Pizza Loaves

1 jar (1 lb. 10 oz.) Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce

1 1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 1/2 cups Pepperidge Farm® Herb Seasoned Stuffing

2 eggs, beaten

1 medium onion, chopped (or use dehydrated onions, whatever you have stocked)

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed

4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into 6 pieces

Mix 3/4 cup pasta sauce, meat, stuffing, eggs, onion, pepper and oregano thoroughly (adding extra stuffing if needed) and shape firmly into 6 loaves, forming loaves around pieces of mozzarella. Place loaves in baking pan. Bake at 400°F. for 30 min. or until meat loaves are done. Pour remaining sauce over loaves, cover with foil, and keep warm in the oven (turned off) until ready to serve. Serve with parmesan noodles (lunguine noodles tossed in some butter, parmesan cheese, and a touch of pasta sauce) and a tasty Italian tossed salad!

**These loaves taste great reheated the next day for a leftovers lunch, too!

Tasty Breakfast Donut Holes

1 package (8-count) biscuits (ours were the buttermilk ones)
Powdered sugar
Cinnamon and sugar mix
Milk
Vanilla
Jelly (your choice on flavor!)
Brown bags

Cut each biscuit into quarters; roll each quarter into a ball. Drop balls into fryer (350 degrees), turning to allow a deep golden color. Take balls out and sit on towel-plate for a minute. In one brown bag, put a few spoonfuls of powdered sugar. In the second bag, put the cinnamon and sugar mix. Place a few donut holes in each bag and toss to coat. Pull out donuts and set on serving plates. Continue with the rest of the dough balls. Make glaze out of powdered sugar and milk (more powdered sugar than milk) and a touch of vanilla. Then add one to two scoops of jelly to the glaze and mix well. Serve with the donuts.

** Sorry there are no amounts to the ingredients. I just added a little at a time, more as needed. We used strawberry jelly since that's what I had on hand but next time will try to use raspberry jelly.
** These donut holes tasted a lot like those served at Smokey Bones BBQ, but homemade! :)

Pork Chops and Apples in the Crock Pot

6 pork loin chops, about 1-inch thick, trimmed of visible fat
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt
6 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, cored and thickly sliced
1/4 cup currants or raisins, optional
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup brown sugar

Brown chops in oil over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt. Place pork chops in the crock pot; combine remaining ingredients and pour over the pork chops. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, or on high 3 to 4 hours.

Chicken Sausage and Bacon Kabobs

6 slices center cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 packages of chicken and apple sausages
1/2 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 green, red, or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup BBQ sauce
1 orange, cut into slices or wedges

Cook bacon pieces in a microwave oven for about 1 minute, or pan fry until the edges begin to curl but the bacon is still flexible. Drain well. Cut each sausage into 5 pieces. Thread veggies and meats onto skewers in whatever order you prefer! Place skewers on hot oiled grill and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side (16 to 20 minutes total). Meanwhile, squeeze the orange juice into the BBQ sauce and stir to combine. Brush kabobs with BBQ sauce with each turn. Serve hot with orange slices or wedges.

INDOOR: Prepare kebabs as directed. Preheat broiler. Place kebabs on wire rack over foil lined baking sheet or broiler pan. Place under broiler 4 to 6 inches from heat source and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side. Brush with BBQ sauce with each turn.

*I used a green, red, orange, and yellow pepper since grilled peppers are so good! Also, I cut up fresh pineapple and added that to the skewers too -- same reason! You could really taste the marinade on the meats... soooo good!

Chopped BBQ Steak Sandwiches

BBQ sauce
A-1 sauce
Brown sugar
Seasoning salt
BBQ seasoning powder
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Mustard
Steaks
Buns
Pickles, optional

Mix first eight ingredients in a ziploc bag. Tenderize steaks, flattening them out for faster cooking. Add steaks to marinade. Set marinade in frig for 30 minutes+. Grill steaks smothered in marinade until cooked. Chop into small pieces. Place meat on a bun and top with additional BBQ sauce and pickles. Yum!

*Okay, so this isn't some mind-blowing recipe but it worked! We had some steaks still from the other night that we didn't cook since we didn't need two each! So I told Jake I'd figure something out and this was the end product. I am not a "smart" chef where I can just start pulling ingredients together but this actually turned out real well. Even just eating the steaks unchopped would've been good - the marinade was quite tasty! Sorry there's no amounts... I just added some of this and a little of that.

Chinese Cheesecake

Canola oil, for frying
8 tablespoons cream cheese
3 tablespoons ricotta cheese
2 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar (1 1/2 for mix, 1 tablespoon for garnish)
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
10 thick egg roll skins
1 cup raspberries, fresh preferred
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Heat 1-inch of canola oil in large saute pan, to 325 degrees F. In a bowl mix the cream cheese, ricotta, and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar with a whip, until thoroughly blended. Beat egg and milk together. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of cheese mix in center back of egg roll skin and place 4 to 6 raspberries in the center of cheese mixture. Brush egg wash around edges of skin, fold left and right sides of skin in 1/2-inch, and then roll from back to front, insuring that the roll is sealed.
Place in oil and cook both sides until golden brown. Let drain on paper towels for 2 to 3 minutes.
Dust with cinnamon and sugar. Serve with whipped cream and raspberries, if desired.

**Ok... we tried it and... ehh! It was alright -- it didn't deliver like we thought it would. If any of you want to play with this and make it "yummier", please let me know what you did to make it better! :)

Italian Beef Sandwiches

1 Roast
1 Jar of Pepperoncini's
1-2 packets of Good Season's Italian Dressing Mix (the powder)
Hoagie Buns
Butter (optional)
Sliced Cheese (Pepper Jack)

Trim roast if necessary (some fat makes good flavor) and dump first 3 ingredients into crockpot until the roast just pulls apart easily with a fork. I would put everything in that order so the juice from the jar of peppers doesn't take the powdery dressing mix off of the roast. In my crockpot I usually do it on Low for about 5 or 6 hours.

Then, assemble sanwiches. I like to put butter on the hoagies and broil them for a minute or two to make them crispy. Otherwise the meat might make them soggy. Add cheese and beef.

**For the roast, I always get whatever is cheapest or on sale. And I usually make it for just 2 and it makes a ton, so invite another couple over.
**For the jar of pepperoncini's I like to get the ones that are already deli sliced... less mess and more flavor.

Thanks to Emily Grover and family for sharing this recipe with us! I just happen to have a roast in my freezer and now I know what to use it for. Thanks, girlfriend!!

Lettuce Cashew Salad

1 head lettuce
1 cup cashews
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup Wesson oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon grated onion
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Combine the first four ingredients. Just before serving, add dressing to taste and toss.

For the dressing, combine sugar, vinegar, mustard, onion, and poppy seeds. Slowly add oil, beating constantly until thick.

*Thanks, mom, for sharing this recipe from our Lourens family cookbook! The dressing sounds wonderful - I bet that's why dad likes it so much!! I made this with dinner last night and it was the FIRST thing that Jake ate off of his plate... and he went for seconds! :)

Chicken Divan

1 package frozen broccoli
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 cup mayo
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4-1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup cheddar cheese
Bread crumbs

Cook broccoli in a casserole dish using the microwave. Drain off any extra liquids. Cover with chicken cubes. Combine mayo, soups, lemon juice, and curry powder. Pour over chicken. Cover with cheese and then sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

*You can cook the broccoli any way you'd like but if you do it in the casserole dish, it saves you from cleaning an extra dish later! (coming from the person who once took a trash bag full of dirty dishes home to my parents' house for my mom to clean... pathetic, I know!) :)
*This is Jake's favorite dish that I cook. I'm quite liberal with the cheese and bread crumbs, too.

Chicken Long Grain

1 box original recipe long grain rice
1 can beef consemme soup
1 can french onion soup
1 can water chestnuts, mostly drained
1 can green beans, mostly drained
1 pound uncooked chicken, cut into 1" pieces

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in a casserole dish. Cover dish and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and cook for another 30 minutes. Stir and let sit with lid off for a few minutes before serving. Good with crescent rolls for dipping in juices!!

*Great recipe for the crockpot!!
*A good side dish minus the chicken.
*I add an extra can of green beans and chop up the water chestnuts - just my prerogative!

Carnitas Tacos with Spicy Slaw

1 (1 1/2-pound) pork tenderloin
1 package taco seasoning
1 can enchilada sauce
1/3 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Chipotle hot sauce
2 teaspoons chili lime seasoning (or regular chili seasoning)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 (16-ounce) bag coleslaw mix
8 (6-inch) white corn or flour tortillas
1 lime, cut into wedges for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove pork roast from package. Season with half of the taco seasoning. Sear all sides, about 2 minutes per side. While pork is searing, combine enchilada sauce, onions, cilantro, and remaining taco seasoning in a 9x13 pan. Add pork roast, cover with foil, place in oven, and cook for about an hour or until internal temperature reaches 155 to 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. In a small bowl combined the sour cream, mayonnaise, chipotle sauce, chili lime seasoning, and lime juice. Mix well until blended. In a large bowl add the coleslaw and pour the sour cream mayo mixture over top and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Place tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, cover with moist paper towel and heat in microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds. Slice pork and divide between heated tortillas, top with some of the sauce from the baking dish, the spicy slaw and garnish with lime wedge.

** Yummy is a word to describe this dinner! I heated the tortillas without a moist paper towel for 30 seconds and I loved how they puffed up. Also, I added some cheddar cheese, topped it with the pork, slaw, and some extra sauce.

**I mixed the coleslaw and dressing in a ziploc bag which made it easy to toss it all together and store in the frig.

**The original recipe said to set the oven at 325 and roast for only 25 minutes. Our meat was still very red so we upped it to 350 and another 30-35 minutes. So this part you might have to play with on your own!

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

1 (4.6-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix (recommended: Jell-O)
2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 pound leftover or store-bought cinnamon rolls, quartered
1 1/2 cups chopped dates or raisins
1/4 cup chopped almonds or pecans
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray the inside of a 3-quart casserole with butter-flavored cooking spray; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix, evaporated milk, almond extract, and pumpkin pie spice. Add rolls, raisins, and pecans to bowl. Stir together until well combined and bread is saturated. Transfer to prepared casserole dish and dot with butter. Bake bread pudding in preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Any New Recipes?

I'm putting out a request for new recipes! I still have plenty more to try and put on the blog but am hoping to hear from some of you about your family's favorite simple dishes. This site allows me to have emails sent directly to my drafts to view and post. I would love to have others join me in posting new dishes for dinner (or bakes for breakfast or ?? for lunch). :)
If you would like to add a dish, you can type me an email with your recipe and send it to annabarnoski.easymeals123@blogger.com and I'll post it.

Creamed Corn

1 (10-16 ounce) package frozen corn**
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour, adding more if needed to thicken
2 cups milk
2-3 tablespoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Cook corn according to package directions. Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour and blend well. Add milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, and blend with whisk. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Stir in sugar, salt and pepper. Add cooked, drained corn. Serve.

**The night I made this dish, I did not have frozen corn. I ended up using two cans of whole kernel corn (drained) and it turned out wonderfully. Just heat through once you add corn from the can. Jake, who does not like creamed corn from the can, raved about this simple side dish.

Easy Calzones

1 refrigerated pizza crust (found by the biscuits and cookies)
Turkey pepperoni
Heat and Serve breakfast sausage
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
4-5 mushrooms, chopped
Mozzarella cheese
1 can pizza sauce

Preheat oven to temperature determined on package. Lightly flour a baking sheet. Roll out pizza crust on it (not too thin). Place a handful of cheese on left half of dough. Top with ingredients. Then place one more handful of cheese on top. Bring right side of dough over the top and seal edges. Use a fork to push down edges to make sure they are sealed. Puncture the top of the calzone at least four times with the fork to allow steam to escape during cooking. Put in oven for time determined by pizza crust package. Meanwhile, heat up the pizza sauce in the microwave. Once calzone is cooked, serve it "smothered" or with pizza sauce on the side for dipping.

**These were just the ingredients we used our first time making calzones. Next time, I think I'll use chicken and play around with that. Maybe BBQ Chicken calzones?!?!

Homemade Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

1-2 cups pecans (if you want leftovers for snacking, make more!)

1 egg white
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
Dash of vanilla extract

Cinnamon and sugar mix with a small touch of nutmeg

1 package Pillsbury cinnamon rolls (if you can find the kind with Cinnabon cinnamon, even better!)

Caramel topping found in the ice cream aisle

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place a piece of foil on to a cookie sheet. Beat egg white in a medium bowl until stiff!! Mix brown sugar and vanilla into the egg white. Toss pecans in mixture. Pour onto foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 12-15 minutes. Pull out of the oven and toss in the cinnamon/sugar/nutmeg mix. Pour back onto cookie sheet and cook for an additional 12-15 minutes. Let cool. Cook cinnamon rolls according to package. Top with package frosting. Add pecans to the top and drizzle with caramel. Enjoy!!

** I put the pecans in the oven with the cinnamon rolls for their second cooking (once tossed in cinn/sugar mix). The temp went up but not enough to burn them. Then, everything was ready at the same time.

Pineapple Sirloin Skewers

1 can pineapple chunks
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 1 inch cubes

Drain pineapple, reserving the juice. Refrigerate the pineapple. In a small bowl, combo the juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, ginger, garlic, and pepper. reserve 1/3 cup marinade for basting and 1/3 cup for serving. Cover and refrigerate. Pour remaining marinade into large Ziploc bag; add beef cubes. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and discard marinade from beef. On metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternate threading beef and pineapple chunks. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side or broil 4-6 inches from heat until beef reaches desired doneness, basting frequently with a portion of the reserved marinade. Serve with remaining marinade.

Potato Ham Skillet

4 1/2 teaspoons butter
3 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
7 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 cups diced fully cooked ham
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup shredded cheese
Minced fresh parsley

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. in the skillet, layer half of the potatoes, salt, pepper, onions, green pepper, and ham; repeat layers. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Pour eggs over the top. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until eggs are nearly set. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and eggs are completely set. Cut into wedges. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

*We used 5-6 eggs to really cover the skillet dish well.

Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans

3/4 pound fresh green beans
4 bacon strips
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon soy sauce

Flace beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until cooked but not crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove to paper towels. Drain beans; place about 12 beans on each bacon strip. Wrap bacon around beans and secure with toothpicks. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. In a small bowl, combo the butter, brown sugar, garlic salt, and soy sauce. Brush over bundles. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

Barbecue Jack Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
4 slices pepper jack cheese
1 cup barbecue sauce

Carefully cut a pocket in each chicken breast. Fill with cheese and secure with toothpicks or skewers. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or briol 4 inches from heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Baste frequently with barbecue sauce. Remove skewers before serving.

*We pound out our chicken so it's thin and then fold it over a piece of cheese. I am not a very good cutter and stuffer so this works better for me!
*Since Jake liked this so much the first time I made it and requested more pepper jack cheese for next time, we will include a piece of cheese on the top of the breast as well. I'll add it right at the end of the grilling.

Layered Dinner Salad

2 packages precooked, precut chicken
Romaine lettuce, chopped
2 cups cheddar cheese
Tomato, chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
3 green onions, chopped
1 1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Seasoning to your taste (2 teaspoons, give or take): chili powder, cajun, etc.
1 garlic clove, minced

Mix mayo, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and seasoning in a medium bowl. Chill for 15 minutes or more. In another medium bowl, combine corn, black beans, and green onions. In a large bowl, layer lettuce, chicken, corn mix, cheese, and dressing. Repeat. Top with tomatoes.

*We like to put half the salad parts together in a bowl and toss with dressing. Then we still have half of the ingredients leftover for lunch the next day. The lettuce, cheese, and corn mix keep well in tupperware together with the dressing in a second container to toss at lunch time.
*We usually use chili powder but had to use cajun when we realized we were out of chili powder. It was still very tasty. Also, lemon juice can be substituted for lime juice if needed.

Brunch Pizza

1 prebaked Italian bread shell crust
1 tablespoon butter
5-6 eggs, beaten
1 can country-style cream gravy
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup real bacon bits
1/4 cup cooked pork sausage

Place the crust on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add eggs and cook; scramble. Spread gravy over crust; top with eggs, cheese, bacon, and sausage. Broil for 6 minutes (or until cheese is melted) 4-6 inches from the heat.

*Use McCormick's packaged gravy mix instead.
*We used turkey bacon and it still tasted good!
*Use the extra sausage from the log and bacon from the package for biscuits and gravy or a meaty omelet the next day.
*We layer ours gravy, eggs, meat, then cheese. Yummy!!

Cheddar Ranch Burgers

1 pound ground beef
1 package ranch powder
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Form patties. *Cook on a Foreman grill.

*You could make these on an outdoor grill but the cheese might cause the burgers to break and fall through the grill. A Foreman grill works best!

Chicken Bruschetta Bake

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package Stove Top Stuffing Chicken mix
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds chicken, cubed
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 cup mozzarella cheese

In a medium bowl, pour in tomatoes, stuffing, 1/2 cup hot water, and garlic. Stir until stuffing is moistened. Place chicken in a 13x9 baking dish and sprinkle with basil and cheese. Top with stuffing mix. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

Chicken a la Ani

1 pound chicken breasts, cubed
1-2 cans drained green beans
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2-3 teaspoons dehydrated onion
1 cup cream of chicken soup
Parmesan cheese for topping

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, wine, cheese, onion, and soup together. Add chicken and green beans. Pour into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with white rice.

Pecan N Cheese Crusted Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup crumbled bleu or feta cheese
1/4 chopped and toasted pecans
Italian style bread crumbs

Set oven to 425. Place chicken in a 13x7 dish. Mix mayo, cheese, and pecans together in a bowl. Smooth mixture onto the tops of the chicken breasts. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

*I pounded out my breasts and then cut them to smaller chunks to help them cook thoroughly in the oven. Because my breasts were so big (lol), I doubled the mayo mix to cover the chicken well.
*This dish was really tasty when sided with Parmesan Butter noodles (Pasta Roni) and a salad. It even heated up well the next day!
*Sorry there's no picture!

Damn Good Lemon Pie

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 (15oz) can Lemon Pie filling
1 carton Cool Whip, thawed
1 graham cracker crust

Beat the cream cheese and sugar together. Add half the jar of Lemon Pie filling and beat. Fold in the Cool Whip. Fill graham cracker crust with the lemon and cheese mix. Top with remaining Lemon Pie filling. Chill for 15 minutes and serve.

*The longer you chill it, the better it tastes!
*You can get the larger Lemon Pie can and use it instead if you like lemon.

Welcome!!!

An idea that started from within Jen's visionary brain, I have spawned this new website for us to utilize! It seems there are lots of great, easy-to-make dishes out there that we try on our own but don't share with everyone. This family blog will give us the opportunity to share those recipes with each other... a sign that Mama Wheeler really did instill good characteristics in us like sharing!

We can have as many authors to this blog as we want. Then, you can add a recipe on as you wish. It would be great if a picture could be included, of either the dish or of someone enjoying it. But what's most important is that the dish is family-friendly and we could make it, keeping in mind that we are all on a budget these days!

Let's get posting!