Wonton Mini Lasagna Cups

Thanks, Pam for passing along a version of these! I tweaked it a big because I wanted to add Italian sausage to them! How yummy! I love that it gives you a way to have the flavors of Lasagna in a little healthier way! Perfect for dinners or get-togethers!

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 1/2 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 lb Italian sausage
  • 1 jar of spaghetti sauce (I use the kind with no added sugar)

Cups:

  • 1 pack wonton wrappers 48 wrappers
  • 1 1/2 cups non-fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup low fat shredded mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan

Instructions

Filling:

  1. Sauté ground beef and sausage and cook until browned.
  2. Add sauce and heat until bubbly.

Mini Lasagna cups:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F
  2. Lightly coat muffin pan with cooking spray
  3. Line muffin cups with wonton wrappers
  4. Put 1 tsp ricotta cheese in each cup
  5. Top with 1 1/2 tbsp. filling
  6. Add some shredded mozzarella
  7. Repeat
  8. Top with Parmesan
  9. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the edges are crispy.

 

You may have enough to do two pans worth. Play with the recipe and add more sauce or more cups accordingly. 

 

Shepherd’s Pie Potato Skins

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My family is Irish, so Shepherd’s pie made it’s way to the dinner table from time to time. I love this new version of that classic hearty, filling, and warm meal! Even if you’re not Irish, your family will appreciate this for St. Patty’s Day or any other winter day! Thanks to my sister, Terri for passing this along!

 

Potato Mash

4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

2 1/2 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp salt

 

Filling

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

8 ounces ground beef

2 Tbsp flour

1 cup beef broth

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 cups frozen vegetables

 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Prick the potatoes with a fork and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Rotate and cook another 5 minutes. Test with a knife to make sure they’re done.
  3. Cut the tops off the potatoes and scoop the insides into a bowl, leaving a 1/4-inch wall around the skin.
  4. Add the milk, butter and salt to the bowl of potato and mash until smooth. If you’ll be piping the potatoes, place them into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and reserve for later.
  5. In a sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent.
  6. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking into smaller pieces, until browned and cooked through.
  7. Sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir to combine. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and frozen veggies to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened and become glossy. Remove from the heat.
  8. Fill each potato evenly with the beef mixture. Pipe the mashed potatoes over the filling, covering the meat mixture completely. (You might not have to use all of the potatoes.)
  9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops of the potatoes start to brown.

 

Tip

In step 2, if you’d rather bake the potatoes, rub olive oil, salt and pepper all over the cleaned potatoes, place directly on an oven rack and bake at 425 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes until done.

 

(Recipe adapted from Recipe Tin Eats via Tip Hero)

Sloppy Sliders

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You’re having a basketball ‘watch’ party and you don’t want to serve the same old thing. This recipe is everything you’re looking for. If you normally do the Sloppy Joe thing, try this! It’s a twist on traditional Sliders that doesn’t require individual preparation. It’s EASY and OH SO YUMMY! Enjoy!

 

1 pound ground beef

1 pound bulk pork sausage

1 pound Velveeta

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

 

24 slider buns or soft dinner rolls

 

 

Brown ground beef and sausage together with onion powder and pepper. Make sure it is cooked through. Drain grease.

 

Combine browned meat and Velveeta in a crock pot and heat on low until cheese is melted and bubbly.

 

Serve on slider buns.

 

*If you heat it more than four hours, you may have to add a splash of milk if it gets too thick.

 

 

Chicken Broccoli Cheese Soup

 

I don’t even know what to say about this soup. It’s so good. Perfect combo of a creamy chicken and a broccoli cheddar soup.  Try it. You WON’T be disappointed.

 

1 small diced onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1 stick butter

1 cup flour

8 cups chicken broth

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (or more)

2 bags of frozen broccoli (I use florets)

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper (white if you have it)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup milk (I used 2% milk)

4 cups sharp cheddar cheese

 

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic over medium high heat until opaque.

Lower heat to medium and add butter and flour. Cook until roux is bubbly and starting to brown.

Pour roux into a pot and add chicken broth (stir to prevent lumps)

Add chicken, broccoli, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and cook for about 30 minutes.

Stir in cheese and milk until cheese is fully melted and serve.

Roasted Veggie And Beef Stew

Went to my sister’s house Sunday to celebrate my parent’s 68th wedding anniversary and my sister served this! It was that day that was like 5 outside so it was really perfect! It’s hearty and filling and the roasted veggies make it taste so unique! Can’t wait to have it again!

 

Ingredients

2 pounds beef chuck roast, cubed

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

4 carrots, coarsely chopped

4 large russet potatoes, cut into quarters

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 bay leaf

2 cups beef broth

1/2 cup red wine

1/4 cup tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place beef cubes in a metal roasting pan and stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Put in the oven, on the middle rack and cook for 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown and tender.

Meanwhile, put onions, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, celery, and garlic in a roasting pan. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place in oven underneath beef. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove both beef and vegetable mixture from oven.

Remove beef from roasting pan and set aside. Place roasting pan on medium high heat. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the bits of drippings while stirring. Remove from heat.

Put beef and wine mixture in a Dutch oven and stir in beef broth and add bay leaf and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons flour to cooked vegetables and toss until all vegetables are coated. Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are heated through and tender. Serve hot.

Tastes Like Lasagna Soup

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January is National Soup Month and THIS is a great one! This is a recipe I found that I have tweaked it a bit. (of course) An option is to make it with spaghetti sauce instead of all the individual ingredients and it was good. But…taking a little extra time to do it with the individual ingredients makes it even better! This is a YUMMY comfort-food soup! MMmm.

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, chopped (I use onion powder)

1 green bell pepper, chopped (I use half)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar

1 (32-ounce) box chicken broth (I use low sodium)

2 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/2 tablespoon basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups broken lasagna noodles (I added 1/2 cup more)

1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large pot, combine ground beef, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and crumbles. Drain well.

(at this point, you can put everything in your crockpot on low and cook for 5 hours. Put the Parmesan cheese in for the last hour, then continue to the last step, if desired)

(this is if you’re making the sauce from scratch) Stir in thyme, brown sugar, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, basil and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add noodles, and simmer until noodles are tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into 8 to 10 ovenproof bowls (or a deep round casserole). Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Broil 3 to 4 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly.

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Bacon Wrapped Smokies

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Sometimes I pass along recipes that are more on the healthy side. This one however, is not. Unless you’re on a diet that lets you eat bacon and sausage and brown sugar. That’s all there is to it! How perfect for your tailgate! I’ve seen this done in an oven, but the Crockpot is WAY more convenient!

 

1 pkg Lil Smokies (13 oz.)

1 pkg. Bacon (16 oz.)

1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar (more or less)

 

Pour half of the brown sugar on the bottom of your Crockpot.

Cut strips of Bacon into thirds.

Wrap each strip of Bacon around 1 Lil Smokie, then poke a Toothpick through to keep it in place.

Place Bacon Wrapped Smokies into Crockpot.

Sprinkle on remaining brown sugar.

Cook on HIGH for approx. 3 – 3.5 hours, or until bacon is completely cooked.

Occasionally move smokies around in Crockpot to ensure they cook evenly.

 

ENJOY!!

Nuts and Bolts

chexmix

This is the homemade version of what you might think of as “Chex Mix”. This is so much better and extremely addicting! It makes a bunch. So feel free to give away!

  • 1/2 box of the following cereals
    • Rice Chex
    • Wheat Chex
    • Corn Chex
    • Cheerios
  • 2 cups stick pretzels
  • 1 lb mixed nuts
  • 1 lb dry roasted peanuts
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 cup of oil
  • 3 Tbls Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • a couple of dashes of hot sauce

Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl.

Melt butter and add oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and hot sauce to it.

Pour wet mixture over cereal/nut mixture; put in large roasting pan and bake in a 200 degree oven for 2 hours.  Stir well every 15 minutes or so to ensure that all dry ingredients get coated with oil mixture.  Enjoy!

Cranberry Hootycreek Cookies

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A few years ago, all the girls in our family got together for what we call “sisters weekend”. We decided to put these jars together to give as Christmas presents! I had never heard of a cookie called “Hootycreek” but it’s fantastic! The cranberry makes it taste (and look) so Christmassy! And these jars make great teacher or pastor or BFF gifts! This first part is the actual recipe to make the cookies. The second section below is how you make the jars and what the card you attach to them should say! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 1⁄4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup softened butter
  • 2⁄3 cup brown sugar
  • 2⁄3 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsps vanilla
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped nuts

DIRECTIONS

  1. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
  2. Cream butter, then add sugars, eggs & vanilla.
  3. Mix in flour mixture & oats, then cranberries, chips & nuts.
  4. Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet.
  5. Bake at 350 for 8-10 min.
  6. Makes 3 doz. Cookies

HootyDough

 

JAR COOKIES

1 1/8 cups flour

½ cup rolled oats

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup white sugar

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup white chocolate chips

½ cup chopped pecans

 

Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart jar as listed

 

Attach a tag with the following instructions: Cranberry Hootycreeks

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Grease a cookie sheet
  3. In a medium bowl, beat together ½ cup soft butter, 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla
  4. Add the entire jar of ingredients and mix together by hand until well blended
  5. Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheets
  6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown
  7. Cool on wire rack

Homemade Cinnamon Almonds

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The other day I was in the mall and I smelled such a wonderful smell, I had to find it! The cinnamon and sugar in the air was almost too much to take.  It was the cinnamon nut vendor! You know how those smell, right? Then I saw the price. Worth it, yes…but pricey. So I started digging for a way to make them at home. I found one! And you do it in the CROCK POT! I made them…and I think I could sell them if I set up a cart with NO PROBLEM. I won’t do that, but I WILL give them away for GREAT little Christmas gifts!

 

1 1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

3 Tbsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp all spice

1 egg white

2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 cups almonds

1/3 cup water

 

In a medium bowl, mix sugars, cinnamon, salt and all spice. Set aside.

In a larger bowl, whisk egg white and vanilla until it’s frothy. Stir in the almonds until they are thoroughly coated. Add cinnamon mixture to the almonds and toss until coated.

Spray cooking spray in large crock pot. Add the mixture to the crock pot and turn it to low.

Cook covered 2 1/2 hours stirring every 20 minutes. Add water and stir well. Cook for another hour, stirring again after a half hour.

Lightly spray 2 cookie sheets and spread the almonds flat to cool. Separate them so they can dry out and crisp up.

Store in air-tight container and/or bag for fantastic Christmas gifts!