Spinach, provolone and Feta stuffed chicken breasts:

I know I have been making lots of meals with spinach.  It has been plentiful where I live and so nutritious so I am adding spinach to a lot of recipes as well as using it on sandwiches instead of traditional lettuce.  I decided to roll up some chicken breasts and add some seasoned spinach and provolone to some and and feta to the others.  Tasty and easy to make. Just thin out the chicken either by using a fillet knife or pounding it with a  kitchen mallet.

2 chicken breasts(sliced thin)
1 slice provolone cheese or crumbled feta
 1/2 cup seasoned spinach leaves (you can use uncooked  fresh spinach just season your chicken with garlic and oil before placing spinach on it)
1 clove garlic minced or garlic powder
Feta crumbles
plain bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

Saute spinach in olive oil and garlic.  Set aside.  Pound chicken until thin.  Place garlic spinach on top of chicken..Top with pinch of breadcrumbs.  Add 1/2 of a slice of provolone and or a few pieces of feta.  Roll chicken breast from narrow end..  Secure with toothpick..  Rub with olive oil.,.season with salt and pepper..  Cook chicken on top of stove in slight amount of olive oil.,just enough to slightly brown it.  Take out toothpicks   Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes covered.. Take off cover(I use aluminum foil) and turn oven to broil..  Broil  until top starts to brown.. Note: I usually add a few red skinned potatoes(already cooked) and rub them with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and let them crisp a little as well..  I served the chicken over some of the spinach I had cooked along with red beets and the potatoes.. Enjoy!

I put a large piece of crumbled feta on spinach.

Roll and hold together with toothpick.

Original post 7/17/11 Healthy and flavorful..Start to finish 1 hour!

Pineapple Coconut Brulee Bread Pudding

Broil to get the crispy brown/golden top. Be careful Broil on low a few minutes as in 2....

I don't know if it's winter and being in the house a little more makes me want to bake but ever since I had a  taste or two of this dessert at a restaurant when we were away, I was determined to make one similar.

I checked out the web and found a few recipes that seemed to be on the right track so combining a little from this and a little from that I developed this recipe to share with you.


Hubby and I really like to have a dessert after a meal. Well hubby does and I like to taste it at least by a spoonful or two but this one I had to practically plead (kidding) with him for a few more spoonfuls.

It was made in a ramekin so there was not a whole lot so needless to say I had just enough to crave it from the moment we left the restaurant.

Here's my recipe.  I made it in a bread pan because quite honestly there are only two of us and if I had made more I could not stop eating it and that is NOT a good thing!

1/8/18

4 cups of broken in pieces french bread. It was not super soft
4 T melted butter
1/2  cup coconut
1-8 oz. drained crushed pineapple
4 eggs beaten
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla (madagascar)extract

2 T Turbinado sugar for topping

Butter generously the bread pan.  In a large bowl place bread pieces,melted butter, drained pineapple and coconut. Toss together. I used my hands

In another large bowl place eggs,sugar, vanilla and heavy cream. Whisk until blended. I did it several times.

Place bread mix into buttered bread pan. Slowly pour cream mixture over bread. With a spoon push gently down on bread so as all bread it pretty much covered with the cream mixture.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow to set on counter for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 325 degrees

Remove cover and place bread pan in a water bath(a pan larger than your bread pan) filled with warm water.  

 Bake for "approximately" 50 minutes or until the center jiggles slightly. Remove from oven . Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar and broil on low for 2 to 4 minutes..WATCH CAREFULLY SO AS NOT TO BROWN TOO MUCH.  

Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. It needs to set slightly and enjoy. It's awesome...YUMMY!

I had to try it while quite warm so allow it to set for more than ten minutes if you an WAIT...lol

Note: You can certainly make this recipe using whole milk, half and half or a mixture of the two. I used all heavy cream because I wanted a real custard type cream mixture entwined with the bread.

3/24/19 original

Stuffed Pepper Loaf!

Remember this recipe?  If you haven't tried this easy meatloaf today might be the day :).  If you like the taste of peppers this meatloaf is really good and we loved the leftovers.

All this recipe requires is a few easy ingredients and you'll have a delicious meal to serve.  I put my thinking cap on and as I promised I'm bringing a new loaf to our table and hopefully yours too! Stuffed Pepper Loaf! 

I'm hoping you'll enjoy this new idea and I'll be doing a few more of these  EASY ONE PAN MEALS to help you spend less time in your kitchen but still bring good healthy meals to your family.  Enjoy!  Just add a salad and some fresh bread and you are going to make your family happy.

February 11/2012 first posted
Happy Cooking!
 

M.J

Today I started the day by going to the grocery store and buying some good quality ground beef and pork.

Let's see what I can make from that start.

1 lb. approximately beef and pork ground
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup orange pepper diced
1/2 cup green pepper diced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 egg slightly beaten
 1 -15 oz. Hunts sauce reserving 2 tablespoons sauce for to mix in with ingredients.

Mix ingredients..shape into loaf ..Spray loaf pan with cooking spray. Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour or more.. Take out of oven top with remainder of sauce and bake another 1/2 hour more. Note:  Times are approximate.  Test your loaf to make sure the juices are clear.

Easy to make and you can put it together the evening before, wrap it in plastic wrap and it's ready to bake when you get home from work!

From my kitchen to yours,

11/1/12

4/1/13

Swiss and broccoli stuffed Pork Tenderloin

***Note:  I have found Aldis pork tenderloin to be a good choice.  Always tender and pork tenderloin is lean and easy to bake.

I also use their different cheese.  I used their Swiss cheese in this recipe as well.

Here's another meal I made with ingredients I had in my refrigerator, freezer and pantry.

We get tired of the same menu for our dinner so I have to come to the realization that there are days I must create a menu/meal.  It is just a way of life.

I get tired of pasta even though I make a variety of recipes to make my hubby and family happy but need some meals that interest me.  I love pork tenderloin so having one available (I bought a 2 in 1 package) just made me think of what way I could prepare one of them differently.  I came up with the below recipe.

Personally I try to create other interesting meals for me regularly.

  I get bored very easily and I love to eat so it comes to days like today when I had a nice pork tenderloin, frozen broccoli and swiss cheese.  It all came together to make a very delicious evening meal.  We enjoyed it and I had two nice size sweet potatoes so I microwaved them and scooped out the inside adding some butter and hand mashed them.  Yummy!

12/10/19

1 lb.  Pork filet butterflied.  Swiss cheese, seasoned broccoli,  (salt, pepper, garlic powder).

Brushed with olive oil.  Tied and Baked in sprayed baking dish at 375 degrees approximately 30 to 40 minutes.  Light pink to no pink center.  Tender and amazing.

Hand Mashed sweet potatoes with butter as our side.

Fill center of filet with cheese first then seasoned chopped broccoli

Three

Four

Five

Two

Cooked to perfection

One

Enjoy!

Easy Pierogi Lasagna Casserole: Busy families will love this!!

***Update: 6/15/2022

I used 6 medium skin removed potatoes ( cut in cubes and boil until tender in salted water.

When tender , drain add 2 T butter, approximately 3/4 cup or more milk and 2 cups cheddar cheese.  Beat until smooth. ****( easy short cut store bought mashed potatoes).

Save 1/4 cup for garnish.

I am working very hard at making some easy meals for all  busy families.  Today I was thinking about how Mom and Nana worked tirelessly making homemade dough for their Pierogi and as much as I love making their recipe; today I am making a Pierogi lasagna using Barilla pasta.  Using a few short steps you'll find this recipe to be a keeper.  Here goes!  You are going to love it!

You can substitute store bought mashed potatoes to make it more convenient.

A breeze using Barilla no boil noodles

Lay  noodles in warm water in a pan for approx. 5 minutes.  Drain well.  I pat each with paper towels before placing in dish.

Layer with butter, Barilla noodles, cheddar potatoes until all in box is used (13 x9) pan

Remove and pat to dry

Saute butter with onion until tender.

Layer

Ready to bake!

Happy Baking and Cooking from my kitchen to yours,

1 box(9 oz.) Barilla no boil lasagna noodles

1 pkg. refrigerated (22 oz.) Bob Evans Cheddar mashed potatoes(cooked according to directions)
Note:  For a fuller casserole use two pkgs. cheddar potatoes or you can cube 6 potatoes, boil until tender and season to your liking.

1 onion sliced thin

2 sticks butter or margarine
shredded cheddar cheese 

Place Barilla lasagna noodles in warm water for approx. 5 minutes.

In a sauce pan place butter and onion. Sauté until onion is tender.

In a 13 x 9 inch baking pan place 1/4 of butter onion mixture. Remove 3 sheets of noodles from water. Pat dry slightly. Place noodles in pan and top with 1/4 cheddar potatoes.**(Illustrations below) Continue layering and adding more cheddar potatoes and noodles until all is used. *Note: 1 box of  Barilla no boil noodles will make approximately  a 13 x9 inch pan.

Top with the remainder of butter onion mixture. Sprinkle some shredded cheddar on top and cover.

 Bake 350 degrees approx. 20 to 30 minutes. Set for a few minutes and enjoy!!!! 

Serve with a side salad if desired!!

Nectarine tarts

I was taking a chance on this recipe and quite honestly I didn't know what my results would be once I started.  I used minimal ingredients and the results turned out fantastic.

Grocery shopping a few days ago had resulted in several uneaten nectarines so I didn't feel like eating the four I had I decided why not try a small tart or 6.  My large muffin pan(6) would easily handle this task and fortunately I had one refrigerated pie crust that was eager to be used by me.  I had never attempted to make a pie with nectarines but these were great taste for my taste buds.  I was definitely able to taste the difference between a peach taste and a nectarine taste; similar but different.    

Using a large disk(jar gripper) I easily cut round circles to fit my muffin tin on the roll out sheet of pie crust.  Pretty neat!

4 large nectarines ( remove skin and chop in small pieces)
1/3 cup sugar
1T instant tapioca or flour
1 refrigerated pie crust

Remove crust from wrapper.  Allow crust to rest a  few minutes to soften slightly
Using a 5” round circle ( I used a rubber jar opener) I cut 6 circles.  I made 6 circles in crust. Press firmly in muffin cups and with a fork prick around the edges so crust won't shrink.  Mine could have been better but it worked out fine.

Toss nectarines with sugar and tapioca.    Spoon generously into pie shells.  Top with streusel and bake approximately 12 to 14 minutes.  My nectarines were soft and they baked beautifully to make the perfect tart.  A little whipped cream on top and a nice dessert.  Enjoy!


Streusel Topping
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 T softened butter

In a small bowl place brown sugar, flour and softened butter.  With a fork mix all into crumbs. Sprinkle on top for a delicious topping to compliment the nectarines.

Bake 400 degrees approximately 12 to 14 minutes.  Check at 10 minutes to make sure crust hasn't browned too much. If so cover slightly with foil.

Happy Baking!

9/1/18

Shrimp linguine in a rose’ marinara sauce

Hi everyone:

My recipes are usually posted right after I make them.  Most times I don't use an actual  recipe but when I know someone may want to duplicate it I measure everything to be accurate.

Today's Meal took under an hour from start to finish to complete and both hubby and I enjoyed it.

It's similar to shrimp scampi but with added tomatoes or as today jar sauce.  

I really like this brand and I find it at Costco in bottles of two.  It's very close to my home made and I use whenever I need a jar sauce in a pinch.

Just a note:  I find sauteeing the shrimp before adding the sauce for a few minutes in the butter, garlic mixture to give a bit more flavor to this recipe.  Just remember to not overcook this recipe.  It's easy and using already cooked and thawed shrimp works perfectly.

Enjoy!

Note 2.

I'm using fresh grated parmesan cheese in this recipe and I like it.  It's a switch because I usually use Pecorino Romano.  

The recipe is as follows:
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large clove minced garlic
1 tsp. Dried parsley
1/4 cup heavy cream
1-24 oz. Victoria brand marinara sauce
1 lb. Medium deveined shrimp
1lb. Linguine pasta cooked according to directions (a’dente)

In a large size pan place olive oil and butter.  Allow butter to incorporate into oil.  Add minced garlic and parsley.  Sauté until garlic starts to sizzle slightly.  Add shrimp and cook for a minute or two.  Add marinara and cook several minutes more. Add heavy cream and stir until blended.  Toss with drained linguine and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.  Serve with a tossed vinaigrette salad.

Enjoy!

My hubby set the table.  He certainly knows short cuts...

Mayo Chicken

Another quick meal for Monday!


Crispy and moist finally a recipe where moist and crispy go together.

Approximately 3/4 lb. thin boneless skinless chicken breasts( if I can’t find thin boneless chicken breasts I carefully filet the chicken myself).
3 to 4 T mayonnaise
3/4 cup butter crackers crushed
Garlic powder
Salt
pepper

Spray a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Turn oven to 425 degrees

Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and crushed crackers to combine. I use wax paper for easy clean up.

Rub chicken with mayonnaise and then into Seasoned crackers.

Spray pan with cooking spray. Lay chicken in pan spray light amount of cooking spray on them.

Place in oven of 425 degrees for approximately 20 to 30 minutes depending on amount of chicken.

I served with my homemade Macaroni and Cheese and fresh strawberries.

Option:   potato, vegetable, salad of choice.