Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Crazy Wacky Cake

This cake was prob the best cake I ever made and so very simple! There are no eggs and no milk and you do it all in one dish. 



Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 Cups flour (all-purpose)
  • 3 Tbsp. cocoa (unsweetened)
  • 1 Cup sugar (All purpose sugar - Granulated Pure Cane Sugar)
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp.  salt
  • 1 tsp. white vinegar
  • 1 tsp.  pure vanilla extract
  • 5 Tbsp. vegetable oil 
  • 1 Cup water 

Directions (picture tutorial above)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix first 5 dry ingredients in a greased 8" square baking pan.  Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients - two small, one larger (see #3 in photo below). Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and the vegetable oil in third larger depression.  Pour water over all.  Mix well until smooth.

Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes.  Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool.  Top with your favorite frosting.  Enjoy!

Note:  Oven baking times may vary, be sure to check your cake to make sure you do not over bake.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Shipwreck Casserole




Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 pounds of ground beef
  • 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1 cup of chopped onion
  • 3 large baking potatoes, peeled and sliced thin or diced
  • 2 cups of thin sliced carrots
  • 1/4 cup of celery, diced small
  • 2 cups of cooked rice,
  • 1 can of condensed tomato soup, (like Campbells)
  • 1 soup can of warmed water
NOTE: you can add peas and corn also to your dish and add cheese on top if you want :)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish; set aside. Brown ground beef and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder; drain, if needed and set aside. Layer casserole with onions on the bottom, then potatoes; sprinkle lightly with seasoning salt, or salt and pepper. Top with carrots, celery, sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper. Top with cooked rice, then the browned ground beef. Whisk together the can of soup, one soup can of water and pour evenly over the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice




You will need:
  • 2 cups of diced rotisserie chicken {or any other cooked chicken}
  • 2 cups broccoli florets, broken down into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup 
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1½ cups shredded cheese
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½-3/4 cup crushed corn flakes
  • 2 Tbls butter, melted


Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients into a greased 9x13 baking dish. I use a 9x13 because we like extra room for our corn flakes {more crunch!} but this recipe will fit into an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish.
  2. Mix up all the ingredients except corn flakes and butter right in the baking dish.
  3. Sprinkle the crushed corn flakes over the top of the casserole.
  4. Drizzle melted butter over the top.
  5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until casserole is heated through.

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole



You will need:
3 - 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and diced
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp, cooled and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 green onions, sliced 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter


Directions:
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9" x 9" baking pan or casserole dish.
  2. Spread half of the diced potatoes in bottom of pan. Place the diced chicken breasts evenly on top. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half the bacon crumbles, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and half the green onions.
  3. Spread the remaining diced potatoes on top, followed by the remaining bacon, another 1/2 cup cheese, remaining green onions and another 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pour milk over top of casserole and then dot with the butter. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Uncover and bake another 30 minutes. In the last few minutes of baking, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and bake until melted. Serve

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Meatball Marinara



Meatball Marinara (Crock Pot)


3 (14.5 ounce) cans italian stewed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) tomato sauce
4 T tomato paste
1/2 t granulated garlic
1/2 t italian seasoning
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t oregano
1/4 t sugar
1/2 t lemon juice (bottled is fine)
2 pounds precooked meatballs 


1. Find your self 3 cans of Italian style stewed tomatoes. Pour the tomatoes along with the juice from the can
 into a blender.
 Add 1 can of tomato sauce and 4 tablespoons of tomato paste (which is about half of a 6 ounce can).
2. Add 1/2 a teaspoon granulated garlic, italian seasoning, thyme and oregano. 
Find yourself 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and add it to the blender.
 Blend all of the ingredients until the sauce is nice and smooth. Should just take about 1 minute.
3. Grab some precooked Italian Style Beef meatballs. 
 Pour about 2 pounds, or 50 meatballs into the bottom of your crock pot.
 Pour the sauce over the top of the meatballs and give everything a nice stir. 
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 7-8.
4. Serve over a nice hot bed of spaghetti noodles.
 It would also be great served inside of a crusty bun and covered in mozzarella cheese.
Enjoy!

Pork Chops with Apples and Stuffing



You will need:
4 Boneless pork chops
1 pkg of Stove top stuffing for Chicken
1 can apple pie filling


Directions:
Heat oven at 375
prepare stuffing as directed on package. spread pie filling onto bottom of 9 inch square pan sprayed with cookign spray top with pork chops and stuffing. cover with foil.
Bake for 30 mins or until pork chops are done. remove cover after 25 mins.

Mini Chicken Pot Pies


You will need:
1 cup of chopped cooked chicken
1 cup frozen mixed veggies (carrots corn and peas)
1 tub herb and garlic cooking creme
1 can of refrigerated biscuits
1/2 cup of shredded cheese

Directions:
Heat over at 375. Combine chicken, veggies and cooking creme. Separate biscuits. press one biscuit onto bottom and up side of each of  10 muffin pan cups sprayed with cooking spray. fill with chicken mixture and top with cheese.
Bake for 20-22 mins or until biscuits are golden brown. cool pan for 5 mins.

Friday, February 6, 2015

Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells


 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups cottage cheese
 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided 
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
 8 ounces mushrooms
 1 egg, slightly beaten
 2 and 1/2 cups alfredo sauce 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook shells according to package directions. In a small non-stick skillet, cook mushrooms until browned, about 8-10 minutes. In a large bowl combine shredded cooked chicken, 2 cups cottage cheese, 4 ounces softened cream cheese, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Season with Italian seasoning. Add in 1 egg, slightly beaten. Pour half of the alfredo sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Fill the shells with the filling, then arrange the shells on top of the sauce. Top with remaining sauce. Cover and bake for 35-40 minutes, then top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for 8-10 minutes longer, until the cheese has melted. You’ll have enough filling for about 20-25 jumbo stuffed shells.

** I also added chopped up broccoli**