Spaghetti Pie with Carmalized Onions and Meatballs

My husband and kiddos love meatballs and pasta. I make it at least twice a month. I wanted to make something different. So I decided to make a meatball pasta pie. This is really good but a little time consuming. IT IS SO WORTH IT!!!

Spaghetti Pie

1lb pasta

1 Recipe of my meatballs (Find below)

2 eggs

1/3 cp. parm. cheese

salt and pepper

1. Bowl the pasta al dente. While cooling mix the eggs, parm, salt and pepper. When cool add to the pasta and press into a 9 in. Spring pan. Form like a nest.

1 1/2 cp. Ricotta

1/2 cp parm. cheese

1 egg

salt and pepper.

2. Mix this together and add to the top of the pasta.

2 TB butter

2 Red onions, sliced thin.

3. Caramelize onions and put on top of the ricotta mixture. Bake for 15 minutes

1 Recipe of my Tomato Sauce (Below)

3 cps. Mozzarella Cheese

4. When done. Add 1 cp. sauce and then 1 1/2 cp. mozzarella. Add Meatballs and 1 1/2 cp. sauce top with rest of cheese. Bake for 30-45 minutes until bubbly.

I made a panini with the leftover. I put the meatball sauce and a little of the pasta. I topped it with fresh basil and then pressed it in my sandwich press.

Reuben BREAD!

Yummy. That is the only word I could say. YUMMY. This is a recipe I found on one of my fav blogs ever. Thekneadforbread.com It is the best site. I am a bread lover and anytime I want a bread recipe to adapt from I start there. As soon as I saw this I had to make it. Considering I had a brisket in the fridge. I cooked my brisket slowly instead of using deli corned beef. I favor it. Then I chip the brisket on my slicer on my food processor. Anyway, try it and love it. Enjoy.

The bread:

3 1/2 cp. bread flour

1 cp. Rye flour

1 cp. Wheat Flour

1 TB Honey

2 TB olive oil

2 1/2 cps hot water

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. yeast

1. Add the hot water, honey, oil and salt together. Whisk. Add the Rye and Wheat flour. Add yeast. Let sit 10 min.

2. Add the bread flour 1/2 cp. at a time. Knead until a little sticky but elastic. Put in a greased bowl. Toss to coat in oil. Let rise. 1 to 2 hours. Double in size.

When the bread is done rising. Punch down and roll out until it is about 15x14.

Then LET FILL IT.

1/2 cp thousand Island

1 3lb brisket (I roasted on 250 for about 5-6 hrs until it shredded. I added 1 beer and the seasoning packet. You can always use 1lb deli corned beef)

1/2 lb swiss cheese

1 1/2 cp. sauerkraut

3. Fill it in this order. Add the thousand island, the corned beef, cheese, kraut. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE TWO INCHES AROUND THE PERIMETER.

4. Cut 1 in. slice around each side (Not the bottom) Fold the bottom up and then the sides. Try to connect the two side.

1 egg white

1/2 tsp. caraway seeds

(Mix these two well)

5. Brush the egg white and caraway around the bread. Salt and Pepper. Let rest 30 min.

6. Bake on 375 for 45 minutes. Let rest 10 min. EAT....Serve with extra dressing....YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY....haha.

The fam.

My sleeping beauty after a long day at the beach.

My Bailey Leland, 1

She is my little red head...(If you are wondering where Bailey got her red hair: It is on both sides of the family. RECESSIVE GENES.) I love love love her red hair.

My handsome husband Geoff and I.

.
My very funny Alexandra. She is a riot.

Alexandra being a silly goober again. These two are best friends and absolutely adore each other. I love it!!!

Alexandra being silly once again.

I want my amazing followers to meet my family. I am happily married with two little girls. My oldest, Alexandra is four and Bailey Leland is one. I love being a mom. I have the luxury to stay home and be there for my girls every minute of the day. I love that. I have them in the kitchen with me a lot. My four yr old is in the kitchen more. She helps me bake. (Bailey likes to lick the beaters and that is about it. She is my little piggy)

This is a funny story. I had Alexandra helping me make pie crust and I told her to beat one egg with 1/2 cp. water. Alex said..."Am I making egg wash?"

What four yr. old knows what egg wash is?

I just found this to be so funny.

When she is in the kitchen with me I explain what I am doing, but I never thought she was paying attention. Obviously she does...

Anyway, I wanted everyone to meet my beautiful daughters and amazing husband.
Have a great memorial day with your family. I know I will.......

My First Blog Award

Thank you so much to Heavenly Housewife (http://www.donutstodelirium.com/). This makes me ambitious to continue to strive for original and creative dishes to share. From what I understand I send this to ten people who I believe deserves this award. The ten blogs are the ten blogs who got me started. I had the passion to cook, but I did not start blogging until I found foodbuzz.com There was a few blogs that I looked at on a regular basis that gave me the courage to begin my own. This is my thank you.



http://mamanandgourmand.blogspot.com/

http://www.picky-palate.com/

http://thehungryhousewife.blogspot.com/

http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/

http://www.andbabymakes4.com/

http://www.jasonsbbqadventures.com/

http://unicornbutterflies.blogspot.com/

http://tanglednoodle.blogspot.com/

http://5starfoodie.com/

http://www.recessionipes.com/

Thank you so much everyone for such amazing and successful blogs. I love you all!!!!

Philly Cheese Steak Egg Roll with Cucumber Salad

This meal is a little unique, but is sooo amazing. I made Philly Cheese Steak EGG ROLLS!!!! Yes, I said Egg rolls and they turned out unforgettable. Now, I am going to try Cuban Egg Rolls (Ham, Swiss, Pork, Pickles and dip in mustard), Reuben (Swiss, Sauerkraut, Corned Beef and dip in thousand island). The ideas do not stop. I made about 24 and froze the rest. I figured if my husband wants a snack we could bake them. Since the Egg Rolls are a little heavy I paired it with a healthy crunchy cucumber salad. This meal was so good. Try it and ENJOY!!!! CUCUMBER SALAD

2 Large Cucumbers, sliced really thin

1/2 onion, sliced really thin

1/2 cp water

1/2 cp distilled white vinegar

1/2 cp sugar

salt and pepper

(Add a little mint or dill if you would like)

1. Just combine all the ingredients. The longer this sets the better it tastes. It tastes awesome the next day.

Philly Cheese Steak Egg Rolls

1 tub of Crisco (Heated on Med-High heat)

1 3lb London Broil
2 TB Steak Seasoning
1 Lg white onion, slice very thin
1 Red Bell Pepper, Sliced thin
1 Pablano, sliced very thin
1 Green Pepper, Sliced very thin
1 8oz. Pepper Jack Cheese, Shredded
1 package of Egg Roll Wrappers

Egg wash:
2 Eggs
2 TB Milk



1. Grill London Broil with 1 TB of seasoning on both side for about 3-4 min each side. You want this Med. Rare. When it is done let it set for 15 min.
2. During the time for the steak to grill saute the onions, peppers and 1 TB of the steak seasoning until slightly soft. Pull from the burner and add the cheese. Toss.
3. Slice the meat really thin...Almost chipped. (I used my food processor. The slicing plate.) Toss the meat into the pan with the pepper, onions and cheese.
4. Using each wrap add a little of the steak filling then fold the bottom (use a little egg wash) and fold each side (add a little egg wash) and then roll the top. It also shows you how to roll on the back of the package.
5. Drop in the hot grease and cook until brown. Repeat.

Leftover Cinnamon Swirl Bread = BREAD PUDDING

I get a phone call and everyone is meeting at my girlfriends house for a play date with the kiddos. All of the kids have been acting up because we have been stranded in the house for days. We have been hit with downpours all week in Central Florida. Of course I jumped at the idea of some grown up interaction. BUT what am I going to bring within two hours?! I look around my kitchen to get ideas. And then I see my Cinnamon Swirl Bread (below). It is the second loaf and it has been sitting there for a few days. I love Bread Pudding.......so I decide to throw it together. It turned out amazing and it was a huge hit. As you can tell from the picture at the bottom. All the mommies loved it.

This is what I brought home....haha. As you can see, It was a huge hit. My Husband got the tiny little piece when he got home from work. LOL.

Bread Pudding

1 loaf of stale CINNAMON SEIRL BREAD (http://www.donutstodelirium.com/), cut in cubes

4 eggs

1tsp. vanilla

1 15 oz. evaporated milk

1 1/2 cps. milk

1/2 cp brown sugar

1/2 cp. white sugar

1-2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cp. butter

1. I took the eggs, vanilla, milks, sugars and cinnamon and combined. I added the cubed stale bread into a greased 9x13 pan. I then topped it with the egg and milk mixture. I kept pushing down to make sure all the bread was soaked through.

2. I cubed the butter and scattered on top

3. Cooked on 324 for an hour to hour and fifteen. When the toothpick comes out clean.

4. I then topped it with more brown sugar, cinnamon and powdered sugar.

Peach and Blueberry Pie

I had pie crust leftover from all of the apple pies I made this weekend. I had to look at all my fruit and decide what pie I was going to make. I had peaches and blueberries and that is how this came about. Instead of the lattice topping I decided to try something a little different. How about little hearts? As you can tell, I love to bake and pies is one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy!

Peach and Blueberry Pie

1 pie crust
1 pint blueberries
4 cps. peaches, sliced thin with pit removed
2 1/2 tb. cornstarch
1/3 cp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lemon juiced
1 egg, beaten with a little water
3 TB butter

1. Put the pie crust in the pan.
2. Toss the blueberries and peaches with the cornstarch, sugar, vanilla and lemon. Put the filling in the pie crust. Cut the butter in small pieces and put on top of the pie. Put the top crust on top of the pie. (Leave a vent)
3. Brush the egg wash on top.
4. Cook on 400 for 55-60 minutes.

Hot Sauce Marinated Fried Fish Sandwich YUMMY!!!

Okay, this was AMAZING! A friend of mine was telling me about a restaurant she ate at and it served fish sandwiches cooked in red hot. Well, I had to try it. I love spicy. My husband loves spicy. I picked up some fish and decided to marinated it in hot sauce AND then fry it. What could be better? Crunchy. Spicy.

1cp. hot sauce
salt and pepper
1-1.5 lbs tilipia
1 bag of Louisiana Seasoned Fish Fry
2 eggs
1/2 cp. water
1/4 cp. oil
1/4 cp. butter

1. Put the fish in a shallow dish. Salt and Pepper both sides. Add the hot sauce. Turn and coat both sides. Let sit for 20 min.
2. Put a big frying pan on med-high heat with the oil and butter.
3. Fill on dish with the fish fry and one dish with the eggs and water whisked together. Working with one piece of fish at a time. Take the fish and toss in the fry mix and then the egg mixture and then back into the fry mix. Continue with the rest of the fish. (Put in fry mix, egg mixture, back in fry mix) When done put the fish in the hot oil and butter. When one side is brown (3-4 minutes) flip the fish.
4. I put the fish on top of a toasted bun with extra hot sauce, tartar sauce, tomato and lettuce.

This turned out so good. I hope everyone will enjoy it as much as my husband and I.

Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

This is so simple and quick. Not to mention, it taste WONDERFUL. I make this when I am craving something sweet and quick. Enjoy!!

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE CAKE

1 box of Chocolate Cake mix

1 cp. of chocolate caramel morsels

1 stick butter, soft

2 eggs

1. Mix these together and add to a 9 x 13 greased pan

1 8 oz. cream cheese, soft

2 eggs

1 cp. morsels

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cps. powdered sugar

2. Mix eggs and cream cheese together until well blended. Add the sugar one cup at a time. Add the vanilla and morsels. Put this on top of the chocolate cake batter.

3. Cook this for 40-45 minutes.

Apple Pie

My Crust is from Allrecipes.com

4 cps flour

1 3/4 cups criso

3 TB sugar

1 egg

1/2 cp water

1. I put the flour and crisco in the food processor. I process for a few seconds until it is pea size crumbs.

2. I mix the egg and wat in a small bowl. I add it to food processor and process until forms a ball.

3. Refridge atleast and hour.

The Apple Pie

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Apple-Pie-by-Grandma-Ople/Detail.aspx

1 pie crust

8 meduim apples, sliced thin and skin removed

1 stick of butter

3 TB four

1/2 cp. sugar

1/2 cp. brown sugar

1/4 cp. water

1. Preheat 425. In a saucepan melt the butter and add the flour. Let this thicken. Add the sugars and water. Let the mixture simmer.

2. Add the apple to the pie crust and make a lattice topping for the top. When the top is on the pie add the butter and sugar mixture.

3. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn down to 350 and bake for 45 minutes.

This made the best pie. I actually made three pies. I made one for my husband and the other two for a pool party. It was a huge hit. I did change the recipe a little. I added sugar and cinnamon to the apples before I tossed them into the pie crust. Regardless, I have made this pie many times and it has always made the best apple pie.

Try it! Enjoy!

Cinnamon Sugar Bread and Cappucino Bread

I found this recipe on foodbuzz.com the author or website was from http://www.donutstodelirium.com/. Check the recipe out there.
I did embellish a little. I added an extra egg and for one of the loafs I added brown sugar and cappuccino. IT WAS SO YUMMY! I could not stop eating this bread. It was moist and had so much flavor.
This morning, for my family I cut the bread in thick slices and made french toast with the bread. I topped with powdered sugar. It was so good. This is a must try recipe.

My Go To: Steak Salad

This is my go to meal. If I am not in the mood to really cook. I make a huge salad. (Romaine, Carrots, Cucumbers, Onions, Tomatoes, and Peppers) I then make some homemade french fries. I used my new toy, the mandolin. I got the mandolin for mothers day. It is so awesome.

Anyway, I cut them thin and put them in a pot with oil @ 350 degrees. They only need to be in there about 4 minutes or until golden brown. Then I salt and pepper them right away. Meanwhile, I have a London broil or flank steak on the grill with salt and pepper. When the steak is ready I let it sit for 10 minutes. I then cut it against the grain.

I put the salad down on a plate then top it with lots of Cheddar cheese, then I put french fries on top of the cheese, and finally the steak. This lets the cheese melt a little....SO YUMMY.

I have to admit, this is one of my favorite meals. I love salad....I really love salad with french fries on it...You maybe thinking, did she lose her mind? My husband made funny of me too. Until he tried it. Now, he loves it. I am from a small town in OH outside of Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh they put french fries everywhere...on salad, sandwiches and so on...It is so yummy. Try it...You maybe amazed. It adds an extra crunch!!!! It is so good.

Artichoke and Spinach PESTO Pasta with Chicken and Fresh Tomatoes

I have said this many times. I love fresh ingredients. I came home from the farmers market and look at the new purchases and try to figure out what I will be making. I had my eye on the fresh spinach, basil, garlic and cheese. I LOVE LOVE spinach artichoke dip!!! I decided to try something different. I am not sure if anyone has come up with it. I made it into a pesto. I would of probably even tried to put a little mayo (I LOVE MAYO), but my husband DESPISES MAYO! He can taste it....EVEN if I only add very little...
Needless to say, this was a huge hit tonight. My husband loved it. He returned to the kitchen many times to pick out of the dish after dinner. He called it addicting...
The fresh tomatoes added the freshness that I love!
I hope you enjoy!!!

1lb penna
2 Tb + 3/4 CP of Olive oil

3 Chicken Breast cut in cubes

3 garlic cloves

1/2 cp. Almonds

1 15 oz. can of drained Artichokes

1 cp Spinach

1/4 cp. fresh basil

3/4 cp. fresh parm. + 1/4 cp. parm

The juice of one lemon

1/4 cp. planko

3 TB butter

2 Roma tomatoes

salt and pepper

Add the penna to salted boiling water until al dente. Brown the chicken with the 2 Tablespoons of oil. As it browned I made the pesto. I added the garlic and almonds to my food processor. Processed. I added the drained artichokes, spinach, basil , lemon juice and 3/4 cp. of the parm. cheese and processed. Slowly stream the 3/4 cp. of olive oil into the shoot of the processor as you process the ingredients. When done salt and pepper.

I tossed the penna and cooked chicken into the pesto toss to coat. Add the pasta in a greased 9 x13. Top with the additional 1/4 cp. parm cheese and planko. Break the butter into pieces and put on top. Add the Roma tomatoes. Cook on 350 for 20 minutes covered. Take the cover off and broil for a few minutes and make a crust on top.

Artichoke, Leek, and Braised Chicken

This meal is very quick. It is a great summer meal. It is light, fresh and tastes so amazing. I go to the farmers market at a fairgrounds every wed. It has about 50 vendors. It is insane. It has more fresh produce then you will ever see.Not to mention VERY affordable. I got a lot of new veggies today and I like to throw things together. I like fresh and tasty. This is full of yummy veggies and the fresh taste of lemon and basil. I hope you enjoy.

3 Boneless Chicken Breast

1 15oz. Artichoke, quartered

3-4 Big Leeks, rinse and cut thinly

3 garlic cloves, chopped

15 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 cp. white wine

2 Tb. olive oil

The juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cp. chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breast. Add oil to the pan and put on med-high heat.
Brown both sides. Remove the chicken. Add the cut leaks and deglaze the pan with the wine. Cook for 3-4 min. Add the garlic and artichokes. Add the chicken and cook in the wine and veggies. If the wine evaporates add a little bit of chicken broth. When the chicken is cooked then you add the tomatoes, lemon, lemon zest and the basil.

I served this with rice. (I actually added a little lemon and lemon zest to my rice too)

Chicken Verde Enchiladas

My husband loves Mexican. I have not made it for awhile. In honor of Cinco De Mayo I made authentic (as I could make) Enchiladas. These turned out better then I could imagine. The salsa was amazing. It tasted great with the fried enchiladas. I fried them first to prevent them from getting soggy. I served this with fresh avocados and slices of fresh jalapenos.

3 chicken breast, (Roasted 0n 350 with a little salt and pepper for about 40 min)
10 Jose Ole flour tortillas
1 Red onion, sliced thin
1 Pablano, sliced thin
1 Bell Peppers, sliced thin
1 cp. Cheddar and 1 cp. manchego

Salsa Verde:

12 Tomatotillas
1 yellow onion (quartered)
3 jalapenos (quartered and seeds removed)
3 TB. cilantro
2 TB olive oil
salt and pepper
4 cloves of garlic
1 cp chicken broth
2 TB lime juice

1. Roast the chicken in the oven on 350 with salt and pepper on both sides. Roast 40 min. While the chicken is roasting add 2 TB butter and add the onions and peppers. Saute on Med-High heat until carmalized around the edges. Add this to the shredded chicken and when cool add 1/2cp. of each cheese. This will be the mixture for inside the Enchiladas.
2. For the salsa: Preheat oven to 400. Put the tomatotillas , Onions, and jalapenos toss with 2 TB olive oil and salt and pepper. Throw in a baking dish and bake until brown about 45 min. Wrap the garlic in foil and put in the oven with the veggies. Leave the garlic in its casing.
3. When all of the veggies are done put it in the food processor. Remove the garlic pulp from the casing and cilanto add to the food processor. Pulse. Slowly add the chicken broth and lime juice while pulsing. Put in a bowl. The salsa is done until needed.
4. Add 2 tb. of veg. oil in a skillet. Put on medium- high heat. Dip one side of the flour tortilla in the Salsa Verde and the fill that side with a little chicken and cheese. Roll and put seam side down onto the hot skillet. Continue the same with the rest. When brown on that side turn and brown the other side. When done add to a greased 11x13 dish. When you finish with all enchiladas add about 1/2 the salsa on top of the Enchiladas. Top with the rest of the cheese.
5. Bake on 350 for 40 min. Until brown and bubbling.

Steak and Asparagus Stir Fry

This turned out so good. I know that it seems weird to put chipotle peppers in an asian dish, but it adds a lot of flavor and adds a nice punch. Enjoy.

2 lbs London Broil, sliced thin (against the grain)
1 lb Asparagus
1 Yellow Sweet Onion
1/2cp. Soy Sauce
1/2cp. sugar
1/3cp. veg. oil
2 canned chipotle pepper, diced (Optional: this adds a kick)
3 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper


1. Mix the soy sauce, sugar, garlic, oil, and pepper. Cut the Asparagus in thirds. Get rid of the hard ends. Slice the onions in strips. Add the meat and veggies into a pan and then top with the sauce. Let sit all day or overnight.

2. Put the burner on high. Add the meat and veggies to the hot pan. Cook until brown. (3-4 min) Add a little of the sauce and cook a minute or two more.

Serve with rice.

Prosciutto, Roasted Red Pepper and Fried Egg Sandwich

(Yields 2 Sandwiches)

2 TB butter
2 Buns
1 cp. mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
5 slices prosciutto
1 Roasted Red Pepper, cut in strips
1/2 sweet onion
hot garlic, salt and pepper.

1. I added the prosciutto and onions in a frying pan and browned. Then I added the roasted red pepper to warm. 1 min. Turned off and put in a bowl and covered to keep warm.
2. Added the 1 TB butter and when it was melted I added the buns and toasted the buns. Removed them and added 1/4 cp. of moz. on each side of the bun.
3. Added 2 TB butter and added the egg. Topped with hot garlic, salt and pepper. Put on a lid. Cook on Medium for a few min. until done. While waiting I added the prosciutto, onion and peppers on top of the moz. When the egg is done I put it on top of the prosciutto, onions and peppers. Topped it with the bread with the moz. cheese.

This turned out really good. It was a quick and wonderful breakfast. Enjoy.

OH MY!! Cream Cheese Blueberry Muffins

2 cps. cake flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 cp. sugar
1/2 cp. vegetable oil
8 oz. cream cheese, soft....
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Sift the cake flour, salt and baking soda together.
3. Beat the egg and sugar together. Add the cream cheese and mix until smooth. Add the oil and vanilla.
4. Add the dry and wet ingredients together.
5. Spray the muffin pan and add the paper cups. Fill the paper cups most of the way.
6. Bake until the tooth pick comes out clean. About 12 min.