Creamy Tortellini with Spinach and Tomatoes

This is a recipe from Kraft Foods that I have used for a few years.  I usually make it when I have fresh spinach and tomatoes growing in my garden, yummy! My daughter likes most veggies, so she ate it no problem. My son won't eat the red things or the green stringy stuff, but when I make this and it has the tortellini in it and cream sauce he will eat the veggies.  If your kids just won't eat tomatoes and spinach, just substitute veggies they do like.  I have added grilled chicken to this. It is easy and very good, enjoy!
Creamy Tortellini with Spinach and Tomatoes
1(19oz)pkg frozen cheese tortellini
1C milk
5oz cream cheese, cubed
1/4C + 2T grated parmesan cheese, divided
1/4t black pepper
6oz fresh spinach leaves
1C quartered cherry tomatoes
Boil tortellini according to pkg directions. In skillet, cook cream cheese and milk while stirring until combined.  Add 1/4C parmesan cheese and pepper and stir, taste to adjust seasoning. Add spinach; mix well. Drain tortellini and add to spinach, stir lightly.  Add tomatoes and rest of parmesan cheese.

Puffy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a wonderful chocolate chip cookie recipe that I found over on the blog: http://bunsinmyoven.com/about/  I know there are too many choc chip cookie recipes out there to even mention, but I made this one for the first time yesterday because the "puffiness" and pure size of them appealed to me. They are AWESOME! They are not one of those cookies you want to give to your kids that will put them in a glass of milk, or they inhale them so fast they don't even appreciate the decadence of them....no, these are the type of cookies that you hide from anyone who won't truly appreciate their gourmet taste and depth of texture. In my house, that means I hide them from my two kids and my husband...SO, guess who gets them all? Yep, momma does! This could be bad!(but oh SO good!).  Does anyone else have those "secret" hiding places around your house where you put chocolate? I have to do this, or my kids and husband find the chocolate and it's gone! Then, when I decide to have a chocolate, I have to make sure they are busy and don't watch where I'm going and I usually end up eating it in the bathroom(with the door locked), or in my bedroom.  I only had to resort to this embaressing practice because my 5yr old daughter has this special talent of always knowing when mom has something sweet in her hands, I could be downstairs and away from her, and she still knows! It really is an amazing gift she has(although annoying too!).  It's the same gift that she has when she knows I just sat down to relax, or I have a few moments of quiet!!! Anyone know about this gift?!!          This is only a half batch and I used a 1/4C measuring cup to measure the scoops and it made 13 cookies.  I believe the original recipe calls for 1/2C measuring cup! You don't want to overbake these cookies, mine took 12minutes and they didn't look done at all, but they did continue to cook after I pulled them out of the oven and they turned out perfect. So, don't be tempted to cook them longer because they don't look done!  Use a good quality chocolate chip, I used Ghirradeli, and if you keep the nuts in them, then use walnuts or pecans.


The cutest Cookie Monster I've ever seen!

 Puffy Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Buns in my Oven blog
8Tbs cold butter, cut into cubes
3/4C brown sugar
1 large egg, cold
1tsp vanilla
1 3/4C flour
1/2t baking powder
1/4t baking soda
1/4t salt
1C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2C walnuts, or pecans, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 and grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper. In a bowl, or standup mixer, beat the cold butter and brown sugar for about 1minute, you don't want to cream it or let it get fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and continue to beat until combined. Mix together the dry ingredients and add them to the butter and sugar mixture. You should have a stiff and somewhat sticky dough. If needed add another T. of flour. Add the chocolate chips and nuts and stir to combine.  Measure out the dough in equal portions, I used a 1/4C and it made 13. Levain Bakery(where this recipe is from) uses 6oz portions!  Place the cookies on the baking sheets and place them in the fridge for 5minutes to get cold again, this helps the cookie from spreading while cooking.  Bake for 11-13minutes or until the slightest brown on the outside. Immediately transfer to a cooling rack. Go to a closet, or hiding place where no kids can find you, and eat them slow enough to really enjoy them!
There is a link party at Little Rays of Sunshine, come join us to view other sweet treats!

I can NOT believe it!

 

My daughter, Brooke, did it! I was SO totally wrong! I would have lost the bet...good thing I didn't bet any money! She sat up there big and tall and closed her eyes and held her breath....





How could I have let her, those crocodile tears about killed me!



That's my big 5 year old! Now we need to work on her doing so well at getting shots at the dr. office!



Bierock Casserole

Who wants to take bets? My 5 yr old daughter has an appt to get her ears peirced today and I'm not thinking it's gonna happen! This is a tom boy were talking about, who could almost care less with what she wears and does not play with dolls, who loves dirt and mud and bugs and when it's time to get a shot at the dr.s office it takes 4 people to hold her down and about 20minutes of struggling with her before the shot can even be given. So you wanna make a bet now? LOL  I hope she does go through with it and it was her idea.  She saw a couple girls at preschool with earrings and her cousins too, so she thinks she wants them now.  She will be so "pretty" this summer while digging in the mud with her sparkly earrings! She does take after her mom in this department...I will be right next to her digging in the mud! Hey, a girls gotta be pretty while in the mud, right?! I will post a picture tomorrow if she goes through with it!  On with the recipe....do you like bierox, or is it bierocks? My mom taught me how to make them and they are wonderful and so easy to freeze for later.  They do take some time to make, but they are worth it. And there are many variations to what you can add to your meat.  I came across this recipe for bierock casserole a few years ago and it is really good. It's not quite the same as an individual bierock, but it is much quicker and really good.  It uses crescent rolls, and you can put the layer on the top or on the bottom, or if you like more bread, then put a layer on top and bottom.  Enjoy!

Bierock Casserole
1 bag of prepackaged coleslaw
11/2pd ground beef
1can cream mushroom
1-2C shredded cheddar cheese
1or 2 cans crescent rolls
Brown beef and add onion if desired.  Mix in the bag of coleslaw(I don't use the whole bag, but use how much you like) Place a lid on the beef/coleslaw mixture and place on med-low to let the coleslaw steam and get soft. Once it has softened add the cream of mushroom soup and stir well.  I often add a few Tbsp of mustard at this point and I also boil about 1/4C water and add a beef bouillon cube and melt and add this to the mixture.  You can leave this step out if you want, I just think it adds more flavor.  Grease a 13x9 and place the mixture in the dish and top with shredded cheese and then place the crescent rolls on top, pressing seals together.  In my picture, you see I put the layer of crescent rolls on the bottom of the pan and it worked just as well. I think it would also be good to put a layer on the top and the bottom.  Bake at 400 for around 15-20min.

Note: instead of using a bag of coleslaw you can also use a bag of prepackaged broccoli slaw, it is located near the bagged coleslaw

Betty Crocker-Cheeseburger Pie

Is anyone thinking of what they are going to plant in the garden yet? I have been....I know, it's not quite time yet, but I can't help it! I want to get in that dirt! I like to plant atleast one new food each season.  Last year I did sugar snap peas, they were time consuming, but very worth the sweet and tender taste. I'm not sure what the new food will be this year.  We have a garden spot, but I also like to plant in containers.  Containers are perfect for garden beginners, or city folk with not much room, or for people like me, who just want "even more" room!  If you have never tried gardening, or container gardening, you should try it, it so fun to grow your own food and kids love to get involved.  I plant rows of carrots, etc just for my kids to water and pick.  They love seeing the results come up out of the ground!  Containers are really good for kids too.   Today I'm listing a "classic." It is from Betty Crocker and it's seen on many bisquick boxes, but this is for those of you who may have seen it and never tried it.  It is quick and easy and oh so good! Kids love it and it is so simple. I enjoy making this on those really busy nights, or on those days where I have nothing in my fridge to feed my family! It would be easy to make two at the same time if you have a bigger family, or if you want leftovers the next day.  I don't usually care for leftovers, but this reheats great.  You could even add in corn or green beans to give it a veggie.
Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie
1pd ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (optional)
1/2t salt
1C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2C bisquick mix
1C milk
2 eggs
Heat oven to 400. Spray a 9inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.  Cook beef and onion until done;drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.  In a small bowl, stir rest of ingredients with fork until blended. Pour into pie plate.  Bake about 25min or until knife come out clean.  High altitude (3500-6500 Bake 30-35min)

Cherry Cola Jello Salad

I'm not sure I should have even attempted a picture of this dish! I guess it is red and cheerful, but I just couldn't get a picture of this dish that made it look appealing! But, it is yummy and so easy and kids love it.  This is a version of my MIL's recipe.


Cherry Cola Jello Salad
2small pkgs of cherry jello
1(20oz)can crushed pineapple, drained
1can cherry pie filling
1/2C water
3/4C cola
Drain pineapple very well...that stuff seems like it will drain for days! Place the reserved juice in a saucepan along with the water and bring to a boil. Set the pineapple aside.  Once it boils, add the jello powder and stir until dissolved, like 2minutes. Take off of the heat and stir in the cola and the cherry pie filling until combined.  Place in a serving bowl, or a 13x9 dish and refrigerate until slightly set. Then stir in the pineapple to combine and refrigerate until set.  I had to leave the house and the jello was set before I added in the pineapple, so I just stirred it in, not as pretty, but it still works! This jello can be tart for some people, so you could tone it down by layering it with a tub of cool whip, use light to make it healthier.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches

Sorry about the bad picture...I need a better camera! But, these sandwiches really are awesome, the picture doesn't do them justice.  What is really nice is they cook in the crockpot all day...BONUS!
My kids love these and they like when I reserve the juice and put it in a bowl so they can "dip" the sandwich in it...so, it's kind of like an italian/french dip! The secret to these sandwiches is to use real cheese, not the imitation stuff and to use a good italian bread....I know, I said I don't eat white flour, but this is one exception and I don't use wheat on this.  Very easy meal and it makes a lot of meat! This would work great to put on low before bed on a Saturday night and let it cook during church and when you get home it would be ready to shred and eat for lunch!

Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches
11/2C beef broth(I boil water and add 2beef bouillon cubes)
1C water
1t salt
1t pepper
1t garlic powder
1(.7)pkg dry italian seasoning mix
1 5pd roast(use lean) I have also used a 2pd with the same amount of seasoning
Combine water and beef broth and seasonings and stir to combine.  Place roast in the crockpot and pour the seasoning over the top.  Cook on low 10-12hours, less if it's a smaller roast. Or cook on high 4-5hours. My crockpot is a beast and I cook it on high and it's done in 3 hours, so just check on it after 4hours on high to see if it shreds easily or not.  When done cooking, take two forks and shred the meat, ridding any fat.  This is why you want to use a lean roast, it makes this part much quicker and easier. Take your hoagie rolls and open them flat on a cookie sheet, butter the top side and place drained meat on the other side. Place swiss cheese on top of the meat and leave laying open and broil for 3-5minutes or until cheese is melted and the buttered side is browning....watch closely! Those broilers are sneaky things and can burn bread quickly!  I usually have lots of shredded meat left over and I freeze it for another meal.