Cookies & Cream Dessert

Looking for a yummy dessert recipe?  I made this for my hubby's family yesterday for Easter and it was a hit.   The best thing...it is super easy to make! 

Here is what you need:

Crust: 
2 c. crushed Oreos 
6 Tbsp. butter, melted

Layer 1:
1 (8 oz) package of Cream Cheese
1 c. powdered Sugar
1/2 (8 oz) container of cool whip 

Layer 2: 
2 (3.4 oz) packages of instant vanilla pudding 
3 c. milk 
1 tsp. vanilla
Remaining half (8 oz) container of cool whip

Layer 3:
1 1/4 c. Oreos, crushed 

Directions:
For Crust:  Mix cookie crumbs and butter.  Press on bottom of 9x13in. pan.  Chill.  Beat together cream cheese and sugar; fold in 4 ounce whipped topping.  Spread over crust and chill while mixing next layer.  Mix together pudding mixes, milk and vanilla; fold in remaining 4 ounces of whipped topping.  Spread over cream cheese layer.  Sprinkle cookie crumbs over all.  Chill several hours.  Yields 12 to 15 servings. 

***This recipe was given to me from my sister-n-law. Not sure where she got it from, but she always has the best recipes. 

A Family Favorite: Meatloaf & Party Potatoes

I had told you last week that I would share this recipe.  I thought I'd better keep my word.  Party Potatoes have become a tradition to serve in church meals.  I remember when I was a girl being super excited to eat a meal at church after a baptism because I knew they would serve Party Potatoes.  Yeah, I know...a bit sad.  I think this is where my addiction to potatoes comes from.  They are quite tasty and super easy to make.  I like to pair it with Meatloaf, but it also would go great with ham for Easter.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

Party Potatoes

• Instant Potatoes for 24 Servings (water, milk, & butter to make them)
• 2- 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese
• 2- 8 oz. container of French Onion Dip 
• Garlic Salt to Taste 

Make potatoes according to package, but omitting 1/2 cup of the liquid.   Mix in cream cheese and French Onion Dip.  Add Garlic Salt to your liking.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes to bring the flavors out. Enjoy! 

Note: I sometimes sprinkle a little shredded cheddar cheese on top.  

Meatloaf

• 1 1/2 lb of hamburger (uncooked)
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup of milk
• 1 1/2 tsp. of salt 
• 1/2 tsp. of pepper
• 1 med. onion, quartered (I omit this because onions give my hubby indigestion)
• 1 carrot, chopped 
• 3 slices of bread

Combine all ingredients in blender except hamburger.  Then, pour mixture in a bowl and mix with hamburger. Shape into a loaf and place it in a greased loaf pan.  Note:  We like to combine a little ketchup and brown sugar for the top of the meatloaf. It adds a great flavor.  Then, Bake for 1 hour in a 350 degree oven.  Enjoy!

A Family Favorite: Broccoli Cheese Soup

Over at Lynn's Kitchen Adventures, we are sharing our favorite soup recipes.  This is one of my hubby's favorites.  It is so easy to make and is super tasty.  Pair it with a salad or sandwich and you have a delicious meal!  We paired ours with Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwiches.  My kiddos gobbled it up!

Here is whatcha need:

• 6 T. Butter
• 5 T. Flour
• 1 med. onion, chopped
• 3 cups of water
• 5 chicken bouillon cubes
• 2 (10 oz) pkgs. chopped broccoli
• 5 cups of milk
• 2 lbs. of Velveeta Cheese

Melt butter.  Saute' onions.  Stir in flour. Add water, bouillon cubes, broccoli, milk.  Bring to a boil; simmer.  Remove from heat and add Velveeta cheese. Cut in small portions.  Makes 3 quarts.

***Note: This recipe was given to me from a lady at church. I can't take credit for this deliciousness.

Taco Filled Pasta Shells

(sorry for the bad picture)

I told you that I would post this on Thursday...sorry, I lied.  So here it is!  We LOVED this recipe.  Every single one of us.  That rarely happens.  I did omit a few things for the boys to make it simple and they gobbled them up! 

Here is what you need:

Ingredients
•2 pounds ground beef

•2 envelopes taco seasoning

•1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed

•24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells

•1/4 cup butter, melted

•ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS (for each casserole):

•1 cup salsa

•1 cup taco sauce

•1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

•1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

•1-1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips

•1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

•3 green onions, chopped

This is what you do:

In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add taco seasoning; prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese; cook and stir for 5-10 minutes or until melted. Transfer to a bowl; chill for 1 hour.

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Gently toss with butter. Fill each shell with about 3 tablespoons of meat mixture.

Now, the recipe says you can stop at this point and freeze half of them up to 3 months...but I continued on with the additional ingredients.  Next time, I will definitely freeze half the batch for later.

When you are ready to bake them do the following: 

To prepare remaining shells, spoon salsa into a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Top with stuffed shells and taco sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses and chips. Bake 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve with sour cream and onions.

Then, enjoy!  We sure did...not once, but twice! 

***Note:  For the boys, we baked their shells separately and just topped them with cheese. 

****Another Note:  I got this from a Taste of Home cookbook that I received for Christmas. It just so happens that the lady who made up this recipe is from Roanoke, IL!  Small world.

Pizza Snacks

I promised to share the pizza snack recipe from this week's menu.  My boys loved having Daddy to themselves on Wednesday, and this was a perfect meal for Daddy to throw in the oven.  I came home to only two of them leftover, so I would say that they were a hit!

This particular recipe is from my sister-in-law.  We used to have these at ACYF (church youth group) gatherings when I was in high school.  LOVE them!  

Here is what you will need:

• 1 lb. hamburger
• 1 lb. sausage
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt 
• 1 tsp.  Worcestershire sauce
• 1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cut up
• 1 can tomato sauce 
• mozzarella cheese
• English muffin, small rye breads, little Italian bread slices (I got a huge back on sale at Kroger of $0.99 this week) 

This is what you do:

Brown hamburger and sausage with onion flakes.  Add oregano, garlic salt and Worcestershire.  Add Velveeta cheese, stir until melted.

Spread 1 tsp. tomato sauce on bread.  Put 1 tablespoon meat mixture on bread, then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Makes about 3 dozen per batch.  Enjoy!

Tortellini Soup

What a great week to make soup!  It has been chilly and fall like...and I LOVE it!  I can't wait to start trying out other new soup recipes.  This particular Tortellini Soup recipe was one that my mother used to make when I lived at home.  I remember loving it, so I asked her for the recipe.  I ended up making it Tuesday night because I wanted to use my leftover sausage for the pizza snacks that I made last night.

Here is what you will need:

1 1/2 lb. Italian Sausage

2 Cans Chicken Broth

2 Cans Beef Broth

2 large Carrots, sliced

1 Cup of Onion, chopped

2 Cups of diced Roma Tomatoes

2 tsp of Garlic, minced

1-2 Zucchini, sliced or chopped

1/2 Cup of Red Wine (optional)

2 tsp of Basil

2 Tsp of Oregano

20 oz. Tortellini 

Here is what you do:  

Brown sausage with onion, drain.  Add all ingredients except tortellini.  Simmer for 1 hr. and 15 min before adding tortellini.  Simmer until tortellini is done.   Serve w/ Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. 

This is what we thought: 

Hubby was not a fan of the Italian sausage because it had fennel seed in it, and thought the soup would taste great with ground beef.  Big Brother loved the tortellini and carrots, but picked around the tomatoes and zucchini.  Little Brother ate everything...of course. I thought it was flavorful and delicious.  I served it with little slices of Italian bread and salad. 

Addicted to Chocolate Peanut Buttery Thing-a-ma-Jigs

So I don't know what these are officially called...but they are addicting!  My cousin brought them over right after I had baby sister and we I devoured them in a matter of days.  I called her for the recipe and they are so simple to make!  I made them Sunday when we had family over, and unfortunately there were just a few left that I was able to scarf down.  (I am still eating for two when I am nursing, right?)  Thought I'd share the SIMPLE recipe.

Melt together the following in a saucepan:

• 1 Bag of Butterscotch Chips
• 1 Bag of Milk Chocolate Chips
• 3/4 cup of Peanut Butter

Then, mix the melted mixture with 8 cups of Rice Krispies.  Then press onto a cookie sheet and place in fridge for 30 minutes or so before cutting.  Then, devour!

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas (from All You)

I love meals that are super quick to make...this was one of them. I got this recipe from the All You magazine June issue.  The day before you make the Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken for dinner and then use the leftovers the next night for this recipe.  When I made the recipe, I left the jalapeno out so it wouldn't be too spicy for the boys.  Little bro and I really enjoyed this recipe, while Daddy and Big bro thought it was just okay.  If you are looking for something new to try, this would be a great one! 

Here is what you will need:

• 1/2 cup of diced red onion
• 4 cups baby spinach 
• Salt & Pepper 
• 1 cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup of corn kernels, defrosted and drained if frozen
• 1 tbsp chopped pickled jalapeno
• 1 Cup of Slow Cooker Barbecue chicken 
• 8 taco size tortillas
• 8 tbsp of shredded cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Warm a skillet over medium heat, mist with cooking spray or use a tablespooon of butter.  Saute onion until tender about 5 to 7 minutes.

 2. Add spinach and cook, stirring until wilted.  Then, the season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

3.  In a bowl, mash beans with a fork.

4.  Add spinach mixture, corn, jalapeno, and chicken. Mix together.

5.  Spread 1/2 cup of filling on half a tortilla, sprinkle with 1 tbsp of cheddar cheese and fold over.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.

6.  Warm a skillet over medium heat.  Cook quesadillas in a single layer until brown and heated through, about 4 minutes per side.  Place on a baking sheet in the oven to keep warm; cook remaining quesadillas.

Ta Da! You're done!  Eat and Enjoy!  (Baby Sister was crying and I forgot to get the final product.)

A Family Favorite: Cheeseburger Soup

***I am linking this up at Lynn's Kitchen Adventures.  Join me and share your favorite recipe!*** 

CHEESEBURGER SOUP

Here is how you make it:

First,  brown and drain 1/2 lb. of ground chuck (I always do a lb. and save the other 1/2 for a taco salad the next day for lunch or double the recipe and freeze half.  Set Aside.

Next,  Saute the following ingredients:

• 3/4 c.  chopped onion
• 3/4 c.  shredded carrots
• 3/4 c.  diced celery
• 1 tsp.  basil 
• 1 tsp.  parsley flakes 
• 1 T.    butter 

 

Then,  combine the vegetables and meat with:

• 3 c. chicken broth
• 4 c. peeled and diced potatoes

Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are done.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and add the following ingredients: 

• 1/ 4 c.  flour
• 1 1/2 c. milk 
• 3/4 tsp. salt 
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

 

Stir until smooth and thickened, then add to soup mixture.  

Next add 2 cups of Velveeta cheese, cubed .  Finally when cheese has melted, add 1/4 cup of sour cream.  This recipe makes 1/2 gallon.

 ***This looks a bit disgusting....but I just was in a hurry and threw the cheese in there without "cubing" it.

You should end up with delicious (probably not-so-healthy) Cheeseburger Soup.  I serve it with French Bread or Rolls...Yummy!

Note:  This is from the Koch Family Cookbook...one of my all time favorite cookbooks!  I am more willing to try recipes when I know the people who created them.  :-)

Try Somethin' New Tuesday

One of my goals as a "homemaker"  is to improve my cooking.  Cooking does not come naturally to me.   I can't just whip something together like most people.  I MUST follow a recipe.  Therefore, I am constantly looking for new recipes to try.  Last night, we tried out a new recipe from the TASTE OF HOME magazine.  We decided it was a keeper, so I will share.  

MEXICAN SKILLET RICE 

This is what you will need:

 (chicken not pictured)

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 pound chicken tenderloins, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Crisco® Olive Oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups cooked jasmine or long grain rice
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (11 ounces) Mexicorn, drained
• 1 jar (7 ounces) roasted sweet red peppers, drained and sliced
• 1 jar (8 ounces) taco sauce
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

This is what you do:

• In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook and stir egg over medium-high heat until set. Remove and set aside.
• In the same skillet, stir-fry chicken and onion in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the rice, beans, Mexicorn, peppers, taco sauce and green onions; heat through. Stir in reserved egg. Sprinkle rice with cilantro. 

This is what you get: 

 

Here is what we thought:

Hubby thought it was tasty.  He ate it with tortilla chips, sour cream and salsa.  Big Brother didn't like the black beans and picked around at it.  Little Brother devoured it.  I liked it because it wasn't spicy and wouldn't bother baby sister (I am breastfeeding).  Overall, I will add that to my list of keepers!