Pepperoni Pasta

This dinner was so good! I feel bad that the picture is so awful. You'll just have to excuse the photo and try this pasta. It is delicious. I have a husband who is not a big fan of pasta at all and he had two helpings and said he could eat this meal every week! Now that is a glowing recommendation! It's also a quick and easy dinner to throw together. Like I said, we really enjoyed this dinner. I got the idea over at Kevin and Amanda and just made a few tweaks. Try this soon!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pepperoni slices (we used Hormel brand turkey pepperoni)
1 (14.5 oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
2 cups campanelle shaped pasta
2 cups water
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation:
In a large skillet with a lid add the pepperoni slices, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic bread seasoning, pasta, and water. Stir to mix everything together. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 13-15 minutes until the pasta is al dente and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Top with shredded cheese and let melt. Serve hot with a crisp green salad and enjoy!


We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Grilled Chicken Parmesan

We really enjoyed this dinner. I served the chicken with Mini Garlic Monkey Breads and some broccoli and it was just a perfect dinner. I love when Nate grills and this is definitely going to be a repeat grilling recipe for us. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
2/3 cup Italian dressing (I used fat free Kraft)

Preparation:
Marinate the chicken in the Italian dressing for one hour. Grill chicken. After the chicken has been flipped and is about 4-5 minutes away from being done, spoon marinara sauce evenly over both pieces of chicken, then top with shredded cheese. Close the lid on the grill and finish cooking chicken. The chicken is done when the juices run clear and the center reaches 165 degrees F. Your sauce should be nice and hot and your cheese all melty and gooey. Enjoy hot!


We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

Nate said he was in the mood for pasta last night which never happens! So we changed the menu plan to accommodate. I saw this idea over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe, my favorite recipe blog. I hardly changed her recipe at all. We really enjoyed dinner and definitely think this recipe is a keeper.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to make 4 thinner chicken cutlets
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Hot spaghetti noodles for serving

Preparation:
In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
In a large 12-inch skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat until rippling and hot. Thoroughly dry the chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the flour in a shallow dish and dredge the seasoned chicken pieces in the flour, coating both sides. Gently place 3-4 of the chicken pieces in the hot oil and cook for 3 minutes and then flip and cook 3 minutes longer until a nice golden crust has formed on the chicken (they’ll continue to cook in a later step). Remove the chicken to a plate and continue with the remaining pieces, removing them to the plate when they have been browned.
Wipe the skillet of excess oil and pour the sauce contents in the bowl into the skillet, taking care of splatters if the skillet is still piping hot. Turn the heat to medium and gently nestle the pieces of browned chicken into the sauce, making room for all six chicken breast cutlets. The chicken should be mostly covered with the sauce. Cover the skillet and simmer the sauce and chicken on medium or medium low for 15 minutes, checking every few minutes to make sure the chicken isn’t sticking to the bottom of the skillet. If so, turn the heat down a bit.
Uncover the skillet, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the chicken and sauce. Cover and cook for five more minutes, or until cheese is nicely melted.
Serve over hot spaghetti noodles, if desired.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Braid

This was a definite hit. Nate had three helpings last night. This recipe is definite comfort food that would be perfect on a nice cold night. It smells so good while baking too. I got inspired for this dish by a recipe on the Rhodes roll blog. There are good step by step pics on how to cut the dough on there.

Ingredients:
1 loaf frozen Rhodes bread dough, thawed
2 large chicken breasts, seasoned, cooked and cut into 1" chunks
3 small heads of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
2 cups alfredo sauce (I used one jar of Classico's light alfredo)
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
garlic bread seasoning
pepper

Preparation:
In a large skillet, melt 1 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. When hot add diced onions and sautee until soft, about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the onions are done, stir in the alfredo sauce, milk, chicken, 2 tsp. (to taste) of garlic bread seasoning, and some pepper to taste. Cook until hot and bubbly, stirring every so often and adjust seasoning as needed. Add broccoli. I cook the broccoli covered in the microwave for about 2 minutes, not so much that it's mushy, but not quite cooked through completely. Then it can finish cooking in the oven and still have a good texture. Keep alfredo mixture warm on the stove. Spread out a piece of parchment paper on your counter and then roll out your dough into a rectangle that's about 12x16." Spread chicken and broccoli filling down the center of the dough in a 4" wide strip. Now make cuts on both long sides of the dough that are 1 1/2" wide. You want to come within 1/2" of the filling. Fold the top and bottom strips toward the filling then start braiding. Take cut strips and stretch over filling going left over right until the entire thing is braided. Gently lift braid up using the parchment paper and place on a baking sheet. Melt remaining Tbsp. of butter and brush over the braid and then sprinkle some garlic bread seasoning over the top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-26 minutes or until golden brown and dough is cooked through. Slice and serve hot with a nice green salad. Enjoy!

Simple Focaccia Bread

Focaccia bread has to be one of my most favorite versions of bread. I love it! I can't believe it's taken me this long to make it. Bread making is not my forte my any means, but this recipe really is easy. I found this idea over at Semi Homemade Mom and just adjusted a couple things. It's definitely a keeper for us. I served it with this Island Chicken, so good. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (you may need to adjust flour amounts slightly depending on your climate)
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp.) rapid rise yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 2/3 cup warm water
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2-3 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
shredded Parmesan cheese (I omitted this just to save a few calories)

Preparation:
In the bowl of a mixer combine flour, sugar, and yeast. Mix well. Add salt, water, and 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Use dough hook attachment and mix for a few minutes or until well combined. Dough will be just a bit on the sticky side. Grease a glass 9x13" baking dish and stretch out dough to fit bottom of dish. Cover with saran wrap or a dish towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until dough had doubled in size. After rising, uncover and use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke some holes in the top of the dough. Brush top with remaining olive oil and then sprinkle with garlic bread seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Recover and let rise an additional 30 minutes. Bake focaccia bread in a 375 degree F oven for about 25 minutes or until it has a nice light golden brown coloring on top. I think it is best served warm.

Pizza Chicken

This was another winner recipe. It's been on my list to make for weeks now and I'm so glad we finally tried it. Nate and I both really enjoyed this dish.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup Italian dressing
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
1 (24 oz.) jar marinara sauce
12 slices pepperoni, cut into fourths (we love Hormel's turkey pepperoni)
1/2 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
hot cooked pasta

Preparation:
Marinate chicken in the Italian dressing for 2-3 hours. Once marinated, bake chicken at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through. While chicken is baking, dice veggies and cut up pepperoni slices. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot add diced veggies and saute until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. Return skillet to stove and turn heat to low, add marinara sauce and 1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning. Combine and heat through. Once chicken is finished baking, remove from oven and transfer to a clean baking sheet/dish. Spoon some sauteed onion and peppers over the top of each piece of chicken, then spoon on some sauce. Top that with pepperoni pieces and finally the mozzarella cheese. Broil smothered chicken on the top rack until cheese is melted through. Place some pasta on each plate, top with a little bit of marinara sauce and then the chicken. Enjoy your dinner!



I shared this over at Chef In Training and Mandy's Recipe Box.

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Mmm... I love Italian food. Nate is not a big fan of pasta, but he really enjoys chicken parmesan. This dish is a good fit for both of us because it doesn't have pasta but it does have great Italian flavors and a great breadstick topping. It was really good, we both enjoyed it a lot. I'll warn you, it smells so good while baking that it's hard to wait for it to finish! This is definitely a keeper recipe for us. I saw the idea over at Betty Crocker and totally tweaked it to suit our tastes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Italian dressing (I always use fat free)
1 (12 oz.) tube Pillsbury pop 'n fresh plain breadsticks
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
12 slices pepperoni (I always use Hormel brand turkey pepperoni)
1 1/2 - 2 cups of your favorite marinara or pasta sauce (the amount of sauce is flexible, just add however much you like)
1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup + shredded mozzarella cheese (again, the amount is really up to your preference)
grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Marinate chicken in Italian dressing for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
Dice onion and pepper. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium heat, once hot add diced veggies and saute until tender, 4-5 minutes. Set aside. Cut pepperoni slices into fourths. Set aside.
Cut marinated chicken into 1" cubes. Heat olive oil in a skillet (just use the same one you used for veggies) over medium high heat. One hot add chicken pieces. You aren't cooking the chicken all the way, you just want to get a nice golden brown on the outside.
Once chicken is seared, add the chicken to an 8x8" glass baking dish that's been misted with non-stick spray. Add sauteed vegetables over the chicken. Stir in 1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning with your marinara/pasta sauce. Next pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies. Top that with the cut up pepperoni slices and then the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Melt remaining 3 Tbsp. butter. Pop open and lay out breadstick dough onto flat surface. Brush with some of the melted butter. Use a pizza cutter and cut the breadsticks into 1 inch pieces. You won't need all the breadsticks, only about 2/3 (use the remaining breadsticks to make cinna-sticks for dessert). Place breadstick pieces, butter side down, on top of the casserole. Once it's all covered, brush with some melted butter and then sprinkle remaining garlic bread seasoning over the top. Finally dust the top with some Parmesan cheese.
Bake loosely covered in a 375 degree F oven for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the breadstick topping is a nice golden brown. Serve hot with a nice green salad.





I shared this over at Chef In Training and High Heels and Grills.

Short Ribs in Tomato Sauce

I have had this recipe saved to try for nearly two years! I finally got around to making it. This is only the second time I've cooked short ribs and they were so good. This is definitely an indulgent meal, not one to make on a regular basis, but I definitely will be making it again. I saw the idea over at The Pioneer Woman. She always has winner recipes. I changed up just a couple things and both Nate and I really enjoyed this meal.

Ingredients:
6 beef short ribs (my store didn't have any out so I asked the butcher for some, he gave me some of the biggest short ribs I've ever seen! we would have had more than enough with 4 ribs)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 (28 oz.) can whole or diced tomatoes
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
salt and pepper
hot cooked pasta
Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
In a large dutch oven pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season short ribs with salt and pepper on both sides. Once the oil is hot, sear the short ribs on all sides. You want them to get a nice crust. Remove and set aside. Carefully pour out excess oil. Turn heat down medium and add diced onion. Cook for a minute or two and then add the minced garlic. Cook for another minute or so stirring often. Add beef broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those nice brown bits at the bottom of the pot. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, garlic bread seasoning, and any additional salt you like. Stir well to combine. Place the short ribs back in the pot, making sure to submerge them as much as possible. Cover and place dutch oven pot in the oven. Cook at 275 degrees F for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Your short ribs should be nice and tender and falling off the bone. I checked my sauce halfway through cooking to taste and adjust any seasoning. Serve short ribs and sauce over some hot cooked pasta topped with some Parmesan cheese.

*There will be a bit of a fat layer after cooking, be sure to spoon it off before serving, or The Pioneer Woman gives these optional instructions once ribs are done cooking. "Remove ribs from pot. Allow to cool, then wrap tightly and refrigerate. Allow pot of sauce to cool a bit, then place pot into the fridge for several hours or overnight. Remove hardened fat/grease from the top. Discard fat. Return ribs to pot, then return pot either to stove top or oven and warm it up."

Pizza Fondue

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday season and that you all rang in the new year in style! Nate and I had a great time last night with lots of fun, friends, and laughs. We are so blessed to have such amazing people in our lives. This pizza fondue is one of the things I made to eat last night. I also made Nate's favorite holiday treat, dipped cinnamon sugar pretzels. Everyone seemed to really enjoy both. I got this fondue recipe from the Crock Pot Recipe Collection Cookbook. As usual, I tweaked just a couple things to suit our tastes. Nate gave it to me for Christmas and it is chock full of recipes I can't wait to try. This is a fun alternative to pizza night.

Ingredients:
2 jars (about 25 oz. each) of marinara or meatless pasta sauce
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1/2 lb. Italian sausage (mild or hot, your preference)
3 oz. sliced pepperoni, finely chopped (we love Hormel's turkey pepperoni)
3 oz. Canadian bacon, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
dipping items, I made some cheesy breadsticks to dip but the recipe book mentioned using some French bread cubes or mozzarella cheese cubes

Preparation:
Cook and crumble the Italian sausage and add 1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning. Halfway through cooking add the diced green pepper and onion. Once cooked, drain the excess fat. Add the sauce to the crock pot and then stir in the sausage and veggies, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, 1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning, and red pepper flakes. They recommend using a 4 1/2 qt. crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours stirring occasionally. Serve hot with warm breadsticks or your choice of dipping item. Enjoy!

Calzones

You really need to make this dough. It is honestly the best homemade pizza dough I've ever had. Everyone I make it for loves it too and wants the recipe. I always make a double batch of dough, which yields 4 balls of dough, and have some in my freezer. It's perfect for busy days, especially during this holiday season! The frozen, thawed dough tastes as good as fresh too. I've used the dough for pizza, breadsticks, pizza bread, ham and cheese roll ups, and calzones. The options are really endless!

Ingredients:
1 ball amazing pizza dough (makes 4 good sized calzones)
pizza sauce
freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
garlic bread seasoning
pizza toppings of choice, we love Hormel's turkey pepperoni, green peppers, onions etc.

Preparation:
Cut your pizza dough into 4 even sized pieces. Roll and stretch each piece of dough out into a thin circle. Spoon some pizza sauce into the middle of the circle, being sure to leave a nice perimeter of plain dough. Add pizza toppings of your choice and some cheese on top of the sauce. Don't go too overboard, you want your cheese to melt nicely. Fold the dough in half and seal tightly, make sure the entire thing is pinched tightly together so your filling doesn't ooze out. Make a couple small slits in the top of your dough to allow the steam to escape while baking. Sprinkle some garlic bread seasoning on top of each calzone and some mozzarella if you like. Bake in a 500 degree oven for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown and the dough is cooked through. I recommend using a pizza stone or a metal pizza pan that has the holes in it. I also like sprinkling a tiny bit of cornmeal on your stone or pan so the calzones don't stick. Enjoy!

Italian Chicken, Potato, and Green Bean Bake

Talk about comfort food! This totally hit the spot tonight. It it so simple takes just minutes to throw together too. This would be perfect for a cold winter weeknight meal. I found the idea on Pinterest. I tried to find the original site this came from, but I couldn't, sorry, I'd love to give credit where credit is due. Nate is super excited to have leftovers for work this week. We will definitely be making this again and again!

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
6 red potatoes
1 can green beans, drained
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 packet Italian dressing mix
salt
pepper

Preparation:
Lightly spray a 9x13" glass baking dish with cooking spray. Place chicken breasts down the middle of the dish. Drain the green beans and pour them on one side of the chicken. Chop the potatoes into bite sized pieces and put them on the other side of the chicken. Sprinkle the whole dish with a little salt and pepper, then pour the melted butter over the top. Finally sprinkle the Italian dressing mix over everything. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes or until chicken is done and potatoes are tender. I stirred my vegetables halfway through the cooking time to to make sure things were evenly seasoned. Once finished cooking, let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

I shared this over at High Heels and Grills.

We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Italian Breaded Pork Chops

I was spoiled tonight. I've been a bit stressed lately and Nate told me that he'd like to help me out and cook dinner tonight. He said pork chops sounded good and I told him some ideas for pork chops that I had saved. This idea is from Allrecipes and we just adapted it for the ingredients we had on hand. Nate did a great job and dinner was really good. Thanks Nate!

Ingredients:
2 boneless pork chops, thick cut (ours were nearly an inch thick)
1 egg
2 Tbsp. milk
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and milk. In another dish combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and garlic bread seasoning. Dip each pork chop in the egg mixture, coating both sides and then dip in the breadcrumb mixture. In a skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot add the pork chops to the skillet and brown on each side for about 4 minutes per side, you want them to be a nice golden brown. Transfer the pork chops to a baking sheet and finish them in the oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Chicken Alfredo Biscuit Bake

So Nate's birthday is on Monday and in celebration I had him choose 4 meals that he'd like me to make him around his birthday. I told him he could have anything he wanted, even things that I didn't necessarily like. Nate chose Baked Tacos, Nate's Super Manly Mexican Dip, this chicken alfredo biscuit bake, and a chicken fried steak casserole I'll be making tomorrow. I'm not at all a fan of alfredo sauce, but this dinner really surprised me. I enjoyed it and will definitely make it again. I saw the idea over at High Heels and Grills. I made the shredded chicken the day before and this meal was so easy to throw together tonight. This casserole is definitely comfort food and smells divine while it bakes. This is one of Nate's new favorite meals. ***Update- I've made this three times since Nate's birthday and he says it's one of his top 5 favorite dinners. Also, Nate did the math, a generous serving of this dish plus a side salad (with croutons, no dressing) is less than 550 calories all together. ***

Ingredients:
3-4 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cut into large chunks
2 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cups broccoli
4 cups (32 oz.) alfredo sauce (I used 2 bottles of Classico's light alfredo)
1/2 cup milk
garlic bread seasoning
Lawry's seasoned black pepper
1 can refrigerated biscuits (I used Pillsbury grands layers biscuits)

Preparation:
In a large skillet, melt 1 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. When hot add diced onions and sautee until soft, about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the onions are done, stir in the alfredo sauce, milk, chicken, 2 tsp. (to taste) of garlic bread seasoning, and some pepper to taste. Cook until hot and bubbly, stirring every so often and adjust seasoning as needed. Add broccoli. I cook the broccoli covered in the microwave for about 2 minutes, not so much that it's mushy, but not quite cooked through completely. Then it can finish cooking in the oven and still have a good texture. Once the broccoli is combined in the sauce, cook for another minute or two and then pour the sauce mixture into a 9x13" glass baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Next you're going to top it with biscuits. Split each biscuit into two (that's why I chose the layered biscuits, really easy to split). Arrange the biscuits on top of the sauce mixture. It is important that your sauce mixture is hot! The biscuits won't cook correctly if you put them on top of cold sauce. We also cut some small biscuit pieces to fill in any gaps. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter and brush over top of the biscuits and then sprinkle a small amount of garlic bread seasoning on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until biscuits are cooked through. Make sure the biscuits are cooked through. Serve hot and enjoy!


Photos update 01/14/13. When it's just Nate and I, I halve the recipe and just make an 8x8" casserole.

We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Chicken Alfredo Roll Ups with Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Here is a great comfort food recipe from Sarah!

This is a play on lasagna roll ups... which we love and have often!!! This recipe comes from Mmm Cafe.

Chicken Alfredo Roll Ups

9 lasagna noodles
2 1/2 cups Alfredo sauce
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
Oregano
Garlic salt
3 cups shredded Mozzarella, or cheese of your choice

Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray and pour 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce, or just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Boil 8-10 cups water in a large pan, cook lasagna noodles until all dente.
Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water to prevent them from sticking to each other. Then lay out each noodle individually and blot dry with a paper towel.
Spread about 2 Tbs. Alfredo sauce over each noodle. Sprinkle oregano and garlic salt on top of sauce. Take 1/9 of the shredded chicken and spread it out evenly over each noodle. Add approx. 3 Tbs. Cheese. To roll up, start at one end and roll the noodle over the toppings. You will need to life the noodle a little to prevent squishing out the inside ingredients while rolling.
Place the roll-ups in the pan, one by one, seam side down so they don't come undone. Once they are all in the pan, pour the remaining Alfredo sauce over the top. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted on top.
Serves 3, 3 roll-ups each.


Homemade Garlic Alfredo Sauce

1/2 cup butter
2 oz. Cream cheese
2 cups heavy cream (or substitute half and half)
2 tsp. Garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp.dried oregano
2/3 cup parmesan cheese

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add fresh minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the cream and whisk to smooth and melted. Whisk in the heavy cream. Season with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and whisk frequently until sauce thickens, around 15 minutes. Stir in the cheese and when melted, remove from heat and serve.
Makes 2 1/2 cups.


This picture comes from Mmm Cafe.

Stuffed Garlic Bread

This was such a hit! This may be the only way Nate wants garlic bread anymore. It is seriously so good. Total comfort food. You could totally add some diced pepperoni, green peppers, onions, or olives and make it a meal and just serve a green salad with it. I know we'll be making this time and time again.

Ingredients:
1 loaf of french bread
butter, melted
garlic bread seasoning
freshly shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation:
Using a sharp bread knife cut diagonal slices into the bread. Don't cut all the way through. Once you've finished going one direction, cut diagonally the other direction. Again, don't cut all the way through the bread. Wrap bottom of the bread with tin foil and place on a baking dish. Use a pastry brush and brush butter in all the crevices of the bread. Then sprinkle with garlic bread seasoning, and finally with some cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-12 minutes or until cheese is nice and melted. Enjoy warm!

Picture Updated 01/03/13

I shared this recipe over at Six Sisters' Stuff, Weekend Potluck, and Farm Girl Friday.

Pizza Bread

Sooo amazing! This was absolutely divine. I'm so glad I have another batch of pizza dough in the freezer. I'm definitely going to have to make this again soon. It's so easy to make too. I'll probably have this be one of the meals Nate makes for me after my foot surgery next week. You can use whatever fillings you'd like, and the dough get's this nice crust on the outside and is soft on the inside, so good! I tried grating my own whole milk mozzarella, and it was so good, I don't know if I can use the pre-shredded stuff again. Make this asap, you'll love it!

Ingredients:
1 ball amazing pizza dough
melted butter
garlic bread seasoning
freshly shredded whole milk mozzarella
pizza toppings of your choice (I added green pepper, onion, Hormel's turkey pepperoni our favorite!, and Canadian bacon)

Preparation:
Roll pizza dough out into a rectangle. You don't want it to be too thick or you'll have trouble getting the middle cooked. Brush a really light coat of melted butter over the dough and then sprinkle garlic bread seasoning over the top. Add your mozzarella cheese, then your pizza toppings. Carefully roll up the dough lengthwise, making sure your toppings stay inside. Cover a cookie sheet with tin foil and spray with non-stick spray. Transfer your pizza bread onto the middle of the cookie sheet. I find it's easiest to make the pizza bread on a cutting board and then I can easily roll it onto the cookie sheet. Brush a small amount of butter over the top of the bread and sprinkle with some garlic bread seasoning. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a nice golden brown. Slice and serve hot with our favorite pizza sauce for dipping!

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan

Can you believe I've never made chicken parmesan? I know, I can't either. I came across this slow cooker recipe over at Six Sisters' Stuff and figured it was worth a shot. I used my homemade marinara sauce and this dinner was really good. Nate rated it a 10.5! I omitted the mozzarella cheese just to save on calories. Here's another easy Italian dish for you!

Ingredients:
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbl. olive oil
1 egg, beaten
sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese (I left this out)
favorite jarred marinara sauce (23 oz.) (I used my homemade marinara sauce)

Spread the olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot stoneware insert. Beat the egg with a fork in a separate bowl. Mix the bread crumbs with the seasonings and the Parmesan cheese in another separate dish. Dip the chicken into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides with crumbs, cheese and seasonings. Place the chicken breast pieces in the bottom of the crockpot. Layer 2-3 slices or 1-2 cups of mozzarella cheese on top, depending on how much cheese you like. Cover chicken and cheese with entire jar of marinara sauce. Close lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4. Serve with your favorite pasta.

Not the greatest pictures, but you get the general idea.

Marinara Sauce

So good! I lost track of the times Nate said, "This is so good!" during dinner. He said it is by far the best marinara sauce he has ever had. I used this sauce in a lasagna last night and Nate declared it to be the best lasagna he's ever had. We also dipped our bread in the sauce. So I'd say this marinara sauce is a keeper! I made an 8x8" lasagna and had sauce leftover to freeze. Next time I'm going to double the recipe so I have more to freeze. I felt like a little Italian grandma with my sauce simmering away and making my house smell so good. I adapted this recipe from one over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe and according to the site, the sauce freezes well for up to six months. We loved this sauce!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 (28-ounce each) cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 Tbsp. dried basil
1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
2 dried bay leaves
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste


Preparation:
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until hot and rippling. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and green pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until all the vegetables are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, garlic bread seasoning, bay leaves, and parmesan cheese and simmer, covered, on low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to make sure the sauce isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook sauce until slightly thickened and the vegetables are completely tender. Taste the sauce. Add salt and pepper as needed. Remove the bay leaves. In a blender or food processor, blend the sauce (in several batches, if necessary) until it is smooth. The sauce can be frozen once it is cooled completely in freezer-safe ziploc bags for up to 6 months. Enjoy!

Nate's Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

We had a big pasta dinner with Nate's siblings tonight. Nate and I were in charge of bringing the meat sauce. I got so spoiled and Nate volunteered to do all the work. I picked out a recipe for him to make and gave him a few pointers. I have to say, Nate did a fantastic job. The sauce was really really good. This recipe makes a ton, so even after feeding 8 people, I still have enough to freeze for another meal. We used a recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe and suited it to our tastes. Great work Nate!

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped and divided
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. Italian sausage (we used mild)
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 12 oz. can tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoons dried oregano
3 teaspoons dried basil
2 14-oz. can Italian-style diced tomatoes
2 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves

Preparation:
Cook and crumble Italian sausage, and drain any fat. Set aside. Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1/2 of the onions and saute until translucent and slightly browned. Add garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add beef and cook until no red is showing. Drain beef slightly. Add sausage. Blend up the remaining onions in a blender or food processor until mostly smooth. Add mixture to the garlic, onions and beef and stir to combine, cooking for another minute. Add tomato paste and spices and cook for 1 minute, stirring until combined. Add tomatoes and beef broth. Stir until combined and add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The sauce will seem watery at first but will reduce to perfection after simmering for an hour. After simmering we put the sauce in the crock pot and kept it on low all day. Serve over hot cooked pasta. Enjoy!

Chicken Italiano

Mmm... Italian food is such comfort food for me. This is an awesome recipe. It's so quick and easy to throw together, and it's a fun twist on Italian. I saw this idea over at The Daily Smash, and just adjusted a couple ingredients. Both Nate and I loved the zest that the Italian dressing gives the sauce, very very yummy!

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing (I used fat-free)
2 cups marinara sauce (I used Prego brand light sauce)
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp. garlic bread seasoning

Preparation:
Place all ingredients into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Serve over pasta.