Homemade Pizza Rolls

A friend of mine posted in Facebook her pizza rolls. She said she found the recipe on Pinterest. So I searched pinterest and found this recipe. Is was so easy. I used what I had around the house to make it work. This pan is larger than a 13X9... and part of them are just cheese rolls.

Ingredients:
1 bag turkey pepperoni
3 canisters of regular refrigerator biscuits
8-10 cheese sticks cut into 4ths
1 stick of butter (melted)
2-3 Tbsp italian seasoning

Directions:

Prepare 13X9 baking dish by spraying with non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 375F. Open the first canister of biscuits. take one of the biscuit rounds and flatten with fingers and insert 2 pepperoni, then 1/4 of a cheese stick and 2 more pepperoni's. Wrap the biscuits around the pepperoni's and cheese. place seam side down in a 13X9 baking dish. Repeat process until pan is filled. Spoon melted butter on tops of the prepared biscuit rounds. Then sprinkle with italian seasoning.

Bake in 375F oven for 15 min or until golden brown.

Serve with favorite marinara sauce.

Verdict... Now a new item on my menu. My children loved them so much there were no leftovers and the kids were asking if I had any more. Total hit here! I hope you love them too. Thanks :)

Grilled Beef Kebobs and Mixed Veggie Couscous

BBQ Grilled Beef Kebobs

With the warmer weather here this spring in West Virginia, I wanted to cook outside on the Grill. It had been so hot the last couple of days that I planned this dinner. Come to find out the day I made them, it was cold. Even though the weather didn't cooperate, this recipe did not disappoint. It was delicious and even better the next day. It does however, take a good day to prep, and the day before to marinade the beef and veggies. So I suggest getting a headstart. Unless you marinade first thing in the AM and assemble and cook that evening. I cut and marinade the beef and veggies the night before, so by afternoon the day I wanted to make them, everything was nice and marinaded. I also doubled the recipe as I was feeding 8 people. I got the marinade recipe from Pinterest. I Love Pinterest... 

Ingredients:

2 lb. lean beef steaks, cubed

1 green bell peppers, cut into cubes

1 yellow bell peppers, cut into cubes

1 red bell peppers, cut into cubes

1/2 onion cubed

Marinade:

1 cup veg oil

1 cup cooking white wine

1 cup soy sauce

4 Tbsp spicy mustard (prepared)

4 tsp garlic powder

8 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (2 2/3 tablespoons0

2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

In a quart size bag or larger add the cut vegetables and 1/2 the marinade, seal and put in the fridge for 12-24 hours. In another quart size bag add the cubed beef steak and the remaining marinade, seal and set in the fridge for 12-24 hours.

Assembly is just alternating veggie and beef on a Skewer. ** Don't stick your self with the skewer... it hurts... (Reserve marinade used on veggies for basting kebobs while cooking). I used metal skewers but you can use bamboo skewers by soaking them for 30 min in water before using them.

I used a gas grill and set it at high. Once it was hot I placed prepared kebobs on the grill and basted with leftover marinade. I cooked about 5 min, per side (depending on desired doneness and thickness of meat) flipped the skewer over with tongs and basted again with reserved marinade. Cooked another 5 or so minutes and then removed from heat. Set aside for 5 min before eating. 

Served with mixed veggie couscous. So yummy!

Ingredients:

2 cups couscous (cooked per package)

4 carrots, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1 cup cooking white wine

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 lemon, juiced

REAL Salt and Pepper to taste

Make couscous per package directions and set aside. In a separate skillet melt the butter with the olive oil, over med/hi heat. Once hot and butter is melted add the diced veggies to soften. sprinkle with salt and pepper. cook down until onions are translucent and veggies are slightly softened. Once the veggies are cooked, add the white wine and deglaze the pan. cook down and reduce. Once reduced add the prepared couscous and mix together. Once warmed through pour lemon Juice on top and mix again. Serve warm with Kebobs.

Veggie Lasagna Rolls

Lasagna Rolls

They are as easy as 1, 2, 3... At least I thought so. Pretty simple and easy to make. These are so good... I forgot to get a picture of them when they were fully baked. They went fast!

Ingredients:

1 box Lasagna noodles*

2 zucchini, sliced thin

6 roma tomato's, sliced thin

1 small ricotta cheese container

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp pesto

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1 jar alfredo sauce

1 jar spaghetti sauce

2 eggs

4 Tbsp italian seasoning, plus some to taste

Directions:

Boil water and cook Lasagna noodles until Al Dente, rinse with cold water and set aside. While noodles are cooking.... In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, egg, pesto, parmesan cheese, and 1/2 of the Italian seasoning... stir until combined. Set aside. Cut/slice the zucchini and place in a bowl. I used my kitchen-aid slicing attachment to slice my zucchini. Next, slice the Roma tomato's, thinly. A mandolin slicer would work well to slice thin, I just didn't have one. 

Prepare 13X9 baking pan by pouring about 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

Preheat oven 375F.

Once the noodles are cooked, cooled and drained, and all ingredients are sliced and/or mixed... it's time for assembly. Take a tablespoon and spread a spoonful of the ricotta mixture on the lasagna noodle. Then layer zucchini on top of the ricotta mixture and finally add the thinly sliced roma tomato's. Roll from one end over the other until makes a sort of "ball"(using word loosely, see pic above).  Repeat until pan is full.

Once pan is full pour remaining spaghetti sauce over the lasagna rolls, and then pour the alfredo sauce over the spaghetti sauce. Top with Mozzarella cheese. Cover with Foil.

Can be frozen and baked later or baked right away.

Bake 375F for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 20 min. 

* Can be Gluten-Free if you use Gluten-Free lasagna noodles.

Serve with salad, and garlic bread. 

Garlic Bread...

Take sliced bread and 2 sticks of melted butter. mix in to the butter about 3 tbsp italian seasoning and 2 Tbsp garlic powder. Spread butter mixture over bread with a pastry brush and bake or broil. Bake for 7 min until brown, or broil until slightly brown on top. 

Lusciously Sweet and Tart Lemon Merengue Pie

Luscious Lemon Merengue Pie

While I was contemplating what to do with a huge bag of lemons from SAM's Club, I realized I really wanted Lemon Merengue Pie. But not a quick mix or partial prepared recipe. I wanted a full on from scratch recipe. This has no canned sweetened condensed milk, no pre-packaged pie crust... This is the real deal. All from scratch. I read several recipes and this is what I came up with. My house smells so good.

This recipe is a combination of three recipes. One for the crust, one for the filling and the other for the merengue. This I think is the best Lemon Merengue Pie I've ever had... I'm a Texas girl who LOVE Lemon Merengue Pie. So, that's saying a lot about how delectable this pie is. The filling is not too sugary sweet or too tangy. It's the perfect blend of the two. It is nice and thick, perfect for slicing and perfect blend of merengue to filling ratio. Perfection in one bite. Don't take my word for it, make it and try it for yourself. I think you'll agree.

Ingredients:

Lemon Zest Pie Crust (makes 2 8" pie crusts)
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp lemon zest

Directions for Pie Crust:

Preheat oven to 425 Degree F.

Combine flour and salt. Sprinkle lemon zest into dry ingredients. Measure in measuring cup oil and milk without stirring. Add all at once to flour mixture and slightly until bleached with fork. Roll 1/2 of pastry to 1/8" thickness between two pieces of waxed paper to fit pie plate. Place in pie pan crimping edges. Place parchment paper over prepared pan and then pour dried beans or whole wheat on top of parchment paper. (This keeps the bottom crust from puffing out and keeps the shape of the crust while baking.) Bake in preheated oven for 12- 15 minutes until lightly browned.  Remove parchment paper and what ever you used to keep it held down. Set aside pie crust while you make the lemon filling and merengue.

Lemon Filling
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water
3 yokes, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice (fresh from real lemons)

Directions for Filling:

• For filling, in a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
• Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in butter and lemon peel. Gradually stir in lemon juice just until combined. Pour into the crust.

(Filling part comes from http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/classic-lemon-meringue-pie)

Merengue
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar

Directions for Merengue:

Preheat oven to 350 Degree F.

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add in sugar, beat until stiff peaks. Spread merengue over filling in the prepared pie pan. Seal to the edge of crust bake for 12-15 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup

This recipe I made up. I have been making it for a few years now. I started making it because I had gotten a butternut squash from a bountiful basket and didn't know what to do with it. So I searched recipes online and saw several for butternut squash soup. None of them sounded too bad, but I didn't have everything that those recipe called for. So I improvised and created this DELICIOUS soup. I emphasize this because I have made it for a few of my friends and they are still begging for the recipe and for me to make them my soup. They crave it. They call me and ask if I'm going to make any anytime soon. I figured it was about time to add this to my blog recipes. I hope you enjoy this simple recipe as much as my family, friends and I do. It's perfect for a cold wintery day or just because you want some.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

64 oz of chicken stock/broth
1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
4 apples- gala, fuji or braeburn - peeled and diced
4 med - small potatoes - peeled and diced
1 onion diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 8oz cream cheese - room temperature
S & P to taste

Directions

In a Large Crockpot (6 qt or larger), add the butternut squash, apples, potatoes, onion and chicken stock. Set on low for 8 - 10 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Once they are soft and mushy, use a submersible blender and blend until smooth, add chicken soup and tempered cream cheese. Continue to use the blender until nice and smooth consistency. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste. Top with bacon bits and chives, or a little sour cream and cheese.

Serve warm.

Verdict on this... HEAVENLY! nice and smooth, rich and creamy, sweet and savory... the best of all world.

Please let me know what you think of my recipe. I love getting feedback from all who visit my blog. Thanks for stopping by. :)

Beef and Bean Chili

This recipe is a concoction of stuff I had around the house and in food storage. I am trying to stretch our food budget and our food. This recipe includes leftovers from a previous freezer meal for Beef Burritos. This seemed like a great alternative to extend our food. The meat from the burritos stretched from burritos, to quesadillas and now to chili. All from one pot and one freezer bag. Three meals! I find that amazing. Talk about stretching a dollar. :) I may even be able to stretch this to one other meal. That would make four meals from one freezer meal! I'm thinking since this makes a TON of chili. You can reuse leftover chili from anything such as chili cheese dogs, to cornbread chili, and chili burgers. The list can go on and on. You could even make it into a cheese dip for chips. MMM my mouth is salivating thinking of all these possibilities. I digress... Well, here is the recipe for tonights chili. I hope you enjoy it. I know we will.

Ingredients:
2 cups leftover burrito beef (or other leftover meat)
2 cans corn (do not drain)
2 cans white beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can black beans, low sodium (drained and rinsed)
1 can chili beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp beef buillion
4-6 dashes of liquid smoke
2 tsp cilantro
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp onion salt

Add all ingredients in slow cooker. Stir gently, not smashing the beans.  Set on low and cook until heated through or let simmer all day for a full blended flavor. I have mine set on low for 8 hours.

Serve with sour cream and cheese, tortilla chips or corn bread.

Beef Burritos Freezer Meal

I have been trying to do more freezer meals to help me in the evenings since we've become so busy this school year. I found a great recipe on Pinterest for Beef Burritos. I've changed the recipe a bit. It's really good. I want to warn you... this is spicy, but very flavorful. I found it delicious.

I bought my meat at Costco, because it comes in bulk and is usually cheaper unless you hit a sale some where else.

Ingredients:

1 Beef roast (aprox 2-3 pounds)
1 diced onion or 1/2 cup minced dry onions
3 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp ground pepper
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 cans (8oz) tomato sauce (I used spaghetti sauce)
1 Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (comes in a can, ONLY use 1 pepper per roast)
2 tsp chili powder

Stick in a gallon size labeled freezer bag, seal. Freeze up to 3 months.
When ready to use. Run outside of freezer bag under warm water to loosen contents from bag. Empty contents in crockpot for 8 hours on low. Enjoy in taco shells, tortillas, make into enchiladas or divide and make into separate meals.

This makes a LOT of beef. I made this and it will provide 2-3 meals.