Make Again Monday: Sweet Potato Casserole with Pineapple and Marshmallows

Pineapple in sweet potatoes sounds a bit strange, but it makes the sweet potatoes oh so good. The pineapple adds a bit of sweetness to the sweet potatoes and of course the marshmallow topping just makes the sweet potatoes even better.

To see the recipe and the original post click here.

Enjoy!!!

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Cajun Lasagna

Lasagna is such a classic pasta dish and is so comforting. Now there is a lasagna for those who like spicy foods. Half of the ground turkey is replaced with chorizo, giving the lasagna a spicy little kick.

Cajun Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 12 lasagna noodles
• olive oil

Seasoning Mix

• 1 1/2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Meat Sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper (any color), diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 pound chorizo
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 6 ounce can no salt added tomato paste

Shredded Cheese Mixture

• 2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Ricotta Cheese Mixture

• 1 cup shredded parmesan and Romano cheese
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375º F.
2. Cook the noodles according to the package directions.
3. Rinse the noodles with warm water and drain.
4. Lightly coat the noodles with olive oil and lay flat. Set aside.
5. In a small bowl combine the cajun seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes and granulated sugar. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the seasoning.
6. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.
7. Add in the onion, bell pepper and celery. Sauté for for 5 minutes.
8. Add in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
9. Add in the ground turkey, chorizo and half of the seasoning. Cook, breaking the meat into chucks, until completely cooked, about 15 minutes.
10. Add in the tomato paste and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes.
11. Add in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, parsley and the remaining 1/2 of the seasoning and mix well.
12. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 20, stirring occasionally.
13. In a large bowl mix together the cheddar, Monterey jack and mozzarella cheeses.
14. In another large bowl mix together the eggs, ricotta, parmesan and Romano cheese, 1 cup of the shredded cheeses and reserved tablespoon of seasoning mixture.
15. Lightly spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet. The baking dish will be very full and the baking sheet will catch the drips so the lasagna does not make a mess in oven.
16. Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.
17. Place 4 lasagna noodles down on top of the sauce, slightly overlapping the noodles.
18. Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce over top of the noodles, followed by 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture and then handful of the shredded cheeses.
19. Repeat the layers by placing 4 lasagna noodles down, slightly overlapping the noodles.
20. Spread another 1/3 of the meat sauce over top of the noodles, followed by the remaining ricotta cheese mixture and then handful of the shredded cheeses.
21. For the last layer, place 4 lasagna noodles down, slightly overlapping the noodles.
22. Spread the remaining meat sauce over top of the noodles, followed by the remaining shredded cheeses.
23. Spray a piece of foil with cooking spray and cover the baking dish (Sprayed side down on top of the cheese.)
24. Bake for 30 minutes.
25. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
26. Remove the lasagna from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.         

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 703
Total Fat		35g
Saturated Fat		17g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat		0g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		127.5mg
Sodium		911.7mg
Potassium		80mg
Total Carbohydrates		36.6g
Dietary Fiber		4.5g
Sugars		7.2g
Protein		39.9g
Vitamin A 28% Vitamin C 61.4%
Calcium 49.3% Iron 15.4%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Complete Recipes.

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Bacon Egg and Cheese Pockets

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! Christmas for us did not go as expected, but it went as well as it could go considering I had the flu along with a nasty cold. I feel as though I am finally starting to feel better, like my old self again, but also taking it easy so I can continue to get better.

Between my job and Christmas and then getting sick, I have not been able to blog like I want to, but I am hoping I get back to my normal blog schedule. But if I miss a day or two, just know that I will post a recipe as soon as I can.

Now on to these Breakfasts Pockets. They have a flaky, crispy crust with a cheesy, egg and bacon filling. Instead of bacon you could also use cooked and crumbled breakfast sausage or diced ham.

Bacon Egg and Cheese Pockets

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• black pepper, to taste
• 1- 8 ounce tube crescent rolls
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet, over medium heat.
3. Add in the eggs and cook until they just begin to set, season with black pepper. Continue to cook and scramble the eggs just until no visible liquid remains, about 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook as they will cook more in the oven.
4. Remove the rolls from the can and separate them into 4 rectangles, 2 rectangles each. Firmly press the seams together to seal. Roll or press each rectangle into a 6x4 inch rectangle.
5. Evenly divide the eggs, bacon and cheese between the four rectangles and place on the top half of each rectangle.
6. Fold the dough over the filling and firmly press the edges together to seal.
7. Place the pockets onto the prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until golden brown.

Enjoy!!!

Notes:
The bottoms of my pockets got golden brown before the tops did, so make sure to watch the bottoms of these pocket as well as the tops so they do not burn.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 370
Total Fat		27.4g
Saturated Fat		11.8g
Polyunsaturated Fat		1.7g
Monounsaturated Fat		5.2g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		225mg
Sodium		623.4mg
Potassium		80mg
Total Carbohydrates		16g
Dietary Fiber		0.2g
Sugars		2.7g
Protein		16.4g
Vitamin A 12% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 22.3% Iron 9.7%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Damn Delicious.

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Make Again Monday: Dulce de Leche Latte

I am pretty sure I like dulce de leche better than caramel. They are very similar but do have some differences. The main difference being, caramel is made with water and dulce de leche is made with milk. One sip of this latte and I remembered how much I love using dulce de leche.

To see the recipe and original post click here.

Enjoy!!!

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Make Again Monday: Olive Garden's Pasta e Fagoli

My husband is a big fan of Olive Garden's all you can eat soup, salad and breadsticks deal. So he gets really happy when I made copycat versions of their soup. 

To see the recipe and original post click here.

Enjoy!!!

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Cheesy Baked Eggs

Baked eggs are easy to prepare, and the oven does all of the work cooking the eggs. No more standing over a skillet cooking eggs. You just whisk all of the ingredients together, pour into a pan and let bake. Who knew you could get delicious fluffy eggs from the oven?

Cheesy Baked Eggs

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 12 eggs, beaten
• 8 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese
• 16 ounces small curd cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
2. Brush the baking dish with the melted butter.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, pepper jack cheese, cottage cheese and flour.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake until the eggs are completely set, about 45-60 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

Notes:

You can make these eggs even cheesier, by adding 16 ounces of cheese, instead of 8 ounces.

This recipe can be cut in half and baked in a 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish. The baking time will be about 30-40 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 298
Total Fat		19.5g
Saturated Fat		9.6g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0g
Monounsaturated Fat		0g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		232.8mg
Sodium		490mg
Potassium		80mg
Total Carbohydrates		9g
Dietary Fiber		0.2g
Sugars		2.2g
Protein		22.8g
Vitamin A 18.2% Vitamin C 1%
Calcium 28% Iron 7.5%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

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Butterbeer Latte

I already have a Buterbeer Latte on my blog. It is a super easy recipe and you will most likely have all of the ingredients in you kitchen. But this recipe is more in line, ingredient wise, with what I think a butterbeer latte should be. This recipe does require a few more ingredients and some that you may not have handy in your kitchen, but are totally worth getting to make this delicious latte.

Butterbeer Latte

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces strong brewed coffee, hot
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butterscotch sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons caramel sauce
• 1 cup milk

Directions:

1. In a small pot whisk together the milk, butterscotch sauce and caramel sauce.
2. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until hot, but not boiling.
3. Pour the hot coffee into a mug.
4. Whisk the milk mixture very well to create some foam, or transfer to a blender and blend to create some foam. Pour the mixture over the hot coffee.

Enjoy!!!

Notes:
I use my Butterscotch Sauce and Homemade Caramel Sauce in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 294
Total Fat		13.4g
Saturated Fat		8.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat		0g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		52mg
Sodium		188.7mg
Potassium		570mg
Total Carbohydrates		35g
Dietary Fiber		0g
Sugars		30.4g
Protein		9.5g
Vitamin A 16.6% Vitamin C 2.4%
Calcium 28.5% Iron 0%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Mom Makes Dinner.

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Homemade Butterscotch Sauce

When looking for a homemade butterscotch sauce, I struggled to find one and the ones I did find were almost identical to the homemade caramel sauces I had found. So I realized that in order to pick a butterscotch sauce recipe and also a caramel recipe, I needed to figure out exactly what the difference between the two sauces are.

After a lot of research, probably too much research, I can tell you that the main difference between the two sauces is the sugar used. Caramel sauce uses granulated sugar and butterscotch uses brown sugar. You will find lots of caramel recipes that use brown sugar, but that is not a true caramel sauce. Some of the caramel recipes that call for brown sugar, use a simplified method for making the sauce and that is why they use brown sugar.

This butterscotch sauce is easy and super delicious. It reminds me how much I love the flavor of butterscotch and that I need to use more often.

Homemade Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter.
2. Add in the sugar and cream and whisk until well mixed.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently boil for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Sauce will thicken more as it cools.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in the refrigerator and re-warm before serving.

Enjoy!!!
*Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.

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Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce

This caramel sauce is an "easy" way to make homemade caramel sauce or as I would say the cheater way. The real way to make caramel sauce involves heating granulated sugar, whisking constantly until it has completely melted. Once it has melted you stop whisking and continue to cook until it reaches a deep amber color, swirling the pan occasionally. As soon as it reaches that amber color which is about around 350º F, you add in butter and whisk until completely melted. Then the sauce is removed from the heat and heavy cream is whisked in. The problem with "real" caramel sauce is it goes from the perfect amber color to burnt in a just a few seconds.

So when I needed a caramel sauce for a recipe, I did not want to mess around with a real caramel sauce and risk it getting burned. So I decided to make an easy caramel sauce. This caramel sauce tastes just like a "real" caramel sauce. The only difference is that is not as dark in color as "real" caramel sauce.

Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulted sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, combine all of the ingredients.
2. Heat the mixture over low heat, whisking constantly until thickened, about 6-10 minutes. The mixture will thicken a little bit more as it cools.
3. Cool to room temperature and transfer to a sealable container and store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!!!
*Adapted from Natashas Kitchen.

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Make Again Monday: Spicy Sausage Alfredo Bake

This dish is still as good as I remembered. It was not quite as spicy as I remembered, but it still was creamy and cheesy. Either way I enjoyed the dish and the leftovers the next day.

To see the recipe and the original post click here.

Enjoy!!!

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Sausage and Cajun Orzo Skillet

This dish is not only spicy and delicious, but it is super easy to make. I am talking from start to finish in about 20 minutes. Who doesn't love a quick and easy meal, I know I certainly do. Plus I can't resist the delicious combination of smoked sausage, orzo and cajun seasoning. 

Sausage and Cajun Orzo Skillet

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 14 ounces smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onions
• 1 bell pepper, any color diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups orzo
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat.
2. Add in the smoked sausage, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent and sausage is lightly browned.
3. Add in all of the seasonings and mixed well.
4. Stir in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Add in the orzo and stir to combine. Simmer uncovered for 12 minutes or until the orzo is tender.
6. Stir in the heavy cream.

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 232
Total Fat		11.9g
Saturated Fat		4.5g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat		1.7g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		48.3mg
Sodium		674.7mg
Potassium		111.3mg
Total Carbohydrates		3.2g
Dietary Fiber		3.2g
Sugars		3.8g
Protein		13.4g
Vitamin A 12.9% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 76.7% Iron 7.6%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Gal on a Mission.

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Cherry Vanilla Bagels

I saw a recipe for theses bagels a while back and immediately pinned it. I have never come across a bagel that had dried cherries and vanilla flavor in it. Seeing as cherries are one of my favorite fruits I knew I had to make these bagels.

I planned on making them several times, but never made them. It could have been they are a two day process and at night I would forget or be too tired. Either way I never got around to making them. Then one day my husband and I happen to be at Panera and they had a Cherry Vanilla Bagel and it reminded me of the recipe I had waiting. So after eating the most delicious bagel, I vowed to make the recipe. It took me a few more months before I got around to making the bagels, but I have to say the two day process is totally worth it and I wish I had made them much sooner.

These bagels are full of plump tart cherries with a vanilla flavor. The outside of the bagel has a slight crisp to it while the inside is nice and chewy.

Cherry Vanilla Bagels

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water (90-100º F)
• 3 1/2- 4 cups (16-22 ounces) unbleached bread flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup dried cherries, chopped
• cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Stir the honey, yeast and salt into the lukewarm water.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the dough hook attached, add in 3 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, honey, vanilla extract and water mixture.
3. Mix on the lowest speed until the dough comes together, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add in the cherries with 2 teaspoons of flour to help the cherries knead in better.
5. Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth, satiny and forms a stiff ball, about 5-6 minutes. Add in more flour as needed. The dough should be hydrated and not dry. If dough seems dry add in a few drops of water.
6. While the dough is kneading, cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornmeal.
7. When dough is ready, immediately divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4-4.5 ounces per piece.
8. Roll each piece of dough into a round ball. Poke a hole in the middle of the dough ball with your thumb and gently rotate rotate your thumb around the hole to widen the hole. Try to make the dough an even thickness all the way around.
9. Place the bagel on the prepared baking sheet leaving 2 inches of space in between the bagels.
10. Lightly mist the bagels with cooking spray.
11. Cover the bagels with two layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
12. 1 1/2 hours before you are ready to bake the bagels, remove them from the refrigerator.
13. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 500º F.
14. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and slowly sprinkle in the baking soda.
15. Gently drop the bagels into the boiling water, only dropping 2-3 at a time. You do not want the bagel to touch each other and will need room to flip the bagels. Flip the bagels after 30 seconds. After another 30 seconds remove the bagels with a slotted spoon and transfer to a wire rack to drain. I placed a towel under the rack to catch the water.
16. If needed sprinkle the parchment paper lined baking sheet with more cornmeal.
17. Remove the bagels from the wire rack and place on the parchment paper.
18. Bake for 5 minutes and rotate the pan.
19. Lower the heat to 450º F.
20. Bake for an additional 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.
21. Transfer the bagels to a wire cooling rack and let cool for 15 minutes.
22. Store the bagels in a sealed container at room temperature up to 3 days.
23. To freeze the bagels wrap them in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil or place in a freezer bag. The bagels will keep for about 1 month in the freezer.

Enjoy!!!

Notes:
My baking sheet was big enough to fit all 8 bagels, depending on the size of your baking sheet, you may need 2.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 302
Total Fat		0g
Saturated Fat		0g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0g
Monounsaturated Fat		0g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		0mg
Sodium		911.4mg
Potassium		3.9mg
Total Carbohydrates		63.9g
Dietary Fiber		0.4g
Sugars		16.2g
Protein		8.5g
Vitamin A 8.8% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0.6% Iron 12.6%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Gather for Bread.

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