Parmesan Baked Potato Halves

Ingredients

6 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half lengthwise

1/4 C butter

grated parmesan cheese

garlic powder

other seasonings (to your personal taste)

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter and pour into a 9 x 13 inch pan and spread evenly  across the bottom. Generously sprinkle parmesan cheese and lightly sprinkle other seasonings all over the butter. Place potato halves face down on the butter and seasonings.

2) Place in preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool for at least a full 5 minutes before removing from the pan, otherwise the parmesan crust won't stick to the potato. Serve with a side of sour cream if desired.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Serves : 6

Trust me when I say this is so good. And my new favorite way to make potatoes. Its so easy to make and its not like you have to go buy all these special ingredients, everything you need is probably already in your cabinets.

30 Minutes Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken:

1 whole chicken (3 1/2-4 lb)

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

Seasoning Mix:

1 tbsp. all purpose flour

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves

Directions

1) For chicken, lightly spray deep covered baker with oil. Remove & discard giblets & neck from chicken cavity. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat using professional shears, if necessary. Tie ends of legs together with cotton string. Lift wing tips up toward neck, then tuck under back of chicken. Place chicken on cutting board; brush with oil using chef's silicone basting brush.

2) For seasoning mixture, combine ingredients in a 1 Cup prep bowl (or regular bowl); mix well. Completely coat outside of chicken with seasoning mixture. Place chicken, breast side up in baker.

3) Microwave, uncovered, on high for 25-30 minutes or until a digital thermometer registers 165 degrees in thickest part of breast & juices run clear. Remove from microwave. Cover with the lid and let rest 10 minutes (temp will rise to 170 degrees).

This is a recipe using some Pampered Chef items. If you don't have the Baker (which is what is needed to cook the chicken in) I would try to get one (trust me they are amazing to have ) otherwise you should be able to use any other type of a stoneware baker (with lid) to cook this. If not you can always make it the oven at 375 degrees checking after 30 minutes. Chicken is done when internal temp reaches 170 and juices are clear. Enjoy with your favorite sides.

makes : 4-6 servings

Honey Garlic Crockpot Meatballs

Ingredients

1/4 C. brown sugar

1/3 C. honey

1/2 C. ketchup

2 tbsp. soy sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28oz) bag fully cooked, frozen meatballs

Directions

1) In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce and garlic.

2) Place the frozen meatballs in a 3-4 quart crockpot and pour sauce over the meatballs. Stir so all meatballs are coated evenly. Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

You can use this as either an appetizer or as a main meal served with whatever side you want. I used Egg noodles but you can also use rice as well. If using a bigger crock pot you will want to double the sauce (which works out great anyway because it is very tasty). If you decide to use it as an appetizer I would suggest using smaller meatballs (unless you decide to use your own homemade fully cooked ones.)

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 4 hours

Serves: 6-8

Friendship Spaghetti Pie

Ingredients

1 (16oz) box spaghetti

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 C chopped onion

1 (24oz)  jar of spaghetti sauce

4 tbsp. butter or margarine

1 C. parmesan cheese, grated

4 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 C ricotta cheese

1 tsp. garlic, minced

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded

dried parsley, for topping (optional)

Directions

1) Cook spaghetti according to the pkg. directions. Season the boiling water with salt and olive oil before adding spaghetti.

2) While spaghetti is cooking, start cooking the ground beef and onions. Once the meat is browned and crumbled, turn off the heat and drain the excess grease. Put meat back in the pan then stir in spaghetti sauce. Leave in the pan until ready to use.

3) Once spaghetti is cooked and drained. Put back in the pot . Stir in the butter until it melts and coats the spaghetti well. Then stir in the beaten eggs and parmesan cheese. Stir quickly.

4) Set out two 9 in (ungreased) pie pan and evenly divide spaghetti mixture into each pan.

5) In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with the garlic and Italian seasoning. Stir well. Evenly distribute the cheese mixture over each pan of spaghetti. Drop it all over by small spoonfuls. Then take the back of the spoon and spread it out evenly over the noodles. Top each pie with the meat sauce. Evenly dividing between both pans.

6) Finally top each pie with the shredded mozzarella. Again, dividing it evenly between each pan. And if you choose you can sprinkle with the dried parsley.

7) Now, if your going to freeze the pies, cover with plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Then freeze.

8) If your ready to bake it then preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the pie in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

9) If cooking from frozen, place pie in the oven and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes. Enjoy!

This is one of those recipes where you can give one to a friend (similar to the Amish Friendship bread) for them to enjoy as well. If you don't wanna give one away you can always freeze it for your family for another night of dinner. Definitely a favorite in our home.

Best Hot Dog Sauce

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

3/4 C Ketchup

3/4 C Brown Sugar

1 tbsp. BBQ sauce

1/4 C honey

1 tsp. cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. onion powder

dash of black pepper

To put together:

large beef or Polish hot dogs

large buns

butter

white onions

sauerkraut

pickles

banana peppers

Directions

1) To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and set over high heat. Stir occasionally until the mixture barely starts to bubble, then remove from the heat.

2) Let cool completely. If you like it colder you can put in the fridge or leave out for room temp.

3) When you are ready to cook the hot dogs, set the grill to medium heat.

4) Use a sharp serrated knife to make diagonal cuts in the hot dog a little more than halfway through. You want the cuts to make large W's all the way down.

5) Grill the dogs until they are as black as you want them. Should take about 3-5 minutes per side. Don't forget to flip them halfway. The dogs will curl into a smiley face because of the cuts.

6) Butter the inside of the buns and place on the grill. Leave them for a minutes or so, until they get slightly crispy on the edges. Don't over do it or they will turn stale.

7) Place the hot dog in the bun and top with tons of special sauce and any other desired toppings.

Meatball Sub Bubble Up Bake

Ingredients

1 can Pillsbury Grands Biscuits (any kind you want)

1 bag frozen meatballs (or you can make your own)

1 1/2 - 2 cups spaghetti sauce

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions

1) Cut the uncooked biscuits into 8ths (think pizza slices)

2) Place into greased 9 x13 inch dish.

3) Cover with the sauce, start with the 1 1/2 cups and add more if you think you need to.

4) Place the meatballs on top of the biscuits.

5) Sprinkle with the cheese.

6) Bake at 375 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. Serve when done.

Prep: 5 minutes

cook: 40 minutes

makes: 6 servings

I prefer making my own homemade sauce for recipes that call for spaghetti sauce (tastes better I think) plus this way I can make extra and freeze it for when I need it. Same thing with the meatballs. If you don't have the time to make homemade than the frozen ones will work just fine but if you can make a batch or two and freeze them that way you'll always have some on hand. This recipe definitely was a good one and the kids loved it. It is super easy to make and is ready in less than an hour. You can also make a little pasta to go with it on the side it you like.

Oven Fried Chicken

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts, cut in strips.

4-5 tbsp. butter

1 cup flour

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. seasoning salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 tsp paprika

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place butter on a large baking sheet and place in the oven to melt (once the butter is melted, remove it from the oven so it doesn't burn).

2) Combine all ingredients besides chicken and butter in a large ziplock bag. Add the chicken and shake to coat.

3) Place the chicken on the buttered baking sheet, leaving a space between each strip. Bake 10 minutes, flip over gently and bake another 10-12 minutes.

4) Be sure to check to make sure the chicken is cooked, as thickness can affect baking time. You want it to be done but not overcooked. Bake another 5-10 minutes if needed.

5) Remove to a plate lined with paper towel to soak up any excess grease. Serve immediately with your favorite sides.

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Serves: 3-6 depending on how much chicken you use.

Homemade Garlic Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

Garlic ( about 10-12 cloves)

3 (15oz ea.) cans of tomato sauce

1 lb. of pasta (any type you want)

Olive Oil

Cumin

Oregano

Parsley Flakes

Directions

1) Add about 1/4 inch olive oil to the bottom of a small to medium pan. (It's about less than a cup)

2) Heat the olive oil

3) Add the garlic to the olive oil and let simmer for about 5-10 minutes. So you get the flavor of the garlic. (You can smash the garlic open a little to release the juice if you want)

4) Do not burn the garlic, it will turn a little brown which is ok, but don't burn it.

5) Remove the "cooked" garlic and throw it away. Don't worry the flavor is still there.

6) Add the 3 cans of sauce.

7) Add the seasonings - how much depends on your taste. You can always add more about 10 minutes after its been cooking.

8) Put it on medium to low heat and let it simmer.

9) Cook the pasta while the sauce is cooking.

10) When the pasta is done, the sauce should be done as well. Add to pasta and enjoy.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Serves: varies

Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Lemonade Chicken

Ingredients

4 chicken breast (frozen are ok)

1 (6oz) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

5 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 C. ketchup

2 Tbsp. White vinegar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 Tbsp. cold water

Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

1) Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker.

2) Combine lemonade, brown sugar, ketchup and vinegar in a bowl. Mix well and pour over the chicken. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.

3) Remove chicken from the slow cooker. Mix cornstarch and cold water together. Simmer the remainder of the sauce over medium heat on your stove top and add cornstarch mixture to the sauce, stirring until combined. Let the sauce cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

4) Pour sauce over chicken, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with your favorite sides.

If you don't wanna cook the sauce on the stove, you can take the chicken out of the slow cooker and add your cornstarch mixture to the sauce that is left in the slow cooker. Stir it in and then let it cook on high for about 30 minutes.

Serves 4

Maple Bacon Beer Burgers

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup beer (any brand will do)

1 1/2 tsp. black pepper

6 slices thick-cut bacon

2 tbsp. maple syrup (you wanna use the real stuff but the pancake syrup will do just as well)

3 slices American cheese (or whatever cheese you prefer)

3 Hamburger buns

Directions

1) Combine the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, beer and pepper. Form into 3 Hamburger patties.

2) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a baking rack on a foil lined pan. Place bacon on the rack and bake for 15-20 minutes. Carefully remove pan from oven. Brush bacon with the maple syrup. Bake for an additional 5-7 minutes, until bacon is crispy. Set aside.

3) Grill burgers approximately 5 minutes on one side, flip and cook an additional 3 minutes. Top each burger with cheese and melt.

4) Place burgers on bun and top each burger with 2 slices of bacon. Top with any additional burger toppings of your choice.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 43 minutes

Serves: 3

With this recipe you really can use either syrup. The pure maple syrup can be a lot more expensive and I'm sure just like our family ,you try to save and buy stuff on sale or what you can afford. I used the pancake syrup this time and it still came out so good. Definitely was a big hit in our home.

Baked Ravioli

Ingredients

1 bag (25oz) Frozen Ravioli (Round or Square, whichever you prefer)

1 jar (26oz) Marinara sauce

2 C. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Parmesan Cheese, for sprinkling

Directions

1) Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 rectangular baking dish with cooking spray.

2) Spread 3/4 cup of the pasta sauce in baking. Arrange half of the ravioli in a single layer over the sauce; top with half of the remaining pasta sauce & half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once, starting with ravioli. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.

3) Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes longer or until bubbly and hot in the center. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Instead of using the jar of sauce, I decided just to make my own. This way you have extra for anything else or just to freeze for a later use. Plus it actually tasted better with the homemade sauce. I also used the round cheese ravioli it worked out ok but the square would probably work better but either way it came out really good and the kids loved it.

Chicken with Balsamic BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces or 4-6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

For the BBQ Sauce:

1 C. Balsamic Vinegar

8oz. of Tomato Sauce

3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar, Honey or Molasses (I used the Brown sugar)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions

1) Combine all the BBQ sauce ingredients into a small saucepan. Whisk until thoroughly combined, then simmer over medium heat until it's reduced by about a third. If it starts to stick to the bottom, reduce the heat to medium low. It should take between 15-25 minutes for the sauce to thicken and coat the back of a spoon.

2) Meanwhile, preheat a stove-top grill pan or the outdoor grill to medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

3) Transfer 1/2 cup of the BBQ sauce to a small bowl. Place the chicken on the grill for about 10 minutes per side, brushing with 1/2 cup (or more) of the BBQ sauce for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.

4) Transfer chicken to a serving plate and serve with the remaining sauce.

* You can also butterfly your chicken or slice it in half horizontally to make thinner pieces. It will cook faster and you will also have more BBQ sauce.

Makes: 4 servings.

This is a very tasty recipe. If you have BBQ sauce left over you can keep it for about a week in the fridge to use on something else.

Honey Glazed Bacon Wrapped Chicken

  Ingredients

1 lb (or more if you need it) Chicken breasts, cut into strips ( you can also use the frozen chicken tenders)

1 lb bacon (about 20 strips, these can be cut in half to make more if needed)

6 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. Coarse mustard (this is NOT the same thing as yellow mustard)

2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2) Combine the mustard, honey, and lemon juice.

3) Wrap the bacon around the chicken and place in the baking dish. You'll want to use a bigger dish to fit it all..

4) Brush the bacon and chicken with the honey mixture. There will be some left over, save this for later.

5) Bake for about 13 minutes, or until bacon is crispy.

6) Take out of the oven , turn the chicken over and brush with the remaining glaze.

7) Bake an additional 13 or more minutes. Until bacon is cooked to what you want.

Because the bacon is greasy it may take a little longer to cook to get it just how you want it. So just keep checking on it until it looks how you want it to. This is definitely a great tasting recipe and the family really enjoyed it..We had no leftovers..

                                                                 

Chicken Nugget Casserole

Ingredients

1 pkg (13.5oz) Frozen Chicken Nuggets

1/3 C. Grated Parm Cheese

1 jar (26.5oz) Spaghetti Sauce (any flavor you want)

1 C. (4oz) Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese

1 tsp. Italian Seasoning

Directions

1) Place chicken nuggets in a greased 11in x 7in. baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Layer with spaghetti sauce, mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning.

2) Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is heated through and cheese is melted.

3) Serve with your favorite side dish.

Makes: 4-6 servings

Prep: 5 minutes

Bakes: 30 minutes

This is a super easy recipe and a kid favorite for sure. Its an easier version of a chicken parm. and tastes just a good.

Crock Pot Mongolian Beef

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 2lbs London Broil (cut into strips) or beef tip roast (cut into stew pieces)

1/4 C. Cornstarch

1 medium onion, sliced thinly

3 to 4 large carrots, sliced thinly

1/2 tsp. ginger, minced

2 Cloves garlic, minced

3/4 C. Soy Sauce

1/2 C. Water

1/4 C. Dry Sherry

3/4 C. Brown Sugar

1/4 tsp. Black Pepper

Directions

1) Toss beef strips / pieces in cornstarch & set aside.

2) Mix remaining ingredients in your crock pot & place beef over the top.

3) Cover & cook on low for 6 to 8 hrs.

4) Gently stir the beef into the sauce mixture & serve over rice , if you choose.

This is definitely a very tasty dish...I used the London Broil and it came out great..

Honey BBQ Meatloaf

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 cup plain panko bread crumbs

1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

4 tbsp. smoky BBQ sauce

1 tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together the ground beef, panko, 1 tbsp. of the Worcestershire sauce, the mustard, 3 tbsp. of the bbq sauce, the salt and pepper. Do not overwork the meat.

2) Shape the mixture into a long, thick loaf and place in an oiled/greased baking dish. Be careful not to pack the meat too tightly or you'll end up with a very dense, tough loaf.

3)In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tbsp. bbq sauce, the remaining 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce and the honey. Spread evenly over the meatloaf and bake for 45 minutes. Slice and Serve with your favorite sides.

serves: 4

prep: 15 min

cook: 45 minutes

Grilled Cheesy Buffalo Chicken

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless chicken breast

black pepper

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided

1 tsp. butter

1/4 cup Frank's Hot Sauce (or whatever hot sauce you choose)

1/4 tsp. celery salt

Directions

1) Preheat the grill to medium low heat.

2) Butter fly the chicken, by cutting it horizontally. Do not cut all the way through. Sprinkle the inside of the chicken with pepper. Evenly top the chicken with cheese and fold over the chicken to close it. It should look like the chicken breast before you cut it.

3) In a microwave safe bowl melt the butter. Stir in the hot sauce and celery salt.

4) Brush one side of the chicken with the hot sauce mixture and place the hot sauce side down on the grill. Brush more hot sauce over the top of the chicken. Cook for about 7 minutes. Flip the chicken and brush on the remaining hot sauce and cook until no longer pink; about 5 minutes more (or until done).

5) Serve with any side you choose and ranch dressing if desired.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Depending on how spicy/hot you want this depends on what type of hot sauce you use...You can definitely change it up by trying different ones and maybe even changing up the cheese and use a Mexican blend instead..Definitely many different ways to make it your own...

Unsloppy Joes

Ingredients

1 lb. lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1 can (15oz) sloppy joe sauce

1 tsp. chili powder

1 can (16.3oz) Pillsbury Grands biscuits (or whichever ones you want)

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2oz)

Directions

1) Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently; drain. Stir in sauce and chili powder; simmer 5 minutes.

2) Press each biscuit into a 6-inch round. Spoon 1/3 cup meat mixture and about 1 tbsp. cheese onto center of each round. Fold dough in half over filling; press to seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

3) Bake 9 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.

Prep: 30 minutes

total: 45 minutes

Serves: 8

With this recipe I'm not a huge fan of the sauce for the sloppy joes so I like to change things up a bit at times and make up my own. I'll use a BBQ sauce (any flavor you want) and then just add whatever types of seasonings that you want and that way you can also make it as spicy or not as spicy as you want. These really do come out great and definitely are not sloppy lol...

Crock Pot Sweet Spicy Sausage

Ingredients

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tbsp. minced garlic

12oz chili sauce

12oz grape jelly

1/2 tbsp. crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

32oz fully cooked sausage, cut into 1/2 in. pieces

Directions

1) Pour the oil in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Then add the chili sauce and grape jelly and mix well. Cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring often.

2) Place the sausage in your crock pot. Add the spices to the sauce mixture and stir. Then pour it over the sausage and stir. Cover and cook for about 1 1/2 - 2 hrs on high, or until the sausage is hot and the sauce is bubbly. Stir once after an 1 hr of cooking .

This would also make a great appetizer dish for a party. To make more ( and you just may need to because this is really really good) I would just double everything. If you don't want it too spicy either don't double the crushed red pepper or just omit it all together. Because it can get spicy.

BBQ Sloppy Joe Muffins

Ingredients

1 (7.5oz) can biscuits (10 count)

1 lb. lean ground beef

3/4 cup chopped onion (1 small onion)

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. seasoned salt (or salt and pepper to taste)

1 cup BBQ sauce (any flavor you want)

1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. Roll out each biscuit until it's approx. 5" in diameter. Line each muffin tin with flattened biscuit.

3) In large skillet cook ground beef, onion and garlic until meat is cooked through and onions are soft. Drain excess fat if needed.

4) Mix in seasoned salt and BBQ sauce and heat until warm.

5) Fill each biscuit with a few tablespoons of meat mixture, filling each cup to the top.

6) Sprinkle each muffin with cheese.

7) Bake for 10-15 minutes until edges of biscuit are golden and cheese is melted.

8) Serve warm with your favorite side dish.

Serves about 5

If you need to make more just double the recipe. These came out great and the family really enjoyed them a lot. So you're probably gonna wanna make extra. These would also make a great little appetizer for a party