Sticky Sliders and Millionaire Pie

Quick, I have to eat this pie before it melts! 

Cheesy Chicken Breasts and an Angel of a Dessert

Today I'm sharing this fabulous chicken meal.  

Impossibly Easy Ham and Swiss Pie and Shortbread Spritz

Do you have a love for easy recipes? 

Mini Crescent Roll Tarts with Gouda and Apple Cider Fruit Spread

 

 

 

I have a yummy appetizer that's quick and easy, if you need one for Thanksgiving.

Cheesy Chicken

My good friends brought over a harvest from their garden and I made one of my favorite meals of Cheesy Chicken, with the cherry tomatoes and fresh green beans.

Tomato Tart and Cooking Camp

 This Nana is having one of her favorite Summer time treats out on the patio.  I've posted this recipe before, which you can find here,  but will share it again.  It's such a perfect meal, with pie crust, garlic, cheese and tomatoes....so simple, but sooooo delicious!  The recipe for the Tomato Tart is at the end.

 My friend Rosie gifted me with several teacups from her late Mother's collection, as she knew that I would use and love them.  Isn't this Strawberry by Royal Grafton, a beauty?

 Yes, the kids and I are still busy at our weekly Cooking Camp!  Here are the little sweethearts after making our Teddy Bears at the Beach cupcakes.  You can find directions here.  We've made these before, but the kids have fun creating their little scenes.

 We also made Caterpillar Cheese Balls.  You can use a favorite cheese ball recipe,  and divide it into 8 balls, roll in parsley, leaving one ball plain.  Add some pretzels and raisins and there you have it!  This adapted version came from my Great Balls of Cheese cookbook, by Michelle Buffardi.  Each family of kids took one of the caterpillars home to share with their family.  

We also made Hot Buttered Soft Pretzels, which was a recipe from King Arthur Flour.  You can see that the pretzels are all labeled by one of my campers.  We want everyone to be sure to get their own!!  This is a quick yeast dough recipe, with only a 30 minute rise.  The kids loved these and afterwards I took the little bakers to my neighborhood pool to cool off! You can find the recipe for the pretzels here.

Tomato Tart

1 refrigerated pie crust

1 garlic bulb

1/2 t. olive oil

1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese

4 large tomatoes

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper. 

Press refrigerated pie crust on bottom & up sides of a tart pan.  Bake at 450 degrees for 9 minutes or until lightly browned; set aside.

Cut off pointed end of garlic bulb; place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil & drizzle with olive oil.  Fold foil to seal.

Bake garlic at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the garlic is tender.  Test it with a paring knife.  Squeeze pulp from garlic cloves into bottom of baked pie crust.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of fontina cheese over the garlic.

Slice tomatoes & place on folded paper towels.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper & let stand for 10 minutes. 

Arrange tomato slices over shredded cheese.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until lightly browned.  I like to add some minced fresh basil before serving.

NOTE:  In place of the garlic bulb, I often just sprinkle the crust with garlic powder.  Also, in place of the fontina, which can be pricey, I'll sub an Italian blend shredded cheese.

I am sharing this with:

Tea Time Tuesday

Tuesday Cuppa Tea 

Friends Sharing Tea

Tea Cup Tuesday 
Roses of Inspiration 
Cooking and Crafting with J & J 

Share Your Cup

Full Plate

Foodie Friday

Weekend Potluck

Thank you for your visit!  xo

Pepperoni Pizza Cheese Ball

This fun cheese ball comes from my Great Balls of Cheese cookbook by Michelle Buffardi.  This makes for a great appetizer for football season, or any time!  It looks like a long list of ingredients, but it goes together quickly.  I hope you try it for your next party.  Doesn't it look like real pizza??

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped pepperoni

1/4 cup crushed tomatoes

2 1/2 T. chopped bell pepper, any color

1 T. finely chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press

3/4 t. Italian seasoning

1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs, for decorating

Pepperoni slices and black olives, for decorating

Crackers or baguette slices, for serving

Using a stand mixer or a bowl and spatula, mix together the cream cheese, 2 cups mozzarella (reserve the 1/2 cup for decorating), Parmesan, chopped pepperoni, tomatoes, 2 T. of bell pepper (reserve the 1/2 T. for decorating), onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning.  Form the mixture into a ball and loosely cover with plastic wrap.  Gently flatten the ball into a disk; refrigerate for at least 2  hours or overnight.  I actually made two disks.

Before serving, unwrap the disk and roll the edges in the breadcrumbs, pressing the middle in a bit as you roll.  Set the disk on a plate and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella, pepperoni slices, the remaining bell pepper and olives.  I sprinkled a little oregano on top, too.

Serve with crackers or baguette slices.

I am sharing this with:

Make It Pretty Monday 

Share Your Cup
Full Plate
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck
Creative Ways

Thank you for your visit!  xo

Pigskin Cheese Ball

This fun recipe comes from a  cookbook that one of my son's gave me for Christmas, called Great Balls of Cheese. If you need a cheese ball to take to a Super Bowl party, this would be a great one.  I think my bloggy buddy, Lynn, at Happier Than A Pig In Mud  will love this one!

1 1/2 pounds of sliced bacon

1 medium jalapeño, cored, seeded, and finely chopped

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, plus some for decorating

1 T. chopped scallions

Crackers for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the bacon slices in a single layer on 2 baking sheets that have sides. Bake until crispy, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels and let cool. Reserve 2 T.  of the bacon grease and save or discard the rest.  Coarsely chop the bacon, when cool and set aside.

Cook the jalapeño in the reserved bacon grease in a small skillet over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Using a mixer, mix together 1 cup of the chopped bacon, the sautéed jalapeño, cream cheese, 1 cup of the cheddar, and the scallions until combined.

Form the mixture into a ball and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Before serving, form the mixture into an oblong football shape and roll in the remaining chopped bacon to coat. Decorate the top of the football cheese ball with some pieces of cheese to resemble laces.  ( I actually used some string cheese for this part).

Serves 15-20

NOTE:  I made half of the recipe and it was plenty for a crowd!

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Make It Pretty Monday
HOME
Share Your Cup
Foodie Friday
Full Plate
Seasonal Sundays
Weekend Potluck

Turkey Cheese Ball

 

I saw this idea in the latest November 2013 edition of Dash and thought I'd share it for anyone that likes fun food.  I believe the source for this idea comes from Great Balls of Cheese by Michell Buffardi. I used my favorite recipe for Pinecone Cheese Ball.

You can find that recipe here.  If you have a favorite cheese ball recipe, just use that.  The important part is the decorating and kids would love to help with that.  Here's how it's done:

Your favorite cheese ball recipe, or mine which is found here
3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted and chopped
2 raisins
1 whole almond or pecan
1 small piece red bell pepper, zigzag cut
6 short, thin orange bell pepper slices
thin pretzel sticks
crackers for serving

Mix up your cheese ball ingredients.  Roll into a ball and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Pinch a walnut- size portion from cheese mixture and roll into a ball (for head).  Reroll remaining cheese into a ball and roll in the chopped almonds.

Place raisins in head for eyes.  Press the almond or pecan into middle for the beak.  Poke red pepper under beak for wattle.  Press a few slivered almonds into top of head for feathers.  Stick 2 clusters of orange bell pepper slices together at base of ball for feet.  Stick pretzels into turkey's back for tail feathers.  Serve with crackers.

  I've set my table with my big star quilt table topper and my leaf dishes, from Wal Mart and Kohl's. 

 My centerpiece is my lantern from Target, surrounded by gourds in various colors and some beads that I found in Hot Springs. 

I love these leaf plates that I actually use for my breakfast in the morning. 

I am sharing this with:

Make It Pretty Monday
Inspire Me
HOME
Let's Dish!
Share Your Cup
Tips, Tutorials and Tidbits
Foodie Friday
Full Plate
Seasonal Sundays
Weekend Potluck


           Thank you for your visit!  xo

Mini Cheese Pumpkins

 

I saw these pumpkins at Betty Crocker's website and thought that they were so adorable.  These would be so cute to serve any time during a Fall get-together and they're a perfect one-bite appetizer.  Here's how they're made:

1 container of cold pack cheese (I used Trader Joe's spreadable cheese in a tub and it was a little too soft)
peanuts, chopped
pretzel sticks, broken
fresh herbs (Betty Crocker used parsley and I used oregano)

Take small scoops of cheese and roll into balls.  Place on wax paper and chill for about 10 minutes.  Use a toothpick to score lines on the pumpkin (my cheese was too soft).  Break the pretzels and insert into the top of the pumpkins.  Dip the pumpkins into the chopped peanuts.  Place on a decorative plate and insert the fresh herbs for the twining leaves on the pumpkin.


I am sharing this with:

HOME
Foodie Friday
Full Plate
Share Your Cup
Seasonal Sundays
Tips, Tutorials and Tidbits
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck

Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

For my Irish setting, I'm using the topper I made several years ago, with a shamrock plant in a red basket to pick up the colors of the ladybugs  in the fabric.  The melamine shamrock plates are from Target and the red Cambridge flatware works well with the colors in the topper.

Here's a close-up of the kissing Leprechaun couple.

 My Mom gave me the (very old) milk glass shamrock candle holders.  Aren't they pretty? 

 

I love the fabric with the shamrock's and the cute ladybugs! 

I wrapped my green napkins with a doily and tied with a freestanding lace shamrock that I embroidered on my sewing machine. 

This pasta was found at World Market.  We usually eat Dreamfields pasta, but I just couldn't resist this, plus it was FREE because I had a $10.00 coupon that they sent me for my birthday!  Woo hoo!!!

We visited the Biltmore Estate last August and somehow we go  on their mailing list.  They sent this
recipe and I thought  it sounded good and easy!  It's even easier than this one.  Having the heavy cream as an ingredient eliminates the roux.  It's a delicious Lenten meal.  Of course, you can always add leftover ham after Easter. 

2 cups macaroni, cooked (I undercooked a few minutes)
2 1/2 cups heavy cream (I will use 1/2 cup less next time)
1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup panko breadcrumbs (I omitted)

Place cooked macaroni into baking dish. 

In a saucepan, heat cream and add Gouda and half of the Parmesan.  Whisk vigorously over low heat, making sure not to let bottom scorch.  When cheese is melted into cream, pour mixture over macaroni.  Sprinkle panko and rest of Parmesan on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until brown. 

Serves 4.

I am sharing this with: 

Make It Pretty Monday

Mix It Up Monday

On the Menu Monday
Tabletop Tuesday
HOME
Let's Dish!

Full Plate Thursday
Tablescape Thursday
thebusybhive.blogspot.com/
Foodie Friday

The Charm of Home

Weekend Potluck
Seasonal Sundays

               Thank you for your visit!  xo

Stuffed Poblanos

 

My dear hubby loves stuffed poblanos and he was happy to enjoy this meal. It is an adapted recipe from the Dallas Morning News.   If you like slightly spicy foods, give this a try!

2 cups (about) cooked white turkey or chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
2 heaping Tablespoons of salsa
salt and pepper
4 large poblano chiles
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese or Mexican blend, grated (plus extra for topping off)

Preheat broiler to high.

In a small bowl, combine the turkey or chicken and the salsa. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place chiles as close as possible to the broiler element. Close the door, but check every few minutes. As chiles blister, use long tongs to turn so all sides are blistered.

Once the chiles are blistered or blackened, remove the chiles and place in a plastic bag. When cool, remove as much skin as possible and make a slit in each chile. Carefully remove the seeds and the core. Take care to not touch your eyes during this process.

Combine cheese with the turkey and chicken and stuff each chile. Top with some extra cheese. The peppers can be prepared and refrigerated at this point until ready to serve.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes (may take longer if they've been refrigerated.)

I am sharing this with:

Make It Pretty Monday

Mix It Up Monday

On the Menu Monday
HOME

Full Plate Thursday
thebusybhive.blogspot.com/
Foodie Friday

The Charm of Home

Weekend Potluck
Foodie Friday at Simple Living
Seasonal Sundays

                Thank you for visiting!  xo

Easy Beef and Cheese Manicotti

 

This is a recipe that I adapted from www.Kitchenscoop.com.  I love it because you don't have to pre-cook the manicotti shells and they cook to perfect al dente' in the oven!!  It would be a perfect meal to serve for Valentine's Day.

1 T. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta
2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided use
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided use
1 t. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 (32-ounce) jar marinara sauce, divided use
1 (8-ounce package) of 14 manicotti shells

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet.  Add the onion, ground beef and the garlic.  Saute' until the meat browns and the onion is translucent. I drained any extra grease from the meat.   Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Combine the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan and the Italian seasoning.  Add the salt and pepper to taste and mix.  Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.

Spoon 1 cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of an oblong baking dish.  Completely fill the uncooked manicotti shells with the cheese-meat mixture.  Using your fingers is the easiest way.  Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer in the dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.

Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and then the remaining Parmesan over the shells.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes.  Uncover and cook 10 more minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and sauce bubbles along the edge.  Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes before serving. 

Makes 7 servings.

I am sharing this with: 

Make It Pretty Monday

Mix It Up Monday

On the Menu Monday

HOME

Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday

The Charm of Home

Weekend Potluck

Seasonal Sundays

         Thanks for visiting my kitchen!  xo

French Bread Pizza

Here's an easy meal for Summer...French bread pizza.  Who doesn't love biting into cheesy goodness?
It doesn't require a lot of ingredients either.  Serve with a salad and dinner's done!

1 loaf of French bread, store bought or my easy homemade version found here
Pizza or Marina sauce
Mozzarella cheese
olive oil
Toppings such as pepperoni, sausage, onions, mushrooms


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice bread in half horizontally.   Brush each half with some olive oil.  Add some sauce, cheese, toppings and more cheese.  Place on baking sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.  I like to sprinkle Parmesan cheese and dried oregano when it comes out of the oven.  Slice into pieces and serve.

I am sharing this with:

Make It Pretty Monday
Mix It Up Monday
On the Menu Monday
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
Cowgirl Up
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Potpourri Friday
Home Sweet Home
Weekend Potluck
Seasonal Sundays

Cheese Fondue

This cheese fondue doesn't require any fancy, expensive cheese & yet it tastes great!  My DH & I had this for New Year's Eve, along with a chocolate fondue.  I plan to make it again soon!  You may want to make this for a fun Valentine's Day meal!!

3/4 cup white wine
3 cups grated cheese (I used a Mexican blend)
2 T. flour
dash of garlic powder
                                                                      

Mix the cheese & flour together & set aside.

Heat the wine in fondue pot until it comes to a boil.  Turn down the heat until the wine comes to a simmer.

Add the cheese, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until it is fully melted.  Add the garlic powder.

Serve with roasted or raw veggies, such as cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms & asparagus.  Smoked turkey sausage is also good after it's been heated & of course, don't forget the bread cubes!!! We love the Artisan Bread found here. 

To roast veggies, coat them with a little olive oil, salt & pepper & roast the cut up cauliflower, carrots, broccoli for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees.  For asparagus & mushrooms, add during the last 10 minutes.

Yummy roasted veggies & sauteed  smoked turkey sausage

NOTE:  Any cheese fondue can be refrigerated & reheated.  I almost think it tastes even better after re-heating!!

I am sharing this with:
Table Top Tuesday
Wow Us Wednesday
Rock 'n Share Party
Full Plate Thursday
Thriving on Thursdays
Foodie Friday
Happy Friday
Seasonal Sundays