Category Archives: Definitely Making it Again

May 1, 2012 · 8:52 am

Pesto Polenta Lasagna

We love Italian food in our house and I loved this recipe because it’s so versatile. I took the basic recipe and added kale, garlic and Italian sausage. You could add mushrooms, onions, spinach…whatever you think your family would like. This dish lends itself very easily to being a great vegetarian meal as well.

Ingredients:
1 (18 ounce) package polenta, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
2 cups kale or spinach, chopped
1 lb ground Italian sausage
2 tsp garlic
1/2 (24 ounce) jar bottled marinara sauce
1/4 cup pesto
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Cooking spray

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place polenta on a cookie sheet prepared with cooking spray.

Cook polenta for about 5 minutes, turn them over and cook for another 5 minutes.

In a large skillet, saute kale, Italian sausage and garlic until Italian sausage is cooked through.

Spray a 11×7-inch casserole dish lightly with cooking spray and line it with 1/2 of the polenta.

Spread a thin layer of pesto on the polenta. Spoon half of the sauce on top of that.

Top with Italian sausage mixture.

Place the remaining polenta on top and cover with the rest of the sauce.

Bake for 25 minutes and then top with cheese and turn on the broiler until cheese is lightly browned.

What did the family think? They love anything that has cheese and pasta sauce. The kale wasn’t well received by the youngest member of our family, but there was so much else to like that it wasn’t a big deal.

Where did this recipe come from? Allrecipes

Photo from Mangia Bene Pasta

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Lent, Vegetarian

April 30, 2012 · 10:56 am

Vanilla Granola

I know you’re thinking to yourself, “Goodness gracious, does she eat anything else but granola?” I do. Honest. But I also really like granola and really enjoy making up different batches/flavors.

Ingredients:
5 cups old fashined rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1.5- 2 cups chopped pecans and/or sliced almonds
2 T vanilla
1/4 cup water
1 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Cooking spray

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

Spread granola out on a greased cookie sheet that has sides.

Bake approximately 1 1/2 hours.

Remove from oven, cool and store in air tight containers.

What did the family think? I am the only one who has had any of this version and I love it. It’s one of my favorites.

Where did this recipe come from? Katie Did

photo from Feasts and Fotos

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

April 24, 2012 · 9:02 am

Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

I love trying new smoothie recipes, so when I saw this one over at The Gracious Pantry, I knew I had to try it. I love it because it has a fruit, a veggie, protein and dairy.

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (I used unsweetened soy milk)
1 cup spinach
1 banana
1 T peanut butter, no sugar added
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:
Blend together and enjoy.

What did the family think? I am the only one who’s had this, but I will tell you it’s very yummy. If you’re afraid of it tasting too spinachy, don’t worry. All you taste is the peanut butter and banana.

Where did this recipe come from? The Gracious Pantry

photo from Urban Chickpea

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

April 17, 2012 · 4:15 pm

Enchiladas in Salsa Verde

These are SO good, not necessarily good for you…that’s a whole lotta sour cream, but VERY tasty. What was also great is that I assembled everything ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator and then that night when we got home I just put it in the oven which meant we got to sit down to dinner a whole lot earlier.

Ingredients:
8 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded chicken
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese (shredded)
2 cups salsa verde

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F.

Prepare the filling by mixing the chicken, sour cream and half of the cheese.

Place 1/2 cup of the green sauce in the baking dish.

Dip a tortilla in the green sauce.

Place the filling in the tortilla, wrap and place in baking dish seam down. Repeat until all of the filling has been used.

Cover with remaining green sauce and top with remaining cheese.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and it’s warmed through.

What did the family think? Hubby and I really liked these and there was enough for leftovers for lunch which is always a bonus. I think the green sauce scared the kids. They don’t know what they’re missing.

Did I change anything? I reduced the amount of sour cream. The change is reflected in the recipe above.

Where did this recipe come from? Closet Cooking

photo from Closet Cooking

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Mexican, Six Ingredients or Less

April 16, 2012 · 8:37 am

Rosemary Ranch Grilled Chicken

This was a huge hit in our house and was easy to prepare. You just have to remember to start marinating it in the morning…that’s the hardest part of the whole thing.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup ranch dressing
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Instructions:
In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Pound chicken breast to 1/4″ thickness. Place chicken in the gallon size ziplock bag, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (all day).

Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Grill chicken for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

What did the family think? So tasty and full of flavor…all of that marinating is worth it. Our youngest didn’t even attempt to try it because it’s chicken. He doesn’t do chicken. Period.

Where did this recipe come from? I got it from Plain Chicken and they got it from Allrecipes.

photo from Plain Chicken

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Make Ahead of Time

April 13, 2012 · 3:59 pm

Nutty Cashew Granola

I have been on a homemade granola kick ever since I tried this recipe and realized that homemade granola is a lot easier than I thought it would be. I like the nuttiness of this one. The only thing I think it’s missing is some raisins, but that’s easily fixed.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup cashew pieces
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Also need – parchment paper

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Cover a rectangular baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the dry oats, almonds, cashews, coconut, seeds and spices together in a large mixing bowl.

Heat the butter and honey together in a small saucepan over low heat. Once the butter melts stir in the vanilla.

Pour the hot liquids over the dry ingredients and stir together with a rubber spatula until evenly coated.

Spread mixture onto prepared pan in one even layer. Bake for 75 minutes. Stir every 20 minutes or so while it’s baking.

Store in air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

What did the family think? I am pretty much the only granola eater in our house

Did I change anything? I added some raisins after it was done baking, but it’s good without the raisins, too.

Where did this recipe come from? 100 Days of Real Food

photo from Etsy

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Filed under After School Snacks, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Make Ahead of Time, Vegetarian

April 12, 2012 · 11:27 am

Spicy Thai Peanut Enchiladas

Holy smokes these were good and I am super excited there were leftovers since that means I get to eat them again for lunch!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
2 green onions (sliced)
1 large carrot (julienned)
1 cups broccoli
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
1 handful cilantro (chopped)
1 cup spicy Thai peanut sauce
4 (8 inch) tortillas
1 cup jack and cheddar cheese (grated)
1/2 fresh jalepeno (sliced)
Cilantro and crushed peanuts, garnish

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a pan.

Add the red pepper and saute until tender.

Add the green onion, carrot, broccoli and jalepeno and saute until tender.

Remove from heat.

Mix in the chicken, cilantro and 1/2 cup of the peanut sauce.

Spread some of the peanut sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.

Place some of the filling in a tortilla, wrap it up and place it in a baking dish seam side down. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.

Pour the remaining peanut sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle on the cheese.

Bake until the sides are bubbling and the cheese is melted about 20-30 minutes.

Serve garnished with chopped peanuts and cilantro.

What did the family think? These were too spicy for the boys, but hubby and I thought these were delis. I love all of the veggies and the spiciness. Yum!

Did I change anything? The original recipe called for sprouts, but I didn’t have any sprouts, but I did have broccoli. Also, the original recipe called for an extremely hot pepper. I just went with the jalepeno.

Where did the recipe come from? Closet Cooking

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Spicy

April 11, 2012 · 11:42 am

Easy Slow Cooker Refried Beans

These are super easy, healthy and were a wonderful addition to our taco dinner last night, but (full disclosure here) my house smelled like an onion factory exploded in it and we could smell it before we even got in the garage. I don’t know if I had a super stinky onion or if that’s just what you get when you throw a whole onion in the CrockPot. Ignore the smell, enjoy your beans and then light a candle to get the stink out.

Ingredients:
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
½ fresh jalapeno or other hot pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
One big pinch of cumin
6 cups water

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

Cook on high for 8 hours or overnight while you are sleeping.

When done cooking, remove the bigger onion chunks and drain the excess liquid.

Mash remaining beans with a potato masher or the backside of a wooden spoon.

What did the family think? Hubby and I liked them and there were enough for leftovers for the next day for lunch, too. Our kids aren’t huge refried bean fans, so they weren’t a hit with them. I would like to note though that when our youngest was little we had to practically restrain him from literally licking his plate clean when we would have refried beans. Somewhere around the age of three he decided refried beans weren’t for him

Where did this recipe come from? I got it from 100 Days of Real Food and she got it from Allrecipes

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Lent, Make Ahead of Time, Mexican, Side Dish, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

April 10, 2012 · 8:07 am

Egg Souffle

About the only way we eat eggs around here is scrambled, so for Easter I decided we needed to do something a little “fancier”. These came out great and were an excellent addition to our Easter brunch.

Ingredients:
2 T butter
2 T whole-wheat flour
1 cup milk
Salt & pepper
5 eggs
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round baking dish.

Separate the eggs by placing the whites in a separate bowl from the yolks. Whisk the egg whites with a mixer on high speed until soft peaks form and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the foam has subsided, whisk in the whole-wheat flour. Keep whisking until the mixture begins to brown then turn the heat down to low and slowly add the milk while still whisking constantly so lumps do not form. Turn it back up to medium and continue whisking until the milk mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and add 1/8 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper.

Quickly whisk the egg yolks into the milk mixture without allowing them to cook.

Pour the milk/yolk mixture into the fluffy egg whites and using a rubber spatula carefully fold the two together without crushing the air out of the egg whites. Also add and mix in cheese. Do not overmix.

Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake until lightly brown on top, about 20 – 25 minutes. Serve immediately (otherwise the soufflé will “fall”). Enjoy!

What did the family think? Yum!

Where did this recipe come from? 100 Days of Real Food

Photo from More Intelligent Life

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Filed under Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Lent, Not so Easy, Six Ingredients or Less, Vegetarian

April 9, 2012 · 6:43 pm

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole

Yes, it’s as good as it sounds and better. Anything with cream cheese is going to be good and this yummy dish is no exception!

Ingredients:
12 oz spaghetti
1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

In a skillet, brown the ground beef until cooked through; drain fat and stir in spaghetti sauce. Set aside.

Cook spaghetti according to directions on package. Drain and place cooked spaghetti in bowl. Add cream cheese, Italian Seasoning and minced garlic. Stir until cream cheese is melted and the spaghetti is thoroughly coated.

Lightly grease a 9×13″ pan. Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the bottom of the dish. Put spaghetti on top of sauce and top with remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly.

What did the family think? Yum, yum, super yum!

Where did this recipe come from? Plain Chicken

photo from Plain Chicken

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian