Stuffed Peppers

As 2013 hit, Kurt and I decided we really want to start taking better care of ourselves. As you can see from the blog, I'm a BIG fan of comfort food (like, big big BIG fan). Unfortunately for our waistline, comfort food is not very healthy and does not aid in staying in shape. I've made a big push lately to eat healthier foods and try to use fresh ingredients.

Copycat Olive Garden's Pasta Fagioli Soup

This has to be my favorite soup at Olive Garden, hands down. As an avid Pinterest user, I saw this on Pinterest as a crockpot soup and knew it was going in the rotation. I was able to put everything in the crockpot before I left for work and by the time we got home, I just threw the (store bought) breadsticks in the oven and 15 minutes later we were eating a healthy and DELICIOUS meal! If you like soup and crockpot cooking, MAKE THIS!

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

If you haven't been hiding under a rock you've heard of Pinterest, aka heroin for adult women! This recipe has circulated Pinterest once or twice and every time I see it come through I'd think, that looks SO good! Finally I had a night where I knew I wanted a pasta dish (wait, isn't that every night?!) however I didn't feel like the same old thing and that is when I remembered this gem. I had all the ingredients, as you probably do too, and whipped it up with the help of my sous chef, Riglee. 

Tater Tot Casserole

First, it is really hard to take a good picture of this casserole...of most casseroles actually! Second, this is one of those comfort food dishes that sticks to your ribs and fills you up. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry too! Tater Tot Casserole is just one of those yummy meals that I make when the weather starts to get cold and when I know I will want leftovers for awhile. Kurt loves this meal too and he is always satisfied when I make it. I should add that this is not a healthy dinner but it is quick, easy, and totally YUM!

Tater Tot Casserole

Source: Jenny, a Friend

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen tater tots

1 lb. ground beef

16 oz. reduced fat sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Add ins (I use 1 can of corn and 2 small cans of mushrooms)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour bag of tater tots on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. 

2. Brown the ground beef. While beef is browning, mix the sour cream, chicken soup, any add-ins, and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese in a large bowl. When beef is cooked add it to the mixture and mix well.

3. Pour beef mixture over tater tots and spread out evenly. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheddar on top.

4. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and cheese is melted.

Penne Pasta Bake

My sister-in-law, Sara, lived with me and Kurt while she was pregnant (we were pregnant actually) and in between apartments. One of the perks of having Sara live with us was that she is a clean freak. She is not only good at cleaning but she loves to do it! It actually worked out well because she likes to clean and I like to cook, so I'd make dinner and she'd clean it up. Sara was never very good at cooking, and by that I mean she was not good at all (sorry Sara, you know I still love you!). Well, Sara is now living on her own and has a beautiful 9 (almost 10) month old daughter so she is sort of forced to cook for herself if she wants a good meal. I am happy to say that Sara has been trying all sorts of new dishes...and they are actually turning out and tasting delicious!! I couldn't be more proud that she has put herself out there and taught herself how to cook!

Last Saturday, Sara invited Riglee and I over to play with her daughter and made us this dish for dinner. She got this recipe from her mom who just sort of threw it together one night. Well, it turned out delicious...and easy...and there are leftovers! It was hot, cheesy, comforting, and oh-so-yummy!!

Penne Pasta Bake

Source: Sara

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground beef

1 lb of mini penne noodles
1 24 oz jar of Newmans own Sockarooni pasta sauce
1 24 oz jar of Prego traditional sauce
1 bag of mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Boil noodles and brown ground beef.
2. Pour both into a big bowl and add both jars of pasta sauce. Stir.
3. Pour half of the pasta mixture into a dish and sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese and some parmesan on top.
4. Pour in the remaining pasta mixture and sprinkle the rest the mozzarella on the pasta and top with parmesan cheese.
5. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
 
~~~~ I would add some italian spices or some crushed red pepper flake to kick it up a notch.

Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cups

The picture is not that attractive but trust me on the taste...Delicousness!

Kurt is my faithful taste-tester for all new things that I try. For the most part it's a pretty good gig (I am a pretty good cook after all!), but every now and again I try something that is not so delicious. Luckily, this was not one of those days!!

I have been craving a Sloppy Joe for quite some time. I grew up on Sloppy Joes and they always have a special place in my heart, filed under "comfort food." Now that I'm a parent I like them for the sheer fact that they are easy to make and don't take very long. Kurt, on the other hand, is a big fan of Sloppy Otto's (instead of a red sauce you use sour cream and sour kraut). For the past year or two when I say that I am going to make Sloppy Joe's for dinner, Kurt sort of grumbles that he'd rather have Sloppy Otto's. And me, being the most amazing wife in the world, makes Sloppy Otto's (again, they are easy and quick) and makes my husband happy.

Well I saw this receipe online at http://www.pillsbury.com/ and thought that it was such a cute idea I knew I had to try it. So tonight I just made the Sloppy Joe's I've been craving so long. When they were done I actually had to give Riglee her bath and put her to bed so I told Kurt to go ahead and eat. 10 minutes later he barged into the bathroom and practically screamed that he LOVED these Sloppy Joe's! I thought he was making fun of me but he was absolutely right....these 'lil suckers are scrumptious!! Easy...check. Quick...check. Delicious...check! I mean, what's not to like here?

Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cups
Source: Pillsbury.com
I made some changes which are listed as well

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. lean ground beef (I used a pound)
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I just used about a teaspoon of minced garlic)
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper (I omitted)
1/4 cup ketchup (I probably used 1/3-1/2 cup)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
(2 tbsp BBQ sauce)
1/8 tsp pepper
(1/2 tsp red pepper flakes)
1 tbsp brown sugar (I probably used a little less)
1 can (16.3oz) Pillsbury Grands Homestyle Buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

Directions:
1. Heat overn to 375 degrees.
2. In a 10 inch skillet cook beef, onion, garlic, and bell pepper over medium-high heat until beef is thoroughly cooked, drain. Return to pan and stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, red pepper flakes, BBQ sauce, and brown sugar.
3. In the meantime, separate dough into 8 biscuits. Flatten out each biscuits and place in an ungreased regular-size muffin cup. Firmly press dough in bottom and up sides of each cup, forming a 1/4 inch rim.
4. Spoon about 1/3 cup beef mixture into dough-lined cups. Sprinkle each biscuit with 1 tbsp shredded cheese.
5. Bake 17-20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and cheese is melted.

Venus de Milo Soup

I've been dying to make soups this winter and for some reason they seem so daunting to me. I found this one on Food.com and thought it was easy enough and a good place to get my feet wet in the world of making soups. The soup was pretty good but lacked some seasonings which I would definitely add more of next time. I also used a few cartons chicken broth instead of the condensed broth and water. I served it with flakey biscuits which I definitely did not make from scratch (thank you Pillsbury)! It made a huge batch so I was able to freeze enough for a couple lunches later on.

Venus de Milo Soup

Source: Food.com

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef

2 (14oz) cans condensed chicken broth

2 (14oz) cans water (use empty chicken broth cans)

4 cups of water

1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope Lipton French Onion soup mix

1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes (I used 2 cans of petite diced tomatoes with italian seasoning)

1 (12-16oz) bag frozen vegetables

1/2 cup small pasta (shells, orzo, etc - I used dried tortellinis)

Seasonings (I added salt and pepper and a bay leaf)

Directions

1. In a large pot brown ground beef stirring to break it up. Drain well.
2. Add broth, onion soup mix, water and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add frozen veggies and seasonings and simmer 10 more minutes.
3. Stir in pasta and cook about 8 minutes more until pasta is done (I partially cooked my tortellini before adding to the soup).

Baked Ziti

I have tons of recipes and pictures that I've taken recently but have been waiting until I got my blog setup to post them. So, this is one of those stick to your ribs, super tasty, keep you warm, comfort foods. I found this on one of my favorite food blogs, Annie's Eats. The food she cooks or bakes is decadent and her pictures are amazing. Definitely check out her blog! You should also see her picture of the ziti, it looks WAY better than mine!

We all know how much I love pasta and this baked ziti is a dish that you can serve when you are entertaining a crowd or just need a pick me up! Add some garlic bread, salad, and a nice glass of wine (or milk if you are pregnant like me) and this is what I call a meal!

Baked Ziti
1 lb. whole milk or 1% cottage cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups), divided
Table salt
1 lb. ziti
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
20 oz. turkey Italian sausage
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
5 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves, divided
1 tsp. sugar
Ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream (or whole milk)
8 oz. low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
 
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in a medium bowl; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; cook until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Drain the pasta and leave in colander.


2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Crumble in the turkey sausage and cook until nearly browned. Add in the onion and garlic and continue to cook until the onion is softened and the sausage is completely browned. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup basil and the sugar, and season with salt and pepper.

3. In a small bowl stir together the cornstarch and heavy cream. Transfer the mixture to the now-empty stockpot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cottage cheese mixture, 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and 3/4 cup mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss to coat thoroughly with the sauce.

4. Transfer the pasta to a 9×13″ baking dish and spread the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

5. Remove the foil from the pan and continue to cook until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.

The Jucy Lucy

So my sister-in-law, Sara, and I are both currently pregnant. She is 35 week along and I am 25 weeks, she is also temporarily living with us. It all started on a Saturday morning, it was early and we'd just eaten breakfast. Since there is not much on tv on Saturday mornings we were watching this show on the Travel Channel. If you've never heard of Food Wars, don't worry, I hadn't either. However, on this particular Saturday morning they were having a "food war" over who had the best Jucy Lucy (or Juicy Lucy). Normally this would mean nothing to me but the day before my co-worker had told me about this burger and pretty much had my mouth watering at the thought of it (of course, it doesn't take much to get a pregnant woman all riled up over food). The war was between Matt's Bar and 5-8 Club in Minneapolis, MN. From the beginning the burger at Matt's Bar looked best, and after all was said and done and the war was over, Matt's Bar won! Next time I'm in Minneapolis I am making it a point to taste the REAL Jucy Lucy!

I tell Sara a little about this burger and convinced her to watch the show with me. Not even 10 minutes into the show and both Sara and I looked at eachother and silently decided that we would conquer and devour this burger. That was 10 days ago. Finally, tonight, the conditions were perfect for making this burger. We had a beautiful and sunny day, it was still nice outside, my husband Kurt agreed to grill it for us, and we had all the ingredients. I Googled the recipe for the Jucy Lucy (it's also permanantly saved to my DVR as well) and went to work.

The Jucy Lucy is an amazing wonder of hamburger and gooey, melty cheese. It is two separate thin burger patties with a piece of American cheese (the Kraft singles type) quartered and placed in between. The patties are then sealed on the edges and grilled. This burger is served on a soft bun with ketchup, mustard, pickles, and fried onions (I left the onions out thanks to some killer heartburn these days). Whatever you do, DO NOT cut the burger in half to eat, you will lose all the gooey cheese and miss out on the messy fun The Jucy Lucy will bring to your table.

**I did adapt this recipe a little. I didn't have Worchestershire so I used A-1. I used 2lbs. ground beef and it was 90/10, and we cooked the burgers about 7 minutes per side.

The Jucy Lucy
- makes 4 burgers -

You'll need an unlikely piece of equipment to prepare this burger, but you should have it on hand already—an ordinary standard-issue toothpick. You'll want to quickly prick the distended patty after flipping it to allow steam to escape.

And, hey, YOU! Yes, you with the cheddar. Put that down. You MUST use American cheese on this. According to Mr. Edge, "Only those orange squares of vaguely plastic texture will achieve proper fluidity."

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (AHT recommends no leaner than 80%)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 slices American cheese (NOT cheddar; see note above)
4 buns
Your favorite condiments and toppings

1. Place beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, and pepper in a bowl; mix well. Portion into eight even units. Shape each portion into a thin round patty that's slightly larger than the cheese slice.
2. Fold cheese slices in half twice so you have a little stack of quartered cheese slices. Place a folded cheese stack on 4 the patties, covering cheese with remaining 4 patties.
3. Tightly crimp the edges of the patties together to form a tight seal.
4. Did you make a tight seal? I hope so, because it needs to be TIGHT to avoid a blowout as the cheese melts, creates steam, and tries to find its way out of its meaty prison.
5. Preheat a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan to medium heat (or fire up a medium-hot bed of coals on your backyard grill), and cook burgers over heat 3 to 4 minutes on first side. Burger may puff up due to steam from melting cheese. This is normal. Do not be alarmed.
6. Flip, and using toothpick, prick top of burger to allow for steam escape. Allow burger to cook 3 to 4 minutes on this side.
7. Remove patties from pan or grill. Bun those suckers, slap some condiments on, and dig in.