Tag: Recipes

This dish is another favorite that I like to bring to parties and pot-lucks, because not only is it delicious, but it is easy to make ahead too.

I tend to put more seasoning in this dish than the recipe calls for, since I like spicyness and hotness in my food. So definitely feel free to do the same to suite your tastes better.

Anyhow, here is the recipe. I hope you like it!

Ingredients

• 4 large spinach flour tortillas
• 3 tbsp finely chopped red pepper
• 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 3 tbsp chipotle or southwestern seasoning (I use “Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Blend”)
• 4 tbsp chopped green onions

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except tortillas.
2. Divide mixture into four.
3. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese mixture on each flour tortilla.
4. Starting at one end, gently roll each tortilla into a tight tube.
5. Wrap and chill until ready to serve.
6. To serve, unwrap roll, trim edges of tortilla and slice into eight 1-inch slices.

This Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad is another fave of ours. I usually make it as a side dish to bring to parties, cook-outs, or pot-lucks. It’s a good side dish for events because you can make it ahead of time, it serves alot of people, and it can sit out at room temperature for awhile while everyone chats and grazes. And the real reason why it’s one of my faves is that it is super-EASY, as well as delicious.

Plus, it’s so simple to customize this dish to suite your personal taste. For example, I don’t really like olives or artichoke hearts so I skip them whenever I make this. But you can definitely skip or add whatever you like.

Check out how easy this is!

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg fresh cheese tortellini pasta, cooked per package directions
• 1/2 cup ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup olives, green or black
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Pepperocini peppers, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, cut into squares
• 1/2 cup salami and/or pepperoni, diced
• 1/2 cup dressing, Italian or Ceasar (I prefer the Italian dressing for this)

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients above together in a large bowl.
2. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator.
3. Serve cold.

Tip: This dish gets dry pretty quickly when served. So I always bring extra dressing to toss in there if you notice it getting dry. Gives it a quick refresh and fixes the dryness so fast! (Sometimes I toss some pepperocini juice in there too, for the same purpose).

I hope you love this as much as I do!

Hi everyone! I haven’t posted a recipe in a long time, but I’ve been stuck at home now for a week, waiting on my daughter after her foot surgery. We can’t really go anywhere to eat these days because she’s not quite mobile enough yet. So I’ve been spending alot of time cooking at home, making all her faves.

And my marinated tomato cucumber salad is one of her faves. I enjoy it too.

It’s most popular as a summer dish around here, but there are no rules at my house when it comes to food. We’ll even eat breakfast for dinner sometimes!

But here’s the recipe if you wanted to try it.

Warning: despite “salad” being in the name, and despite all the vegetables involved, this actually is not a healthy dish at all. I blame all the sugar in it. No wonder my daughter and I love it so much.

Ingredients:

4 cucumbers, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
3 tomatoes, sliced
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon black pepper

Instructions:

1) Toss together the cucumbers, onion, and tomatoes in a large bowl.

2) Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat.

3) Bring to a slow boil, and stir until all the sugar is dissolved.

4) Pour this mixture onto the chopped vegetables. The mixture might not cover the entire batch of chopped vegetables – if not, make sure to toss the vegetables frequently in the next couple of hours to ensure the flavors get absorbed evenly. The first couple hours are most important for this.

5) Refrigerate overnight. Stir occasionally to ensure flavors are well-integrated.

I hope you enjoy it too.

It’s time for another fave comfort recipe! This time it’s a rotel breakfast casserole. Everyone in the fam loves it.

Ingredients:
1 lb breakfast sausage, browned and drained
3 eggs
1 1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup Bisquick mix
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 can Rotel, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

If you don’t want the Rotel flavor in your dish (or you don’t have Rotel available locally), just substitute the Rotel with 1/2 cup chopped onions instead.

Instructions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix eggs, milk, Bisquick, Rotel, and salt and pepper together until well blended.
Stir in sausage and cheese into the mixture.
Grease a casserole dish.
Pour mixture into casserole dish.
Bake uncovered 35-40minutes, or until center tests clean. (Do make sure to check the center because if it is still liquid there, then it is not ready to eat).
Cool 5 minutes.

So once upon a time when we were allowed to have social gatherings, one of my favorites dishes to make is my Tomato Garlic Bruschetta appetizer. I always enjoyed making it for others because it always received great compliments and I live for the positive reinforcement.

It’s surprisingly very easy to make as well.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• 1 French loaf
• 4 cups (or 2 lbs) tomatoes, diced
• ¼ cup white onion, finely minced
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions for preparing the bread:

• Preheat oven to 450ºF.
• Cut the French loaf into thin slices.
• Lightly brush olive oil on both sides of each slice.
• Bake until the surface is lightly browned, about 5 minutes per side.

Instructions for preparing the tomato garlic bruschetta:

• In a bowl, add the tomatoes, onions, basil, garlic, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.
• Add the olive oil, stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately or chill.

Instructions for serving the tomato garlic bruschetta:

• Keep the bread and the bruschetta separate from each other prior to serving. This prevents the bread from getting soggy.
• Immediately prior to serving, the bruschetta is to be added to the top of each bread slice.

I bring this tomato garlic bruschetta dish to dinners or to potluck-ish gatherings and everyone always compliments this appetizer. I love it too. I can eat it as a snack.

Anybody else tired of thanksgiving turkey yet? If you’re like me and craving something completely different, then try this spinach tomato tortellini recipe. It’s delicious, one of my favorite meals, and also quite easy to make.

You’ll need the following ingredients…

1 pkg (20 oz.) refrigerated three cheese tortellini
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/4 cups milk (I use whole milk, but 2% should work too)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes (undrained)
7oz fresh spinach (I buy the 10oz package, and save the remainder for a salad later)
3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)

And then follow these steps:

1. Cook tortellini according to directions listed on package.
2. Meanwhile, in a large and deep skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic, flour and onion powder and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
3. While whisking, slowly pour in milk and cream, then whisk until smooth.
4. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins barely simmer and thicken, then add tomatoes, spinach, basil, oregano and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Reduce heat slightly and cook several minutes longer until sauce has thickened and cheese has melted. Remove from heat.
6. Toss cooked and drained tortellini into sauce mixture.
7. Serve warm sprinkled with additional parmesan cheese and optional red pepper flakes.

Chicken Rotel Spaghetti is one of my favorite comfort meals. And it makes a ton so it’ll either serve a large crowd of people, or the leftovers will serve you well the next day too. I love it.

Try it and let me know what you think! I’m open for suggestions on how to make it even tastier. 😁

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb Cooked Chicken
• 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 pound Velvetta Cheese, cubed
• 1 can Rotel, do not drain
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 1 package Spaghetti (16 oz)
• Butter or olive oil
• Garlic powder, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Shred chicken and set aside.
3. Cook spaghetti to the package instructions. I like cutting up the cooked spaghetti for easier mixing into the sauce later, but that’s up to you.
4. Sautee the onions lightly, in either a small dab of butter or olive oil.
5. Place the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, velvetta cheese, sauteed onions, and rotel in a large pan or pot over LOW heat until the cheese is melted. Stir frequently.
6. Optionally, add garlic powder to the sauce per your taste.
7. Add the cooked spaghetti to the sauce. Then add the shredded chicken to the sauce. Combine well, and move everything to a baking dish.
8. Bake for 20 minutes.
9. Eat and be happy!

If you prefer to pin the recipe to your Pinterest, it’s here: https://pin.it/2h3hThs