Tomato and Pesto Pizza by Alicia

Made this homeade pizza for Tyler on Friday and it was really good! Really liked the pesto flavoring rather than traditional red sauce. I had received some really good pesto for Christmas and used it for this!

Tomato and Pesto Pizza

What you need:

Frozen Pizza Crust

1 small can sliced black olives

1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup pesto 

3 medium tomatoes

What to do: (preheat oven to 425 degrees)

1. Remove pizza crust and spread out on oven pan (I chose to use already cooked pizza crust this time (Boboli)

2. Spread 1/2 cup pesto sauce on crust

3. Slice tomatoes (thin) and place on sauce

4. Sprinkle pepper over tomatoes for added flavor

5. Sprinkle cheese on top (as much as you like!)

6. Add olives to the top!

looked like this before I placed it in oven

7. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted!
8. Enjoy!

Lemon Basil Pasta by Alicia

I made this dish for Tyler and I the other night and it turned out great! It was very light and flavorful, perfect for a night in!

Lemon Basil Pasta

What you need:

1 lb. pasta (any kind really!)

1 can white kidney beans

1 cup basil leaves (fresh)

1/2 lemon

3 Tbs olive oil

salt/pepper to taste

What to do:

1. cook pasta... add beans for the last 2 minutes of cooking time

2. Drain 1/2 of water, keep other half for use later

3. Shred (finely) lemon peel from lemon

4. In a skillet, heat oil and cook grated lemon for 2 minutes until golden in color

5. In a food processor, combine lemon peel, basil, 2 Tb olive oil, juice from lemon half, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper... process until smooth. Add reserved cooking liquid, 1 Tb at a time until desired consistency

6. Toss pasta with dressing and serve!

Serves:4

Garlic Ranch Chicken Pizza by Suburbs Mama

This recipe looks so good to make for a lazy Friday night in!! Check it out!

Garlic Ranch Chicken Pizza

What you need:

1 large pizza dough, uncooked (fresh, frozen, or whatever you like best)

3/4 c. home made ranch dressing (see recipe bellow)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 c. Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 c. turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 Cup of chicken (cooked and cut into strips)

2 tomatoes, sliced

*Ranch Dressing: 1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)

1 c. mayonnaise

1 c. buttermilk

What to do:

Whisk ranch mix and mayo together, slowly add buttermilk. When well blended, cover and refrigerate

Mix ranch dressing and crushed garlic together then spread evenly on the pizza dough.

Sprinkle a little cheese over the ranch dressing then add chicken and bacon. Sprinkle more of the cheese over that, add the tomatoes, then add the remaining cheese. Put in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes (or until crust is a nice golden-brown). Top with parsley

Roasted Tomato Feta and Mushroom Stuffed Porkchops by Alicia

Made these the other night for dinner, they are simple to make and really good!

Roasted Tomato Feta and Mushroom Stuffed Porkchops

What you need:

- 2 thinly sliced porkchops (boneless)

- 1 cup mushrooms

- 1 shallot

-1 clove garlic

- Roasted Tomato Feta Cheese

- Salt and Pepper to taste

What to do:

1. Cook garlic (chopped) and shallot (chopped) with about 1 Tb. of olive oil on skillet until cooked through (soft)

1. Put raw chops in a large ziploc bag and pound meat with tenderizer until flattened out a bit

2. Once flattened, add handful of mushrooms and fets to center of meat. Add a pinch of cooked garlic and shallot.

3. secure both ends together and press toothpicks through one side of meat through the other side.

4. Line a glass baking dish with foil and place the chops inside.

5. Cook about 25-30 min (depending on thickness of meat and how many chops you have) (or until center reads 165 degrees... 175 degrees if you like it well done)

6. Let cool and enjoy! You can add salt and pepper to taste!

Pork Chops and Apples by allrecipes.com

I love the taste of apples and pork, so I made this recipe!

Pork Chops and Apples

What you need:

1/2 c. chopped onion

2 Tb. butter

6 pork chops

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

3 medium apples- sliced

1 c. water

3 Tb. brown sugar

1/2 Tb. dry mustard 

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

cinnamon

What to do:

1. Saute the onion in butter until soft-- remove

2. Brown the chops in butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper

3. Put chops in baking dish, add onions, cover with apples

4. Add water, brown sugar, dry mustard and cinnamon

5. Bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees covered, 15 min uncovered

Potato Topped Beef Bowl by BHG

I also made this meal for Tyler one night when it was cold outside, it was perfect comfort food!

Potato Topped Beef Bowl

What you need:

1 lb. ground beef

1 (16 oz) pkg mixed veggies

1 (8 oz) pkg. shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 c. fresh parsley

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 c. boiling water

2 c. instant mashed potatoes (flakes)

2 Tb. butter melted

What to do:

1. Preheat broiler-- in large skillet cook beef until brown

2. Stir in frozen veggies-- stir in 1/2 cheese, 1/2 parsley and 1/2 salt and pepper

3. In a large bowl, mix together water, instant potatoes, 1 Tb. butter and stir until smooth. Season with salt and pepper

4. Put the beef mixture into oven dish, top with potatoes and cheese

5. Broil for 2-3 min.

6. Drizzle with remaining butter and sprinkle with parsley

Hummus Crusted Chicken by BHG

I made this for Tyler a few weeks ago and it was really good!

Hummus Crusted Chicken

What you need:

1- (15-16) oz. can navy beans, rinsed and drained

3 Tb. olive oil

3 Tb. lime or lemon juice

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

2 c. bread crumbs

salt and pepper

lemon wedges

2 Tb. olive oil (for pan)

What to do:

Hummus:

1. Blend (in blender) beans, 3 Tb. olive oil, lime or lemon juice.... blend until smooth. Set aside 1/3 c. of hummus for later use

Chicken:

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, spread with remaining hummus and roll in bread crumbs

2. Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. 

3. Add chicken ,cook until no pink (about 12 min)-- turning once

4. Serve with lime wedges and left over hummus

Muskoglia-- recipe from my mom

We grew up having this casserole, it is so good and Tyler loves it!!

Muskoglia

What you need:

- 1 box of macaroni noodles

- 2 cans of tomato soup

- 1 large can of peas (do not drain)

- 1 lb. of hamburger meat

- cheddar cheese

-salt and pepper to taste

-2 celery stalks

- 1/4 c. onion

-Brown hamburger meat in a pan on the stove

- cook noodles until al dente

-Combine all ingredients into large baking dish (except cheese), sprinkle cheese over the top

- Bake at 350 degrees for an hour

-uncover and continue to bake for another 15 minutes

-Let cool and enjoy!

Lime Chicken Tacos by Taste of Home (Pinterest)

Yes Please!!!

Lime Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 12 flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed
• Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and shredded lettuce, optional

Directions

• Place the chicken in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Combine lime juice and chili powder; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender.
• Remove chicken; cool slightly. Shred meat with two forks and return to the slow cooker; heat through. Stir in corn and salsa.
• Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve in tortillas with sour cream, cheese and lettuce if desired. Yield: 12 tacos.

Cranberry Stuffing by Whipperberry

This looks delicious! I have been looking for a different kind of stuffing to make for my in-laws this year!!

Cranberry Stuffing

• 1 T of olive oil
• 1 lb. of sausage
• 1 large onion
• 4 stalks of celery
• 4 large carrots
• 2 apples {I prefer Granny Smith}
• 1 cup of dried cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups of brandy
• 1 lb of dried bread crumbs {I just use the generic store bought non-seasoned stuffing mix}
• 4 cups of chicken stock

About an hour before you begin your dressing add your dried cranberries to your brandy and set aside.

In a large skillet, warm the olive oil and then brown the sausage on medium high heat.  Once browned, remove from pan, leave the drippings and add your diced onions, carrots, celery and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 5 minutes. Add apples and cook for another 5 minutes.  Add cranberries and brandy to the skillet.  Cook on high for 3-4 minutes to let the alcohol cook out.  Add the chicken stock.  Check the seasoning at this point, add salt and pepper again if needed.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place the bread dressing mix into a large bowl and add the sausage and veggie mix.  Gently fold the sausage and veggies into the bread mix. At this point you need to gage whether you need to add more liquid.  It's kind of up to you if you like a wet or dry dressing.  If it needs more stock then add it.  Taste and check your seasoning, spray your cooking dish with cooking spray and then add your dressing to the dish.  Place in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serves 10-12

Manicotti with Tomato Sauce by Martha Stewart

Another one!

Manicotti with Tomato Sauce 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, (about 15 halves)
• 6 sheets no-boil manicotti
• 1 sixteen-ounce container nonfat ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped plus 1 teaspoon fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups Tomato Sauce
• 3 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Olive-oil cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place tomatoes in small bowl; cover with 1 cup boiling water. Let stand until softened, about 15 minutes. Dry with paper towel, and cut into 1/4-inch dice; transfer to medium bowl.
2. Fill baking dish with very hot water; place manicotti sheets, one at a time, in water. Let stand 10 minutes until softened.
3. To tomatoes, add ricotta, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil, egg yolk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and mix well to combine. On a clean work surface, place one sheet of manicotti lengthwise. Spoon about 1/3 cup ricotta mixture along front edge; roll to form cylinder. Repeat filling-and-rolling process on all manicotti. Spray 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive-oil spray; spoon about 1/4 cup tomato sauce on bottom.
4. Transfer manicotti to the dish in a single layer; cover with remaining 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover with foil; bake 10 minutes. Remove foil; bake until top is browned and sauce is bubbling, 12 to 15 minutes. Garnish with remaining teaspoon parsley.

Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage by Martha Stewart

Another recipe possibility for company!

Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage 

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup vodka (optional)
• 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes with juice, lightly crushed with hands
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound rigatoni
• 10 ounces baby spinach
• 12 ounces smoked chicken sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 6 ounces fontina cheese, 4 ounces cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 2 ounces coarsely grated
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Remove from heat; add vodka, if desired. Return to heat; cook until almost evaporated, 1 minute.
2. Stir in tomatoes and oregano; cook until tomatoes are falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Add spinach, and cook just until wilted. Drain, and return contents to pot.
4. Add tomato sauce, sausage, and cubed fontina to pot; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Divide evenly between two shallow 1 1/2-quart baking dishes.
5. Top with grated fontina and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Sauce by Martha Stewart

I am searching for a yummy dinner to make for friends this weekend, here is one I picked out that might be a good choice!

Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
• 1 slice white sandwich bread, crumbled
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 large egg white
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in puree

Directions

1. Place chicken thighs in a food processor, and pulse until meat is coarsely ground.
2. Add bread, milk, egg white, cheese, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; process until meat is finely ground.
3. With moistened hands, shape mixture into 12 meatballs. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add meatballs, and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and puree, breaking them up with your fingers; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; cover, and cook 15 minutes. Uncover; simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes more.

Chicken Enchilada Bake by Just.Lovely.Things

Tyler will love this!

Chicken Enchilada Bake

What you need:

chicken

cheese (shredded)

rice 

beans 1 can (black)

corn 1 can

green chili sauce 

sour cream

olives

tomato

Check out her blog to follow step by step directions!

http://justlovelythings.blogspot.com/2011/10/cook-book-chicken-enchilada-bake.html#.To41N97iE8k

Pumpkin Chili by Scissors and Spatulas

This looks interesting to try, maybe for my chili party in November!

Pumpkin Chili 

What you need:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped

2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 pound ground white or dark meat turkey

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée

1 cup water

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

What to do:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, water, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and add beans. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.

Broccoli and Chicken Casserole by Alicia

Needed a quick chicken recipe to throw in the oven for dinner, so I made this one! It was really good!

Broccoli and Chicken Casserole

What you need:

- 1 small can of Cream of Chicken soup

-1 small can of Cream of Mushroom soup

-2 chicken breasts cut into small pieces

- Cheddar Cheese (1/2 bag)

-1 package of frozen broccoli (16- 20 oz) (thawed)

- 1 tsp. lemon juice

-1/2 c. Mayo

What to do:

1. In a large glass baking dish, place broccoli on bottom of dish

2. Top with chicken

3. Mix together soups, mayo and lemon and spread on top of chicken

4. Add cheddar cheese to top and cook for 45 minutes

Stuffed Shells with Spinach, Sour Cream and Cheese by Alicia

I had left over ingredients and decided to make stuffed shells last night, they were really good!

Stuffed Shells with Spinach, Sour Cream and Cheese

What you need:

- Large Stuffed Shells (I used 1/2 a box for 2 people)

- Container of Ricotta Cheese

- Frozen package of  chopped spinach

- Mexican Cheese (1/2 a bag)

- 1 small container of sour cream

- chives (2 bunches)

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Boil water for shells, add shells, cook until el dente

3. thaw spinach and drain excess water

4. In a large bowl, add spinach (drained), sour cream (just enough to saturate spinach so might only need 3/4 container), ricotta cheese (again enough to saturate), and chives.. mix together

5. Once shells are cooked and drained, hold open shells with two fingers and spoon spinach mixture into shell

6. Place stuffed shells in a large glass baking dish

7. Cover shells with a red pasta sauce and a couple handfuls of Mexican Cheese

8. Cook about 20 minutes

Enjoy!

Lemon Dill Butter Chicken and Cucumbers by Better Homes and Gardens

We had this for dinner tonight and it was really good!!

Lemon Dill Butter Chicken and Cucumbers with Steamed Veggies 

What you need:

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

1.5 cups of chopped cucumber

1/2 lemon

3 Tbs. butter

1/2 tsp. dried dill

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

What to do:

1. Preheat broiler... prepare chicken in glass baking dish and broil til not pink (about 10-12 min each side)

2. Finely shred lemon peel (1/2 tsp), cut lemon in half and squeeze out 2 Tbs. of juice

3. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Stir in cucumber and cook for about 4 min.

4. Spoon over chicken

5. I sauteed up some veggies to have with the chicken, it was perfect!