Pizza Pot Pie

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This recipe is ALWAYS a favorite in the Porter House!  We love it and it is SO easy!  This recipe is PERFECT for a quick weeknight dinner, or for a casual get together!  


Pizza Pot Pie

• 2 lbs bulk italian turkey sausage (you can use regular pork sausage if you prefer but it will make the pot pie greasier.  You can also use ground turkey, or ground beef.  You can add sliced pepperoni too if you like or any other toppings you like on pizza such as olives, mushrooms, whatever you like).  
• 1 recipe pizza crust (or you can use a store bought refrigerated pizza dough)
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 oz) can petit diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup homemade or store bought tomato pasta sauce
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tsp. Italian herbs
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Roll your pizza dough into a log about 8 inches long.  Cut log in half lengthwise and then slice into 24 rounds.  Heat half of the olive oil in a large, deep sided, oven proof skillet over medium high heat.  Add the sausage, break up with a large wooden spoon and cook for about 5 minutes or until starting to brown.  Add the green pepper, the onion, and the garlic cloves, continuing to saute until the vegetables become soft and the sausage is cooked through.  Add the tomatoes and the tomato sauce, and cook, stirring until heated through.  Remove from heat.  Sprinkle mixture with the mozzarella cheese.  Place the pizza dough rounds in a circular pattern on top of the mozzarella cheese.  Brush remaining olive oil evenly over the pizza crust.  Sprinkle with Italian herbs and granulated garlic.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the dough is cooked through.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with parmesan.  Serve hot and enjoy!

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Hands Off Slow Cooker "Chili" Soup

I know, I know...it has been FOREVER since I last posted a recipe!  For that I am SO sorry!  Sometimes life gets in the way of blogging.  David and I have been really busy.  David's been working CRAZY hours.  I have been teaching water aerobics twice a week, doing my Pampered Chef thing, and chasing around a two year old.  Between the two of us we have barely had any time to spend together.  Actually, David and I used to travel a whole heck of a lot before having Daniel.  We were talking about how nice it would be to take a vacation, but how expensive taking a vacation is with kids. Then, like a miracle, the answer fell into our laps.  We have some really good friends that we have known for probably ten years from when David was in the Navy.  They introduced us to this great travel club and I am going to pass it on to all of you because I truly believe that this was the answer to our prayers!  The link I am sending you is to a video that describes the company.  I signed up as a shareholder, and the video talks a lot about that, but if you are interested, you can just join the club and get the deeply discounted travel for ridiculously low prices.  I am not joking.  I am SO excited about this!  David and I are already in the process of planning a trip to Mexico with our friends who introduced us to this!  In addition, I signed up to have my own travel site through this company.  You don't have to be a member to use it and 9 times out of ten, Rovia has the cheapest travel prices.  This has TOTALLY transformed our lives.  David will now be taking vacation, and we will be traveling together!  One of the dreams I have for Daniel is that he will have the same opportunities in life that I had and more.  I want him to value his experiences, eat good food, and see the world.  Now that dream can be complete because this opportunity will make it possible and affordable.  So what IS THIS opportunity?  Check it out.  If you are interested, you can sign up right on the site, but if you have questions, or need more information, feel free to e-mail me!
So, if you want to check this company out, you can visit:
www.foodiemommietravel.worldventures.biz

If you want to book travel, you can visit my site at:
www.foodiemommietravel.rovia.com

Like I said before, no catch, just really great deals on travel and possible income opportunity if you want.  If you sign up and change your mind, no problem.  That is what I liked about it, I didn't have to make this commitment to something and have to pay fees to cancel.  It is REALLY awesome!  Ok enough about that, now onto the recipe.

This recipe is SUPER easy, and perfect for my busy life at the moment.  If you can open a can and dump, you can make this "chili."  The best part?  It cooks right in your slow cooker so that you can relax, or do what you need to get done!


Hands Off Slow Cooker "Chili" Soup

• 1 lb. ground turkey or beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans
• 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
• 2 (6 oz) cans diced green chilies
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. each cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin
• chips, sour cream, shredded cheese for topping

Toss everything in the crock of your slow cooker (except the chips, sour cream and cheese of course).  Set the slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low.  Serve hot topped with chips, sour cream, and shredded cheese if desired.  YUM!


Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Meatloaf with Garden Vegetable Herb Mashed Potatoes

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I LOVE Meatloaf and am always looking for new ways to improve my recipe!  This meatloaf recipe is a combination of several that I have made my own.  It's REALLY yummy and has a bit of a different spin on it than the traditional meatloaf.  The secret to keeping it moist is soaking the bread crumbs in buttermilk!  I had some garden vegetable cream cheese in the fridge, so I decided to mix it with my mashed potatoes and oh boy were these potatoes a hit!  I also served a vegetable medley of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots!  The perfect family meal for a winter weekend night!  


Meatloaf

• 2 lbs ground turkey (you could also use lean ground beef)
• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I make mine from old bread and add minced onion, dill, italian herbs, and granulated garlic and keep them in the freezer for whenever I need them!)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup pureed carrots (or you can use squash or sweet potato)
• 1 envelope dry onion soup mix (be sure to get one that does not contain MSG or HFCS)
• 2 cups homemade or store bought tomato based pasta sauce, divided (I used homemade tonight, but normally if I buy it I use Newman's Own)
• 1/8 cup worcestershire sauce
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup parmesan cheese (if desired)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl, soak the breadcrumbs in the buttermilk for 10 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients, except the parmesan cheese and only add HALF of the pasta sauce.  Mix well - I mix it with my hands because I find that gives the best results.  Form the meat mixture into a large loaf in a 13X9 baking dish that has been sprayed generously with cooking spray.  Pour the rest of the pasta sauce over the loaf and spread evenly.  Bake 1 hour or until internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 165 degrees (160 for beef).  You can also check it for doneness by cutting into it and making sure the middle is no longer pink, but this is best avoided if you can.  During the last 10 minutes of cooking, sprinkle with parmesan if using.  Let meatloaf stand approximately 10 minutes before cutting into it and serving.  

Garden Vegetable Herb Mashed Potatoes

• 6 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes
• enough chicken stock to cover the potatoes in a large stock pot, about 6 cups
• 6 oz. garden vegetable cream cheese
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. sour cream
• 1 tbsp. herbes de provence (or dried thyme)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (if desired)

Boil the potatoes in the stock until the potatoes are soft.  Drain.  Mash the potatoes with the rest of the ingredients until smooth (if you have a potato ricer this is the best way to do this).  

Meatloaf makes great leftovers!  Be sure to check out some of my ideas for leftover meatloaf by clicking on the leftovers tab in the sidebar!

Taco Shepherd's Pie

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I got the idea for this recipe from Betty Crocker.  It sounded really yummy but it had a lot of  ingredients that were on my "yucky no no" list, so I decided to make it over into a Foodie Mommie version!   This is a great use up for leftover mashed potatoes, and it comes together in a flash! What a hit this turned out to be! YUM!

Taco Shepherd's Pie

• 1 lb ground turkey (or you can use extra lean ground beef)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans
• 1 (6 oz) can diced green chilies
• 1/2 cup frozen (or fresh) corn
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning (make sure it is MSG free!)
• 2 cups plain mashed potatoes (I boil whatever potatoes I have on hand and then mash them)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup sour cream (plus more for serving if desired)
• 1 cup crushed tortilla chips (I like to use blue chips)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large, oven proof skillet, cook the turkey and onion over medium high heat until the turkey is no longer pink.  Add taco seasoning, the salsa, the black beans, the green chilies and the corn.  Allow to simmer over low heat to heat through for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, mix the mashed potatoes with half of the cheese and the sour cream.  Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the taco meat.  Top with the remaining cheese and tortilla chips.  Transfer to the oven and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.

SO YUMMY Slow Cooker Lasagna

This past weekend we had a blizzard come through Iowa and then record low temperatures and wind chills down around -30 degrees.  It was so cold that I really wanted to make something warm and comforting for dinner.  Lasagna is one of the ultimate comfort foods, but it does take some time to make.  I decided to experiment with making it in the slow cooker when I came across a recipe in a magazine.  I was a little apprehensive at first, but it was so easy and it came out SO good, I think I will definitely make it again! 


I apologize ahead of time because I forgot to snap a photo of it, I was too busy eating it!  haha!


SO YUMMY Slow Cooker Lasagna

• 1 pkg. no boil lasagna noodles
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese 
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 4 cups homemade or store bought spaghetti sauce
• 4 cups homemade or store bought Alfredo sauce
• 1 lb ground turkey or beef
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Saute the turkey or beef, the green pepper, and the onion in the olive oil over medium high heat on the stove until meat is cooked through.  Add 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce to the mixture.  Spoon one cup of the spaghetti sauce into the crock of your slow cooker and spread over the bottom.  Layer with noodles, then more red sauce, then meat mixture, then alfredo sauce, then cheese.  Repeat this layering until you have three layers.  Top with remaining sauce and cheese.  Set slow cooker to low for 6-8 hours.  I served this with green salad and garlic bread.  YUMMY!

Cheesy Burger Pizza

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I hope you all had a fun Halloween!  Here is a picture of my little giraffe and  I out trick or treating!

So I was getting really tired of the same old pepperoni pizza on Friday night.  David LOVES pepperoni and wants it every week, but I like a little variety.  Since David has been working nights, I decided to change it up a little with this pizza meets hamburger recipe!  Both Daniel and I really liked it and I will definitely make it again.  I was kind of just experimenting and it came out really well!  I used olives to make a Halloween face on it.  Try it, you will like it!

Cheesy Burger Pizza

• 1 recipe pizza dough or prepared pizza dough
• 1 lb ground beef or turkey
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. yellow mustard
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mix of mozzarella, swiss, and cheddar)
• 1/4 cup sliced olives (optional)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large bar pan (I use my stoneware bar pan) or jelly roll pan generously with cooking spray.  Press the pizza dough into the pan making sure it goes up the sides.  In a large skillet, cook the ground meat, the garlic, and the onion on medium high heat until the meat is almost cooked through and the onion is translucent.  Turn down the heat to medium and add the worcestershire sauce, the tomato paste, and the mustard and cook, stirring frequently until thick, hot, and bubbly and the meat has cooked all the way through.  Pour the meat mixture evenly over the pizza crust.  Top evenly with cheese and olives (if using).  Bake 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and  bubbly.  

Happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Happy Halloween! Bat Wings and Eyeballs!

Be sure to head over to The Foodie Mommie Store to take advantage of the November Pampered Chef Sale!  Order by November 15th and get 10% off!

This is a fun Halloween recipe that I made over a couple of years back.  I cannot take credit for the idea, but I can say that the way I make it now is pretty much my own.  I am not sure where I found this recipe, but I always make it around Halloween and it is always a hit!  The leftovers are even better!  I renamed it Bat Wings with Eyeballs because it is made with Farfalle pasta (bat wings) and I use little balls of fresh mozzarella and sliced black olives to form the "eyeballs."  Unfortunately this evening I was doing two things at once, and baked it a little too long, so my "eyeballs" melted. That's ok though, it was still a hit!

Bat Wings and Eyeballs

• 1 pkg. Farfalle (bowtie) pasta
• 1 lb. ground turkey (or beef)
• 1 large (28 oz) can whole tomatoes
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. Italian herbs
• 2 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan
• 12 small balls of fresh mozzarella (ciliegine)
•  9 sliced black olives (from a small can)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.  Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside. In a large, deep sided skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Cook the onion, garlic, and ground turkey until the turkey is no longer pink and the onions are translucent.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and herbs.  Turn heat down to medium heat and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes stirring frequently.  Add the cream cheese and mix until melted sauce is creamy.  Mix the pasta and the sauce together in the baking dish.  Top with the shredded cheeses.  Make four rows of three mozzarella balls and top each ball with an olive to form the "eyeballs."  Bake for 10 minutes or until the mozzarella is just starting to melt.  Yummy!

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Salisbury Steak

I don't know about you, but I love to revamp old recipes.  I remember in elementary school they used to serve Salisbury Steak (or some sad version of it) in the lunchroom and it was mega gross.  But this is a classic meal that is really quite yummy when done right (or I should use better grammar and say "prepared correctly")  I got the idea for this recipe from my collection of Pampered Chef Weekday Dinners-Done!  I of course "Foodie Mommied" the recipe as I usually do, but either way, whether you make it the PC way or The FM way, this recipe is definitely a keeper!  I served the Salisbury Steaks over mashed potatoes.  YUM!




Salisbury Steak


Patties

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp onion soup mix (msg free)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic or garlic powder
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Sauce

• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 (8oz) pkg sliced mushrooms (I left these out because David HATES mushrooms)
• 1/2 cup dry red or white wine (I used white cause that is what I had on hand but red would be quite lovely as well).
• 2 cups beef broth or stock
• 3 tbsp onion soup mix (msg free)
• 1 tbsp flour (I like to use Wondra but you can use all purpose)

To form the patties, combine all of the ingredients for "patties" except the olive oil.  I mix it with my  hands to make sure it is well combined.  Form into four oval-shaped patties.  Heat the olive oil in a deep sided skillet over medium high heat.  Add the patties and cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until just browned.  Remove meat and cover with foil to keep warm.  Add the onion and carrots to the skillet and saute until onions are translucent.  Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the brown bits, and allow to reduce by half.  Add the tomato paste and whisk together.  Whisk together the flour and the beef stock, then add it to the skillet and continue to whisk until starting to thicken.  Add the soup mix, and stir.  Add the patties back into the skillet, carefully turning to coat with the sauce.  Cover and simmer on medium low heat for about 10 minutes or until meat is cooked through (internal temperature is 160 degrees fahrenheit).  

Happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Foodie Mommie Recipe Make-Over: Cheeseburger Hoagie Sandwiches

The Foodie Mommie October Sale ends TOMORROW at 10 pm!  Don't forget- 10% off your entire purchase of Pampered Chef Products! Visit the Foodie Mommie store to take advantage of this great offer!

Here's a super quick and easy recipe brought to you by The Pampered Chef and made over in true Foodie Mommie style!  This is also one of Daniels favorites.  It comes from The Pampered Chef It's Good for You cookbook.  I really like the Pampered Chef recipes and cookbooks but sometimes they call for ingredients on my "yucky no-no" list, in which case I need to make them over!


Cheeseburger Hoagie Sandwiches

• 1 lb ground turkey or beef
• 1 (8 oz.) package grated cheddar cheese (or I like to use a cheddar jack blend)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup pureed squash (optional)
• Your favorite burger toppings (I like shredded lettuce, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, relish, sliced tomatoes, etc.)
• 4 soft  hoagie rolls

 Cook the turkey or beef, onion, and garlic in a large, deep sided skillet over medium high heat.  Once the meat is no longer pink, add the ketchup, mustard, and squash and stir well to combine.  Turn heat down to medium low.  Add 1/2 the cheese and heat through until melted.  Cook another 5 minutes stirring frequently until mixture is hot and bubbly.  Spoon mixture into hoagie rolls and garnish with your favorite burger toppings and condiments.  Top each sandwich with remaining cheese.  Yummy!

Happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Individual Pizza Pot Pies

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I love this recipe, it is a great one for fall, really easy, and budget friendly!  I love to cut the crust into pumpkin shapes for Halloween, or other fun shapes at other times of the year! Kids like this meal because they get their own individual portion made especially for them!  Daniel LOVES this meal!  You can also make one large pot pie instead of individual if that works better for you!



Individual Pizza Pot Pies

• 1/2 recipe crescent dough
• 1 lb bulk italian turkey sausage or ground turkey
• 1-2 ounces pepperoni, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, any color you like, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce 
• 1 cup mozzarella
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• 1 tsp. italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic or 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. olive oil + 1 tsp. olive oil

Spray 4 ramekins generously with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large, deep sided skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the sausage, bell pepper, herbs, garlic, and onion.  Saute 5-10 minutes stirring frequently until sausage is cooked through and onions are translucent.  Add the sauce and pepperoni and cook until heated through.  Spoon mixture into ramekins, fill to 3/4 of the way full.  Top with cheeses.  Roll out the crescent dough and cut into circles or fun shapes like pumpkins.  Layer the dough on top of the ramekins to form the crust. Brush the crust with olive oil.   Bake for 15 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Enjoy!

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Taco Stuffed Shells

This recipe takes two classic favorites and makes them one!  Taco Stuffed Shells marries tacos with stuffed pasta shells for an unbelievably easy dinner recipe that can be made ahead to save even more time!  These are guaranteed to win over even your pickiest eater!


Taco Stuffed Shells

• 1 box of jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to package directions
• 1 lb ground turkey or beef
• 2 cups shredded jack and cheddar cheese
• 1 can diced green chilies
• 1 can refried black beans
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup pureed squash 
• 1 (16 oz) jar salsa
• 1 tbsp. sour cream (plus more for garnish if desired)
• 1 cup crushed tortilla chips (I use blue chips but you can use whatever you like)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil 

Cook pasta shells according to package directions.  Set aside and allow to cool.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 13 X 9 inch baking dish.  Heat olive oil in a large deep sided skillet over medium high heat.  Add the ground meat and the onion along with the cumin, chili powder, garlic, and cayenne pepper.  Cook until meat is no longer pink and cooked through.  Add the beans, the chilies, and 1/4 cup of the salsa to the meat.  Stir to combine.  Add the squash and cook another 5 minutes until heated through.  Add the sour cream and half of the cheese, stir to combine.  Remove mixture from heat.  Pour half of the remaining salsa into the bottom of the baking dish and spread to coat.  Fill each shell with the meat mixture and place in the baking dish.  Cover with the remaining salsa, crushed chips, and the remaining cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream, sliced olives, and salsa if desired.

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Another Round of a Porter Favorite: Texi Mexi Wacky Mac

Tonight we had a Porter favorite- Texi Mexi Wacky Mac.  Sometimes I do different things with this recipe, depending on my mood.  I had some corn, so I threw it in.  I also used butternut squash instead of cauliflower.  I used Fiori pasta because I didn't have any Wacky Mac (wow, that is unusual!)  

Hope all of you had a great evening and a yummy dinner!  Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup

This soup is always a favorite in our house.  It is so yummy, and easy as it is made in the Crock Pot.  I tend to make a whole ton of it and freeze half for another meal.  Tonight I paired it with my dill cheddar bread.  It was the perfect meal to warm us up after being outside on this cool fall day!


Cheeseburger Soup

• 1 lb ground turkey or beef
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup potatoes, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper (any color you like), chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. garlic powder or granulated garlic
• 1 tbsp. herbes de provence or dried thyme and rosemary
• 1 tsp. dried dill
• 3 cups chicken broth or stock
• 1/4 cup flour (I like to use wondra)
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups cheddar cheese (or I like to use a cheddar jack blend), shredded
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Combine the first 12 ingredients together in the crock of your slow cooker.  Set to cook on low for 8 hours.  Whisk the milk and the flour together.  Pour into the soup and stir to combine.  Set to cook on high for 30 minutes.  Add the sour cream and the cheese, and mix well to combine.  Cook on high another 10 minutes.  Garnish with a little extra shredded cheese, parsley and crackers if desired.

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Spaghetti Pie

Happy Thursday!

So, unfortunately Tuesday's recipe was a bust.  The sweet and sour chicken didn't turn out the way I had hoped, the flavors were good but the consistency was off.  I am going to rework the recipe and see if I can fix it.  

Last night I made Spaghetti Pie.  All I have to say is YUM!  This is a great recipe for a cool fall evening, a potluck, or a busy weeknight.  It can easily be made ahead of time and when I make this I often make an extra casserole and freeze it for another meal.  

Spaghetti Pie

• 4 oz spaghetti
• 1 lb ground turkey or beef
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or you can use a tsp. of granulated garlic)
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten (separated)
• 2 cups (16 oz) spaghetti sauce (homemade or store bought)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine the milk, ground meat, bread crumbs, onion, italian seasoning, garlic, and one of the eggs.  Mix well.  Press into the bottom of a 13X9 inch baking dish (glass or stoneware preferably).  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until meat is cooked through.  Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions and drain.  Return the spaghetti to the pan (but not the heat) and mix in butter until melted.  Add the other egg and the parmesan cheese until the spaghetti is well coated.  spread half of the spaghetti sauce over the meat mixture, top with half of the mozzarella, then the pasta, then more sauce and then the rest of the cheese.  Bake uncovered another 20 minutes or so, or until set and heated through.  Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.  

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!  YUMMMY!

Cheeseburger Pie 2

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This recipe is a real crowd pleaser.  This is quick, easy, and very budget friendly!  This is a different recipe from my other Cheeseburger Pie (I think this one is even easier and better)!

Cheeseburger Pie

• 1 recipe of my crescent roll dough or 2 tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 lb ground turkey or beef (I use turkey but you probably know that already)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup grated cheddar or cheddar jack blend
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp. herbes de provence
•  1/2 cup peas
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. ketchup
• 1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a pie plate generously with cooking spray.  Layer HALF of  the crescent dough along the bottom of the pie plate, you can do it all in one sheet or you can be decorative and layer it in squares or triangles.  Set aside.  In a large, deep sided skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Cook the ground turkey, onion, and garlic until turkey is no longer pink (or if you are using beef, until the beef is well done).  Add the peas, the herbs, the sour cream, the dijon, the mustard, the ketchup, and the worcestershire and mix well.  In your pie plate, layer cheese, then meat mixture, then cheese.  Top with the other half of the crescent dough (again, you can do it all in one sheet or be decorative like I was - I was decorative just for the benefit of the picture though, usually I just roll it out and cover it with one sheet of dough).  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is hot.

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Taco Pockets

This is a recipe that is HUGELY popular not only in my house, but in my friends' homes as well.  I make all sorts of "pockets" and this one is probably the favorite of all of them.  The best part is that they freeze REALLY well and are very easy to reheat.  Just pop them in a 350 degree oven straight from the freezer until heated through.  Or even easier, pop them in the microwave!

Taco Pockets

1 recipe of my crescent dough  or 10tube of 8 refrigerator biscuits (like Pillsbury)

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1/2 cup mashed sweet potato

1 (14.5 oz) can refried black beans

1 small can diced green chilies

1/2 cup salsa

1 bag frozen peppers and onions mixture

2 cups cheddar, cheddar jack or mexican cheese blend

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a cookie sheet.  In a skillet, cook the ground beef or turkey until done, add the taco seasoning, the sweet potato, the beans, the chilies the salsa and the frozen peppers and onions.  Cook until hot and bubbly.  Add one cup of the cheese and stir until melted.  Press out biscuits into 6 inch disks.  Fill 1/2 of biscuit disk with meat filling.  Top with cheese.  Fold empty half of disk over the filled half and press to seal.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and cheese is melted.  Serve with extra salsa and sour cream.

I am REALLY sorry but unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of this recipe!  I promise to add one next time I make it.  Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!

Maid Rite Sandwiches with De Luxe Potatoes

Well Hello Dear Readers!  Tonight I have a really great recipe to share with you straight out of the Midwest, but first, I have some GREAT news!  I just received the regulations from the FDA for selling my mixes online and guess what?  I am allowed to do it!  So the Foodie Mommie Store will be opening very soon!  I have a few people who have agreed to be product testers for me, so if you are interested in that, I am still accepting food tester requests, just e-mail me with your address and as soon as I get things organized I will be sure to send you some products to test!  I have a meeting with my friend Hayley who is going to do this with me at the end of the month, so things are coming together nicely!
I did happen to test out my Ranch Dressing mix this weekend and David was not a fan...I need a few more people to tell me how it is before I yank it from the list.  I need testers who can be absolutely brutally honest with me.  


Anyway, onto tonight's recipe.  Since moving to the Midwest almost two years ago I have found very little that I like, however I did come across quite a nice little sandwich a couple of months ago.  We have a little diner not too far from our house called the Maid Rite.  David and I went in for lunch one day and ordered hamburgers expecting, well, hamburgers.  What we got were kind of like Sloppy Joe's but without the sauce.  They were REALLY yummy!  A couple of weeks later, my friend in Mom's Club made some of these sandwiches for a cooking club one day.  I had mentioned that I had never heard of a sandwich like this, other than Sloppy Joe's.  I guess it is not very nice to compare Maid Rites to Sloppy Joe's.  My friend Hayley said that these sandwiches are called Maid Rites in Iowa, after the restaurant that invented them.  Another friend mentioned that these sandwiches are a Midwest tradition and you would be hard pressed to find them anywhere else - I certainly had never heard of them before moving here.  That same friend said that they have a different name depending on which state you live in but they were invented in Iowa by the Iowa Maid Rite Cafe.  
So, tonight I thought I would try my hand at making a Midwestern favorite, I got this recipe from my friend in Mom's Club.  It breaks a few of my food rules (one of the main ingredients is Pepsi, but oh well, once isn't going to hurt anything, it's when we make it a habit that all goes awry).  I served these up with my De Luxe Potatoes, which also have a story to them (which I will tell in a minute).

Maid Rite Sandwiches

• 1 lb ground beef (I usually use ground turkey but my friend told me you cannot make a Maid Rite with ground turkey, it just doesn't turn out right)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. white sugar
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic or garlic powder
• 1/2 can (6 oz) Pepsi (or Coke)
• 4 hamburger buns
• your favorite burger toppings - ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, mayonnaise, cheese

In a large skillet, saute the beef until well browned.  Drain the beef in a colander and rinse it with warm water (I know, strange, but necessary according to my friend).  Add the beef back into the skillet along with the rest of the ingredients (except the buns and the burger toppings of course) and simmer over medium high heat until the liquid is completely absorbed by the meat (about 10 minutes or so), stirring occasionally.  Serve the meat in a hamburger bun with your favorite burger toppings and a sprinkling of grated cheese if desired!  REALLY YUMMY!

De Luxe Potatoes

There used to be this guy that had a sandwich shop just off campus when I was in college. We called him the Sandwich Guy cause he made the best sandwiches in town.  One day he started offering what he called "pommes de terre americains de luxe." (luxurious American potatoes) I asked him what made them "Americains" and he said that Americans love potato wedges that are seasoned.  Hmm...ok.  So anyway, finally I asked him for the recipe because these potato wedges were REALLY yummy, despite the strange name.  By the way, he also had a sandwich called "L'americain" which had ground beef and french fries in it.  Yah, again....ok...

I changed this up just a little by adding a hint of cayenne pepper for a little bit of a kick.  These also freeze really well.  I make a huge amount, serve some for dinner and freeze the rest.  To freeze them, just spread them out on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for about an hour.  Then remove them to a ziplock or foodsaver bag, seal and place them back in the freezer.  To reheat, bake in 425 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

• 2 lbs new potatoes cut into wedges (I used a mixture of red, yukon golds, and adirondack reds)
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. granulated garlic or garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. celery salt
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. paprika

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a large cookie sheet generously with cooking spray.  Place potatoes in a large ziplock bag and pour in butter and olive oil.  Mix spices together in a small bowl and pour into the ziplock bag.  Seal the bag and shake the potatoes around until they are completely coated with the butter, olive oil, and seasoning.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until soft and beginning to brown.  Broil potatoes for about 5 minutes or so until crispy on the outside, watch them though, they can burn really fast!

I hope you enjoy these recipes.  Until next time happy and HEALTHY Cooking and EATING!

Beef (or ground turkey) and Bean Chimichangas

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY LITTLE BOONIE.  I CAN'T BELIEVE MY BABY IS 2 TODAY! 

Where does the time go?

So, today is Boonie's birthday.  I finished the ice cream cake and I have to say that it turned out pretty well, despite the fact that it is blatantly obvious that I have no future in cake decorating!  I am not posting the recipe because it violates pretty much every single one of my food rules (even though rules do not apply on birthdays, and anything goes), but here is a picture.  If you want to know how I made it, e-mail me and I will tell you.  It was actually quite easy, but at the same time very time consuming.  The middle is mint chip ice cream and crumbled oreo cookies. Yum!

Tonight I am presenting another chimichanga recipe.  This is super easy and really quite yummy!  It's also quick.

Beef (or ground turkey) and Bean Chimichangas

• 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey (which is what I use)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can diced green chilies
• 1 can refried black beans
• 1 sweet potato, mashed
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 2 cups shredded cheddar or jack cheese or a combo of the two
• 3 tbsp. olive oil divided
• 8 large flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet generously with cooking spray and set aside.  In a large, deep skillet over medium high heat, cook the onions and green peppers in half of the olive oil for about 5 minutes or until soft.  Add the garlic and the ground turkey and saute until ground turkey is cooked through another 3-5 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients except the other half of the olive oil and the tortillas, and cook about 3 more minutes until heated through.  Remove mixture from the heat.  Take each tortilla and place a small amount of cheese in the middle, then top with the meat mixture.  Fold sides in and roll up.  Place on the cookie sheet.  Brush the chimichangas with olive oil.  Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes until crispy.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream, more salsa, sliced tomatoes, guacamole, or your favorite topping!

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!