Category: Recipes

Recipes

Toasted Sesame Seed Salad Dressing

Nicole
Lately I have been experimenting making my own salad dressings. It’s amazing how much better salad dressing is when you make it fresh. The bottled dressing is great and quick and easy, but you can certainly tell the difference when it’s homemade. I loved this dressing, but then again I like sesame seeds. Yummy! You don’t want to look at the calorie count, but it’s a great dressing!

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 garlic cloves, minced very fine
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon parsley, freeze-dried and crushed

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until all the ingredients are blended well. Chill and serve when ready!



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Recipes

Meatball Nirvana

Nicole
I have to say I love the name of these meatballs almost as much as I love these meatballs. They turned out fantastic! I was actually able to get 20 1oz meatballs out of this recipe. Yes, I measured them all on my scale! I am anal about a few things and things like this are when anal Colie takes over!  I wasn’t sure what to expect with these meatball but I loved them so much. Talk about easy I stuck everything in my KitchenAid Mixing bowl turned it on and BOOM they were ready to be rolled! LOVE that! I highly recommend giving these a try. The next time I make them I am going to make meatball subs with them. I know they will be fantastic!

Ingredients:
  • 1 pound extra lean ground beef
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/3 cup skim milk
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Directions:
  1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  2. Place the beef into a mixing bowl, and season with salt, onion, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce; mix well. Add the milk, Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs. Mix until evenly blended, then form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs, and place onto a baking sheet.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. 
  4. If you are making a sauce like I did just stick them in the sauce, but don’t stir them for 20 minutes so that the meatballs can set (if you stir them before they start firming up they will break to pieces). After 20 minutes you can stir them, then they should be completely cooked within another 10-15 minutes.

Recipe Source 

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Recipes

Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

Nicole

We all really enjoyed this recipe. It’s very easy to make and would be easy to make ahead. The only complaint that I have read on this recipe is that some people said that the crescent rolls were too doughy. If you cook them long enough this will not be a problem. I cooked them for 40 minutes and they were perfect. I suggest watching for the rolls to rise up. When they have risen they are ready! Like I said this is a great recipe. The filling reminds me of chicken salad. If you have left over chicken salad this would be a great way to use it up!

Ingredients:

  • 1 (8 ounce) cans Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
  • 1/2 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
  • 1/2 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of celery soup, undiluted
  • 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup 18% table cream (or use whipping cream)
Filling:

  • 2 ounces cream cheese (very soft)
  • 2 tablespoons butter (very soft but not melted)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
  • 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped (can use green onions)
  • 1 small can of chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or whipping cream
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (for topping)
Directions:

  1. Set oven to 350°F.
  2. Butter a casserole dish (any size to hold crescent rolls).
  3. In a saucepan, mix half and half cream, 3/4 cup grated cheese (can use more cheese if desired) and undiluted chicken soup (can season with black pepper if desired).
  4. Heat just until the cheese melts (do not boil).
  5. For the filling — (make certain that the cream cheese and butter are very soft) in a bowl, mix the soft cream cheese with butter until very smooth, then add in garlic powder (if using).
  6. Add in the chopped chicken, onion and cheddar cheese; mix well until combined.
  7. Add in 2 tablespoons whipping cream or mayonnaise; mix to combine (add in a little more if the mixture seems too dry).
  8. Season with seasoned salt or white and black pepper to taste.
  9. Unroll the crescent rolls.
  10. Place 1 heaping tablespoon chicken mixture (or a little more) on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end.
  11. Drizzle a small amount of soup mixture on the bottom of the dish.
  12. Then place the crescent rolls seam-side down on top of the creamed mixture in the casserole.
  13. Drizzle the remaining sauce on top (you don’t have to use the full amount of cream sauce, just use as much as desired) and sprinkle with 1 cup (or more) grated cheese, or amount desired.
  14. Bake for about 30-40 minutes.

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Recipes

Mushroom Sugar Snap Peas

Nicole

This recipe is delicious, very flavorful and so easy to make. It certainly makes a nice presentation because of the color! I have been trying and trying to find a good recipe that uses sugar snap peas. I found a recipe (see bottom) that sent my recipe juices flowing. My recipe is similar with a few (ok maybe a lot) changes. We all really enjoyed this and my sugar snap peas didn’t go to waste. I was afraid they would go bad before I could find a recipe to use them up in. 


Ingredients:
  • 1 4oz can of sliced mushrooms
  • 1 tbs. margarine
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 pound fresh or frozen sugar snaps peas
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 beef bouillon cube
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds


Directions:
  1. In a skillet Sauté sliced onion in margarine until onion becomes soft.
  2. To the sautéed onion add drained can of mushrooms, sesame oil, sugar snap peas, water beef bouillon cube, garlic powder, salt and pepper
  3. Cover your skillet and steam on a medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has mostly evaporated and sugar snap peas are tender.

Adapted From Original Recipe


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Recipes

Tampico Shrimp Quesadillas

Nicole

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 poblano chili pepper sliced and diced
  • 2 cups of pre-cooked salad shrimp
  • 12 flour tortillas
  • 8 ounces of mozzarellas cheese
  • ½ teaspoon of ground chipotle pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Sautee onion, garlic, and poblano chili once the vegetables are tender add shrimp and cook until the shrimp are warm. If you are using fresh shrimp cook until they turn pink.
Add chipotle, salt, and pepper and cook for an additional few minutes


To a flour tortilla add a tablespoon of the vegetables and a few shrimp then top with grated mozzarella cheese


Fold over the tortilla and place on a warm skillet and turn when needed until the cheese is well melted.




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