Pesto Chicken with Tomato Cream Pasta

This was one of those recipes I was sooooo excited to try, but I thought it was a total flop. I didn't like it. At all. Brad and the kids, however, really liked it. Go figure. I thought it was ugly and tasted a little bitter. In the recipe's defense, I did change the way it was cooked. I was in a super hurry (we found out Eli had baseball practice at the very last minute so I was rushing to get it made) and didn't want to dirty 3 pots. Maybe I would have liked it better had I actually followed the recipe. We'll probably never know, though, since I don't think I'll ever make it again. However, I'm still posting it since my family liked it and maybe yours will, too. 

Pesto Chicken with Tomato Cream Pasta
1/2 bottle of Lawry's Herb and Garlic Marinade
4 large spoonfuls of pesto (divided)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. penne pasta
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 cup half-and-half

Cut chicken into 1-inch strips. Marinate in marinade and 2 tablespoons pesto overnight. Boil pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, brown chicken and discard marinade. Add the garlic right at the end. Remove chicken and deglaze the pan with chicken broth. Pour in tomato sauce and the remaining 2 tablespoons pesto. Stir until heated through. Taste to adjust seasonings. (I think I added salt & pepper.) Stir in the half-and-half. Add chicken and pasta back to the pan. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Adapted from SOUTHERN GIRL COOKING

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: *
Eli: *****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 15/20

Cheesy Sausage Hash

I pinned this awhile back on Pinterest and was waiting around for it to get cold because it looked like a cold-weather dish to me. I got tired of waiting and made it for dinner this week. I ended up doubling it because I had originally thought about upping the meat a bit and I wasn't sure how many cups I could get out of one bag of SIMPLY POTATOES.  Turns out, I had enough of everything to make two recipes and then freeze half before baking. I liked the cubed potatoes I used, but next time I'm going to use the SHREDDED ones because I think it will be more of what I imagined. It was still good (Phoebe *loved* it) and I'm totally excited to have another pan ready to go in my freezer! 

Cheesy Sausage Hash
3 cups potatoes, peeled, boiled, and cut into cubes OR 3 cups Simply Potatoes (found in the refridgerator section at your local supermarket)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
salt & pepper
8 oz. Velveeta cheese, diced
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb. smoked sausage
a sprinkle of paprika

Cut sausage in half lengthwise and then cut into 1/2 inch half-circles. Cook in a skillet over medium heat, turning frequently, until slightly brown. Place your potatoes in a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt. (I was worried my potatoes would be under salted and an under salted potato is a travesty.) Add the meat and give a gentle toss. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all remaining ingredients (except sharp cheddar and paprika) in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, melted, and smooth, whisking constantly. You're basically making cheese gravy. :) Salt and pepper this, too, until you're worried it's a little too salty. (Seriously, I did this and my hash was perfect. I was worried it would be too salty, but it wasn't.) Pour cheese gravy over meat and potatoes. Sprinkle with sharp cheddar and paprika. Bake for 35-45 minutes. (Mine actually took close to an hour to absorb and thicken with all that cheesy goodness, but my oven cooks a little slow. Just keep watch and plan for extra time if you're oven is like mine.)

Adapted from FOOD.COM

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: ****
Eli: ****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 17/20

Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

We make THESE taquitos pretty often so I thought it might be fun to try a different filling. If you like buffalo wings, you'll like these. I was worried they would be too spicy for me and Phoebe (we're the wimps in the family), but these really weren't spicy at all. If you want yours spicy, you'll have to add more Cajun seasoning or even some cayenne pepper.

Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
3-4 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
flour tortillas (I think I used 16 smaller ones from a 20 count bag)
2 cups grated mozzarella
4 oz. cream cheese
1/3 cup Frank's hot sauce
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt & pepper
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add seasonings. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. It's probably going to look curdled (mine did), but it's ok. It'll smooth out when you add the milk. Cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in hot sauce and milk and simmer for 5-8 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine chicken and sauce. Stir in cheese.  Lay out a tortilla and spread about 1/4-1/3 cup chicken mixture to one side. Roll up tightly and place on a greased baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat till all the chicken is gone. Spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating every 5 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Adapted from REAL WOMEN OF PHILADELPHIA

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: ***
Eli: *****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 17/20

Quick Hamburger Soup

The day after we had CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE, I told Brad he could either stop at the store to get ingredients for this soup or he could eat cheeseburger casserole leftovers. He stopped at the store. It was perfect soup weather (wet and cool), but I needed one that would come together pretty quick since I didn't have time to simmer it all day or evening. I searched Pinterest and this is what I found.

Quick Hamburger Soup
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup water
2-3 cloves garlic (I probably used 3 because that's just how I roll.)
32 oz. beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes
15 oz. tomato sauce
1-2 cups small pasta (I used bowtie noodles because that's what Brad brought home.)
salt and pepper
1-2 tablespoons Italian seasonings

Brown ground beef with onion and green pepper over medium heat in a stock pot until beef is brown and veggies are tender. Drain. Season with salt and pepper. Pour back into pan. Add broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and seasonings.  I didn't measure this. Just poured some into my palm and dumped it in. Bring to a boil. Taste to adjust seasonings. Stir in pasta. I'm not sure how much I used here, either. The original recipe called for 1 cup of pasta, but that didn't look like enough so I dumped in a little more. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until pasta is done.

Adapted from EAT AT HOME

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: ***
Eli: *****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 17/20

Cheeseburger Casserole

There's a funny story about this dish. Everybody loved it, but after a big helping, Brad asked, "Does this have pickles in it?" When I told him it did, he said, "I knew there was something in here I did not like! The whole thing tastes like pickles!" He *hates* pickles and I tried to sneak them past him justifying it because it was *just* 1/4 cup. The kids and I liked it. It's worth a try if you like pickles...and if you don't, just leave them out. It won't be as good, though...

Cheeseburger Casserole
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup dill pickles, chopped
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
salt & pepper
6 oz. Velveeta, grated
1 can (8oz.) crescent rolls
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat until onions are soft and beef is browned. Drain. Season with salt and pepper (I think I might have used steak seasoning, but salt and pepper would work fine, too). Stir in pickles, water, ketchup, and mustard. Spoon into a 2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with Velveeta. Unroll dough; press seams together and place on top of beef mixture (I had to kind of "squish" it a little to make it fit). Brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a deep golden brown.

Adapted from KATHIE COOKS

Family Rating:

Brad: ** 

Jordan: ***

Eli: *****

Phoebe: *****

Overall Family Rating: 15/20

The Pioneer Woman's Salisbury Steak

This was one of those recipes that Brad and Eli really liked, but I just didn't. I'm posting it because they did like it so much even though there's a chance I may never make it again because I really didn't. Make it and then let me know what you thought!  The Pioneer Woman served hers with mashed potatoes and peas. I served mine with mashed potatoes and green beans because peas are from the devil!

The Pioneer Woman's Salisbury Steak
Meat Mixture:
1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 cube beef bouillon
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
salt and pepper
Gravy:
1 whole onion, thinly sliced
2 cups beef broth
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet (optional)
2-3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with water or beef broth to make a paste about as thick as school glue

Combine all the ingredients for the meat mixture and knead until all combined. Form into 4-6 patties. Fry in a large skillet with evoo and butter on both sides until no longer pink in the middle. Remove from heat and pour off grease. Keep warm. Melt a little more butter in some evoo and add the onions. Cook and stir until golden brown and soft. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire, ketchup, and Kitchen Bouquet (if using). Stir to reduce and bring to a simmer. Pour cornstarch mixture into the skillet in a slow stream while whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Stir until thickened. Taste to adjust seasoning. I added a little salt. Move the "steaks" back to the gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Adapted from THE PIONEER WOMAN 

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: **
Eli: *****
Phoebe: ***
Overall Family Rating: 14/20

Crockpot Hawaiian Meatballs

This dinner was a life-saver. Really. I stuck it in the crockpot and ended up not eating it because I had a migraine and spent the evening in bed. I used my crockpot timer, which is just a timer on the outlet like you might use for Christmas lights, so it would come on at the right time. 

Crockpot Hawaiian Meatballs
32 oz. package frozen meatballs
15 oz. can unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained and juice put aside
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Place frozen meatballs in the crockpot. Place bell pepper and pineapples on top. In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and pour over the top. Cook on low 3-4 hours. Stir before serving over rice to make sure all the goopy mess at the bottom is combined and the sauce is thick.

Recipe from SIX SISTER'S STUFF

Family Rating:
Brad: ***
Jordan: N/A
Eli: ****
Phoebe: ***** (Three helpings!)
Overall Family Rating: 12/15

Chicken And Broccoli Casserole

This is a throw-back recipe that came from my mom's friend, Janet Dillard, a hundred years ago. Brad didn't really like it because he doesn't like casseroles, but the rest of us like it a lot. It makes a bunch so proceed with caution.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
1 box frozen, chopped broccoli (thawed and drained)
2-3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup Pepperidge Farm seasoned bread crumbs (You can find these with the stuffing at Wal-Mart.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine broccoli, chicken, soups, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and 3/4 cup cheese in a large bowl. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Stir together remaining cheese and bread crumbs (I always add more cheese), and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Family Rating:
Brad: ** (I told you he doesn't like casseroles.)
Jordan: ***
Eli: *****
Phoebe: *****  (She ate three helpings both nights we ate this!)
Overall Family Rating: 15/20

Baked Asian Chicken Wings

Sometimes we have an appetizer night where I only serve things that are usually appetizers...like these baked wings. They were super good! 

Baked Asian Chicken Wings
2½ pounds chicken wingettes
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon Chinese 5-Spice or other Asian spice blend (See Kelly's Notes)
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup blackberry jam

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Rinse wingettes and pat dry. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with vegetable oil and spice blend until well coated. Position wings on baking racks in a single layer ensuring that wings aren't touching. Bake, rotating pan half-way through, until fully cooked, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove wings from oven and transfer to a large bowl. Whisk together hoisin and blackberry jam in a small saucepot over medium-low heat until warm. Drizzle wings with sauce, tossing until well coated. Serve immediately.

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: *****
Eli: *****
Phoebe: *****

Overall Family Rating: 19/20

Asian Flank Steak Skewers

I made another flank steak skewer, but I think I like this one a little better. I grilled it inside on my grill pan and served it with veggie fried rice (both can be found HERE). Be sure to use reduced sodium soy sauce because I didn't and mine were a little salty. The kids called these "meat popsicles". 

Asian Flank Steak Skewers
1 1/2 lb. skirt steak
1 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
juice of 1 lime

Slice meat thinly against the grain. Place in a ziplock bag. Combine the rest of the ingredients and marinate overnight. Thread onto skewers (if using wooden ones, be sure to soak them for 30 minutes beforehand). Grill over medium heat about 5 minutes per side until done.

Adapted from SKINNY TASTE

Family Rating:
Brad: ***
Jordan: ***
Eli: *****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 16/20

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

This recipe makes a H-U-G-E batch! My kids loved them the first and second night, but then I think they got tired of them because they both changed their rating to 3 stars on the third night. I'm not sure how they'd do freezing, but it might be something to look into because it made so much. 

Cheesy Stuffed Shells
12 oz. jumbo pasta shells
32 oz. whole milk ricotta
1-1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
lots of fresh basil
salt and pepper
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I used Ragu Roasted Garlic)
1/2 lb. ground Italian sausage
1/2 cup red wine
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
sugar, salt, and crushed red pepper
2 cups grated mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta shells for half the cooking time. Drain. Heat some evoo over medium heat and brown onion and Italian sausage in a large skillet. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and then pour in spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, and seasonings. Simmer while preparing the shells. In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, half the parmesan, basil, egg, and salt and pepper. Pour half the sauce into a large baking pan (I used a 9x13). Fill each shell and place seam side down in the sauce. You'll have to really squish them in there to fit. Pour the rest of the sauce over the shells and top with grated mozzarella. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes or so until all the cheese on top is melted.

Adapted from THE PIONEER WOMAN

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: ****
Eli: ****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 17/20

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

Ok, I know it's been a while since I posted here, but summer isn't when I find new recipes. Especially not this summer. I am going to play a little catch-up, though, because there were a few that needed to be posted. Like this one. I love any recipe with the words "Philly Cheesesteak" in them and this was no exception! And it's fast! 

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup steak sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 (8oz.) package sliced mushrooms
sliced provolone cheese
salt & pepper to taste
rolls or bun

In large skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers, and mushrooms, and cook until soft. Stir in steak sauce and beef broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Split the rolls and toast briefly in the oven. Place meat mixture and a slice of provolone cheese over one half and toast until cheese is melted.

Adapted from SIX SISTER'S STUFF

Family Rating:
Brad: ***
Jordan: ****
Eli: ****
Phoebe: ***** (She loved these and ate two whole ones at dinner!)
Overall Family Rating: 16/20

Shrimp Tacos

These are yummy! Even if you think you don't like fish tacos because they sound weird, you'll like these. I was one of those people and I *love* them. 


Shrimp Tacos

• 1 lb of frozen shrimp, defrosted, peeled, & deveined

• 6 oz sour cream

• ¼ cup chopped cilantro

• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 package shredded cabbage

• 8 corn tortillas

• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix yogurt, cayenne, lime juice, cilantro, & salt in a small bowl, set aside. Cut shrimp into thirds. Sauté in two teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper over medium heat just until done. (I also added a splash of white wine because I had it.)  They cook up in just a few minutes… so be sure to watch them! Heat tortillas over medium heat in a dry skillet until warm and starting to form small brown spots. Build your taco!  Place a scoop of cabbage on the warmed tortillas taco, then top with shrimp, and cilantro sauce. Add salsa and extra cilantro if desired.


Adapted from CLEAN AND DELICIOUS


Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: ****
Eli: *****
Phoebe: ***
Overall Family Rating: 16/20

Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I'm always on the lookout for good Mexican food dishes because Brad *loves* Mexican food and I have a hard time with it. This was easy and pretty darn good. Probably not real authentic (Tex-Mex or otherwise), but still yummy!


Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1/2 cup green chili enchilada sauce (I used THIS brand)

1 container frozen, chopped green chilies, defrosted and drained (I used THESE)
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup jarred salsa verde
8 white corn tortillas, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper

1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together enchilada sauce, green chilies, sour cream, salsa, corn tortillas, chicken, and seasonings. Taste the "sauce" to adjust seasoning. Pour into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish (or 8x8 inch baking pan). Top with cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Serve with salsa.

Adapted from IOWA GIRL EATS

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: ***
Eli: *****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 17/20

Roasted Vegetable and Smoked Sausage Pasta

An easy pasta recipe that used some of those early summer veggies we'd been drooling over in the store.


Roasted Vegetable and Smoked Sausage Pasta
1 lb smoked sausage, cut into 1 inch slices
1 lb penne
2 small zucchini, cut lengthwise and sliced 
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half 
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, lightly crushed with the side of a knife
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp Kosher salt
2 tsp fresh ground pepper



Preheat your oven to 375º. Mix all of the vegetables, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper well in a large mixing bowl. Spread the vegetable mixture evenly on a large sheet pan. Roast the vegetables on the middle oven rack for 15 minutes. Add the sausage to the top of the vegetables and roast another 20 minutes. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, reserving 1 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Turn the oven to broil, crack the oven door, and continue roasting the sausage and vegetables another five minutes. Remove the vegetables and sausage and set the pan aside. Remove the roasted garlic cloves from the roasting pan, smash to a paste with the side of a knife and add to the reserved pasta cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in over medium heat. Add the butter, wine, reserved cooking water, sausage and vegetables to the pasta. Stir the pasta gently and cook until the liquid is about 3/4 absorbed. Serve immediately.


Adapted from PATIO DADDIO BBQ


Family Rating:
Brad: ***
Jordan: ***
Eli: ****
Phoebe: ****
Overall Family Rating: 14/20

Pizza Quesadillas

I haven't forgotten this little blog, either. We've been eating a lot of "summer stand-by" meals (when I've actually been cooking!) and so there have only been a handful of new recipes. I'm going to try to get them posted "soonish", though, starting with this one. I actually made it for lunch because I tend to cook more lunches in the summer since we're home more then and that's why Brad didn't give it a rating. We all really loved it, and I've made it a few times this summer already.


Pizza Quesadillas
flour tortillas (two for each quesadilla you're making)
shredded mozzarella cheese
pepperoni slices (about 4 or 5 for each quesadilla)
spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce (you'll just need a little of this)

Brush each tortilla with a thin amount of the sauce (so thin that if you turned it over, none would drip). Top half the tortillas with some cheese, pepperoni, and then a little more cheese. Place the remaining tortillas on top of the cheese. Grill in a pan (with or without butter) on each side until cheese is melted and tortillas are crisp. Cut into wedges.

Adapted from SNIXY KITCHEN

Family Rating:
Jordan: ***
Eli: *****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Rating: 14/15

Lemon Roasted Chicken with Green Beans and Potatoes

This seemed like a nice, light Spring meal...and I was so excited to make something that didn't take 15 minutes. We love a good roast chicken and this didn't disappoint!


Lemon Roasted Chicken with Green Beans and Potatoes
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 lemons, 2 thinly sliced, 2 juiced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more for the chicken)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
8-10 small, yellow potatoes, quartered
3/4 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
4 chicken leg quarters with skin on

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat the bottom of a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in the bottom. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add green beans and toss to coat. Remove the green beans with tongs and transfer to baking dish. Do the same with the potatoes. Dip chicken pieces in the remaining olive oil mixture and place on top of green beans and potatoes, skin side up. Sprinkle generously with salt. Pour any remaining marinade over chicken. Roast for 50 minutes. Remove chicken from the dish and put the green beans and potatoes back in the oven for 10-15 more minutes or until potatoes are tender. Serve warm.

Adapted from REAL SIMPLE

Family Rating:
Brad: *****
Jordan: ****
Eli: *****
Phoebe: ****
Overall Family Rating: 18/20

Fast Fish Skillet

This was one of those rare dishes that actually took less time to make than I had allotted. When does that ever happen?! Well-received, but no fives.


Fast Fish Skillet
4 tilapia fillets
1/4 cup Italian dressing, divided
1 tablespoon pesto
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise, then sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush fillets with 2 tablespoons of dressing and sprinkle with salt. Cook in skillet 3-4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes with a fork. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Add remaining dressing, pesto, and veggies to skillet. Cook 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over fish.

Adapted from KRAFT FOODS

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: ***
Eli: ****
Phoebe: ***
Overall Family Rating: 14/20

Pepperoni Pasta

Since we seem to be going in 846 different directions every day, I'm on the lookout for extremely-fast-with-easy-clean-up dishes that I can whip up and still feel like I'm fulfilling my mom duties by cooking dinner. This one fit all the requirements, although Brad and I thought the sauce fell a little flat. Next time, I'm going to use either spaghetti sauce or add a packet of spaghetti seasoning to the tomatoes. But the kids loved it!


Pepperoni Pasta
1 lb. penne pasta
2 green, red, or yellow bell peppers (I had a red and yellow bell pepper chopped and frozen on hand in my freezer so it was even more super-fast! They're my favorite so it worked out nicely.)
2 cloves garlic
28 oz. crushed tomatoes (Please, for the love of all that is good and holy, please use Hunts; NOT a store-brand!)
Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, sugar
4 oz. pepperoni, cut in halves (I used turkey pepperoni)
about a cup of grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese or Italian 5-cheese blend

Cook pasta according to package directions (don't forget to salt your pasta water!). While it cooks, sauté the peppers in a large skillet. When they're crisp-tender, add garlic and cook another minute. Stir in tomatoes, pepperoni, and seasoning. Cook over medium heat until pasta is done. Taste to adjust seasonings. (I added a lot of seasonings and it still was a little bland. Next time I'll use spaghetti sauce or add a packet of spaghetti seasoning.) Drain pasta and add to sauce. Stir to combine. Serve topped with lots of cheese!

Adapted from EAT AT HOME COOKS

Family Rating:
Brad: **
Jordan: **
Eli: *****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 14/20

Taco Braid

I thought this was a great way to use up leftover taco meat. I realize not everyone has leftover taco meat when you make tacos for your family, but you could always make a double batch and use the extra for this. 

Taco Braid
1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
4 oz of Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup Salsa
1/2 lb leftover taco meat (ground beef or turkey seasoned with taco seasoning)
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
olive oil
garlic salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough into a 15-in. x 12-in. rectangle. Place on a greased cookie sheet. It's very important to place the dough on the cookie sheet before you fill it because once you fill it, it will be too heavy to move onto the cookie sheet. Mix salsa and cream cheese in a small bowl. Spread cream cheese mixture lengthwise down center third of rectangle and then spread on top. Sprinkle with cheese.  On each long side, cut 1 inch wide strips about 2-1/2-inches into center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes (I think I only let mine rise for about 10 minutes). Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Adapted from THE GIRL WHO ATE EVERYTHING


Family Rating:
Brad: ***
Jordan: ***
Eli: ** (I was surprised he didn't like this. I think it was the cream cheese/salsa mixture. Next time, I'm going to use a little less and see what happens.)
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 13/20