2020 Recipes
How To Make EASY Quick Healthy Italian Appetizers
Tired of serving the same types of appetizers? Let me teach you how you can make this really EASY and FLAVORFUL appetizer that will have your guests asking for MORE!
Italian Sausage and Bean Bruschetta
1 lb Ground Italian Sausage, or any ground meat or vegan meat of choice (if using ground meat with no seasoning, add ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp Italian Seasoning, ¼ tsp pepper)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, minced
½ Purple Onion, finely diced
4 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 – 14 oz can Diced Tomatoes
¼ cup Liquid (Red Wine, Broth, or Water)
1 (14 oz) can White Beans, rinsed and drained Salt and Pepper, to taste Thinly sliced toasted baguette (see video how to infuse garlic flavor to baguette slices) Garnish Fresh parsley, finely chopped Shaved Parmesan Cheese
1. In a sauté pan, add ground meat, garlic, and any additional seasonings if necessary. Continue to sauté until meat is cooked.
2. Add Onion and Balsamic Vinegar. Start with 2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar, cook down, and add more if preferred in 2 Tablespoon increments.
3. Add diced tomatoes and break tomato chunks into smaller pieces. Cook for about 10-15 minutes.
4. Add about ¼ cup of liquid of choice.
5. Take the drained White Beans and smash half of the beans with a fork and add all the beans to the sauté pan.
6. Add a few tablespoons of chopped parsley as well as more balsamic vinegar if more flavor of depth is preferred.
7. Now the Sausage and Beans are ready, it can be spooned onto each baguette slice topped with fresh parsley and shaved parmesan cheese.
Note: this can be made ahead of time and reheated. Any leftovers would go great addition to eggs, pasta, or soup.
EASY Sheet Pan COOKIES | 4 Ways
With this Super EASY recipe, the dough is made in ONE BOWL, baked in ONE SHEET PAN and it makes a VARIETY OF COOKIES at ONE time!. This one-bowl dough is pressed into a sheet pan and then topped with toppings of your choice.
EASY Sheet Pan COOKIES
2 sticks Butter, at room temperature
1 cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoon Salt
2 ¼ cups Four, plus more as needed to flatten the dough
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoon Baking Powder
Toppers (Use your Imagination)
Chips (Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Butterscotch Chips, Mint Chips, etc.)
Nuts (Sliced Almonds Toasted Pecans, Chopped Walnuts, etc.)
Holiday Pieces (Crushed Candy Canes, Candied Fruit, Holiday Sprinkles, Colored Sugars, etc.)
Marshmallows, Pretzel Pieces, M & M’s,
Butters (Almond, Peanut, Cashew, etc.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Lightly grease a parchment-lined 9” x 13” rimmed baking sheet.
2. In a mixing bowl, add the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat ingredients until fluffy and pale, about 3 minutes.
3. Carefully add the Flour, Baking Soda, and Baking Powder, and mix until the butter mixture is combined with the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
4. Place the dough on the baking sheet and using your lightly floured hands, press the dough until it is an even layer.
5. At this point you can divide the pan into sections and add whatever toppings you would prefer to each section.
Note: When adding the toppings, make sure to press the toppings into the dough. Be generous when adding toppings. You can add a layer of toppings, press the toppings into the dough, then add another layer of toppings and press the toppings in the dough again. This will ensure there are toppings throughout the cookies.
6. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until the edge of the dough is golden brown. If you under bake, the cookies will be softer; over bake and the cookies will be crispier.
7. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and let it cool for about 5 – 10 minutes.
8. Lift the dough out of the baking sheet using the edge of the parchment paper to remove the dough from the baking sheet. Let the cookies cool completely before cutting them.
9. Using a serrated knife, cut cookies into desired sizes.
The BEST Gooey Butter Cookies | No Cake Mix
GOOEY BUTTER COOKIES are my NEW FAVORITE! I love them with coffee or just by themselves. Gooey Butter Cookies are thick and light and satisfy any sweet tooth. The centers are gooey that it is like eating cookie dough. Traditionally these are made with a cake mix but I will teach you how EASY and better they are when made from scratch!
Gooey Butter Cookies
1 stick of Butter, softened
8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups Sugar
2 large Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder Powdered Sugar
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat Butter, Cream Cheese, and Sugar until creamy.
2. Add in Eggs and Vanilla Extract beat until fluffy.
3. Mix in Flour, Salt, and Baking Powder until well combined.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Once chilled, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Scoop out cookie dough with a 2 tablespoon scoop. If your hands are sticky, dip them in the powdered sugar first. Drop the cookie dough into powdered sugar and roll in sugar until generously coated.
7. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.
8. Remove and cool completely on the wire rack.
How To Make Simple EASY Winter Hearty Lentil Soup | Mediterranean Healthy Dish
One of the things I love in the winter is a hearty bowl of hot soup. Lentil soup is one of the EASY winter hearty soups to make. All in one pot, simple and VERY budget-friendly as well as nutritious. Learning how to make Lentil Soup is an essential recipe to have in your recipe files.
Hardy Lentil Soup Recipe | One-Pot | Budget Friendly Yields 4-6 Servings
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Onion, small diced
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Carrots, small diced
2 Celery, small diced
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes with Juice
1 cup Lentils, prewashed
4 cups broth, possible more
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 cup frozen peas Garlic Pepper Puree
1 Tablespoon Peppercorns
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1. In a Pestle, place Garlic and Peppercorns. Start to crush up Garlic and Peppercorns.
2. Add Olive Oil and continue to puree with Mortar and Pestle Soup Toppings Burrata, sliced Feta Cheese Avocados, sliced Green Onions, thinly sliced Fresh Parsley
1. In a stockpot over medium heat, add Olive Oil, Onion, and Salt. Sautee until onion is translucent.
2. Add Carrots and Celery and cook until soft.
3. Then add the broth of your choice and Italian seasoning. Start with 4 cups of Broth, then add more later if a more liquid soup is preferred. Also, add Lentils and Peppercorn Garlic Puree and mix until well combined. Cook for 30-40 minutes until Lentils are soft.
4. Once the soup is cooked, add frozen peas long enough to warm up.
5. Serve soup with toppings and don’t forget to add a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil!
EASY OVERNIGHT French Toast SIMPLE Breakfast Recipe
This super EASY French Toast Casserole Recipe is soaked in an egg mixture OVERNIGHT, then baked to PERFECTION the next morning with NO EFFORT!
EASY Overnight French Toast
10-12 oz Bread, day old and cubed
1 ½” 1 cup Blueberries
1 1/2 cups Milk
4 Eggs
½ cup Ricotta Cheese
¼ cup Maple Syrup
¼ cup Brown Sugar
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
Butter, to grease the pan and add as a topping
1. Grease with the butter 8 x 8 baking dish.
2. Place half of the cubed bread in a greased baking dish and scatter half of the blueberries over the bread.
3. Place the second layer of bread and remaining blueberries on top. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well to incorporate.
5. Pour Egg mixture evenly all over bread in the baking dish.
6. Place plastic wrap over the baking dish and let rest overnight or a minimum of 6 hours so that the bread can absorb all the liquid.
7. When ready to bake, remove French Toast from the refrigerator so that it can come to room temperature. Start to preheat the oven at 350 degrees.
8. Grate half a stick of butter on top of the French Toast.
9. When the oven is preheated, place the baking dish in the oven to cook for 40-45 minutes or until the knife comes out clean.
10. Garnish with fresh fruit, whip cream, maple syrup, or whatever toppings preferred.
How To Make EASIEST Mushroom BACON Appetizer
Bacon in anything is always a hit appetizer. I will show you how to make the EASIEST BACON mushroom appetizer for your holiday or party event for your guests.
Mushroom Bacon Appetizer
½ pound Mushrooms, small diced
1 Leek, thinly sliced
2 Garlic Clove, crushed
2 Tablespoons White Wine, Dry
2 slices Bacon, cooked and diced
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream Baguettes slices, toasted Mascarpone Cheese
Garnish
Toasted Pecans, finely chopped
Fresh Thyme
Freshly Ground Pepper
1. In a saute pan, add few tablespoons of olive oil, mushrooms, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for a few minutes.
2. Add leeks and garlic. Continue to saute until leeks are soft.
3. Add wine cook for another couple of minutes to reduce some of the liquid.
4. Add Cooked Bacon, Thyme and season for Salt and Pepper.
5. Remove from heat and add Parmesan Cheese, Heavy Cream.
To Serve:
6. Add a layer of Mascarpone cheese to the Bruschetta.
7. Add a Tablespoon of Mushroom Bacon filling.
Easy One Pot Lasagna Soup
Lasagna is considered an EASY favorite comfort dish but can take a few hours to make. This version of Lasagna is made soup style and takes 30 minutes to make but still has ALL the flavor of lasagna.
30 minute One Pot Lasagna Soup
1 lb Ground beef
1 Onion, finely diced
4 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 28-ounce can tomatoes, diced
3 cups Chicken Broth, possibly more if a brothier soup is desired
10 Lasagna Noodles, broken into pieces
1 teaspoon Oregano, dried
Salt and Pepper to taste
Garnish
Ricotta Cheese
Mozzarella, shredded
Parmesan Cheese, grated
1. In a stockpot over medium-high heat, add Ground Beef, Oregano, and Salt and Pepper and start to break up the meat as it begins to cook and brown.
2. Once Ground Beef has browned add Onions and Garlic and cook until Onions are translucent.
3. Add Tomato Paste, Diced Tomatoes, and Broth. Continue to cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
4. Add Lasagna Noodles and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes until the Lasagna Noodles are cooked al dente. Add more Broth if Lasagna Noodles soak up too much liquid and you prefer it brothier.
5. To serve, place Lasagna Soup into a bowl and garnish with Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Parmesan Cheese.
EASY Classic RICE PUDDING Old Fashion CREAMY Rice Pudding
Classic Rice Pudding is perfect for any season. Rice Pudding is a Classic Old Fashioned dessert that never goes out of style. It is a Creamy and Delicious recipe that is EASY to make. You will really enjoy this EASY Old Fashion Classic Rice Pudding dessert.
Classic Rice Pudding
Serves 4-6
½ cup Rice, long grain preferred
2 Tablespoons Butter
3 cups Milk, whole preferred
¼ cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¼ teaspoon Cinnamon Pinch of Salt
1. In a medium pot over medium heat, add Butter and Rice. Sauté for a minute.
2. Add Milk and Sugar and stir occasionally for 15 minutes.
3. Add Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon, and Salt. Mix to thoroughly combine.
4. Place a lid on the pot and remove from heat. Let sit for 20 minutes.
5. When ready to serve, additional milk or cream can be added along with additional cinnamon.
EASY Italian Overnight Strata
EASY Overnight STRATA is the easiest dish to prepare. It can be made the DAY BEFORE and popped in the oven in the morning. Guests will LOVE as it comes out of the oven hot and with NO FUSS on your part. PERFECT with the HOLIDAYS and having sleepover GUESTS. You are going to love how EASY this dish is and how much TIME YOU WILL SAVE. Plus this a great way to add any LEFTOVERS to your STRATA.
EASY Italian Overnight Strata
Serves 4
4 Eggs
¼ cup Ricotta
1 Cup Milk
6 oz Day Old Bread, cubed
½ lb Italian Sausage, Cooked
1 Bell Pepper, Diced
1 Scallion, thinly sliced
2 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
2 oz Mozzarella, grated
2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 Tablespoon Parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Pepper
1. Grease an 8 x 8 pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, add Milk, Ricotta, and Milk. Whisk until fully combined.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until all are evenly coated.
4. Place all the egg mixture into the 8 x 8 pan.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight preferred.
6. When ready to bake, remove from the fridge so that the strata can come to room temp. Also preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
7. Once the oven is preheated, place strata in the oven covered with foil and cook for 20-25 minutes.
8. Uncover and continue to cook for another 20-25 minutes. (Optional to add additional grated cheese on top)
9. Allow the strata to cool out of the oven for 10 minutes before serving.
EASY Simple Gluten-Free Cookies | Amaretti Cookies Recipe
EASY simple gluten-free Amaretti Cookies are amazingly EASY to make, few ingredients, and a great way to use up egg whites. These use pantry items and can all be made in one bowl or a food processor. Crunchy on the outside and chewy inside. These are one of my favorite cookies, I hope they will be yours as well.
Amaretti Cookies (Almond Cookies) Serves 25-30 cookies
2 cups Whole Almonds, ground or Almond Flour
1 ¼ cup Sugar
3 tbsp Cornstarch (Gluten-Free) or Flour
2 Egg Whites
2 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoon Almond Extract
25 – 30 Whole Almonds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Place all dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add egg whites and extracts to the bowl and stir until dough comes together as one.
3. Scoop the dough and roll into a ball, about 1 inch in diameter, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Push a whole almond in the middle of each cookie.
5. Bake until golden brown, about 20 – 30 minutes.
EASY Best EVER Mac and Cheese Homemade | Comfort Food
The BEST and EASY comfort food ever, Mac and Cheese. It is the ULTIMATE winter comfort food. Loaded with lots of CHEESY goodness. As sure hit with the family!
Best EVER Mac And Cheese
1 pound Elbow Noodles, cooked and drained (save 1 cup pasta water)
3 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Flour
4 cups Milk
4 ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
4 ounces Gruyere Cheese, shredded
½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
¼ cup Mascarpone Cheese
2 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1. In a sauté pan, add butter and flour. Once butter is melted, cook the flour for about 1 minute.
2. Slowly add milk and continue to whisk until incorporated. Continue to cook over medium heat until milk thicken.
3. Add all the cheeses and whisk until all the cheese is melted.
4. Taste for salt and pepper.
5. Add cooked pasta, mix to evenly spread cheese mixture.
6. Serve and enjoy!
How To ROAST Root Veggies THE RIGHT WAY | EASY Side Dish
If you are looking to adding a side dish that is EFFORTLESS and SAVES YOU TIME, then you are going to want to try Roasting Root Vegetables. It is a great way to enhance their flavors by concentrating their natural sweetness and creating a crispy exterior with a tender interior.
How To ROAST Root Veggies THE RIGHT WAY | EASY Side Dish
Serves 6 – 8
2 Large Red Beets
2 Potatoes, Yukon Gold, or your choice
8 oz Baby Carrots
1 Large Onion
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
For garnish:
2 Teaspoons Capers, optional
¼ Cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
For the Dressing:
¼ Cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoon Red Wine or Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Honey (To make vegan, can substitute Maple Syrup)
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper Preheat oven to 450 degrees
1. Wash and peel beets and potatoes. Cut into bite-size cubes and place in a bowl.
2. Cube onion and place in a bowl.
3. Slice carrots in half lengthwise and place them in a bowl.
4. In a separate cup, add all the ingredients for the dressing and mix to incorporate.
5. Add all the dressing to the vegetables and stir to evenly coat all the vegetables.
6. Place vegetables and capers on a cooking sheet.
7. Bake until fork tender about 1 hour, depending on cut size.
Note: If you are concerned with the vegetables getting too dried out, you can cover the sheet pan with foil during the last half hour of the cooking process so that there is not a lot of moisture in the dish.
8. Add chopped parsley and capers before serving. This dish can be served hot or at room temperature.
3 EASY Ways To Use Leftover Chicken | QUICK Dinners
Repurposing leftovers to create a new dinner is a great way to use what you have and turn it into a new meal with little effort and it changes up your meal routine.
Easy Chicken Roll-Ups
2 cups Chicken, shredded
6 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Flour
2 cups Milk
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup Mascarpone cheese
½ cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Lemon, Zest and Juice
1 Tablespoon Freshly Parsley, chopped plus more for garnish Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350°
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
3. Add milk and whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Once the roux has thickened, reduce to a low simmer.
4. Stir in Mascarpone and Parmesan cheese. Continue to cook on low simmer until sauce thickens again.
5. Remove from heat and add lemon zest, juice and parsley.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. In a bowl, add shredded chicken and ½ of the cheese sauce. Mix until chicken is completely coated with cheese sauce.
8. In a baking dish, spoon a thin layer of sauce on the bottom. Set aside.
9. Place all the cooked lasagna noodles on the work surface. Evenly spread the chicken on each of the noodles leaving 2 inches free from chicken.
10. Roll each of the noodles and place seam side down in the baking dish.
11. Spoon the remaining sauce over each of the noodles.
12. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover so that the top can brown and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the center is heated.
13. Before serving, garnish with additional parmesan cheese and parsley.
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Chicken Soup with Ricotta Dumplings
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
2 cups Carrots, diced
2 cups Celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 cups Broth of your choice (Beef, Chicken, or Vegetable) Ricotta Dumplings
½ cup Ricotta Cheese
1 Egg Yolk
2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
¼ cup Flour
1 teaspoon Parsley, finely chopped
½ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Pepper
¼ teaspoon Baking Powder
2 cups Chicken, Shredded Garnish Parsley, chopped Lemon wedge
1. In a stockpot, add olive oil, onions, garlic and teaspoon salt. Sautee while prepping other vegetables.
2. Once chopped, add carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
3. Add broth and bring to a low boil. While waiting for the soup to come to a boil, prepare the Ricotta Dumpling mixture.
4. To make the Ricotta Dumpling, place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Set aside until ready.
5. Add shredded chicken so that it can begin to warm up.
6. Using a spring-loaded scoop, scoop out ricotta mixture and add to the hot broth. Make sure it is not a roaring boil or it will break up the dumplings.
7. As the Ricotta dumplings are ready, they will float to the top.
8. When ready to serve, scoop soup into a bowl and garnish with fresh parsley and a lemon wedge.
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Chicken and Dumplings
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
2 cups Carrots, diced
2 cups Celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 cup Mushrooms, finely diced
1 cup Peas
2 cups Chicken, shredded
¼ cup Parsley, finely chopped Sauce
3 cups Broth of your choice (Beef, Chicken, or Vegetable)
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Flour
½ teaspoon Salt
2 cups Milk Ricotta Dumplings
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 Egg
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
½ cup Flour
2 teaspoon Parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Pepper
½ teaspoon Baking Powder
Preheat oven 350 degrees.
1. In a sauté pan, add olive oil, onions, and garlic. Sautee while prepping other vegetables.
2. Once chopped, add carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
3. Add chicken, peas and parsley. Stir until well combined.
4. Place mixture in a baking dish.
5. To prepare the sauce, in a pot over medium heat, add butter and once melted add flour and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add broth and whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Once the roux has thickened remove from heat and pour over chicken and vegetables in the baking dish.
7. To make the Ricotta Dumpling, place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.
8. Using a spring-loaded scoop, scoop out ricotta mixture on top of the chicken and vegetables in the baking dish. Evenly dollop the dumplings until all the mixture is used.
9. Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the mixture is bubbling and dumplings are golden brown.
10. When ready to serve, garnish with fresh parsley.
EASY Tomato Soup | Homemade Tomato Soup | EASY HEALTHY RECIPE
EASY Homemade Tomato Soup with the addition of Grilled Cheese Croutons makes this the ULTIMATE COMFORT SOUP. This is the EASIEST EVER Homemade Tomato Soup recipe that you will make. It is packed with a lot of FLAVOR from the Tomatoes and FRESHNESS from the Fresh Basil. Making this the ULTIMATE Tomato Soup with ULTIMATE Grilled Cheese.
Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
Serves 4
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Onion, finely diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Carrots, finely diced
3 Celery, finely diced
1 28 ounce can of Whole Tomatoes, with the juice
½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
2 cups Broth, any flavor of choice
¼ cup Butter
¼ cup Flour
½ cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated Salt and Pepper, to taste
¼ cup Fresh Basil, chiffonade, or 1 teaspoon Pesto
1. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, add Olive Oil. Once hot, add onions and garlic and sauté for a minute.
2. Then add carrots, and celery and sauté for a few minutes.
3. Add Whole Tomatoes and Italian Seasoning and slightly break up the Whole Tomatoes using a stirring utensil.
4. After 5 minutes of cooking, add Broth and cook for 10 minutes over medium-low heat.
5. Using a blender, add the Tomato Soup and puree until smooth. You might need to do this in batches if the blender is not large enough.
Note: Be careful when blending as the hot content may slash and burn you. Ensure that the plug to the lid is not on and use a towel to cover the hole instead.
6. Before returning tomato soup to the pot, make a roux by adding the butter and flour. Cook this for about 1 minute after the butter has melted. This will give the Tomato Soup a creaminess texture.
7. Add pureed Tomato Soup to the roux in the soup pot and continue to cook for a few minutes.
8. Add Parmesan Cheese and Salt and Pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.
9. When ready to serve soup, add Tomato Soup to a bowl, garnish with Fresh Basil, and several Grilled Cheese Croutons.
Grill Cheese Croutons or 2 Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
4 Slices of Bread
2 slices of Cheese, ¼” thick, I used Munster cheese Butter softened
Parmesan Cheese, grated
1. Place a medium-size skillet over medium heat to start warming the skillet.
2. Butter one side of all the bread slices and add grated parmesan cheese on top of the buttered slices.
3. Place the buttered side of 2 slices of bread on the hot pan. Add a slice of cheese on top of each slice of bread. Then add the other buttered slice of bread on top of the cheese with the butter side up.
4. Continue to cook each side of the buttered bread until both sides are golden brown.
5. Remove from hot skillet and let grilled cheese cool for a few minutes before cutting into crouton size shape.
Quarantine EASY Chicken And Orzo
EASY Chicken And Orzo is a great meal when you want to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes. Most of the ingredients are PANTRY and FRIDGE STAPLES. You are going to LOVE how QUICK and EASY this dish comes together. Very Healthy and Hearty and Perfectly Paired with a CUCUMBER SALAD.
EASY Mediterranean Creamy Chicken and Orzo
Serves 4-6
4-6 Chicken Thighs
1 medium Onion, diced
4 cloves of Garlic, Minced
2 Bell Pepper, Diced
1 14oz can Artichoke Hearted, drained
½ cup Kalamata Olives, chopped
1 Tablespoons Capers
1 cup Orzo, uncooked
2 ½ Cups Broth
1/3 cup Mascarpone Salt and Pepper, to taste Parsley, for garnish
1. In a deep sauté pan, add a few tablespoons of olive oil
2. Once the pan is hot, add seasoned chicken cook and cook until golden brown on both sides. Then set aside. Do not worry if not completely cooked as we will add it back to the pan later.
3. Add onions, garlic, bell peppers, and sauté.
4. Add orzo and toast for a minute
5. Add artichokes, olives, capers, and broth. Stir ingredients to evenly incorporate.
6. Place chicken on top of vegetables. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
7. After 15 minutes, add mascarpone and stir to evenly spread mascarpone. Continue cooking uncovered until chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
8. When ready to serve, add parsley and Cucumber Salad from the video.
EASY Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake Recipe
If you LOVE Caramel Apples, you will love this EASY Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake. The BEST part of this cake is the ooey-gooey Caramel Sauce. It is the perfect balance between sticky goodness and a tender vanilla flavored cake. Makes for the PERFECT fall baking dessert.
EASY Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake Recipe
3 eggs
½ cup Sugar
6 oz Milk
2 cups Flour
1 Tablespoons Baking Powder
1 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Salt
3 Apples, sliced in wedges Caramel Sauce
1 cup Sugar
6 Tablespoons Butter
½ cup Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon Salt
Preheat oven 350 degrees
1. In a saucepan, add sugar, butter and salt.
2. Once the sugar mixtures begins to boil, add heavy cream and whisk vigorously. Careful when adding heavy cream as it will bubble up.
3. Stir until mixture comes together and is smooth.
4. Place caramel sauce in the bottom of a springform pan.
5. Starting in the middle of the springform pan, begin placing wedge sliced apples in a circular form. Continue in a circular motion until the springform bottom of the apple layer is filled.
6. In a large bowl, add eggs and sugar and mix until well incorporated.
7. Add milk and vanilla extract and continue to whisk to incorporate smoothly.
8. Add remaining dry ingredients and continue whisk until a smooth batter is formed.
9. Pour batter on top of the apples. Smooth top of batter.
10. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes and invert onto a serving dish.
12. Serve with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.
OVEN BAKED Eggplant Zucchini Tomatoes | SIDE DISH
EASY OVEN BAKED Eggplant Zucchini Tomatoes is a perfect SIDE DISH to accompany any meal as well as be the main meal. Eggplant Zucchini Tomatoes is an EASY way to not only use up garden veggies but an EASY and HEALTHY way to eat more veggies. It is the PERFECT SIDE DISH that is not only fresh, healthy but packed with A LOT OF FLAVOR.
OVEN-BAKED Eggplant Zucchini Tomatoes | SIDE DISH
+ Bonus Recipe
2 Zucchini, sliced
2 Japanese Eggplant, sliced
3-4 Roma Tomatoes, sliced
1 Onion, sliced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian Herbs
¼ teaspoon Salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon Pepper or to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, garnish
Preheat oven to 350
1. Using a mandolin or a knife, slice the tomato, zucchini, eggplant, and onion into 1/4 inch thick round slices.
2. In a round baking dish, layer each of the round slices side by side, alternating each vegetable, in a circular pattern. Tomato, eggplant, zucchini, onion, and repeat. When the outer circle is complete, repeat the pattern on the inner circle and continue until the baking dish is filled with the vegetables.
3. Before placing the baking dish into the oven, drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper over the entire dish.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes until vegetables are slightly tender.
5. Before serving drizzle with a little bit more olive oil and grated parmesan cheese.
WATCH VIDEO FOR BONUS RECIPE USING LEFTOVER VEGGIES
Easy 10 Minute Chocolate Lava Cake
Easy 10 Minute Chocolate Lava Cake EASY 10 MINUTE Lava Cakes are super EASY to make with just 5 ingredients and only 10 MINUTES to bake. Chocolate Lava Cakes are cakey on the outside and inside a warm rich, silky, fudgy flowing center of goodness. This decadent AMAZING Lava Cake dessert is easy to make and it will always impress your guests. You can prep the batter ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to bake. Chocolate Lava Cake always makes for a perfect last-minute dessert as well!
Easy 10 Minute Chocolate Lava Cake
Serves 6 (4oz ramekins)
8 oz. Dark Chocolate Chips
6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 Eggs
¼ Cup Flour
¼ Tablespoon Salt For The Ramekins
2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoons Softened
Preheat oven to 450°
1. In a large bowl, add chocolate chips and butter. Place in the microwave for 2 minutes. Once melted, stir with a whisk to fully incorporate butter and chocolate.
2. Let the chocolate cool slightly, then add vanilla extract, salt and whisked eggs quickly until smooth.
3. Add flour and continue to stir until all the flour is incorporated.
4. Prepare six oven-safe ramekins, brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar to fully coat the inside of each ramekin. Shake any additional sugar out of the ramekin.
5. Using a spring-loaded scoop, divide the chocolate mixture among each ramekin.
6. Place ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.
Note: An indicator that the Lava Cakes are ready is when the outside side edge of the cake is firm and the center is soft. Let rest for 1 minute or until cool enough to handle.
7. To serve cakes, invert each ramekin on an individual plate while the cake is warm. Dust with powdered sugar or whip cream or ice cream and serve immediately.
Easy Squash Risotto | Under 30 Minutes
EASY Butternut Squash RISOTTO, is an Italian rice dish that is creamy, delicious and EASY to make. It only takes 18 minutes once you start adding the liquid. You will feel like you are eating at a fancy restaurant. The only thing EASY RISOTTO requires is 18 minutes of patience.
Butternut Squash Risotto
Serves 4 – 6
2 tablespoons butter, plus 2 tablespoons
2 shallots, minced – about ½ cup
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus more for garnish Salt and pepper
1. Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the shallots and sauté until soft.
3. Add cubed squash; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the Arborio rice and stir until it is coated with butter, about 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add wine; cook until almost all liquid has evaporated.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low; add hot stock 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly, after each addition, until the liquid is absorbed. Cook, stirring, until almost all liquid is absorbed before adding the next cup.
7. Once the risotto is ready, add the remaining butter, parmesan cheese, sage and salt and pepper to taste.
QUICK EASY and Delicious Butternut SQUASH CAKES
QUICK EASY and Delicious Butternut SQUASH CAKES are also known as Fitters, make for a great side dish as well as a healthy snack. Especially if you are trying to sneak more veggies on picky eaters’ plates! This is the perfect season for Butternut Squash anything as we are approaching the Fall season. Not only are Butternut Squash Cakes Quick Easy and Delicious but loaded with lots of nutrients. Butternut Squash Fritters are the ultimate Fall Side Dish!
Butternut Squash Fritters
1 Butternut Squash, about 2 pounds peeled and grated
½ cup Flour (or substitute for Gluten Free option)
½ cup Parmesan Cheese
½ Onion, diced
¼ cup Parsley, chopped
2 Eggs
2 clove Garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Pepper Olive oil for frying
1. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. If the squash does not hold together, add a bit more flour.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet.
3. Using a spring-loaded scoop, scoop out squash batter and place on the hot skillet.
4. Gently flatten the top of the fritter and cook until the bottom of the fritter is nicely golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side, about 1-2 minutes longer.
5. Place on a paper towel to absorb any access oil.
6. When ready to serve, place cakes on a plate with dipping sauce.
Lemon Herb Dipping Sauce
1 cup Sour Cream
1 Lemon, Juice and Zest
1 Tablespoon Parsley, Chopped
1 Tablespoon Chives, Chopped Salt and Pepper to taste
1. In a small bowl add all the ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
EASY Chicken Potatoes Tomatoes and Rice ONE POT EASY Dinner
EASY Chicken Potatoes Tomatoes and Rice ONE POT DINNER makes for an EASY MEAL. It is comfort food at its best! This EASY ONE POT MEAL makes for a hearty meal with the assortment of Chicken, Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Rice. A little bit of everything for everyone. Plus, for you, it is a time saver as everything goes into one dish which means easy cleanup. And this will simplify your weeknight dinners as this can be made ahead of time and popped in the oven when you get home.
Chicken with Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes and Potatoes
Serve 4
4 Chicken Thighs
4 Large Tomatoes
1 cup Rice
½ small Onion, finely diced
½ cup Parmesan Cheese
¼ cup Parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Pepper
4 Potatoes, diced
½ small Onion, diced
3 Clove Garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning Salt & Pepper
Preheat oven 350 degrees
1. Prepare Tomatoes: Cut tops of tomatoes and set aside. Using a spoon, scoop out as much of the tomato flesh into a bowl without breaking the skin. Sprinkle salt inside all tomatoes.
2. Puree the tomato flesh until smooth. Add rice, onions, parmesan cheese parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. Let sit for 1 hour.
Note: If you don’t want to let the rice sit for 1 hour in tomato liquid, the rice can be placed immediately in the tomato cavity, but the total cooking time will take an extra 30 minutes.
3. In a 9” x 13” baking dish, add Chicken Thighs, Potatoes, Onions, Garlic, Olive Oil, Italian Seasoning, Salt and Pepper and toss to coat.
4. Place a hollowed-out tomato in each corner of the baking dish. Surround the potatoes around the tomatoes and place the chicken in the middle of the baking dish.
5. Take the rice soaked in tomato juice and fill each of the tomatoes until there is no more filling left. Place the tops of the tomatoes back on top of each tomato.
6. Place in oven and bake for 45 – 60 minutes or until rice is completely cooked.
EASY And Delicious CHEESE STUFFED Chicken Breast | EASY Dinner
EASY and Delicious Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast makes for an EASY DINNER. This Stuffed Chicken elevates your typical dinner to the next level! This incredibly delicious EASY DINNER recipe is amazingly easy to prepare. It is prepared in ONE PAN and I added Butternut Squash as a side dish making this ONE PAN dish a COMPLETE MEAL. It is one of my family favorites.
Mushroom & Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Butternut Squash Side Dish
4 Chicken Breasts, with pocket slit
2 tbsp Olive Oil
½ medium Onion, finely diced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
2 cups Mushrooms, finely diced
4 Artichoke Hearts, finely diced
2 Tablespoons Sundried Tomatoes, finely diced
½ cup Mozzarella Cheese, grated
½ cup Feta Cheese, at room temperature Salt and pepper to taste
1 Butternut Squash, cubed
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme
1. In a skillet, add Olive Oil and sauté Onion and Garlic until onions are translucent.
2. Add Mushrooms, Artichokes Hearts, and Sundried Tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their moisture, about 5 minutes.
3. While the filling is cooking, prepare chicken. Using a knife to cut a slit into the thickest part of each chicken breast to create a small pocket. Season the chicken with salt and pepper outside and inside the cavity.
4. Once the filling is cooked, add cheeses and fill each of the chicken breasts with as much filling as possible. Use toothpicks to seal the pockets and hold the filling in.
5. In the same skillet, add a couple of Tablespoons of Olive Oil and place chicken breast in skillet to brown. Once the first side is golden brown, flip each of the breasts to brown the other side.
6. At this point, the butternut squash can be place all around the chicken, add thyme sprigs, ¼ cup of water and place a lid on skillet.
7. Continue to cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF
8. Enjoy!
