Jalapeño Popper Sliders

I actually got the idea for this recipe from a Rachel Ray Magazine and tweaked it to my tastes and convenience. Enjoy!

What You Need

1 lb. ground beef

Salt and pepper to taste

1-2 T Worcestershire Sauce

4 oz. Cream Cheese

4 slices Bacon, cut into little strips

4 Jalapeños, un-seeded and diced

4 slices Cheddar Cheese

8 dinner rolls

Directions

In medium skillet cook bacon and Jalapeños. In medium bowl combine the cooked Jalapeños and bacon with cream cheese and set aside. In medium bowl combine ground beef, salt and pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Form ground beef mixture into 8 small patties, and place on grill. Flip patties once then top with a dollop of cream cheese mixture, and half a slice of Cheddar cheese. Let cook until patties are cooked through and cheese is melted. Serve patties on dinner rolls with a side of french fries.

Parmesan Chicken

Made this last night and it turned out so delicious!

What You Need

4-6 chicken breasts

1-2 c Italian style bread crumbs

1 egg

1/2 c milk

olive oil

4-6 thick cut slices mozzarella cheese

1 jar spaghetti sauce

Parmesan cheese

Spaghetti noodles

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and preheat at medium high stove-top setting. In small bowl whisk egg and milk. Spread bread crumbs onto a plate. Pat chicken dry, dip into egg mixture, then place onto the bread crumbs coating both sides and place in preheated skillet. Let chicken cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until lightly browned and crispy. Place chicken in a large casserole dish, top each breast with a mozzarella cheese slice and a heaping spoonful of spaghetti sauce. Cover casserole dish and bake in oven for 25 minutes. While Chicken is baking boil your pasta and coat it with the remainder of your spaghetti sauce. After chicken has cooked for the 25 minutes remove from oven, top chicken with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and return to the oven, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes. Serve chicken and pasta together with a side salad or other veggie.

Cowboy Philly Cheesestakes

I actually got this recipe from watching Rachel Ray the other day, and just adapted it to my tastes. Turned out super yummy for our family, so I hope you all enjoy!

What You Need

1 large flat Beef stake/roast (you can just use a flank stake or chuck roast whatever looks good!)

Stake seasoning

paprika

4-6 slices bacon,sliced into small pieces

1 green bell pepper, sliced thin

1 red bell pepper, sliced thin

1 onion, sliced thin

6-12 slices Provolone cheese (or other favorite cheese)

BBQ Sauce

6 hoggie rolls, or small French bread loaves, toasted

Directions

Season meat with Stake seasoning and paprika on both sides, then place on the grill for 10 minutes per side, till beef is cooked to a medium done-ness. While beef is cooking place bacon in a large skillet and brown, then add peppers and onion (feel free to season veggies with salt, pepper, or even some crushed red pepper flakes for an extra kick). When stake is cooked remove from grill and slice into thin strips, then add stake slices to the veggie mixture, tossing together to evenly distribute. Reduce heat on skillet to warm, top meat mixture with cheese, cover and let melt together for 3-5 minutes, while rolls are toasting. Top toasted rolls with BBQ Sauce and meat/veggie mixture and enjoy with some roasted potatoes/ fries/ chips, and your favorite veggie or side salad.

Southwest Panninis

I had a vision for a yummy sandwich the other day, and this is what I came up with...

What You Need

4 Ciabata rolls (or other hardy bread)

4 small chicken breasts, grilled and flayed in half

1 package cream cheese

1 package Fiesta Ranch mix (I have had the best luck finding this mix at Walmart over by the regular ranch mixes in the salad dressing isle)

1 small can whole green chilis

4 slices cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine cream cheese and Fiesta Ranch mix in small bowl. Cut rolls in half, slather one side with cream cheese mixture, then top with chicken, one green chili sliced open, and a slice of cheese, then top with remaining bread half. Place the sandwich on a pannini press and cook for 3-5 minutes. (If you don't have a pannini press you can use a large skillet and place something heavy like a large pot on top of your sandwich to give it the flattened pannini affect, cook for 3-5 minutes, then flip over and cook another 3-5 minutes). Serve with french fries or roasted potatoes, and a side of veggies.

Enchilada Casserole

The other night we went to an activity at church where someone brought an enchilada casserole. I loved it so much that I decided to figure out how to make one myself. Here is what I came up with...

What You Need

1 package Corn Tortillas

1 lb ground beef (or turkey)

1 can tomato sauce

1 package taco seasoning

1 can refried beans (I used black)

1 can whole beans (black or pinto, drain and rinse the beans before adding)

1 c corn (frozen or canned)

1 small can olives, sliced or chopped (optional)

1 can red enchilada sauce

1 bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

In large skillet brown beef then add tomato sauce and taco seasoning till combined. While beef is cooking warm up beans (refried and whole), and corn in medium saucepan till heated through. In large casserole dish or 9"x13" baking pan place one layer of corn tortillas. Top tortillas with 1/2 bean mixture, then add 1/2 hamburger mixture, top with 1/2 the cheese and 1/3 of the enchilada sauce. Next add another layer of tortillas, then top again with the remaining beans, meat, and olives (optional). Add one more layer of tortillas then top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted. Serve as a one dish topped with sour cream, or with a side of Spanish rice and veggies.

Scalloped Potatoes

I always loved having scalloped potatoes growing up. Of course I love almost anything with cheese... ! I learned how to make them from my dad, and have taken his recipe and slightly improved it. Here is my version of Scalloped Potatoes...

What You Need

6 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 c butter

1/2-1 c flour

1-2 c milk

1 package Cream Cheese

3 c Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded or cubed

1/2 onion diced (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Boil potatoes in a large pot for about 10 minutes. While potatoes are boiling melt butter over medium high heat in a large skillet. When butter has melted add flour, whisking constantly. Start by adding about 1/2 cup of flour, then add additional flour till the mixture leaves the pan and starts to get crumbly. While continuing to whisk the mixture slowly add milk 1/2 c at a time, making sure that the butter mixture dissolves completely in the milk. Continue adding milk until it reaches a creamy consistency similar to a runny gravy. Next add Cream Cheese, and Cheddar while continuing to whisk, until cheeses are completely melted. Season with Salt and pepper. Reduce heat to Warm, and stir occasionally while you finish prepping the potatoes.

Now that the sauce is finished, drain the potatoes, and place 1/3 of them in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Sprinkle 1/3 of the diced onion over the potato layer, then top with 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Then continue with 2 more layers, finishing with the last of the cheese on top. Cover the casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees for 30-60 minutes, until heated through and cheese starts to caramelize on the sides of the dish. I love to serve these potatoes with Ham, a side of veggies (usually green beans), and homemade rolls! Yum!!!

Chicken Meatballs

When we lived in Tucson we tried this Italian restaurant on the corner of River and Campbell. I believe it was called Vivaces. Any way, they had a spaghetti and meatball plate that was made with Chicken meatballs. I loved it so much that I will occasionally just crave that dish again. I modified a regular meatball recipe that I found in the Betty Crocker Cookbook for chicken meatballs...

What You Need

1 lb ground chicken ( you can find it in the meat department of almost any grocery store over by the ground Turkey)

1/2 c Italian style Bread Crumbs

1/2 c Parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

2 T milk

1/2 t Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/2 onion, diced small/minced

Directions

Mix all ingredients in medium sized bowl until combined. Grease a cookie sheet with Crisco. Take a pinch of meat mixture (about 2 T size) and roll into a ball (the mixture is very sticky, to avoid it sticking to your hands you can grease your hands with Crisco before rolling), then place on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat until all the meat mixture has been used, placing meatballs about an inch apart. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through. Serve over pasta with your favorite spaghetti sauce.

Steak, Mushroom, and Onion Pitas

This is a recipe I have been toying with this week...

What You Need

1 lb Ground Beef

1 small Onion

1 Package Mushrooms

1 T Worcestershire Sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

1 package sliced cheese ( I prefer Cheddar personally, but Swiss would be phenomenal with this recipe as well)

1 package Pitas (Go for the Whole Wheat!)

Directions

In large skillet brown the hamburger and season with the Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Add the onions while the meat is half cooked to ensure they get nice and caramelized. Then add the mushrooms as the hamburger is looking about done, and cook through till mushrooms are soft, onions are caramelized, and hamburger is cooked through. Take a pita and cut in half, then open the pocket. Place a slice of cheese in the pocket and then fill with the hamburger mixture. Serve with fries and veggies.

Not Fried- Fried Rice

Yesterday I wasn't feeling well, but still got rather hungry since I am pregnant. In trying to come up with something I could eat that wouldn't upset my stomach, this recipe was invented...

What You Need

1 c mixed small veggies ( I used diced carrots, red pepper, onion, peas, and carrots)

1 egg (or egg white)

1 c rice

2 c chicken broth

Directions

In small skillet saute veggies until slightly tender, add egg, stirring constantly to separate, and cook till egg is cooked through. Place veggies, rice, and chicken broth in rice cooker, stir, and cook. Enjoy as your main dish, or as a side dish with stir fry.

Fried Plantains

My husband served a mission in the Dominican Republic where he found this food. Whenever I can find good plantains I like to try and make it for him since he loves them (as I do too!). Plantains are a more starchy kind of food like a potato. These are not fried bananas! They taste more like a potato chip and are a great addition to any grilled foods, or other Latin dishes.

What You Need

2-3 Green Plantains (the greener the better, when plantains turn yellow they start getting sweet and wont taste as good in this recipe)

Cooking oil

Salt

Directions

Place oil in a skillet about 1/2 in. deep and preheat over a medium high heat. Using a sharp knife slice off the end of each plantain, then slice through the peel from one end to another and pry it off. Slice the plantain into 1/2- 3/4 inch slices (like you would a banana for a fruit salad). Place slices in hot oil, and fry for 2-5 minutes each side (until plantain slices turn yellow and are slightly crisped), then remove from skillet onto flat surface covered with a paper towel. Using the bottom of a glass, squish each fried plantain flat (to about a 1/4 in thickness), then place squished plantains back in the oil and fry for another 2-5 minutes each side, until they are golden (don't let them brown like you would french fries as that will leave them overcooked). Remove from oil onto paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Eat warm with your favorite Latin dish.

Cajun Grilled Shrimp

I picked up some fresh shrimp at our local health food store. This is how I cooked it...

What You Need

1 lb Shrimp (feeds 4 people)

lemon juice

Cajun Seasoning mix

Directions

Rinse shrimp and marinate in lemon juice. (You don't need to marinate too long just 5-20 minutes). Sprinkle one side of shrimp with seasoning, place shrimp seasoned side down on the grill (or the George Foreman Grill like I did) then season the other side. If you like it spicy use a good coating of the seasoning, if you like it more mild then only sprinkle on a little bit. Cook for around 4 minutes each side, or until shrimp turns pink on the outside and white on the inside, and is firm to the touch. If cooking smaller shrimp on a large grill you might want to place the shrimp on a skewer so that they don't fall between the grill spaces. Enjoy with a side of veggies, and some rice. (We actually ate ours with fried plantains and roasted veggies).

BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza

Made this just last night and it turned out amazing! I just invented the recipe after thinking of my favorite cheeseburgers. Enjoy!

What You Need

1 Pre-cooked pizza crust

1 lb hamburger, browned

1/2 jar BBQ sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

1 c bacon bits

1 bag pizza blend cheese

1 c shredded cheddar cheese

1-2 c French's Fried Onions

Directions

Mix the BBQ sauce and tomatoes in a small bowl and spread over the pizza crust. Top with the hamburger and bacon. Spread the cheese over the meats (using the italian first, then the cheddar so you can see the pretty yellow cheese on top). Then top with the fried onions. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes (until pizza is warmed through, cheese is melted, and onions are crisped). Serve with a salad and soda, or just as is.

Bean with Bacon Soup

Not sure if I posted this recipe before, but I made some slight alterations to my original recipe and it turned out amazing so here it goes...

What You Need

1 package dry navy beans, pre-soaked

8 c chicken broth, or water with 8 t/cubes bouillon

2 carrots, grated

2 celery stalks, small diced

1 onion, small diced

4 strips of bacon, sliced thin

3 T butter

Salt and pepper to taste (I added about a t salt, and 1/2 t pepper)

Directions

Place all ingredients in the crock-pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve topped with bacon bits (or cooked and crumbled bacon), cheese, and crackers. It is also great with a side of bread or rolls. Enjoy this hearty, comfort food, soup on a chilly winter/spring day!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Made this last night, it was so delicious I had to share!

What You Need

1 pizza crust

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 jar BBQ Sauce

3-4 chicken breasts

2-3 T Liquid Smoke

1/2 Onion, sliced into strips

6 strips of Bacon

1 package pizza blend cheese

Directions

Place chicken breasts in large bag and add Liquid Smoke. Let marinade for 20-30 minutes, then remove chicken and grill till cooked through, then remove from grill and slice into 1-2 in. strips. While chicken is cooking place onion and bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium high heat until onion is soft and slightly caramelized and bacon is crisp. In small bowl combine tomatoes and BBQ sauce. Spread sauce over a pre-cooked crust, then top with chicken, bacon and onion, and cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes (or until cheese is melted through. Makes one large or 2 medium pizzas.

Sausage Stuffed Bell Peppers

I had never actually eaten stuffed bell peppers before, but after having stuffed jalapeño poppers I thought I should give it a try, so here is my experiment, that I thought turned out pretty darn good!

What You Need

4 large bell peppers

1 lb Italian ground sausage

1 small onion, diced

2 c cooked rice (once again 1 c uncooked turns into 2 cooked)

1 bag Italian blend cheese

1 jar Spaghetti sauce

Directions

Slice off the top of each bell pepper and dice the edible pieces of the tops. Place diced tops of peppers, and onion in skillet and saute over medium high heat for 5 minutes then add sausage and cook through. While sausage is cooking remove seeds and inside ribs of bell peppers, then boil peppers in a large pot of water for 5 minutes. In large bowl combine sausage mixture, rice, and half of the bag of cheese. remove peppers from water, drain, place in 8x8 baking dish, or other large baking dish and fill each pepper with rice/sausage stuffing. Top peppers with spaghetti sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for additional 15 minutes, until peppers are soft. Serve with French bread, and a side salad.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

I had these at our friend's Trent and Melissa's on New Years Eve. They were so delicious that I had to make them again the next night and wanted to share the recipe with all of you! Don't worry they are not spicy, just super delicious!

What You Need

6 Jalapeños, halved and with seeds removed

1 package Cream Cheese

1/2-1 c sharp Cheddar Cheese

6 strips of Bacon cut in half

Directions

Fill each jalapeño half to overflowing with Cream Cheese. Sprinkle each with cheddar cheese then wrap with half a strip of bacon, so that the end of the bacon is resting under the popper. Bake on a cookie sheet at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until bacon is fully cooked and pepper is soft. Let cool slightly, but make sure to eat it warm. Enjoy!

Green Chili Chicken and Rice

I found this recipe while taking a cooking class at BYU, and have modified it to our family's tastes. It is definitely one of my favorites! Enjoy!

What You Need

2 c cooked Rice (One cup uncooked turns into 2 cups cooked)

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 c sour cream

2 small cans Diced Green Chilis

1 bag Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large baking dish, using half of the bag of cheese mixed into the rice, and the other half sprinkled on top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, removing the lid for the last 5 minutes to make sure that the cheese on top melts through. Serve as is, or with a side of veggies.

(Original Recipe from the Betty Crocker Cookbook, but has been slightly modified)

Tomato Basil Soup

We spent Christmas Eve at our friends Gabe, and Abby's house. She made this amazing Tomato Basil soup from a recipe she got from her mother. The soup was so good that I had to get the recipe and share it with all of you. Enjoy!

What You Need

2 Jars Classico brand Spaghetti Sauce, Tomato Basil flavor

1 can Diced Tomatoes

1 pint Half and Half

1/2 pint whipping cream

1 bunch fresh Basil

Directions

Place basil, diced tomatoes, and 1 jar of sauce in blender and puree. Pour into large soup pot. Puree other jar of sauce, then add to soup pot. Add remaining ingredients stirring till well mixed. Heat on low for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. (It is important that you do not heat the soup too quickly as the it will cause the milk products to scald.) Serve with Parmesan Cheese, French Bread, and a Salad.

Side note: You can double the recipe and freeze any excess leftovers in an airtight container. To reheat, let thaw, and warm up on the stove over low heat for at least an hour.