Cheesy Garlic Baby Potatoes:

A friend of mine just recently introduced me to the world of baby potatoes.

Don't get me wrong, I already knew they existed...my dad digs them up out of the garden every year!

I just didn't know that they could be bought in a bag at the grocery store!

(it takes surprisingly precious little to excite me, in case you didn't notice!)

Anyway, so we bought a bag of those cute little things (and as a side note, it was super cute, because they were red and yellow potatoes mixed together, which just adds to the awesomeness)!

Then I came across a recipe similar to this, and I didn't know how it could possibly go wrong: little baby potatoes, butter, garlic and cheese.

I know, right?!!?!!!

And they were awesome! Everyone enjoyed them! 

And get ready for this........

.........they were so cute!!!!

It might seem a tad complicated, but they are really super easy, and I mean, for a side dish, what entree does this not go with?!

I hope you try them out!!!

(P.S. Just a little FYI: we got our bag of baby potatoes at Sam's Club.)

2 & 1/2 lbs. baby potatoes

6 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon mince garlic

1 tablespoon dried parsley

Shredded cheese (anything that melts really nice, stringy and creamy. I used mozzarella)

Place potatoes in a large pan of boiling water. 

Cook for about 15 minutes, or until almost done. 

Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a dish towel to dry 

(they'll dry almost immediately.) 

Place the dried potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and garlic in a small sauce pan over medium heat, and simmer while the potatoes bake, stirring often. 

. Using the back of a fork, gently press on each potato, to slightly smash it 

(basically you're just wanting to break the skins, but that's hard to do without smashing the whole potato at least a little bit!).

Spoon/drizzle the garlic butter over all of the potatoes. 

Sprinkle the cheese over everything.

Sprinkle with parsley. 

Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes or until cheesy is melted and bubbly 

and starting to get a little golden brown.

Serve!!

{Cheesy Potato Casserole}

Wow!
Okay so, when I posted HERE about being a little sporadic with posting in the next couple of months, I was SO not meaning that that would take affect immediately,
 and that I would drop off the planet, and not post for a month+ at a time!
But things got busy, plus my computer was virtually, completely un-usable. :(
For the safety of any important things that I wanted saved from it, I couldn't even turn it on!
So between that, wedding planning, working, a couple of trips, and just every day life...here we are, like 7 weeks after my last post! Wish I could say I'm organized and ready to go again, but yeah, that's not happening! At least for a couple more months, anyways!!
In the meantime, I hope you will keep checking back in with me!

Anyways, I have actually been cooking some during all of this time.
This recipe is not a new one, but it's one that my entire family absolutely devours.
A friend at our church makes it a lot for potlucks and she shared the recipe with us,
so thanks so much, Mrs. Cathy!!!
It couldn't be easier to make, and it's just good!
I don't have a picture of the finished product, because it never lasts long enough for that, but trust me, it's amazing!! Coming from a dinner table few of fairly picky eaters, when everyone loves something, you know it's a winner!!!
I hope you try it out!!

1 (2 lb.) package frozen, shredded Hashbrown potatoes

1 (16 oz) container Sour Cream

2 cups shredded, cheddar cheese

1 batch Cream of Chicken Soup

4 tablespoons butter, melted

dash of salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients except potatoes in a large bowl, and mix well.

Add potatoes and mix until well combined.

Pour into a greased, 9x13-inch baking dish, and spread evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Serve!

Note:

-It works best to use the hashbrowns while they are still frozen...it just makes it easier to mix up for some reason!

-I like to mix this up the day before, cover and refrigerate until I'm ready to bake it.

Gets all the mess out of the way!

{Easy Pina-Colada Fluff}

I've tried to reconcile with the fact that, coming from a large family, not everyone is always going to like everything...and that is O.K.

This is one of those recipes! My mom, one sister and I love coconut, but we are among precious few in our house! So therefore, we got to eat the majority of this salad, and we were totally fine with that!

It's so fast and easy to throw together, and it was just such a yummy, refreshing salad! Not too sweet, but just right! It will definitely be awesome during the summer, but it's great any other time of year as well!!

I hope you try it out!

1 (3.4 oz.) package Instant pudding mix, see note

1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, do not drain

2 cups mini-marshmallows

1 cup sweetened coconut, shredded or flaked

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip

In a large bowl, mix together pudding mix and pineapple.

Stir in marshmallows, coconut and pecans.

Add Cool Whip, and gently mix until well combined.

Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Note:

-You can use so many different kinds of pudding here - Coconut Cream, Vanilla, French Vanilla, Banana Cream, White Chocolate or Cheesecake. Some of them may add a tiny bit of a yellow tint to the finished dish, but any of them would taste fantastic in this recipe!

{Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges}

We eat a lot of potatoes in our house, so I'm always on the lookout for another creative way to fix them. I've always loved potato wedges, but my family is not usually too enthusiastic about them.

However, they all loved these, and I was so excited!! 

They were actually really fast and easy to make, which is another huge plus!!

I think you could serve these with just about anything and everything...dressed up or down! I mean really, it's potatoes and garlic and Parmesan cheese...what does that not go with!

I hope you try them out and enjoy them as much as we do!

3 pounds potatoes (approximately)

1/3 cup olive oil

2-3 teaspoons garlic powder

3 teaspoons Italian seasoning

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Line 2 baking sheets with foil, and coat lightly with cooking spray. Place in your oven while it pre-heats to 400 degrees.

Wash and dry potatoes thoroughly; cut into wedges (I just quarter them) and place in a bowl.

Drizzle with oil, and stir until all the potatoes are evenly coated.

Add cheese, and mix well.
Stir in seasonings and mix until everything is well combined and evenly coated.

Remove pans from the oven, and carefully place potatoes in a single layer between the two pans.

Bake for 30 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork, and starting to get lightly golden brown.

I prefer them to be crispier, so once they are cooked, I place them under the broiler for 7-8 minutes, flipping about every minute, until they reach desired crispiness!

Serve!

Note:

-You can use shredded or grated Parmesan, it doesn't really matter. I just prefer the grated for this recipe.

Pioneer Woman's Perfect Potatoes Au Gratin

Warning!

Be prepared for Pioneer Woman Recipe Overload!!!

Thanks to the worlds greatest boyfriend ever (sorry, he's already taken), 

I have not one, not even two, but FOUR of the Pioneer Woman's cookbooks!!

The BIG ones! 

I have always loved her, and I didn't even know she had that many books out!!

So of course I have read them all...cover to cover...and will be dissecting as many as I can, 

to make them gluten-free!

Enter, Perfect Potatoes Au Gratin!! Only a few minor adjustments and it.was.amazing! 

My whole family loved them, and I will absolutely be making them again!

They were super easy to throw together, and would seriously go with anything!

I hope you try them out!

7-8 cups potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons milk

1 can evaporated milk

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 & 1/2 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Chopped green onions or dried chives for garnish, optional

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish; set aside.

In a medium bowl, gently whisk together milks, cornstarch, garlic, salt and pepper until smooth.

Place potatoes in prepared dish and pour milk mixture over the top.

Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake 25 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender when poked with a fork, and they aren't swimming in liquid (there probably will still be some liquid, but the potatoes should not be floating at this point!). 

Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, or until melted and bubbly!

Sprinkle with green onions or chives, if desired, and serve!!!

{Perfect Baked Potatoes}

Every now and then, I just get hungry for a really, really good baked potato.
Especially one that is fully loaded!
Some of my favorite toppings are (not all at the same time, of course) ham, chicken, taco meat, steamed broccoli, green chilies, onions, bell peppers, cheese, ranch dressing, black olives, black beans, mushrooms...it seems like the list is endless!!
And I'm all about the WHOLE baked potato - skin and all!
I know that technically, there is no "recipe" for them, but I guess you could say there is "technique" that can help you achieve and really, really good baked potato!
And that's what I'm sharing with you today!
Super fast and simple, but really yummy final results!!
I hope you give it a try!!

Desired number of baking potatoes

Olive or Canola Oil

Salt

Thoroughly wash and dry potatoes. Line a baking sheet with foil. Pour a small amount of oil into a bowl. Dip your fingers in the oil and generously rub each potato, and place it on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, turning the potatoes, to coat all sides.

Pierce each potato several times with the tip of a sharp knife.

Bake at 425 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until fork tender.

Serve!!!

The Pioneer Woman's Twice-Baked Potatoes:

I've recently came to a weird conclusion. A lot of people say that coming up with a side dish, is no problem...it's the main dish that's so hard to decide on or come up with.

It's the opposite for me. I can decide on a main dish pretty easily...but a side?

I have to rack my brain forever to try to figure something out!

I wanted something simple yet different to take to a potluck dinner a while ago. 

I LOVE twice baked potatoes, and I LOVE the Pioneer Woman!! I thought this recipe would be good for feeding a crowd, so I decided to give it a try! They do take time, but they're really easy and SO good!

I made my own variations of Ree's recipe, but as she says, this is only for a general guide line. Add more or less of whatever you like!

I hope you try it out!!!!

8-10 baking potatoes

1 cup sour cream

1 cup bacon bits

2 sticks butter, diced

1/2 tsp. seasoning salt

2 tsp. parsley

2+ cups shredded cheddar cheese

Thoroughly wash and dry potatoes. Prick potatoes with a sharp knife. Place directly on oven racks.

Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove and allow to set until cool enough to handle.

Gently cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the potato from the skin with a spoon - leaving a 1/4 inch shell; set aside.

Place the potato "pulp" in a large bowl. Add sour cream, bacon bits, butter, seasoning salt, parsley and 1 cup cheddar cheese. You can use a potato masher, but I like a hand mixer. Mix until well combined.

Using a spoon or an ice cream scoop, scoop the potato mixture into the shells and place in a baking dish.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Serve!

Note:

-I generally use 10 - 12 small potatoes

-I like to make them up to the point of baking them the second time, and then keeping them in the fridge.

Later in the day, or even the next day, I bake them for about 30 minutes. 

-Mine definitely don't look as good as Ree's and I'm sure they weren't, but they still did taste AMAZING!!

Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes:

I don't know anyone who doesn't love a good serving of crispy, roasted potatoes. My dad can make the BEST fried potatoes in a skillet, but it's sort of a hit and miss thing with me - I never know if they'll turn out or how long it might take them! I've seen lots of tips on how to make the perfect, crispy, roasted potatoes, and some of them did help, but nothing really worked all that great. 

I stumbled across this recipe and it had a few tips that I had never even heard of, so I decided to give it a try. And I'm pleased to say that it works SO well!!!! They were crispy, yet didn't burn to the pan, and didn't take an hour to make! 

I've made them several times and my whole family loves them! 

I hope you will give them a try!

3 lbs. potatoes

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 & 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

5 tablespoons canola oil 

Garlic Dressing (optional):

1 & 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 - 3 teaspoons minced garlic (depending on how garlic-y you want it)

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1/8 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Place 2 large rimmed baking sheets in the oven. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Meanwhile, wash the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the potatoes on a kitchen towel and pat dry, if they are very wet. Place potatoes in a large bowl that can seal. Add the cornstarch, garlic powder and desired amount of salt and pepper. Seal the bowl tightly with a lid and shake until potatoes are evenly coated. Remove baking sheets from the oven, and carefully divide the oil between the two baking sheets. Tilt the sheets to evenly coat with the oil. Divide the potatoes between the two baking sheets (preferably to a single layer). BE CAREFUL as you pour the potatoes onto the baking sheets, as the oil will be hot by now, and it might splatter a little bit. Bake for 20-25 minutes and then stir the potatoes. Return to the oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until they are as crispy as you want them. Mix together the dressing ingredients, if desired. Pour over the potatoes and mix until well combined. Serve! 

Note:

-My family's new #1 favorite meal is these potatoes in place of the baked potatoes in Taco Baked Potatoes. It tastes SO good!!! We leave out the garlic dressing, though!

-There are a few things here that are super important:

1. Leave your baking sheet in the oven until you are ready to put the potatoes on it! It makes all the difference in the world!

2. The drier your potatoes are, the crispier they will get.

3. The cornstarch is what totally makes it. It absorbs all the moisture that the potatoes release while they are baking.

Easy Twice Baked Potatoes:

This isn't the best picture AT ALL, but just let me tell you that these potatoes were SO, SO good and VERY easy! I had never made twice baked potatoes before, so I was actually a little nervous! But oh my, they were so easy! My whole family just loved them! I thought I made WAY too many for us, but we only had like 3 halves leftover, so I guess that was pretty good!! I made them a few hours before I needed them, and kept them in the fridge until I was ready to bake them! That made clean up a lot easier!
I hope you give them a try!

7-8 medium potatoes

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup prepared ranch dressing

1 tablespoon dry ranch dressing

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus more for garnish

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash dry potatoes. Rub each potato lightly with canola oil and prick several times with a fork.

Place potatoes directly on the top rack of the oven. Bake for 40-60 minutes (it depends on the size of your potato) or until you can easy poke the potato with a fork. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. 

In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, milk, ranch dressing and ranch dressing mix with a hand mixer, until well combined. 

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, and scoop out the potato with a spoon (leave a small amount in the skins, so that they hold their shape). Add the potato filling to the cheese mixture and mix until well combined. Stir in 1 cup cheddar cheese. Scoop filling into the potato shells. Sprinkle with additional cheddar cheese.
Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
Serve!!

Calico Beans:

I wouldn't really consider our family big "tradition" people when it comes to holidays, special occasions, etc.
I guess because we don't have any "big" traditions. They are mostly just small, seemingly insignificant things, but somehow they make a difference to us!
This recipe is like that. When they were living, I always lived very close to both sets of my grandparents, so we were always at one of the grandparent's houses for any given holiday.
We usually went to my dad's parents for the 4th of July.
My grandma always made BBQ, grilled chicken legs, and Calico beans (to name only a few things!).
I don't know how on earth they got the name and they definitely aren't much to look at, but they're really good and they will forever scream "4th of July food" to me!!!
If you like ordinary baked beans at all, you will love these!
I hope you give them a try!!

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. bacon, cut into small chunks
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tblsp. mustard
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 & 1/2 tsp. vinegar
1 (28 oz.) can Baked Beans
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen baby Lima beans

In a large skillet, brown beef and bacon until meat is no longer pink; drain. In a large bowl, combine ketchup, mustard, brown sugar and vinegar; mix well. Add meat and beans. Stir until well combined. Pour into a greased casserole dish.
Oven Method:
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until hot, bubbly and lightly browned.
Slow-Cooker Method:
Pour into your crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or low for 4 hours.

Note:
-I often mix this up the day before I need it and I keep it in the fridge until I'm ready to bake it.
-Stay tuned for the "Philly Cheese-steaks" sandwich recipe (also pictured above) coming next week!

Twice-Baked Potato Casserole

 

I love to cook. If I couldn't cook, I don't know what I would do! But, I've run into a problem.

I have found that it's really hard to cook for my family. There are some pretty picky people in this house, and instead of growing out of it, I think it's getting worse and worse!!! But apart from that, I have a really hard time with amounts! I've mentioned before that, according to most recipes, I cook for 4 servings. But there are 7 people here! So I usually start with one amount, look at if for a while and conclude that there's no way it will be enough, so I add in some more. And it never fails that we'll be eating off that dish for days and days! I don't know if I'll ever get it right!

So, as usual, I made too many mashed potatoes for dinner the other day, and I was trying to figure out what to do with them before they went bad. I came across a recipe similar to this, changed it around a little bit to our tastes and it turned out pretty good! It was really fast too, considering I was using potatoes that were already prepared. I've never made Twice-Baked Potatoes, but I've had them at my Aunt's house, and LOVE them! This casserole really tasted like Twice-Baked Potatoes, only it was way less work!!!

I hope you give it a try!!!

 

 

3 cups prepared mashed potatoes (mine were instant! Shhh, don't tell my dad!)

1/2 cup ranch dressing

1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tsp. minced garlic

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

 

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, ranch dressing, and 1 cup cheddar cheese.

In a small skillet, sauté onions and bacon until onions start to brown and get a little tender. Stir in garlic. Add to potatoes and mix well. The potatoes were pretty thick because they were cold, so I used a hand mixer to mix it all together. You could just use a spatula instead, if you wanted.

Pour into a greased baking dish and spread evenly. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Serve!! 

 

Note:

-You could have this all made ahead and ready in the fridge.

Just pull it out and pop it in the oven when you're ready for it!

 

 

Orange Carrot Jello Salad:

My Grandma used to make this salad and I always loved it!!!

If you have never tired it or heard of it, it may sound weird having carrots in your Jello, but trust me, it's really good!!! It couldn't be any easier to make, and it's super yummy!

I couldn't find grandma's recipe in our recipe boxes anywhere, so I'm not sure if this is the exact recipe she used, but it tastes identical to me and reminds me so much of her, with every bite I take!

I hope you'll give it a try!!

 

 

2 (3 oz.) packages Orange Gelatin

2 cups boiling water

1 (20 oz.) can Crushed Pineapple

2 tblsp. lemon juice

Cold Water

1/4 tsp. salt, optional

1 & 1/2 cups finely shredded or grated carrots

 

In a medium bowl, gently stir gelatin and boiling water until gelatin is dissolved. Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice; set the pineapple aside. Combine lemon juice and pineapple juice. Add enough cold water to equal 2 cups. Stir in salt, if desired. Stir into gelatin mixture. Chill until slightly set (1-2 hours). Stir in pineapple and carrots. Mix well. Pour into serving bowl and chill until set. Serve!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Macaroni Salad:

 

My mom was, well actually still is, famous for her macaroni salad! And my little brother (who is now bigger than me) used to live off of it! My grandfather was in the hospital for 9 weeks when Kaleb was 2. We stayed at a lot of different people's houses during that time, since mom was usually at the hospital, and it was a long 9 weeks for us. It happened all of the sudden, and they wouldn't let us in the hospital to see Pappy, and it seemed like we were tossed back and forth from one family to another. For being so young, Kaleb did pretty good, though, as long as we brought plenty of macaroni salad for him! That was 14 years ago, and he can't stand it now!! But the rest of us still enjoy it! It's one of those things that didn't really have a recipe, so it took several tries before I could really get exact measurements! I think I have it now, though, and I hope you try it out and enjoy it as much as we do! And as much as Kaleb used to!!!

 

 

4 cups uncooked macaroni noodles (about a 16 oz. pkg.)
10 hard-boiled eggs

1 small onion

4 stalks celery
2 cups mayonnaise (we use miracle whip)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

 

Cook the noodles according to the package directions, just until done. Drain and set aside to cool. Use an egg slicer, and slice the eggs; add to the noodles. Place onions and celery in a food processor, and finely chop; add to noodles and eggs. In a small bowl, combine mayo, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir into noodles until evenly coated. Serve or chill until ready to serve!

Note:
-If you are making this the day before you need it, then you will probably need to add more dressing before you serve it, as the noodles soak up a good bit of what you put on earlier.
-This makes a HUGE amount!! If I was making this for my family for a single meal, I would probably only make a fourth of this! (although you have to take into account, I also only cook 4 chicken breasts for my entire family as well! What's wrong with us?)

Cheesy Rice Bake:

We had a TON of leftover, cooked rice the other day, and I knew we would never eat it all before it went bad. I was trying to figure out what to do with it, and there is surprisingly few recipes out there that use cooked rice! Lots that use uncooked rice, but that wasn't going to help me out!

I stumbled across a recipe similar to this one, and decided to try it. I figured my family wouldn't love it, but they would eat it, and at least we wouldn't have to throw out a ton of rice.

I threw it altogether and stuck it in the oven.

Would you believe that my family loved this stuff?!?!!!

I couldn't believe it! It really tasted surprisingly yummy!! We ate almost the entire pan in one meal! I'll definitely be making this again and I hope you'll try it out as well!

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. dried parsley

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 cup shredded Velveeta cheese (see note)

4 cups cooked rice (see note)

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley and pepper. Stir in the Velveeta cheese and rice. Mix until well combined.

Pour into a greased, casserole dish.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake 10 minutes longer.

Serve!

Note:

-The original recipe called for cheddar cheese, not Velveeta cheese, but I don't like the grainy texture that pre-shredded cheddar cheese gives, so I highly recommend the Velveeta. Make sure it is good and cold, and it should shred fairly easily. I did use the cheddar for on top, because I think it works fine like that, but you can do whatever you want.

-My cooked rice was minute rice, but I don't think it would really matter at all what kind you use, as long as it's cooked!

-You don't need a huge casserole dish, but make sure it's big enough, so that your rice mixture does not come to the top of the pan. It bubbles a little while it's baking, and if your dish is too full, it may boil over!

Sweet Potato & Apple Gratin:

 I think I've said it before, but I'm not a huge fan of sweet potatoes. They are like white chocolate to me. I love the idea of them, and so I just keep trying them, thinking that I might eventually like them! Well, it hasn't happened with white chocolate yet, but it worked with this sweet potato dish at least! It was very different from anything I've ever had, and I really did like it! I fixed it for Valentines Day, and my whole family really liked it!
Hope you give it a try!

 

 

 

 

3 tblsp. butter, divided

1 small onion, finely diced

3 tblsp. cornstarch

2 cups chicken broth

dash of salt and pepper

2 & 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled (about 4 medium)

2 gala or golden delicious apples, peeled, quartered and cored

1 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs (click HERE for my recipe)

 

In a medium sauce pan, melt 2 tblsp. butter. Add onion; cook and stir for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown. Whisk in cornstarch, salt and pepper. Gradually pour in broth and whisk until smooth. Simmer until it reaches a boil and thickens slightly. Set aside.

Using and food processor with a slicing blade, or a mandolin slicer, thinly slice the potatoes and apples. In a greased baking dish, layer half of the potatoes and all of the apples. Top with half of the onion sauce. Layer with the rest of the potatoes and finish with the remaining sauce.

Cover tightly with foil, and bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender with poked with a fork. In a small bowl, melt the remaining 1 tblsp. butter. Add cookie crumbs and mix until well combined. Sprinkle over potatoes and bake for 25 minutes more.

Serve!!

 

Note:

-The original recipe said that you could bake it the first time, let it cool and keep it in your fridge for a day or two. Set it out for an hour, top with cookie crumbs and bake until warm through. I did not try this, so I don't know how well it does or doesn't work, but I just wanted to let you know, incase anyone wants to try it!

-We served it with Ham, but I'm sure any Meat main dish would go well.

-The original recipe I think said it served 6-8, but I will half the recipe the next time I make it for my family! It really makes a lot!!

 

 

 

 

 

Cheesy Zucchini Rice:

Well, it's zucchini time again, so I have been on my annual search to find as many recipes as I can that use as much zucchini as possible! If you grow zucchini, you know what I'm talking about! It's the only vegetable that just grows like crazy no matter what!  

This super fast and easy side dish is one I came across during my search, and it turned out really yummy!

It's pretty versatile as well. You can use as much or as little zucchini as you like, and feel free to experiment with a different kind of cheese!! 

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup long grain rice

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 tblsp. butter

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 cup of cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded zucchini

In a large saucepan, bring chicken broth, rice, chopped onion and butter to a boil. Stir lightly. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 20 minutes or until liquid is completely absorbed. Do not remove lid or stir rice during the 20 minutes. Once rice is done, remove from heat and stir in cheese and zucchini. Cover and let stand 1-2 minutes, just to make sure the cheese is melted and zucchini is hot through. Serve!

Apple Spinach Salad:

I love fresh spinach, especially in the summer! This salad takes only a few ingredients, and is super fast to put together. My family really enjoyed it and I hope you do too!!

8 ounces fresh spinach

4 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

2 red apples, diced

1/3 cup mayonnaise

3 tblsp. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

In a medium bowl, toss together the spinach, bacon and apple. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo and juice concentrate until smooth. Pour half the dressing over the spinach and toss to coat. Add more dressing, a little at a time, until you have as much as you like. I did not use all the dressing, because we don't like a lot of dressing on our salads, but you can use as much or as little as you like. 

Note:

-I did not have any bacon, so I used 4 tblsp. bacon bits and it worked out fine. 

-This is definitely not something you can make ahead. You will want to put it all together and serve immediately. 

I served this with:

-Grilled Speedy Chicken Marinade-

-Becky's Potato Salad-

Creamsicle Pudding:

We tried this for Easter this year, and it turned out SO good!

We loved the orange and vanilla combination,

but I'm sure it would be good with just about any flavor of jello!

Also, we used it as a side dish, but it would be perfect for dessert as well and you can serve soon after making it, or make it a day in advance, whatever you want!!  

Hope you try it out!

 

1 (3 oz.) package Orange gelatin

1 (3.4 oz) package instant Vanilla pudding mix

1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip

Dissolve gelatin in 1 cup boiling water. Place 4 ice cubes in a measuring cup and fill to 1 cup with cold water. Add to gelatin and stir well. Cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in the pudding mix until well combined. Chill for 15 minutes. Fold in the Cool Whip and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour into a serving bowl or individual serving dishes, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 10 minutes or over night. Serve! 

Noodles and Cheese:

Think you're missing out on Mac 'n' Cheese? Think again! This is a super fast and easy, gluten-free recipe that my whole family enjoyed and I know you will too, even if you don't eat gluten-free! Use any kind of pasta you have or like! I hope you give it a try!



12 oz. uncooked pasta

2 tblsp. butter

4 & 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. dried mustard

1/4 tsp. black pepper (more if you like)

1 & 1/2 cups milk

2 cups cubed Velveeta cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, until just done. You still want it to be al dente. Drain and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat butter over low heat until melted. Add cornstarch, dried mustard and pepper. Whisk until smooth and bubbly. Pour in the milk. Cook over high heat, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Cook and stir until thickened. Reduce heat to low; add cheese and stir until melted. If this mixture is too thick for you, slowly add in more milk until it reaches desired consistency. Place pasta in a serving dish. Pour cheese sauce over all and gently stir to evenly coat. Serve!

Note:

-We prefer the cheese sauce to be thick, but if you prefer a thinner sauce, then add more milk after the cheese has melted.

-I used spiral pasta, but you can use whatever shape you want. I find it hard to find gluten-free macaroni, but if you can find it or you don't need this recipe to be gluten-free, then by all means use that!!!
-Check out this link to find out what my favorite pasta is!

Slow-Cooker Ranch Potatoes:

These are very yummy and very easy! I'm not the biggest fan of ranch dressing (except when it comes to homemade!), but I thoroughly enjoyed this dish!

3 lbs. red or white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups)

2 tsp. minced garlic

Water

1/2 cup prepare ranch dressing

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. pepper

Dried chives

Place the potatoes and minced garlic in a greased slow cooker. Add enough water to just cover the potatoes. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours or until potatoes are fork tender. In a small bowl, mix together the ranch dressing, cheeses, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. With a slotted spoon, remove potatoes from the crock-pot to a serving bowl. Pour ranch dressing mixture over the potatoes, and stir gently to even coat the potatoes. Sprinkle with chives and serve!