Category Archives: Super Easy to Make

The Best Nacho Cheese Sauce I Have Ever Made

Our youngest child got it in his head that I needed to make nacho cheese sauce while we were in the middle of grocery shopping last weekend. I don’t mind making nacho cheese sauce, but I didn’t have a recipe…thank goodness for smart phones. I looked one up real quick and we got all of the ingredients. This is the best nacho cheese sauce I have ever made.

Ingredients:
4 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk, divided
2 teaspoons hot sauce OR 1/3 cup salsa

Instructions:
Toss together cheese and cornstarch, in a medium-sized saucepan, until evenly coated.

Stir in 1 cup evaporated milk and the hot sauce/salsa.

Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat until thickened, smooth and bubbly.

Stir in additional evaporated milk, if needed, until desired consistency is reached.

Add extra hot sauce/salsa to reach desired consistency and/or heat.

What did the family think? Only three of us were home to try this, but it was gone in a HURRY!

Where did this recipe come from? I adapted it from Kitchen Simplicity and they adapted it from Serious Eats.

photo from Just a Pinch

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Mexican, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make

Garlic Parmesan Pull Apart Bread

So, we love carbs at our house. Love them. I am a big label reader, however, so I was SUPER happy when I found these rolls in a can that met my label reading standards. Woot!

My family loved these and we also thought it would be great if we could make a sweet version with cinnamon and sugar. Maybe I will get to that next week, in the meantime enjoy this yummy goodness.

Ingredients:
1 can of refrigerated biscuits (not the flaky layers kind)
1/2 stick of butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian Seasoning

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Throw the cold stick of butter in a bundt pan and let it melt in the preheating oven.

While the butter melts, cut the biscuits into quarters.

In a bowl, toss the biscuit pieces, garlic, Italian Seasoning, and Parmesan cheese together.

Once the butter is melted, add the biscuit mixture, sprinkling with any cheese and garlic that gets let behind in the bowl.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20- 25 minutes until golden brown. Turn out on a dish and enjoy!

What did the family think? They LOVED it!

Where did this recipe come from? I have seen this on Pinterest a lot, but I got this version from The Virtuous Wife

Photo from Gumbo Gang

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Filed under Bread, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Side Dish, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

Parmesan Green Beans

We love cheese around here and things really do taste better when you put cheese on them. My oldest not only will eat these, but he likes them. Likes them!!! They are super easy too!

Ingredients:
Frozen green beans (You’ll need enough to feed however many people will eat them.)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Defrost green beans in the microwave. They can still be a little frozen, just not in a huge chunk of ice.

Spread green beans out on a cookie sheet and pour on a few dollops of olive oil. Stir around to coat most of the green beans with the olive oil.

Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Bake for about 12 minutes.

Take out of oven and sprinkle with Parmesan.

What did the family think? They love them. (excpet the youngest who is “allergic to all things green)

photo from The Accidental Southerner I just discovered this blog and am loving it so far.

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Side Dish, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

El Submarino-Argentinian Hot Chocolate

The tree is up, the stockings are hung by the chimney with care and we went and did a little drive by of our new favorite neighborhood house that is decorated beyond the norm. Then we came home and had some Argentinian hot chocolate…warm, chocolately goodness that only uses four ingredients and is SUPER easy.

Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounces bars of good quality dark chocolate broken into 1 ounce pieces

Instructions:
Pour the milk into a saucepan. Stir in the sugar and the vanilla.

Heat milk until it is just about to boil. Remove from heat and divide milk into 4 mugs. Serve each mug with a piece of the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted.

What did the family think? It is SOOOO good! Why would anyone EVER drink hot chocolate from a powdery packet after drinking this goodness?

Where did this recipe come from? My friend Jess told me about this delicious winter beverage

photo from about.com

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Filed under After School Snacks, Beverages, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Easy, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

Meatball Sliders

The whole family loved these and were asking for, not seconds, but thirds! These would make a great appetizer, but we made them into a meal by adding a salad and some fruit. What was also awesome about this meal is that I walked in the door at 6:30 and had it on the table by 6:57 when I walked out the door for a 7:00 meeting.

Ingredients:
24 frozen meatballs, thawed
2 cups marinara sauce (plus some extra on the side for dipping)
8 ounces sliced provolone or mozzarella
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonings
24 dinner rolls or 8 hot dog buns cut in thirds

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9X13 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Warm the meatballs in the marinara sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. Separate the dinner rolls or hot dog buns and place one saucy meatball on the bottom roll. Top with mozzarella or provolone. Place the top roll on and push down slightly. Place meatball slider in the pan and continue to assemble the rest of the sliders.

Microwave butter in a bowl in the microwave until melted. Add garlic powder and Italian seasonings and mix well. Brush tops of buns with melted butter mixture.

Toast in oven for 8-10 minutes or until toasted.

Serve with warmed marinara for dipping.

What did the family think? YUMMO!

Did I change anything? I microwaved the meatballs because I was in a hurry and then I put them in the sauce.

Where did this recipe come from? The Girl Who Ate Everything

photo from Make Me Vintage

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Sandwich, Super Easy to Make

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dip

This is the season of family get togethers and parties. I know that we are always taking a dish to share to these types of events. This would be a great treat to bring for munching with pretzels, apple slices, celery sticks or mini-bagels.

Ingredients:
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pretzels, apples slices, bagels

Put peanut butter, pumpkin, honey and cinnamon in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Serve with pretzels, apples slices, celery sticks or mini-bagels.

What did the family think? This was a sample at our grocery store last week. I am not sure if everyone tried it, but I know at least a couple of us did and we liked it. Yum!

Where did this recipe come from? our grocery store

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Easy, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

Easy CrockPot Meatball Soup

This is easy, easy, easy and everyone ate it. Warning: It does take an especially long time to cook, so plan accordingly, as in start it in the morning.

Ingredients:
16 oz. bag frozen fully cooked meatballs
2 (14 oz.) cans condensed broth
1 cup water
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with herbs, undrained
16 oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/8 tsp. pepper
Parmesan, as a garnish

Instructions:
Combine frozen meatballs, broth, water, and tomatoes in a 3-4 quart crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or until meatballs are tender when pierced with a fork. Stir in the frozen vegetables, thyme, and pepper and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Serve and sprinkle Parmesan on top.

What did the family think? Everyone ate it. The kids mostly ate the meatballs and a stray veggie here and there, but no one freaked out so that’s good.

Where did this recipe come from? BusyCooks

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Stew/Soup, Super Easy to Make

Wheat-Free Banana Oatmeal Muffins

I have a kid who likes banana anything and everything…banana cream pie, banana flavored candy, banana bread and of course, bananas. I knew he would love these. I also knew he would probably be the only person in our house who would eat them, but sometimes you just have to bake something for someone because you know they will love it, not because everyone will love it.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 single serving cup (or 1 cup) of plain low-fat Greek yogurt
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar, applesauce, agave, honey…whatever you want to use
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 bananas

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray tin with non-stick cooking spray.

Place all of the ingredients, including bananas in a blender or food processor, and blend until oats are smooth. PUT THE YOGURT IN THE BLENDER FIRST AND PUT THE OATS IN THE BLENDER LAST. (Very important to keep things from getting stuck.)

Pout batter into cupcake pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

What did the family think? He loved them just as I knew he would. He had them for snack and for breakfast for several days. The rest of us didn’t have any.

Where did this recipe come from? I got it from Keeping Up with the Joneses and they got it from Dashing Dish.

photo from Babycenter

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Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Easy, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

Peanut Butter Granola

I found a new granola recipe that I have fallen in love with. I can’t believe I was ever afraid of making homemade granola. I guess I thought it would be too hard or too time consuming. I’m not sure, but obviously it can’t be too hard since I make granola all the time now.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon (I didn’t add this, but I think I will next time.)

Instructions:
Melt the butter and peanut butter together in a 3-quart saucepan.

Add the honey, vanilla and salt. Stir the mixture until it is smooth.

Add the oats and cinnamon. Stir until the oats are completely coated with the peanut butter mixture.

Turn the mixture onto an ungreased cookie sheet, or a large 9 by 13-inch pan. Spread the granola out evenly and bake it at 375° for 10-12 minutes. It will be brown and crispy.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan. Break up into pieces after it has cooled.

Transfer the granola to a sealed container. Add the raisins, if you are using them, when the granola is cool.

What did the family think? The kids don’t like granola and hubby won’t touch peanut butter granola. You know what I have to say to that? Good. More for me. 🙂

Where did this recipe come from? Hillbilly Housewife


Where’s the butter? I used the last of it in this recipe and the box made it into the trash before it made it into this picture.

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Filed under After School Snacks, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

Pasta Sauce with Bacon

This is for all of you bacon lovers out there. We had this tonight and I have to say I liked it very much. The bacon gives it a smoky, kind of Tuscan farmhouse, type of taste. (No, I have never been in a Tuscan farmhouse nor have I ever been to Tuscany, but I imagine that when you go there you get to eat lots of yummy food and this just might be on the menu.)

Ingredients:
4 slices of thick bacon, chopped (you can add more less, it’s up to you)
1/4 medium onion, diced
26 oz. jar pasta sauce (I used the garlicky kind.)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tspn cayenne pepper
Parmesan, to taste

Instructions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the bacon, onions and garlic.

Drain the fat from the skillet.

Keep the bacon/garlic/onion mixture in the skillet and add the pasta sauce and the cayenne.

Heat through.

Serve over pasta. Add Parmesan.

What did the family think? Hubby and I were the only ones who ate this. Hubby said it was fine, but he would have rather had meatballs. I thought it was super tasty.

Where did this recipe come from? Food.com

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Filed under Easy, Italian, Pork, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make