Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

Chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing. They’re three flavors that are delicious all on their own, of course, but when you think about it, they were sort of made for each other. The salty bacon, creamy dressing, and savory chicken complement each other so well. They should be best friends forever.

So imagine those flavors, together, on a pizza. Then add in sweet tomatoes, sharp green onions, and tons of gooey cheese.

Yeah. It’s pretty much perfection. Make this amazing pizza this weekend. I promise you’ll love it.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza
source: adapted from Allrecipes

1/2 pound bacon, chopped
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 cup Ranch-style salad dressing
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped green onions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a pizza pan or medium baking sheet.

2. Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat to desired crispness. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.

3. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until no longer pink and juices run clear. Cool, then either shred or chop into small pieces.

4. Unroll dough, and press into the prepared pizza pan or baking sheet. Bake crust for 5 minutes in the preheated oven, or until it begins to turn golden brown. Remove from oven.

5. Spread ranch dressing over partially baked crust. Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese. Place tomatoes, green onion, and chicken on top of mozzarella cheese, then top with Cheddar cheese. Return to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle with reserved bacon, slice, and serve.

Vegetable Stuffed Zucchini

I am in love with zucchini this year.

I’ve always liked it, but for some reason, this year’s crop is just fantastic. My supermarket gets produce from a local organic farm, and the locally grown, organic zucchini is more than worth the extra $.30 per pound it costs. It is so delicious.

This is just the first of many zucchini recipes you’ll see here on the blog over the course of the next few weeks (because not only have I been buying the stuff at an alarming rate, I was also gifted with four monstrous zucchini recently). As soon as I saw this recipe, I put it on our menu. I love stuffed zucchini but had never actually had a version that didn’t contain ground beef or sausage. But even without the meat, these were so flavorful and filling. Joe and I loved the taste, and Andrew loved the idea of eating his food out of a boat. Served with a simple salad, this stuffed zucchini was the perfect summer supper.

Vegetable Stuffed Zucchini
source: My Kitchen Café

4 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces each), washed

4 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium red potatoes (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 medium yellow or red onion, chopped fine

5 large cloves garlic, finely minced

3 medium tomatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), seeded and chopped

1/3 cup shredded fresh basil leaves

6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 1/2 cups), shredded

1. Adjust one oven rack to upper-middle position and second oven rack to lowest position, then place a rimmed baking sheet on each rack and heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, halve each zucchini lengthwise. With a small spoon, scoop out the seeds and most of the flesh so that the walls of the zucchini are about 1/4-inch thick all the way around. Season the cut sides of the zucchini with salt and pepper and brush them lightly with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Set the zucchini halves cut-side down on the hot baking sheet that has been preheating on the lower rack. Meanwhile, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, salt, and pepper, to taste, in a small bowl and spread in a single layer on the hot baking sheet that has been preheating on the upper rack. Roast the zucchini until slightly softened and skins are slightly wrinkled, about 10 minutes, while simultaneously roasting the potatoes until they are tender and lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. When the zucchini has finished baking, remove it from the oven and using tongs, flip the zucchini halves over on the baking sheet and set aside.

3. While the zucchini and potatoes are roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cooked potatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil, 1/2 cup cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Divide filling evenly among the zucchini halves on the baking sheet, spooning about 1/2 cup into each, and packing it lightly; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Return the baking sheet to the oven, this time to the upper rack, and bake the zucchini until heated through and cheese is spotty brown, about 6 minutes. Serve immediately.

Southwest Sausage and Egg Bake

As a busy working mom who barely has time to breathe on some nights, let alone cook an involved dinner, this is the kind of meal I absolutely love. It requires some advance prep time the night before, but all I have to do when I get home from work the night we have this is pop it in a preheated oven, and an hour later? We have a hot, delicious, homemade dinner. Incidentally, this is also perfect for Sunday brunch or Christmas breakfast.

There are few things that win me over more than sausage, eggs, and gooey cheese, and this recipe combines them with tortillas to make a tasty and filling casserole my whole family absolutely loved. Use spicy sausage or pepper-jack cheese for a little more heat; add in some bacon or whatever veggies you want. This recipe is endlessly adaptable, so it’s a great method to have in your cooking arsenal.

(Pay no attention to my wonky tomato slices in the photo, by the way. I fail at slicing tomatoes.)

Southwest Sausage and Egg Bake
source: adapted from Taste of Home’s Most Requested Recipes (original recipe also found here)

6 10-inch flour tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 7-ounce cans chopped green chilies, drained
1 pound bulk pork sausage, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, chili powder and ground cumin
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
Sour cream and salsa for serving, if desired

1. In a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish, layer half of the tortilla strips, chilies, sausage and cheese. Repeat layers.

2. In a bowl, beat the eggs, milk and seasonings; pour over cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Arrange tomato slices over the top. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Roasted Bell Pepper Pasta

I love roasted peppers. I’ll be the first to admit that I usually buy them in a jar at the supermarket, but I really need to get out of that habit, because making them at home is so easy and results in a fresher, more concentrated taste.

This is the perfect recipe to highlight the amazing flavor of roasted bell peppers. We all really enjoyed this creamy, smoky pasta. It would be delicious with some grilled chicken breast sliced on top, but it’s delicious just the way it is too.

Roasted Bell Pepper Pasta
source: adapted from Kraft Foods

1 pound fettuccine
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 8-ounce tub chive and onion cream cheese spread
Parmesan cheese

1. Heat broiler. Place whole bell peppers on foil-covered baking sheet. Broil, 4 inches from heat, 7 to 10 minutes or until peppers are evenly blackened, turning occasionally. Place in paper bag; close bag. Let stand 20 minutes or until peppers are cooled. Remove peppers from bag. Peel away blackened skins with small knife; discard skins. Cut each pepper lengthwise into 4 pieces; remove and discard seeds.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling salted water as directed on package.

3. Blend roasted red bell pepper, chicken broth and crushed red pepper in blender until smooth. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Cut remaining roasted peppers into strips and set aside.

4. Drain pasta in colander. Add pepper puree to saucepan with cream cheese spread; cook and stir on medium heat 1 to 2 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and sauce is heated through. Remove from heat. Add pasta and pepper strips; mix lightly. Top with parmesan.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 8.2.10

It’s a short menu this week. The hubs and I have a child-free (!!!!!) anniversary weekend coming up next weekend, and I plan on entering the kitchen only for ice cream and Dr. Pepper.

Monday: We’re taking our annual trip to the Ohio State Fair with our best friends. There will be corn dogs, funnel cakes, turkey legs, and sundry other treats consumed.

Tuesday: Spicy turkey, corn, and zucchini skillet

Wednesday: Chicken cordon bleu in pastry, steamed broccoli

Thursday: Shredded buffalo chicken salad

Friday: Leftovers