Chicken Rolls

Oh, Chicken Rolls, how we love thee!  This is one of those recipes that I know my children will all ask for when they grow up so that they can make it for their families.  Even my two picky little eaters inhale these babies.  I knew that I most definitely had to include it in my recipe book.  They are very simple and easy to make but taste amazing!  And just so you know, they have to be served with mashed potatoes so that you can accidentally cover your chicken rolls in the gravy as well.  And so to my children, friends, strangers and future generations of Chicken Roll eaters, I say, "Enjoy"!

1 block cream cheese. softened
4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 cans crescent roll dough
4 TBS butter, melted
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and shredded chicken.  Stir until creamy and thoroughly mixed.  Open cans of crescent roll dough.  Remove dough from can, carefully unroll and separate triangles of dough.  Place a scoop of cream cheese and chicken mixture in the middle of a triangle.  Fold the two corners over the cream cheese scoop and then pull the third corner up over it and wrap it around the outside of the roll.  Pinch the edges of the dough together to seal in the cream cheese mix.  Dip roll in melted butter then bread crumbs.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Repeat until all rolls are filled.  Bake in oven at 375 for 15 minutes.  Best if served with gravy drizzled on top.

{30 Minute} Beef and Broccoli

I love every recipe I post on here and this one is definitely at the top of my list!  Every time I make it it gets rave reviews.  My husband falls in love with it all over again, each and every time!  My recipe book just wouldn't be complete without it.  Thanks to my sister for yet another, family favorite!

2/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
1 head fresh broccoli, cut into florets
4 cups brown rice, cooked

In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together soy sauce, broth, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, ginger and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. In a small dish, whisk together the cornstarch and water and slowly pour into the sauce, whisking continually. Bring back to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until thickened. Meanwhile, add broccoli florets to a microwave safe bowl, add a few tablespoons of water, cover with plastic wrap and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until tender but not too soggy. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season the meat with salt and pepper then add to the pan. Cook the meat for 2-3 minutes then flip and cook the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes (don’t over cook it) Pour the sauce over the meat, add the broccoli then gently stir and cook a few minutes until heated through. Serve over cooked rice.

Source:  Whisked Away

French Bread Cheeseburger Melt

This is a quick and easy meal that's perfect for a busy night!  I remember having something like this when I was a kid and have recreated my own version of it.  My kids love it and I enjoy revisiting a blast from the past!

1 loaf of french bread
1 lb ground beef, cooked
1 cup sour cream
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
mushrooms, sliced
2 cups shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 425.  Slice the french in half, long ways.  In a mixing bowl combine cooked ground beef, sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, salt, garlic, onion, pepper and mushrooms.  Stir until combined.  Place sliced french bread on cookie sheet, cut side up.  Spread half of the meat mixture on each half of the french bread.  Top each with 1 cup of shredded cheese.  Bake at for 425, until cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes.  Cut into slices and enjoy!

Quick and easy {freezer friendly} Breakfast Sandwiches

My kids think I'm kind of mean when it comes to breakfast on school days.  They would all love to take down a big bowl of sugary cereal and head off for the day but there's something about that that just doesn't sit right with me.  Between "feeding their brain" and giving them something that will keep them full until lunch time, a bowl of sugar just doesn't cut it.  If you feed your kids cereal for breakfast, I'm not judging.  I promise.  I'm not opposed to a big bowl of Fruity Pebbles and it's hard to beat PB Cap'n Crunch.  We just save that stuff for the weekends when they are at home and can grab a snack if they get hungry before lunch.  I used to do the cereal thing and when I changed that policy my kids were not happy campers.  To avoid a full on mutiny, we decided to compromise with "healthy cereal" on Fridays.  They don't do that much brainwork on Fridays, right?  School mornings are pretty hectic so I needed to come up with yummy healthy breakfast options that didn't require me waking up an hour before the kids to make it.  I'm not a big morning person.  We have things like oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, scrambled eggs, breakfast smoothie, muffins, PB toast, frozen pancakes and sausage.  It's all quick and easy and so much better than sugary cold cereal.  Another favorite is breakfast sandwiches.  They're pretty easy to make but most mornings there isn't enough extra time to make them.  Unless I were to wake up early.  And remember, I don't like to do that.  I prefer to make a big batch of these at the beginning of the week and throw them in the freezer to use throughout the week.  Sausage is our favorite but you can substitute it with bacon or ham or even make it meatless.  To make the fried eggs in large quantities, I didn't want to stand over the stove that long so I searched for a better way.  Guess what I found.  You can BAKE eggs!  Isn't that the coolest thing?!

For the sandwiches, I use a jumbo muffin tin.  It makes the eggs just the right width and thickness. A regular sized muffin tin would work as well but the eggs would be a little thicker and a smaller circle.  Grease the pan and crack one egg into each tin.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes, or until egg is set.  After cooling for a few minutes, use a rubber spatula to gently separate egg from the pan and it will easily slide out of the pan.

To assemble the sandwiches, cut open english muffins.  If you're going to eat it right away, toast the english muffin and layer each one with a slice of cheese, one sausage patty and one baked egg.

Top with the other english muffin half and enjoy!  To reheat if frozen, microwave for 60-90 seconds.

Ingredients
6 eggs
salt and pepper
6 english muffins
6 slices of cheese
6 sausage patties, cooked
6 baked eggs

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a jumbo muffin tin.  Crack an egg into each tin.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 for 12 minutes, until egg is set.  Cut the english muffins in half and toast.  Layer each sandwich with an english muffin half on the bottom, a slice of cheese, a sausage patty and a baked egg.  Top with the other half of the english muffin and enjoy!

For the Freezer
Bake eggs as directed.  Cut the english muffins in half but do not toast.  Use a napkin or paper towel to soak as much grease out of the sausage patty.  Too much grease will make the english muffin kind of soggy when you reheat it.  Build each sandwich as directed.  Wrap each sandwich in foil or place in a sandwich sized ziploc bag.  Place them all in a gallon sized freezer ziploc bag.  To reheat, remove from bag and foil and microwave for 60-90 seconds until heated through.

Asian Chicken Pasta

I was surfing around pinterest for some new dinner ideas and found a really yummy looking asian pasta dish.  I added it to our weekly menu, put all the ingredients on my shopping list and was excited to give it a try.  On the night that I was planning to make it I couldn't find the recipe anywhere!  I thought I had pinned it but apparently I didn't and when I did a search on "Asian Pasta" a million different recipes came up.  I had ingredients for this specific recipe though and was determined to find that one.  I just happened to be talking on the phone with my sister Jamie in New Zealand (a rare treat!) as I was on my recipe quest.  I was on the brink of pinterest insanity when I finally told her about my dilemma.  She said that it sounded just like a recipe she has on her blog!  I know the recipe I had found earlier was on a different blog but she was right, her recipe had exactly the same ingredients I had bought.  Dinner was saved as well as my sanity.  Jamie is my hero for so many reasons and now I have one more reason to add to the list.  This beautiful Asian Chicken Pasta was everything I hoped it would be, and more.  I'm sure it will be saving dinner for many nights to come!

1-2 chicken breasts
1 Tbs vegetable oil
9 oz thin spaghetti pasta (whole grain, whole wheat or white)
3 green onions, chopped
1 c frozen peas
¾ c shredded carrots
¼ c fresh cilantro, chopped
½ cup salted peanuts
2 tsp minced fresh ginger, or 1 tsp powdered ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c light soy sauce
¼ c rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbs fresh lime juice, or 1 Tbs lime juice from bottle
½ tsp pepper

Add pasta to a pot of boiling water and cook until al dente, then drain and set aside. Cut chicken breasts into cubes the saute with 1 Tbs vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet until cooked through. Add ginger, garlic, peas carrots and peanuts and cook for an additional 1-2 min. Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice and pepper together in a separate bowl. Pour into skillet with the chicken then add the cooked pasta, green onions and cilantro, then stir fry until heated through and mixed evenly.

Source:  Whisked Away

Pepperoni Pizza Poppers

When I first came across this recipe, I knew it was going to be a keeper.  They are so quick and easy to make and totally a hit with the kids!  I wondered if the canned biscuits flavor would bother me (not a big fan them).  But between the butter, seasonings, cheese and pepperoni the canned biscuit taste was not an issue.  They totally get an adult thumbs up too.  They are a perfect appetizer, after school snack or fun way to mix up family pizza night.  You'll want to have some marinara sauce on hand to dip them in.  Here is my favorite recipe for homemade marinara sauce or you can go the store bought route.

Open a can of dough and flatten one biscuit with your hand.  Place a slice of pepperoni, square of cheese and another slice of pepperoni on the dough.

Fold the dough up around the cheese and pepperoni.

Press dough tightly around pepperoni.  Place on greased cookie sheet, seam side down.  Repeat until all biscuits are used.  Brush with garlic butter and bake.

Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.

Ingredients
3 cans Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits (10 biscuits per can)
pepperoni slices
Block of cheese
4 TBS butter, melted
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp dried parsley
2 TBS dried or 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
Marinara sauce, for dipping

Directions
Preheat oven to 425.  Cut the block of cheese into 30 thick squares.  Open a can of dough and flatten one biscuit with your hand.  Place a slice of pepperoni, square of cheese and another slice of pepperoni on the dough.  Fold the dough up around the cheese and pepperoni.  Press dough tightly around pepperoni.  Place on greased cookie sheet, seam side down.  Repeat until all biscuits are used.  In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, garlic salt and parsley.  Brush with garlic butter on rolls then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake at 425 for 18-20 minutes.Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.

Source:  The Gunny Sack

Garden Fresh BBQ Chicken Wrap

Salad season is in full swing!  A few weeks ago I came across this recipe for Smoked Turkey Cobb Wrap.  After wiping the drool off my computer screen, I had a light bulb moment.  Turn your favorite salad into a wrap!  My mind immediately raced to this beloved BBQ Chicken Salad recipe.  I knew it would be the perfect candidate for the transformation.  It's filling, full of flavor and packed with garden fresh goodness.  Perfect for a quick lunch or light summer dinner.  This one will definitely be put on repeat along with the Smoked Turkey Cobb Wrap!

For the chicken:
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp salt
dash of cayenne pepper
1 cup barbecue sauce

Mix olive oil and seasonings in a large ziploc bag. Add raw chicken and coat evenly. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in skillet and cook for 7 minutes. Turn chicken and cook an additional 7 minutes, or until cooked through. Pour half of BBQ sauce over chicken. Turn chicken over, and pour remaining sauce over the other side. Cook 2-3 minutes more while flipping the chicken and basting with additional sauce if necessary. Remove chicken to cutting board and shred into large chunks then set aside to cool.

For the Wrap:
6 tortilla wraps
mixed salad greens
cilantro, chopped
corn
black beans
Tomatoes, sliced
Avocado, sliced
Cooked BBQ chicken (see above), sliced
BBQ sauce
Ranch dressing

Lay out wrap.  Put 1-2 large handfuls of salad greens on the wrap.  Top each serving with corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, BBQ chicken, cheese and tortilla strips.  Drizzle with ranch dressing and BBQ sauce.  Roll up and secure with a toothpick.  Repeat for each wrap.

Grilled Chicken Margherita Pizza

I have to confess, I have an addiction.  I'm totally addicted to Naan bread pizza.  They are so quick and easy to make and the Naan bread is the perfect chewy crust.  This Prosciutto, Blackberry & Basil Pizza can be credited with starting this love affair and have been experimenting since then.  This Grilled Chicken Margherita Pizza is a real winner.  Simple, flavorful and perfect fora quick lunch of dinner.  You'll definitely want to try this.  Be warned though, you might get addicted.

Grilled Chicken:
1 large boneless chicken breast
salt & pepper
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes:
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon of olive oil
salt & pepper
Remaining Ingredients:
2 whole wheat naan flatbreads
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup of mozzarella cheese
½ cup of fresh basil, chopped

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400.  Slice cherry tomatoes in half.  Put in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place tomatoes on an oiled baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.  In the meantime, season 1 large boneless chicken breast with salt & pepper.  Place on a medium high grill and grill each side for 5-7 minutes, or until cooked through.  Remove from grill and let rest, slice into thin pieces once chicken has cooled enough to touch.  When the tomatoes are done, change oven temperature to 350.  Place 2 whole wheat naan flatbreads on a baking sheet.  Evenly spread the following between the two naan flatbreads, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, sliced chicken breast, and roasted cherry tomatoes.  Bake pizzas for 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted.  Remove from oven and sprinkle ½ cup of fresh chopped basil between the two pizzas.  Serve!

Source:  Joyful Healthy Eats

Skinny Orange Chicken

 

I love a good homemade Chinese dinner.  It always tastes better than takeout and can be made with a lot less calories.  One of our favorite family dinners is Sweet and Sour Chicken and I've been excited to try this new Skinny Orange Chicken.  It's full of flavor, quick and easy to make and will definitely be revisited often.

Ingredients
For the Chicken:
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken, cut into small chunks
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
orange chicken sauce (see below)
toppings: thinly-sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, orange zest

For the Orange Chicken Sauce:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. white pepper
zest of one orange
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Directions
For the Chicken:
Season chicken generously with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute for about 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and nearly cooked through.  Pour in the orange chicken sauce, and stir to combine. Let the sauce come to a boil, then boil for an additional minute or two until thickened. Remove from heat and serve immediately over quinoa or rice. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds and additional orange zest.

For the Orange Chicken Sauce:
Whisk all ingredients together until combined. If you would like the sauce to be even sweeter, add an extra 2-4 tablespoons of honey.

Source:  Gimme Some Oven 

Oriental Grilled Chicken Salad

I love this time of year!  The weather is getting warm, flowers are blooming and all the brown is turning to green.  It's the perfect time of year to start breaking out the salad recipes for a delicious, light dinner.  We recently had a women's activity at church and they had all these amazing salads for dinner.  This was one of my favorites.  I got the recipe and made it for dinner tonight and everyone loved it!  Well, everyone that normally loves salad.  My two non-salad eaters enjoyed a PBJ sandwich, as usual.  They have no idea what they are missing out on.  The rest of us didn't mind though because that meant more for us.

Dressing:
½ cup white vinegar
1 cup white sugar
1 TBS sesame oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 cup olive oil

Put sugar and vinegar in blender. Blend at low speed. While blending, add salt, pepper, and sesame oil. Turn the blender to high and gradually add the olive oil.

Salad:
2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and cut into bite size pieces
1-2 chicken breasts, grilled and cut into thin strips
½ red pepper, cut into strips
½ small red onion, cut into thin strips
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
2 or 3 handfuls of fried wonton strips
1 handful of caramelized almonds*

Put lettuce in salad bowl. Top with chicken pieces, red pepper, onion, and mandarin oranges. Just before serving, add the wonton strips and almonds. Pour dressing on top and serve. Do not toss!

* You can buy caramelized almonds, but I prefer to make them.  I think they taste better, are cheaper and super easy to make.  To make your own caramelized almonds, put 1 cup almond sliver and 1/2 cup white sugar in a small frying pan.  Heat over high heat, stirring constantly.  It won't look like anything is happening, but keep stirring.  After about two minutes, the sugar will suddenly turn caramel like.  Stir until almonds are evenly coated then remove from heat.  Pour out onto a greased sheet of parchment paper.  Spread out so that it is a thin single layer and let it cool while you make the salad.  When cooled, crumble over salad.  If you haven't eaten them all before then :)

Source:  Seidi Bennett

Biscuits n' Gravy Breakfast Pizza

I created this recipe several years ago.  We had a lazy Saturday morning ahead of us and I was going to make our favorite Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole.  When I pulled out what I thought was a can of crescent rolls, I was disappointed to discover that it was actually a can of biscuits.  The crowds were hungry so I started digging around to see what I could pull together to make this work.  After mixing in a dash of creativity, a little of this and that, 20 minutes later, breakfast was ready.  It was most definitely a hit!  It's been requested many times since then and has become a family favorite.  Necessity is the mother of invention.  Enjoy!

Preheat oven to 425.  Open the can of biscuits and lay them out on a piece of parchment paper in a flower shape.

Use a rolling pin to flatten out the biscuits.  Make sure there are no open gaps between the dough.

Spoon the gravy on over the dough, spread evenly.  Top with cooked sausage and bell pepper.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Slide the parchment paper onto a pizza stone and bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Ingredients
1 can of refrigerated biscuit dough
1 package of white country style gravy, prepared according to package directions
1 lb ground sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 425.  Lay the biscuits out on a piece of parchment paper in a flower shape.  Use a rolling pin to flatten out the biscuits.  Make sure there are no open gaps between the dough.  Spoon the gravy on over the dough, spread evenly.  Top with cooked sausage and bell pepper.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Creamy Spinach Tomato Tortellini

If you're looking for a quick and easy meal or side dish, that's full of flavor, you've got to try this!  This dish is sure to please everyone from kids to adults.  It's creamy, cheesy and is sure to leave a smile on your face.

1 (20 oz) pkg three cheese tortellini (preferably the refrigerated kind)
2 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can diced tomatoes undrained
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp dry oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 Tbsp finely shredded parmesan, plus more for serving
Red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)

Directions
Cook tortellini according to directions listed on package.  Meanwhile, in a large and deep skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds, then add flour and onion powder and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. While whisking, slowly pour in milk and cream, then whisk until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to simmer, then add tomatoes, spinach, basil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook several minutes longer until sauce has thickened and spinach has wilted. Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat.  Toss prepared and drained tortellini into sauce mixture.  Serve warm, sprinkled with additional parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes, if desired.

Source:  Cooking Classy

Cheesy Ravioli Bake

Okay guys, you've got to check this out!  The cheese alone has got me sold.  It's so cheesy!  We love lasagna but on a busy night, it's a little more time consuming than I have time for.  This dish is kind of like a lasagna cheat.  It comes together SO fast and tastes amazing!  Everyone was "oohing" and "aahing" when I pulled it out of the oven and every plate was licked clean.  Pick your favorite kind of ravioli, grab lots of cheese and don't forget the fresh basil!  Now go make some mouths happy!

Ingredients
2 bags frozen ravioli
1 jar marinara sauce
1/4 cup bread crumbs
16 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.  Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil and season with salt. Add the ravioli and cook according to package directions, removing it a few minutes earlier since it'll continue to cook in the oven. Drain and return to pot. Pour the marinara sauce over the ravioli and pour half of the ravioli into the baking dish. Spread out into an even layer. Sprinkle with half of the bread crumbs and top with half of the cheese slices and fresh basil. Place the remaining ravioli on top, spreading it out into an even layer and top with remaining bread crumbs and cheese slices and fresh basil.  Sprinkle with garlic salt.  Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Place it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes (watch carefully!) to brown the top.  Remove from oven.  Cool slightly and serve.

Source:  The Chic Site

One Pan Balsamic Chicken and Veggies

I love the idea of only getting only one pan dirty when I make dinner.  Who doesn't love minimal dinner clean up?  This Italian One Pot Wonder is a favorite one pot recipe.  When I came across this One Pan Balsamic Chicken and Veggies recipe, I knew we'd be good friends.  Instead of pasta, this recipe uses vegetables as a base, so makes for a lighter meal.   The recipe calls for fresh asparagus but fresh green beans work well too.  I like a lot of sauce, so I actually doubled the sauce.  If you're a saucy kind of person, I recommend doubling it for lots of flavor.  This is a quick and easy to make and clean up.  Oh, and it tastes fabulous too!

Ingredients
1/3 cup light Italian salad dressing
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into strips
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb fresh asparagus
1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots
1 cup grape tomatoes

Directions
In a mixing bowl whisk together salad dressing, balsamic vinegar, honey and red pepper flakes, set aside.  Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then place chicken evenly in skillet. Cook about 6 - 7 minutes, rotating once halfway through cooking, until chicken has cooked through.  Meanwhile, trim asparagus of tough ends and cut and tomatoes in half.  Add half the dressing mixture to skillet and rotate chicken to evenly coat. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Add asparagus and carrots to skillet, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp tender, about 4 minutes.  Put meat back in the skillet with the veggies.  Pour remaining dressing over meat and veggies.  Stir gently to coat and cook for another minute.  Remove from heat and serve warm.

Source:  Cooking Classy

Prosciutto, Blackberry & Basil Pizza

Pizza is a lot of wonderful things.  "Fancy" and "elegant" are usually not one of those things though.  I would have to say that this pizza falls into both of those categories, as pizza goes anyway.  I made it using pre-made flat bread.  Naan, to be specific.  Use your favorite flat bread or you can stick with a traditional homemade pizza crust.  (Get my pizza crust recipe here.)  The toppings for this pizza are fabulous!  Think of it as a modified Hawaiian pizza.  Swap out the pineapple for the blackberries and the the prosciutto for the ham and voila, you've got this lovely dish.  Totally working.  Totally delicious.  Totally fancy.  You totally need to try it.

Ingredients
2 pieces flat bread
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
8 pieces of Prosciutto
1 cup Blackberries, cut in half
¼ C Basil, chopped
soft mozzarella cheese, cubed
parmesan cheese, shredded


Directions
Preheat oven to 400.  Mix olive oil and mince garlic.  Spread garlic infused olive oil over flat bread.  Add prosciutto, blackberries, mozzarella cheese.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and basil.  Bake at 400 for 8 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and crust is golden brown.

Source:  Your Homebased Mom

BBQ Chicken Bundles

We love ham and cheese melts for a quick meal.  I had some leftover shredded BBQ chicken in the fridge the other and decided to see what I could make with it.  A light bulb came on and I decided to make a new version of an old favorite.  And that is how these cuties came to be.  They are a great quick meal, can be served as an appetizer or snack and go perfectly with a bowl of soup.  They are a hit with kids and adults alike!

Ingredients
1 can crescent roll dough
2 cups shredded BBQ chicken
8 small slices mozzarella cheese
BBQ sauce, for dipping

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Open crescent roll dough and unroll.  Separate dough triangles.  Place cheese on dough, near the wide end of the triangle.  Add a scoop of chicken on top of the cheese.  Roll up triangle, starting at the wide end.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, until golden brown.  Serve with BBQ sauce for dipping.

Ham & Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Years ago a friend of ours invited our family over for brunch.  I think it was around Christmas time, but I don't remember for sure.  The one thing I do remember though is this awesome breakfast casserole that she made.  You can trade out the ham for any meat you'd like.  Bacon and sausage are some other favorites I like to use.  You can also try different cheeses and throw in some veggies as well.  Mushrooms, peppers and onions are a great addition.  Here's the basic recipe though.  I'm sure it'll be a hit!

Ingredients
1 can of crescent roll dough
1 cup cooked ham, cubed
8 oz shredded cheese
1/2 cup milk
5 eggs
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Press crescent rolls into greased 9X13 pan.  Sprinkle ham and cheese over dough.  In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Mix well and pour over ham and cheese.  Use a spoon to gently spread egg mixture evenly.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until egg is set.

Source:  Lara Nielsen

Battered Ciabatta Ham and Cheese Melt

My amazing sister is living this amazing dream of spending two years in New Zealand with her family.  I say "wow" with every picture she posts on Instagram.  The experiences they are having, the things they are seeing, the places they are going...it is truly incredible!  In the midst of all this amazingness, she has become this amazing cook as well.  Actually she's always been a great cook but she's really uped the ante.  I have yet to try one of her recipes that doesn't get added to my list of repeats.  She recently went on a girls trip to Australia and on the way home, had this fabulous sandwich at the airport, of all places.  She quickly came home and recreated it and then was kind enough to share it with the world.  I may or may not have drooled when I first saw the picture she posted.  We had a chilly, rainy day recently and it was the perfect night for a big bowl of Tomato Bisque and this lovely, melty, cheesy sandwich.  Just so you know, the soup is a must with this sandwich.  I tried adding some dijon mustard to the sandwich and loved it!  It's great without the mustard too, if you're not a fan.  Our tummies were very happy when we went to bed that night, dreaming of far away adventures in New Zealand.

6 ciabatta rolls
4 eggs
1 Tbs milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb deli shaved ham
12 slices Mozzarella or Swiss cheese
6 tsp dijon mustard, optional

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk together eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper. Cut rolls in half lengthwise and dip each side in egg mixture then arrange on skillet. Cook each side for 3-4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Preheat oven to broil. Layer ham onto the bottom rolls, top with a slice of cheese and broil for about 2 minutes, or until cheese starts to melt. Add the top rolls and top each with an additional slice of cheese. Return to oven and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble. Enjoy warm out of the oven, or dipped in a bowl of Tomato Bisque Soup.

Source:  Whisked Away

Zucchini Pizza Boats

I know, I know...another "healthy" pizza recipe.  These are so pretty and yummy though, I just have to share.  I promise to post a cheesy, calorie laden pizza next Friday with nothing healthy in sight.  Deal?  Deal.  Okay, about these zucchini pizza boats.  I've had my eye on this recipe for a while.  The other day for lunch I was trying to come up with a something healthy and tasty and remembered these little gems.  I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand and decided to whip some up.  They were fast and easy to make, look beautiful and taste fabulous!  I doubt I could pass them off on pizza night with the kids, but they definitely have their own little niche in my pizza book.

INGREDIENTS
4 medium zucchini
½ cup marinara or pizza sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
¼ red onion, sliced
¼ cup olives, chopped
½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
garlic salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 F.  Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the inside seeds.  To help them lay flat on the pan, you can also cut a piece off the bottom of the "boat" to create a flat surface.  Spread a light layer of sauce inside each zucchini.  Top with onions, olives, and tomatoes.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until zucchini is tender (but not mushy).  Top with basil and and feta cheese and serve.

Source:  In Sonnet's Kitchen

Easy Oven Fajitas

I love fajitas.  And I love finding a delicious recipe for fajitas that frees me up to do other things.  This is a brilliant idea!  Slice up your veggies and meat (you can always do this ahead of time if you know you've got a busy evening ahead of you.  Mix in some seasonings and then throw it in the oven to bake while you cook a side dish, help kids with homework, clean up the kitchen, finish the laundry, play mommy taxi driver, scrub a toilet or kick back and relax for a while.  Take your pick.  Fixing dinner won't have to be on your list though!

Ingredients
Seasoning:
1 TBS chili powder
½ TBS paprika
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cumin
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
½ TBS corn starch
Fajitas:
1 onion
3 bell peppers, any color
1 1/2 lb. chicken breast
2 TBS olive oil
1 lime
8 tortillas
optional toppings - sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, olives, cheese, cilantro, lime juice

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix all of the ingredients for the fajita seasoning in a small bowl and set aside.  Cut the onion and bell peppers into strips. Place them in a 9×13 baking dish. Slice the chicken breast into very thin strips and add it to the casserole dish with the vegetables.  Sprinkle the seasoning over the meat and vegetables. Drizzle the vegetable oil over everything and then use your hands to toss the ingredients until everything is well coated in oil and seasoning. Bake uncovered at 400 for 35-40 minutes. Squeeze the juice from half of the lime over top of the meat and vegetables after it comes out of the oven, stir gently.  Scoop a small amount of meat and vegetables into the center of each tortilla. Top with any additional toppings you'd like.

As a Freezer Meal:
Slice the veggies and chicken.  Place in a gallon sized freezer ziploc bag.  Mix the seasonings together.  Pour olive oil and seasonings into bag.  Seal bag and mix to with hands to coat evenly.  Lay flat in freezer to store.  When ready to use.  You can thaw it and cook according to directions above.  To cook frozen, remove from bag and place in baking dish.  Bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes, until cooked through.

Source:  Budget Bytes