Pigs in a Pretzel Blanket

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough

Mini hot dogs

1/4 cup baking soda

5 cups + 1 Tb water

1 egg

sea salt

Cut the pizza dough into 1 inch strips and stretch the strips out into long, thin pieces. 

Roll one mini hot dog up in each dough strip.

Place 5 cups of water and 1/4 cup baking soda into pan. Bring to a boil. 

Boil each rolled-up hot dog in the water mix for 20-30 seconds. 

Remove roll-ups from water and place on parchment paper.

Make an egg wash by whisking together 1 Tb of water with 1 egg. 

Brush egg wash onto roll-ups.

Sprinkle with sea salt. 

Bake at 425^oF for 15 minutes.

Pull-Apart Pizza Muffin

1/3 cup olive oil

26 oz thawed dinner roll dough

2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1/2 cloves minced garlic

6 oz pepperoni

Cut all the dinner rolls and pepperoni into quarters.

Mix all ingredients in bowl by hand.

Place handfuls of the mixture into a greased muffin tin.

Bake at 350^oF for 20-25 minutes. 

Chicken Pot Pie

1 (8 oz) bag frozen mixed vegetables

2 refrigerated pie crusts (or see Perfect Pie Crust recipe)

1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 375^oF.

Defrost the vegetables in a microwave for about 3 minutes.

Cut 2 pie crusts into quarters, to yield 8 equal pieces.

Coat the inside of 4 small aluminum-foil pans or 4 ramekins with vegetable cooking spray.

Line the bottom of each with a quarter of crust, molding it with your fingers to fit.

In a large bowl, stir together the soup and milk.

Add the remaining ingredients.

Spoon about 2/3 cup of the mixture into each pan or ramekin. 

Top each with a piecrust quarter. 

Pinch the edges together and cut vents in the top.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Perfect Pie Crust recipe:
http://sittinonthecoucheatinbonbons.blogspot.com/2015/11/perfect-pie-crust.html

Baked Beans

Southern Baked Beans

1/2 lb bacon, diced & sauteed

2 cups onion, diced & sauteed

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 cup vinegar

3/4 cup brown sugar

15 oz of each:

-kidney beans

-lima beans

-butter beans

42 oz pork and beans

Mix all together.

Place in 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350^oF for 1-1 1/2 hours (until bubbly).

Tri-Tip

Tri-Tip

Take a tri-tip and rub onion powder, salt and pepper all over the outside of it and place it in a 9 x 13 pan.

Bake it at 400^oF for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350^oF and using a meat thermometer, bake the meat until the internal temperature reaches 145^oF (usually another 30-45 minutes).

Let it rest with a foil tent for 15-20 minutes. Slice and serve.

Crock Pot Lasagna

Crock Pot Lasagna

1-2 lb ground beef

lasagna noodles

2 jars spaghetti sauce

1 1/2 pint cottage cheese

2 pkgs shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown ground beef and drain.

Spoon 1 cup spaghetti sauce into the bottom of a 4 qt crock pot. 

Mix remaining sauce with meat.

Break lasagna noodles and layer over sauce. 

Spread 1/4 of the meat mixture over noodles.

Then 1/2 of the cottage cheese and1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.

Repeat layers, leaving enough meat sauce to cover, then the rest of the mozzarella cheese.

(use all cottage cheese in first 2 layers)

Cook on high for 2 1/2 hours or on low for 4 hours. 

Do not cook any longer.

Spaghetti Casserole

Spaghetti Casserole

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz) package spaghetti noodles, prepared

1 Tb sugar

3 cups grated cheese

1 lb ground beef; browned, seasoned, and drained

1 small can sliced mushrooms

1 (10 1/2 oz) can tomato soup

1/2 cup milk

1 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce

In a medium bowl, mix tomato soup, milk, and spaghetti sauce. Set aside. 

Spray 9 x 13 pan with Pam.

Layer ingredients as follows:

1/2 the noodles

1/2 the sugar

1/2 the cheese (save a little for the top)

1/2 the meat

1/2 the mushrooms

1/2 the sauce

REPEAT

Top with the extra cheese

Bake for 1 hour at 350^oF, until bubbly.

Lasagna

Add:

1 lb ground beef

1 cup onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic

1 (6 oz) tomato paste

1/2 lb mushrooms

1 Tb Worcstershire sauce

4 cup tomato juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 Tb parsley

1 tsp oregano

Simmer for 30 minutes in sauce pan.

Layer a casserole pan with lasagna noodles, Ramono cheese, Parmesean cheese, and simmered mixture. Layer ingredients. 

Cover pan with foil.

Cook at 350^oF for 40 minutes.

Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes. 

Let it cool for 20 minutes before serving. 

1 Hour Light and Buttery Dinner Rolls

1 Hour Light and Buttery Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)

1 Tb instant yeast

2 Tb granulated sugar

2 Tb unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp table salt

4 cups all purpose flour

For topping:

3 Tb unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp sea salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar until creamy, about 5 minutes.

Add the butter, salt, and 2 cups of the flour and mix on low-speed until the ingredients begin to come together. Still on low speed, add 1 cup of the remaining flour and mix for 1 minute. 
Add the remaining 1 cup flour. Mix on low-speed until the final addition of flour is fully incorporated into the dough. 
Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. (When the dough starts making slapping sounds against the side of the mixer, it's done) 
Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover it with a dish towel.
Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 20 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into an even ball. Cut the dough in half vertically, then each half vertically again into thirds so you have 6 equal strips of dough. 
Cut each strip of dough into fourths by cutting horizontally to make 24 little squares of dough. 
With lightly floured hands, roll each piece of dough into a ball. 

Place each rolled piece of dough into a lightly greased 9 x13 pan in rows of 4. Cover the rolls with a dish towel and let them rise while your oven is preheating, about 20 minutes. 

Lightly brush the rolls with about half of the melted butter before baking. Bake until golden brown, 13-15 minutes at 400^oF.

 Immediately after removing the rolls from the oven, brush them with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with salt.  
Flip the pan over to remove the rolls. Serve immediately. 

Baked Ziti

This has become a family favorite and all the credit goes to Stephanie!

Baked Ziti

1 pound dry ziti pasta ( I use Penne too!)

1/2 onion chopped

1 pound mild italian sausage

2 26 oz. jars of spaghetti sauce

6 ounces sliced provolone cheese

1 1/2 cups sour cream

6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

2 Tablespoons grated parmesean cheese

1. Cook pasta until al dente; drain.

2. In a large skillet brown sausage.  Add onion the last 5 minutes to brown.  Add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 350^oF.  Butter a 9X13 dish and layer the following:

1/2 pasta

provolone cheese

sour cream

1/2 sauce mixture

remaining pasta

mozzarella cheese

remaining sauce mixture

parmesean cheese

4.  Bake for 30-40 minutes until cheeses are melted and bubbling.

Lasagna Chicken

This is my current favorite chicken dish.  The prep takes a little time, but is worth it!  Serve with steamed vegetables and a great roll or breadstick - my kids love it!  My recipe is very low fat and so I can have it whenever I want!

Lasagna Chicken

10 chicken breasts

1 15 oz. carton non-fat ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese

1/2 cup mozarella cheese

Frozen, chopped spinach that is thawed 

(I buy a 10 oz. box and only use 1/4 of it - you can add more)

Classico Tomato and Basil spaghetti sauce

Mix the three cheeses and egg together in a bowl.  Squeeze spinach in hand to drain 

excess liquid before adding to cheese mixture.  Set aside.

Pound chicken breasts with tenderizer mallot or bottom of a glass until about 1/2 inch thick.  I put the meat in between 2 pieces of Press and Seal Saran Wrap to keep the mess at bay.

Add a heaping spoonful (flatware tablespoon) of cheese mixture to middle of breast.  Fold in each side and secure with a wooden toothpick.

Place in glass or stone casserole dish.  Spoon spaghetti sauce onto top of each chicken roll.

Bake at 350^oF for 60 minutes.  Drain juice from dish before serving.

Italian Chicken

This week I did a luncheon for the Cox staff for Authorfest.  I have done their luncheons for years and I love this school and staff!  This is the second time I have served Italian Chicken, a recipe from my dear friend Karen Rose.  Each time I've had several requests for the recipe.  

"Italian Chicken"

In a crock pot dump:

1  5lb. bag of frozen chicken tenderloins (skinless, boneless)

1  16oz. bottle Fat Free Italian Dressing

1  15oz. can Italian Stewed Tomatoes 
(with juice)

1  4oz. can sliced mushrooms 
(with juice)

1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Cook on Hight for 4-5 hours or Low for 6-8 hours.

Serve over white rice.

Enjoy!