Category Archives: Everybody Ate It

June 8, 2011 · 1:59 pm

Tuna Noodle Casserole

My kids love tuna noodle casserole, but they would look at me like I was nuts if I suggested they eat a tuna salad sandwich. Kids!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, divided
1 (8 ounce) package uncooked medium egg noodles
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained and flaked
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Butter a medium baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter or spray with cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion, celery, and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, until tender. Increase heat to medium-high, and mix in mushrooms. Continue to cook and stir 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan, and whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk, and continue cooking 5 minutes, until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in tuna, peas, mushroom mixture, and cooked noodles. Transfer to the baking dish.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl, mix with bread crumbs, and sprinkle over the casserole. Top with cheese.

Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Did I change anything? I left out the mushrooms and most of the peas. I only put peas on half of the casserole…I just kind of sprinkled them on the top and then mixed them around a little bit. I am the only person in our house who eats peas or mushrooms…they just don’t know what they’re missing 🙂

What did the family think? Hubby was at a business dinner, so it was just me and the boys. Everyone ate it though…no fussing!

Where did this recipe come from? Allrecipes.com

photo from allrecipes.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Fish, Lent

June 7, 2011 · 8:42 am

Baked Penne with Italian Sausage

The original recipe got some flat reviews, so I spiced things up a bit with some added garlic and basil…no flat reviews in our house. Yum!

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) package dry penne pasta
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic and basil
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Place sausage, onion and garlic in the skillet and cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain excess fat.

Pour in wine, and cook for 1 minute, stirring, to deglaze the pan. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Toss with cooked pasta, and place in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle top with mozzarella.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Did I change anything? I added the garlic and also changed the type of diced tomatoes to ones that have a little more flavor.

What did the family think? Hubby and our oldest went back to seconds and our oldest also asked to have the leftovers in his thermos the next day. This was a hit with everyone!

Where did this recipe come from? Allrecipes

photo from allrecipes.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian

June 6, 2011 · 12:17 pm

Quick and Easy Breadsticks

I have mentioned before that I am not a big fan of using yeast…all the waiting and kneading. I know, I know, it’s not really all that bad, but if I can find a recipe that gives me the same result without the yeast, then I am all over it. So when I was looking for recipes to make homemade breadsticks I chose this one as opposed to the gazillion others that are out there that require yeast. I am also not a big fan of breaking out the rolling pin either, but there wasn’t really any way to get around that.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1 tablespoon oil
3 cups flour (I use part whole wheat, part unbleached)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1-1 1/2 cups milk

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place butter and oil in 9×13 pan and put in oven so butter melts as the oven heats up. Be careful not to let it burn!

Stir dry ingredients together, and gradually add milk, stirring until dough forms and leaves sides of bowl.

Knead 5-6 times in bowl; place on floured countertop and roll out into 9×13-inch rectangle.

Lay dough in pre-heated 9×13-inch pan, atop the melted butter/oil. Cut into 1/2″ strips.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Did I change anything? I didn’t use quite as much butter as this recipe calls for. It just seemed like a lot.
I changed the amount of milk in this recipe. I used a little bit more than the original recipe called for. Just add it a little at a time until the dough comes together.

What did the family think? We don’t usually say no to carbs, especially ones that taste really good slathered in butter and honey.

Where did this recipe come from? Tammy’s Recipes

Photo from Tammy’s Recipes

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Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Side Dish, Six Ingredients or Less, Vegetarian

June 2, 2011 · 9:19 am

Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas

Oh my goodness! These are so good. Put these on your menu for next week. If you already made your menu for next week, change it. Really, they are super good.

Ingredients:
8 whole Flour Tortillas
Butter Or Margarine
2 cups Grilled Pineapple, Sliced
3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt And Pepper, to taste
3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
1 whole Jalapeno, Sliced
Cilantro
3 Tablespoons Barbecue Sauce

Instructions:
(To grill pineapple: cut wedges, stick on skewers, and grill over low heat. Cut into slices.)

(To pound chicken, place inside a Ziploc bag and pound with a mallet/hammer or large can to flatten to uniform thickness.)

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and Cajun spice (or cumin/cayenne) Drizzle olive oil on a grill pan and grill on both sides until done, brushing with barbecue sauce. Set aside and slice into very thin slices.

Warm griddle over medium heat and put sizzling butter or margarine in the pan. Slightly warm and toast tortillas on both sides, then remove from griddle and set aside.

To assemble, sprinkle four browned tortillas with grated Monterey Jack. Arrange chicken slices evenly over the surface. Add pineapple slices and jalapeno slices. Sprinkle on cilantro. If desired, drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top. Add second browned tortilla on top of each one. (You’ll have four complete quesadillas at this point.)

Add to oven to warm, or back to skillet to warm, until cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges. Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, and lime wedges.

Did I change anything? I forgot the butter, but they still turned out great. Also, it’s really important to thinly slice the chicken or else the quesadillas turn out so lumpy that they are very difficult to eat. Same goes for the pineapple…don’t make the pieces too chunky. Yes, I know all of this because I botched that part of the recipe.

What did the family think? Everyone ate these and loved them! I left the spicy stuff off of the boys’ quesadillas though.

Where did this recipe come from? The Pioneer Woman

photo from The Pioneer Woman

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Mexican, Spicy

May 28, 2011 · 10:09 am

GORP

I have no idea what GORP stands for, but it surely must stand for something. (I looked it up on Wikipedia, it means good ol’ raisins and peanuts.) Anyways, GORP is also better known as trail mix in some circles. I have been making this lately to pack for snacktime at the boys’ school as well as to put in their lunches. I used to make it for them a lot when they were younger, too, for a snack on the go. There are a zillion combinations you could make but this is what’s in my pantry right now.

Ingredients:
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cup Multi-grain Cheerios
1 cup raisins
1 large Zip-loc baggie
Other ingredients you might consider: M&M’s, Chex cereal, Craisins, pretzels, Goldfish, banana chips, popcorn, dried fruit bits

Instructions:
Pour all ingredients in bag and shake to mix.

What did the family think? Yum!

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

May 27, 2011 · 9:33 am

Chicken Bruschetta Pasta

I have been wanting to try Philadelphia Cream Cheese’s new cooking cremes, so I bought the “original” version and tried out the recipe on the back of the container.

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tub (10 oz) Philadelphia Original Cooking Creme
2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
2 cups hot cooked farfalle
12 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Directions:
Cook chicken in large nonstick skillet on medium heat until done. Add broth and garlic powder, stir and let simmer for about three minutes.

Add cooking creme, basil and tomatoes; stir and simmer for three minutes.

In a large serving bowl, combine pasta and tomato mixture. Stir to combine and serve.

What did the family think? Everyone loved it!

Where did this recipe come from? It came from the back of the cooking creme container, but they have lots of other recipes using their various cooking creme flavors
here.

photo from Philadelphia Cream Cheese

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian

May 25, 2011 · 12:52 pm

Skillet Lasagna

I LOVE lasagna, but this was way too meaty for me. I changed the recipe a little and will be trying it again in the near future with the revisions I have made below.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb lean ground beef, chicken or turkey
1/4 lb Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 medium green pepper, chopped
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 jar (26 ounces) spaghetti sauce with mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
6 lasagna noodles, cooked
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
In a Dutch oven, brown beef, Italian sausage, onion and pepper. Drain fat, if necessary. Stir in ricotta, spaghetti sauce, oregano and basil. Simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes.

In a 10-in. skillet, spread 1/4 cup of the meat sauce. Top with 3 noodles, cutting to fit as needed. Spread half the remaining sauce and half the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce and Parmesan.

Bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to low; cook for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and let stand for 10 minutes covered. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Did I change anything? I changed quite a few things in this recipe like adding the ricotta and Italian sausage and reducing the amount of beef and green peppers. I also didn’t have the herbs that the recipe calls for so I used Italian seasoning instead.

What did the family think? Everybody ate it…no complaining!

Where did this recipe come from? Taste of Home

photo from Great Meals in 30 Minutes

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian

May 24, 2011 · 12:01 pm

Almond Encrusted Fish

No more fish sticks (even the really good for the environment/made out of real fish ones) for our kids. We took the leap tonight and we all ate fish.

Ingredients:
¼ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter, plus 2 or 3 more tablespoons for cooking the fish
1 1/2 lbs pounds white fish (I used cod, but something like tilapia or grouper would work as well)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup sliced almonds, chopped into small bits or crushed in food processor
1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients:
Pour the white wine and 1 tablespoon of cream into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook gently until it is reduced by half.

Meanwhile mix together the almonds, breadcrumbs, and cheese in a shallow dish.

Next, coat the fish with the egg and then transfer it to the almond mixture. With dry hands coat the fish thoroughly with the almonds, breadcrumbs, and cheese.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a non-stick sauté pan (if you have one) and set it over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the fish and cook it for several minutes on each side adding more butter if necessary to keep the coating “wet”. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired and cover with a lid.

While the fish is cooking check on the wine. Once it has been reduced by half add 1 more tablespoon of cream and then 4 tablespoons of butter. Whisk the sauce together and keep it warm until the fish is ready.

Once the fish is flaky in the middle it is ready to be served. Whisk the sauce one more time and then pour it on top. Enjoy!

We had this with a salad and a baguette.

Did I change anything? One pound of fish was not enough for our family of four, so I bought a little more.

What did the family think? They ate it! Our youngest, of course, insisted he eat his with ketchup. Whatever, he ate it.

Where did this recipe come from? 100 Days of Real Food

from 100 Days of Real Food

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Filed under Everybody Ate It, Fish, Lent

May 23, 2011 · 9:07 am

Penne with Sausage Meatballs and Kale

There was very little talking going on at the dinner table last night…we were too busy eating. Seriously. Good.

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
12 ounces Italian sausage, casing removed
1/2 bunch Italian kale, center rib removed, leaves chopped (about two firmly cupped packed cups)
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
3 T tomato paste
1/4 cup white wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz penne pasta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Instructions:
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Break off small meatball-sized bits of Italian sausage (1 heaping tsp) and roll between your hands to make into a ball. Place them in the pan.

Reduce heat to medium and saute, stirring occasionally until the sausage is cooked through.

Add the kale and rosemary and saute until the kale is wilted. Add the tomato paste and wine, stir to combine, cover, and reduce heat to low.

Cook pasta per the directions on the package. When you are ready to drain the pasta, reserve 2/3 cup of the pasta water.

Add the pasta and the reserved cooking water to the sausage mixture, bring to a simmer, stirring to coat the pasta with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the pasta mixture into a large serving bowl, toss with Parmesan and serve.

Did I change anything? The original recipe called for 2T of tomato paste. I added a little more. Also, I added maybe 2T more wine than the recipe calls for. Also, I didn’t use spinach, but I bet if you didn’t want to use kale you could substitute fresh spinach instead.

What did the family think? This was the best dinner we have had in a long time.

Where did this recipe come from? I found it in our local newspaper. They got it from Ivy Manning.

photo from barillaus.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian

May 21, 2011 · 11:00 am

Brown Bag Popcorn

We stopped buying microwavable popcorn quite a while ago because of all of the extra stuff that’s in it that doesn’t really need to be in popcorn. Plus, it’s pretty expensive for what it is. So, I bought a popcorn popper, but quite frankly, it’s a pain in the tush to clean. This recipe from 100 Days of Real Food is the answer to all of our popcorn problems.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup popcorn
2 teaspoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Paper lunch bag
Optional: butter, seasoned salt

Instructions:
Put popcorn, oil and salt in lunch bag. Fold lunch bag over so things don’t going flying everywhere and shake to mix.

Place bag on its side in microwave for about 2-3 minutes or until there about 5 seconds in between pops…you don’t want it to burn.

Open bag carefully and pour into serving bowl. Add melted butter, seasoned salt, M & M’s…whatever your family likes in their popcorn.

Did I change anything? The original recipe wanted me to staple the bag shut, but I didn’t have any staples so I just folded it over and it worked just fine.

What did the family think? Perfect…we just needed a little butter on it.

picture from NASA

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian