Baked Ziti

Well, I love pasta & was wanting something just a little different then your normal spaghetti with meat sauce. This was a pretty good recipe. The hubs gave it better reviews than I did. I do think it needs the tomato sauce (I didn't have any, so I did 2 cans of diced tomatoes). I also would increase the garlic & probably buy the oregano, basil, garlic tomatoes if I make this again.

Serves 6

1 pound lean ground beef (ground chuck or ground round)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped, about 1/2 cup
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or small clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces ziti or elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided


Sauté ground beef, onion, and green bell pepper in a large skillet until onion is tender and beef is lightly browned. Drain off excess fat; add tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well; stir in ziti or elbow macaroni and 1 cup of the cheese; transfer to a 2 1/2-quart casserole. Top with the remaining cup of cheese. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Seven layer Hummus Dip

I was looking for something different for a party. Well, this was it! It was a hit. I used greek hummus, so I did not add the garlic or cumin.


1 1/2 C. prepared hummus
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 C. marinated sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cucumber
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
2 tsp. minced fresh oregano
1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese
1/4 C. chopped kalamata olives
1/4 C. chopped green onions

1. Stir cumin and garlic into your prepared hummus. If your hummus is already strongly flavored, this step may not be necessary. Spread your prepared hummus in the bottom of a pie plate.

2. Top your hummus with your chopped sundried tomatoes. Top those with cucumber and season cucumber with freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle the parsley and oregano over.

3. Sprinkle the feta over. Sprinkle the olives over. Finish off with the green onions.

4. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Serve cold.

Caesar Pork Chops

I was looking for something unique to make for dinner. I ran across this recipe. It was pretty good. I would make it again. However, the parmesan crust would not stay on pork chop 3 & 4, making it a little aggravating. Not sure what I was doing wrong. Maybe I just needed to start with a clean pan, or maybe I didn't wait long enough for the skillet to get hot enough between batches (I doubled it so that we could have leftovers). I would probably do boneless pork chops next time.

Serves 2

1 cup penne pasta, uncooked
2 bone-in pork chops (3/4 lb.), 1/2 inch thick
1/4 cup Caesar Dressing, divided
1 container Shredded Parmesan Cheese, divided
1 cup tightly packed baby spinach leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes

COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt.

MEANWHILE, heat large nonstick skillet on medium heat 5 min. or until very hot. Top chops evenly with 2 Tbsp. dressing and 1/4 cup cheese; press cheese into dressing to secure. Add chops, cheese-sides down, to skillet; cook 4-6 min. on each side or until done (160ºF). Transfer to plate; cover to keep warm.

DRAIN pasta; add to skillet with spinach and garlic. Cook and stir 1 min. or just until spinach is wilted. Stir in remaining dressing, cheese and tomatoes; cook and stir 1 min. or until heated through. Serve with chops.

Pulled BBQ Chicken Sammies

I love new recipes, don't you? This one is a keeper! Plus, once it is cooked you can freeze it & save it for a later date. Now...how awesome is that?

6 frozen chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
1 18 oz bottle of your fave BBQ sauce
1/2 cup zesty Italian salad dressing
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar

Place the frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour it over the chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours While still in the crockpot, shred the chicken and mix it around in the sauce. Serve on your choice of rolls.

Burrito Skillet

Once again, I wanted something different. Ran across this recipe while looking through a magazine. Let me tell you, it is a fast, super easy & yummy recipes. Of course, I don't know to many "lets not make this again" recipes. We crumbled some tostitos over the top, we thought it needed some crunch.

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) Taco Seasoning Mix
1 can (19 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed
1 cup Salsa
1 cup water
4 flour tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1 cup Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese
1/3 cup Sour Cream
1 large green onion, chopped

BROWN meat in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; drain.
ADD seasoning mix, beans, salsa and water; stir. Bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 5 min.
STIR in tortillas; top with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and onions (optional).

Pork Chops with Apple Stuffing

A friend of mine told me about a similar recipe, so when I ran across this one, I had to give it a shot. While the pork chops were a little tough, the flavor was really good. I think I will have to try this in the crockpot next time. I also think it would be good made with chicken. Make sure you test the temperature of the pork. My pork chops were an inch thick & it took 15 minutes longer to cook.

Serves 6

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 can (21 oz.) apple pie filling
6 boneless pork loin chops (1-1/2 lb.), 3/4 inch thick

Heat oven to 375ºF. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package.
Spread pie filling onto bottom of 13×9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with chops and stuffing. Cover with foil.
Bake 30 min.; uncover. Bake 10 min. or until chops are cooked through (160ºF).

Cinnamon Rolls

I am on the hunt for a yeasty tasting cinnamon roll. While these were some very good cinnamon rolls & I look forward to trying the frozen ones. They were not yeasty enough.

Makes about 15 cinnamon rolls

1 cup milk (heated approximately 1 minute in microwave)
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature and beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 cups bread flour
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
Cinnamon Filling (see recipe below)

Bread Machine Recipe:

Add all the ingredients, except the Cinnamon Filling and the Butter Frosting, in the bread pan of bread machine. Process according to manufacturer's instructions for a dough setting. NOTE: During the dough setting in the bread machine, there is a rise cycle that will rise the dough. When the bread machine has completed the dough cycle, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly oiled surface. (I use a nonstick cooking spray). Form dough into an oval, cover with a plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.

NOTE: Check the dough (don't be afraid to open the lid). It should form a nice elastic ball. If you think the dough is too moist, add additional flour (a tablespoon at a time). The same is true if the dough is looking dry and gnarly. Add warm water (a tablespoon at a time). If you can't judge your dough by looking, stick your finger in and feel the dough. It should be slightly tacky to the touch.

Standup Mixer Recipe:

In a large bowl or in the bowl of a 5-quart stand mixer, combine all the ingredients in the order given except the Cinnamon Filling and the Butter Frosting. Using a dough hook, mix everything together until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly-oiled surface (I use a nonstick cooking spray), and knead until elastic, approximately 10 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size.

Butter a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan; set aside(I used parchment paper).

After dough has risen, roll and stretch the dough into approximately a 15 x 24-inch rectangle.

Brush the 1/2 cup softened butter (listed below in the Cinnamon Filling) over the top of the dough with a rubber spatula or a pastry brush. Sprinkle Cinnamon Filling over the butter on the prepared dough. Starting with long edge, roll up dough; pinch seams to seal. NOTE: Rolling the log too tightly will result in cinnamon rolls whose centers pop up above the rest of them as they bake.

With a knife, lightly mark roll into 1 1/2-inch section. Use a sharp knife (I like to use a serrated knife and saw very gently) or slide a 12-inch piece of dental floss or heavy thread underneath. By bringing the ends of the floss up and criss-crossing them at the top of each mark, you can cut through the roll by pulling the strings in opposite directions. Place cut side up in prepared baking pan, flattening them only slightly. The unbaked cinnamon rolls should not touch each other before rising and baking. Do not pack the unbaked cinnamon rolls together.

TWO OPTIONS:

Refrigerating or Freezing Unbaked Cinnamon Rolls:

At this point, the cinnamon rolls can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight or frozen for 1 month. Before baking, allow rolls to thaw completely and rise in a warm place if frozen. I have found that I have to take the unbaked frozen cinnamon rolls out of the freezer 10 to 12 hours before planning to bake. I just put the frozen cinnamon rolls (container and rolls) on my counter (not in the refrigerator) overnight for 10 to 12 hours.

If refrigerated, they can be either baked upon removing from the refrigerator or let come to a room temperature. They do a slow rise overnight and it is not necessary to let them come to room temperature before baking. NOTE: If you rolls are not rising enough after being refrigerated, your yeast may need to be tested. To overcome this, let them rise, while sitting on the counter, until you achieve the desired rising before baking.


Bake Immediately After Making:

Cover and let rise in a warm place for approximately 45 to 60 minutes or until doubled in size (after rising, rolls should be touching each other and the sides of the pan).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. for regular oven or 325 degrees F. for a convection oven.


Baked in a regular oven approximately 20 to 25 minutes in a regular oven until they are a light golden brown.




Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Spread Frosting over the cinnamon rolls while still warm. Best served warm, but room temperature is also great!



CINNAMON FILLING:
1/2 cup butter, melted or softened
1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
4 to 5 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3/4 to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Soften the butter; set aside. In a bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon; stir in chopped nuts (optional).

Frosting:
2 tbsp. butter
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 tbsp. milk or half and half
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix together until smooth.