Stuffed Pizza Rolls

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough* (or make your own)
marinara/pizza sauce
2T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil or melted butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
mozzerella cheese, diced or grated
Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

*You can use regular pizza dough, or thin crust.

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it's 400 degrees. If you make your own dough, 400 is usually a good heat as well.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 12". Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (Note that you're not putting the marinara sauce on the dough- it's for dipping after). Just eyeball how much. You just need to be able to enclose the toppings in the dough so keep that in mind.

When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).

Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter. Sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese (or desired seasonings).

Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

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These were really labor intensive so I don't think I'll be making them again anytime soon. But they are darling. We're having some computer issues--I'll post pictures on some of my last few posts as soon as I can.

Brazilian Lemonade

4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they're the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.

Wash limes thoroughly with soap (I just use hand-dishwashing soap or regular hand soap); you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you're using the WHOLE lime. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.

Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you'll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk; you may want to taste test it at this point. If it's bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk.

Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don't make this in advance (although you can cut the limes, mix the sugar water, and measure the sweetened condensed milk in advance). Credit: ourbestbites.com

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This is absolutely divine and a cinch to make.

Golden Butternut Squash

1 butternut squash, cut in half lenghwise, pulp removed
1 small onion, diced
1/2 tsp cinamon

Heat oven to 375.  Place squash facing up in a 9x13 pan with an inch of water.  Bake for an hour or until squash is easily pierced with a fork.  Meanwhile, saute onion in some oil over low heat for 15 minutes, until very tender.

Scoop squash out of the shells and mash.  Add to sauteed onions and combine.  Mix in cinnamon.  Serve with some butter, salt & pepper on top.

***
Butternut squash is one of those foods that I have missed out on over the years.  I only discovered it about a year ago.  It's so easy to make and so good!  Very, very healthy too. 

FLUFFY Oatmeal M&M Cookies

I have been on the hunt for a cookie recipe/tips that will keep my cookies from turning out see-through FLAT.  I think I finally found it.  Yum!

1 cup butter, softened barely
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or M&Ms

Directions
1.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2.In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, and chocolate chips. Don't overmix!! Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
3.Bake for 11 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro (I did not use cilantro)
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas (or flour)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

This is again from Our Best Bites. I thought they were yummy. I used the leftover chicken from the Lime Chicken Soft Tacos.

Banana Oat Pancakes

1 1/3 c flour
3/4 old fashioned oats
1 T sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon

Combine in a large bowl.

1 egg
1 1/3 c milk
1 cup mashed ripe banana
2 T canola or vegetable oil

Combine wet ingredients in a smaller bowl.  Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened.
Pour by 1/4 cupfuls onto a greased hot griddle.  Serve with syrup.

***
I made these for breakfast this morning. What I loved most is that they are healthy, and my children gobbled them up.

Squash & Potato Hash

8 slices bacon
1-2 large baking potatoes, peeled & diced
2 zucchini, peeled & diced
1 yellow summer squash, peeled & diced (looks like a yellow zucchini)
1 onion, diced

Cook bacon, set aside.  In bacon grease, cook potatoes about 5 minutes, until light brown.  Add other vegetables and cook until tender, about 8-9 minutes.  Add bacon and heat through.  Season with dried basil, salt and pepper.

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Yum!  I put ketchup over top for my kids.  I preferred it without ketchup so I could taste the squash flavors better.  This will be a great summer recipe when zucchini is in season.  Would also be good served with eggs for breakfast or as a breakfast burrito.

Fried Rice

2 c. white rice + 4 c. water (OR 4 c. cold, leftover rice)
3 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. minced red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped green onions
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 c. chopped carrots
1/2 c. chopped mushrooms
8 oz. (1/2 bag) of coleslaw mix
3-4 generous Tbsp. soy sauce

SEASONING:
1 Tbsp. dried onion
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 ½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. celery salt
1 ½ tsp. sugar

Heat butter over medium heat and saute onions, carrots, mushrooms, and cabbage until carrots are tender. Add cooked rice, soy sauce, and seasoning to taste (you won't even come close to using all of it; save the rest for future fried rice or use as you would seasoning salt.)

Optional add-ins: chicken, ham, shrimp, egg, peas, etc.

I got this recipe from Our Best Bites. I usually just throw whatever in my fried rice and it's always good. Following a recipe was a nice change and I thought the seasoning made it better than my usual fare.

Huevo Rancheros

2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (19 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
8 (7 inch) corn tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 eggs
Salsa

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Place 1 teaspoon canola oil in a skillet, and heat over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook 1 minute until light brown. Mix in the black beans, chicken broth, and chiles; simmer until beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat, and keep warm.

Place four tortillas on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the tortillas. Top with the remaining four tortillas. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Bake tortillas in preheated oven until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

Place the remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil in a skillet, and heat over medium heat. Crack eggs into skillet, and cook to desired firmness.

To assemble huevos rancheros, place filled tortillas on four serving plates. Top each tortilla with black bean mixture, a layer of salsa, and an egg. Serve immediately.
 
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I make these slightly different....just the lazy version!  I don't use the chiles or the chicken broth.  And I just scramble the eggs.  I also throw the tortillas in the microwave instead of using the oven.  We love these...and the leftovers make great breakfast burritos!

Rice & Bean Tostadas

1-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking brown rice
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 15-ounce can chili beans with chili gravy
1 8-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
8 purchased tostada shells
3 cups shredded lettuce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large saucepan, bring water to boiling. Stir in rice and onion. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir undrained chili beans and the corn into rice mixture. Heat through.

Meanwhile, place tostada shells on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until heated through.

To assemble, place 2 tostada shells on each dinner plate. Top tostadas with shredded lettuce and the rice-bean mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and top with tomatoes. Makes 4 servings.

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Other than the fact that they were sort of messy to eat, these were really good!  It was really fast and easy to make too.  And I love the healthy ingredients.  Definitely going to one of our summer meals because after a long day of playing outside, it's easy to throw these together.

Sloppy Joes

Brown 1 lb ground beef, drain fat. Add seasonings, an 8oz can tomato sauce and 1/2 c water. Serve on toasted hamburger buns.

1 T minced onion

1 t green pepper flakes ( usually don't use this)

1 t salt

1 t corn starch

1/2 t minced garlic

1/4 t dry mustard

1/4 t celery seed

1/4 t chili powder

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

In a crockpot combine:

3-4 chicken breasts, frozen
1/8 c red wine vinegar
1 tsp minced garlic
1 onion, sliced
Salt & Pepper to taste
Juice from 1-2 limes

Cook all day.  Shred about 1-2 hours before serving.

Serve in a warmed wheat tortilla with shredded mozzarella, green leaf lettuce & tomatoes.  Squeeze another lime over top if desired.
***
I will admit, this doesn't smell all that great while cooking (thanks to the vinegar).  I was nervous.  But...it was delicious!  So good!!  The chicken was really moist and the flavors were really good.  Both of my kids gobbled the chicken mixture up so fast!  I made simple chicken/cheese roll-ups for them.  This is definitely a keeper at my house!

Simple Corn Chowder

1 small yellow onion, diced
2 large baking potatoes, peeled & diced into small chunks
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 can creamed corn
1 package frozen sweet corn

Saute onion in some olive oil until tender.  Add potatoes.  Add water just to cover potatoes.  Boil, cover, then simmer for 20 minutes.

Drain most, but not all, of the potato water.  Add corn and can of milk.  Add s&p to flavor.  Simmer again for 20 minutes.

Serve with bacon and cheddar cheese on top.

***Feel free to change it up...add carrots, celery or red pepper.  You can make it thicker by draining all of the potato water...or make it thinner by draining less.  Or add chicken broth or flour to thicken/or dilute it. 

BBQ Chicken Bacon Pizza

Crust:
I used the whole wheat crust I posted last week.
Topping:
Throw 3-4 chicken breasts in the crockpot along with some bbq sauce and a large onion, sliced. 

When crust is rolled out, place on pizza:
~Thin layer of bbq sauce
~Chicken/onion mixture
~5 slices bacon, fried, cut up
~Lots of mozzarella cheese

Bake for 17 minutes.  YUM!
Update: This turned out GOOD!  I ended up making the whole wheat pizza crust I posted earlier....less work, and Nate liked it.  I also highly recommend using your crockpot for the chicken/onions.  The chicken wasn't dry at all and had so much flavor.  And the bacon definitely made the pizza....next time I'll add even more!

Mini-Meatloaves

Ingredients

1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground beef
2/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, cheese, oats and salt. Add the ground beef, mixing well, and form this mixture into eight miniature meatloaves. Place these in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
3.In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spread over each meatloaf.
4.Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.

We love these! I always serve with mashed red potatoes and a green vegetable.  I have also read that they can be cooked in muffin tins as well.