Fish with tangy tomatoes

Using tomatoes with chiles in this recipe was such a wonderful surprise. We tend to use swai filets because they're inexpensive, but you could use any white fish for this recipe. There was a ton of flavor in this entire recipe.

Fish with tangy tomatoes-adapted from Health Cooking Recipe Cards by Taste of Home
Total Time: 15 minutes
Serves 3

• 3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 swai fillets
• 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes with chiles
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon celery seed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the lemon pepper and salt and sprinkle over both sides of the fish fillets. Place in an 11 x 7 inch baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, parsley and celery seed and spoon over the fish. Cover with tin foil and bake for 25-30 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

White chocolate cranberry cinnamon rolls

Hopefully this comes across in how much I cook, but I'm trying to stay away from all processed/packaged foods as much as possible. That being said, I've never made cinnamon rolls from scratch unless you count those that come from a can.

Normally Scott and I stick to a standard of eggs, bacon, toast and possibly hash browns for breakfast. I came across this recipe, decided to find a date I could prep them (as they need to rise for a day) and then have these as a treat. These were absolutely delicious. However, it's a little bit too much work for my normal breakfast that I don't know if I'd make them again anytime soon. This recipe makes a ton, and they would be awesome if you're having family or friends stay over or come for breakfast.

Prepped

Finished product

White chocolate cranberry cinnamon rolls-adapted from Taste of Home Cooking School

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes + overnight rising

Serves 16

Rolls

• 4 1/2 teaspoons (or two packets) active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 5 to 6 cups all purpose flour

Filling

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 package (10 to 12 ounces) white baking chips
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Glaze

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 5 to 6 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the butter, sugar salt and 4 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 24 inch x 12 inch rectangle. For filling, combine the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon; spread over dough to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle with white chocolate chips and cranberries. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. 

Cut into 16 slices. Place cut side down in two greased 9x13 inch pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Bake at 350 degreese for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm rolls.

Shredded pork burritos with tomatillo sauce

Aren't slow cooker's the greatest thing ever? I just love that I can put everything together the night before, and have minimal work to do when I get home. This pork recipe is more sweet than spicy for tacos-probably good if you have picky eaters.

But--those of you that like spicy food, do not dispair. I made the tomatillo sauce a bit spicy and it was absolutely heavenly. I wish I had more recipes for tomatillos. I will be honest, I don't really know what they are or how I should use them, but I always like when I do use them.

TIP: Since this is a bone-in roast, when I remove the bones, I put them in a gallon freezer bag, and keep in the freezer. Once the bag is full of bones, I'll make a bone broth out of it!

I will say though, I got to use my new Ninja blender for this, but ended up cutting my finger on the blade (it's really sharp!) :(  I am fine, but it definitely hurts!

Scott always makes fun of me for the amount of stuff I put in my tacos/burritos. Do you think it's too much for one girl to eat??

My burrito

Tomatillo sauce

Shredded pork burritos with tomatillo sauce-adapted from Taste of Home's Easy Back to School Meals

Total time: 9 hours

Serves 16

For the pork:

• 1 bone-in pork shoulder roast (5 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
• 3 teaspoons paprika, divided
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces cola
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

For the sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tomatillos, husks removed
• 2 tablespoons dried cilantro
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 envelope ranch dressing mix
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 16 flour tortillas
• Cheese, black olives, lettuce, sour cream-for serving

Place roast in a greased 5-quart slow cooker. Cover with 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons paprika, pepper flakes, cumin, salt, cola, chicken broth, onion and garlic. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender. 

Shred the meat (sometimes I can do it right in the crock, sometimes I need to put it on a cutting board-do whatever is comfortable for you). Discard the bones. Return meat to slow cooker if removed. Stir in remaining brown sugar and paprika. Cover and continue to cook on low until heated through and sauce is done.

For the sauce, in a blender, combine the mayonnaise, milk, tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeno, ranch mix, lime juice, garlic and cayenne. Cover and process until blended. Pour into a small bowl and chill until serving.

Using a slotted spoon, fill each tortilla with your desired amount of pork, and top with you favorite toppings and the tomatillo sauce.

Italian pork chops

Oh man. You guys will love this recipe. It includes a tad bit more than a 'set it and forget it' to thicken the sauce, but it's still incredibly easy. I think my favorite part is that it makes a TON of sauce. I have a bunch left over that I plan on using this week for a recipe. We're working on moving into a new place, and once that is done, I want to learn to can, and I think this would be a great recipe!

Anyway, This is one of the easiest meals I've made! The flavors were fantastic even though there wasn't too much to it. The pork ended up super tender, you didn't even need a fork! I served over pasta for the extra sauce.

Italian pork chops-adapted from Taste of Home's Easy Back to School Meals
Total time: 6 hours
Serves 4

• 4 boneless pork chops
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cold water
• Cooked pasta of your choice, for serving

In a 4-5 quart greased slow cooker, place the pork chops, mushrooms, onions and garlic. Top with tomato sauce, lemon juice, salt, oregano, basil and parsley. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low, or until pork is tender and cooked through.

Remove pork to an oven-safe dish, and place in an oven preheating to 250 degrees. This will keep them warm. Transfer the sauce to a medium sauce pan. 

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water and mix until smooth. Add to saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over pork chops and pasta.

Herbed rib roast

As part of one of our Christmas presents, Scott's dad bought us a giant rib roast! I was so excited to make it, and it gave us a great reason to try out our rotisserie (don't worry, I have instructions if you don't have a rotisserie too). It was absolutely phenomenal, and I can't wait to make it again as we had to cut the roast in half it was so big!

Herbed rib roast-adapated from Taste of Home
Total time: 1 hour 30 miniutes (rotisserie), 2 hours (oven)
Serves 8-10

• 1 beef ribeye roast (4-5 pounds)
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried majoram

Cut slits into the roast and insert the slices of garlic. Rub the roast with the seasonings. If making in a rotisserie: follow rotisserie instructions for loading and cook times. Ours took about 1 hour, 20 minutes.

If making in the oven: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place roast on a roasting pan fat side up. Bake uncovered for 2-2 1/2 hours or until cooked to desired doneness. (Medium rare is 145 degrees).

Crab quiche

This is our day-after-Christmas-breakfast. It was quick and simple to put together. I added mushrooms, just because I had some and they're my favorite! The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of egg substitute. I used 4 egg whites, and 2 whole eggs. You could also just use 5 whole eggs if thats what you wish. My other suggestion is to pat dry the zucchini. The quiche seemed very watery and I'm pretty sure that was the culprit!

If you don't know where to get already cooked crabmeat-go to your grocer's fish section. There should be fully cooked, ready to eat flaked crab meat in a refrigerator.

Crab quiche-adapted from Taste of Home Cooking School
Total time: 1 hour
Serves 8

• 6 ounces crabmeat, flaked
• 6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup zucchini, shredded and patted dry
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 4 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 4 egg whites plus 2 whole eggs (or 1 1/2 cups egg substitute, or 5 whole eggs)
• 1-12 ounce can evaporated milk
• 3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
• Dash of paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine crab meat, cheese, zucchini, onion and mushrooms. Mix together well. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased deep-dish pie plate that has been coated with cooking spray. In another medium bowl, combine the eggs, evaporated milk, mustard, salt and seasoning. Whisk well, then pour over the crust in the pie pan. Sprinkle with paprika.

Place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet in case of overflow. Then cook in oven for about 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Caramel snickerdoodle bars

I was so incredibly excited to make these. The flavors were totally there and I definitely need to try this again. The dulce de leche just didn't set and made a complete mess. This was #2 of my absolute failures for the weekend. Someone else, please try these so I can have the courage to try again!

Caramel snickerdoodle bars-adapted from Taste of Home
Total time: 1 hour, plus chilling
Serves 48

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 (13.4 ounce) cans dulce de leche
• 12 ounces white chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla. Whisk in flour, baking powder and salt until blended. Pour into the prepared baking dish. 

In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle 2 tablespoons over the batter. Bake for 25 minutes or until edges are light brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Spread dulce de leche over crust. In a small saucepan, heat white chocolate chips, whipping cream and corn syrup over medium low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Pour over dulce de leche. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Cheesy Biscuits

These were very quick and easy to make. Less than 15 minutes and you have some yummy dinner rolls!

Cheesy Biscuits-adapted from Taste of Home Cooking School
Total Time: 15 Minutes
Serves 10

• 2 cups Bisquick mix
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Stir Bisquick, milk and cheese in a large bowl until a dough forms. Spoon 10 balls of the dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Ham and Mushroom Frittata

I'm back going through my cookbooks for a change! I haven't yet used my cask iron skillet for a frittata so I was excited when I came across this recipe. I mostly use that skillet for bacon. Lots and lots of bacon. Did you know we really like bacon in this house?

Anyway, I sliced up some ham and mushrooms and did this. I might use cooking spray instead of butter next time, it all stuck to the bottom of the pan a bit much (it's currently soaking in my sink). Either way, a really delicious egg dish that doesn't take much to make. You could also do it like almost any other omlette or egg bake and add your favorite ingredients. Case in point-the original recipe calls for broccoli. I accidentally bought mushrooms and deiced to use those instead. 

One of the best things about learning to cook, you don't need to follow the recipe to a 't'. You can feel free to add ingredients and mix things up a bit to 1. What you have in the house, and 2. What you like to eat.

Ham and Mushroom Frittata-adapted from Taste of Home Cooking School

Total Time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

• 6 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup cooked ham, diced
• 1 1/4 cup swiss cheese, shredded and divided
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon butter

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, pepper, ham and 1 cup cheese. Set aside. In a 10 inch oven proof cast iron skillet, saute mushrooms in butter over medium heat for about 4 minutes. Pour in egg mixture, cover and cook for 4-6 minutes or until eggs are almost set.

Turn on broiler. Add remaining cheese to top of eggs and place in broiler for 4-6 minutes or until eggs are set and cheese is melted. Let stand for a few minutes.

Everything Bread

I can't say I've ever really been a fan of everything bagels, but when I saw this recipe I knew I just had to make it. The first time I tried it, I tried in my bread maker. Let's just saw it overflowed and did not go well. I decided to give it one more whirl and it was worth it.

First of all, it makes a ton of bread. No wonder it overflowed the bread maker! It was extremely tasty too! Pretty easy to make, a bit messy to eat, but totally worth it.

Everything Bread-adpated from Taste of Home

Total Time: 3 hours

Serves 25

• 1/4 ounce package active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 cup warm low fat milk
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 to 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 egg white
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon diced minced onion
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

In a large bowl, combine yeast and warm water until dissolved. Add milk, butter, sugar, egg yolk, salt and two cups flour. Beat on medium for about 3 minutes and stir in additional flour until dough is firm.

Turn onto a floured surface and knead 6-8 minutes or until elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for one hour.

Turn down down on a lightly floured surface and divide into three parts and shape into 20-inch long ropes. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and turn over. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine egg white and water and brush over bread. Mix together remaining ingredients and sprinkle over bread. Bake 22-28 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This was a great chicken noodle soup. I usually only like chicken noodle soup when I'm sick, but this was something I could eat all the time. The only weird thing is that after letting it sit overnight is that it continued to thicken, so it got to be less of a soup the next few times I warmed it up. Maybe adding additional chicken broth would help when you want to warm it up again.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup-adapted from American Classics by Taste of Home
Total Time: 1 Hour
Serves 8

• 2 medium onions, diced, divided
• 2 celery ribs, diced, divided
• 4 cups water
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 14 1/2 ounces chicken broth
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillion granules
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
• 1 3/4 cups milk, divided
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Place one onion and celery in a Dutch oven. Add the water, chicken, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and strain broth; set both aside. 

In the same pan, saute remaining diced onion and celery in butter until tender. Add canned broth, carrot, potato, bouillon, basil and reserved broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add noodles, return to a boil and cook 6-8 minutes or until noodles are tender. Cut chicken into chunks; add to soup. Stir in 1 1/4 cups milk and heat through.

Combine flour and remining milk until smooth; add tos oup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Peach and Blueberry Tart

I don't have a true tart pan, so I used a standard pie plate for this recipe. It was a fine recipe, but not something I would have to make again.

Peach and Blueberry Tart-adapted from Taste of Home
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Serves 12

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed
• 2 cups frozen sliced peaches, thawed
• 1 tablespoon honey

Crumb topping

• 1/4 all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix the flour, sugar and cinnamon; stir in butter just until blended. Press onto the bottom and up the side of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, peaches and honey. Toss to cotat. In a small bolw, combine all the cumb topping ingredients.

Spoon fruit mixture into crust. Top with crumb topping. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Blackened Fish

I'm slowly learning to like spicy food. That being said, this was a bit too much for me. Scott and his mom still ate it, but I had to make myself a sandwich instead. Make this with some caution & knowing your own limits!

Blackened Fish-adapted from Taste of Home
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 4 fish fillets, such as halibut or swai
• 2 tablespoons butter

In a large resealable bag, combine all the spices. Place one fish fillet in the page at a time and shake until the fish is coated. Repeat with remaining pieces.

In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat, about 3 minutes per side or until fish is flaky.

French Dip Au Jus

Embarrassing story time. The very first time I had a hangover I went to Perkins and ordered a French dip with mozzarella and fries with ranch. Ever since, it's a typical hangover meal for me. I didn't make this recipe for a hangover, but it was pretty awesome. Make sure to get some great hoagies or french bread for the sandwiches.

French Dip Au Jus-adapted from Taste of Home Cooking School
Total Time: 8 Hours
Serves 8

• 1-1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 pound beef rump roast
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 cups water
• 8 single-serve hoagie buns
• 8 slices mozzarella
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounces sliced mushrooms

In a small bowl, combine beef bouillon and thyme. Rub over beef roast. Place in a 5-quart slow cooker, and add the onion, soy sauce, garlic, pepper and water. 

Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat and let stand for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and saute mushrooms until tender. Slice beef and place on hoagies with a slice of mozzarella. Serve with the au jus.

White Chili

I'm still uber behind on blog posts. I made this chili when it was cold and dreary and it made everything better. Very easy and super flavorful. {I promise I will get back to more exciting blog posts once I get caught up and don't wait MONTHS to post}

White Chili-adapted from Taste of Home
Total Time: 7 hours
Serves 12

• 3-15 1/2 ounce cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 jar Alfredo sauce
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can chopped green chilies
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 small yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• Salsa, sour cream, tortilla chips and additional cheese for garnish

Grease a 5-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place all ingredients except garnish into slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-7 hour or until chicken is cooked through and able to be shredded. Garnish with additional toppings.

Upside Down Pizza

I made this recipe for a girl's night and it was a hit! There was so much flavor and cheesy goodness in this that I didn't want to stop eating it! Just like the Pizza Burgers, you could add your favorite pizza toppings in this casserole (or whatever you have on hand). I love casseroles for that reason!

Upside Down Pizza-adapted from Taste of Home
Total Time 45 Minutes
Serves 8

• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 3 ounce black olives, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons, plus 1 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
• 15 ounces tomato sauce
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 425. In a large skillet, brown Italian sausage with onion, mushrooms, black olives and garlic. Drain once meat is no longer pink and return to skillet. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour, basil, fennel seed and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 2 minutes.

Transfer meat mixture to an ungreased 9x13 inch baking pan and stir in mozzarella and cream cheese. In a large bowl, beat together 1 cup flour, eggs, milk, olive oil, salt and Parmesan cheese until smooth. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Pizza Burgers

I saw this recipe and I was so excited to try it! Everything about this screams delicious! It was so easy, although would've been better if I could've grilled the burgers, but they tasted just as good on a skillet! Next time I might chop up some onion or mushroom to put in the burgers, but overall this was a good recipe.

Pizza Burgers-adapted from American Classics by Taste of Home
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 4

• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 4 slices provolone cheese
• 4 English muffins, split and toasted
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce

In a large bowl, combine the egg, Parmesan, onion, and seasonings. Add in turkey and mix well. Shape into four patties

Cook burgers on a heated skillet for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Top burgers with cheese, and steam about 2-3 more minutes until melted. Serve on muffins with pizza sauce.

Pizza Pasta Casserole

As part of my Christmas gifts this year, I wanted to cook a few things. To do this, I made my very good friend Ashley, who just had her third daughter (!), some casseroles that can be frozen for up to three months. Since she has two little ones that would eat this, and a sometimes-picky husband, I decided to go with a standard pasta without anything too crazy to it. I didn't get to try this dish as I gave them to her, but they looked tasty!

This recipe is enough for two 9x13 inch pans. Each can be frozen up to 3 months before cooking.

Pizza Pasta Casserole-adapted from Taste of Home
Total Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 16

• 16 ounces penne pasta
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 32 ounces spaghetti sauce
• 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 8 ounces pepperoni slices

Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, cook beef, onions and garlic over medium heat until meat is browned. Drain, return to pan and add spaghetti sauce and cooked pasta until heated through.

Turn pasta into two greased 9x13 inch pans. Top evenly with mozzarella and pepperoni. If cooking immediately, cook uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.

Freeze the other casserole. When ready to cook, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Apple Wild Rice Salad

So after making this dish I learned Scott is not a fan of wild rice. Which shocks me! I love the heartiness of wild rice and think it really brings something extra to a meal! The one thing I'm not particularly fond of--how long it takes to cook! I don't know that I've ever cooked with true wild rice (not from a box), so that was a bit of a shock for me!

Back to the recipe...

I didn't realize how much this recipe makes, but its TEN FREAKING SERVINGS! so I would definitely recommend halving it unless you want a lot of leftovers or are bringing this to a party. I like this idea for a party because it's actually supposed to be served cold! Because I'm terrible at fully reading directions before I start something, I didn't realize how long this would take and we ate it warm. It was still pretty good, but, if you're like Scott and not a wild rice fan, it's most likely not for you!

Apple Wild Rice Salad-adapted from Taste of Home

Total Time: 1 hour + chilling, if desired

Serves 10

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked wild rice
• 2 gala apples, chopped
• 2 tablespoons, plus 1/2 cup orange juice
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Cook wild rice according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss apples with two tablespoons orange juice. In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together. Add apples to rice, and drizzle dressing, tossing to coat. Refrigerate until chilled, if desired.

Parmesan Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

Normally when I make mashed potatoes, I just throw in some seasoned pepper, garlic salt, sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, milk...really whatever I have on hand. For Thanksgiving, I decided to try an actual recipe for mashed potatoes. I thought these ended up fluffy and tasty! As always with mashed potatoes, don't just pour in the entire amount of milk. You'll want to add it gradually so you don't accidentally make them into soup.

Parmesan Rosemary Mashed Potatoes-adapted from Taste of Home
Total Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 12

• 5 pounds baby red potatoes, peeled (optional) and cubed
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons crushed rosemary
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Place potatoes in a large stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cook for 15-30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Drain; return to pan. Mash potatoes, adding in all other ingredients. Slowly add milk to reach desired consistency.