Make-Ahead Pizza Casserole

I have a confession to make . . . I rip recipes out of magazines prior to passing them on to friends and family.  I always mean to make the recipes, but usually, they just sit in a pile.  I never do anything with those recipes for a few months, other than look at the pile and think "maybe next week, I'll make  something . . ." and then I toss the riped out pages during one of my purging sprees. When I toss them, I feel guilty that I ruined a magazine and didn't get to share something potentially  yummy with others.

So, I've decided to go through my latest pile and make the recipes that initially caught my eye.  I decided to start this today.

My first recipe is from one of the (what seems like) zillions of Parenting magazines that keep piling up here, no matter how large the pile is I purge every so often.

The Hubby loved this recipe.  I thought it was pretty good . . . after I got past the feeling I was eating a baked french toast!

~ Some advice prior to making this - if using regular bread, let the slices sit out for awhile to dry out prior to making this.

~ If using canned tomatoes, drain 'em . . . this gets pretty soggy.

~ I think I'll add peppers and onions the next time I prepare this meal.

~ Watch spice bottles, when cooking with a 2.5 year old . . . it's amazing how quickly little kiddo fingers can grab something and even more amazing at how much will come out of the spice bottle when you only wanted a small amount!  Thank goodness the Hubby and I enjoy our Mrs. Dash Herbs and Garlic bottle of seasoning.

Make-Ahead Pizza Casserole
~ adapted from parenting magazine april 2009

6 servings
1/2 lb shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb pepperoni
3 medium tomatoes, cored and diced
6 cups cubed whole wheat bread
5 eggs
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Spray 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.  Set aside.

In large bowl, toss together mozzarella, pepperoni, tomatoes and bread.  Turn out the bread mixture to evenly cover baking pan.

Use same bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk.  Add milk, sour cream, oregano, basil and garlic powder.  Beat well.

Pour the egg mixture over the bread, tilting the baking pan from side to side to soak all the bread cubes evenly.  Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate at least three hours, or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes; heat oven to 350.  Uncover the casserole and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and crisp on top.

Linking to the following:

Chicken Stuffed Shells

Yet another casserole that is not photogenic.

In an attempt to make dinner, I happened upon this recipe and was very excited to see I had everything in my pantry.  Lately, it seems I'm missing at least one ingredient that looks like it has the potential to be yummy.  I was even more excited that it sounded easy!  An additional plus was that there are steps in the preparation that my two year old was able to accomplish, all the while telling our dog that she was cooking - and letting me know our dog was helping to cook as well (I guess emotional support as a spectator counts as cooking to a toddler?).

Chicken Stuffed Shells
~ adapted from the USIS Cooking Style cookbook

4 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 box stuffing mix, prepared according to directions on box
1 box jumbo shells, cooked
2 cans chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup

Preheat oven to 350. 

In medium bowl, combine the first five ingredients.  Use stuffing mixture to fill jumbo shells.  Pace stuffed shells in single layer in 9x13 pan.  Set aside.
In medium bowl, blend soups and broth.  Pour over shells.

Bake one hour at 350 degrees.

~~~ Update ~~~
After the hubby and I talked about this recipe today, we decided it was very bland.  We're not certain if it was just the premade stuffing that we didn't like or the overall lack of spices.  We will probably make this recipe again, trying with real stuffing and some seasoning next time.

Apple Crunch

Yes, another one from the "Home Ec" Book!

Apple Crunch

1 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

3-4 apples

1 egg

1/2 cup oleo - melted

1 tsp sugar (divided)

1 tsp cinnamon (divided)

Heat oven to 350.  Grease an 8x8 pan.  Peel and cut apples.  Place in bottom of 8x8 pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Add 1 egg and mix.  Add melted oleo and mix.  Spread mixture over apples.  Sprinkle mixture with 1/2 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

Bake at 350 for 35 - 45 minutes.

Merry Christmas!

~ photograph by Jennifer Hart @ Jennifer Hart Photography.

http://www.jenniferhartphotography.com/

Monkey Face Cookies

These were the go to cookies for me from that "Home Ec" cookbook while I was in high school.  They're easy to make, very yummy . . . and hold the frosting I'd pile on them very well.

Monkey Face Cookies

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup sour milk

2 T shortening, melted

1 1/2 cup sifted flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

Grease cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees.

~ by the way, these are called Monkey Face Cookies because you're supposed to use raisins to decorate them to look like monkey faces.  BAH I say.  Leave off the raisins and ice the babies!  A good icing to use is the Cream Cheese Icing used for the Sugar Cookie Bars.

Spiced Applesauce Drops

These cookies were a big hit.  Miss Mia would have eaten them all if I would have let her!

Mom has this old cookbook - the cover is missing, many of the corners are dogeared and there are stains on pages with family favorites.  I have no clue as to the name of this cookbook; we call it the "Home Ec" cookbook as all of the recipes were submitted by home ec teachers.  When looking for a family fave, Mom mentioned she had jotted "good" beside this one.  That was all I needed to know I had to attempt it!

Spiced Applesauce Drops

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Sloppy Joe Pizza

I'm trying to get back into planning meals for the week as well as attempting new recipes.  Today, I met with success on both counts.

Sloppy Joe Pizza
from Taste of Home simple and delicious

~ makes 2 8 serving pizzas

2 13.8 oz tubes refrigerated pizza crust
1 lb ground beef
1 15.5 oz can sloppy joe sauce
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Unroll pizza dough; place on two greased 12 inch pizza pans.  Bake at 425 for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown.

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Add sloppy joe sauce.  Spread over crusts*.  Sprinkle with cheeses.  Bake at 425 for 6-7 minutes or until cheese is melted.

* If you're like me, you'll be worried that the sloppy joe mix isn't enough for two pizzas.  Trust the recipe, there is plenty of sloppy joe mix!  It will look sparse on the crusts prior to baking.

~ Next time, I will be using my homemade crust and also making my own sloppy joes (with peppers and onions).  But, even as is, it is a very yummy recipe.

Linking to:

Sugar Cookie Bars

The cookies with green colored icing just in time for Christmas.

I love me my sugar cookies. So, I was really excited when I discovered one of the newly provided bar cookie recipes was for SUGAR COOKIES! I kinda felt like Buddy the Elf in Elf when he hears Santa will be arriving at the store the next day. Okay, so maybe I wasn't cheering as loudly and jumping up and down like he was, but you get the idea . . .

Oh, yah, we liked this cookie. So much so that we've gone through two batches and still have none in the freezer. My Dad requests them anytime he or my Mom is at my place.

Sugar Cookie Bars
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Icing:
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3-5 T milk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.

In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. Give them a quick mix and set aside.

In bowl for stand mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar and egg 2 minutes. Ad vanilla and almond extracts and beat a minute more.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat for 2 minutes.

Press the dough into an ungreased large jelly roll pan (12x18 inches). Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool completely.

To make the icing:
Combine butter and cream cheese in medium sized bowl. Beat for 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Add milk 1 T at a time until desired consistency (if you put in all 5 T at once, it might be too runny and will drizzle off of bars). Mix 1-2 minutes, or until smooth.

* if you happen to not have the almond extract in your cupboard (FOR SHAME if that is you!), just use all vanilla.

** I've made this with all purpose/whole wheat flour sharing duty. They were more crumbly. When I make them again, I'll probably do 2 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat.

Snickerdoodle Bar Cookies

I love me a bar cookie . . . yes, it's because I'm lazy. But, come on, you have to admit that it is so much easier to just throw the dough in a pan and have all the cookies done in one pass through the oven!

So, when I was given two bar cookie recipes, I had to try them. The first is this Snickerdoodle Bar Cookie. Yummy. Made these for the Hubby's birthday gathering. They were a success.

The original recipe calls for the dough to be placed in one 9x13 pan. This makes for a pretty thick cookie. I'm thinking that, my next attempt at this cookie, I may try turning the dough out into a cookie sheet . . . but that's for another time . . .

Snickerdoodle Bar Cookies
1 1/3 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Filling:
1 T granulated sugar
1 T cinnamon

Heat oven to 350. Spray 9x13 pan with Pam. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Beat butter on high until creamy. Beat in sugars. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Beat until combined.

Add dry ingredients and beat on low until just combined.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with cinnamon filling. Dollop teaspoons of remaining batter over cinnamon filling - gaps will provide the marbled "snickerdoodle" look.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, cut and enjoy.

*** edited 1/1/11 to include baking powder amount.

Buttermilk Pie

The Hubby requested a non-pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dinner. So, when searching the net, I happened upon this recipe.

Thanks to Paula Dean and foodnetwork.com for the original recipe.

The following has been modified by me.

This pie was really good. AND really simple to make. It will go in my recipe box and will be made again!

Buttermilk Pie
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup biscuit mix
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 inch pie pan.

Put all ingredients in a bowl and blend for 1 minute with a handheld electric mixer. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes.

Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Sauce

A Thanksgiving Recipe!

Yep, here's one we tried this year. As we ate it, I said thanks to foodnetwork.com for a yummy way to enjoy something which is usually bland, shaped like a can, and is left untouched at the end of the meal.

We'll be making this one again. I actually made it the day before and just pulled it from the refrigerator as we sat down for dinner.

Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Sauce
2 cups cranberry juice
1 6 oz bag craisins
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 cup sugar
2 gala apples, peeled, cored and diced
2 tsp corn starch

In medium saucepan over medium heat, bring cranberry juice, cranberries, cinnamon and sugar to a boil and let cook for 5 minutes. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have softened and apples are tender (about 5 minutes).
Remove 8 oz of the liquid to a small bowl and whisk in the cornstarch. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture back to the cranberry mixture, stirring constantly. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour into serving bowl. Remove cinnamon sticks. Refrigerate until thickened, about 30 minutes. Serve.

*** I might also lessen the amount of sugar. This was a very sweet tasting sauce.

Party Time Bars

So, there was this incident with marshmallows . . . found me a bag that decided NOT to melt and NOT be sticky. Seriously - nothing would stick to them! Never made such neat crisp rice treats! Marshmallows on one side and crisp rice cereal on the other!

But, this entry isn't about that. Well, not much.

These treats were used with some of the not-so-much-sticky marshmallows. Once you get past the fact the nuts, cranberries and chocolate chips tumble off these goodies, you understand they're pretty good treats!

Party Time Bars
6 c popped popcorn
11 oz honey roasted mixed nuts
3/4 c craisins
1/4 c margarine
4 c mini marshmallows
1/4 c chocolate chips

Line 9x13 inch pan with foil. Spray foil with Pam.

In large bowl, combine popcorn, nuts and craisins. Set aside.

In medium saucepan, combine margarine and marshmallows. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until marshmallows are melted. Pour marshmallow mix over popcorn mix. Mix well so that dry ingredients are coated in marshmallow.

Press mixture in foil lined pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips - press lightly so that chips stick to mixture. Refrigerate 1 hour to cool bars faster - lift foil out of pan and remove.

Cut into bars (makes 36).

Crispy Pretzel Bars

LOVE 'em.

That's all I have to say about these treats.

Mom came up and played with the Little Pumpkin so I could try some new recipes. I decided to try this one simply because I had all of the ingredients in my cupboard. We sampled it. And sampled it some more. And some more.

Now, I'll have to make a second batch for Christmas Eve Dinner.

Crispy Pretzel Bars

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup peanut butter
5 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups mini pretzels
1 cup chocolate chips

Coat a 15x10x1 inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the sugar and corn syrup. Microwave on high until sugar is dissolved (it was approx 2 minutes in my microwave). Stir after each minute.

While sugar is melting, grab a large bowl and dump the cereal, pretzels and chocolate chips in it. Give the bowl a quick shake to mix 'em up. Set aside.

When the sugar is melted, stir the peanut butter into the sugar mix until blended.

Add the sugar mixture to the the cereal, pretzels and chocolate chips. Stir until coated. Be careful when sampling the goodies as this is still kinda warm!

Press into prepared pan and let cool. Cut into bars (makes approx 60 - or 10 if you're part of my family).

Cottage Cheese Biscuits

So, I had some Cottage Cheese on my hands and wanted to do something fun with it . . . tired of the same old same old. I found this recipe and decided to try it.

Can you tell I'm not overly thrilled with the results? To me, the biscuits were so so, and that was with me adding a tablespoon of garlic and a tablespoon of Italian Seasoning. Then again, I'm not a big biscuit fan as I usually find them to all be bland - except for the Cheddar Bay Ones - LOVE THOSE. So, maybe I'll be making these again should I have need of biscuits and have some extra Cottage Cheese on hand.

By the way, I can't recall where this recipe was found . . . maybe foodnetwork. I have modified it, as usual. And, I can't get my computer to have anything to do with my new SD memory cards. So, as soon as I get this little issue fixed, a photo will be uploaded.

Cottage Cheese Biscuits

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 T baking powder
1 T minced garlic
1 T Italian Seasoning
5 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 16 oz container cottage cheese

Preheat oven to 450. Place flour in large bowl. Add baking powder and salt. Stir until combined. Add butter and mix until clumps form the size of small peas. Add cottage cheese and stir until just combined.

Drop on non-stick cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden. Serve immediately.

*** update ***

~ When I made this, I accidentally got sidetracked and left the second half in the oven (turned off, but still warm). They were a darker golden brown . . . and I liked them a lot better than just golden brown. They seem to have more taste . . . or maybe it was just the fact they sat out overnight. The Husband liked them and said I can make them again (so nice of him to give me permission, huh?).

Pumpkin French Toast

I'm finally getting all the new recipes from Thanksgiving posted. Yay!

Loved this recipe. Only problem, the sugary bottom can solidify if cools down - but the little piece we had left was great when microwaved the next morning for breakfast.

Pumpkin French Toast

18 slices bread (I used whole wheat)

2 1/2 cups milk (I used 1%)

1 T flour

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 T sugar

3/4 cup pumpkin puree (I used fresh)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/4 cup butter

2 T sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:

Grease 9x13 pan.

In large bowl, combine everything from milk to eggs. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, corn syrup and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until bubbly - stir constantly (this will take around minutes).

Pour the butter, syrup and sugar mixture over bottom of greased 9x13 pan.

Place one row of bread slices over caramel syrup. Pour 1/3 of milk mixture over first layer of bread. Place second row of bread over first. Pour second third of milk mix over bread. Place last 6 pieces of bread in 9x13 pan and pour remaining milk mixture over top.

Cover 9x13 pan with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight (at least 8 hours).

To bake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the top of French Toast. Bake for 50 minutes. Let stand for minutes prior to serving.

Warning: This can get quite puffy, do not place to close to top of oven or another shelf. As the French Toast cools, the bread will sink back into pan.

Original version of recipe is located at: www.dana-made-it.com

Chicken and Stuffing Bake

This is a pretty simple comfort dish. I am going to add some spices next time as it was bland to me.

1 box stuffing mix, prepared per box directions

3/4 cup sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 lb cooked chicken breast, cut into chunks

1 12 oz package mixed veggies, thawed and drained

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

Preheat oven to 400F.

Prepare stuffing mix as directed on box.

In 9x13 casserole, mix sour cream, cream of chicken soup, chicken breast, mixed veggies and seasoning.

Cover sour cream and soup mixture with prepared stuffing.

Bake at 400F for 30 minutes. Let sit 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Gingersnap Cookies That Bite Ya!

These are yummy! I merged a few recipes to come up this one that I really like! The originals all called for molasses (blech) and shortening (blech) as well as half the spice amounts (and none of the cloves and cayenne). I also decided to use whole wheat flour for some of the required flour amount.

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp cayenne

Mix all ingredients. Chill mixture. Roll into balls. Bake at 350 for 9 minutes. These will be soft when coming out of oven, but will become crispier as they cool.

Peanut Butter "CUP" Bars

I love the combo of chocolate and peanut butter. You put them in a "peanut butter cup" and I'm there - addicted - eating the entire bag of them in one setting. So, when I found a recipe that claimed to be exactly like those delish ones I can buy at the store, I decided to try it . . . . and PLEASE don't mention that these aren't healthy - they have my two food groups! Peanut Butter and Chocolate!

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 1/2 cups (1 pound) powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

2 sticks butter, melted

1 12 oz package chocolate chips

2 tsp peanut butter

Line a 9x13 pan with wax paper or foil.

In a large bowl, combine graham crackers, powdered sugar, peanut butter and butter. Mix until combined (I just hand mixed with wooden spoon - and it mixed easily). Press mixture into foil-lined pan.

Place chocolate chips and peanut butter in microwave safe bowl. Heat in thirty second intervals, stirring after each one until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Pour over peanut butter mix and spread evenly.

Place in fridge until chocolate is set. Cut into bars.

Clafouti

We have a huge amount of apples . . . piles and piles of 'em. I was getting sick of the same old desserts, so I searched and found a simple recipe. When I say simple, I mean - SIMPLE! And - it's yummy! I'll be making this one again - the picture doesn't do it justice. I PROMISE! Oh - and no mixer needed!!!!

4 cups peeled and diced apples

1 1/2 cup whole milk

4 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350. Grease 10" Deep Dish Pie Pan. Place apples on bottom of pie pan. Combine milk and eggs in blender. Add the rest of ingredients and blend for 5 seconds. Pour over apples. Bake in oven for 60 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean!

Slow Cooker Apple Butter - Diabetic Version

This recipe is so simple and so yummy. I made it Saturday and it's about gone today! Be prepared to have a heavenly smell throughout your house while making this.

7 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup sugar substitute

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on high 8-10 hours. Remove lid during last hour. Stir occasionally.

I usually use the 6qt slow cooker and make 1 1/2 of this recipe. If your slow cooker doesn't have a vent, use a chopstick under the lid. Each time I remove the lid to stir, I drain the condensation into the sink.

Old margarine containers work well for freezing this yummy treat!

Hot Pepper Honey Mustard

36 - 40 peppers

4 cups yellow mustard

5 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups honey

4 cups apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

Process peppers; Pour all above ingredients into large pot. Bring to a boil.

Mix in the following:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup water

Pour flour mixture into pepper mixture. Stir for 5 minutes. Process mixture until smooth. Pour into jars and process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.

*** DO NOT DOUBLE ***

Banana Butter

I want to start by saying this is an old recipe.  Water Bath Canning this and storing it on the shelf is NOT recommended due to the mashed banana.  Instead, it's better to prepare this recipe and toss it in the fridge or the freezer.  It is so good, it won't stay in either long!  If you DO decided to waterbath - please be certain to use caution and remember I warned you this is no longer a recommended process for Banana!!!!

Banana Butter after processing

Banana Butter
1 cup mashed banana

2 tsp lemon juice

3 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup canned crushed pineapple, with juice

2 T chopped maraschino cherries

1 pkg liquid pectin

Measure the first 5 ingredients into large saucepan. Heat and stir constantly, bringing to a rolling boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in pectin. Stir and skim for 5 minutes so fruit won't float. Pour into hot, sterilized half pint jars. Place leads on jars and screw metal bands on securely. Process for 10 minutes in hot water bath.

Chicken Artichoke Casserole

Yep, nothing healthy about this recipe . . . even with whole wheat pasta, reduced sodium cream of chicken soup and 1% milk, I cannot begin to say it's healthy.

But I can say it was yummy!

Chicken Artichoke Casserole

2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta

2 cups cubed, cooked chicken

1 14 oz can water packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped

1 10 3/4 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup 2% milk

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup onion and garlic salad croutons, coarsely crushed

Cook pasta according to package directions. meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, artichokes, soup, cheese mayonnaise, milk, garlic, onion powder and pepper. Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture.

Transfer to greased 2 at baking dish. Sprinkle with croutons. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 25 0 30 minutes or until heated through.

Pineapple Zucchini Jam

This jam has been a big hit with everyone who has tried it!

Pineapple Zucchini Jam
6 cups grated zucchini
6 cups sugar
2 T lemon juice
1 10 oz can crushed pineapple, drain and reserve 1 cup juice
2 small 3 oz packages orange gelatin

Add one cup of pineapple juice to the zucchini. Boil 6 minutes. Add sugar, lemon juice and pineapple. Boil 6 minutes more. Add orange gelatin. Boil another 6 minutes. Fill, seal and process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Canning Day!

Yesterday, Christine and I got together and canned some fruits and veggies. When all was said and done, we had 9 different recipes. It was a great day for gossip and making food that smells so delish!

All were new recipes. So, we do not know if they are a success, but we're hoping! If nothing else, the food sure does look pretty in those jars!

We made Banana Butter, Honey Berry Jam, Apple Mint Topping, Peach Jam, Berry Freezer Jam, Zucchini Pickles, Zucchini Relish, Zucchini Pineapple Jam and Dilly Beans. We've a few more recipes we'd like to try later this summer. Fingers Crossed!

Orange Cream Popsicles

It has been beyond warm here with temps in the low 90s; add in the humidity, and we're touching 100. So, I decided to make some popsicles! They're yummy and just the way to cool down these hot days (and nights).

1 6 oz can frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed)
16 oz plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients. Fill popsicle molds. Freeze. Enjoy!

Corn, Rice & Bean Burritos

This was really yummy ~ DH never once complained about it being a vegetarian meal!

1 1/3 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, sliced

1 Tbsp canola oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice

8 flour tortillas, warmed

3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

1/2 cup reduced fat plain yogurt

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup salsa

In a large skillet, saute the corn, onion and pepper in oil until tender. Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook 1 minute longer. Add beans, rice and salsa; heat through.

Spoon 1/2 cup filling off center on each tortilla. Top with cheese, yogurt and green onions. Fold sides and ends over filling and roll up.

Cherry Chiffon Gelatin

I guess it's time for another confession or two! My experience with jello is a big bowl, hot water, cold water and then leaving it set in the fridge. Maybe eating a bite or two and then tossing it out when it starts looking like a science experiment gone bad!

My next confession, I never check to make certain I have all of the ingredients I need before I start something. Therefore, this "Cherry" Chiffon Gelatin ended up a "Mandarin Orange Chiffon Gelatin when I was finished and placing it on my friends' counter as our dessert option for dinner that evening.

It was still yummy, and that's what matters! It was actually a perfect, sweet, light treat for a 90 plus degree day (with a zillion % humidity).

I'll just use the ingredients listed in the recipe - feel free to not look in your cupboards before starting on your cooking adventure!

2 (3 oz each) packages cherry gelatin, divided
1 1/2 cups boiling water, divided
2 cups cold water, divided
1 (15 oz) can pitted dark sweet cherries, drained
2 cups whipped topping

In a large bowl, dissolve 1 package of gelatin in 3/4 cup boiling water. Add 1 cup cold water; stir. Refrigerate until partially set, about 1 hour. Stir in cherries. Pour into a 7 cup mold coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.

In a small bowl, dissolve remaining gelatin in remaining boiling water. Refrigerate until partially set, about 1 hour. Fold in whipped topping. Carefully spread over top. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Unmold onto a serving platter.

~ I did the first (fruit) part the night before. Then, the whipped topping part was done the next morning. Worked well for me. And again, loved this! I'm actually planning to make it again this weekend!

Zucchini Quiche

I'm going to start with a confession - I cannot follow a recipe. The minute one is before me, I find a way to tweak it . . . it's almost as though I'm physically unable to follow instructions. That being said, the recipe I did follow (TasteofHome.com) was probably yummy, but my way was even more YUMYUM!

4 cups zucchini (thinly sliced)

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 eggs

2 tsp fresh basil, torn into tiny pieces by Miss Mia

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

1 tsp fresh oregano, torn into tiny pieces by Miss Mia

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 cups Mozzarella cheese

6 bacon strips

2 tsp prepared mustard

1 pie shell

Saute onion and zucchini until tender, drain. Microwave bacon until crisp. Whisk eggs, herbs and seasonings together in large bowl. Stir cheese into egg mix. Stir in zucchini mixture. Spread mustard over shell and add egg mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Some more confessions - I got lazy, and some of the zucchini at the end wasn't so thinly sliced. The onion, well, I was crying, so I don't think it was the thinnest either. I used turkey bacon. Also, probably went a little heavier on the pepper, basil, oregano and Italian Seasoning than I listed, but I love my seasonings. Also - I'm not a big fan of zucchini unless it's hidden in cakes or bread, so I was really excited when the house started smelling SOOOO GOOD and then, when I actually enjoyed the meal!

Blueberry Muffins

These were YUMMY! I had to fight Miss Mia for these muffins.

2 1/2 cups heart healthy biscuit mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cups fresh (or frozen) blueberries

Combine biscuit mix and sugar. in another bowl, whisk egg, water and applesauce. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in blueberries.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two thirds full. bake at 400 for 14 - 16 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.

* if using frozen blueberries, use without thawing.

Menu Plan Monday!

A friend brought in a magazine with some quick and healthier dishes. I thought I would devote my week to them. To me, they aren't exactly that healthy, but we'll see how I might be able to modify them.

Monday - Mexican Pasta Skillet

Tuesday - Chili Bean Burgers

Wednesday - Veggie Shepherd's Pie

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Cheddar Bacon Quiche

Linguine Carbonara

8 oz whole wheat linguine

1 12 oz pkg low fat firm silken tofu

1 cup liquid egg substitute

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/8 tsp freshly ground four peppercorn mix

2 dashes ground cayenne

1 cup precooked turkey bacon, crumbled

Cooking Spray

Prepare linguine as package directs. Meanwhile, combine tofu, egg substitute, cheese, peppercorn mix and cayenne in a blender. Puree until very smooth.

When linguine is cooked, remove from heat and drain. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat at medium high. When pan is hot, place linguine in skillet. Add pureed tofu mixture and bacon and stir to combine. Cook over medium high heat until egg is just solidified.

Makes four 1 1/2 cup servings

~ I made my bacon crumbles by microwaving my turkey bacon on paper towels.

~ Adapted from my Healthy Cooking Class :)

Menu Plan Monday

We're not really doing anything to exciting on the meal-front this week. We're going to try my Pasta Carbonara recipe from a class I took during the summer last year. Plus, two slow cooker recipes that we'll see if we like . . .

Monday - Burgers (The Husband is cooking!)

Tuesday - Pasta Carbonara

Wednesday - Slow Cooker Shepherd's Pie (The Husband is preparing!)

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Slow Cooker Chicken and Brown Rice (The Husband is preparing!)

Did you notice The Husband is taking a larger roll in the meal prep for the week? How nice is that??? I'm excited to be able to come home from work (yes, I'm in the office three days this week) and know The Husband has dinner almost ready!

Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

I'd promised my friend a yummy dessert for our Family Fun Friday dinner. I also promised there would be no redeeming quality about the cake and that it would be chocolate. Unfortunately, I didn't meet the chocolate criteria. BUT - I did find a yummy cake that was very easy to make.

My failure from this came came from the Buttermilk Vanilla Glaze. The pictures from the cookbook have a gorgeous, thick, white glaze. I ended up with a almost clean running syrupy type mess. It was still good, don't get me wrong, it just didn't make the pretty cake from the picture.

Ingredients:

1 18.25 oz package white cake mix

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup melted butter

5 large eggs

3 T light brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

Shortening*

1 T granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 1/2 minutes or until thoroughly blended; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.

Grease a 12 cup bundt pan with shortening; sprinkle with 1 T granulated sugar.

Spoon one third of batter into prepared pan; sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool 20 minutes. Drizzle Buttermilk-Vanilla Glaze over slightly warm cake.

* instead of shortening, I used Vegetable Oil Spray.

Buttermilk-Vanilla Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 T melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 - 2 T buttermilk

Stir together first 3 ingredients and 1 T buttermilk until smooth, adding additional 1 T buttermilk, if necessary, for desired consistency.

Adapted from Cake Mix Miracles

Baked Penne and Sausage

It was pretty darn cold today. Plus, we had a good amount of snow to plow through this morning to get to our cars and work this morning in our area. Today was also the "End Of Month" push where I work which meant . . . OVERTIME!

This day ended up just screaming EASY PASTA DISH!!!!

I was glad to have the Baked Penne recipe!

It was an okay pasta. The Husband liked it - as did Miss Mia. That gal certainly put away a goodly amount! Personally, I felt it needed some spice.

Ingredients:

1 lb turkey Italian sausages, casings removed

12 ounces low fat ricotta cheese (about 1½ cups)

1 tsp ground black pepper

12 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)

3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1½ cups)

1½ lbs Penne

4½ cups spaghetti sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make certain rack in center of oven.

Bring 6 quarts of water to boil in a large pot over high heat.

Meanwhile, cook sausage in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the sausage loses its raw color, about 5 minutes. Drain the sausage on a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. Mix ricotta cheese and pepper together; set aside. In a separate bowl, toss the mozzarella and Parmesan together until combined; set aside. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Reserve 1½ cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the drained pasta to the pot and stir in the marinara sauce, sausage, and reserved pasta cooking water.

Pour half of the sauce and pasta mixture into a 13×9-inch baking dish. Drop large spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta, then pour the remaining sauce and pasta mixture over the ricotta layer. Sprinkle the top of the pasta mixture evenly with the mozzarella mixture. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray.

Bake until the sauce bubbles lightly around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until pasta is completely heated through, 25 to 30 minutes longer.

Menu Plan Monday!

This is week two of my two week Menu Planning Attempt. Last week was pretty successful - we did end up with bologna sandwiches on Tuesday, and I'm not really certain how that all came about! This week, we've got more comfort foods and meat for The Husband!

Refer to orgjunkie.com for more menu plan ideas!

Monday - Meatball Hoagies

Tuesday - Quesidillas

Wednesday - Baked Ziti

Thursday - leftovers

Friday - taco salad

Darn God Chocolate Cake

This is a nice and simple chocolate cake that turns out to be surprisingly yummy. Be warned, it's not a low-cal dessert! The best part - no icing needed. Pull it out of the oven, let it cool a few minutes and then ENJOY!

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
Flour for dusting the pan (i used cocoa powder)
1 package plan devil's food or dark chocolate fudge cake
1 package chocolate instant pudding mix (i used sugar free)
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil (i used canola)
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350. Lightly mist 12 cup Bundt pan with spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set pan aside.

Place the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, warm water and oil in large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer sped to medium and beat 2-3 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, making sure they are well distributed throughout the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 45 - 50 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and inert it onto the rack to cool completely; 20 minutes more. Or invert it onto a serving platter to slice and serve while still warm.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

I'm lazy. If you know me at all, you know this for fact. I HATE having to exert myself and will find ways to cut corners. Unfortunately, this means I don't make lots of crusts/doughs/breads from scratch as they require WORK!

This dough recipe is an exception. Oh wait, there is NO WORK involved. It's a VERY easy peasy pizza crust!

You do need a bread machine!

I use a 2 lb recipe which "says" it makes 2 12" pans, but I like my crust thin, and this will make 3 12" pans for us.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup WARM water

2 T olive oil

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

3 T Italian seasoning

2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp dry yeast

Directions:

Add all ingredients to bread pan in the order given. Set on "dough" setting of bread machine.

When dough is done, remove to floured board*. Separate until 2 or 3 evenly-sized balls. Lightly sprinkle pizza pans with cornmeal. Hand pull crust to start shaping into pie pan. Use dough roller to finish shaping crust. Bake @ 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool (if you have the patience). Top with your favorite toppings and bake at 400 until pizza cheese is golden brown.

* Or, place in bowl greased with olive oil, turn dough over to coat, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

~ adapted from The Breadman's Bread machine recipe pamphlet

Slow Cooker Angel Chicken

I really love the Slow Cooker. It is so nice to prepare the food the night before with just a few instructions for The Husband to get the meal ready for that evening. It was especially nice this Friday as it was a Family Fun Night here.

We used Walmart's Whole Wheat Pasta - I recommend this pasta as MIZ Picky put down the guitar and paused the Wii Game while she ate 3 servings of the pasta! Seriously! The chicken was not "too spicy" per my Mom and The Husband ate all of the leftovers! The Husband took the chicken straight from the freezer for in the slow cooker for this meal.

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts

2 T Italian Seasoning

1 T minced garlic

1 T minced onion

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 c. chicken broth

4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese

2 green onions, chopped

1 pkg whole wheat angel hair pasta, cooked according to box directions

Directions:

Place chicken in slow cooker. Microwave cream cheese until soft. Mix Italian seasoning, minced garlic, minced onion, soup, cream cheese, green onions, and broth in with cream cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Just before meal time, cook pasta according to directions on box. Pour chicken mixture over cooked pasta.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

When I discovered this recipe over on another website, I was all excited. The poster raved about it and said that this recipe would be going into her family's meal rotation. I've tried other of her meals and enjoyed them, so I jumped on the chance to try it. I LOVE Buffalo Chicken, and I love lasagna, so what more could I want???

The Hubby and I prepped the food and got it cooking in the slow cooker so we'd have it just in time for dinner this evening. As it cooked throughout the day, I was a little disappointed as I never got the Buffalo Chicken whiff I thought I would . . .

When it was ready, I was so excited. Unfortunately, I wasn't overly impressed. I wanted the Buffalo Chicken taste to knock me over, but it didn't do that. The Hubby liked it and it was easy to toss together, so I will probably make it again, but it won't go in MY favorites file.

Ingredients:

Uncooked lasagna noodles

3 cooked skinless boneless chicken breasts, chopped

1 jar pasta sauce

1 cup buffalo wing sauce

3 red, yellow and/or orange bell peppers, chopped

1 15 0z tub ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend

1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles

1/4 cup water

Directions:

Use a 5 qt oval slow cooker for best results. Spray inside of slow cooker with cooking spray. In large glass bowl, combine cooked and chopped chicken breast, pasta sauce and buffalo wing sauce. Ladle spoonful of sauce mixture on bottom of slow cooker. Cover the sauce mixture with a layer of lasagna noodles (breaking some to cover sauce). Add a layer of ricotta cheese on top of noodles. Add a layer of chopped bell peppers. Sprinkle a layer of cheese blend. Repeat layers until you run out of ingredients.

Add the bleu cheese crumbles. Put 1/4 cup of water into empty pasta sauce jar and shake. Pour liquid over top of lasagna.

Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. When cooking time is complete, unplug and take the lid off of the slow cooker. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Meatball Hash Brown Bake

Here is a "ME NEED MEAT" meal for The Husband. I'm guessing he was quite deprived of meat b/c he was ready to hug the casserole dish when it came out of the oven. I was able to freeze one serving. The rest of this meal - gone!

Ingredients:
cooked meatballs*
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed reduced fat cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup fat free sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 large onions, chopped
1 30 oz pkg frozen shredded hash browns, thawed**

Directions:
In bowl, combine soup, sour cream, cheese and onion. Pat hash browns dry with paper towels. Stir hash browns into soup mixture. Transfer to greased 13x9 baking dish. Arrange meatballs over top, pressing into mixture. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover, bake 15 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Yield: 8 servings

* I used 8 meatballs, but you could use more or less to taste. As for meatballs themselves, can use homemade, and bake the meal until meatballs are no longer pink or use frozen and just plop on mixture frozen.

** I made hash browns from potatoes had in house. Browned them with some Montreal Seasoning before mixing in the soup mixture and turning the potatoes into the baking dish.

Menu Plan Monday!

The Husband has requested that we have meat in our meals this week. He was getting kinda tired of all of the vegetarian meals. So, I made him sit down with me and plan our meal, and then dragged him to the grocery store as well. If he wants specific meals on that menu, he needs to work for them!

For all meals, the side dish is the same - SALAD. I've been on a lettuce kick lately and can't get enough! In the crisper, I have romaine, red leaf and green leaf. I'm lucky that Miss Mia and The Husband don't mind eating lettuce either. And, since The Husband and I are cutting back on portion sizes, having just the main dish and a salad is another way to help!

Monday: Buffalo Chicken Lasagna (new recipe)

Tuesday: Meatball Hoagies

Wednesday: Enchiladas

Thursday: Slow Cooker Angel Chicken (new recipe)

Friday: Homemade pizzas (including crust) *

Saturday: leftovers

* this might switch with Saturday evening as we have company coming, but I am not certain if they'll be here Friday or Saturday

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

WARNING!

This is a very difficult recipe. It was so, so difficult that Miss Mia did MOST of the work! Plus, the amount of ingredients will leave your head spinning! Rumor has it that one muffin is a single Weight Watchers point - if you don't add the chocolate chips. Add the chocolate chips, and you might wanna rethink obtaining Weight Watchers' approval.

Ingredients
2 boxes Spice Cake Mix
32 oz pureed pumpkin (or 1 32 oz can pumpkin)
1 12 oz bag chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Mix Spice Cake Mix and pumpkin. Add chocolate chips. Using ice cream scoop, fill cupcake tins a little more than 3/4 full. Muffins will not rise much during baking. Bake 20-25 minutes. This made 36 muffins with just enough batter left over that no one was fighting over the bowl!

*** UPDATE ***
After my hubby and parents devoured the muffins, the consensus was that we would've liked them better WITHOUT ****gasp!**** the chocolate chips!

Beef Picadillo

I am trying to mix up the menus each week. Sometimes, I seem to get stuck in a rutt where I'll only make pasta for an entire week, or the menu each night needs burger. This recipe does call for beef sirloin, but had it the night after a vegetarian meal, so that kept meat-lovin' hubby happy! I wasn't too sure I would like this recipe, but after having attempted it, I know I'll put this one in the recipe folder. Hubby really liked it as well. Miss Mia - well, she enjoyed picking out the olive pieces and eating them. She's going through a phase where she will only eat one or two bites of anything I place before her.

I suggest surving this dish with rice and a big, leafy salad.

4 Servings

2 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
8 large pimiento-stuffed olives, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef sirloin
2 T tomato paste
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 tsp chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Brown ground beef sirloin. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion, bell pepper, olives and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ground beef, using a wooden spoon to break up any large clumps. Increase the heat and cook until liquid is reduced. Stir the tomato paste into the meat mixture and simmer over medium low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in 2 - 3 T water to loosen the sauce. Stir in the peas and carrots, cover and cook until just cooked through, 4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro; season with salt and pepper.

Adapted from Rachel Ray magazine

Sausage, Egg and Cheese Turnovers

I've been cold the last few days and unable to get warm. Plus, was having a bout of PMS. What does that mean???? COMFORT FOOD! And this recipe is, for certain, a comfort food! Please forgive the photo as we were racing to get dinner on the table prior to heading out the door for an appointment.

4 Servings

Ingredients
1 T butter
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
8 ounces sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
1/4 tsp salt
pepper
8 large eggs
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks, at room temperature
1 sheet packaged frozen puff pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 400. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the butter over medium heat until melted, 3-4 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, salt and a few pinches pepper and cook, breaking up the meet with a wooden spoon, until lightly golden, about 8 minutes. In a large bowl, beat 7 eggs. Add the beaten eggs to the sausage mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked but not dry, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream cheese until just combined. Let cool to room temperature. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 16 inch square. Cut into 4 equal squares. Divide the sausage-egg mixture evenly onto each square, just slightly off center. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with 1 T water. Brush the edges of each pastry square with the egg-water mixture and fold over to form 4 triangles, crimping the edges with the tines of a fork to seal. Brush the turnovers all over the tops and edges with the egg-water mixture. Transfer the turnovers to a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

- adapted from Rachel Ray's magazine.

Now, when I was making this, I realized our puff pastry was wrong - we only had shells instead of the roll out square. So, I baked the cups for a few minutes and then pulled the lids off, placing them at side side of cups. I filled the bowls with the sausage-egg mixture. I also used crescent rolls.

AND this made 8 nice-sized servings.