Cassie Craves...

Weekly Meal Planning

2009-11-15T08:44:00.000-05:00

Wow. So I just looked over this week's menu and noticed that we're having chicken five out of seven days this week. Don't be surprised if all future posts are written in clucking. (Bock!)

Also: As of today I've officially made it through half a month of posting every day. I hope you guys are enjoying the recipes; I'm definitely enjoying getting caught up on sharing some of them! My 300th post is coming up during the week of Thanksgiving (which I guess is next week -- whoa), and I think I'm going to do a fun giveaway, so be sure to check back!

Monday: Chicken cordon bleu casserole, salad

Tuesday: Homemade chicken noodle soup, salad

Wednesday: Macaroni and cheese with cauliflower, salad. We've been eating a lot of macaroni and cheese lately, and my obsession with cauliflower continues. Joe has also been on a salad kick lately, as you can probably tell, which I guess is much better for us than my near-constant craving for bacon.

Thursday: Buffalo chicken joes, steak fries

Friday: Cheddar chicken chowder, rolls. (Mmm...more bacon...)

Saturday: Pizza-stuffed peppers, garlic bread. This meal is on the menu for the third time in just about as many weeks. It's been eclipsed by fast food twice, but I'm determined not to let that happen again!

Sunday: White chicken enchilada lasagna -- a family favorite recipe that I can't believe I haven't shared yet.

Weekend Breakfast: Mandarin orange breakfast bites. This breakfast is pretty much all for Andrew, who is obsessed with mandarin oranges.

Baking: Snickers pie. I think I'm also going to make a batch of my mom's pear muffins, because I've been craving them like mad lately. Maybe I'll make two batches so I can freeze some for when the baby's born.

Baked Gnocchi with Spinach and Goat Cheese

2009-11-14T08:59:00.000-05:00

I've been wanting to make this dish ever since I got Giada's pasta cookbook last winter. I'd planned to wait until the weather got colder to make it, since it seems like the perfect cold weather comfort food, but I just couldn't wait any longer. We're having good luck with Andrew and spinach lately, and I want to take advantage of it while it lasts.

We all really enjoyed this, and I thought it was definitely worth the wait. It's a hearty, filling vegetarian entree with tons of flavor, and it really couldn't be easier to prepare. I can't speak to how it works at leftovers, because there weren't any in our house -- we all had two helpings. Andrew liked the gnocchi so much that I've made it for him twice since -- once with cheese sauce, and once with marinara. I think it may be his new favorite food!

Baked Gnocchi with Spinach and Goat Cheese
source: adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada de Laurentiis

1 17-ounce package potato gnocchi

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/8 cup all purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of nutmeg

6 ounces baby spinach

2 ounces goat cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place gnocchi in a lightly greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, whisk together cream, broth, and flour over medium heat. Continue whisking until the sauce is simmering and thickened, about 5 minutes.

3. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg, and stir to combine. Add spinach and toss to coat in the cream. Pour the cream and spinach mixture over the gnocchi evenly, spreading the spinach out to cover all the potato dumplings.

4. Crumble goat cheese over the spinach. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake until the top is golden in places, about 30 minutes.

Pizza Joes

2009-11-13T10:19:00.004-05:00

I love trying new twists on sloppy joes. I mean, the original is pretty unbeatable, but every once and a while it's nice to change it up and do something more creative. When I saw this recipe for pizza joes, I knew I had to give it a shot.

This is a simple, yummy, and family-friendly dinner option. These pizza joes taste like spaghetti and meatballs, except, you know, without the spaghetti and the, um, balls. (Donna, I know you're going to have something to say about that.) I made them a little bit more special by treating the buns as though they were garlic bread, which added a lot of flavor. Even Andrew, who is a vegetarian right now more often than not, ate some of the meat and enjoyed it. I served these pizza joes with store-bought mozzarella sticks for a quick weeknight dinner.

Pizza Joes
source: adapted from Tried and True Cooking with Heidi

1 pound ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste

1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced

1 14-ounce jar pizza sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup chopped pepperoni

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Hamburger buns, split and toasted (turn 'em into garlic bread using this method)

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook beef until lightly browned. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are softened. Add pizza sauce, spices, and chopped pepperoni. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

2. Cook on medium and heat just until heated through. Pile meat on prepared hamburger buns and top with shredded cheese.

Macaroni and Cheese-Stuffed Tomatoes

2009-11-12T10:04:00.004-05:00

Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved eating macaroni and cheese with a side of sliced and salted tomatoes. I don't know what it is I enjoy so much about that combination, but it's always appealed to me. So when I saw this recipe for macaroni and cheese stuffed inside tomatoes, I knew it would be right up my alley.

Served with a salad and crusty buttered bread, these tomatoes were a delicious, simple, and quick weeknight dinner. The original recipe suggests using boxed macaroni and cheese, but I elected to make a batch of our favorite mac and cheese to use for the filling so that I could freeze whatever was left for a future meal. You could even leave the bacon out of these to make them a vegetarian entrée (although, honestly: why would anyone ever omit bacon from anything?). The buttery breadcrumbs on top added nice crunch, and the green onions added a crisp, fresh flavor. I loved the velvety texture and taste of the warm tomatoes. I'll definitely make these again!

Macaroni and Cheese-Stuffed Tomatoes
source: adapted from Meals.com

1 package macaroni and cheese, cooked according to package directions (or about 2 cups of cooked homemade mac and cheese)

4 large, fresh tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

4 slices bacon, fully cooked, drained and crumbled

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese

2 teaspoons butter or margarine, melted

1. Hollow out tomatoes, leaving a 1/4-inch wall around sides and bottom. Salt and pepper insides of tomatoes. Place in 9-inch-round cake pan or pie plate to prevent tipping.

2. Combine hot macaroni and cheese, bacon and onion in medium bowl; fill tomatoes with mixture.

3. Combine bread crumbs, cheese and butter in small bowl; sprinkle mixture evenly on top of each tomato.

4. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Spinach Artichoke Lasagna

2009-11-11T10:18:00.005-05:00

You have to make this lasagna immediately. Like, change your meal plans for tonight and have this instead. On Veteran's Day, I can't think of a better dish to serve the hero in your life than a huge piece of this creamy, cheesy, comforting spinach artichoke lasagna.

You know what this lasagna tastes like? It tastes like spinach artichoke dip. But with lasagna noodles. If that isn't enough of a selling point, well, I don't know what else to say.

This was also my first experience using no-boil lasagna noodles, and I think I'm in love. I realize I'm about two years too late with my infatuation, but seriously: Have you used no-boil noodles? There are no torn noodles or burnt fingers to worry about or anything! My life will never be the same.

This post is sort of all over the place, but the main thing I want to tell you is this: Make this lasagna soon. It's delicious. We all loved it, including Andrew. This was a great way to get some iron-rich spinach into him. It's a new family favorite for sure.

Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
source: inspired by Better Homes and Gardens

9 no-boil lasagna noodles
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 boxes chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 15-ounce carton ricotta cheese
1 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese

1 egg
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half or light cream

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add artichokes, onion and half of the garlic; season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened and the garlic is fragrant but not browned. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese, the spinach, the egg, and salt and pepper as needed.

2. In a small bowl or glass measure, combine broth and flour. In the large saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic; cook and stir until garlic is tender but not browned. Stir in flour mixture and half-and-half. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

3. In a small bowl, combine mozzarella cheese and the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.

4. To assemble, spread about 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of an ungreased 3-quart shallow baking dish. Layer three of the noodles in the dish. Spread with one-third of the spinach-artichoke mixture and one-third of the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella mixture. Repeat layering noodles, spinach-artichoke mixture, sauce, and mozzarella mixture two more times, ending with cheese.

5. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes until edges are bubbly and top is lightly browned. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Chip Apple Bread

2009-11-10T11:58:00.004-05:00

I love quick breads. I really, really love them. However, I always have one problem when I'm making one myself, and this has happened with every single one I've made: They're never done baking in the time the recipe states. Does anyone else have this problem? I always use disposable loaf pans -- could that be the issue? If you have any insight, I'd love to hear it.

Anyway, despite taking quite a bit longer to cook than I thought it would, this chocolate chip apple bread was absolutely delicious -- the perfect fall treat. I loved the combination of chocolate and apples; it's one I don't recall ever trying before, and it was really nice. The flavors all really worked well together, and the sugary topping was a nice touch. The original recipe called for walnuts, which I replaced with pecans because I prefer them -- but really, I think either one would be delicious. I doubled the recipe so I could freeze a loaf, and I'm really looking forward to eating this again (especially since I only got two pieces of the loaf I didn't freeze; Joe ate the rest). I actually think this bread would make a great edible Christmas gift. It's definitely special!

(I just had to include this photo because I thought it was so cute. The place I get the best light in my house during the day is on the floor in front of the dining room window, where it's easy for curious little fingers to touch whatever food I'm trying to photograph.)

Chocolate Chip Apple Bread
source: slightly adapted from Allrecipes

2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 cup chopped apples
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. To make the topping, in a small bowl mix the sugar, cinnamon and finely chopped pecans. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. In a separate large bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in apples, pecans, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with topping.

4. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes. (Mine took considerably longer -- probably about an hour and a half.) Cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

Cheesy Salsa Mini Meatloaves

2009-11-09T10:16:00.003-05:00

This is one of those dinners that's just yummy. Plain and simple. There's not much more I can say about these delicious mini meatloaves. They were tender and flavorful, they had just the right amout of spice, and they baked up in no time. What's not to love?

This recipe is really more of a method than anything, because once you know how to make these mini meatloaves you can flavor your ground beef with anything you want. This is definitely a quick and easy alternative to a more traditional meat loaf, and this particular version is going in our regular rotation for sure. (P.S. I pimp this Mexican sour cream rice all the time, but it really is the perfect side dish for these.)

Cheesy Salsa Mini Meatloaves
source: Real Mom Kitchen

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg
12 saltine crackers, finely crushed (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
1 cup medium-heat salsa, divided

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix first 4 ingredients with 1 cup cheese and 1/2 cup salsa.

3. Press evenly into 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. Use back of spoon to make indentation in center of each. Place muffin pan on foil-covered baking sheet.

4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until meatloaves are done (160 degrees). Top with remaining salsa and cheese; bake 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Weekly Meal Planning

2009-11-08T09:50:00.001-05:00

Monday: Chicken rigatoni bake. I found this recipe on a box of pasta years ago and I've been making my adapted version of it ever since. It's one of my favorite fall and winter comfort foods -- I can't believe I haven't shared this one yet.

Tuesday: Chile, cheese and bacon quesadillas, Mexican sour cream rice. (Yes, I make this rice a lot; no, I will never get sick of it, not ever.)

Wednesday: Corn and kielbasa chowder, rolls (and I'm probably going to add cheese, too, because if you look over my menu this week you can clearly see I have thrown calorie counting out the proverbial window. Plus, you know, the baby needs calcium.)

Thursday: Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese. Oh, yeah. (See: baby needs calcium. He also apparently needs spicy food.)

Friday: BBQ beef and bacon melts, steak fries. I make these melts just like I do my bacon patty melts, except I omit the special sauce and use shredded BBQ beef instead of a hamburger patty and cheddar and/or Monterey jack cheese instead of American. Delicious, and equally as good using shredded BBQ chicken or pork.

Saturday: Meatball subs (inspired by this recipe). This is the second time I've used this meatball recipe. I didn't post about these last time I made them because I wanted to play with the ingredients and preparation a little bit to make them fit our tastes perfectly. That's what I plan to do this time, so I'll be sure to share what I come up with.

Sunday: Saucy slow-cooked chicken thighs, Joe's potatoes, green beans

Weekend Breakfast: Bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato sandwiches (BELTs), applesauce. The more bacon the better right now -- I can't get enough of the stuff. My poor little baby and his slowly-clogging arteries.

Baking: I recently found Peanut Butter & Co. cinnamon raisin swirl peanut butter in my local grocery store, so I will be using my precious find to make these oatmeal peanut butter cookies. And then I will be eating all of the cookies, probably in one sitting.

Frozen Pumpkin Squares

2009-11-07T08:50:00.005-05:00

Well, I've officially found a pumpkin dessert that my husband doesn't like. And this is it.

Don't let that deter you from trying these, though; Andrew and I both liked them very much. I think for Joe it was more of a texture issue than a flavor issue, since essentially, the main component of this dessert is frozen pudding. I will admit that the texture of these is rather odd, and next time I make them I may substitute softened vanilla ice cream for the pudding. If I do that, I think I'll have a pretty darn perfect pumpkiny treat on my hands -- one that Joe will definitely enjoy.

Frozen Pumpkin Squares
source: Favorite Brand Name Recipes: Classic Recipe Collection

1 cup fine gingersnap crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/4 cups cold milk
2 packages (4 serving size each) vanilla flavor instant pudding and pie filling
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tub (8 ounces) whipped topping, thawed, divided

1. Mix crumbs, walnuts and butter in a small bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish. Press onto bottom of foil-lined 8-inch square pan. Refrigerate.

2. Pour milk into a large bowl. Add pudding mixes, pumpkin and spice. (Next time, I'll use a couple of cups of vanilla ice cream in place of the milk and pudding.) Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Gently stir in 2 1/4 cups of the whipped topping. Spread over crust.

3. Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes or until dessert can be easily cut. Cut into squares. Garnish with remaining whipped topping and sprinkle with reserved crumbs.

Chicken Spaghetti

2009-11-06T09:16:00.004-05:00

I have another Pioneer Woman recipe to share with you today. And it was delicious, even though my photo of it is terrible. I don't know how to take a pretty picture of something as wonderfully messy as a casserole. So you'll just have to trust me: It tastes a lot better than it looks. (Go look at Ree's pictures. Hers are much better.)

I adjusted the recipe based on our personal tastes, some of the comments on Ree's post, and my time restrictions, and I was really happy with how this turned out. It's nothing special or unique, really: just straight-up delicious home-cooking at its best. I made the full batch and froze half for a later meal, and we still had leftovers -- this makes enough to feed an army! Joe, Andrew and I all really liked this one!

Chicken Spaghetti
source: adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks!

1 16-ounce box spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups cooked shredded chicken (a store-bought rotisserie chicken works perfectly for this)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 4-ounce can green chilies, drained
1 small onion, finely diced
1 4-ounce can chopped pimientos, drained
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook spaghetti in chicken broth and water until al dente; drain. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except 1 cup shredded cheddar. Pour into a casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

Cauliflower Soup

2009-11-05T09:28:00.003-05:00

I've been very into cauliflower lately. I know, isn't that strange? I mean, I've always liked it, but right now I want to eat it all the time. I've had raw cauliflower with veggie dip for a snack every night this week. I should be craving things like chocolate! and ice cream! and other unhealthy sweet treats! And sometimes I do, but mostly? It seems that all this baby wants is cauliflower. He's no fun.

This did, however, give me the perfect opportunity to make The Pioneer Woman's cauliflower soup last week. And this will come as no shock to those of you who've made one of her recipes before: It. was. delicious. Joe absolutely loved it, and even raved about it to his grandma the next day (who is a very good cook, so it's nice to appear competent in her eyes). I followed Ree's recipe pretty exactly, except I dolloped the sour cream on top of our individual bowls of soup and sprinkled some cheddar cheese on top too. I served the soup with grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for a cozy, delicious fall dinner.

Cauliflower Soup
source: slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks!

1 stick butter
1 onion, finely diced
2 bay leaves
1 carrot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 large head cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 32-ounce box of chicken stock
2 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons flour
1 cup half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream
Shredded cheese for topping, if desired

1. In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and bay leaves and cook for a few minutes, or until the onion starts to turn brown. Add the carrots and celery and cook an addition couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine. Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes.

2. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.

3. In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in half and half.

4. Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary. Discard bay leaves.

5. Ladle soup into bowls and top each serving with sour cream and shredded cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.

Maple-Drizzled Apple Muffins

2009-11-04T09:38:00.003-05:00

Here's the funny thing about pregnancy: It makes you crave things that you may not have even liked before you got pregnant. Let me give you a couple of examples. All my life I've hated marshmallows, but last Friday I ate my weight in s'mores, and I currently can't get the thought of these treats out of my head (I actually think I may make them tonight). The other example, which is applicable to today's post, is maple syrup. I've never been a big fan of syrup itself or of maple-flavored things (maple sausage excluded; I have always liked that), but now? I can't get enough of it. So when I saw these muffins, they immediately attracted my attention.

These muffins are soooo delicious. Studded with chopped apples and drizzled with a maple glaze, they absolutely scream "fall" to me. The maple flavor is subtle and sweet, not overpowering at all. This is the kind of muffin that warms you up from the inside out. One Allrecipes reviewer said she added dried cranberries to the muffin mixture, which I'm definitely going to try next time. I think that would make these even better!

Maple-Drizzled Apple Muffins
source: Allrecipes

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups chopped, peeled apples
12 pecan halves
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. In a small bowl, mix milk, butter, syrup and egg; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apples.

2. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Top each with a pecan half. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely.

3. For glaze, mix confectiones' sugar and syrup; drizzle over muffins.

Arroz con Pollo

2009-11-03T09:36:00.004-05:00

I saw this recipe a couple of months ago on Debbie's blog, and I bookmarked it immediately. I've always wanted to make arroz con pollo at home, but I guess I always thought it was a time-consuming, labor-intensive process. But it really wasn't. This meal came together relatively quickly and was absolutely delicious.

The recipe calls for the thighs to be seared in the bacon drippings so the skin gets crispy, but then they go back in the rice and broth mixture to cook through, and by the time the rice was finished the skin had lost a lot of its crispiness. Next time, I'll either use boneless skinless chicken thighs, or I'll cook the bone-in skin-on thighs completely through, separately from the rice. But that was really the only issue I had with this meal. I omitted the peas because I didn't have them on hand, and I also left out the saffron because honestly, it's not an ingredient I would ever use again. I also added some chopped Spanish-style olives to the rice mixture for the last few minutes of cooking. Joe and I both really enjoyed this dinner, and it will definitely be a repeat in our house. Thanks for the recipe, Debbie!

Arroz con Pollo
source: adapted from mocha me

4 slices bacon

4 chicken thighs with skin and bones

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika to taste
Dried oregano to taste

Garlic powder to taste

Cumin to taste

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small sweet yellow onion, diced

2 bell peppers, diced (I used one red and one green)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1 pinch saffron (omitted)

1 cup rice

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (divided)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed (omitted)
1/2 cup Spanish-style pimiento-stuffed olives, roughly chopped

1. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven. Once the bacon is cooked, drain on a paper towel and then crumble. Set aside.

2. Season the chicken thighs with a bit of each seasoning to taste. Cook the chicken thighs, skin side down first, for 4 minutes each side. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate.

3. Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot add the onion, bell peppers and a bit of each seasoning to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and cook constantly for 60 seconds. Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, saffron, rice, crumbled bacon and half of the cilantro. Stir until mixed thoroughly; taste the broth and re-season if needed.

4. Add the chicken in an even layer and simmer over medium low heat, partially covered for 25 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. During the last few minutes of cooking, stir in the olives. Sprinkle the finished dish with the thawed peas (if using) and the remaining cilantro.

Sausage and Cheese Muffins

2009-11-02T09:25:00.004-05:00

I probably should have included this in yesterday's meal-planning post, since yesterday was November 1. But I didn't decide until yesterday afternoon that I'm going to attempt to do NaBloPoMo on this site as well as on my personal blog. I mean, how hard can it be, right? I typically post every day except for Saturday anyway, and I have a lot of recipes backing up to share. This is going to be easy, right? Right?

*crickets*

Ahem. Anyway. The recipe I'm sharing today was a huge hit in our house. They're called sausage and cheese "muffins," but they're really more biscuit-like in texture. Whatever you want to call them, they are absolutely delicious. I made these for breakfast the same week I made these baked apples for dinner, so I had a half-pound of maple sausage to use. The original recipe calls for hot sausage, which I think would have been equally as good.

I topped mine with butter, and Joe topped his with butter and maple syrup. These came together very quickly and were the perfect breakfast for a cozy Sunday morning!

Sausage and Cheese Muffins
source: adapted from Allrecipes

1/2 pound bulk pork sausage (I used maple, which was yummy, but I think any kind of sausage would work)
1/2 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 1/2 cups biscuit/baking mix

1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until no longer pink; drain.

2. In a bowl, combine soup, milk, sage and sausage. Stir in the biscuit mix just until moistened. Fill greased miniature or regular muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until muffins test done.

Weekly Meal Planning

2009-11-01T08:42:00.001-05:00

I had fun sharing all of those Halloween-themed goodies with you last week. I actually think I gave myself gestational diabetes due to all the sugar-laden treats I consumed. Someone had to eat all of it! It was totally worth it, though.

And now here we are, in November. I can't believe this year is almost over. It's time to start freezing some meals in preparation for the new little man's arrival in January, so a few of the recipes on this week's meal plan will be doubled so I can freeze half for later.

Monday: Chicken and cheese enchiladas

Tuesday: Biscuits over creamed chicken

Wednesday: Macaroni and cheese-stuffed tomatoes, salad. Except instead of using store-bought macaroni and cheese like the recipe suggests, I'll make a batch of our favorite mac and cheese to stuff the tomatoes, and then freeze the rest.

Thursday: Cream cheese potato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches. This soup is incredible as-is, but it's going to be even better when I add some broccoli, bacon, and cheddar cheese to it. Which is what I so plan on doing.

Friday: Pizza joes, steak fries

Saturday: Baked gnocchi. I've been wanting to make this ever since I got this cookbook, and I think it's finally cool enough to justify the heavy, creamy calorie fest.

Sunday: Baked ziti, garlic bread

Weekend Breakfast: Pumpkin buttermilk pancakes, sausage links

Baking: Coconut-chocolate pecan pie. I'm on my own with this one since Joe hates shredded coconut, so be sure to check back to see how I do at consuming an entire pie by myself. (Spoiler alert: I'm sure I'll do just fine.)

Halloween Week: Halloween Pumpkin Bars

2009-10-30T11:33:00.006-04:00

I know, I know: I missed yesterday's Halloween-themed recipe. But this week has been long and stressful, and I've decided the only way I can cope is to take some of the pressure off of myself. On Wednesday night, that meant eating fast food for dinner and resting on the couch instead of cooking dinner and making chocolate-caramel apples (I know, don't those sound good? I'm definitely keeping them in mind for next year). But yesterday I did muster up the time and energy to make these adorable treats for a work potluck today:

Aren't they cute? They were so much fun to make. I think the guys on the right look like Easter Island statues. Happy Halloween, everyone!

Halloween Pumpkin Bars
source: inspired by Taste of Home and ...and a cookie for dessert

Baked pumpkin bars (use Taste of Home's recipe, or this one, which is truly the best)
Cream cheese frosting (canned will work, but homemade is much better)
Yellow and red food coloring
Candy corn
Black decorating gel

1. Bake pumpkin bars according to recipe directions; cool.

2. Meanwhile, tint frosting with yellow and red food coloring to make orange; spread over cooled bars. Cut bars into squares.

3. Using candy corn and decorating gel, make a face on each bar.

Halloween Week: "Scream" Cheese Swirl Brownies

2009-10-28T13:17:00.004-04:00

It's day three of Halloween Week! Today, I'm so excited to share these "scream" cheese swirl brownies with you.

Honestly, who doesn't love brownies swirled with sweet, tangy cream cheese? In this Halloween-themed version, the cream cheese mixture is tinted orange with food coloring to make them fun and festive. These are made with boxed brownie mix, which makes them even easier. And the best part? They taste AMAZING. In fact, I can't wait to go home and indulge in a couple of them tonight!

"Scream" Cheese Swirl Brownies
source: Betty Crocker

For the filling:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
4 drops red food color
4 drops yellow food color
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the brownies:

1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of 13 x 9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. In small bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Set aside.

2. In large bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup, oil, water and eggs until well blended. Spread 3/4 of brownie batter in pan. Spoon filling by tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter. Spoon remaining brownie batter over filling. For marbled design, pull knife through batter and filling in wide curves; turn pan and repeat.

3. Bake 26 to 30 minutes or until set. Cool completely at room temperature, about 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 1 hour until chilled. For brownies, cut with plastic knife into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Halloween Week: Monster Eyeballs

2009-10-27T12:15:00.007-04:00

For day two of Halloween Week, behold: monster eyeballs.

Pay no attention to that guy on the left. He's a little...lazy.

These treats caught my eye because basically, they're nothing more than Buckeyes with miniature M&Ms stuck in the top to serve as the pupils. Buckeyes are my favorite holiday dessert without question, so I'll take any opportunity to get a jump on eating them. (Here's a question: Are Buckeyes as popular a dessert outside of Ohio as they are within the state? I'm just wondering how much of their popularity here has to do with our football team.)

After I'd already assembled these, I thought how perfect it would have been to melt some white chocolate and paint that over the exposed peanut butter section. I think I may do that if I make these again to make them look even more like real, honest-to-goodness eyeballs. Regardless, these are an easy and irresistibly delicious treat.

Monster Eyeballs
source: Epicurious

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 (1-pound) package confectioners’ sugar (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
1 (3-ounce) package miniature M&Ms

1. Blend the peanut butter with the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl.

2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with wax paper. Roll the peanut butter mixture by teaspoons into small balls and place on the baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the eyeballs.

3. Put the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl and melt the chocolate in the microwave: Heat on high for 60 seconds, and then stir well. If it’s not quite smooth, heat in two or three 10-second bursts, stirring well after each burst. (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate, stirring frequently, in a double boiler, over just-simmering water. Avoid overheating, which can cause chocolate to seize up into a stiff mass.)

4. Take the sheet of balls from the refrigerator; use a fork or a toothpick to dip each one most of the way into the chocolate, leaving a round or oval opening of undipped peanut butter on top. (This opening in the chocolate will be the cornea.) Hold each ball over the chocolate to catch the drips, and then return to the wax paper, cornea side up.

5. Place an M&M in the center of the peanut butter cornea to make an iris. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Store the eyeballs in the refrigerator or freezer and serve chilled.

Halloween Week: Vampire Cupcakes

2009-10-26T11:11:00.005-04:00

Welcome to Halloween Week! This week I thought it would be fun to highlight some quick, easy, and festive Halloween desserts. Halloween is a holiday I'm enjoying a lot more now that I have a little one (and another little one on the way). Everything seems so fresh and fun again -- the candy, the pumpkin carving, the costumes.

For today's recipe, I present to you these vampire cupcakes that I actually made way back in September, for the finale of my favorite TV show, True Blood. How fun are these?! I adapted the recipe from Baking Bites, but made the cupcakes a lot simpler by using boxed cake mix and canned cream cheese frosting (something I probably wouldn't do again, since store-bought cream cheese frosting in no way compares to the real thing). I've never made a white cake from scratch that wasn't dry, but have always had good luck with boxed white cake mixes, and this time was no exception. The bloody cherry center helped make these nice and juicy, too. These cupcakes are delicious and festive, and would be a fabulous addition to any Halloween party.

Vampire Cupcakes
source: adapted from Baking Bites

1 box white cake mix
Oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 can cream cheese frosting (or make your own)
1 can cherry pie filling

1. Bake cupcakes according to directions on box. Cool.

2. Meanwhile, puree cherry pie filling in a blender until smooth.

3. Using a paring knife, cut a cone out of the center of each cooled cupcake. Trim off the pointy end of the cone, leaving a flat circle of cake. Set circle aside to use later and repeat this process for all the cupcakes.

4. Spoon about tablespoon or so of the cherry pie filling into each cupcake cavity, filling it almost to the top. Top off with the flat circle of cake you just removed to seal the hole and hold the “blood” filling in place.

5. Frost cupcakes. Dip a wooden toothpick or skewer into some leftover cherry pie filling and poke two fang-holes, about 3/4 inch apart, in the frosting on one side of the cupcake. Dribble a little extra filling from the holes for effect. Repeat process with all cupcakes.

Weekly Meal Planning

2009-10-25T10:12:00.000-04:00

Before I get to this week's meal plan, I just want to let you guys know that I have something in the works for this week that I think is going to be lots of fun. I'll be taking a break from my normal posting schedule and doing something fun to celebrate Halloween. So be sure to check back tomorrow!

I spaced on quite a few dinners last week -- either we weren't hungry or we just ate what we had on hand -- so a couple of those meals are carrying over to this week.

Monday: Chicken fingers (from the grocery store deli), tater tots. Because sometimes it's fun to eat like a kid.

Tuesday: Cauliflower soup, grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. For some reason I've been craving cauliflower like mad lately. Who craves cauliflower? Seriously, this pregnancy is weird.

Wednesday: Pizza-stuffed peppers, garlic bread. I didn't get to make these last week. I was lazy and we had McDonald's instead. (The baby wanted a Big Mac.) (I cannot control these urges.)

Thursday: Cheesy salsa mini meatloaves, Mexican sour cream rice

Friday: Chicken spaghetti. Apparently it's Pioneer Woman week 'round these parts.

Saturday: It's Halloween! It's also our town's trick-or-treat night, so we'll probably order pizza -- or something that can be eaten just as easily on the porch while we're handing out candy. Ah, screw it; we'll just eat candy. That's okay for one night, right?

Sunday: Artichoke lasagna with spinach added, garlic bread

Weekend Breakfast: BELTs (bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato sandwiches)

Baking: Chocolate apple bread. This will be great for breakfasts throughout the week.

The Best Pumpkin Bars Ever

2009-10-23T14:57:00.004-04:00

You guys, I have found The One. The One Pumpkin Bar to Rule Them All. It's the best pumpkin bar I have ever tried, and I am ready to forsake all others and use this recipe exclusively in the future. I know, I'm being melodramatic, but these pumpkin bars really are that good.

What sets these apart from other recipes I've tried is their texture. They're incredibly light and fluffy, but moist at the same time. They have just the right amount of pumpkin flavor without being too overwhelmingly spicy. And the frosting, you guys. It's cream cheese frosting, so it couldn’t possibly be bad, and it definitely is not. I stirred some pecans into the frosting for some added crunch, which was a delicious addition.

Make these as soon as you possibly can. And then make another batch with the canned pumpkin you have left over. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Best Ever Pumpkin Bars
source: whoorl

For the bars:

4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs well, add in the sugar and butter and mix well. Add the pumpkin and vanilla and mix. Add the flour and spices and mix well. Spread in a 9 x 13-inch greased pan.

3. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

4. To make frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar until just mixed. Stir in pecans. When the brownies are cool, frost. Cut into squares and serve.

Sausage-Stuffed Baked Apples

2009-10-21T09:25:00.003-04:00

This just may be the perfect autumn supper. I mean, who doesn't love baked apples, right? This savory version made with maple sausage is absolutely impossible to resist.

These were absolutely delicious just as I made them, but you could play with the filling in lots of ways. The original recipe calls for dried figs, which I omitted, but I think they would have been delicious in these. Golden raisins or dried cranberries would be excellent too. And some brie would take these absolutely over the top. I made them during the week, but when I make them again I'll do it over the weekend, since these take a little bit longer to prep and cook than I prefer for weeknight cooking. But oh, these were so good. They were a literal taste of autumn. Served with a simple salad of mixed greens dressed with balsamic vinaigrette, this was a comforting, warm-you-up fall supper.

Sausage-Stuffed Baked Apples
source: adapted from Blue Ribbon Family Favorites

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 pound bulk maple pork sausage
1 small onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
3 baking apples, halved and cored (I used Honeycrisp)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until sausage is browned and onion is softened. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans.

3. Fill each apple half with some of the sausage mixture. Place apples, filling side up, in a baking dish; cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes or until apples are tender.

Mom's Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

2009-10-20T10:40:00.003-04:00

I think everyone has their own version of these sandwiches. Some people make them with cream of celery soup; some people add saltines to thicken up the mixture. The version I'm sharing today is my Mom's. It's pretty simple, but no less delicious for it. I've been eating this sandwich for as long as I can remember, and it's still one of my favorite comfort foods. As Joe said when I made a batch the other night, "I could eat ten sandwiches and still never have enough of these."

My mom always made these with shredded chicken breasts she'd baked in the oven. Over the years, I've experimented with different preparations for the chicken -- poached breasts, store-bought rotisserie, the shredded and boned canned stuff -- and I've found little difference among them taste-wise. My favorite thing to use is rotisserie chicken, because I like the addition of the dark meat and the fact that there's not nearly as much sodium as in the canned stuff. You'll be seeing this on my menu frequently this fall and winter, because these sandwiches are so quick, easy and delicious to prepare, they work great as leftovers, and they remind me of home.

Mom's Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk (more or less depending on how thick you want the mixture to be)
Lots of black pepper
Salt to taste

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients and mix well. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours. Serve on sandwich buns with American cheese, if desired.

Cream Cheese- and Pesto-Stuffed Chicken

2009-10-19T10:51:00.004-04:00

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you already know that I love stuffing chicken breasts. I just think it's such a great way to add flavor to chicken, which really doesn't have a whole lot of flavor on its own. And there's so much opportunity for innovation, too, which is always fun and a good way to stay out of a cooking rut.

I first saw this recipe on Carrie's blog quite a while ago, and I knew immediately that I wanted to try it. I can't believe it took me this long to get around to making it, and now that I've tried it, I can't wait to make it again. It may sound like there's really not a lot going on with this recipe, but to date it is absolutely the best stuffed chicken recipe I've ever tried. The filling is so creamy and flavorful and downright decadent, and it pairs perfectly with the crispy breading. You absolutely have to try this one, immediately. We served the chicken with steamed broccoli florets and garlic and cheese orzo, and I think it was one of the best meals we've had for a while. Seriously -- so good!

Cream Cheese- and Pesto-Stuffed Chicken
source: adapted from Eating Well

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 tablespoon basil pesto
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Combine cream cheese, pesto and pepper in a small bowl with a fork.

3. Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of a chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Open up each breast; season inside and outside with salt and pepper. Place one-fourth of the filling in the center. Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling.

4. Lightly beat egg with a fork in a medium bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow glass dish. Hold each chicken breast half together and dip in the egg, then dredge in the breadcrumbs.

5. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts; cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Place the chicken, browned-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center or until an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees, about 20 minutes.

Garlic and Cheese Orzo

2009-10-19T10:37:00.003-04:00

There's nothing particularly fancy about this pasta -- it's just a delicious, simple, and quick side dish. It's something I'll definitely be turning to in the future as a side for all kinds of things.

I have a habit of reading a recipe through once and then making it without looking at the recipe again -- even if it's something I've never made before. That's what I did this time, and for some reason I got it in my head that this pasta was supposed to have onions in it. The original recipe doesn't call for them, but I'm actually really glad I added them. I thought they added a nice sweetness to the dish and worked really well with the cheese and garlic.

We did have some leftovers that I knew Joe and I wouldn't eat, so I mixed the pasta with some broccoli and sent it for Andrew's lunch at daycare the next day, which he really enjoyed. I usually suck at side dishes and lately I've been making an effort to change this. This one was definitely a hit with the whole family.

Garlic and Cheese Orzo
source: adapted from Rachael Ray

Salt
1/2 pound orzo
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or grated
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Ground black pepper

1. Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat to boil the pasta. When the water reaches a bubble, season it with salt and drop the pasta. Cook to al dente according to package directions then drain and reserve.

2. When the pasta is ready, place a large skillet over medium heat with the butter. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until aromatic and tender. Add the cooked pasta, cheese and parsley to the pan, season with pepper and toss to thoroughly combine.