Our Blissfully Delicious Life

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

2013-03-25T14:12:00.000-04:00

These little waffles are a new favorite in our house! They are such a fun treat for breakfast and they are so incredibly easy to make. All you need is a store bought can of cinnamon rolls and a waffle iron!

Ingredients:

1 can of Refrigerated Cinnamon Rolls

Directions:

Preheat the waffle iron. I have a Belgian Waffle maker with a browning control knob. I set the browning knob to 5 1/2. You can make these just the same with a regular waffle iron too. Place a cinnamon roll towards of the center of the waffle maker. I made 2 at a time, just make sure that they are not touching when you put them in the waffle maker. Close the waffle iron and cook until the the timer sounds. Drizzle the warm cinnamon roll waffles with the icing. Enjoy!!

Tortilla Pizzas

2013-03-09T09:45:00.000-05:00

These are a favorite of mine. Not just because they are insanely easy but because they are delicious! They are light & crispy and they only take 10 minutes to make, which can really help on nights when you need dinner on the fly! Serve these with a salad & voila`, dinner is served! This combination is one of my personal favorites, but you can use any of your favorite pizza toppings. I used olive oil for the base but for a quick pizza sauce, combine a small can (8oz) of tomato sauce with a little dried oregano and garlic powder. (I never really measure the spices, just add some in, stir & taste.) There is no need to cook it, just mix it together & spread on the tortilla. It will cook with the rest of the toppings on the pizza. As my 6 year old says, "Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy"! Oh, and did I mention that these are low cal? Yep, 2 of these little pizzas are about 500 calories depending on the topping that you choose. Not bad for yummy pizza dinner, huh?!?

Ingredients:

Small Flour Tortilla (Soft Taco Size)

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Minced Garlic, to taste

1/4 cup Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella

1 piece of thinly sliced deli ham

Thinly sliced Onion

(Or your toppings of choice)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a tortilla on a sheet pan (I lined my with tinfoil for easy clean up.). Place a little minced garlic on the tortilla & pour a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over the top. Spread the olive oil & garlic evenly around the tortilla.

Top with 1/4 cup Part- Skim Mozzarella Cheese, make sure to not add too much cheese. It will weigh down the tortilla & it won't come out crispy. This is actually one of the few recipes that I really do measure out the ingredients!

Then top with the ham & onions.

Bake for 10 minutes, at 400 degrees.

Allow to cool slightly on the pan before slicing.

Enjoy!

White Cheddar & Green Olive Pimento Cheese

2013-02-04T13:13:00.000-05:00

If you've been to the south, chances are you've had Pimento Cheese. I grew up loving pimento cheese sandwiches but it's great on toast, crackers & apples slices too. If you really want something spectacular, butter up some bread & sandwich this stuff between it for an awesome grilled cheese! There are all kinds of ways to make pimento cheese. You can use any kind of cheese you like. But this is pimento cheese, my way, with my favorites- sharp, white cheddar cheese & pimento stuffed green olives yum, yum, yum! Add in some crackers & here's a great summer snack or appetizer! I also made this a low(er) fat version. Feel free to substitute regular, full fat versions for any of these ingredients.

Ingredients:

8 oz Sharp, White Cheddar Cheese (I used Cabot's New York White Cheddar)

8 oz 50% Reduced Fat White Cheddar (I used Cabot's)

8 oz 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup Pimento Stuffed Spanish Green Olives

1/2 cup Reduced Fat Mayonnaise (I use Duke's brand)

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

Serving Options:

bread, crackers, apple slices, celery

Directions:

Shred the cheddar cheeses. Coarsely chop the green olives. Combine all the ingredients in a small- medium sized bowl. Serve immediately or store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

Note: This recipe makes quite a bit of Pimento Cheese, you can easily half the recipe for less. But I recommend making a whole batch, it will keep for a while in the refrigerator!

Brown Sugar & Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin

2012-08-22T10:29:00.000-04:00

This is a recipe that I found via Pinterest (one of my many obsessions). It looked so yummy that even though I am not much of a pork eater, I had to try it. I am so glad I did! It was fabulous! I honestly don't think I've ever cooked anything pork, other than bacon. And possibly a ham?!? But even that, I'm not a hug fan of. My husband makes the BEST Smoked Pork BBQ (NC Style of course) but that's the extent my culinary experiences with pork...until now. This recipe just might make me a pork convert. C + C Marriage Factory is the site that I found this recipe & consequently these pictures that summoned me to try it. I've seen it all over the web, with lots of people using pork loin roasts too. I have only tried it with a tenderloin so far though. This is really so yummy & such an easy recipe, you've got to give it a try!

Ingredients:

1, 2 lb Pork Tenderloin

1 tsp Ground Sage

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

1 clove Garlic, crushed

1/2 cup Water

For the Glaze:

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Cornstarch

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup Water

2 tbsp Soy Sauce

Directions:

Trim the silver skin & extra fat off the pork. Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl. Then rub over the roast. Place it in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for the glaze in small sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture thickens. Brush roast with the glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

** Note: Just before I brushed the roast with the glaze, I drained the excess liquid from the slow cooker. If you don't have a lot of liquid, don't worry about doing that.

Enjoy!!

Roasted Tomatoes with Bread Crumbs & Parmesan Cheese

2012-08-12T11:06:00.002-04:00

This is one of my personal favorites. Especially later in the summer when there are tons & tons of ripe fresh tomatoes to use. You can use large slicing tomatoes or Roma tomatoes, just pick up any ripe slicing tomato at the Farmers Market or grocery store that you like. I found this recipe about a year ago and have made it over & over. I even took pictures to share with you...but that was probably almost a year ago. And I have no idea what I did with those pics. So I'll share the pics from the site that I originally found the recipe, Circle B Kitchen. As usual, mine wouldn't have turned out as beautifully as these anyway. It sure is a good thing that I can cook because I am definitely not a photographer. Anyways- my recipe is a little different but the method is same. And really, this is one of those things that you don't even need a recipe for. There is no need to measure any of it out. Just eye ball it, mix it all up, top some sliced tomatoes & bake. Easy peasy! It makes for a great side dish but I love then on top of my Spaghetti with Garlic. Yummmm. Seriously one of my all time favorite meals!

Ingredients:
** See Note Below

1 1/2 lbs Ripe Slicing Tomatoes

1 cup Plain Panko Bread Crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

2 tsp Dried Italian Seasoning

1 tsp Granulated Garlic

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Olive Oil, to drizzle

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the tomatoes about 1/4 of an inch thick & lay flat on a sheet pan. (I use a foil lined sheet pan for easy clean up!)

Mix together the Panko, Parmesan, Italian Seasoning, Granulated Garlic, Salt & Pepper. Evenly top the sliced tomatoes with the bread crumb topping mixture.
Drizzle the topped tomatoes with a little olive oil & bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are nice & golden brown.

* Note: Honestly, I do not measure here. I use about a teaspoon of Panko Bread Crumbs per tomato slice, then add half as much Parmesan Cheese as I did of the Panko. (If I have 6 slices of tomatoes then I'd use 6 heaping teaspoons of Panko & 3 heaping teaspoons of Parmesan.) Then I add in the dried Italian season, garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste. You can adjust the amounts according the size of tomatoes that you use.

I usually serve these on top of my Spaghetti with Garlic.
Enjoy!!

Chicken Tamale Pie

2012-05-25T12:54:00.002-04:00

I've had this recipe on my "To Try" list for a while now. Doesn't it look delicious?!? It's basically a deconstructed (and much easier to make) tamale. It doesn't taste exactly like a traditional tamale because, well, it's not one. But it's got all the flavors there. I finally made it last week & we all LOVED it. It was so good, I'm sure it will become a regular in our house. It's got a yummy corn bread bottom topped with enchilada sauce, chicken & cheese. Yum! I think the original recipe came from Cooking Light, but this is the one that I had saved to try. It's from Pinch of Yum. I love her photos so I had to share one but I'm also including my finished product too. I am clearly a less talented photographer/ food stylist, but rest assured it tasted fantastic!! I'm listing the recipe the way that I made it, which is slightly different than the original so make sure you check it out too. I used chicken & black beans. I also used a round braising pan to bake it in. Pinch of Yum did hers in a pie plate. But you can use any casserole type dish that you'd like & substitute ingredients per taste!

Ingredients:

1, 8.5oz box Corn Muffin Mix (I used Jiffy brand)

1 egg

1/3 cup Milk

1, 14 3/4oz can Creamed Corn

1, 4oz can chopped Green Chilies, drained

1, 10oz can Red Enchilada Sauce

1, packet of Taco Seasoning, separated

1-2 cups cooked Chicken Breast, shredded

1, 15oz can Black Beans, drained

1 cup Cheese, shredded (I used a pre-shredded Mexican blend)

Optional toppings:

Avocado, sliced

Sour Cream

Lettuce, shredded

Tomatoes, chopped

Black Olives, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. (I used a 4 quart braiser.)

2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the corn muffin mix, egg, milk, green chilies, creamed corn, & 2 heaping teaspoons of taco seasoning.

3. Pour the corn muffin mixture in the prepared dish & bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until just barely set & golden brown.

4. While the corn muffin mixture is baking prepare your chicken/ bean mixture. There are several options here. You can bake a chicken breast, shred it & mix it with the taco seasoning & black beans. You could use a store bought rotisserie chicken, shred it, then mix it with the taco seasoning & black beans. You could use left over chicken. Or you can do what I did, ahead of time. I put a large, boneless, skinless chicken breast in the crock pot with a half of a thinly sliced onion, 1/4 cup of chicken broth (or water) & the rest of the taco seasoning. I cooked it on high for 3-4 hrs, until it easily shredded easily with a fork. Then I mixed in the black beans.

5. After the corn bread mixture has baked, pierce it generously, all over with a fork. (Don't worry if it sticks a little, no one will see this layer!) Pour the entire can of enchilada sauce evenly over the top. Go as spicy as you like here. I used mild.

6. Add the chicken & black bean mixture on top of the sauce drenched corn bread & sprinkle the shredded cheese on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Let sit for at least 5 minutes to set before serving. I liked mine with sliced avocado. But the little one love hers with sour cream. The hubs, of course, drenched his in his favorite Cholula sauce.

This serves 8, or 6 if you have really big eaters. Enjoy!

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

2012-05-16T16:58:00.000-04:00

This is a Hellmann's Mayonnaise original recipe that I stumbled upon on The Enchanted Cook's website. It has become a weekly staple in our household over the past few months. It's quick & very easy to make. Even more importantly, everyone loves it! It only has 4 ingredients & I bet just about everyone always has them all on hand now. While I seem to be able to make it about once a week, I have not taken pictures. So I'm using these lovely ones from The Enchanted Cook. Besides, she did an amazing job photographing the dish, I see no reason for me redo them! You should check out her blog as well. There are lots of yummy ideas over there!

Ingredients:

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

1/2 cup Mayonnaise (Light or Regular)

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded

4 tsp Italian Seasoned Dry Breadcrumbs

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise & the Parmesan cheese.

Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish. Spread the Parmesan/ mayo mixture evenly on top of the chicken breasts.

Lightly season with salt & pepper, then sprinkle the seasoned breadcrumbs over top. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Perfectly crisp, moist chicken every time!

Yummm!! Enjoy!

Bubble Up Pizza

2012-04-22T14:30:00.000-04:00

First, let me point out that these are not my pictures. I found on them on PasstheSushi.com. Their recipe is slightly different than mine, but it's basically the same. You should check out their site, there are lots of other delicious recipes to look at too!

This Bubble Up Pizza is such an easy, fun recipe! I had to share it, even if I didn't take the pictures myself! It appears to be an old recipe but I had never heard of it before. There are several versions floating around but they all the same basic ingredients. We tried it last week & everyone loved it. We make pizza just about every Friday night but occasionally I want to change it up. This is the perfect compromise. My daughter still gets her pizza fix, but we also get some variety. It is super easy to make. I let my little one add the cheese & toppings, just like she would if we were making a pizza. You can even give the kids kitchen shears & let them cut up the dough! Add in your favorite pizza toppings & make it to your preference. You really can't go wrong with this one. I was concerned about the dough aspect, I thought biscuits with pizza ingredients would be odd. But it wasn't, at all! In fact, if I hadn't made it myself, I wouldn't have guess it was made out of biscuit dough! It tastes just like a thick crust pizza & it is yummy! I made my own pizza sauce, but you could easily use a jarred pizza or pasta sauce too. Give this bubble up pizza a try, you will not be disappointed!

Ingredients:

3- 7.5oz cans of Refrigerated Biscuits (or 2- 12oz cans)

1- 15oz can of Tomato Sauce

1 tsp Dried Oregano

1 tsp Granulated Garlic

2 1/2 cups Mozzarella, shredded

Pizza Toppings (optional): pepperoni, ham, sausage, mushrooms, olives, onions, etc.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven according to the biscuit packaging's instructions. (The kind I used was to 400 degrees.) Grease a casserole dish or oven save skillet. (I used a 9X13 glass casserole dish coated with nonstick spray.)

2. In a bowl, combine the tomato sauce with the Dried Oregano & Granulated Garlic. (I didn't really measure the seasonings, I just add them to taste.)

3. Cut the biscuits in half or quarter. (I halved them because I used the smaller biscuits. If you use larger ones, you'll want to quarter them.)

4. Combine the cut up biscuit dough with 3/4 of the pizza sauce, 1/2 of the cheese, & 1/2 of your toppings. (We used ham, black olives & onion.) Toss to coat well & pour evenly into the casserole dish or skillet.

5. Top with remaining sauce, cheese & toppings, just like a regular pizza.

6. Bake in a preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the biscuits are fully cooked. (This will take longer to cook than the directions on the biscuits.)

7. Let cool slightly before serving & enjoy!!

This recipe makes 6-8 servings.

Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken

2012-01-22T08:24:00.002-05:00

This is a fun, family pleasing recipe! There are several different versions of it floating around but this is mine. If you like my Chicken Enchilada Dip, then you are going love this! It is so easy to make, there's no prep work involved. Throw everything in the crock pot & let it go...Perfect for busy weeknight dinners!

Ingredients:

2 Large or 3 Small Boneless & Skinless Chicken Breasts

1, 10 oz can Red Enchilada Sauce

4 oz (1/2 block) Cream Cheese

8 oz (1/2 jar) Salsa

1, 15.25 oz can Black Beans, drained

1 1/2 cup Frozen Corn

Directions:

Spray the inside of a crock pot with nonstick spray. (I'm not sure that this is necessary but I do it.) Pour 1/2 of the can of Enchilada sauce in the bottom. Place the chicken breasts inside (I even put them in frozen!)

Then pour the rest of the sauce over the chicken. This is the enchilada sauce that I usually use. If you like spicy, get the medium or hot!

Place the cover on & turn the crock pot on.

The following will depend on the type of crock pot that you use. One of mine is medium sized & just has ON & OFF. No low, high, etc. With that one I cook the chicken in the enchilada sauce for about 4 hours. With my other, larger, crock pot; I would cook it on low for about 8 hours or high for 4. Once the chicken is fully cooked, you can easily shred with a fork. I stick a fork or a silicone spatula in the crock pot & just break it apart. Then add in the cream cheese, salsa, black beans, & corn. Stir to combine. Cover & continue to cook 45 minutes or so.

I serve it over my Mexican Rice.

We love to top it off with my Tomato & Avocado Salad!!

This makes 4-6 servings, depending on how you choose to serve it.

Lasagna Soup

2011-12-02T16:25:00.000-05:00

The weather has cooled off & winter is upon us! In this house, that means it's time to make soup! This lasagna soup is a new favorite this year. Usually, I take my own photos & show you step my step how to make the recipe. But (as you might have noticed by the lack of posts) I have become insanely busier now that Miss Hannah is in kindergarten. I'm running, running, running all day long. We're still having a blast cooking together, I just don't get to take photo's & blog about it as much. With that said, let me be clear- these are not my pictures! Here is the website where I originally found the recipe & with it, these wonderful photos: A Farm Girl's Dabbles. I changed the recipe to suite my family's tastes, but you should definitely check out how she makes hers too. Either way, this is some yummy stuff! If you like lasagna, then you are going to love this soup!

Ingredients:

1 lb Lean Ground Beef

1 Yellow Onion, chopped

4 cloves of Garlic, minced

1, 28 oz can Diced Tomatoes

1, 6 oz can Tomato Paste

4 cups of Water

3 tsp dried Italian Seasoning

2 tsp Granulated Garlic Powder

Salt & Pepper

Drizzle of Olive Oil

Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped

8 oz of Pasta (I recommend elbow, fusilli, or mafalda) cooked al dente & drained

8 oz Ricotta Cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded

2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Directions:

In a large dutch oven or pot, drizzle a bit of olive oil & heat to med-high heat. Add in the ground beef & season with a little salt & pepper. Stir to break up the meat. When the meat starts to brown, turn the heat to medium & add in the onion. Cook until the meat is no longer pink & the onion is soft. Add in the garlic & cook 1-2 minutes. Add in the dried herbs & garlic, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, & water. Stir to combine. Taste & adjust seasonings as needed. Allow soup to simmer while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

In a small bowl, combine the Ricotta & Parmesan cheeses. Season with a little salt & pepper, then set aside.

When you are ready to serve, add the cooked & drained pasta & the fresh parsley to the soup. (You don't want to add the pasta too soon or it will become mushy!) Stir well to combine.

To serve, place a large dollop of the Ricotta & Parmesan mixture in the bottom of each soup bowl. Sprinkle mozzarella on then ladle the hot soup over top. Yummmmm!!

This recipe makes 8 servings.

Halloween!!

2011-10-31T09:49:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween! Here are some of our family favorites to get you in the mood. Click on the link below each picture to see how their made. We hope everyone has a spooktacular holiday!

Spaghetti & Hot Dog Spiders

Witch's Wands

Corn Candy Shaped Pizza

Mummy Dogs

Ghoulishly Fun Halloween Cookies

Pumpkin Shaped Tortilla Chips

Pretzel Bones

2011-10-30T19:31:00.000-04:00

These are so yummy, and a fun treat for Halloween. Just follow the instrustions for my Homemade Soft Pretzels but instead of shaping into pretzel form, roll into strips & then tie each end in a knot.

Like this!

So fun & yummy!!

Mummy Dogs

2011-10-30T19:19:00.000-04:00

These are a Halloween favorite in our house! I make them every year. They are so simple & everyone loves them...and they are oh so cut too!!

Ingredients:

Crescent Rolls

Hot Dogs

Cut the crescent into strips.

Wrap the hot dogs in the crescent strips, leaving a little space for a face.

Bake according to the crescent package's instructions.

Place 2 dots of ketchup or mustard for the mummy's eyes & serve with a web of ketchup & mustard.

Happy Halloween!!

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

2011-09-28T09:43:00.000-04:00

These are not your ordinary, run of the mill mashed potatoes! These are The Pioneer Woman's Creamy Mashed Potatoes and they are fabulous! The only changes that I made to The Pioneer Woman's original recipe is that I used red potatoes, and I didn't bother to peal them. If you use a russet or anything with a thicker skin, then I would recommend peeling them. But if you go with red or Yukon gold, there's really no need. These are the ultimate in creamy, tangy, buttery, mashed potato yumminess. I love that you can make them in advance, perfect for entertaining! Give these a try, you will not be disappointed!!

Ingredients:

5 lbs Red Potatoes

1, 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup Heavy Cream

2 sticks of Butter

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Wash the potatoes & cut in half or quarter, depending on the size of the potatoes. Place in a large pot & cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat & cook until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes.

While the potatoes are boiling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees & generously butter a large casserole dish. (I halved the recipe so you would need a larger casserole for the whole recipe.)

When the potatoes are fork tender, drain & place back into the pot, on the stove with the heat off. Mash until smooth.

Add in 1 1/2 sticks of butter, the heavy cream, the cream cheese & season with salt & pepper. Stir to combine well.

Spread the mashed potatoes into the buttered casserole dish evenly. Then top with a few pats of butter. Do not skip this part! Trust me!! (If you want to make these in advance, you can stop here. Cover & refrigerate the casserole dish. When you are ready to eat, pull the potatoes out of the refrigerator & bring to room temperature. Then continue with the directions below.)

Bake at 350 degrees uncovered, until the potatoes are warmed through & the top is browned, about 20-30 minutes.

Let the potatoes sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!!

This recipe serves 10-12 people.

(I halved the recipe for these pictures!)

Braised Short Ribs

2011-09-22T10:03:00.001-04:00

Fall weather swept in this past weekend & I didn't hesitate a second on capitalizing on it with some fall like cooking! My family was coming over for dinner so I decided to braise some short ribs. I couldn't decided on any 1 recipe to follow, so I combined several different methods & let me tell you- this is a fabulous way to make short ribs! The sauce is amazing & the meat is so tender it literally falls off the bones. It is so easy, in fact, the most difficult part of the recipe is getting the meat out of the pot still attached to the bone! It takes a bit of time to make but the oven does all the work. The only secret to this recipe is in the last steps. I take the ribs out of the braising liquid & bake them for a few minutes before serving. It crisps up the exterior of the meat creating a lovely texture. I found this wonder tip on Smitten Kitchen.com. There are some excellent photos you should check out here too! I didn't take pictures while I was cooking, I didn't intend to be blogging about it when I made it. But it really is such a good recipe, I had to share it. Besides it really is so simple, you won't even miss the step by step photos. I served them on top of Creamy Mashed Potatoes but butter egg noodles or rice would be good too.

Ingredients:

6-7 lbs Bone In Short Ribs, excess fat trimmed off

2 Medium Sized Onions, quartered

20 (or so) Baby Carrots, whole

6 cloves of Garlic, whole, peeled

2 cups Red Wine

1, 32 oz container Beef Broth

1, 6 oz can Tomato Paste

2 tbsp- 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

8-10 sprigs of fresh Thyme

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the short ribs in a single layer on a sheet pan. Season well with salt & pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven, drizzle a tablespoon or so of olive oil & turn the heat to medium. Add the quartered onions & carrots & cook until they are tender. Add in the garlic cloves & continue to cook for 1 minute. Add in the wine & cook until it has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add in the tomato paste, beef broth, balsamic vinegar & half of the fresh thyme. Stir to incorporate.

After 15 minutes, remove the short ribs from the oven & reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Add the short ribs to the dutch oven, with the bones standing upright. Place the other half of the thyme in the pot, on top of the meat. Cover & place in a 325 degree oven for 3 hours. You'll know the meat is done when it is easily pierced with a knife or fork.

Take the pot out of the oven & allow to sit for 15 minutes or so. (If you want to make this a day ahead. This is where you would stop. Simply allow it to come to room temperature & refrigerate. When you are ready to finish, simply pull it out of the refrigerator, skim the fat solid that has congealed on the top & bring to a simmer on the stove top. Then continue below.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Carefully, remove the ribs from the dutch oven & place on a sheet pan. (While you are pulling out the ribs, also pull out all the stems from the fresh thyme!!) Bake the ribs until browned, about 10-15 minutes. Check it out- my brother did managed to snap a picture of the ribs, just out of the oven!

While the ribs are browning, ladle as much fat off the top of the braising liquid as you can. (If you made this a day ahead, you will have already done this.) Continue to simmer the sauce to thicken. If you sauce is too thick, you can thin it with more broth or water. Taste & adjust your seasonings.

To serve, I like to place a big scoop of creamy mashed potatoes in the center of a shallow bowl or plate. Put 2 short ribs on the side of the mashed potatoes & spoon some of the thickened braising liquid over top of it all. YUM! This serves 6-8.

Cheesy Baked Ravioli with Spinach

2011-09-07T11:08:00.000-04:00

Store bought ravioli is one of my favorite short cuts to keep on hand for busy nights. I try to keep a bag of it in the freezer for nights that I need something easy & quick. This is one of my favorite things to make with it. I slightly adapted the recipe from Cook's Country. It's simple, quick & everyone loves it. Perfect for a busy week night. I make a simple tomato sauce while the ravioli boils then let my daughter load it up with cheese before placing it in the oven. I used a 4 cheese filled ravioli but you could also use meat or veggie filled. They all would be good. Give this a try- you'll love it too!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp Butter

2 cloves of Garlic, minced

1, 28 oz can of Diced Tomatoes

7 oz bag of Spinach

1/3 cup Half & Half (you could also use Heavy Cream)

1 lb Frozen Ravioli (any flavor)

1 cup Mozzarella, shredded

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray a 9 X 13 casserole with non-stick spray & set aside. In a large, deep skillet melt the butter & olive oil together over medium heat. Add in the garlic & cook for 30 seconds then stir in the canned tomatoes, with all their juices. Continue to cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Don't worry, it will be bubbly!!

When the tomato sauce has thickened, add in the spinach & stir to wilt.

Then add in the half & half and season with salt & pepper.

Meanwhile cook the ravioli according to the package directions, draining it a minute or 2 early. It will continue to cook when it bakes in the sauce. (Make sure that you do not over cook the ravioli here or it will be mushy.)

When the ravioli is cooked, drain & add to the creamy sauce. Gently fold to coat well.

Pour the ravioli mixture into the greased casserole dish. Top with the shredded cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted & browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!

This recipe makes 8 servings.

Cheesy Bacon Biscuits

2011-08-10T09:49:00.000-04:00

Here is a super quick & easy breakfast dish; just the type thing I'm making these days. My baby girl started kindergarten last week so our morning routine has changed drastically. No more leisurely week day breakfasts for us! These yummy biscuits are perfect for busy school & work day mornings. You can even make them ahead of time & reheat individual portions in the microwave. I like to scramble up some eggs while they are baking to round out the meal. But the biscuits are hearty enough to be breakfast by themselves! I also like to make these when we do breakfast for dinner with eggs & my Mini Hash Browns.

Ingredients:

1 Can of Refrigerated Biscuits (8 count)

1 1/2- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded

6 pieces of Bacon, cooked & crumbled

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or according the biscuit can's instructions). Spray a pie plate, shallow casserole dish, or cast iron skillet with non stick cooking spray. Pop open the can of biscuits & place them beside each other in one layer on the bottom of the prepared dish.

Top with shredded cheese.

Then add the bacon.

And add a little more cheese, just for good measure. :)

Bake for 13-17 minutes, according biscuit's instructions.

Enjoy!!

I found this fun dish over on Picky Palate's blog. She made hers in a cast iron skillet & has several lovely pictures that you should check out!

Yakitori (Teriyaki Chicken Skewers)

2011-07-29T09:35:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you!! It's quickly become new favorite in our house this summer & I know you all will love it too. The sauce is so simple but so delicious! It comes together quickly on the stove while the chicken is on the grill. Brushing the glazed sauce over the chicken just at the last minute while on the grill caramelizes it over the chicken. It is so yummy!! If you have a hard time finding Mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine) you can substitute white wine. You may want to add a little more sugar if you do, since Mirin is sweeter than most other white wines, but it'll work just fine. This is such a quick & easy recipe- it's perfect for any day of the week!!

Ingredients:

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1" pieces

1 Large, Yellow Onion

1/2 cup Soy Sauce

1/2 Cup Water

4 tbsp Mirin

6 tbsp Sugar

3/4 tsp Cornstarch

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

2-3 tsp Freshly Grated Ginger

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds (optional)

Skewers

Directions:

If using bamboo skewers, don't forget to soak them in water!

In a small sauce pan, whisk to combine the soy sauce, water, mirin, ginger, garlic, sugar & cornstarch over medium heat. Simmer, whisking often, until the sauce has thickened & reduced.

Turn off the heat until the chicken is ready.

Meanwhile, assemble the kebobs. Quarter the onion & peel each layer apart. Then cut the larger, outer layers in half so all the pieces are about the same size as the chicken.

Traditionally, green onion would be used for this but we just love the flavor of regular onion on the grill!

Thread the chicken & onion pieces, alternating onto the kebobs. We get about 2 kebobs per chicken breast.

Season the assembled kebobs with salt & pepper & grill. When the kebobs are just about finished cooking, brush all sides of the kebobs with the sauce & rotate, making sure all side are coated & grilled. Transfer to a platter & brush again with the sauce.

Pour the remaining sauce in a bowl & serve at the table.

Garnish with some toasted sesame seeds, if desired & serve!

I like to serve this with steamed white rice & broccoli roasted with garlic & ginger. YUM!!

I developed this recipe from Cook's Country's Grilled Chicken Teriyaki.

Peanut Butter, Oatmeal & Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-07-22T15:01:00.001-04:00

Do yourself a favor & make these ~~a.s.a.p~~. ~~today~~ now!! I bet you have everything that you need in your pantry. And they are so quick & easy. But oh man. They are really, really good. I mean peanut butter, oatmeal & chocolate chips...how could they not be?!? They are perfectly soft & chewy. Trust me, you'll be thanking me in about 10-15 minutes when these are coming out of your oven!!

Ingredients:

1 cup Flour (All Purpose)

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Butter (1 stick), at room temperature
1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

1/2 cup White, Granulated Sugar

1/3 cup Light, Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 egg

1/2 cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda & salt. Set aside.

With a mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter, peanut butter, both sugars, & vanilla extract, about 3 minutes.

Add the egg & beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add in the flour mixture until just combined.

Stir in the oats & then the chocolate chips. I used mini chocolate chips & loved them in it.

Use a large cookie scoop (or about 3 tbsp) & drop onto the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Take care not to over cook these. They may not look 'done' when you pull them out but they will continue to cook some as they cool.

Cool completely on the baking sheet.

Enjoy!!

This makes about 16, good sized cookies. I found this wonderful cookie recipe on the Brown Eyed Baker's site. Check her out, she has lots of other goodies too!!

Fusilli with Spinach, Tomatoes, & Parmesan Cheese

2011-07-13T10:45:00.000-04:00

This is a great summer pasta dish that I've been making for years. It only has a few ingredients & comes together in minutes making it perfect for week nights. You can serve it as a main dish or as a side with grilled chicken or fish. It's a great way to get more spinach in your diet too! Even my 5 year old, who has a fear of all things green, loves it. I slightly adapted this from Giada De Laurentiis.

Ingredients:

1 lb Fusilli Pasta

1 9-10 oz bag Fresh Spinach, coarsely chopped

1/2 pint Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1 cup Fresh Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of generously salted boiling water, until al dente. You want it tender but firm to the bite. Drain the pasta & reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a large chefs pan or deep skillet. Heat to medium & add the minced garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn.

Add the chopped spinach & halved tomatoes.

Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes.

Turn down the heat & add the drained pasta.

Toss well. Then add the reserved pasta water, 1/2 of the cheese, & toss. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Serve immediately, topped with the reserved Parmesan Cheese.

Yumm!! This makes 4 main coarse servings.

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

2011-07-02T15:42:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday America & Happy Birthday to our little blog! Our Blissfully Delicious Life is officially 1 year old! With over 150 recipes & 23,000 hits, I'd say it's been a good year!! To celebrate, we made these super cute cupcakes. They were so easy, I used a store bought cake mix & frosting. Truth be told, I wanted to make homemade butter cream frosting, but the only 4th of July Sprinkles I could find were sold with the frosting (Funfetti). So that's what we made. The little one had a blast making them & even more fun eating them! Thank you so much for sharing the past year with us & we hope you all have a happy & safe 4th of July!

Ingredients:

1 Box Cake Mix

2 Cans of Frosting

Colored Sprinkles

24 Ice Cream Cones

Directions:

Preheat oven & mix the cupcake batter according to the box's directions. (I highly recommend finding a cute helper like I did!)

Place the ice cream cones, standing upright, in the cups of cupcake tin. (I made some in cones & some in paper cups.)

Fill the cones about half full with batter. You want to be careful not to over fill the cones. I filled them just about to the top of the base of the cone.

Bake, according to the package directions, about 20 minutes or so.

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

Then pipe frosting in a swirl, like soft serve ice cream. (I used a Wilton's large star tip.)

Add sprinkles & enjoy!!

Note: These cupcakes are best if made the day that you want to eat them. The moisture from the cake tends to make the ice cream cones soggy after a day or so.

So cute!!

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!

Caponata

2011-06-27T15:26:00.001-04:00

Last month we took the little one to Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL to celebrate her 5th birthday. During our trip we dined at a fabulous restaurant called Il Mulino New York Trattoria . It is an Italian restaurant, modeled after the original (in New York) located in the Walt Disney World Swan Resort. We had an wonderful evening there, full of yummy food. One of the delicious things we ate there was a complimentary dish, an amuse bouche from the chef. It was this eggplant dish, served room temperature with bread & spicy crackers and sliced salami. We loved it!! Of course, as soon as we got home, I had to try to make it. So here is my version of Caponata, a traditional Italian appetizer or side dish. It's like a bruschetta or vegetable relish/ salad. You can serve it as an appetizer with bread or crackers. Or as a side or topping on grilled chicken or fish. I made my version to taste like it did at Il Muno but you add other tradition ingredients like celery, capers, raisins, & pine nuts to suite your taste.

Ingredients:

2 medium- large sized Eggplants

1 pint Cherry Tomatoes

1 medium-large Yellow Onion, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup Black Olives, halved

4-5 Cloves of Garlic, Smashed

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

8-9 tbsp Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Fresh, chopped Flat Leaf Italian Parsley

Freshly grated Parmesan, to garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven heat to 425 degrees.

Chop the eggplant into 1" (ish) pieces. Place the eggplant on sheet pans (I used 2) & drizzle with a little olive oil (about 2 1/2 tbsp). Toss to evenly coat then season with salt & pepper.

Roast for 30-40 minutes, flipping once to ensure even browning. Let cool on the roasting pan.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Place the whole cherry tomatoes on a roasting pan with the cloves of garlic. Drizzle a little olive oil lover top then toss to coat (approx 1-2 tbsp). Make sure to coat the cloves of garlic well with oil so they don't burn. Season with salt & pepper.

Roast in the oven at 325 degrees for about an hour, until the tomatoes are soft & start to caramelize.

While the tomatoes are roasting, coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil & heat to medium. Add the chopped onion & season with a little salt & pepper. Saute for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until they start to caramelize.

Add the roasted tomatoes & garlic to the onions & stir to combine.

Turn off the heat & gently add in the roasted eggplant to the roasted tomatoes, onions & garlic.

Add in the black olives, then pour in the balsamic & red wine vinegar over top.

Toss in some freshly chopped parsley & stir to combine well.

Refrigerate over night to let the flavors marry then bring to room temperate before serving.

You can serve this the day you make it, just let it sit to room temperate first. Slice up a baguette, top with some freshly grated Parmesan Cheese & enjoy!

Long Boy "Cheeseburgers"

2011-06-21T07:11:00.000-04:00

As soon as I saw this recipe in Cooks Country, I knew my husband would love it. It's kind of like an open faced cheeseburger but more like a meatloaf or meatball sandwich, all of which the hubs is a huge fan. It ended up being a bit hit with the whole family! Even my picky little one. My husband loved it heated up for lunch the next day too! It's fun, casual & super easy to make. Perfect for any night of the week! Of course, I changed the original recipe some but the method is the same. And my homemade french fries make the perfect side to go along!

Ingredients:

(for the burger patties)

1 lb Lean Ground Beef

3/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

2/3 cup French Fried Onions or 1/2 of a Yellow Onion, finely chopped

1 large Egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup Milk

3 tbsp Ketchup

1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper, to taste

3- 6" Sub Rolls

(for topping)

2 tbsp Ketchup

1 tbsp Yellow Mustard

2 cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the sub rolls, cut side up on a wire rack set on top of a sheet pan. Bake (with the oven rack in the upper middle position) until golden & crisp, about 5 minutes.

Combine all the ingredients for the burgers in a large bowl, just as you were making a meat loaf or meatballs. I've made it with both french fried onions & raw chopped onions & like it both ways. You get a stronger onion flavor with the raw so use according to your liking!

Combine the additional 2 tbsp of ketchup with the yellow mustard in a separate dish for the topping.

Top the toasted rolls equally with the meat mixture. Take care to cover the bread all the way to the edges with the meat mixture so it doesn't burn!

Evenly brush the tops with the ketchup & mustard mixture.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the meat registers 160 degrees. Remove from the oven, top with the shredded cheddar cheese & continue to bake until the cheese is bubbly & melted, about 3-4 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!

Mini Hash Browns

2011-06-09T13:21:00.000-04:00

Who wouldn't want to wake up to these tasty little hash browns for breakfast? They are so darn cute & could not be easier to make. Which is perfect early in the morning before my has coffee kicked in. You can serve these for breakfast, brunch, breakfast for dinner, when ever! I use frozen, store bought hash browns but the refrigerated ones work well too. Of course, you could also shred potatoes & squeeze them out your self. But I don't, I'm lazy like that...especially at breakfast time. Besides, I love that I can keep the frozen ones on hand for last minute meals on the fly!! You can make as few or many of these at a time as you need. I'd say 2-3 a person per serving.

Ingredients:

Shredded Potatoes (Store bought, frozen or refrigerated)

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Non- stick Cooking Spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the cups of a sized muffin or cupcake tin with nonstick cooking spray. Fill each muffin cup about half way with shredded potatoes. Season with a little salt & pepper. Then fill the rest of the way, pushing to pack the potatoes in. You want to make sure to really fill the muffin tin all the way to the top, the shredded potatoes will shrink when the cook so pack them in well!. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of each hash brown & lightly season again with salt & pepper.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, until golden & crispy on the top. (See! I told you they would shrink.)

Let sit in the muffin tins for a few minutes before tying to remove them so they set.

Serve warm.

Enjoy!!

Creamy Tortellini with Peas & Parmesan

2011-06-02T09:18:00.000-04:00

This is a great summer recipe! It comes together quickly & with only a few ingredients, it's easy to keep everything on hand for dinner on the fly! It can be served as an entrée or a side dish & will please even the pickiest of eaters!

Ingredients:

1 lb Cheese Tortellini, frozen or fresh

2 cups Sweet Peas, frozen

2 tbsp Butter

2 cloves of Garlic, minced

1 cup Heavy Cream

1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a large chef's pan, over low- medium heat, add the 2 tbsp of butter.

When the butter is melted, add the minced garlic & cook 1 minute. Add in the heavy cream & stir to blend. Simmer the sauce to thicken, stirring occasionally while you prepare the tortellini.

Cook the tortellini according to the package directions, adding in the frozen peas for the last 2 minutes.

Drain the peas & tortellini & add it directly to the cream sauce. Add in the Parmesan Cheese (Reserving some for topping!) & toss to coast well. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!