Chicken Pizzaiolo

Chicken Pizzaiolo is an easy, pizza-inspired dish that can be served alone or over a bed of pasta.

Chicken Pizzaiolo

1 (24-oz.) jar marinara sauce 

1 tsp. dried oregano

6 (4 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or you can use 4 (6 oz.) breasts)
Black pepper to taste
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pepperoni (turkey or regular)

Mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 450. Spread the marinara sauce in a 9x13 glass or ceramic baking dish. Crumble the dried oregano, and sprinkle it over the sauce.
 

2. Cover the chicken breasts in plastic wrap and gently pound to ½-inch thickness. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with desired amount of black pepper.
 

3. Spread the Parmesan in a shallow dish. Roll the chicken in the Parmesan, and lay the breasts on top of the marinara. Bake for 15-25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
 

4. Remove the chicken from the oven, top with desired amount of pepperoni slices and Mozzarella cheese, and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes.

Candied Carrots

Baby carrots are coated in a buttery brown sugar sauce for a colorful side dish perfect to serve with savory entrees.

Candied Carrots

2 (1 lb.) bags baby carrots
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt + salt for carrots while cooking
1/8 tsp. pepper
Snipped parsley

Place carrots into a large saucepan.  (I use a 5 qt. Dutch oven.) Pour in enough water to cover the carrots by about an inch.  Lightly salt water.  Bring water to a boil; cover and reduce heat to a high simmer.  Cook 20-30 minutes until tender but firm; do not overcook.  Drain carrots well.

In the same saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Stir in brown sugar, salt, and pepper.  Transfer carrots into brown sugar sauce; cook and stir until carrots are glazed with sauce--2 to 3 minutes more.  (Sauce will liquify.)  Using a slotted spoon, transfer carrots to a 1.5 qt. serving bowl pouring a small amount of the sauce over the carrots.  Sprinkle with snipped parsley before serving.

*Carrots will stay warm for several minutes if kept on low and covered.  Do not sprinkle with snipped parsley until ready to serve.

Click here for printable format 

I have always loved Cheddar's cooked carrots, so I set out to find a copycat recipe but found that none existed.  So I experimented with batch after batch of cooked carrots (to which my friends and family can attest...lol) until I came up with a recipe very close to Cheddar's.

Cheeseburger Pie

This recipe has been on the Bisquick mix box for years, but I had never tried it.  Imagine my surprise when I finally did, made a few tweaks, and found that it tastes just like a cheeseburger—right down to the pickles! 

Cheeseburger Pie

1 lb. lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp. salt

Black pepper to taste

Garlic powder to taste

Onion powder to taste

Chopped dill pickles

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese + more for topping

1/2 cup baking mix (Bisquick, Jiffy, etc.)

1 cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

Condiments:  ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, barbecue sauce, bacon, etc.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray.  In a 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until beef is brown.  Drain, and stir in salt.  Stir in desired amounts of pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.  Spread in pie plate.

Cover beef layer with desired amount of chopped dill pickles.  (I use 1.5 cups.)  Sprinkle with one cup cheddar cheese. 

In a small bowl, stir the baking mix, milk, and eggs with a fork or wire whisk until blended.  Pour into pie plate.

Bake about 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Top with desired amount of extra cheddar cheese and bake for a few minutes more until the cheese melts.

Click here for printable format

Cheeseburger Pie 101:  Here are three photos showing the amount of dill pickles I use (about 1.5 cups), what the pie looks like before you bake it, and what it looks like when it's ready to serve:

Slow Cooker Sausage and Kraut

Slow Cooker Sausage and Kraut is the easiest meal you will ever make...and so delicious!

Slow Cooker Sausage and Kraut

2 (13 oz.) packages fully-cooked smoked sausage, kielbasa, or turkey sausage

1 (32 oz.) bag or jar refrigerated sauerkraut, undrained

2 (15 oz.) cans whole new potatoes, drained*

2 tsp. caraway seeds

Slice sausage to desired size and add to a 6 qt. slow cooker.  Add undrained sauerkraut, drained potatoes, and caraway seeds.  Carefully stir to combine so as not to break the potatoes.  Cover, and cook on high for about 3 hours or low for about 5 hours.

Variation:  Add 1/2 cup apple juice and 2 tbsp. of sugar to mixture before cooking.

Click here for printable format

*Canned potatoes are great for any slow cooker recipe.  They are perfectly cooked (never hard or the opposite...mushy) and hold their shape during cooking.

Irish Soda Bread is a great accompaniment to sausage and kraut, and I have a wonderful recipe for it!  

Easy Irish Soda Bread:  http://easyaspiecanbe.blogspot.com/2016/03/irish-soda-bread.html

**Recipe adapted from bakeatmidnite.com:  http://bakeatmidnite.com/bavarian-bratwurst-with-kraut/ 

Banana Bread Snack Cake

You know that one banana that is just too ripe to eat?  Well, it is perfect for this tasty snack cake that is a combination of a cake and a bread.  Banana Bread Snack Cake uses pantry ingredients and is so quick and easy to make.  It's perfect for breakfast, too!

Banana Bread Snack Cake

Taste of Home has amazing recipes, and one of them is the Banana Bread Snack Cake recipe found here:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/banana-bread-snack-cakes?cpi=1&sort=

Pizza Dip

Pizza...everyone's favorite food.  Now in a dip that's cheesy, warm, and gooey!

Pizza Dip

Center Cut Cook features some really good recipes...and this is one of them!  😀 

http://www.centercutcook.com/pizza-dip/

Note:  We like this dip served with Stacy's Pita Chips available at most grocery stores including Wal-Mart.

White Chicken Chili

How about serving up something different from traditional chili made with beef and tomatoes? White Chicken Chili is a flavorful blend of tender chunks of chicken, white beans, and just enough zip.

White Chicken Chili

3 tbsp. olive oil
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 cups chicken broth
3 (4 oz.) cans chopped green chilies, undrained
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 1/2 tsp. dried cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
3 (14.5 oz.) cans great northern beans, undrained
Salt to taste
Garnishes:  sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese

Heat oil in a 5 qt. sauté pan over medium heat.  Add cubed chicken, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken to a 5 qt. or larger Dutch oven.  Cover, and keep warm.  Add onion to the drippings in the sauté pan, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Stir in broth, green chilies, garlic powder, ground cumin, oregano leaves, cilantro leaves, and ground red pepper.  Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Pour this over the chicken that's in the Dutch oven, and add the beans.  Cover and simmer for at least an hour.  Salt to taste.  Garnish with sour cream and Monterey Jack cheese if desired.  Serve with corn bread or corn chips.

Click here for printable format

Cornbread is a good side for this chili, and I have an easy, delicious recipe for it!

Cornbread:  http://easyaspiecanbe.blogspot.com/2014/02/cornbread.html

I adapted this recipe from the original recipe shared with me by my friend Lori.

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Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan pie as a bar cookie...buttery, rich, decadent, easy, and foolproof!  It doesn't get much better than that.

Pecan Pie Bars

Crust:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, cut up

Filling:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
4 large eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl; cut in 3/4 cup butter thoroughly with a pastry blender until mixture resembles very fine crumbs.  Press mixture evenly into a 9x13 baker sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup butter in a 3 qt. saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring gently.  Remove from heat.  Gradually stir 1 cup of hot mixture into beaten eggs then add to remaining hot mixture.  Stir in pecans and vanilla.  Pour filling over crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until set.  Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.  Cut into bars.

Click here for printable format

This recipe was shared with me by one of the best cooks I know--my sister-in-law, Christi Wilson.

Christi's Sweet Potato Casserole

My sister-in-law Christi makes the best sweet potato casserole I have ever eaten.  The soufflé-like texture and non-traditional Rice Krispies/pecan topping really send it over the top.

Christi's Sweet Potato Casserole 

4 lbs. (about four large) sweet potatoes

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

3/4 to 1 cup evaporated milk

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 eggs, beaten

Topping:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup crispy rice cereal (Rice Krispies)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Scrub sweet potatoes cutting off woody portions and ends.  Peel, cube, and cook in enough boiling water to cover till tender--about 25-35 minutes.  Alternately, potatoes may be cooked using a pressure cooker.  Link to the website of the method I use provided below.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Drain potatoes and mash in a large (I use a 4 qt.) bowl.  Add butter and stir/mash until melted.  Stir in evaporated milk, sugar (to taste), and cinnamon.  Add eggs.  Spread in a 3 or 3.5 qt. ungreased baker.  Mix the topping ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

How to pressure cook sweet potatoes:  https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-sweet-potato/

Click here for printable format

My sister-in-law Christi is a fabulous cook.  For as long as I can remember, she has made this sweet potato casserole for my family's Thanksgiving, and we look forward to this tradition each year!

Apple Brickle Dip

Toffee bits in a sweetened cream cheese mixture is the perfect dip for apples!  Apple Brickle Dip is perfect for all your holiday gatherings whether it's a Halloween get-together, a Thanksgiving buffet, or a Christmas or New Year's Eve party.

Apple Brickle Dip

Taste of Home has amazing recipes, and one of them is the Apple Brickle Dip recipe found here:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/apple-brickle-dip

Notes:

*Neufchâtel cheese can be substituted for cream cheese. 

*I use 1 (8 oz.) package of Heath Bits O' Brickle toffee bits.

*I use 3 or 4 medium-sized tart apples like Granny Smiths, cut into wedges or chunks

Click here to print!

Favorite Pot Roast

Once you try this melt-in-your-mouth pot roast recipe (and its gravy), it will be your favorite, too.

Cornstarch for gravy not pictured.

Favorite Pot Roast

1 (10-3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 packet au jus gravy mix
1 (10.5 oz.) can French onion soup, undiluted
1/2 cup of water
1 (3 lb.) boneless rump roast
2 tbsp. of cornstarch for the gravy

In a medium bowl, combine mushroom soup and packets.  Slowly add French onion soup stirring well.  Add water in the same manner.  Put boneless rump roast in a 6 qt. slow cooker.  Pour soup mixture over roast.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until roast reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees.*

Gravy:  When roast is done, remove to a platter and cover with foil.  Transfer 2 1/2 cups of the broth to a medium saucepan and heat on medium until boiling.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp. of cornstarch with just enough cold water to make the mixture a liquid.  Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the boiling broth stirring well.  If gravy becomes too thick, add more broth.  If gravy is too thin, add additional cornstarch/water.  Slice roast and serve with gravy.

Click here for printable format

 *Once my roast reaches 170 degrees (around 8 hours), I let it cook another hour or so for extra tenderness.

 If you are sensitive to salt, use lower sodium options for the packet mixes and soups.  

One Rotten Banana Cake

When a friend mentioned that she was making a rotten banana cake, I was intrigued.  I always have an overripe banana or two so was happy when she shared her recipe with me.  This cake is particularly good served warm with coffee or milk.

Water not pictured.

One Rotten Banana Cake

Cream together in a 2 qt. mixing bowl:

1/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 large or 2 small ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

Mix together in a separate bowl and then add to the creamed mixture: 

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (to taste)

1/8 tsp. allspice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour batter into an 8x8 baker sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for 20-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Let cake cool for 15 minutes.  Combine icing ingredients and spread on warm cake.

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tbsp. butter, melted

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. hot water

Click here for printable format 

  
I adapted this recipe from the original recipe shared with me by my friend Irene.

Lemon Meringue Pie and Tutorial (Part 1)

Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest make this lemon meringue pie filling tangy and appealing. And when it's poured into a waiting crust and covered with mounds of meringue and baked...it is heavenly.

3 eggs are pictured, but one more egg white will be needed for the meringue, so you need a total of 4 eggs.

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 (9") baked pie shell

Filling:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
3 tbsp. flour
Dash of salt
1 1/2 cups water
3 egg yolks (use large eggs)
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice

Meringue:
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp. cornstarch
4 egg whites (use large eggs)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sugar (superfine sugar will give better results)
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

From the meringue portion of the ingredient list:  In a small saucepan, combine the water and cornstarch.  Cook over medium heat until thick, translucent, and boiling, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, and pour mixture into a small bowl to cool.
 
From the filling portion of the ingredient list:  Separate egg yolks from whites.  Crack an additional egg and separate the yolk from the white discarding the yolk so that you have a total of four egg whites for the meringue and three egg yolks for the filling.  Refrigerate yolks, and set whites aside to warm to room temperature for 30 minutes.

Measure out the rest of the ingredients for the meringue and the pie. (See photos in tutorial.)

 Prepare filling:  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a medium (3 qt.) saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, flour, and dash of salt.  Gradually stir in water.  Cook and stir over medium-high heat till thickened and bubbly.  Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.

Beat egg yolks slightly.  Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten yolks.  Return mixture to saucepan; bring to a gentle boil.  Cook and stir 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter and lemon peel.  Gradually stir in lemon juice, mixing well.  Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of filling to prevent a skin from forming.  Set aside.

 Prepare meringue:  In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cream of tartar.  Mix well and set aside.  Whisk the cornstarch mixture (that was prepared earlier) and set aside.  Place the egg whites and vanilla into a scrupulously clean glass or ceramic large mixing bowl.  (I use a 4 qt. bowl.)  With an electric mixer, begin beating slowly until mixture begins to foam; then increase speed to high, and begin gradually adding the sugar mixture one tablespoon at a time until all the sugar is added.  Beat until soft peaks form.  This can take some time.  Decrease the speed to medium; add half of the cornstarch mixture, mixing well.  Repeat with the other half.  Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.  Set aside.

Assemble pie:  Remove plastic wrap from the filling and reheat it on medium until it starts boiling again. Whisk it as it boils for about five seconds then pour it into the shell.

Immediately spread the meringue over the filling.  Put a large part of it (about half) in the middle of the pie so that it can start cooking from the underneath, and spread the meringue toward the outside adding more to the perimeter as needed.  Make sure you get it over the crust edges (so it won’t pull away as it bakes).  Add remaining meringue to the center creating a nice, high mound.  Using the back of your spoon, push into the meringue while pulling up to make decorative peaks.  

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes until the meringue is lightly browned.  Cool the pie away from drafts on a wire rack at room temperature for 1 hour.  Refrigerate uncovered for at least 3 hours before cutting and serving. Pie is best made and served on the same day.  Store leftovers loosely tented with aluminum foil in the refrigerator. 

Click here for printable format 

Perfect Pie Crust:  http://easyaspiecanbe.blogspot.com/2013/12/perfect-pie-crust-recipe-and-tutorial.html

Lemon Meringue Pie 101:

From the meringue portion of the ingredient list:  In a small saucepan, combine the water and cornstarch.  Cook over medium heat until thick, translucent, and boiling, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, and pour mixture into a small bowl to cool:

From the filling portion of the ingredient list:  Separate egg yolks from whites.  Crack an additional egg and separate the yolk from the white discarding the yolk so that you have a total of four egg whites for the meringue and three egg yolks for the filling.  Refrigerate yolks, and set whites aside to warm to room temperature for 30 minutes:

 Measure out the rest of the ingredients for the meringue and the pie:

 Prepare filling:  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a medium (3 qt.) saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, flour, and dash of salt.  Gradually stir in water.  Cook and stir over medium-high heat till thickened and bubbly.  Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat:

 Beat egg yolks slightly.  Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten yolks.  Return mixture to saucepan; bring to a gentle boil.  Cook and stir 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter and lemon peel:

 Gradually stir in lemon juice, mixing well.  Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of filling to prevent a skin from forming.  Set aside:

  Prepare meringue:  In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cream of tartar.  I like to use superfine sugar (pictured here) as it dissolves quicker making your meringue less likely to bead and/or weep.  Mix well.  Place the egg whites and vanilla into a scrupulously clean glass or ceramic large mixing bowl.  (I use a 4 qt. bowl.)  With an electric mixer, begin beating slowly until mixture begins to foam:

Increase speed to high, and begin gradually adding the sugar mixture one tablespoon at a time until all the sugar is added.  Beat until soft peaks form.  This can take some time.  The tips will curl over when this stage is reached:

Decrease the speed to medium; add half of the cornstarch mixture (that was prepared earlier), mixing well.  Repeat with the other half.  Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.  They will be firm, rigid, and glossy.  Set aside:

Assemble pie:  Remove plastic wrap from the filling and reheat it on medium until it starts boiling again. Whisk it as it boils for about five seconds then pour it into the shell.

Immediately spread the meringue over the filling.  Put a large part of it (about half) in the middle of the pie so that it can start cooking from the underneath, and spread the meringue toward the outside adding more to the perimeter as needed: