Category Archives: Easy

November 2, 2010 · 10:08 am

Stuffed Shells

We are a pasta lovin’ and a cheese lovin’ house, so I knew these would be a hit!

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
2 eggs, beaten
1 (32 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
8 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce, divided

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and run cold water over them too cool them off.

In a large bowl, mix eggs, ricotta, half the mozzarella and half the Parmesan until well combined.

Cover bottom of 9×13 dish with thin layer of spaghetti sauce.

Stuff cooked shells with ricotta mixture and place in baking dish.

Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over shells and then sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan on top.

Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes, until edges are bubbly and shells are slightly set.

We had these with a salad, but I wish I would have made some nice warm yummy garlic bread to go with it, too.

Did I change anything? I actually ended up using two jars of sauce. I used just a little bit of the second one to finish off the top of the noodles. I just felt like it needed a little bit more sauce.

What did the family think? It was a hit! There was a little bit leftover and I was already dreaming about having the leftovers for lunch. Apparently, so was our oldest. He asked me if he could have the rest in his lunchbox for the next day. I reluctantly said yes. Next time I will have to make more. 🙂

adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Lent, Six Ingredients or Less, Vegetarian

November 1, 2010 · 1:53 pm

Leftover Halloween Candy Cookies

These cookies are so much fun! The best part is you can mix and match any way you want…so you might have an M&M and Milky Way cookie or just keep it simple and stick to Snickers or put three or four different kinds of candies in one cookie.

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks/chips
Halloween Candy (e.g. M&M’s, Rolos, Snickers, etc.)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Beat in baking soda and salt. Add flour and stir until it is mixed in.

Stir chocolate chunks/chips into the dough.

Scoop 1/4 cups of dough onto cookie sheet and flatten slightly into mounds. Leave about 3 inches between cookies because they will spread as they bake. Press candy (decoratively) into cookie mounds. Mix and match it any way you would like.

Bake 14-16 minutes or until cookies are almost set. Do not overbake; centers should be slightly soft. Cool on baking sheet for about 7 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Makes about 12 cookies.

Did I change anything? Yes, I reduced the amount of chocolate chips…I figured there’s enough chocolate in the candy, but then I actually tasted the cookies and realized I should have put the whole cup in. Live and learn. 🙂

What does the family think? They are all at work and school right now, but I don’t think they are going to object to fresh, warm, whimsical cookies…although the kids might be a little ticked that I got into their candy. Oh well! 🙂

from Coffeehouse Cookies

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Filed under After School Snacks, Desserts, Easy, Vegetarian

October 29, 2010 · 2:19 pm

Egg Drop Soup

We needed some soup on this chilly night, but I had also planned to make some Vietnamese sandwiches. These two paired up nicely with the sushi I got at the store…we had an Asian sampler night. 🙂

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken broth, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs
1 egg yolk

Instructions:
Reserve 3/4 cup of chicken broth, and pour the rest into a large saucepan. Stir the salt, ginger and chives into the saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil.

In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining broth and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk together using a fork. Drizzle egg a little at a time from the fork into the boiling broth mixture. Egg should cook immediately. Once the eggs have been dropped, stir in the cornstarch mixture gradually until the soup is the desired consistency.

Did I change anything? I had some shredded carrots left over from a recipe I made earlier this week, so I added some of those.

What did the family think? I was a little nervous that the soup would not taste AT ALL like restaurant soup, but it turned out great. Hubby and I liked it. Our oldest tried it, but he was not impressed.

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Filed under Easy, Side Dish, Stew/Soup

October 28, 2010 · 8:45 am

Cobb Salad Wrap

These can be served hot or cold. You can make them ahead of time, stick them in the frig and get them out when you are ready. They are very transportable too…make it, wrap it up in plastic wrap and take it with you for lunch or a picnic.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
4 8- to 10-inch whole wheat or Southwest-flavored flour tortillas
4 romaine lettuce leaves, ribs removed
4 strips bacon, crisp-cooked and drained
2 green onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces cooked chicken, shredded

Instructions:
Spread salad dressing over one side of each tortilla.

Top with lettuce, bacon, green onions, tomato, cheese, and shredded chicken. Roll up tightly.

Serve immediately or wrap in plastic wrap and chill up to 4 hours.

Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Did I change anything? The only thing I changed was that the kids only got chicken, lettuce and cheese in theirs.

What did the family think? Everyone liked theirs except for our youngest…the cheese was sticking to the chicken! Horror!!! He did finally manage to work his way around it and ate his dinner though.

from Better Homes and Gardens

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Filed under Chicken, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Sandwich

October 27, 2010 · 1:43 pm

Sunshine Cupcakes

I used to make a version of these a lot when the boys were little for birthday parties, preschool birthday celebrations, etc. I haven’t made them in forever, but I know they’d still like them. It’s a cupcake…what’s not to like?

Ingredients:
1 package of yellow cake mix
1 tablespoon of orange zest
1 cup of orange juice
1/2 cup of canola oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
4 large eggs

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and orange zest. Whisk to combine.

Add orange juice, canola oil, vanilla extract and eggs. Blend with the mixer on low speed for one minute, then speed it up to medium and beat for 2 more minutes.

Fill cupcake papers about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake at 350F until golden in color and a toothpick test comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes.

Did I change anything? The only thing missing from these cupcakes is the frosting. I never put frosting on them when I was taking them up to preschool…the preschool teachers REALLY appreciate that. They are good just the way they are.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

from Family Fun magazine

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

October 26, 2010 · 7:58 pm

Goulash

Hubby asked me if I would put this in our dinner recipe rotation this week. Our oldest son gave it “five stars”…it is a very “kid-friendly” dish.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef, turkey or chicken
2 cups shredded carrot
2 (10-3/4-ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
2 1/2 cups water
8 ounces dried cut whole wheat ziti pasta (about 2-1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoongarlic powder
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

Instructions:
In a 4-quart Dutch oven, cook ground beef and shredded carrot over medium heat until meat is brown. Drain off fat.

Stir tomato soup, the water, uncooked ziti, dried basil (if using), onion powder, and garlic powder into meat mixture in Dutch oven.

Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and cook about 25 minutes or until ziti is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in fresh basil (if using) and mozzarella cheese.

Sprinkle individual servings with Parmesan cheese.

Did I change anything? I used macaroni noodles instead of the ziti the recipe called for.

What did the family think? Our oldest son liked it so much he requested the leftovers for his lunch tomorrow. Everyone else liked it too…it was perfect for the chilly weather.

adapted from diabeticliving.com

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

October 25, 2010 · 8:16 pm

Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

It’s been a while since I made this, but this is a staple in our house. It is perfect for a cold and rainy night like tonight.

Ingredients:
3/4 lb Italian sausage
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian diced tomatoes
1 cup red wine
2 cans chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pound dried tortellini
1-2 cups fresh baby spinach (depending on how much you like spinach)
grated or shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions:
In a Dutch oven, cook Italian sausage using a wooden spoon to crumble. When Italian sausage is cooked through, add tomatoes, wine, chicken broth and garlic. Bring to a simmer.

Add tortellini and cook until done.

Add spinach right before serving. Stir until wilted.

Serve and garnish with Parmesan.

Did I change anything? Sometimes I add a little chopped zucchini and/or some diced carrots.

What did the family think? We love this one. It’s definitely comfort food at our house.

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

October 17, 2010 · 5:00 pm

Sunshine Eggs

I saw this recently in a magazine…Parents or Family Fun maybe…anyways it brought a smile to the boys’ faces this morning when they sat down for breakfast. 🙂

Ingredients:
Scrambled Eggs
Toast

Instructions:
Scramble the eggs and place in the center of a plate in a circle.

Toast some bread and use a knife or a pizza cutter to make triangles. Place the triangles around the eggs to look like the sun’s rays.

What did the family think? They thought it was great…smiles all around. 🙂

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Filed under Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

October 15, 2010 · 2:39 pm

Pumpkin Nutella Bread

Yes, it’s as good as it sounds AND it makes two loaves…one for now and one for later. 🙂

Thank you to Erin for pointing me in the direction of this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup water
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon hazelnut extract
8 tablespoons Nutella (4 tablespoons per loaf)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, water, pumpkin, eggs, and extracts. Whisk until smooth and combined.

Slowly stir in the flour mixture. Mix until ingredients are combined.

Pour the batter into the loaf pans, making sure batter is evenly divided. Drop 4 heaping tablespoons of Nutella onto each loaf pan. Swirl the Nutella into the pumpkin batter with a knife. Place the loaf pans onto a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Place the loaf pans on a wire rack. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then carefully remove the loaves. Cool completely before slicing.

Did I change anything? I didn’t have any hazelnut extract so I left that out.

What did the family think? They haven’t had any yet because they are all at work and school. I did have some though and it is YUMMY!

from twopeasandtheirpod.com

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Vegetarian

October 13, 2010 · 12:41 pm

Apple and Beet Salad

I am always trying to figure out what to do with the other half of the apple that doesn’t get used when I make the boys an apple and peanut butter sandwich or an apple and cheese quesadilla for their lunches. Well, this is what I decided to with it today after seeing it in An Apple a Day in this month’s Food Network magazine.

Ingredients:
1/2 apple, diced
2-3 T diced canned beets (not the pickled variety)
1-2 T plain yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

Makes 1-2 servings.

What did the family think? I just made this for myself since I honestly don’t think anyone else in my house would eat this. It made a nice side with the sandwich I had for lunch and it’s kind of cool because the juice from the beets turns everything pink. 🙂

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Filed under Easy, Salad, Side Dish, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian