

I had a really great meal planned for dinner. I was going to make traditional cabbage rolls, something I hadn’t eaten for a long time, probably since my grandmother was alive. I’d found a really nice head of cabbage at the grocery store and had everything planned out for the meal – and then work got in the way. I love working from home, but sometimes work can get crazy with deadlines and tasks that need to be managed. So my wonderfully planned meal went out the window.

But I still had all the makings for cabbage rolls, just not all the time I needed. Cabbage rolls generally take about 2 hours to bake and about 30 minutes or so for the prep work. I was still hungry for the taste of a cabbage roll, so I decided to make unstuffed cabbage in a big skillet instead. It uses all the same ingredients, but dinner can be ready in about half an hour. Win-win for me!

I used Minute Rice in this recipe simply because I was pressed for time in getting something on the table for everyone to eat, but you can definitely use the long-grain rice of your choice. You’ll just need to extend the cooking time to allow the rice to cook. I also added a pint of homemade salsa to my skillet unstuffed cabbage. Salsa isn’t a usual ingredient in traditional cabbage rolls, but it adds a nice spicy flavor when you’re making it on the stove top.

unstuffed cabbage

Unstuffed Cabbage

1 pound ground beef
1/2 an onion, diced
1/2 head green cabbage, chopped
2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
1 pint salsa (optional)
2 cups Minute Rice (or your favorite long-grain rice but add more cooking time)
2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown ground beef with the onion until the beef is no longer pink. Drain. To the skillet, add the chopped cabbage, and stir to combine. Let it cook for a few minutes to let the cabbage wilt a bit (and make more room in the skillet). Add the tomato sauce, salsa if using, 2 cups of rice and 2 cups of water. Stir to combine everything.

Let cook over medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the water and the cabbage is tender. If you’re using long-grain rice, the cooking time may be closer to 30 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid anything sticking in the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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In , , on November 2, 2015 with No Comments

Spinach Lasagna

My family would eat pasta just about every night of the week if that’s what I made. Well, maybe not Kevin so much, as he’s a traditional meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, but my sons would. They frequently ask for lasagna, and when they were little, I used to add fresh spinach to my lasagna to “sneak” in a few more vegetables into their diet – not that they didn’t ever eat their veggies, but it was just one more way to get some greens in them. Now my oldest son requests that I include spinach when I make a lasagna, so I guess my sneaky ingredient somehow became his favorite way to eat lasagna.

To me the best lasagna has a ton of cheese in it, so I use lots of different blends in my recipe. For the ground meat, I’ve used ground venison, ground beef, Italian sausage and a combination of all. My oldest son likes it best when I use a combination of ground beef and ground Italian sausage, so this recipe reflects that.

lasagna in pan

lasagna

 

Spinach Lasagna

1 package lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions, cooled
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1 small onion, diced
16 ounces diced mushrooms (store-bought canned, fresh or home canned)
2 jars spaghetti sauce (store bought or home canned)
1 8-ounce can tomato paste (I used Italian-seasoned tomato paste)
8 ounces ricotta cheese or small-curd cottage cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon parsley leaves
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package fresh spinach leaves, washed and patted dry
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
8 ounces sliced Provolone cheese
Freshly grated Asiago cheese
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook lasagna noodles per package directions. Set aside.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef and Italian sausage with the diced onions until the meat is no longer pink. Drain grease. In the same skillet, to the browned meat add 1 jar of spaghetti sauce, the tomato paste and the mushrooms. Cook until the mixture thickens.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta or cottage cheese, egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, parsley, Italian seasoning and salt. Stir until well combined.

Combine the 2 cups of Italian shredded cheese and 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese in another bowl.

In a large lasagna pan, layer the bottom with cooked lasagna noodles. Spoon some of the meat mixture on top of the noodles. Add a layer of the sliced Provolone cheese. Add a layer of the ricotta/egg mixture over the sliced Provolone. Add a layer of spinach leaves. Add a layer of the combined shredded cheeses.

Repeat layers, starting with another layer of noodles, and continue until you’ve used all the noodles, meat mixture, ricotta cheese mixture, spinach and combined shredded cheeses.

After you’ve completed all the layers, pour the remaining 1 jar of spaghetti sauce over all the layers. Top the sauce with the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and additional freshly grated Asiago and Parmesan cheeses, if desired.

Bake the lasagna in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for about 60 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and the lasagna is bubbly.

Serve with additional grated Parmesan and Asiago cheeses.

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In , on October 31, 2015 with No Comments

Shrimp Scampi

I’ve always said I’d love to live on the coast where I could have access to fresh seafood any time. It’s one of my favorite things to eat, but here in the Midwest it can be expensive, so we usually only have it as a treat on special occasions. While Kevin and the boys would probably choose crab or lobster as their first seafood choice, mine would definitely be shrimp. I love shrimp however it’s prepared, and shrimp scampi is one of my favorite ways to prepare it at home.

 

 

shrimp scampi

 

Shrimp Scampi

2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 stick butter
Half a small onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Hot noodles or rice

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Cook the diced onions for about 2 minutes, and add the minced garlic. Cook a few minutes more until the onion is translucent but not browned. Add the chopped parsley and white wine, stirring to combine.

Add the peeled and deveined shrimp to the skillet, and cook just until all the shrimp have turned pink — no longer or they will turn tough.

Serve shrimp and sauce over hot cooked noodles or rice, and garnish each serving with grated Parmesan cheese.

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In , , on October 16, 2015 with No Comments

Chicken Pot Pie in a Crock-Pot

I was busy working away today when I looked at the clock and saw it was nearly the middle of the afternoon. And I hadn’t started anything for dinner yet. Technically I had – I got out some frozen chicken breasts in the morning to thaw, but I hadn’t decided what I was going to do with them.

So I turned to Pinterest, as I often do, for a little inspiration on what to do with this chicken. I saw a post about chicken pot pie done in the Crock-Pot, and I had my answer. Rummaging through my cupboards and freezer for the veggies, I had everything I needed to put together a quick yet tasty meal for my family. I just dumped everything in the Crock-Pot and went back to work. Easy peasy 🙂

 

 

Chicken Pot Pie in a Crock-Pot

5 to 6 frozen chicken breasts
1 can condensed golden mushroom soup
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
5 to 6 red potatoes, diced (peeled or unpeeled – your choice)
4 cups frozen peas and carrots
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
Hot biscuits (homemade, store bought or out of a can)

Layer the frozen chicken breasts in the bottom of the Crock-Pot. Add potatoes, frozen veggies, soups, seasonings and mix well.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked. Be sure to break up the chicken into bite-sized pieces after it has cooked.

Serve over hot biscuits.

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When I pulled up my usual biscuit recipe, I realized I was out of milk. That sent me on an online search for a no-milk biscuit recipe. I found one on Cooks.com, and they turned out great.

No-Milk Biscuits

2 cups flour (all-purpose or bread flour)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons canola oil or soft shortening
3/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients together. Add additional flour to knead easily. Knead dough on a floured surface for about 30 seconds. Roll dough out to 1/2-inch thickness, and cut with a small cutter. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown.

Yield: 12 biscuits

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In , , on October 13, 2015 with No Comments

CrockPot Pulled Pork, Onion Strings and Dipping Sauce

After finding a nice buy at the grocery store on some pork shoulders, I decided to make some pulled pork in the Crock-Pot. When we have time, Kevin likes to smoke these on the smoker, but when we don’t have a lot of time, the Crock-Pot is a great way to get the same flavors without having to stand guard while it cooks.

I decided to use a dry rub on this pork shoulder and let the meat simmer in some apple cider vinegar. You can pass your favorite barbecue sauce at the table if you wish, but it’s great just as is.

Along with the pulled pork, I fixed a broccoli coleslaw and onion strings with a spicy dipping sauce similar to what you’d get in a steakhouse. I’ve listed the recipes separately, but my sons informed me you have to pile everything together on the pulled pork sandwich to make the perfect bite.

My sandwich:

 

Crock-Pot Pulled Pork

4- to 6-pound pork shoulder
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder

Trim off any excess fat from the pork shoulder. Mix together all dry ingredients, and rub onto all sides of the pork shoulder.

Pour the apple cider vinegar and water into the Crock-Pot, and add the pork shoulder. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the meat easily comes off the bone.

Shred the meat. Serve on buns with barbecue sauce if desired.
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We recently got a new counter-sized deep fryer, and we’ve been trying all sorts of delicious recipes. When Kevin came home from work with some huge Vidalia onions (thanks Jeff!), I decided we needed to try Ree Drummond’s (The Pioneer Woman) recipe for Onion Strings. You can fry up as many onions as you wish – just adjust the ingredients to make sure you have enough flour mixture to coat all your onions. We love onion rings and strings in all shapes and forms, and this recipe is a definite keeper.

 

Onion Strings

1 whole large onion
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Oil for frying, between 1 to 2 quarts depending on the equipment in which you’re frying the onions
Salt and black pepper to taste

Slice onions very thin. Place in a baking dish, and cover with buttermilk. Soak onions for at least an hour.

Combine dry ingredients, and set aside.

Heat oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the onions in the seasoned flour mixture, and coat completely. Shake off any excess flour. Add the onions to the hot oil. Fry for a few minutes, and remove from the oil as they turn golden brown. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

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For the onion dipping sauce, I combined a couple recipes I’d seen to get the taste I was looking for. It has just enough spice so you can taste it, but it doesn’t overpower the taste of the onion strings. You can halve this recipe if just using it to dip onion rings, but the boys wanted sauce to use on their pulled pork sandwiches, so this makes quite a bit of dipping sauce.

Onion Dipping Sauce

2 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon sour cream
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients, and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour to allow the flavors to marry together.

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In , on October 9, 2015 with No Comments

Venison Chili

The beauty about canning your own garden vegetables, making your own chili beans and canned black beans, and having men in the house who hunt means that I almost always have the ingredients in my cupboard to make venison chili. My husband and sons hunt deer, and when they are successful, we often can deer meat. It’s a great addition to chili. We always grow tomatoes, both slicers and cherry tomatoes, and I can these as well. I’ve recently been canning my own chili beans and black beans, which I’ve always added to my version of chili, so it makes sense for me to have a bunch of these in my cupboard too.

When I make venison chili, it’s simply a “dump” recipe. Grab the quarts and pints needed off the shelves, and dump everything together in a large stockpot. Heat and serve – easy peasy!

If you don’t have canned venison, you can always substitute your favorite protein – beef, chicken or pork. However you make it, when you have canned items in your pantry, dinner is on the table in a flash.

 

 

Venison Chili

1 quart canned venison
1 quart canned tomatoes (whole or cherry tomatoes)
2 pints canned chili beans
1 pint canned black beans
Additional chili powder (optional)
Shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream for serving (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot, combine the canned venison (or other protein – browned and drained). Add the tomatoes, chili beans and black beans. Heat over medium-high heat until everything is heated through. Taste and add additional chili powder, salt and pepper as desired.

To serve, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over each bowl of chili, and top with a dollop of sour cream if desired.

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In , , , on October 8, 2015 with No Comments

Italian Chicken, Spinach and Pasta Bake

Normally I cook using ingredients I have on hand, whether it’s something I have growing in the garden or that I’ve canned/frozen during harvest. I do collect recipes, but I mainly get ideas from them (rather than follow them exactly), and I usually put my own twist on the recipes I see.

For tonight’s dinner, I had chicken breasts and bow tie pasta on hand, so I went searching for something different to make. I decided to do an Italian-style casserole because I love casseroles, and a casserole plus a salad and freshly baked bread usually feeds my hungry family – and when you have two young men (21 and 17) plus a husband with healthy appetites, you quickly learn to make large portions. While I used bow tie pasta, any small-shaped pasta works well with this recipe.

 

 

Italian Chicken, Spinach and Pasta Bake

1 box (12 ounces) bow tie-shaped pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 chicken breasts, diced into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
Half a small onion, about 1/4 cup, diced
Garlic-infused olive oil
Salt and black pepper
10 ounces chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess water
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped (or use canned mushrooms)
1 jar good quality spaghetti or marinara sauce (or use homemade)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package instructions; set aside.

Season the chicken pieces with the Italian seasoning, combining to coat the pieces well. In a large skillet, drizzle a few tablespoons of the garlic-infused olive oil, and cook the chicken pieces and diced onion over medium-high heat until the chicken is nicely browned and the onions are translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess oil, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, thawed chopped spinach, mushrooms, cooked pasta and cream cheese. Stir to combine. Add the spaghetti sauce, and stir until all the ingredients are evenly coated.

Pour the chicken and pasta mixture into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top the casserole with the 8 ounces of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely browned and the casserole is bubbling. To serve, grate fresh Parmesan over the top of each serving.

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