Cheesy Noodle Meat Bake

This dish is guaranteed to clean your plate. Words from a friend who tried the first time I made the dish. I originally did not know how the ricotta cheese would taste, since the recipe had originally called for cottage cheese. I had written the recipe down from a website but forgot to add the name and I can't remember what it was. One day I will find it but until then my combination came out great and taste good. Simple recipe and easy to make. If you like lasagna you will like this one just a bit of a different taste to it and a bit faster to make.

What You Need:

2 lb. Hamburger Meat 

1 16 oz. bag of Extra Wide Egg Noodles

1 15 oz. of Ricotta Cheese

1 16 oz. of Sour Cream

1 8 oz. can of Hunts Tomato Sauce Basil, Garlic & Oregano

2 15 oz. can of Hunts Tomato Sauce original flavor

2 Cups of Shredded Sharp cheese*

Directions:

Cook and drain hamburger meat. Then add the sauce and let simmer. Cook noodles as directed on package. While the noodles cook mix the sour cream and ricotta cheese in a bowl. Once noodles are done drain add to the cheese mixture and combine well. Take a 13x9 pan put some of the sauce on bottom layer noodles, the meat sauce and repeat. Top with shredded cheese. Bake in pre-heated oven at 375 for 25-30 mins. Remove let set 5 mins and serve up and enjoy. 

**Cooking Tip: I think adding either mozzarella or Parmesan cheese would be a good taste for this dish.

Reese's {Brookie} Cupcake

A great friend of mine at work had her birthday last week. I asked her what she would like me to bake for her. She couldn't decide whether she wanted brownies or cookies she told me to pick one. So I was trying to think of something to do and then I remembered seeing a pin on Pinterest with both cookies and brownies. It had no name on the post so I didn't know what to call them and from the picture you get the idea of how to make it. So all I had to do was figure out a name for it. I gave it the name "Reese Brookie Cupcake." I changed one thing about it from the original picture; I cooked mine in a cupcake pan and used a full size Reese's peanut butter cup. Plus it totally works because my daughter’s nickname is "Brookie." I wanted to have peanut butter in every bite not just the center. If you love brownies, cookies and peanut butter cups. This is a must try treat!

This is how you layer the cookie, buttercup & brownie.

 They taste so darn good, you must try these at least once. If you can't bake have someone do it for you.

Reese's {Brookie} Cupcake 

What Ya'll Need:
1 NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE 36 oz. Tub. 1 Jumbo Bag Reese's Snack Size Treats Chocolate, 19.5 oz (26 count)1 Pillsbury Brownie Classics Traditional Fudge Brownie Mix, 19.5 oz

What to Do:Preheat oven to 350. Using a tablespoon scoop out a heap of cookie dough and press in the cupcake pan. Place a Reese's buttercup on top of cookie then scoop brownie mix on top just to cover buttercup. Bake for 16*18 minutes checking and watch top of brownie to not over cook edges. 


**Cooking Note: Make sure the cookie dough covers bottom. Only fill the cupcake pan about 3/4 full. Once you pull the cupcakes out let them cool in the pan so that it gives the cupcake time to set so it makes it easy to pull out of pan.

Stuffed Jalapenos with Little Smokies

I posted my recipe for Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese Jalapenos already but I wanted to share this added recipe idea with ever get a chance give this one a try. The little smokies give a nice flavor to the jalapenos. My husband loves this one and I have to say so do I! My mother-in-law gave me this idea she had made them once but stuffed a whole smoky inside a whole stuffed jalapeno. This is a great appetizer for any party or just for two, like my husband and I.

 When following the steps to my Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese Jalapenos recipe  just add the halved smokies to the cream cheese wrap with bacon and bake or grill. 

To get the full recipe for the Stuffed Cream Cheese Jalapenos follow link and then recipe! 

http://danisrecipecreations.blogspot.com/2013/02/bacon-wrapped-cream-cheese-jalapeno.html

**Cooking Tip: You could use the whole smokie I cut mine in half so that its easy to bite in to when eating.

Dani's Cowboy Pasta

My husband Brian has been asking me to post one of his favorite recipes’s for some time now. I made him this recipe 6 years ago when we first started dating. He likes to tell me that when I made this recipe he knew he would love me forever. Brian is full of jokes might I tell you! The recipe is Cowboy Pasta. I didn't get this recipe from any sites I was reading an old cookbook from like 1970 and seen a recipe called "Working Man’s Pasta".. It was pinto beans, boxed Mac & cheese with hot dogs. A combination of ingredients I was not sure about. However, I had the idea to cook it with hamburger meat. So I looked in the pantry and all I had was Velveeta shells & cheese and ranch style beans. I thought, "This is what I'm trying for dinner!" It has had many different things added over the years but those three items are the base to Dani's Cowboy Pasta. I have given this recipe out for years and many people I know always tell me how great it tastes. This recipe will always be on my family's favorite list.

 This is what you need to make Cowboy Pasta.

 This is something we add for heat but doesn't always get added. 

Mix the beans and cook meat together

Cook pasta then add cheese and mix well.

 Take meat mixture and add to pasta and your done.

 Will look like this and taste very good. 

Cowboy Pasta

What You Need:

1 lb. Hamburger meat

2 cans Ranch Style Beans
2 (12 oz.) VELVEETA Shells & Cheese Dinner
1 can of diced tomatoes and green chilies*
Salt and pepper for taste

What to Do:
Cook hamburger meat; drain, add the beans and cook on low to medium heat covered. Cook Shells & cheese according to package. When pasta is done add both meat mixture and noodles together until completely combined and serve warm. 

This makes about 8 one cup servings! 

Deviled Egg Potato Salad

I normally don't eat any type of egg, potato or noodle salads. I don't like a cold egg, potato or noodle nope, I'll pass. I only recently was alright with trying a potato salad at a family gathering because my husband said it tasted like a deviled egg, which I love. So I gave it a try and loved it. I went looking all over for a recipe and couldn't find one that was just simple and easy. I figured why not just take the two and mix and see how it tasted. It was a match made in heaven. I now can say I have a deviled egg potato salad recipe of my own.

Deviled Egg Potato Salad 

What Ya'll Need:
5 Russet Potatoes
12 Hard Boiled Eggs
3/4 cup Miracle Whip(I used light)
2 Tbsp. Yellow Mustard
1/2 cup Sweet Relish
1 tsp. Paprika

What to do:
Cut potatoes into cubes; boil as you would for mash potato. Once potatoes are almost done drain and place into a large bowl, dice egg whites in to small pieces.  Add remaining ingredients. Gently stir all together until combined. Enjoy hot or chill for a an hour.

**Cooking Note: Don't over cook potatoes. Also when mixing in the  miracle whip if you want to use less just start with a smaller amount and spoon in and mix till it's right for your taste.

Deviled Egg Potato Salad BLT

I was at a family get-together recently where I tried my first Deviled Egg Potato Salad it was so good. I asked who made it and my aunt Jan said it was purchased at Sam's. I was shocked because it was so excellent. I wouldn't have ever thought I'd like a store bought salad. I looked at the ingredients and thought it seemed easy. I knew I had to try and make this recipe. My husband liked it as well and said he'd want to try it on a BLT so from that statement an idea was born. Make a deviled egg potato salad and then make a BLT and combined. So here is my finished product and might I say it was very good.



 Deviled Egg Potato Salad BLT 

What Ya'll Need:
Bacon
Lettuce
Tomato
Bread
Dani's Deviled Egg Potato Salad (use mine or your favorite)

What to Do:
I'm sure most can make a BLT so all you do is layer the bacon, tomato, lettuce and then top with deviled egg potato salad and eat up!

Diet Dr.Pepper Cake

This is probably going to be my most meaningful post ever. My daughter Brooke asked me if she could make a cake. I wanted to do something fun and so I remembered how great a cake was that I use to eat a lot when I was doing weight watchers. It was fun because you get to play a little with the cake mix as you make it. So Brooke and I made a Diet Dr.Pepper Cake. I know people always talk about how a coke is more important but trust me when I say the flavor is still there. I also came across a sugar free mix they have now and so it made this cake even better.  I hope y'all enjoy my pictures. Brooke had fun and was happy so for me that's just life's greatest gift!

 This is what I used for the cake. Simple and so Yummy!

Brooke shifting the cake mix to get the lumps out before we add the Dr.Pepper.

Make a small hole in center of cake mix before adding the dr.pepper.

 This helps add height to the cake. let it fully bubble then mix together.

Here is Brooke and I mixing the cake mix.

This is what it should look like once its completely stirred.

Brooke said taste good.. She wanted to eat before we cooked it!

Pour in to a 13x9 pan spread evenly. Cook as directed on box.(forgot the cook picture)

 This is what you need for pudding topping(frosting)

Put milk in bowl and add the pudding mix stir together till combined.

Put 12 holes in the cake before spreading the pudding. 

Spread the pudding on tip and down sides.

This is what it will look like. Cover and chill for 45-30mins.

Then enjoy the very yummy Dr.Pepper Cake

Diet Dr. Pepper Cake

What Ya'll Need:

1 box Sugar Free Devils Food Cake
16 oz. Diet Dr. Pepper
1 package Sugar free Chocolate Pudding
2 Cups of 2% Milk
cooking spray(for pan)

What to Do:
Put cake mix in a bowl stir all the lumps out. Then make a small hole in middle of bowl pour diet Dr. Pepper in slow so that the bubbles stay then stir cake mix and soda till combined well. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray pour mixture into pan. Preheat oven according to box directions. Cook 4 minutes less then what it says on box. Remove and let cool. Poke 12 holes in the cake. Then make pudding accordingly to the directions on box. Pour on top of cake and spread evenly. Cover and chill for 45 minutes to an hour. This is a cold treat and is to be keep in fridge.

**Cooking Note- You can combine different flavors of soda to cake mix  to try another flavor and puddings to top them off. My next once is going to be a vanilla cake with a white chocolate flavor pudding on top.

{Oven} Bacon

OKAY, People we have a Pinterest WIN! I love trying out recipes, tips and all the tricks that people say are the best of the best. Glad I tried this trick for cooking bacon in the oven. It is definitely a life changer like it says to be. I followed the directions from a post off the blog Improv Kitchen. There are many of them to look at and pick from to follow directions. I would give this a try and see how you like it!

Oven Bacon 

What You Need:

12-16 slices of Bacon- As much as needed.

Baking Sheet(s) if more then one just make sure they will fit in oven side by side

Foil

Directions:

Line a baking sheet(s) with aluminum foil. Then place the cold bacon slices onto sheet(s) do not stack them and leave a bit of room between each slice. Place the baking sheet(s)  into a cold oven and turn on to 400º F. Bake for about 18- 20 minutes flipping halfway through. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain grease then Enjoy! 

*Cooking Note:  Pay attention to bacon and if its looking too crispy just remove from oven. Different size bacon may take less or more time. Just keep and eye on them after turning at about 10 minutes.

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

I'm was never a sweets person or a breakfast eater until I seen a pin for Cinnamon Roll Waffles. These changed my life! I made these one day and I have never went back. I original posted this back in June 2013 but I deleted the post?! So I wanted to share again. I loved them and the picture I took  was one of the first for my blog. I hope you like this post and if you haven't tried this simple but huge craze. I say give it ago and try.

 

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

 

What Ya'll Need:

1 package of 5 or 8 count Cinnamon Roll Waffles

Syrup  

 

What to do:

Get a Waffle Iron,  place cinnamon rolls in close lid for 2 minutes remove and repeat. Once done put frosting on top and add the syrup of choice and enjoy!

 

Cooking Note: I have also used a homemade waffle mix and added cinnamon and brown sugar. Tasted just as great and used no frosting only syrup. So weather it's a can or mix it will work either way would work out great.



Roasted Salsa Verde Chicken

I have yet another crockpot recipe for y'all. I have been cooking a lot of recipes at home in my crock pot and was looking for a way to make chicken enchiladas with a salsa Verde.  I love Salsa Verde "green sauce" it can be used as a dip or in a favorite recipe and I have had my fair share of chicken enchiladas, using salsa Verde rather it was at a restaurant or at home. So I was on a mission to find the best Salsa Verde in a jar I could find. I didn't want to invest all the time to make the salsa this was something I wanted to be quick. Let me tell you my test taster(husband) was not at all upset about this idea. So we were shopping at Wal-Mart and my husband seen a new brand of salsa Verde from non other then Wal-Mart. He wanted us to try this so we bought a jar and tested it out on just a chip to see is this it.. YES IT WAS! I couldn't believe that a jar of salsa costing $1.98 would win over some that cost up to over $5 bucks. So I was ready to test it out and the end result was Perfect. I was so happy with the flavor of this salsa that we bought 6 jars to keep on hand(my husband eats this like candy!) I have tried this salsa in a few recipes now and I have to say it's yet to disappoint. So for all you Salsa Verde fans give this one a try and let me know what you think.

 This is what the Roasted Salsa Verde Jar looks like. Get this if not your missing out!

 Just add half the jar and 2 pounds of chicken tenders to crock pot.

Cook on high for 2 hours, remove and shred or dice then to a favorite recipe.  

This is the chicken Enchilada I made with the salsa. They were so darn good!

 

Roasted Salsa Verde Chicken

 

What Ya'll Need:

2 lbs. of chicken tenders

1/2 Jar of Roasted Salsa Verde

 

What to Do:

Place chicken and salsa to crock pot. Cook on high for 2 hours. Remove dice or shred and add to recipe.

 

Chicken Enchiladas: Use any tortilla of choice add chicken and cheese. Place in 13x9 dish. Mix the rest of salsa Verde with 12 oz. sour cream and topped the enchiladas with mixture add cheese on top and cook in oven for 20-25mins on 350.

 

*Cooking Note: I always check the chicken in crock pot around 1 1/2 hours just to make sure they don't over cook in crock pot. Also you can add more salsa if you want but the first time I cooked this it was more then needed and I didn't want to waste any salsa.