Crock-Potting At It's Best!

I made this recipe in my crock-pot for my Norwex Party this past Monday night and it was a HUGE success. Everyone loved it, and couldn't believe just how easy it really was to make. :)

CROCK-POT CHEESE TORTELLINI

INGREDIENTS:
1 Pkg. Butoni Refrigerated Cheese Tortellini; Frozen (throw them in the freezer when you get home)
32 oz. Chicken Broth
2 Cans (14.5 oz) Diced Tomatoes with Basil & Oregano (DO NOT drain)
1 Bag Baby Spinach
8 oz. Cream Cheese; cubed
1 Lb. Sausage; cooked

Cook up the Sausage and throw that along with all the other ingredients into a crock-pot. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 1/2 hours. Stir after 2 hours and again at 4 hours.

See? I told you that it was simple, and it's so tasty with some crusty bread.

Pasta Goodness!

My boss gave me a recipe last week that she had made over the weekend and said that is was phenomenal. She had brought in leftovers for us on Monday, but unfortunately I was sick with the flu, so I didn't get to try any of it. I'm so glad that she shared the recipe with me though. :)

I finally got around to making it last night, and it was AMAZING!!!!! I didn't have one of the ingredients, but I substituted and I will tell you what I did as well.

SMOKEHOUSE BACON ZITI

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Ziti; cooked el dente
6 Slices of Bacon (I used the precooked in the box, and used the whole box)
8-10 Oz. Fresh Mushrooms; cleaned and sliced (I bought already sliced mushrooms)
3 Cloves Garlic; minced (I had minced in my fridge and used about 1/2 tsp. of that)
1-2 C. Fresh Baby Spinach (I used a little more)
3 Tbs. Butter
3 Tbs. Olive Oil
2 C. Heavy Whipping Cream
1 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 C. Mozzarella Cheese
1 tsp. Smoky Paprika (I couldn't find this, so you could use regular Paprika. I used a Smoky BBQ Rub from Pampered Chef)
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

Cook Pasta according to package directions. Cook the Bacon in a large skillet. Remove. (If you buy the pre-cooked you can skip this step.) In the large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. Oil over medium heat. Cook Mushrooms until tender. When Mushrooms are just about done, add in the Garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove the Garlic and Mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Melt 3 Tbs. Butter in the skillet. When melted, add in 2 Tbs. Oil. Whisk in Heavy Whipping Cream and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Stir in the Parmesan Cheese and simmer for 8-10 minutes, making sure to stir frequently. After 8-10 minutes, the sauce will start to thicken. Reduce to low. Add in Mozzarella Cheese, Smokey Paprika, and Black Pepper. Stir in Bacon, Fresh Spinach, then add in the Cooked Mushrooms and Garlic. Stir in the cooked Pasta and serve immediately with additional Parmesan Cheese.

I also made up some Garlic Knots, and they were so good with this! This recipe will make a lot of food. I am planning on taking a large dish to my Mom and Bro at their house tonight for their dinner. It's date night for me, so I get to have dinner out with my guy! :) I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend. Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!

Another Great Christmas Cookie

I was able to whip these up in about 20 minutes or so, and get them chilling in the fridge. The thing that takes the longest is melting the chocolate for dipping and letting them harden back up in the fridge again. Other than that, easy-peasy! :)

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

INGREDIENTS:
2 C. Creamy Peanut Butter
3 C. Rice Krispies
3 C. Powdered Sugar
1/4 C. Butter; melted
3 Pkgs. Chocolate Chips; melted

Mix together all except the Chocolate Chips. Shape into balls and refrigerate to firm up. Melt Chocolate and dip each ball. Place on wax paper covered cookie sheets in the fridge to harden chocolate. Store in airtight container in the fridge. (I also have these in my freezer right now.)

I'm looking forward to breaking out all of the treats and making cookie platters this year. I have a few more items left to bake, as I do so I will post the recipes!

An Easy 2-Pot Meal!

After baking and making Rock Candy all day on Saturday, I was a bit nervous that this meal that I told my Mom and Bro that I would make them was going to be more time consuming than it actually was. It turned out to be super easy, and one that I will definitely make again.

My boss today gave it 2 thumbs up when we had some of the leftovers for lunch! Another plus! :)

CHICKEN FLORENTINE CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp. Oil
1 Lb. Boneless Chicken Breasts; cut up bite sized
1 Clove Garlic; minced
1 Tub (10 oz.) Philadelphia Italian Cheese & Herb Cooking Crème
3/4 C. Milk
2 C. Bowtie Pasta; cooked
1 Pkg. (10 oz.) Frozen Chopped Spinach; thawed and drained
2 C. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
4 Slices Bacon; crumbled

Heat oven to 375. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Heat Oil in a large skillet. Add Chicken and Garlic. Cook and stir until Chicken is cooked through. Stir in all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the bacon. Spoon into casserole dish. COVER and bake for 25 minutes; or until heated through. Uncovering and sprinkling with Bacon after 15 minutes of baking. Bake uncovered for remaining time.

A Girl & Her Kitchen!

It's that time of year again. The time when I start to bake for Christmas! I LOVE this time of year, but each time I start on a new task I have to ask myself why I love it so much! I love to see all of the lights and trees, I love to shop for my loved ones, and I love to bake. I often give away a lot of baked goods as presents, and this year will be no different.

Almost all of my Christmas shopping is done and wrapped beneath my glowing Christmas Tree! I admire them all each night when I'm in my living room. There's something about the magic and wonder of Christmas. I love the Christmas story about Christ's birth, and I especially LOVE the wonderment in my 4-year-old Sunday Schools kiddos eyes when we talked about this yesterday!

This weekend I spent Saturday baking and making Rock Candy. Ten different flavors of Rock Candy to be exact! And WOW was that very time consuming, but of so worth the rewards. I also made my Mom and Bro dinner on Saturday night, which turned out very good. I will share that recipe in my next post.

In this post I am going to share my recipe for the Cookie Dough Truffles I made. :)

COOKIE DOUGH TRUFFLES

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C. Butter; softened
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 C. Flour
1 (14 oz.) Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 C. Mini Chocolate Chips (I probably used closer to 1 C.)
1 1/2 lbs. Chocolate Bark; melted

In a large bowl, cream Butter & Brown Sugar until creamy. Add Vanilla. Gradually beat in Flour & add Sweetened Condensed Milk. Add Chocolate Chips; mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on waxed paper covered cookie sheets. Chill for 2 hours. Melt Chocolate Bark in Double Boiler and dip Cookie Balls. Place back on cookie sheets and chill until set. Store in fridge. (I have mine in the freezer. They freeze very well.)

These are a favorite of mine, and are so easy to make.

Venison, It's What's For Dinner

Oh how I wish that one of my brothers or my dad hunted. But, alas, they don't. So, I am at the mercy of friends and of co-workers of my brother to occasionally bless us with some. Tonight's dinner was courtesy of one of my brother J's co-workers, and I am very thankful.

VENISON STEAKS IN THE OVEN

INGREDIENTS:
Venison Steaks
1 Stick of Butter
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Crushed Peppercorns

In a large skillet, put in the Olive Oil and 2 Tbsp. of the Butter. Melt the Butter. Add the Venison Steaks and sear them. Preheat oven to 475. Place Steaks in a roasting pan and pour the Olive Oil/Butter Mixture from pan over the top. Sprinkle the Peppercorns generously over the steaks. Dot the top of each steak with slices of Butter. Bake for 12 minutes or until reached your desired doneness. 

I only baked mine for the 12 minutes and they came out very tender. These were delicious this way. The bro really enjoyed them. His comment to me was, "I figured that you would be able to cook these up a whole lot better than I could, and I was right." Thanks bro!!! I am thrilled that he decided to share them with me, and was happy to have him over to my place for dinner tonight.

Now to figure out how to get my hands on more venison. :-)

Worth A Repost!

Now that Fall is here, and there's a chill in the air I wanted to repost this recipe for those of you who are new to my blog. It is a delicious recipe, that I really love. Give it a try.

SAUSAGE EGG CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:
8-10 Hard Boiled Eggs; halved
1/4 C. Butter or Margarine; melted
1/4 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
Dash of Pepper
2 C. Milk
1 Lb. Pork Sausage; browned and drained
1 Can Whole Kernel Corn; drained
1 C. Soft Bread Pieces (I used 3 slices of white bread)

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Put half of the Egg halves in bottom of dish. In saucepan, melt Butter. Blend in Flour, Salt & Pepper. Add Milk all at once. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Stir in Sausage and Corn. Pour Sausage mixture over the Eggs. Top with remaining Egg halves and Bread Pieces. Bake for 20-25 minutes; or until heated through. 

It's FALL--Time For ALL Things Pumpkin!!!!!!

I LOVE Fall, it's my favorite season! I love all the changing colors and the cooler temperatures...although right now in Michigan it is very cold and feels more like Winter than Fall, and to be honest, I'm feeling a little jipped. It rained for three straight days this week, was sunny yesterday and has been rainy and cold all day again today! Needless to say, I am sick of the rain!

But, on a happier note I found this recipe while trolling the internet and decided that this morning was the perfect time to make them. I'm not sure where I get my love for all things Pumpkin related, because it's sure not from my Mother. When I told her about these brownies...she told me that they didn't sound good and they shouldn't be called brownies...because brownies should only be made of chocolate! The bro had the same response. Hmmph! ;-)

PUMPKIN BROWNIES

INGREDIENTS:
1 C. Butter; softened
2 C. Sugar
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 Eggs
1 C. Pumpkin Puree
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 C. Flour

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 pan with Non-stick Cooking Spray. Cream the Butter and Sugar. Add Cinnamon, Eggs, Pumpkin and Vanilla; mix well. Stir in the Flour. Pour into pan and bake for 30-40 minutes; or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (I will probably add chocolate chips the next time I make them. They are delicious, but I think that chocolate chips will add to the greatness!) 

Give them a try! I would love to know what you think of them too! :-)

An Easy Dinner Idea...Tasty Too!

I may have posted this recipe before, but I'm sure that it was a while ago. Anyway, my Mom texted me this morning and asked if I could repost this. I believe that she is making this at her house for the bro tonight. Lucky boy!

The beauty of this recipe is that the leftovers taste just as good, if not better!

MOSTACCIOLI

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Ground Beef
1/2 C. Green Pepper; chopped
1/2 C. Onion; chopped
2 C. Tomatoes
6 oz. Tomato Paste
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/4 C. Water
4 C. Cooked Mostaccioli Noodles
1/2 Lb. Thinly Sliced Velveeta
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat the oven to 250. Brown the meat slowly. Add Pepper and Onion, cook until tender. Stir in the Tomatoes, Paste, Water and Seasonings. Simmer 15 minutes, then remove the bay leaf. In a greased 2 quart casserole, layer Noodles, Meat Sauce, and Velveeta Cheese. Repeat 2 or 3 times. Top with Parmesan Cheese. Bake for 35 minutes.

The BEST Cheeseball I've Ever Tasted

I hope that you all had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend! Mine was packed to the max, but just the way I like it. Went to a surprise birthday party for a friend, painted with my Dad, family time on Sunday, went to the lake for a while on Monday with friends (even though it was quite chilly here in Michigan to be on the lake), showed my new place to my Gramma, and spent more time with family last night. All in all, a GREAT weekend!!!! I even managed to get a little sun, which is great for this white girl! :)

While I was over at the woman who I call my step-momma's house she told me about a recipe for a Pineapple Cheeseball that she wanted to try. Well, me, being a lover of pineapple decided that I must try to find a recipe for this as well. I succeeded, and the results were out of this world!

So, now I must share this with all of you!

PINEAPPLE CHEESEBALL

INGREDIENTS:

2 Pkgs. Cream Cheese; softened

1 Small Can Crushed Pineapple; well drained
2-3 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp. Green Onion (optional)
4 Tbsp. Chopped Ham (I used deli ham)
1 C. Chopped Pecans

 Combine all ingredients except for Pecans. Mash into a ball (I placed it in plastic wrap and put in fridge for a while). Roll in pecans. Serve with crackers of choice.

An Easy, Tasty Treat!

I was trolling through Pinterest today at work during some down time and I came across this recipe. I knew that I had everything in the house for it, so I decided to give it a try. I sneaked a little off of the spatula and can tell you that it's pretty tasty. :)

PEANUT BUTTER & HONEY OAT BARS

INGREDIENTS:
1 C. Peanut Butter
1 C. Honey
3 C. Old Fashioned Oats

Melt the Peanut Butter and Honey together in a pot on the stove-top. Mix in the Old Fashioned Oats. Press into an 8x8 greased square pan. Cover and let harden overnight.

Unbelievably easy! Can't wait to have one for breakfast tomorrow before work. Give them a try and let me know what you think of them!

Comfort Food In The Crock-Pot...Doesn't Get Much Easier Than This!

I think that this title says it all! I have been looking for easy recipes to make this week, as I am packing up to make the move to the Northern GR area this weekend. Slowly I'm making a dent in the stuff from the house, and ever so slowly getting things over to the new place and put away. The goal is to only need to move a few items and the furniture on Saturday and then to only have to place the furniture and hang up decorations/pictures as time allows. I think that it will be less stressful this way!

My Momma was in town until today, and so she was a big help in pulling this recipe off! I put everything together on Sunday night, so all she had to do was add the last ingredient and turn the Crock-pot on, oh and stir it up once or twice. :)

CROCK-POT MACARONI & CHEESE

INGREDIENTS:
16 oz. Elbow Macaroni; cooked (I left mine a little firmer)
24 oz. Colby Jack Block Cheese; cubed
16 oz. Velveeta Cheese; cubed
1 Stick of Butter; sliced
16 oz. Milk

Spray your crock-pot with Cooking Spray. Place 1/3 of the Noodles in the bottom of the crock. Add 1/2 of the Cheese and 1/2 of the Butter. Add 1/3 of the Noodles, and then the remaining Butter and Cheeses. Top with remaining 1/3 of the Noodles. Pour the Milk over the top. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Stirring once halfway through.

It is VERY cheesy and gooey! Perfect for a cooler day. Would make a great side dish as well to anything that you're making.

A Sweet Treat That's Sure To Make You Smile! :-)

In honor of my Momma being in town, and the fact that we both LOVE all things Pineapple related, when I found this recipe I knew that I was going to have to make it this weekend. It hasn't disappointed!

PINEAPPLE PECAN CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

INGREDIENTS:
2 C. Flour
2 C. Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 Eggs
20 oz. Crushed Pineapple with Juice
1/2 C. Chopped Pecans

ICING:
1 Stick Butter; softened
8 oz. Cream Cheese; softened
2 C. Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp. Vanilla

Heat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 pan with Cooking Spray. Cake: Mix the dry ingredients together. Add in the Eggs, Pineapple with the Juice and the Pecans. Stir just until moistened. Pour into baking dish and bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely. Icing: Combine the Cream Cheese, Butter, Powdered Sugar and Vanilla together. Beat until smooth. Frost the cake with all of the icing. Refrigerate. 

This is DELICIOUS!!!! It reminds me of the Pineapple Bars that we used to get from the Amish Store when my parents lived up North. So addicting! The only thing that I'm going to change is that next time I'm going to add more Crushed Pineapple and probably a little more of the dry ingredients to balance out the extra juice. But, it is delicious just the way that it is as well. I just love pineapple that much!!!

I hope that you'll make this one as well.

A Baked Sandwich? Yes Please!

I have been busy lately getting ready for the move to the complex where I work. Oh, how I loathe packing boxes and moving...but it's all worth it in the end. I am looking forward to having my own place again. One that I can decorate how I'd like to.

But, in the meantime I have been cooking at home as well. Mom has been here this week, and as a result I have tried some new recipes. Today's lunch was no exception. It was good, but we came up with some ways to improve it. I will post it how I made and then at the bottom I will put what I would do differently the next time I make it.

BAKED TURKEY & CHEDDAR SANDWICHES

INGREDIENTS:
2 C. Original Bisquick Mix
1 C. Milk
1 Egg
4 oz. Sliced Deli Turkey Meat
1 1/2 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
10 Slices Pre-cooked Bacon

Heat the oven to 400. Spray and 8x8 pan with cooking spray. Stir together the Bisquick, Milk, and Egg. Pour half of this mixture in the bottom of the pan. Top with Turkey, Bacon and 1 C. Cheddar Cheese. Top with remaining Bisquick Mix. Bake for 29 minutes. Remove and top with remaining 1/2 C. Cheese and bake for 3 additional minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENT:
The next time I make this, I'm going to add about 1/4 C. Brown Sugar to the Bisquick Mix and then serve the sandwiches with a little bit of warmed up Maple Syrup for topping. Since you eat these with a knife and a fork anyway..it doesn't make that much more work. I think that a little bit of sweetness would cut through the dryness of the Bisquick.

Give them a try and let me know what you think.

A Sweet Meal

Have I mentioned lately how much I adore my Crockpot? Well, I do. It's a wonderful invention. Made even more wonderful by the fact that I was able to just throw all the ingredients in yesterday before I left for work and when I came home, with minimal fuss, supper was on the table! It's a beautiful thing really.

This pork was sweet, and something different. I'm used to a more BBQ flavor, but this was a good change. I hope that you will like it as well.

CROCKPOT PULLED PORK SANDWICHES

INGREDIENTS:
4 Lbs. Boneless Pork Ribs
1 Bottle BBQ Sauce
1 tsp. Dry Mustard
1 tsp. Garlic Powder 
1 C. Brown Sugar

Pour 1/2 of the BBQ Sauce in the bottom of the crock. Add all of the Pork Ribs. Add seasoning and Brown Sugar. Mix to cover the Ribs. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. Shred with a fork and add remaining 1/2 of the BBQ Sauce.

I served this on buns with cheese. But it really could be eaten plain as well. It was delicious!

Scrumptious Side Dish!

Last night I made this recipe as a side to the main course of our meal for supper. I thought that they turned out wonderfully and actually wished that I had made more of them!

ROASTED MUSHROOMS

INGREDIENTS:
2 Lb. Fresh Mushrooms with stems
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp. Olive Oil
Salt to Taste
Pepper to Taste
1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp. Thyme

Preheat the oven to 400. Place aluminum foil in bottom and up sides of baking dish. I used and 8x8 square dish. Pull the stems from the Mushrooms and cut in halves or quarters. Put Mushrooms in a bowl with the 2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper. Toss to coat. Put in the baking dish. Roast for 15 minutes. While Mushrooms are roasting; place the Thyme, Minced Garlic, Balsamic Vinegar and the 1 tsp. of Olive Oil in the bowl you used to coat the Mushrooms and mix together. Pour over the Mushrooms that have roasted for 15 minutes. Roast for an additional 10 minutes.

These were very tasty! Probably helps that I LOVE mushrooms!!!! Give them a try!

Cheesy Yummy Goodness

This is what's cooking in my kitchen for dinner tonight! I can't wait to try it. It was pretty simple to put together and throw in the oven. There are a few steps that I will take ahead of time the next time that I make this, but overall it was easy-peasey! :)

CHEESY CHICKEN CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:
3 to 4 Cooked Chicken Breasts; choppped
16 oz. Pkg. Egg Noodles; cooked
2 (10.75 oz.) Cream of Chicken Soup
8 oz. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
8 oz. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
24 oz. Sour Cream
1 Sleeve Buttery Crackers; crushed
1/4 C. Butter; melted

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan. In a large bowl; combine the Chicken, Noodles, Soup, Cheeses, and Sour Cream. Pour into 9x13 pan. Mix together the Crackers and the Butter and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until crackers are crispy and golden and the cheese is melted.

This smells fantastic, and I can't imagine that it will taste any different! Give it a try and let me know what you think!

A Cool Treat!

I've been in a baking/cooking mood recently...which is a really good thing. I have the meals for the rest of the week planned out and I can't wait to make them all and to share the recipes with all of you!

I made these last night while I was cleaning the house and doing other things. I like to stay busy!

PEANUT BUTTER BARS

INGREDIENTS:

1 C. Butter, melted 

2 C. Graham Cracker Crumbs

2 C. Powdered Sugar

1½ C. Peanut Butter

 

Peanut Butter Bar Chocolate Topping

• ¼ C. Peanut Butter
• 2 C. Chocolate Chips

Instructions

1. Combine first four ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well-combined and smooth. Spread evenly into a 9×13 baking dish.
2. Combine ingredients for the peanut butter bar chocolate topping in a medium glass bowl. Melt in the microwave for 1 minute at a time on 80% power. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. Spread on top of the peanut butter bar base and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
3. Remove from the freezer and cut into individual bars

A Perfect Summer Treat

I had blueberries in my freezer from when I bought them on sale and I decided to use them this weekend to make this wonderful treat. Another "Pin Win", thanks Pinterest!!!

This really is a dessert that is best ice cold.

BLUEBERRY CREAM PIE

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Cups Blueberries
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 4 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Orange Zest (or Lemon)
• 1 Pastry Pie Crust (homemade or store-bought)

Instructions

1. 400* oven.
2. Pour Blueberries into unbaked Pie Crust.
3. Whisk together Heavy Cream, Sugar, Flour, Salt, and Orange Zest.
4. Pour over Blueberries.
5. Bake 35-42 minutes or until a light golden brown on the top.
6. Cool.
7. Store in refrigerator. Best when eaten chilled.

***NOTE*** It does tend to be a little liquidy...so next time I will bake for a bit longer to see if that helps. But it's still good in it's current state. :)

Yummy In The Tummy!

I made this casserole this weekend and it was a winner! Thanks again to Pinterest for giving me so many wonderful new ideas to try. I have so many more to make this week and I'm excited to try them!

UNFORGETTABLE CHICKEN CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:

3 C. Chicken; cooked & cubed
1 (10.75 oz.) Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 C. Sour Cream
1 C. Mayo
3/4 C. Celery; diced
1 Small Can Diced Water Chestnuts
1/2 C. Slivered Almonds
8 Oz. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Can French Fried Onions

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl combine the Chicken, Soup, Sour Cream, Mayo, Celery, Water Chestnuts, Almonds and the Cheese. Stir together. Pour into the baking dish and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the French Fried Onions, return to the oven for 5 more minutes.

So easy, and oh so tasty!