Pizza Pasta Salad

Gabriel is ten times more likely to eat something if it is somehow related to pizza. Thus, I came up with this recipe in order to try to get him to eat something somewhat healthy.

1 pkg. tri-color rotini
4 cheese sticks (2 mozzarella, 2 cheddar)
1/4 C. shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 C. ranch dressing
1/2 C. italian dressing
Pepperoni
Sliced olives

1. Boil the noodles based on package instructions. Rinse in cold water.
2. Cut the cheese sticks into 1/2 inch pieces.
3. In a large bowl, mix ranch and italian dressings.
4. Add rotini and cheeses to dressings and toss to coat.
5. Add pepperoni and sliced olives.
6. Refrigerate for approximately 1 hour before serving.

Oriental Sauce

This is a simple teriyaki sauce that's fast and easy to make. It works well for stir-fry or on top of burgers.

3 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP sugar
2/3 cup water
1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch, mixed with a little cold water

Mix all ingredients together in a small saucepan; cook and stir until thickened.

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread

***Makes 2 loaves***

3/4 c. butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium bananas)
1 cup roughly chopped pecans, toasted- I used almonds instead since Aaron's allergic to pecans and it turned out great!
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanillla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x4 inch loafpans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil last 15 minutes to prevent browning, if necessary. (I found that after one hour, my banana bread wasn't completely cooked through. I ended up baking it for an extra 10-15 minutes.) Cool bread in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Here's the link to original post I found the recipe on:

http://sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.com/2010/10/cream-cheese-banana-nut-bread-southern.html

Peanut Butter Brownie Buckeye Cupcakes

This recipe is from the same website as the slow cooker chicken. They're so good! I didn't really think the ganache was that great and probably won't use it next time.

Batter:
12-16 miniature peanut butter cups
1 box Duncan Hines® Milk Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix
3 large eggs
1/4 c water
1/2 c oil

Icing:
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1/4 c butter, softened
2 c powdered sugar, sifted
3 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

Topping:
12-14 miniature peanut butter cups

Ganache (from MyBakingAddiction):
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into very small pieces
1/2 c heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp light corn syrup
2 tbsp vanilla

-Preheat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cups in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups. Remove foil and cups from candy pieces. Set aside.
-Prepare brownie mix as described on box to make cakey brownies using the eggs, water and oil. Fill each up about 2/3 full with batter. Place 1 unwrapped candy piece, upside down, on top of batter in each cup. Lightly tap piece down into batter.
-Bake 23 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cup comes out almost clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Place on wire rack; cool completely.

-Make icing by placing peanut butter and butter into medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and creamy; scrape bowl. Add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and salt. Beat on low speed 1 minute; scrape bowl. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Spread about 2 tablespoons of icing on each cupcake leaving the edge un-iced.

-Prepare ganache: in a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the heavy cream until very hot, but not boiling. Place chocolate pieces in a heat safe bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. Whisk the cream and chocolate until smooth and thoroughly combined. -Whisk in the honey, corn syrup, and vanilla. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Do not let the glaze sit for too long or it will harden up before you spoon it over the frosting. Spoon the glaze on the tops of the frosted cupcakes, allowing it to drip down the sides a little bit. Don’t add too much glaze or it will drip all over your liners.
-Top each cupcake with a peanut butter cup. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator. Remove them to room temperature one hour before serving.

Slow Cooker Bajio Chicken

A friend of ours gave us the link to this recipe. We used Mt. Dew instead Sprite and used a little more than it says to use and really liked it.

5 chicken breasts
1/2 cup salsa
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 cup brown sugar (more to taste)
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
6 oz. Sprite (1/2 can)
Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Thicken the juices with a little cornstarch mixed in water.
Serve with flour tortillas, lettuce, cheese, black beans and any other taco fixings.
If you want it spicier rather than sweeter add a hotter salsa and more green chilies.

This would be easy to use as a freezer meal! Once it is all cooked and shredded, pour into a freezer gallon-sized ziploc bag. Freeze flat. When you are ready to use it, quickly reheat it (either in a crock pot or even a microwave!). (It works best if you let it thaw in your fridge for about 24 hours before reheating it)

cajun fried turkey

16 oz bottle of Italian dressing
1/2 cup cayenne pepper
1/2 cup black pepper
1 cup creole seasoning
2 tablespoons garlic salt

In a medium bowl, mix 3/4 Italian dressing, cayenne pepper, black pepper, Creole seasoning, and garlic powder. Rub over turkey, using remaining Italian dressing to fill cavity. Allow turkey to marinate 8 hours, or overnight, before deep-frying as desired.

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup vinegar

¼ cup sprite

2/3 Tbsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Key Lime Pie

4 egg yolks

¾ cup key lime juice

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

¼ cup cornstarch

1 bag frozen raspberries

Pie: Combine egg yolks and cornstarch. Blend with electric mixer on high for 2-3 minutes. Add key lime juice and condensed milk and mix together. Pour mixture into graham cracker pie crust and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool.

Topping: Thaw frozen raspberries in microwave adding, stirring regularly and adding cornstarch until mixture is fully thawed. Spread topping on cooled pie and refrigerate until cold. Serve with whipped cream.

Dark Chocolate Cookies

6 oz dark chocolate

2 egg whites at room temperature

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

¼ cup sugar

½ tsp vanilla

¾ cup finely ground almonds

Melt dark chocolate in microwave in 30-second intervals until smooth. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla slowly and continue beating until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold in chocolate and almonds. Drop teaspoons of batter onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Crisco Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

¾ cup butter flavored Crisco

¼ cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 ¾ cup flour

¾ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) and wet ingredients separately and then stir together until well mixed. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Banana Bread

¾ cup softened butter

8 oz softened cream cheese

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups mashed bananas

½ tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp orange juice

Combine butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Separately combine baking power, baking soda, salt, and flour. Slowly add dry ingredient mixture while stirring. Bake at 350 degrees for 1-1 ½ hours. Combine powdered sugar and orange juice in small saucepan and cook until mixture is smooth. Pour over bread while bread is still hot. Wait 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Chicken Pillows

1 8 oz package of cream cheese

1 8 oz can of chicken breast

1 pacakge of refrigerated crescent rolls

2 packages of powdered chicken gravy

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl combine cream cheese and canned chicken. Open the crescent rolls and separate. Place a spoonful of chicken mixture on the large end of the crescent roll and fold edges so that it will not leak out. Place on a cookie sheet and bake until golden brown. While rolls are cooking make chicken gravy according to the package. Optionally add any remaining chicken mixture to gravy. Serve one roll in a bowl and pour gravy over it.

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 really ripe bananas, mashed up

1/4 cup melted butter

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined, then fold in the mashed up bananas. Stir in the melted butter.

Cook on griddle over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side.

Salmon with Strawberry Pineapple Mango Salsa

Salsa:

¾ cup small diced strawberries

¾ cup small diced mango1/2 cup small diced pineapple

¼ cup small diced onion

1 jalapeno

2 tbsp fresh mint leaves

2 tbsp orange juice

1 tbsp lime juice

¼ tsp salt

Salmon:

4 tsp extra virgin olive oil

4 salmon filets

2 tsp grill seasoning

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Brush salmon filets with olive oil. Mix seasonings and sprinkle over salmon. Place the fish on the grill, skin side down and cook for about 3 minutes then turn the fish 45 degrees and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until cooked through to the desired degree of doneness.

Remove the fish from the grill and serve with the fruit salsa spooned

Mom's pancakes

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp oil

blend and cook