Classic Lasagna

You can’t review a Garfield Cookbook without making a lasagna recipe. I knew it would be a winner, you can’t go wrong with lasagna in this house. I even followed the recipe and cooked the noodles. Normally I’m a non pre noodle cooker kind of gal. Less mess and work and bakes in the same amount of time. I didn’t think there would be a difference in the texture but there was. I really liked the noodles better pre cooked. I even used gluten free lasagna noodles and Miss Finicky didn’t even notice. The only thing this meal was missing was some cheesy garlic bread and a glass of wine.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Garfield… Recipes with Cattitude.
Ingredients
10 oz package lasagna noodles, uncooked
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground Italian pork sausage
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
14-1/2 oz can Italian seasoned stewed tomatoes
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
3 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
16 oz package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, brown beef, sausage, and onion; drain. Add garlic, undrained tomatoes, tomato paste and Italian seasoning; simmer for about 10 minutes. Ina large bowl, blend together ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, eggs, and seasonings. Spread 1/2 cup of beef mixture in a lightly greased deep 13” x 9” baking pan. Layer as follows: 1/3 each of noodles, cheese mixture, beef mixture, and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with mozzarella. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 ⁰F for 45 minutes to one hour, until hot and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serves 6 to 8.

Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Bread w/Lemon Glaze

My garden is in full bloom and I’m trying to keep up with all the yummy fresh vegetables. This year I downsized to one zucchini plant. Zucchinis grow like weeds for me. My first garden had six zucchini plants. Oh boy! You know you have an overabundance of veggies when people are running away from you as you try to give it away. Last year with just two plants I ended up pulling them out way early because I’d just had enough. You can only bake and freeze so many loaves of zucchini bread. As much as I love my grandmother’s zucchini bread recipe I was looking for something a little different this year. This one will rock your taste buds! It’s lite, lemony and the blueberries gave it a little extra kick. I did notice my first batch was a tad bland but once I added the lemon zest the flavor just popped. It’s just as yummy without the blueberries too.
Ingredients
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
Juice of 1 lemon or 2 tbsp lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 to 1 cup of blueberries
LEMON GLAZE
1 cup powdered sugar
Juice of 1 lemon or 2 tbsp lemon juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 35o ⁰F. Grease and flour a 9×5″ loaf pan, set aside. In large bowl, blend flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the mixer bowl beat 2 eggs well. Then add oil and sugar, and beat on low until well combined. Add the buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest and blend everything well. Fold in zucchini and stir until evenly distributed in mixture. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients in the large bowl and blend everything together, but don’t over mix. Stir in blueberries.
Pour batter into prepared 9×5″ loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack and cool completely. While loaf is cooling, you can make the glaze.
In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice until well blended. Spoon glaze over cooled loaf. Let glaze set. Serve.

Make-Ahead Ham Bites

I love any kind of sweet bread so this recipe is one of my favorites. My only suggestion is getting out of the fridge about 30 minutes prior to baking to help the cheese melt more. Even your finickiest eater will have thirds.
If you haven’t done it yet make sure you enter the giveaway for the cookbook. –>Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Giveaway<--

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Meals in Minutes 10th Anniversary Edition.
Ingredients
12 Hawaiian rolls, split
1 lb deli ham, slices
1/2 lb Swiss cheese, sliced
3/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1-1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 tsp dried, minced onion
Directions
Arrange bottoms of rolls in an ungreased 13”x9” baking pan; layer ham and cheese on top. Replace tops of rolls. Whisk remaining ingredients together; drizzle evenly over the rolls. cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake, uncovered at 350 F for 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 12 servings.
 

Scrumptious Chicken Sandwiches

Holy taste buds! I never would have thought to add powdered sugar to coat my chicken. That little bit of sweetness is what makes this sandwich stand out. Amazing.
If you haven’t done it yet make sure you enter the giveaway for this cookbook. –>Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Giveaway<--

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch 101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches.
Ingredients
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all purpose flour
2-1/2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp allspice, optional
Oil for frying
4 to 6 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted
Garnish: mayonnaise, dill pickle slices
Directions
Mix egg and milk together in an 11” x 7” baking pan. Place chicken in pan, turn to coat and refrigerate for one hour. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and spices. In a heavy skillet, heat on inch of oil to 400 F. Working in batches of 3, drain chicken, reserving egg mixture and lightly dredge in flour mixture. Dip back into egg mixture, then into flour mixture again. Place very carefully into hot oil. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes, until done on both sides and juices run clear. Drain chicken on a wire rack. Assemble sandwiches on toasted buns and garnish as desired. Make 4 to 6.

Macaroni & Cheese Chowder

Rainy dreary day. Snow coming later today. Defiantly a chowder and corn bread kind of day. Even my finicky eater likes homemade mac & cheese making this meal a hit. Warning! After reading the ingredients I felt like it wouldn’t be enough so I doubled the recipe. Don’t do that unless you are feeding an army. We we be eating this all weekend long.
If you haven’t done it yet make sure you enter the giveaway for this cookbook. –>Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Giveaway<--

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch 101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches.
Ingredients
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 cup milk
1 (8 oz) package pasteurized process cheese spread
1 cup cooked ham, diced
1 cup corn
Directions
Over medium heat, bring broth and water to a boil in a saucepan. Add macaroni and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add milk, cheese, ham and corn. Simmer and stir until cheese is melted. Serves 4 to 6.

Honey-Barbecued Pork

OMG!
This recipe is Abby approved. I am stunned. I think it would have been an even bigger hit if I served it on mini buns. Who can resist sliders? Can’t get you finicky eater to eat. Just make their food cute and tiny and they’ll gobble it up.
If you haven’t done it yet make sure you enter the giveaway for this cookbook. –>Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Giveaway<--

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch 101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches.
Ingredients
2-3 lb pork roast
2 onions, chopped
1 (12 oz) bottle barbecue sauce
1/4 cup honey
6-8 sandwich rolls, split
Directions
Place pork in a slow cooker. Add onions, barbecue sauce and honey. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours. Use 2 forks to shred roast; mix well. Serve on rolls. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Chicken & Dumpling Soup

Nothing is better at the end of a Monday than a big bowl of comfort. This recipe is great for after a long work day. I roasted my chicken in the morning before heading to work. Once home dinner was prepared and ready to go within 30 minutes. So easy. My only suggestion is to cook it in something larger than a saucepan for those biscuits will poof up an stick to your lid.
If you haven’t done it yet make sure you enter the giveaway for this cookbook. –>Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Giveaway<--

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch 101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches.
Ingredients
1 (10-3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
4 cups chicken broth
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 (15 oz) cans mixed vegetables
2 (12 oz) tubes refrigerated biscuits, quartered
Directions
Bring soup and broth to a slow boil in a saucepan over medium heat; whisk until smooth. Stir in chicken and vegetables; bring to a boil. Drop biscuit quarters into soup; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

Pie Cake

Does that grab your attention or what? I was lucky enough to receive this delicious baked goodie from my good “real life” friend Trudy.  The concept just blew my mind. When she dropped it off we couldn’t wait to try it and so it was our dinner. I had to share it with you so I have asked Trudy to be my very first guest blogger.

So, since I am a Food Network junkie, I decided to try one of the latest desserts mentioned on one of their shows. A Pie Cake. Sounded just as crazy to me. But, sounded intriguing and sinful as well! Not sure how they put theirs together but I got to thinking. How hard could it be? So here's how I made mine.

Pre-heat oven to 350-
1 cake mix (prepared)
1- 8 inch pie (any flavor)
1- 9 inch springform pan
Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Set bowl to the side. Unwrap pie and set to the side.
Spray bottom and sides of springform pan with non-stick baking spray.
Pour 3/4 cup of cake batter on the bottom of the springform pan.
Invert pie and set in the center of batter.
Cover pie with the remaining batter. Tap the pan a few times to make sure there are no air bubbles.
This is the tricky part. I baked the cake for almost 80 minutes.
I recommend checking the cake after one hour. I used a long wooden skewer to check doneness and to check for any remaining wet batter, remembering of course that there is a pie in the middle. Check with your finger for a "solid" center to the cake baking longer if necessary.
When cake is done and you remove it from the oven, let it cool completely before removing from the springform pan. I inverted the cake onto a plate so the pie is upright when you slice into it. (sorry Michelle I forgot the right side up for yours ... lol).

*Toppings: For the chocolate cake with cherry pie I made a simple chocolate gnache topping. 8oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup cream.
For the cinnamon swirl I did a simple glaze. 1 cup confectioners sugar, 1/4 cup milk and vanilla.
I was thinking icing would be way too sweet, but its all a matter of taste.
We served ours with ice cream! Delicious!
*Note: Remember to play with flavors! The cake I made for Michelle was a cinnamon swirl cake. I used a yellow cake mix. I set aside a cup of batter and added 1 tsp. of cinnamon and a half teaspoon of vanilla. I swirled it into the cake batter on the bottom and top for a little extra flavor.
Enjoy and have fun with this. I can't wait to see pictures.
God Bless!
Trudy

Cheesecake

*warning* Just looking at the following photos will cause you to gain weight. This cheesecake is that good. *warning*
I only make this once a year because the temptation of having it in the house is too much for me. Haillie shares my love affair for cheesecakes so this makes the perfect birthday cake for her. The flavor and texture are perfect, it is delicious plain or with toppings. I made a blueberry sauce and a sour cherry sauce and then everyone can make their slice the way they like it.
There are some rules to follow when making this cheesecake.
Rule #1 All cream cheese and eggs must be room temperature. I actually leave my cream cheese out over night. I never bake anything with cold eggs. I fill up a bowl with hot tap water and let my eggs hang out there for awhile.
Rule #2 Once your cheesecake is in the oven do not open the oven door. To help prevent cracking, even though mine did this year, I place a cake pan filled with water on the rack below the cheesecake. The moisture helps prevent cracking most of the time.
Rule #3 This isn’t a quick to make cheesecake. After you take it out of the oven it needs 24 full hours or more in the refrigerator. Just overnight will not cut it.
If you do not follow these rules this is what will happen –> Haillie’s 14th birthday cheesecake. Funny thing is until I looked back at last year’s birthday post I had totally forgotten about the whole ordeal.

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Ingredients
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup butter, softened
2-1/2 lbs cream cheese, softened
1-3/4 cups white sugar
3 tbsp all purpose flour
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 ⁰F. Lightly coat a 10 inch springform pan with spray oil. To make the crust: Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg and 1/2 cup butter or margarine. Spread to the edges of the pan. Prick all over with a fork, then bake 15 minutes at 400 ⁰F. Allow to cool.
Increase oven temperature to 475 ⁰F. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, 1-3/4 cups sugar, 3 tbsp flour, 5 eggs and the yolks and mix thoroughly. Add cream and mix only enough to blend.
Pour filling over crust and bake for 10 minutes at 475 ⁰F. Reduce temperature to 200 ⁰F and continue to bake for one hour. Turn oven off, but leave cake in for another hour. Don't worry if it looks a little jiggly in the center.
Chill for 24 hours. This is imperative! If desired, top with your favorite fruit or serve plain.

Veggie Cheese Soup

Yesterday’s beautiful weather was such a tease. We slept with the windows open and the breeze was so peaceful and fresh. It was a tad brisk when we woke up but I still loved it. Today not so much. Rain, rain, more rain, sunshine for a moment followed by dreary cold weather. Boo. Even with the lack of sunshine I still managed to clean bedrooms, change sheets and flip mattresses. Does anyone else flip their mattress or is that a thing of the past? My kiddos look at me like I’m nuts when I do it. I love climbing into a bed with fresh sheets but add that flipped mattress and *OMG* I’m in sleep heaven. I can’t wait for bedtime tonight. Before that can happen I had to take Haillie shopping for her birthday. We lucked out and she found four new shirts. It was a fun and stressful trip. Once home again I finished up dinner, which was delicious. Three out of four of us loved it. Abby of course was the exception. She just needs to give veggies a chance. Christopher then surprised Haillie with a few more gifts. We are so bad at waiting, her birthday isn’t till Thursday. She was excited to get the book she requested, Doctor Zhivago plus a book on Irish Fairy & Folk Tales and a Pink CD. What 15 year old reads Doctor Zhivago? Tomorrow night is her birthday dinner out. Reservations have been made and I’m hoping at least on photo will be taken. Fingers crossed.

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Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 small red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2-3/4 cups water
2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 can (10-3/4 oa) cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3 cups frozen California-blend vegetables, thawed
1/2 cup chopped fully cooked lean ham
8 oz Velveeta, cubed
Directions
In a large nonstick saucepan coated with a cooking spray, cook onion and celery over medium heat until onion is tender. Stir in the potatoes, water and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Return to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in condensed soup until blended. Reduce heat; add vegetables and ham. Cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Stir in cheese until melted.

Captain Crunch Chicken

Captain Crunch cereal.
Boneless chicken.
Fun child friendly food. Right?
NOT for my finicky eater. What a little food snob butthead. *lol* I first made this last week when Christopher wasn’t home. Haillie and I loved it while Abby was whining “why would you do this?” Sigh. Anyhow, this quick fix meal was perfect for our busy day. The morning started off with me rushing to get all the laundry done. Check. Nephew’s birthday presents wrapped. Check. Skruffy needed a good walk before being crated. Check. Everyone ready to go and out of the house by 10:30a. Check. Did anyone remember the camera? Of course not. Even though I don’t have any photos of my cute nephews and niece I enjoyed the time spent with our family. If only they lived closer so we could hang out more.
This recipe is suppose to be a copycat of Planet Hollywood’s Chicken Crunch. I think it’s pretty darn close. Do you have a favorite copycat recipe and if so what is it?

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Ingredients
2 cups Captain Crunch cereal
1-1/2 cups corn flakes
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 lbs chicken breasts, cut in 1-oz tenders
vegetable oil (for frying)
Directions
Coarsely grind or crush the two cereals and set aside. Beat the egg with milk and set aside. Stir together the flour, onion and garlic powders and black pepper. Set aside. Dip the chicken: pieces in the seasoned flour. Move around to coat well, then shake off the excess flour. Dip in the egg wash, coating well, then dip in the cereal mixture, coating well. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet to 325 ⁰F. Drop coated chicken tenders carefully in the hot oil and cook until golden brown and fully cooked, 3 to 5 minutes depending on size.  Drain and serve immediately.

Chicken, Sweet Potato & Apple Skillet

Here’s a shocker…
Christopher is gone this entire week! I’m stuck cooking child friendly meals. This week is packed with butter noodles, mashed potatoes, pierogies, burgers and chicken strips.
Boring!
So I had to make myself something yummy and new for lunch. This dish was perfect since no one other than me will eat sweet potatoes. Since I was making it for one I kept all the ingredients the same expect I only used one chicken breast. The rest will be turned into chicken strips for the kiddos tonight.
Best lunch ever!

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Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2” cubes
4 tsp olive oil
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2” cubes
1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2” cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Season chicken lightly with salt. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate. Return pan to heat and add remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Stir in bacon and cook until starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Add sweet potato and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in apple, garlic and thyme. Cook 3 minutes. Pour in 1/4 cup white wine, 1/4 cup chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add reserved chicken and remaining 1/2 cup broth. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Cook until heated through. Serve alone or over rice.

Rotisserie Chicken

Dinner was a hit tonight! It seems to always amaze my kiddos when I find another chicken recipe to try. This recipe is a fix it and forget it making it one of my favorites. I prepped the chicken the night before and added garlic with the onion in the cavity. I had plans for the leftovers but there was none left. I love meals like that.

Recipe from All Recipes
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Ingredients
4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 onion, quartered
1 (4 lb) whole chicken
Directions
In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remove and discard giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken cavity, and pat dry with paper towel. Rub the chicken inside and out with spice mixture. Place the onion into the cavity of the chicken. Place chicken in a resealable bag or double wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours.
Preheat oven to 250 ⁰F. Place chicken in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 5 hours, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 ⁰F. Let the chicken stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Meatball Hoagies

Over the weekend Christopher talked Abby into giving Subway a try. I laughed. She doesn’t eat lunchmeat, cheese or veggies and she was making faces as he listed all her choices. Then he mentioned meatballs and cookies. Sold! She is now a meatball hoagie junkie and requested them for dinner.

I really have no recipe to share as these are way too easy to make. I started with my basic Italian meatball recipe and made some homemade spaghetti sauce. Assembled them on soft steak rolls with some provolone cheese on the bottom and sprinkled parmesan on top. Definitely adding these to my quick go to meal list.

Buttery Roasted Potatoes

Yeah for a Saturday with my family. Boo for this snow/icy weather that cancelled our day of drywall hanging. Grrr. We spent the day hanging out on the couch watching movies and eating pizza. Then for dinner I made the simplest and yummiest potatoes. I broke down and bought a cast iron pan. I have been wanting to buy one for some time but my OCD was holding me back. I tend to over clean and the idea that you can’t use soapy water to scrub the pan clean grossed me out. I can be such an odd ball. Needless to say the pan looks pretty clean even after having a few potatoes stuck to it. I did sprinkle some minced garlic over the potatoes before they went in the oven. Love me some garlic.

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Celebrate ‘Year Round
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Ingredients
1 lb gold potatoes, cut into 1” cubes
1 lb red potatoes, cut into 1” cubes
4 tbsp butter, diced
2 tsp salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 ⁰F. Place potatoes in a large cast iron skillet and add hot water about 1/4” deep. Scatter diced butter and salt over potatoes; stir. Bake, uncovered for about one hour, until potatoes are light golden and water has evaporated.

Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookie Sandwich

Snow day baking time! I saw these deliciously evil concoctions over at Picky Palate and knew I had to make them. ASAP. Thankfully I shoveled the snow all morning to make up for what I just taste tested. These are amazing. Your family will be wrapped around your little fingers after just one bite.

Recipe from Picky Palate.
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Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp pure vanilla
3-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 (10 oz) bag chocolate chips
1 bag Oreo Cookies, I used the double stuff
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F. In a stand or electric mixer cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add in eggs and vanilla until well combined.
In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined. Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo Cookie. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo Cookie is enclosed with dough. Bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until cookies are baked to your liking. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Cinnamon Rolls

Good morning!
I have been waiting all week for today for I have all my family home for the entire weekend. No Army. No Drama Club. No Friends. Making it the perfect morning for some cinnamon rolls. I wish you could smell my kitchen for they are in the oven right  now. I've made a few different recipes over the years and this one is by far the best. The only thing I do different is for the topping I only use 1-1/4 cup confectioners' sugar. We all thought it too sweet with that extra fourth cup. Another thing I have learned through the years is to not melt the butter or mix the butter, sugar and cinnamon when making the filling. The least messy and easiest way is to spread soft butter all over the rolled out dough, all the way to the edges. Then sprinkle the combined sugar and cinnamon across and rub it around with your hands. Once you have it evenly spread, then pat it down and this will keep it from moving while you are rolling up the dough. I leave a half inch of buttered dough sugar free to help seal the roll. Works beautifully. Then when you take your rolls out of the oven flip them out onto a cookie sheet and give them a moment to rest before spreading on the delicious topping. By flipping them you will allow all the ooey gooey cinnamon sugar on the bottom of your baking pan coat the outside of the buns. These will rock your taste buds!

Are you in the mood for something sweet? Check out the "Sweets for a Saturday Linky Party" for more yummy treats. Link up and join in the fun.


Recipe from All Recipes.
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Ingredients
1 cup warm milk (110 ⁰F)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup margarine, melted
4-1/2 cups bread flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2-1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
Filling
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2-1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened
Topping
1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
Directions
Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.
After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
Roll dough into a 16” x 21” rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9” x 13” baking pan.

Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 ⁰F.
Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

White Cheese Chicken Lasagna

Honesty isn't always the best policy. Like when your finicky eater asks, "What's all the green stuff?" and everyone at the table simultaneousness replies, "Parsley". She didn't comment back but she didn't eat the green stuff either. Everyone else ate it all up and had seconds. It was delicious but how can anything with melted cheese not be. Perfect ending to a not so perfect day.
I will not complain about the cold because we all know I AM FREEZING. Today for some reason Scruffy decided he wasn't housebroken. Oy. Just like any toddler, right when you think "by George I think they got it" - they don't. The little goober wasn't even making an attempt to go to the door. Then he knew he was in the wrong and wouldn't come near me. Fun times? Not so much. If I wasn't shoveling snow I was mopping the kitchen floor. Horrible day. Thankfully Christopher came home tonight, dinner was comforting, a quick batch of brownies were made, followed by some much need cuddle time on the couch. Sigh. This day really wasn't that bad after all.

Recipe from All Recipes.
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Ingredients
9 lasagna noodles
1/2 cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups milk
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat
2 (10 oz) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 ⁰F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour and salt, and simmer until bubbly. Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Season with the basil, oregano, and ground black pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, the ricotta, and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken, and layer with 1/3 of the sauce mixture, spinach, and the remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange remaining noodles over cheese, and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.

Tortellini Bites

Guard weekend = missing Christopher = comfort food.
I played chauffeur for the weekend. It started on Friday night when Abby had a friend sleep over. Skruffy was a noisy puppy the entire time and an extra kiddo in the house total threw off his whole schedule. That meant accidents on Saturday. Fun. He was such a little kid wanting to hang out with the big kids. He didn't nap the entire time making him run in circles like a crazy dog. Saturday I dropped Haillie off at a friend's house to go sledding. I have come to realize we are not a winter family. Trying to find appropriate snow clothes for her was challenging. I really need to buy that girl some gloves and snow pants. Just the thought of her outside in what little I sent her in made me shiver. After she was dropped off I took Abby's friend home and then back home to wait by the phone until my services were needed again. Due to lack of cell service Haillie ended up coming home via friend. Onto Sunday we go. Today I took the girls shopping for some unmentionables and gloves. Which apparently are out of season. Do you need a bikini? If so you are in luck for they are everywhere but heaven forbid you were to need gloves in January. It drives me insane.

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Ingredients
Meatballs
1 lb ground chicken
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup shredded cheese
Pasta
1 (32 oz) container chicken broth, divided
1 (16 oz) package prepared cheese tortellini
Sauce
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 ⁰F. Combine ground chicken, Ranch dressing mix and chesse. Mix thoroughly and form into mini balls, about 1 teaspoon of meat. Place on sprayed broiler rack. Bake for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, reserve 1-1/4 cups broth. Bring remaining broth to a boil in a large pot, add tortellini and cook until tender, drain well. In a small bowl, blend cornstarch into 1-1/4 cups of reserved broth. In a large saucepan, sauté garlic and basil in the butter or margarine for 2 minutes over a medium heat. Add the cornstarch broth mixture to the saucepan. Cook and stir until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Place tortellini in a serving dish, pour the broth mixture and Parmesan cheese into the serving dish and toss.