3 Cheese Chicken Alfredo

Tonight concluded one week if new recipes! It was more of a feat than I anticipated it would be! Ha! Apparently, the cooking rut I was in was very deep!

I followed the recipe below exactly as written; but next time I will do some tweaking. I didn't like the taste of the ricotta, next I will do 1/2 cottage cheese and 1/2 ricotta to avoid that dry taste. I also will add more seasoning, like onion and basil? Maybe some sage and thyme as well. Also, as I made the recipe I realized I was cooking a lot so I divided it up into two 9x9 dishes and will freeze one for later.

Ingredient Checklist:

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

Directions:

•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° covered for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Olive Garden Copycat Breadsticks

Today was just not my day. And Fridays are always homemade pizza night if we're home. But, I needed to keep with trying a new recipe as after today I only have one day to complete!
Since I was not about to forego a Friday might tradition of homemade pizza I decided to attempt, Olive Garden copycat breadsticks! It was a success! I don't think they tasted JUST like Olive Garden; but they were still a win that will be used in the future!

Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks:
(Tweaked by me for the bread machine)

Ingredient Checklist:
•1 cup and 2 tbs warm water
•2 tbs sugar
•1 3/4 salt
•3 tbs oil
•3 1/4 c flour
•1 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast

Topping Checklist:
•2 tbs butter/margarine
•1/2 tsp salt
•1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
•Combine 1st set of ingredients, in order in the bread machine.
•Transfer dough to a large buttered mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest in a warm place free from draft until double, about 1 1/2 hours.
•Punch risen dough down, divide into 12 equal portions (2 ounces each by weight), keep them covered with plastic wrap as you work. Roll each piece into a 9 inch rope on a lightly floured surface, transfer to buttered cookie sheets or non stick baking sheets. Cover and let rise 1 hour.
•Preheat oven to 400.
•Bake 11-13 minutes.
•Mix the salt and garlic powder in small bowl.
•When breadsticks are done, rub butter on top and sprinkle the salt/garlic powder mixture.

Baked Meatball Subs

Since its Valentines Day, I wanted to make a special dinner. But, we went out for lunch at Johnny Carinos and came away stuffed and with a free dessert boxed up for later. So...the fancy dinner went down the drain and simplicity was better!

Can you believe I never made meatballs until today? Thus, i have never made meatball subs either!This recipe was very filling-I served 2 per person and neither of us needed the 2nd.

Baked Meatball Subs:

Ingredient Checklist:
•1 lb ground turkey/beef
•1 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
•1/2 c. chopped onion
•milk
•1 pkg. Italian blend shredded cheese
•1 pkg. steak buns
•1 jar pasta sauce

Directions:
•Preheat oven to 400.
•Combine meat, bread crumbs, onion in bowl...fold in mixture using milk as and when needed.
•Roll meat into balls the size of walnuts and brown in skillet with sauce.
•Place meatballs, probably 3 and a spoonful of sauce in each sub.
•Top subs with cheese.
•Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Crescent Burgers

Ingredient Checklist:

*1 pound of ground beef
*Worcestershire sauce
*1 Egg
*1/3 packet of dry onion soup mix
*1/2 tsp of black pepper
*2/3 cup of cheddar cheese
*1 roll of crescents


Directions:

*Preheat oven to 375
*Brown meat. Drain excess fat.
*In a medium size bowl mix – 1/2 cup of cheese, onion soup mix, couple drops of Worcestershire sauce, pepper; meat.
*Unroll the crescents. Place a rounded tablespoon of the meat mixture towards the larger end of the crescent dough
Roll – I personally made them into little pockets.
*Place crescents onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
*Brush the tops of the dough with an egg wash ( simply break and egg in a bowl and whisk egg until well blended and 1 tablespoon of water to the mix).
*Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the egg wash and bake for 10 – 15 minutes.

This recipe was yummy and Klayton approved-he ate two!
I tweaked the recipe a little by browning the meat with the onion soup mix! I also discovered my eggs were expired so I used oil to brush the tops with!

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

Day 3 is in the books! Tonight's recipe was fun for me, I really enjoyed the "whisking" while making the cheese sauce! The food was delicious and has been considered a keeper!

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
Adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredient Checklist:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 softball-sized onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons steak sauce, such as A-1
1 cup beef stock (I actually used beef broth and it worked great!)
Salt and ground black pepper
4 dinner rolls (I did 6 small rolls)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup provolone, shredded

Directions:
In large skillet over medium-high heat add the oil and then brown the ground beef, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onion and green pepper and cook another 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables start to get tender. Stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble and cook about 2 minutes.

Split open rolls and remove most of the soft insides, leaving a bed to hold the meat mixture. Toast the rolls and set aside.

While the meat is cooking, melt the butter in a medium-size pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook about 1 minute. Whisk in milk, bring up to a bubble and let thicken, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in the cheese.

To serve, place a scoopful of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the rolls, then top with the cheese sauce and replace the top of the roll.

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

I can successfully check off day 2 of a week of new recipes! I realize some may be thinking, "chicken and dumplings, new?" It's true, until today I had never made chicken and dumplings! Of course I've ate it; but its been years since I've even had it! Thankfully, this recipe was a success! I think my husband going back for 3rds is what classifies it as success!

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredient Checklist:
•4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
•2 tablespoons butter
•2 small cans cream of chicken soup
•1 small can chicken broth
•1 onion diced (I used a 1/4 of one)
•1 tablespoon dried parsley
•4 grands flaky refrigerator biscuits (I used five)

Directions:
Put the chicken, butter, cream of chicken, chicken broth, parsley and onions in the crock pot and cook on high for four to six hours. Mine only needed five, and probably didn’t even need that much.
As the chicken cooks and gets tender, break it up with a spoon or fork, whatever.
Get your biscuits and cut them into nine pieces. I kind of rolled them into balls to ensure they stayed whole but it’s not necessary. Stir into chicken mixture and cook for another hour.

Walking Taco Casserole

Day 1 of a Week of New Recipes:

This recipe is famous for birthday parties and camp as its easy to serve in a bag and go! But, I thought it would be weird to eat our dinner out of a bag! I found this idea to do it as a casserole on Pinterest! I know of all the places? It was SUPER quick and easy to make!

Walking Taco Casserole:

Ingredient Checklist:
•Fritos
•1 lb ground beef or turkey
•1 pkg taco seasoning
•1 pkg taco blend shredded cheese

Directions:
•Preheat oven to 350
•Brown ground beef/turkey (I used turkey)
•Add taco seasoning to meat, according to package directions.
•Layer in 9x9 baking dish: Fritos, meat, cheese...repeat.
•Finish layers with meat on top and bake for 7-10 minutes.
•Top with another layer of cheese and bake until top is melted.

Bucket List 2013

I turned 31 last Saturday. Wow! I'm beginning to realize that I am definitely not getting any younger! I had the idea to make a bucket list of sorts, things to accomplish this year. Initially, I was going to list 31 things; but the list below was enough of a struggle...

10 Things I Want to Accomplish Before I'm 32:

1. 1 week of new dinner recipes.
2. Do a random act of kindness for a stranger.
3. Reach $1500 in 1 month of Scentsy sales.
4. Read 12 books I've never read before.
5. Get something I've written published.
6. Do my family tree.
7. Eat s'mores with Klayton.
8. Try a new dish instead of ordering the same old thing when I go out to eat.
9. Cut out Red40 from my diet and the diet of my family.
10. Watch 7 Brides for 7 Brothers.

Some of the above may sound odd; but I don't think I'm the only one who cooks the same things all the time or always orders the same thing at a restaurant?
The movie thing? Well, I don't know how many times I've been asked, "don't you just love 7 Brides for 7 Brothers?"
So, here goes something...

French Toast Bake

Ingredient Checklist
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
1 loaf Texas toast
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Directions
1. Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar....stir till mixed.

2. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan....spread around

3. Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla

4. This step is optional; but I removed the crust to make it look pretty!

5. Lay single layer of Texas Toast in pan
6. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer
7. Add 2nd layer of Texas Toast
8. Spoon on remaining egg mixture

9. Cover & chill in fridge overnight
10. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (covered for the first 30 minutes)
11. Sprinkle with powdered sugar
12. Serve with warm maple syrup (I don't do the syrup part)

**I forgot to take a picture of the finished product; but let me assure you it was quite yummy! All the girls who I shared it with at a brunch thought it was yummy as well!