Lemon Kale Salad with Spiced Salmon

While I was making my grocery list the other day, I typed "salad" into the Pinterest search bar. For a second there, I thought I broke it. I could almost hear the website go, "bzrrp" as it tried to calculate the billions of well-intentioned salad recipes pinned in the database. But then I was flooded with responses and I saved lots of great salads and ideas to develop new recipes. One recipe that inspired me was Simple Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette. I don't eat nearly enough veggies and when I find one that I can tolerate, like kale, I tend to use it a lot.

I had plans for a friend to come to lunch and I decided I'd use her as a guinea pig for my new salad idea. I think it turned out beautifully! There are a few elements that come together to make this dish, but every one is definitely worth it. The good news is that the vinaigrette doubles as a dressing and a marinade, plus you can make this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge.

(Salmon not shown.)

Lemon Kale Salad w/ Spiced Salmon

1 bunch kale
2 lemons, zest one and juice both
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I used aleppo pepper flakes.)
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

1-1/2 cups asparagus, cut into bite-size lengths

8 ounce salmon fillet
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

1 teaspoon butter
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
salt
pepper
cayenne

2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

To assemble: 

Blanch the asparagus pieces (boil in salted water 2-3 minutes, cool in ice water, drain) and set aside.

Rinse the kale leaves well and strip them from the stems. Dry well. Massage the leaves gently for a few minutes. This breaks down the cellulose, making the leaves more tender and less bitter. Chop the kale and place in a large bowl with the asparagus. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon, olive oil, red pepper flakes, mustard, salt and pepper. On your cutting board, smash the garlic clove, coarsely chop and sprinkle with salt. Using the flat of your knife, smush the garlic and salt into a paste. Add it to your dressing ingredients and whisk well. Pour about half of the dressing onto the kale and toss to coat. Place in refrigerator to chill. Whisk the cayenne pepper and paprika into the remaining dressing and pour over the salmon fillet. Bake at 325° for 18-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Toss in the walnuts and seasonings. Cook, continuing to toss frequently 3-5 minutes, until the nuts are fragrant and toasted.

When ready to serve, toss the salad with the walnuts and goat cheese; top with the salmon.

Italian Pasta Salad

Over the summer I set out to develop a pasta salad recipe that included some of my oldest daughter's and my favorite flavors. I wanted it to be cold, fairly light, and filling enough to be a meal on its own. I ended up serving this alongside a rotisserie chicken for the family. It was really convenient having the leftovers ready and waiting in the fridge over the next couple of days!

Italian Pasta Salad

8 ounces pasta (macaroni, penne or rotini would work well), cooked al dente and  set aside to cool
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed into bite-sized pieces

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, ricotta, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper. Stir in the herbs and spinach. Fold in the cooled pasta, then the tomatoes and mozzarella. Allow to chill in the fridge for about 4 hours before serving.

Southern Fish Tacos

At the grocery store fish counter one day, I fully expected to pick up a pound of cod or halibut for fish tacos. Unfortunately, they were out of both. As I pondered what I would do instead, the guy behind the counter asked what my plans were, then suggested catfish. Surprised, I took a bit of convincing, but he seemed sure it would turn out well and I decided to trust him. Boy, did that pay off! These fish tacos turned out to be amazing - We couldn't stop eating them. I kept the toppings fairly simple and the catfish was definitely the star of the meal.

Southern Fish Tacos

1 pound catfish fillets, cut cross-wise into strips
1 cup buttermilk (enough to soak the fish)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning (Again, I love Savory Spice Shop!)
Vegetable/canola oil for frying

Corn tortillas

Salsa verde - so tangy and a perfect complement to the lemony fish
Shredded cabbage
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Cilantro-Lime Sauce

In a bowl, combine the fish, buttermilk and lemon juice. Let soak for at least half an hour. In a shallow dish, combine the cornmeal, flour and lemon-pepper seasoning. In a large skillet, pour in enough oil to reach a depth of about one inch. Heat to medium-high. Coat the fish in the cornmeal mixture and fry 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden-brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels, keep warm.

In another skillet, heat a small amount of oil over medium-high heat and fry the corn tortillas, 30 seconds on each side. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.

Assemble tacos and enjoy!

Hungarian Goulash

One of my favorite comfort foods as a child was Hungarian Goulash. My mom made it at home, but one of my most vivid memories of it was at a little restaurant one night while we were traveling in Germany. I'm not sure how authentic my version is, but it certainly is tasty.

Hungarian Goulash 

1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (can omit)

1-1/2 pounds stew meat (I like to cut my beef into even smaller, bite-size pieces)
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
4 cups beef broth

Begin by heating 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. In a bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Toss with the stew meat. Brown the meat in batches, adding a bit more oil as needed. Return all to pan and pour the vinegar and broth over. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. This will simmer for at least 30-45 minutes.

Meanwhile prep your veggies:

1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced potato
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 onion, chopped

When the beef has simmered for about 45 minutes, add in all your vegetables. Allow to cook for another 20-30 minutes, until the stew is thickened and the veggies are tender.

This is best served over German Späetzle - kind of a cross between a dumpling and an egg noodle. Making your own is not complicated, just a bit messy and takes some practice. But many grocery stores carry dried Späetzle which will work just fine - it's what I used last night. In a pinch you can use regular egg noodles or even rice. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love slow cooker recipes - throwing everything in one big pot and then forgetting about it is a wonderful thing sometimes! This soup is really flavorful without being super spicy. My kids love it, so that's a big plus! I adapted the recipe from this one which was a good starting point but tasted bland to us, and wasn't very filling.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 (32 ounce) carton chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. Remove the chicken, shred or chop it, then return it to the slow cooker along with:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can whole kernel corn
2 cups prepared (already cooked) rice

Let it continue to heat on low for 1-2 more hours, then serve with your choice of toppings (my favorite part!):

Chopped cilantro
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Tortilla chips
Chopped fresh tomatoes
Chopped green onions
Whatever you like!

Now, that's the official recipe. Since my family is picky, I actually take more time to prep the ingredients by sauteéing the vegetables (first 5 ingredients) in a touch of olive oil until they're tender, then I blitz them in the food processor/blender and add them in like that. You can turn up the heat by adding in jalapeño, and you can certainly use a mix of different peppers like orange or yellow, too. If you're going low-carb, simply omit the rice and/or corn and add in another can of beans.

Crunchy Cheddar Chicken

One night I had a package of chicken breasts in the fridge, and no idea what to do with it. Then I remembered that I had made some breaded, sauteed chicken at one point that was good, but the recipe needed tweaking. I'm so glad I decided to revisit it! It turned out moist, flavorful, and with a crunchy coating that was just perfect.

Crunchy Cheddar Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine in a shallow dish:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine in another shallow dish:
1 egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons milk

Combine in another shallow dish:
1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

4 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 400°. Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken in half cross-wise to make 4 cutlets. Dredge in flour, dip in egg mixture, then press into crumb mixture. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Place chicken cutlets in butter and saute for 5 minutes, until golden brown. Flip over and immediately place in oven for 12-14 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. (This will depend on the thickness of your cutlets. If they are quite thin, 12 minutes may be too much. Use your judgement!)

*****
Can I confess that I don't like doing dishes? I never have, and I think it's safe to say the chore won't grow on me! Any-hoo, to save dishes, I made up the flour mixture, dredged the chicken breasts, then placed the chicken back on the cutting board while I dumped out the remaining flour. I then mixed the bread crumbs and cheese in the same dish (I used a salad bowl). One less dish = happy me!

Sunday Night Review, 2-17

It's not easy coming up with recipes that suit a variety of tastes every week. It's tough enough with my own family, but when I add in our college ministry on Sunday nights it gets really complicated! I think if I took a poll, the hands-down favorite would have to be Calzones. They also love spaghetti - and last night's dinner kind of combined the two.

I don't think it's any exaggeration to say that Pizza Pasta Casserole is in the running for new favorite! When they go back for seconds and thirds, and you hear words like "awesome" being tossed around, you know it's a winner. I adapted the original recipe quite a bit, but since this is a pretty adaptable recipe so it worked well. I used ground beef, pepperoni and ham, and I made my own marinara sauce instead of using store bought. There is NO way the recipe as written would fit in a 9x13x3 pan as the author suggests. I cut back on amounts and still had to use a 9x13 and an 8x8.

I often make a big batch of marinara sauce - some to use and some to freeze for later. It doesn't have to always be such a process, though. If I don't have any sauce in the freezer, I simply pour a couple of cans of diced tomatoes (usually Hunt's Basil, Garlic and Oregano along with Spicy Red Pepper) into the blender with a chunk of raw onion, a couple of cloves of garlic, rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper. This is pretty much my go-to for anytime I need sauce for casseroles or dipping, or whatever.

Anyway, for dessert last night I made Homemade Peanut Butter Cups. They were VERY easy to make, though I suspect if my toddler had been "helping" and not at Nannie's for the day they wouldn't have been quite so effortless! I highly recommend these. I made them in mini muffin cups and used two bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips - one for the bottom layer, one for the top, plus the peanut butter mixture from the recipe. I got 46 total mini cups from that recipe.

Creamy Spinach Soup

A few years ago, The Pioneer Woman had a Spinach Soup recipe on her blog. Intrigued, I decided to give it a shot. It was love at first spoonful! I have since forgotten what her original recipe looked like, and it's no longer on her blog, so I decided to type up the version I make for y'all to enjoy! Now, despite the fact that this soup is mostly spinach, it's really probably not that great for you ... but please don't tell my tummy that. I ate it twice this week because I love it so much! This soup will make two hearty servings, so I make it by half to have for my lunch.

Creamy Spinach Soup

1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (to taste, really)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 package (6 ounces) fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup half-and-half
salt and pepper to taste
Optional: feta cheese

In a medium saucepan, saute the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add in the garlic and red pepper. Saute for 1-2 more minutes; add in the spinach. Once spinach wilts down, pour in the broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and let simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and pour mixture into a blender. (Leave uncovered and do not process right away!) Return the empty saucepan to medium heat and melt the butter. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk for 2-3 minutes, until it just begins to take on color. Put the lid on your blender and blitz the spinach mixture until smooth. Pour into the saucepan, whisking as you go. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. If it's too thick, splash in some more chicken broth. When thoroughly heated, stir in half-and-half, salt and pepper. Divide the soup into bowls and top with the feta cheese, if desired.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

For dinner last night, I made a creamy, simple soup using tomato soup and tortellini. I don't often make meat-free meals, but this one is hearty enough that it works for us. I served it with this incredible Rosemary Olive Oil Bread that has become a family favorite.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

1 32-ounce carton tomato soup (I use Imagine brand)
2 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1 cup half and half (or milk)
1 9-ounce package refrigerated cheese tortellini
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Feta or Parmesan cheese, to taste

In a large saucepan, combine the tomato soup, broth, half and half, and seasonings. Heat completely through, then stir in cheese if desired. I used a few tablespoons of feta. Meanwhile, in another pot, cook tortellini according to package directions, then drain and stir into soup. Serve immediately.

* Between the combination of ingredients, I found the soup didn't need any extra salt, but you might prefer a bit more.

* For a more intense tomato flavor you can add in a tablespoon of tomato paste.

* Because the Rosemary Olive Oil Bread is so flavorful, I didn't even use Italian seasoning in this batch of soup, and it was still delicious!

* I like the simplicity of this soup, but to stretch it further, cooked cubed or shredded chicken, cooked and crumbled Italian sausage, a can of canellini beans or a couple handfuls of raw spinach would be really great additions without adding to the cooking time.

Cornbread to the Rescue!

The other day we weren't supposed to be home at dinner time, but our appointment got cancelled, leaving me with no dinner plans and a husband coming home in an hour! To make matters worse, going out was out of the question and it was Thursday - we get groceries on Friday. (I buy our food weekly, which means very little "stocked up". I had pantry staples like flour and condiments to work with.) After staring into the open fridge and pantry with the dull stare of a dairy cow, inspiration finally struck.

I took my favorite cornbread recipe and added about a cup each of cooked, shredded chicken and cheddar cheese. If I had had a jalapeño and whole kernel corn, I would totally have added that, too. Since I use bacon fat in place of some the shortening in my cornbread, the flavor was really terrific! I added the extras after mixing the batter and before the melted shortening/fat.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a couple of Honeycrisp apples in the fridge, too, so I sliced them up and served them. An odd combination, to be sure, but everyone in my family ate it up and asked for seconds. I do have to say, though, that I did have more to choose from than I normally would. Fresh fruit is almost always gone by Thursday night, I had just forgotten about those somehow. 

Halfway through dinner, a friend texted and asked if she could come over for an hour or so. Knowing she was going to pick up fast food for her own dinner, I tentatively offered her some of ours. She agreed, and then was so glad she did - she loved it!

I have to say, one of my favorite things about cooking is handling these little challenges - it's like Iron Chef, Secret Ingredient: Shredded Chicken! Allez Cuisine!

Ham and Cheese Cups

I've seen recipes similar to this one over the years and they've intrigued me. Mostly, though, they involve simply cracking an egg into a muffin cup lined with ham or bacon and sometimes topping it with cheese. I am NOT a fan of the whole "runny yolk" deal, though, and I don't like eating the white and yolk separately like that unless it's a hard-boiled egg. Even then I have to have a taste of each with every bite! I'm weird like that. (But when it comes to candy bars like Kit-Kat, Reese's Cups, or Twix I eat each layer separately. Pretty sure I read an article addressing that in Psychiatry Monthly.) At any rate, the Ham and Cheese Cups I made today were fabulous! I made only 6 since I was doing them for my own lunch - plus, I happened to have 6 slices of ham leftover from Sunday night's deli sandwiches. I had a filling lunch and I'll have a nice breakfast in the morning, too!

Ham and Cheese Cups

12 slices deli ham
8 eggs
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 small potatoes, washed and peeled
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper

Spray 12 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray. Line with one slice of ham. In a large measuring cup or a bowl with a spout for easy pouring, crack the eggs and whisk them together with the yogurt and salt and pepper to taste.

 On a paper towel, shred the potatoes. Use the paper towel to wring out some of the moisture in the potatoes. Place shredded potato in a small microwaveable bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the butter; microwave for about 1 minute, stirring halfway through. Divide the potato between the muffin cups and top with cheese. Pour the egg mixture evenly over each cup.

Bake at 350° for 16-20 minutes, until tops are nicely rounded and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

If I'd had spinach or broccoli or zucchini, I would have used that instead of, or in addition to, the potato. Either way these were delicious and I'll be making them again for sure!

Parmesan Chicken

Sometimes my recipes come from being creative with the limited food in my fridge and pantry. Sometimes I see a recipe and think, "I can do better than that!". Sometimes I take a good recipe and challenge myself to make it better. This chicken recipe is in that third category! The original looked really good, and I intended to make it as-is, but naturally, I put my own twist on it.

I bought boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale for $1.77 per pound at Kroger on Friday. Since they were pretty big, I decided to cut them in half, making two cutlets out of each breast. I placed 4 cutlets in each quart-sized freezer bag, then poured the marinade over them. One bag went in the fridge for dinner and one bag went into the freezer for another night. When I mixed the bread crumbs and Parmesan, I used half for dinner and put the other half in a freezer bag, in the freezer to use with the other chicken. Two meals, one prep time! This recipe is for the full amount of chicken, and you can divide it like I did if you don't need 8 pieces of chicken.

Parmesan Chicken

4 large chicken breasts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, or 2 teaspoons dried herbs (I used parsley, oregano and rosemary)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup olive oil

2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs (I used whole wheat bread in the food processor)
2/3 cup grated Parmesan

In a small sauce pan, combine the herbs, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat gently on low for 3-4 minutes. You just want to get the flavors infused into the oil, you're not cooking it really. Remove from heat. Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken breasts cross-wise into cutlets. (This works best if the chicken is partially frozen.) Place the chicken in a resealable bag and pour the marinade over it. Allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for 6-8 hours, or overnight.

Remove the chicken from the fridge, and preheat the oven to 375°. In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Press both sides of each cutlet into the crumb mixture and place in a baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes, flip them over, and bake for 10 more minutes until the juices run clear. Don't overbake it!

Apple-Bacon Pork Tenderloin

Inspired by a recipe I found on Pinterest, last night I made a pork tenderloin. In the end, the only elements of the recipe that I actually used were the idea of wrapping the tenderloin in bacon and using apple to flavor it. It turned out even better than I expected! One element you shouldn't skimp on is the juice. We love the natural apple juice (Mott's brand) because the apple flavor is so strong. It really does taste like fresh-pressed apples. You could use cider or spiced cider, too.

Apple-Bacon Pork Tenderloin

1 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons apple butter
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 slices bacon
pork tenderloin

In a small bowl, whisk together the first 6 ingredients. Marinate the tenderloin in the mixture for at least 4 hours (you could do it all day, or overnight, too). In a large skillet, or in the oven, cook bacon until some of the fat is rendered but it's still limp. Remove the tenderloin from the marinade and wrap the bacon around it. Place on a baking sheet or in a dish. Bake at 375° 20-25 minutes.

Barbecue Cheddar Meatballs

Typical Thursday - I was scraping the bottom of the barrel, food-wise. Normally I have a meal planned out, but this week I just happened not to. I thawed a package of ground beef and hoped inspiration would strike. Thankfully, it did! Working with limited resources, I decided to make Barbecue Cheddar Meatballs. Little One and Handsome had seconds, and apparently they were good enough for The Boy to have seconds, too! He speared a meatball with his fork and declared, "Now you must face your demise!"

Barbecue Cheddar Meatballs

1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/4 cup barbecue sauce (I used Spicy Honey from Kraft)
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/3 cup bread crumbs

1 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup salsa

Bring a large skillet up to medium to medium-high heat. In a bowl, mix together the first 7 ingredients. Form tablespoonfuls into meatballs. Saute in skillet until browned on all sides. Reduce heat to low; stir in BBQ sauce and salsa. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until cooked through, stirring occasionally.

These would have been great with some mashed potatoes, but we're out of milk ... So, I served them with Green Beans, Carrot Zucchini Fritters, and corn.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

My favorite main dish of all time would have to be Chicken Cordon Bleu. I just love the combination of flavors! Sadly, no one else in my family actually likes ham, so I don't get to have it very often. I came up with this recipe recently, though, when I needed a meal to take to a friend who was having surgery. One of these days I'll make it for my family and hope for the best!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

2 cups shredded/cubed cooked chicken
8 ounces uncooked pasta (rotini, shells, penne)
1 (10-3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup cubed ham
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme


1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and place in large bowl. Mix in chicken, soup, sour cream, ham, thyme and cheese. Salt and pepper as you like. Pour into a greased 9-inch square baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and butter. Sprinkle over the casserole. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and topping is lightly browned.

 This recipe is a variation of my Chicken Ranch Casserole, which is one of my most often requested recipes.

Barbecued Chicken Legs

Last Friday I was in the produce department of Kroger when a thought hit me: I hadn't decided what to make for our college people on Sunday night! After some serious brainstorming and a check in the meat department for sales, I decided on trying my hand at barbecued chicken legs. I ended up getting 15 drumsticks for about $4.50! I decided to make my own barbecue sauce with whatever I had on hand. This recipe will work for any amount of chicken, though.

Barbecued Chicken Legs

chicken legs
lemon-pepper seasoning
garlic salt

Remove the skin from the drumsticks. This is the most time consuming part of the process, and many stores sell them already skinned - especially during grilling season. Lay the legs out on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle them lightly with the two seasonings, flip 'em over and season that side, too. Roast them in the oven at 375° for 30 minutes, turn, roast 15 minutes more. During the last 15 minutes, baste them occasionally with the barbecue sauce. Serve with more sauce on the side for dipping.

Red-Eye BBQ Sauce

1 cup brewed coffee
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup apple-cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes (while chicken bakes). Store leftover sauce in the refrigerator.

Since I was feeding a crowd and we eat after the evening church service, I elected to finish these off in the slow cooker. After the roasting process, without basting them, I put the drumsticks in my slow cooker insert and poured the completed Red-Eye BBQ Sauce over them. The insert went into the fridge until the next day, when I set the slow cooker to low before going to church that evening. They heated for about 3 hours, which was perfect! Enough to heat them through, but not to cook them any further.

Lasagna Rolls

I love lasagna, for the same reason Handsome doesn't - lots of gooey, creamy cheese! The recipe I'm sharing with you today is one that has lots of cheesy goodness, so I naturally don't get to make it very often. Like most recipes, it's adaptable. I tend to make it meat-free, though diced/shredded cooked chicken would be great inside the rolls, or cooked ground beef/Italian sausage can be added to the marinara sauce. Another variation I love that the family doesn't is chopped spinach in the filling. There are a few steps to this, but it comes together quickly.

**Update** You can watch a podcast of me making the dish step-by-step HERE. My mother recorded it as part of a project when she was earning her master's degree.

Lasagna Rolls, fresh from the oven!

Lasagna Rolls

8 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente (Try this cool method!)

15 ounces ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 egg
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 cups marinara sauce

For the filling: In a bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, parsley, egg, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Salt and pepper to your liking. Set aside.

To make the bechamel sauce: In a small skillet, melt the butter and stir in garlic. Saute for one minute. Sprinkle in flour, whisking for 3-4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. When thickened, whisk in Parmesan. Salt and pepper to your liking. Pour the sauce into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

Lay the lasagna noodles out a couple at a time on a clean surface. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto each noodle, leaving room at each end. Gently roll them up and place seam-side down in the bechamel sauce.

Top the lasagna rolls with the marinara and the remaining mozzarella. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

Ready for the oven!

Sunday Night Pizza

Last night I made a few homemade pizzas for our crew.

On the left is BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger (BBQ sauce, beef, bacon, colby-jack, mozzarella); in the middle is Spaghetti and Meatball (marinara, angel hair pasta, meatballs, mozzarella, Parmesan); and on the right is Supreme (marinara, mushroom, onion, green pepper, ham, Italian sausage, pepperoni, colby-jack, mozzarella).

Our Oldest Girl made beautifully illustrated signs for the pizzas so people would know what was on each one.

For dessert we had a crowd favorite - Tiramisu!

Beef Pot Pie

This feels like a cheat recipe because it's really just a combination of another couple of recipes. It's what I served to our Sunday night crowd last night, and judging by the comments and the fact that there was only one serving left over ... they loved it! Technically, I used a venison roast, but a beef chuck roast would work just as well. If I were making this for my family, I would probably use leftovers from a roast, but considering the amount of people I cooked for last night I made the roast specifically for the purpose of pot pie.

You'll start with a pot roast: Sunday Pot Roast

Chop the leftover roast into bite-size pieces and stir it back into the gravy; set aside.

1 cup diced potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped green beans or peas
2 cups beef broth
2 cups water
1/2 can whole kernel corn
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook the potatoes and carrots in the beef broth/water until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Add in the green beans or peas in the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time. Drain the broth, reserving about a cup to add into the gravy. Combine the vegetables, reserved broth, corn, beef and gravy, and seasonings. Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking pan. Mix together topping ingredients and spread over the top.

1 cup melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups self-rising flour

Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.

The good part about this is that if you don't have a large family, you can just use leftovers from the whole pot roast dinner - veggies and all. Combine everything and bake it in a 9-inch square dish, using 1/2 the topping ingredients. When I made this last night, I used the roast to make both a square pan and a 9x13.

Chicken Meatballs with Penne

This recipe is what we had for dinner last night. We loved it! It was somehow different enough from regular spaghetti that it didn't feel like the same meal, even though it contains the same basic ingredients. It's also a departure from my usual method, in that it contains a specific type of canned tomatoes. I try to avoid ingredients like that because they can be hard to find. If you had to, I suppose you could use plain tomatoes in this, but I have really enjoyed the flavor addition of the red peppers. The fresh herbs are also a really necessary ingredient. If you grow your own, this is a pretty cheap meal! (In fact, the ground chicken I used I bought on sale for only $1.49!)

Chicken Meatballs with Penne

1 box penne pasta
1 pound ground chicken
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup assorted herbs (parsley, basil, rosemary, oregano - any combination of at least 2)
2 cans spicy red pepper diced tomatoes (Hunt's brand)

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, parsley, oregano, bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Form into bite-size meatballs. In a large skillet, brown meatballs in olive oil; add in onion and garlic. (You may need to add another tablespoon of olive oil.) Cook for 2-3 minutes. Combine the tomatoes and the remaining herbs in a blender and blend to desired consistency. Add to meatballs. Simmer, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the pasta according to package directions. When the pasta is done, drain it and serve with the meatballs and sauce.