A little Pasta, A little Sweets & of course Treat for the Puppy!

I bring to you some special food we had this week! Of course a treat that everyone liked!

We start with a yummy dinner! Alex is my my go to recipe girl!

Chicken & Spinach Lasagna Cupcakes

Ma, What's for dinner?

1 lb ground chicken

2 cloves minced garlic

8 oz canned petite diced tomatoes undrained

8 oz canned tomato sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp cracked pepper

8 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente

1 beaten egg

2 cups ricotta cheese

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and well drained

2 cups shredded mozzarella

1 tbsp dried parsley

1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan

Thoroughly cook the ground chicken in a large skillet. Add the tomatoes, sauce, garlic, spices, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Combine the egg, ricotta, and parmesan.

Using a glass or cookie cutter that is close to the size of the muffin cups, cut 3 circles out of each noodle for a total of 24 circles. Place 1 noodle circle in each muffin cup. Layer meat sauce, ricotta mixture, and shredded mozzarella. Repeat. Top with a bit of parsley and grated Parmesan. Cover loosely with a piece of foil that has been sprayed with oil and bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes to brown on top. Let the “cupcakes” sit for at least 10 minutes for easier removal.

ALEXIS NOTES: I used ground turkey, it calls for 8 noodles but I got 4 circles out of one so you could get away with using only 6. I used poor man ricotta (cottage cheese run threw food processor). I added the spinach to the ricotta mixture and even skipped the mozzarella.

Treat for my friends at work:

Peppermint Bark

Allrecipes.com

• 1 (12 ounce) package NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels
• 24 hard peppermint candies

1. LINE baking sheet with waxed paper.
2. MICROWAVE morsels in medium, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70 percent) power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
3. PLACE peppermint candies in heavy-duty plastic bag. Crush candies using rolling pin or other heavy object. While holding strainer over melted morsels, pour crushed candy into strainer. Shake to release all small candy pieces; reserve larger candy pieces. Stir morsel-peppermint mixture.
4. SPREAD mixture to desired thickness on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with reserved candy pieces; press in lightly. Let stand for about 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

ALEXIS NOTES: Have left over peppermint candies this is a GREAT way to give it a new look.

Remember to keep an eye on the chocolate in the microwave. Remember I burned it!

And can't forget the puppy! A great lady commented on a dog biscuit I made and I hopped over to her site to find an amazing dog biscuit site.

Sweet Potato Dog Biscuits

Ingredients
1 medium Sweet Potato (peeled, baked and mashed, makes approximately 1 cup)
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 cup Wheat Germ
1 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and wheat germ. Gradually blend in the wheat flour. Knead dough into ball and roll onto a floured surface 1/4 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutter of your choice and place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until edges brown.
Cool and refrigerate.

ALEXIS NOTES: I couldn't find a snail cookie cutter in my bin for the life of me, so it was the bone cutter again. Note to myself next time I need to smash my sweet potato better (Well I used a yam). I picked up Wheat Germ in the bulk section. I kept mine on the chewy side for the puppy but when he gets older I'll make them more crispy.

I'm linking up to Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, Tuesday at the Table, Delectable Tuesday, Delicious Dishes , Hearth and Soul and Sweet Sunday.

Cheeseburger Unplugged!

As you all know by now I'm on a mission to re-event dinner each night. I try to have at least 4 nights a week with something new. Yes it still drives Rick nuts he would like just "a normal meal" as he calls it but sorry dude it's not a hamburger helper house anymore :). So trying to please everyone I found a cheeseburger theme meal done two ways. One of my FAVORITE foodies is Alex @ Ma, What's for dinner? (yes I love her even since our names are close =D) she always has something easy and something I can whip up quickly.

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Italian Cheeseburger Macaroni

by Ma, What's for dinner?

2 T olive oil

1 lb ground beef

½ large onion, chopped

1 can diced tomato

1 clove garlic, chopped

8 oz mushrooms sliced thin

½ T dried oregano

1 t dried red pepper flakes

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta

3 T butter unsalted

3 T all purpose flour

3 cups whole milk

1/2 t fresh grated nutmeg

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Set a large pot of water over high heat to boil for your pasta. In large skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. When oil is hot add in onions and mushroom and sauté until soft. About 6 minutes or so. When they are soft add in garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook for additional minutes. Add in your ground beef and cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Once meat has browned toss in the tomato, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Season again with S&P and allow simmering for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan melt butter over medium high heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, and bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Once the milk has thickened add in nutmeg and season with S&P. Reduce to medium low heat and melt in cheddar and Swiss cheeses. Allow to cook on low for a few minutes.

When water is boiling season water with salt and add pasta. Note package cooking time and reduce by 2 minutes, the macaroni will continue cooking in the oven later. Once pasta is cooked, drain and return to pot. Toss the penne with cheese mixture.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and pour half of the pasta mixture into the bottom of the dish. Spoon the Italian burger mixture over the top in an even layer. Then cover with remaining pasta. Top with additional cheddar cheese if desired. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes and enjoy!

ALEXIS NOTES: I used diced tomatoes with chilies, skipped the mushrooms, whole wheat flour and just had cheddar on hand.

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An a favorite of mine :)

Cheeseburger Casserole

by Ma, What's for dinner?

1 lb ground beef

1 onion chopped

1 packet onion soup mix

2 T Worcestershire sauce

½ T flour (optional)

½ cup water

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup mustard

2 russet potatoes sliced thin (either by hand or with a mandolin)

2 cups cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and cook ground beef until brown. Add in onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

When onions are soft, stir in onion soup and a touch of flour. Mix well. Pour in water and scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

Next pour in your ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Once it begins to boil knock back your heat to medium low and allow your mixture to simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour your burger mixture into a 8×8 baking dish. Line the top with potato slices then top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

ALEXIS NOTES: I skipped the onion (since the batch I bought was bad), whole wheat flour and I had red potatoes on hand. Yes that is my mandolin Rick bought me for Christmas (LOVED it).

I'm linking up to Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, Tuesday at the Table, Delectable Tuesday and Delicious Dishes.

Manic Monday Meals ~ Chicken by Two Awesome Bloggers

Happy Monday everyone it was a nutty weekend around here and I'm finally getting on the computer so forgive me for not stopping by until I get off work this evening. I promise to catch up!

I have two awesome food bloggers that I go to often for recipes and these two are fabulous ways to use chicken and of course get some veggies in :).

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First off is Chicken Divine by Ma What's for Dinner

10 ounces steamed broccoli

3 large boneless chicken breasts

1 T olive oil

1 10 ounce can cream of mushroom soup

8 ounces button mushrooms, halved

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/2 cup light sour cream

2 t. fresh lemon juice

1/2 t. curry powder

1 can sliced water chestnuts

S&P

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup french fried onions

4 strips bacon chopped

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Season your chicken breasts with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes. Meanwhile heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add your chopped bacon and sauté until crisp. Remove and allow to drain on a paper towel.

While your chicken cooks, assemble your casserole. In a 13×9 pan arrange your broccoli on the bottom. In a large bowl combine soup, milk, mayo, sour cream, mushrooms, lemon juice, curry powder, water chestnuts. Stir to mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Once your chicken has finished cooking remove it from the oven and slice it into thin strips. Arrange the chicken over the broccoli. Pour the soup mixture over the top of the chicken and broccoli. Top with cheddar cheese and fried onions. Cover with foil and bake on 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with bacon and cook uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with brown or white rice and enjoy!

ALEXIS NOTES: I skipped the mushrooms, and turkey bacon of course the whole pack but still :). I grew up with a curry cheesy broccoli my mom made so this was like comfort food to me. Rick of course picky eater boy didn't like it but whatever I loved it!

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Second was a favorite from One Crazy Cookie the recipe called for refrigerator pie crust but I wanted to make my own with whole wheat :) of course.

INGREDIENTS

All Butter Crust for Sweet and Savory Pies (Pâte Brisée)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 6 to 8 Tbsp ice water

METHOD

1 Cut the sticks of butter into 1/2-inch cubes and place in the freezer for 15 minutes to an hour (the longer the better) so that they become thoroughly chilled.

2 Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add ice water 1 Tbsp at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough doesn't hold together, add a little more water and pulse again.

3 Remove dough from machine and place in a mound on a clean surface. Gently shape into 2 discs. Knead the dough just enough to form the discs, do not over-knead. You should be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. These small chunks of butter are what will allow the resulting crust to be flaky. Sprinkle a little flour around the discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days.

4 Remove one crust disk from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes in order to soften just enough to make rolling out a bit easier. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. If necessary, add a few sprinkles of flour under the dough to keep the dough from sticking. Carefully place onto a 9-inch pie plate. Gently press the pie dough down so that it lines the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim the dough to within 1/2 inch of the edge of the pie dish.

5 Add filling to the pie.

6 Roll out second disk of dough, as before. Gently place onto the top of the filling in the pie. Pinch top and bottom of dough rounds firmly together. Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Fold the edge of the top piece of dough over and under the edge of the bottom piece of dough, pressing together. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork. Score the top of the pie with four 2-inch long cuts, so that steam from the cooking pie can escape.

ALEXIS NOTES: I used half whole wheat and white flour, I just love the texture!

Old Fashion Chicken Pot Pie by One Crazy Cookie

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups water
2/3 cup milk
2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules or 2 cubes.
1 cup chicken, cooked and diced
2 cups cooked diced vegetables (I use potatoes, carrots and peas. You can also use frozen mixed veggies)
2 pie crusts

Cook vegetables until tender. Set aside. In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Gradually stir in water, milk and bouillon. Bring to a boil stirring constantly and boil for 2 minutes. (It should be like gravy). Remove from heat. Stir in chicken and vegetables. Put bottom crust into pie pan. Pour filling into crust. Place 2nd crust over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in the top of the crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. You may want to shield the edges after the first 15 minutes to avoid over browning.

ALEXIS NOTES: I again switched out the whole wheat flour. I used green pepper, carrots and red potatoes. I used a rather large amount so it wasn't soupy like it should be but I still loved it and Cole at 2 helpings and Rick didn't complain so hey :)

Manic Monday Meals ~ No Yeast Pizza Dough + BBQ Chicken Pizza

Manic Monday it is, this weekend even though we barely went out was busy with us cleaning and going threw items. Today my parents will take the kids to the fair and I'm going to meet up with them after work. It's going to be busy busy around here!

As many of you know Pizza is Friday night around here and I love to find out different types of pizza. The recipe called to use a refrigerator pizza dough but I couldn't resist trying this recipe and I'm glad I did it was super yummy :).

No Yeast Pizza Dough

2 1/2 c. flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder (if using baking soda use half and omit salt)
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. oil
3/4 to 1 c. water

Mix dry ingredients. add 3/4 cup water and oil. Stir until it forms a ball. If dough is stiff, add more water.

The dough will be soft, not sticky. Knead on a floured surface for 3-4 minutes.

Bake at 400°F for 15-25 minutes.

ALEXIS NOTES: I used whole wheat flour and it tasted delightful.

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BBQ Chicken Pizza (found on Ma, What's for Dinner)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
8-10 slices bacon, cooked and broken into pieces
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup ketchup
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar.
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
pizza dough or one store bought dough
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced thin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
In a medium saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add half of the onions and allow to soften, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute or two. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar being sure to scrap up all the good browned bits on the bottom.
Next add in your ketchup, tomato sauce, mustard, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce. Turn the sauce down and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes (let it simmer while you get everything else ready.)
Lay out your pizza dough and stretch it to fit a baking sheet. Stab it with a fork a few times (so it won't puff up in places) and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and spread a thin layer of sauce leaving a one inch border around the dough. Arrange your chicken, mushrooms and onions (if desired) neatly around the pizza dough. Then arrange jalapeno (I only put this on a little edge of the pizza). Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Top with plenty of cheese and sprinkle the bacon over top. Return to the oven and bake 8-10 more minutes or until it is heated through and the cheese is melted.

ALEXIS NOTES: I used turkey bacon, only had apple cider vinegar, skipped the mushrooms and the jalapeño pepper. Used the whole wheat pizza dough :)