Croissant Pizza Cups

Apparently I was in the mood for muffin pan foods today. I actually kind of made these up myself, keeping in mind other recipes I have made. Only thing I would do differently next time is make some more!

Ingredients

Pillsbury croissant sheets

round cookie cutter

pizza sauce

mozzarella cheese (shredded of sliced)
shredded colby jack cheese

toppings of choice

Directions

Pre-heat oven tto 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out croissant sheets and cut out 12 circles with cookie cutter. You will run out of room on the sheets, so pull scraps together, roll out, and continue cutting. Flatten out circles and press into the bottom and up the sides of an un-greased muffin pan. Add about 1Tbsp on pizza sauce to each cup.

Add whatever kind of cheese you'd like. I didn't have shredded mozzarella, so I tore apart mozzarella slices and put them in the cups.

 

I also added some shredded colby jack cheese. 

 Add any toppings you like. I only had ham on hand, but I usually prefer pepperoni.

Bake in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. They came out perfectly cooked. Usually, when I make dishes with croissants, the croissants come out very undercooked. These can be eaten with or without a fork. Enjoy!

Texas Baked Biscuits

Original recipe found here.

I made these this morning and they were so delicious. Only a couple things I would've done differently.

Ingredients

1 tube Texas-style refrigerated biscuit dough

8 eggs

1/2 cup real bacon bits

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated *I used colby jack

diced scallions *I didn't use these

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.   Open the tube of biscuits, and press one biscuit round into the muffin tin. I flattened them out a bit first. Press against the bottom and sides of pan.

 Crack an egg into the cup. I use large eggs, and apparently they were too large because the egg whites started dripping out.

 To prevent them from going everywhere, I separated the yolks from the whites and just added the yolks in. You can separate them by cracking the egg in half, and over a bowl, pass the yolk between the shells, and let the whites fall into a bowl.

 

I tried adding some whites in with the yolks later, and that just created a big mess.  

 Use a generous amount of salt and pepper on the eggs. Add in shredded cheese and bacon pieces.

 

Put in oven and back for about 15 minutes. I cooked 15 minutes exactly, but next time I'm going to keep them in longer. My family doesn't like runny yolks, and in most of these, they turned out very runny. Remove from oven, serve, and enjoy!

Mozerella Stuffed Meatloaf

I am in love with this recipe. Before when I made meatloaf, we ended up pulling out the ketchup for flavor, and that's when the meatloaf already had a sauce. This meatloaf needs no ketchup. It's a great mix of meat and cheeses and a sweet sauce to cover. Probably my picky eaters favorite dish.

Ingredients

Meat Loaf:

1 1/2 lb ground beef

3/4 C oatmeal

1/4 C chopped onion *I've never added this 

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 beaten egg

3/4 cup milk

mozzarella cubes and slices

Sauce:

2/3 C ketchup

2 tsp mustard

4 Tbsp brown sugar

Directions:

Combine all ingredients, except the cheese. Put half of mixture in a loaf pan. poke mozzarella cubes throughout the meat. Top with mozzarella slices. Put rest of mixture on top and poke in more mozzarella cubes. Cover with sauce. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit  for 1 hour. 

Out comes cheesy, meaty goodness. Enjoy!!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Here is a more sophisticated recipe that has me hooked. It's a delicious stuffed chicken recipe with a white wine sauce. My picky eater loves it! Somebody posted this recipe on a website that I frequent, and I made it that night. 

Original recipe found here.

Ingredients 

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

6 slices Swiss cheese *I used mozzarella, just because I don't like swiss
6 slices ham *bacon works too! Either way, yum!
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dry white wine *I use a dry riesling from Chateau Ste Michelle, a local winery
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions
Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

 Enjoy!!

Honey Glazed Carrots

Put some more veggies in your picky eaters tummy! Whenever we have carrots, Emma asks "are they honey glazed?" Horrible mom that I am lies and says yes, because that's the only way she'll eat them. >:) She doesn't realize that she likes carrots that aren't honey glazed too. These are always a side along with the cheesy mashed potatoes. Found this recipe online a few years ago, wrote it down, and forgot the site. Sorry!


Ingredients
6 large carrots, cut in strips *I just cut into little slices
2/3 C water
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice *I just realized that I usually put in 3 Tbsp, never look at the recipe anymore! Tastes good my way too. :)
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp honey
salt and pepper to taste
chives and parsley to taste *I've never added these though, probably should some day


Directions
Combing carrots and water in a pan. Cover and cook over medium to high heat, until water is evaporated, or until carrots are tender. Be sure to check on it, I once burned carrots for letting it go too long. Remove from heat and drain water if they get tender before the water evaporates. Toss lightly with butter, honey, and lemon juice. Add the salt and pepper to taste and garnish with the chives and parsley. 


Very easy and kid friendly. :)

Caprese Pasta

You are going to learn quickly that I love Italian type foods, especially with tomatoes and basil in them. This is a dish that I got from my best friend. Another great dish to bring to potlucks. Makes a great side or entree. Goes great with garlic bread. My picky eater loves it, as long as I throw in diced up tomatoes instead of cherub tomatoes. I personally prefer the cherub tomatoes. It's sweet and tangy, and pretty healthy if you look past the pasta. 

Ingredients

1 box of penne pasta

2 cartons of chreub tomatoes, or 2 tomatoes diced up

Julienned basil

1 big block of fresh mozerella cheese, diced up

brown sugar to taste

garlic powder to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil and Basalmic Vinegar to taste

Directions

Very easy recipe. Basically cook your pasta according to directions on box. Once finished cooking, add your olive oil and vinegar, and toss with tomatoes, basil, and cheese. Add the sugar and seasonings to taste. I know some people that prefer to eat this cold, and some people like to eat it hot. I actually prefer it at room temperature. Anyway.. you can't lose!

Tomato Basil Soup

Here's a special treat.. a recipe of my own creation.. or adapted from a recipe that I improved upon. ;)

This is my go to dinner when I want to make things easy, and it's yet another food that my picky eater really enjoys. It goes great with tomato/basil grilled cheese sandwiches.. and lucky you will get a recipe for that too.

Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients

3 cans of diced tomatoes

1/2 C heavy cream

1/2 C butter

Julienned basil to taste.. I use a lot

Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions

Throw the diced tomatoes in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into large soup pot. Add heavy cream, butter, basil, and salt and pepper. Cook until butter is melted and soup is bubbly.

Easy huh?

Tomato Basil Sandwiches

For 1 sandwich:

2 slices of bread

2 or 3 slices of tomato

3 basil leaves, or 2 if they're big

2 slices of mozzarella cheese

butter to spread on bread, or Pam to grease griddle (I prefer butter)

You know how to make a grilled cheese sandwich, right? Just butter 1 side of each  slice of bread, or spray Pam on a hot griddle. Lay bread down with a slice of cheese on each piece, and tomatoes and basil on 1 slice, put the 2 slices together, and cook until cheese is melted. I also add salt and pepper to the tomatoes, your choice of course!

These go great together, or by themselves. Be careful you don't eat the whole pot of soup yourself, there's a lot of calories in that butter and heavy cream. ;)

Broccoli so delicious, even your picky eater will love it!

I love that I found this recipe online. Here's where I found it: http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2008/11/the_best_brocco.html

This chef got the recipe from The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten.

It's wasn't easy to get Emma to eat broccoli, until now. Definitely the best broccoli I've ever had, I won't make it any other way.

Ingredients

4 large bunches of broccoli 

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

4 cloves of sliced garlic

lemon, zest and juice

1/3 C freshly grated parmesan cheese

pinenuts (optional)

julienned basil (option)

Directions

Wash and thoroughly dry your broccoli. I don't wash mine, the oven should be hot enough to kill the bacteria. Cut into large florets. In a large bowl, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and sliced garlic. Spread on a foil lined cookie sheet. Put in pre-heated oven (425 degrees Fahrenheit) and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until florets are crisp and tender and some of the tips are browning. Once finished cooking, toss with fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, more olive oil, and parmesan cheese.

Enjoy this healthy dish, you won't be able to get enough of it!

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

This is my award winning side dish. Alright.. maybe not reward winning, but I'm required to make it every holiday. These cheesy mashed potatoes are heart attack inducing yumminess. To ensure you really get your cholesterol up, add some bacon to it. To make it low cal, you can always use low-fat sour cream, cream cheese, etc. But where's the fun in that? ;)

I found this recipe online about 7 years ago, I'm sorry, but I really can't remember where.

Ingredients 

8-12 medium potatoes

8 oz cream cheese, softened

8 oz sour cream

1/2 C butter

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp pepper

4 oz grated cheese *your choice, I use cheddar or colby jack

With seasoning, I never measure (unless it's baking). I just do it to taste. I personally like my potatoes to have a good garlic taste.

Directions

Peel and quarter potatoes. Put in large pot and put in enough water to cover them. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender.. basically when you can break them apart with a fork.

Drain off liquid. In a large mixing bowl combine all but grated cheese. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Turn mixture into a buttered 2 quart casserole or baking dish. To with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered.

I make this every time I make ham or turkey, and have heard only good things from those that I've made them for. Also, my picky eater can't get enough of them!

Tamale Casserole

This isn't necessarily for your picky eater, but you'll enjoy it! I personally loved it as a kid.. Emma, not so much. I got this recipe from my mom.. not sure where it comes from beyond that. I made it for my girl friends and they wanted to try it with sour cream, and I say it tastes great with or without. It is so easy to make, and great for potlucks.

Ingredients

4 large Tamales *never tried it with fresh, I use the frozen Baja Cafe Tamales, and I use all of them because they're small. If you use those, be sure to thaw them first.

1 Large can of red beans *I use 2 normal size cans of Chile Beans (without the chile)

1 Large can of chile w/out beans *Once again, I use 2 normal size cans

1 can red enchilada sauce

2 cans sliced black olives

grated cheese

Directions 

Put ingredients in a large baking pot, in order listed. Bake at 350 degrees (fahrenheit) for 45 minutes covered and then 45 minutes uncovered.  That's it!!

I always add more cheese at the end because it all sorta melts into the center. This makes a lot, but leftovers taste just as good. Enjoy!

Lasagna Roll Ups

This is not my recipe or picture, I got them both from this site: http://blogchef.net/lasagna-roll-ups-recipe/

 

This is what we had for dinner tonight, and let me tell you, it was a hit! The sauce is delicious, has a little kick from cayenne pepper, but not so spicy that your picky eater won't devour it all.  This, of course, goes great with a tossed salad and garlic bread. This is very easy to make, and much easier to serve than traditional lasagna.. no cutting pieces! Just separate the rolls.

Here is the recipe that I got off the site. I added asterisks to what I did differently.

Ingredients:
Sauce-
¼ lb ground beef *You don't have to add the meat if you are a vegetarian, or you could replace it with sausage or soy sausage, etc.
2 tablespoons onion (chopped) 

2 garlic cloves (minced) *I used jarred minced garlic, just as good, but way easier
1 (16 oz) can crushed tomatoes *I used a 28 oz can
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 dash cayenne pepper (or more to your taste)
 

Filling-
1 ¼ cups small curd cottage cheese *I used a whole 16 oz tub
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley (minced) *I used dry parsley
¼ teaspoon onion powder
6 lasagna noodles (cooked) *I used 8
 

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese *I used more because I added some to the filling as well

Let me also mention that I don't measure my seasoning, I pretty much add them to taste. I also added a bit of brown sugar to my sauce to sweeten it up.

Cooking Instructions

Step 1: In a large skillet cook ground beef, onion and garlic until the beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat from the pan. Add tomatoes, oregano, salt and cayenne. Simmer for 10 minutes. Spread half of the meat sauce on the bottom of a greased 9” baking dish. *I didn't grease the pan, no sticking for me in my Pyrex pan.

Step 2: In a bowl combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, parsley and onion powder. Spread ¼ cup of the cheese mixture evenly over each lasagna noodle. Roll up and place seam side down in rows in the baking dish. Top with remaining sauce.*Like I said, I added some mozzarella cheese to the filling.

Step 3: Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes. About 5 minutes before the dish is finished cooking remove from the oven and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and cook until cheese has melted.

(Makes 2 servings) *With my variations I was able to feed 3 people and have 1 serving of leftovers.

Enjoy! I will definitely be making it again. I thank BlogChef for coming up with it.