Boursin Tortellini

 

Boursin Tortellini

1 Boursin Cheese round- garlic and herb flavor

1 10 oz. container cherry tomatoes

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

1 T. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 T. sliced green onion

1 cup fresh basil

20 oz package of frozen tortellini

2 large handfuls of fresh spinach

Preheat oven to 400.  Place the cheese in the middle of a ceramic baking dish.  Add the tomatoes and garlic, then drizzle with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the onion and basil.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  

Prepare tortellini according to package instructions.  

Remove the cheese from the oven and crush with a potato masher. Mix everything until well combined.  Drain the pasta and add it and mix again.  Serve.

You can add chicken or sausage if desired.

Ham, Egg, and Cheese Sandwiches

 I have been trying recipes in the air fryer.  This one took awhile to perfect.  It made a delicious sandwich.

Ham, Egg, and Cheese Sandwich

2 slices Texas Toast

Deli Ham Slices

Cheese Slice

1 Egg, partially cooked in silicone egg cup.  You can do that in the airfryer by putting the egg in the cup and then in the basket.  Precook for about 7 minutes as it heats up.

Soft butter

Minced garlic or garlic salt

Grated cheese of choice

Salt and pepper

With the bottom of a glass, push a depression into one of the bread slices.  Spread both slices of bread with soft butter.  Put minced garlic or garlic salt into the depression.  On the other pieces of bread layer ham and cheese.  Put ham and cheese bread on bottom and the the other one on top.  Into the depression, put the partially cooked egg.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Put grated cheese around the egg on top.  Bake in an air fryer or oven at 350 until toasted, melted and the egg is done.  Cut sandwich in half. The yolk should be runny, but the white cooked.  So delicious!

Italian Chopped Salad Sandwiches

 I love a good sandwich.  And this one was really, really good!  I watched an Italian chef make it on the Internet.  

Italian Chopped Salad Sandwich

Chop some salami and ham and provolone cheese into little square.  Mix together and put in a microwavable bowl.  Microwave until warm and cheese starts to melt.

On a cutting surface, put some shredded lettuce.  Add some chopped tomatoes, chopped olives, and sliced mushrooms.  Sprinkle with red wine vinegar and olive oil.  Add salt and pepper and a couple of scoops of Mayonnaise.  Mix well with your knife.  Add the meats and cheese and mix well all together.  

When well mixed put inside a sandwich roll.  You can add other meats and vegetables as desired and delete anything you don't like.  So yummy!

Cheesy Chicken Thighs and Rice

This casserole is delicious!  

 Cheesy Chicken Thighs with Rice

6-8 chicken boneless chicken thighs

2 cans cheddar cheese soup

1 can cream of chicken with herbs soup

3 cups cooked rice

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon paprika

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 bunch broccoli, cut up and par boiled (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13 or a large casserole dish.

In a large bowl, combine the soups, milk, garlic, onion powder, paprika and red pepper flakes.  Spread the cooked rice in the bottom of the pan or dish.  Top with the chicken thighs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place the pieces of broccoli all around the chicken. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken and rice.   Work down into the rice with a fork. Top with the grated cheese.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, making sure the chicken is well cooked.

Ham and Cheese Roll ups

 These make delicious little appetizer pinwheels.  

Ham and Cheese Roll ups

4 flour tortillas

8 oz. cream cheese or 8 oz. soft cream cheese spread

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 T. pickle relish

2 T. green onion, clipped with scissors (opt.)

1/2 lb. deli ham

Mix together the cream cheese and garlic salt,  stir in the cheese and relish and green onion if desired. Spread the mixture evenly over the four tortillas.  Be sure to spread to the edges.  Divide the ham evenly between the four tortillas.  Roll up each tightly and wrap each roll in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 4-8 hours.  Unwrap and cut off the edges of each roll.  Then cut the sandwiches in half and serve or cut in 1/8ths for pinwheel appetizers.  Can store in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Kristen's Broccoli Cheese Soup- Kid Friendly

This is in Kristen's regular dinner rotation because most of her children will eat it and most love it.  She has made the recipe her own.  Some of her kids don't like carrot, onion, and celery chunks so she immersible blends it before adding the broccoli and cheese.   It makes a beautiful and delicious soup.  She triples this recipe for her family of 8.

Broccoli/ Cheese Soup

4 T. butter

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1/4 cup flour

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large head of broccoli, chopped  or broken into small Florettes and cooked in the microwave

2 cups whole milk or half and half

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a large pot, melt butter and saute the onions until soft.  Add the celery and carrots and cook until soft.  Whisk in the flour and cook for  5 minutes.  Add the stock and salt and pepper and whisk until smooth.  Use an immersible blender to blend all until smooth.  Add the cheese and milk and whisk until smooth.  Add the broccoli and mix well.  Add more salt and pepper if needed.  Serve with crusty bread.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches

 This is one of my favorite kind of sandwiches when tomatoes are "on" in the summer.  We first tasted this combination years ago on a trip to Maui.  We went to "Cheeseburgers in Paradise" and several of us ordered their grilled cheese and tomato sandwich.  It tasted delicious and I have been trying to recreate it ever since.  This is what I've come up with:

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwich

2 slices bread

Butter- has to be real, softened butter

1 slice American cheese

1 slice Swiss cheese

Butter the outsides of the bread.  Put a slice butter-side down in a hot fry pan.  Add the cheeses and put the other piece of bread butter-side up on top.  put on about medium heat.  Put a lid over the pan to help melt the cheeses.  Grill on each side until golden brown and cheeses are melted.  Open the sandwich and add a thick slice of homegrown tomato in the middle.  Put back together and cut in half.  

Macaroni and Cheese

 

Shown here as a side with beef brisket

This is supposed to be a Panera Bread Copycat recipe.  I've never had Panera's Macaroni and Cheese, so I don't know, but this is certainly delicious! The white cheddar melts so smooth and creamy.  Even my husband, who does not like macaroni and cheese loved it!  I halved the recipe for just the two of us, but this is the original that serves 8.

Macaroni and Cheese

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 cup milk

2 cups cream

2 cups shredded white cheddar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 lb. pasta of choice.  I used shells

Cook pasta to el dente in boiling, salted water.

Make the sauce by melting the butter in a large pot.  Stir in the flour and cook for several minutes.  Add the milk and cream.  Mix and stir and mix and stir until you have a nice, smooth, thickened sauce.  Turn down the heat and add the salt, pepper, and mustard.  Then add the grated cheese and continue to stir until the cheese in melted and well blended.  Add in the cooked pasta and mix until all the pasta is covered and creamy.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  I like to sprinkle with some Mrs. Dash. Serve warm.

Sherrie's Cheeseball

This is not a very enticing picture (as most of mine aren't) but it is a delicious cheeseball.  I got the recipe from my sister-in-law, Sherrie. She served it at a family reunion.  I put the recipe in my notes on my phone, so hopefully I got it right.  I've made it a couple of times since.

Cheeseball

3 -8 oz. bricks of cream cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (I used horseradish sauce this time and it was good)

1 bunch green onion, chopped

2 packages Carl Budig beef, cut up small  (This is cheap lunch meat)

1 tsp. salt

I like to add a few drops Tabasco

Mix all together with your hands.  When well mixed, form into a ball.  Then roll in chopped pecans and parsley. I used dried parsley in this picture, but I like fresh better.  Chill.  Serve with crackers.  

Baked Italian Pasta

 They say that necessity is the mother of invention.  I had planned to make a different recipe for dinner and found that I didn't have one of the basic ingredients.  So, I used ideas from several of my recipes and came up with a very delicious casserole. It was a great invention, if I say so myself!  I wanted to record it here, so I can make it again and, of course, share it with you.  I will definitely be making this again.

Baked Italian Pasta

1 lb. ground beef or sweet Italian sausage

1/2 cup or so diced summer sausage

1 onion, chopped

1/2 lb. pasta of choice, individual pasta like rigatoni or farfalle

1 32 oz. jar spaghetti sauce

2 T. sugar

1 package Italian dressing mix

1 8 oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese, grated

1 can black olives

Brown the hamburger or sausage with the summer sausage and onion.  Drain.  Sprinkle the dressing mix over the meat mixture and mix well.  Add the spaghetti sauce and sugar and mix well.

Put pasta in a sprayed covered casserole dish.  Add the olives.  Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese over the pasta, then add the meat sauce and mix well.  Top with the rest of the cheeses.  Put the lid on and bake in a 350 oven until hot and bubbly.  

Mom's Crab, Cheese, and Tomato Sandwich

If you asked me what my favorite sandwich is, I would have a hard time choosing because I love a good sandwich.  But this is definitely in the top five.  It is easy to make and always, always makes me think of my parents because they made them often. 

Crab, Cheese, and Tomato Sandwich
1 slice good bread
Artificial Crab meat (or you could use real, I'm sure)
1 slice cheese of choice (my parents always used Swiss, but any cheese will do)
Sliced Tomatoes
Salt and pepper

Put bread under the broiler until browned.  Take out of the oven and turn it over.  Layer the crab and cheese on top.  Put back under broiler until the crab is warmed and the cheese melted.  Remove from oven and put sliced tomatoes and salt and pepper on top.  Yum!

Quiche

For the last couple of months, my husband and 9 year old daughter have been making our Sunday dinners. They love it because they get to have a little cooking lesson and I love it because I get to have an evening off of cooking. :) A few weeks ago they made this delicious crustless quiche that Jared grew up with.

1 1/2 cups milk
3 rashes bacon - chopped
1/2 self-rising flour
1 cup grated cheese
3 eggs
1 small onion - chopped
salt and pepper
1 can corn

Combine and pour into a greased dish and bake at 400 for 35 minutes or until set.

My husband made this on what I consider to be our first date. He asked me out and I said I would love to, but was swamped with a big project in college that I needed to finish. So, he spent the whole day on campus with me helping me figure out the technical side of the project that was super intimidating to me. When I had to go to work he went home and made this quiche and then met me with dinner to finish up the project when I was done with work. His kindness and helpfulness really caught my attention...and the rest is history.

Last night they made these beautiful swans and chocolate eclairs for dessert:

Am I spoiled, or what?!?

Macaroni Shells and Cheese

What kid doesn't like macaroni and cheese?  This is a delicious, creamy, and quick homemade version.

Macaroni Shells and Cheese
1 pound mini shells pasta
2 cups milk
1 Tablespoon butter
2 cups grated cheese (sharp cheddar is yummy- but whatever you have)
8 ounces Velveeta, diced
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4-1/2  teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water.  Don't overcook!  In the meantime, in a large pot, heat the milk and butter until the butter is melted.  Stir in the seasonings, and both cheeses.  Stir until the sauce is smooth.  Drain the pasta and dump it in with the sauce.  Stir until the shells are well coated.  Serve.  We like it with chopped fresh tomatoes and some extra pepper on top.

Recipe Source:  Adapted from Pioneer Woman

I made it for my grandchildren when they were here visiting.  It looks like they like it!!!   Especially if served on our famous Care Bear plates!

Corn Dip

 Need a good dip recipe for a July 4th barbecue?  This one is delicious!
Corn Dip
2 cans corn, drained
1 can diced green chilis (7 oz.)
1 small green pepper, diced fine
1 (or more) jalapeno peppers, diced fine, seeds removed (this is so much to taste.  Start with a little and add more if you want more kick)
small bunch green onions, chopped fine
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic salt (more or less to taste) You can also use garlic powder and then add salt to taste
Ground pepper, to taste
16 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Lots of tortilla chips or Fritos Scoops

Easy Mexican Quiche

This is an easy, quick and yummy dinner that uses few and common ingredients.  It goes together in minutes, and then bakes for about 45 minutes.  I strongly recommend serving it with homemade pico de gallo.  Man, they taste good together.  Add some tortilla chips and a diced avocado, and maybe some fruit and you have a delicious and easy Mexican meal.
This recipe serves 4, but you could expand it easily.
Easy Mexican Quiche
4 flour tortillas
2-3 cups grated Monteray Jack Cheese and/ or cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa
4 eggs
1 cup milk

Spray a square 9x9 pan and put the tortillas in the bottom and up the sides, forming the quiche "crust."  Top with the grated cheese, then the salsa.  In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and milk together (add salt and pepper if you wish.)  Pour the egg mixture over the salsa.  Bake in a 350 oven for about 45 minutes or until the egg is set in the middle.

Shown garnished with fresh pico del gallo

Keep Hoping Sandwich

I love the book Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer.

I just reread it for the second time. The main character in the book is Hope, a teenage girl who is a waitress.  She talks about a sandwich she invented that they put on the menu at the diner where she worked.  She called it the Keep Hoping Sandwich ( word play on her name.)  Here's what she said about it in the book: "I'd invented a sandwich here when I was fifteen- the Keep Hoping.  It had layers of smoked turkey, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and chopped salad greens with red wine vinaigrette on a sourdough roll.  People ordered it like mad, too, because hope is something that everyone needs.  It was a sandwich for our time."
I wondered if the author had ever actually made the sandwich, or if it was just something she thought of in her head.  But it sounded good to me, so I gave it a try.  I couldn't find smoked turkey, so I used Roasted turkey slices from Costco.  I also substituted a sourdough roll with a pretzel roll because that's what I had.  You could use a bottle red wine vinaigrette or I've included a recipe for one here.  I googled "red wine vinaigrette," then combined recipes that came up to make one that was just delicious.

Keep Hoping Sandwich
Sourdough roll
Smoked Turkey
Sun-dried Tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella
Chopped Salad Greens
Red Wine Vinaigrette (recipe below)


My Suggestions:
Maybe I didn't put on enough vinaigrette, but I thought it was too dry.  I added mayonnaise, but other ideas would be softened cream cheese, butter, or you could add more dressing or even avocado to make it more moist.
The sun-dried tomatoes were good, but I was wishing they were dried cranberries to add a bit of sweetness.  The fresh mozzarella was wonderful, and something I probably wouldn't have thought of.


Red Wine Vinaigrette
1 cup to 1 1/2 cups olive oil
1/3-1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon honey ( I put a bit more)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional, but this helps it stay emulsified)
Crushed black pepper

Put all ingredients in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.  Shake vigorously.  If you prefer, you can put everything but the oil in a blender.  Turn on the blender and stream in the oil and blend until emulsified.

There are other sort of recipes in this book that I just may try, too.

Chicken Enchiladas

When my husband and I were just married, another newly married couple invited us over for dinner.  They served Chicken Enchiladas that were just delicious.  I asked for the recipe.  She got up and got a pink card that was sitting on the countertop.  "I thought you would ask, so I copied it for you before you came." and then she handed me the card.  Though maybe a bit presumptuous of her, she was right. Though I've changed the recipe slightly over the years, it's still pretty much the same as what Barbara served us that day.  I love, love, love this dish.  Though I've tried the more modern chicken enchilada recipes (and loved them all!), this is my favorite.  For years, I've always served it with Creamy Orange Jello salad and green beans and the combination is comfort food at it's best for me.  This time, I added Pico de Gallo as a side, and now we love it even more.  This would be, I think, in the top ten meals that I cook.  Yes, I think so.
I like to 1 1/2 times the recipe and put the extra third (12 enchiladas) in a freezable, disposable container  for another time or if I want to take a meal to someone.  That way I use up a full package of 24 tortillas.

Chicken Enchiladas
18 small corn tortillas
vegetable oil for frying
4 chicken breasts, cooked (or you can use rotisserie chicken)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 can chopped green chilis
1/2 cup salsa
1 onion, finely diced (or you can use dried onion)
Lots of grated cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

In a small skillet, saute the onion until soft and slightly browned.
Chop the chicken breast
In a large bowl, mix together the soup, sour cream, green chilis, salsa, chicken and onion.
Put some oil in the bottom of a medium skillet.  Quickly fry each tortilla and drain on paper towels.
To assemble, spray a 13x9 pan.  Put about 1/3 cup of the filling in each tortilla and sprinkle on some cheese.  Roll sides together and put seam side down in the pan.  Make three rows of 6 to fill the pan. You should use about half of the sauce in the filling and 1/2 to put over the top. Sprinkle some cheese overall, then spread on the remaining sauce.  Sprinkle with more cheese and cover with foil.  Bake until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted in a 375 oven.

If you're making the extra pan, prepare the same, but don't bake.  Cover and freeze.  When ready to use, thaw and bake the same.
Note:  When my children were little and I was too busy to fuss with frying tortillas, I would just mix crushed Doritos or corn tortilla chips right in the filling mix, spoon it into the pan, then cover with cheese and bake.  It tasted ALMOST as good.

Shown here with Pico de Gallo.

Sweet and Spicy Snack

We love this snack! It is tasty with a little bit of kick. We have served it as a party appetizer, and a late night or after school snack. Even our 6 year old asks for it.

1 tube Ritz crackers
Cream Cheese
Jalapeno Jelly (We can our own every fall with jalapenos that we grow. We use this recipe from Ball and it is delicious!)

Spread cream cheese on crackers. Add a dollop of jelly. Serve immediately.

Raspberry/Blackberry Swirl Cheesecake

I. Love. Cheesecake. 

This is my favorite recipe. It is a Martha Stewart recipe (see source below).

Enjoy!

Crust:

1 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

2 Tbsp. Sugar

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

OR 2 readymade graham cracker crusts

Combine crust ingredients and press down into spring form pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove and allow to cool. Turn oven down to 325 degrees. (I didn’t have luck with my spring form pan. Water leaked in and ruined my cheesecake, I'm sure because I did something wrong, but I just buy 2 readymade graham cracker crusts and use them instead. It doesn't look as nice, but it tastes just as delicious and is even easier!)

Cheesecake:

16 oz (2 pkg) Cream Cheese, softened or room temperature

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

1 Tsp. Vanilla

1 Pinch Salt

4 Eggs

Cream cream cheese until smooth in either a kitchen aid or using a hand mixer. Add sugar and mix until smooth and homogonous, scrapping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper if needed. Add vanilla and salt and mix until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, creaming mixture each time. Pour batter over crust and tap lightly to bring any bubbles in the mixture to the top.   

Blackberry Puree:

6-8 oz. berries

2 Tbsp. Sugar

Puree berries in blender or food processor until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Stir in sugar. Dollop berry puree on top of cheesecake filling and swirl in with a toothpick. Bake 60-65 min. at 325 degrees in a water bath. Allow to cool and serve chilled.

Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/cheesecake?autonomy_kw=raspberry%20swirl%20cheesecake

Chicken Divan

I think my favorite meal my mother made was chicken divan . . . .well, that and tacos. Hmmm, her waffles were pretty darned good, too.  Oh, and her spaghetti . . .  Well, anyway, ONE of my favorite meals.   It's old-fashioned comfort food at it's best.  This is my mom's recipe.  It makes me think of her every time I make it.  She loved it and so do I.

 Chicken Divan
1 cup dry rice, cooked (it will make about 3 cups cooked rice)
1 big bunch broccoli
4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped or shredded
2 cans cream of chicken soup

1onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup mayonaise
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Grated cheese for topping
Cut the broccoli into spears and put in a saucepan.  Salt and add 2 inches or so  of water.  Turn on high.  When it comes to a boil, turn off stove and cover with a lid.  Let it steam while you make the sauce.
Sauce:
In a large bowl, mix together the soups, sour cream, mayonaise and lemon juice.
Spray a 13 x 9 pan well.  Add the rice.  Put about half of the sauce in with the rice and mix well.  Spread over the bottom of the pan.  Then layer the chicken, then the drained broccoli spears, then the remaining sauce.  With a fork, work the sauce down into the layers a bit.  Then top with shredded cheese.  Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted- about 30 minutes.

I nearly always serve this with Creamy Jello Salad.  They just seem to go together.