Stuffed Turkey Burgers

I saw Ellie Krieger make these burgers on her Food Network show a couple of years ago, and they sounded like something I'd really enjoy. I completely forgot about them, but I was pleased to find them in her cookbook when I was looking through it recently. I've had it for a while and never cooked from it, but once I rediscovered these turkey burgers I knew I had to make them ASAP.

I made a compound mayonnaise to spread on the burgers, using the leftover roasted red pepper, some chopped flat-leaf parsley, and salt and pepper. Since the burgers themselves were already so healthy, I didn't feel too bad about butter-grilling the buns and spreading them with the mayonnaise. I'm glad I made those concessions, too, because without them I think the burgers might have been a little bland. Mozzarella is such a mild cheese that its flavor doesn't really come through. I'll surely make these again, but next time I may add some parmesan to the meat itself in addition to the mozzarella to give the burgers a little more flavor. I liked these burgers, though, and Joe did too -- and that's saying something, because he's always said that a burger made with turkey is not really a burger.

Stuffed Turkey Burgers
Source: The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger; recipe also found on Food Network's website

1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers, divided
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Divide turkey into 4 equal sized rounds. Make 2 equal sized patties out of each round so you have 8 patties total.

2. Sprinkle 4 of the patties with 2 tablespoons each of roasted red peppers and cheese, and top with remaining patties, working the turkey around the edges to seal burgers closed. Season with salt and a few grinds of pepper.

3. Grill or broil until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Cheesy Pineapple Corn Bread

This corn bread, which I served with the pineapple chili we had recently, is the first corn bread I've ever made. And to be completely honest, before I made this I wasn't a really big fan of corn bread, simply because all the corn bread I'd ever tasted was so dry. But I'm happy to say that after trying this, I'm a convert.

This is seriously the best corn bread I've ever had. The pineapple keeps it so moist, and its flavor isn't overpowering, but instead is the perfect compliment to the cheese in the bread. This went perfectly with our chili, but it's good on its own, too -- warmed up and spread with some butter for breakfast (which is how I ate it this morning). Seriously, so delicious. I can't say enough good things about it. Find an excuse to make it right now.

Cheesy Pineapple Corn Bread

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, May 2009

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softenend

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 can cream-style corn

1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (I used a cheddar-Jack blend)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 2-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside.

2. In medium bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt; set aside.

3. In large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture on low speed just until combined. Stir in corn, drained pineapple, and cheese. Sppon batter into prepared dish.

4. Bake about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cut in squares. Serve warm.

Cheesy Casseravioli

I've been in a bit of a cooking slump lately. I haven't had the time, energy, or really the desire to make anything too involved. So when I saw this recipe pop up in my Google Reader, it sounded too simple to resist. To be honest, I didn't expect a lot out of this taste-wise -- since it uses frozen ravioli, frozen broccoli, jarred Alfredo sauce, and pre-cooked chicken -- but this was actually really tasty. The picture doesn't do it justice. It was delicious.

I love the idea of a "casseravioli," and the ingredients can be mixed up in a thousand different ways. This was such a simple weeknight dinner, and the whole family -- Andrew included -- loved it. I'll definitely be making this, and many variations of it, in the future!

Cheesy Casseravioli
Source: adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking, who got it from Lauren's Kitchen, who got it from i [heart] food 4 thought

1 package frozen cheese ravioli, cooked and drained
2 cups frozen broccoli florets, defrosted
2 cups pre-cooked chicken strips, diced (I bought a rotisserie chicken and used the breasts)
1 jar alfredo sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Coat the bottom of a 9×13 glass baking dish with a thin layer of alfredo sauce. In a medium bowl, gently mix the ravioli, broccoli, chicken, garlic, alfredo sauce, butter, and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese until combined.

3. Place mixture into baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

4. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly. Set to broil for additional 5 minutes if you want the top blistery.

Buttery Cheesy Garlic Bread

I knew I wanted some garlic bread to go with the baked ziti we had for dinner the other night, but I didn't have any of the frozen kind in the freezer, and I certainly didn't want to take my little one (who is currently suffering from a cold and a double ear infection, poor thing) out to get some. So, I improvised. I had some bolillo rolls in the freezer, so I thawed them on the countertop while I was preparing the ziti, then sliced them in half and topped them with a delicious flavored butter and lots of parmesan cheese and black pepper. These turned out so well, I don't know if I'll ever go back to frozen garlic bread again!

Buttery Cheesy Garlic Bread
Source: Cassie

3 bolillo rolls, sliced in half
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Shredded parmesan cheese to taste
Fresh-ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, mix together butter, garlic powder, salt and parsley. Slather the flavored butter on roll halves. Top with parmesan cheese and black pepper.

3. Bake for about 5 minutes, until butter and cheese begin to melt. Turn broiler to high and broil for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until edges of bread begin to crisp.

Baked Ziti

Lately, Joe and I have been doing a lot of what I call "thrown-together" eating -- making random meals thrown together with the ingredients we have on hand. Most of these meals aren't very blog-worthy, which is why things have been kind of quiet around here lately. However, in response to a hearty Italian food craving that wouldn't leave me alone, I "threw together" this baked ziti, and I think it has become an instant family favorite. So I have to blog about it.

Before I made this, the only baked ziti I had actually ever eaten in my life was from Sbarro at the mall food court. I was initially going to make my own version vegetarian like that one, but Joe -- carnivore extraordinaire -- suggested that I add hot Italian sausage. I typically always use hot Italian sausage in my pasta sauce, so it seemed like a natural fit. So I agreed.

This really hit the spot for me; it's comforting, hearty and delicious. And I pretty much love anything topped with blistery cheese, so that was another added bonus.

Baked Ziti
Source: Cassie

1 pound ziti pasta
1 pound ground hot Italian sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I used roasted garlic tomato sauce)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon sugar
1 14.75-ounce can diced tomatoes
8 ounces ricotta cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook ziti in salted water according to package directions; drain. Add about 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese directly to the noodles; stir until butter and cheese are melted.

3. Meanwhile, brown sausage in a small amount of olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet. Add onion and saute until onion is translucent and sausage is cooked through.

4. Add pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, sugar, and diced tomatoes to the sausage mixture. When sauce is heated through, stir in ricotta cheese. Once the ricotta is incorporated, add the ziti to the sauce mixture.

5. Pour half of the ziti mixture into a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish. Top with 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Pour the rest of the ziti on top of the cheese layer, and top with remaining mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup of parmesan.

6. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes; remove foil and baked for an additional 20 minutes. Turn broiler to high and broil for 1-2 minutes, or until cheese begins to blister.

Macaroni and Cheese with Peas and Bacon

I've been meaning to make this macaroni and cheese for a while, and I finally got around to it last night. Tyler Florence says this is "the only" macaroni and cheese recipe I'll ever need, and while I don't know if that's exactly true, his version of the classic is absolutely delicious. I loved the topping; the smokiness of the bacon and the sweetness of the peas and the sharp bite of the onion worked so well together, and the white cheddar cheese was the perfect compliment. This was just...yummy. There's no better word to describe it. Well, maybe besides comforting.

I changed this recipe up a bit, mostly out of necessity; I had to omit the fresh herbs and garlic cloves because I didn't have them on hand, and I cut the recipe in half so we weren't bogged down with leftovers. The recipe below is the original, which feeds 6 to 8, and my changes are reflected in purple.

The Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese with Peas and Bacon
Source: adapted from Tyler's Ultimate

Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni (I used shells)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups warm milk
5 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (omitted)

Extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, smashed (I used a sprinkle garlic powder)
Leaves from 1/4 bunch of fresh thyme (I used a few pinches of dried)
2 cups frozen peas, thawed in a colander under cool water

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

3. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly to keep lumps from forming. Gradually whisk in the milk and, whisking vigorously, cook until the mixture is thick and smooth. Stir in 4 cups of the cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and the parsley and fold that all in to coat the macaroni with the cheese mixture. Scrape into a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

4. Meanwhile, heat a 2-count of olive oil in a saute pan. Add the bacon, onion, garlic and thyme and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onion. (I let the bacon go for a while by itself to get crispy.) Fold in the peas and season with salt and pepper.

5. To serve, scatter the pea and bacon mixture over the mac and cheese.

Pepperoni- and Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I heard someone say once (it was probably Rachael Ray, yes she can be annoying but a lot of the things she says make sense) that chicken is like a blank canvas, just waiting to be filled. And I thought that was so true. Chicken goes with so many things, it can be used in so many applications -- but it can also get very, very boring.

I love the idea of stuffing chicken, because you can fill it with absolutely anything; there are virtually thousands of recipe combinations out there. I think the trick is just to get creative. When I saw a recipe for pepperoni- and cheese-stuffed chicken on one of my favorite food blogs, A Taste of Home Cooking, I knew immediately that I had to make it. Not only did I have some pepperoni that I needed to use up, it was also a combination of flavors that I'd never tried.

This was really, really good. I followed the Home Cook's suggestion by cutting a slit in the chicken and stuffing it that way, rather than rolling the chicken around the filling. The main change I made to the recipe was that I pan-fried it in olive oil first to make the skin nice and crispy. I loved the combination of flavors, and this was so quick and easy that I think it'll be one of my go-to weeknight dinners from now on.

(By the way, for my absolute number one most favorite stuffed chicken recipe in the world, go here.)

Pepperoni- and Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Source: adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking, and she got it from Melissa's Magic in the Kitchen

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Sliced pepperoni
Shredded cheese (I used mild cheddar)
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut a slit about halfway into the side of each chicken breast. Stuff with a few slices of pepperoni (I used 4 medium slices per breast) and shredded cheese (I probably used about 1/8 cup per breast). Secure edges with toothpicks, if desired. Season both sides of chicken with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

3. Heat a small amout of olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Pan fry chicken breasts until browned on both sides.

4. Move skillet to oven. Bake chicken at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Pasta with Creamy Spinach and Parmesan Cheese

I made this pasta dish for dinner last night, and this morning when he got home from work the first thing Joe said to me was, "That pasta you made last night was so good. You've got to make that again soon." And believe me, honey, I will make it again soon.

This meal is the kind of thing I absolutely love to cook: simple ingredients, that are simple to prepare, that come together to make something absolutely knock-you-over good. My oh my, this pasta was delicious. This recipe comes from On Top of Spaghetti..., a pasta cookbook I've had for a long time but never cooked from. After looking through it, I discovered that it's filled with delicious pastas I'm just dying to try, and it's definitely one I'm going to come back to frequently. All that pasta...my poor, poor waistline.

I made very few changes and additions to this recipe, mostly just for convenience's sake; they're in purple.

I would entertain with this pasta. As a main course. It is that good.

Pasta with Creamy Spinach and Parmesan Cheese
Source: On Top of Spaghetti... by Johanne Killeen and George Germon

12 ounces dried spaghettini (I used an entire box of fettucine)
8 cups firmly-packed washed and trimmed baby spinach
1 cup heavy cream (I used about 1 1/2 cups)
10 swipes of fresh nutmeg across a grater (I used a dash of dried)
20 to 25 turns of a pepper mill filled with white peppercorns (I used a couple dashes of ground white pepper)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Stir in a generous amount of salt and drop in the pasta. After a minute or two, add the spinach a handful at a time so the water doesn't lose its boil at any time. Cook, stirring often, until al dente.

2. Meanwhile, warm the cream over moderate heat with the nutmeg, pepper, salt and garlic powder. Bring it to a boil, but don't let it reduce. Taste the cream; it should be well-flavored with nutmeg and pepper. Add more if needed.

3. Drain the pasta and spinach in a collander, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Over low heat, stir the pasta into the cream mixture along with most of the parmesan cheese (save the rest for passing at the table or garnishing). If the noodles absorb too much cream, add pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, until you have the consistency of heavy cream, with each serving having a puddle in the bottom of the bowl. Serve immediately.

Cauliflower, Ham and Cheese Chowder

This chowder actually turned out to be more of what Rachael Ray would call a "choup," because it was thicker than a soup but thinner than a chowder. I added more chicken broth than the recipe called for, and I left out the potato buds (because I generally have a "thing" about boxed or dehydrated potato products in general), so those two things combined to make this thinner than it would have been otherwise. To add some thickness back to the soup, I added a bunch of shredded cheddar cheese, which was delicious. Cheddar pairs so perfectly with both ham and cauliflower that I knew it would be perfect in this recipe, and it was. Joe and I both really liked this "choup" and I'll be making it again!

This recipe comes from Taste of Home's Big Book of Soup, and it was so hard to choose which dish to make. I've bookmarked almost every page to come back to later, because this cookbook is chock-full of soups I want to try!

Cauliflower, Ham and Cheese Chowder

Source: adapted from Taste of Home's Big Book of Soup, original recipe is here

2 cups cubed potatoes

2 cups frozen cauliflower florets

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

3 cups milk

2 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Dash ground nutmeg

8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Chopped chives, for garnish

1. In a large saucepan, sweat out the onions and potatoes in olive oil. Add cauliflower and chicken broth and simmer until tender.

2. Stir in milk, ham, salt and pepper and nutmeg; heat through.

3. Stir in cheese until melted.

4. Garnish with chopped chives, if desired.

Mom's "Scalloped" Potatoes

This time of year, I really start to miss my mom. With the holidays upon us, it's even more apparent that she's not here to share them. Whenever I feel like this, I tend to make one of Mom's signature dishes that I remember from childhood. This seems to depress me less than looking through a photo album does; for some reason, cooking one of her recipes makes her feel more alive -- more present -- than photos, which just serve as reminders of what I've lost. Cooking one of her dishes is a way to bring her back again, to help me remember fondly, instead of sadly.

Last night, this meant I made sloppy joes (mom's way, which uses fresh onion and green bell pepper, and ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire and hot sauce rather than Manwich) and her "scalloped" potatoes. This is what I grew up thinking scalloped potatoes were, because that's what Mom always called them. It was only when I became an adult and started cooking more that I realized these potatoes are nothing like the typical definition of "scalloped" potatoes. But that's what I'll always call them. And last night, they were a creamy, cheesy pile of warm memories -- just what I needed to help me remember her.


Mom's "Scalloped" Potatoes

2-3 pounds golden potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a Crock pot, combine mushroom soup, milk, cheddar cheese and salt and pepper. Stir in potatoes and onions.

2. Cook over low heat 6 hours, or until potatoes are tender.

Bacon Cheeseburger Roll-Up

I was really looking forward to making this, because how could it not be fantastic? A bacon cheeseburger, all rolled up in a pizza crust? Um, YUM. Unfortunately, this recipe had a major problem. Way, WAY too much Velveeta. WAY. TOO. MUCH. I have nothing against Velveeta cheese, but apparently I do when it comes in large quantities. This would have been much better with less Velveeta, or with another type of cheese.

I made a few changes to the recipe -- added some seasonings, cooked things in a different order, etc. -- so below is my adapted version of this. You could totally roll up any hamburger ingredients you like in the pizza crust -- I think using swiss cheese and adding mushrooms would have been delicious. You could even put pickles or (seeded, patted dry) tomatoes in this. I'll probably make this again, but I'll use a different kind of cheese and play with the ingredients a little bit more.


Bacon Cheeseburger Roll-Up
Source: adapted from Kraft Foods

1 pound lean ground beef
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
Hamburger seasoning blend
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound (8 ounces) Velveeta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (seriously, if using Velveeta, USE LESS CHEESE)
1 package refrigerated pizza crust

1. Heat oven to 400°. Add bacon to cold skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently. When bacon is about halfway to desired crispness, and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook about 3 minutes, until onions are tender and bacon is crisp.

2. Add ground beef to skillet. Season with salt, pepper and hamburger seasoning. Cook until no longer pink; drain. Return meat mixture to skillet. Add Velveeta; cook until melted, stirring frequently. Cool 10 minutes.

3. Unroll pizza dough onto baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Press into a rectangle; top with meat mixture. Roll up, starting at one of the long sides. Rearrange if necessary so roll is seam-side down.

4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta

I am always printing off recipes I find online. I stuff all of them into a massive notebook that's already way too full of them -- so full that it will barely close. Because this system is so unorganized, most of those recipes go unused because it's too much of a hassle to sort through all of them to find what I'm looking for.

So, a couple of weeks ago, I found myself with a little bit of spare time, and I decided to organize all of these recipes. I bought a huge three-ring binder, sheet protectors, and labeled dividers, and I threw myself into the project. And now, I have a very well-organized place for all of my internet recipes to call home.

To celebrate, all of our meals this week are coming from that binder. They're all internet recipes I printed out ages ago and haven't yet tried. Last night, I made the first one -- and WOW, was it a winner!

I love the combination of spinach and artichokes, and I love cream cheese, and I love pasta, so when I found a recipe for creamy spinach artichoke pasta I immediately started salivating. This pasta was so, so good. I made a few changes to the recipe, and they were good ones: I added one chopped roasted red pepper, as well as some additional hot sauce and some black pepper, and I topped it all with bread crumbs mixed with melted butter before I put it in the oven. Without these things, I think the pasta may have been too bland. I loved the creaminess of this dish. I can't think of one way I could improve upon it. This is our new favorite pasta dish, and I can tell it's going to become a regular in our house. When I told Joe -- a self-professed hater of leftovers -- that we were having the rest of it tonight for dinner, he was actually happy -- and that's a real testament to how good this is!

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta
Source: Recipezaar

12 ounces campanelle pasta (I used rigatoni)
1 (12 ounce) package cream cheese or neufchatel cheese (I used an 8-ounce block of cream cheese, which was plenty)
3/4 cup sour cream (increased to 1 cup)
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I eyeballed it, but probably used about a teaspoon)
2 cups shredded swiss cheese
1 (13 3/4 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, halved
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs, mixed with melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cook pasta according to directions, drain; return to pot; reserve.

3. In large bowl at medium speed beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth; reduce speed to low; add milk, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and hot sauce.

4. Beat until combined, 30 seconds; stir in 1 1/2 cups swiss cheese, artichokes, spinach and roasted red pepper.

5. Pour over pasta; toss to combine.

6. Spoon pasta mixture into a shallow baking dish; sprinkle with remaining swiss cheese, parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.

7. Bake until heated through, 30 minutes. If desired, to brown cheese broil 1 minute.

Yummy Mummy Cheese "Ball"

My experience with cheeseballs has been that, at most parties, they sort of just...sit there, ignored in favor of something fancier or more scrumptious. Whenever I've taken a cheeseball to a party or family gathering in the past, there's always at least half of it left over. That is, until I took this particular cheeseball to a Halloween potluck at work two years ago. This one definitely got eaten, and it won me first prize (a cheap little witch flashlight that cackled) in our Most Festive Dish contest to boot.

I was inspired by this recipe from Taste of Home, but I decided to swap out the port wine cheese logs in favor of my go-to cheeseball recipe (the ingredients of which looked more like the mummy's guts, muahahaha). This is delicious, and so much fun to eat at Halloween!


Yummy Mummy Cheese "Ball"
Source: inspired by Taste of Home, cheese ball recipe by Cassie

3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup green onions, chopped fine
1 small jar pimientos, drained and chopped (reserve 1 pimiento strip)
3/4 cup sliced corned beef (Buddig brand works best)
Dash hot sauce
1 tablespoon milk
2 peppercorns

1. In a large bowl, combine 2 packages of the cream cheese with the cheddar cheese. Stir in onions, pimientos, corned beef and hot sauce. Wearing disposable, latex-free gloves, shape the cheese mixture into pieces for the head, body, arms and legs of the mummy and arrange on a serving plate.

2. Combine the third package of cream cheese with the milk. Place in a plastic storage bag and nip the tip to create a make-shift pastry bag. Pipe rows of cream cheese across the mummy, creating bandages. Add peppercorns for eyes and the pimiento strip for mouth. Chill until serving.

Spinach Feta Strata

I had French bread left over from the soup I made earlier last week, and I thought a strata would be the perfect way to use it up. Unfortunately, by the time I thought of this yesterday afternoon, I didn't have enough time to refrigerate the strata for the entire 8 hours, but it was still delicious. I found this recipe in one of my trusty Taste of Home cookbooks, and I'll definitely make this again. It had great flavor and was very filling, and I think the roasted red pepper I added really worked well. Unless you're serving guests, though, I would suggest cutting this recipe at least in half, because this makes 12 servings and it just doesn't work for me as leftovers.


Spinach Feta Strata
Source: Taste of Home's Best of Country Breakfast and Brunch, also found on the Taste of Home website

10 slices French bread (1 inch thick) or 6 croissants, split
6 eggs
1 and 1/2 cups milk
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 roasted red pepper, patted dry and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 and 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. In a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish, arrange French bread or croissant halves with sides overlapping.

2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, spinach, roasted red pepper, salt, nutmeg and pepper; pour over bread. Sprinkle with cheeses.

3. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

4. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Brie-Leek Tartlets

So, the picture of this delicious little appetizer was borrowed from Taste of Home, because my family swiped up and devoured these little tartlets literally before I could retrieve my camera.

I'll keep it simple: MAKE THESE. They are so creamy and delicious and I wish I would have made more than just one batch for my stepmom's birthday dinner last weekend. I could have eaten all 15 of them myself, that's how good they are.


Brie-Leek Tartlets
Source: Taste of Home Magazine, October/November 2008

1 medium leek (white portion only), finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Dash salt and white pepper
Dash ground nutmeg
1 package (1.9 ounces) frozen miniature phyllo tart shells
2 ounces Brie or Camembert cheese, rind removed

1. In a small skillet, saute leek and garlic in butter until tender. Add the cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.

2. Place tart shells on a baking sheet. Slice cheese into 15 pieces; place one piece in each tart shell. Top each with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons leek mixture.

3. Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until heated through. Refrigerate leftovers.

Chili Mac and Cheese

In our family, the preferred way to use up chili leftovers is to turn the chili into mac and cheese. My mom used to do this all the time when I was little, and I've carried on the tradition. We had just the right amount of chili left from Saturday's dinner to make a delicious, comforting, creamy pile of mac and cheese. I guarantee you that if you try this, it'll become a favorite in your family too!


Chili Mac and Cheese
Source: family recipe

1 box cavatappi (or your preferred short pasta)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Leftover chili (my chili recipe is here)

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add cavatappi and cook until al dente, 8 or 9 minutes. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add flour and stir constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbly, about 1 minute. Add milk and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and add sour cream and cheese.

3. When cheese is thoroughly combined in the sauce, add leftover chili directly to the cheese sauce and stir. Heat through.

4. Pour chili-cheese sauce over pasta and stir to combine.

Broccoli Ham Turnovers

Last night's dinner was so, so good. Of course, when you stuff pretty much anything in a pie crust it's bound to be tasty, but the combination of broccoli, ham and cheese in this dish was particularly delicious. What's awesome about this is that you can stuff the pastry with pretty much anything -- berries and cream cheese, apple pie filling, pizza ingredients, tons of vegetables, or spinach, roasted red peppers and feta...I now have a thousand different recipe ideas, all thanks to this recipe! This was a delicious, comforting dinner, and I definitely recommend that you start "stuffing" things in your kitchen!


Broccoli Ham Turnovers
Source: Taste of Home's Best of Country Breakfast and Brunch, also found on the Taste of Home website

2 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used about 1 cup of shredded cheese and 1/2 cup of Velveeta)
1/2 cup cubed fully cooked ham
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (omitted)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (omitted)
Salt and pepper to taste
Pastry for double-crust pie
1 egg
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

1. Place broccoli in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water in a saucepan. Cover and steam for 5-8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Rinse in cold water; drain well.

2. In a bowl, combine broccoli, cheese, ham, onions, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

3. On a floured surface, roll out pastry; cut each in half. Place 1 and 1/2 cups filling on one side of each half; flatten filling with a spoon. Combine egg and cream; brush some over pastry edges. Fold pastry over filling. Seal edges and prick tops with a fork.

4. Place on a baking sheet; brush with remaining egg mixture. Bake at 400° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Family-Favorite Macaroni and Cheese

There are some recipes that are timeless for one reason and one reason only: They are just that good. Betty Crocker's macaroni and cheese is one of those recipes for me. I've made countless variations of this classic comfort food, and yet I always come back to Betty's mac and cheese. It just can't be beat. I made it again one night last week to go along with the pork "butt roast" Joe cooked on the grill all day long (YUM), and Joe promptly declared it the best mac and cheese I've ever made. Thank you, Betty! I only have a couple of additions/changes to this recipe, which are in purple as usual.


Family-Favorite Macaroni and Cheese
Source: Betty Crocker (also found in The Betty Crocker Cookbook)

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (7 ounces)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 ounces) (I use a blend of all kinds of cheeses, usually about 3 cups' worth instead of 2, and I always use a little bit of Velveeta and some cream cheese to make this even creamier)
1 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers
1/4 cup butter, melted

1. Heat oven to 350º.

2. Cook macaroni as directed on package.

3. While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constanly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.

4. Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Mix Ritz crackers with melted butter and sprinkle over the top. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.