The Two Bite Club

Three Cheese Bacon Dip

2013-05-13T14:03:00.002-04:00

I love finding new recipes for dips. Hot, cold, creamy, cheesy...the possibilities are endless. I love to serve dips at parties and bring them to potlucks. That's how I came across this recipe.

My step-dad's family was in town from Canada and we were headed to my Mom's for a big family dinner. I really hate going to family gatherings empty-handed, so I whipped up this hot cheesy dip after doing a google search with the ingredients I had on hand.

Know what's cool about this one? It's a cottage cheese based dip. I had never thought to do a hot dip using cottage cheese, but with cheese, cheese, more cheese and bacon, I figured how could it go wrong?! I took it to the party and it was a hit. Seriously, it was gone in no time.

And as a side note, my sister's boyfriend who doesn't eat onions, and my niece who doesn't eat cottage cheese, both enjoyed digging in to this uber tasty cheesy bacon-y goodness. I mean really, could you resist it? Not me!

Ingredients

16 oz container cottage cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 green onions, sliced

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350.
Set aside a couple of tablespoons of the bacon and green onions to use as topping after the dip is baked.
In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Spoon into a (1 or 1 1/2 qt) glass baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Top with the reserved bacon and green onions and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Serve with melba crackers or tortilla chips.
Source: Kraft
Shared for Wicked Good Wednesday over at 365 Days of Baking & More.

Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie

2013-05-06T14:40:00.002-04:00

This is such a satisfying smoothie. The oatmeal really gives it some substance and fills you up. And what beats big plump strawberries?! It's perfect for a breakfast on the go or even a mid-day snack to hold you over until dinner.

I made this smoothie for myself for breakfast, but sadly only got to taste a few sips because once she saw it, my four year old claimed it as her own. I gladly let her have it, knowing that it was a great healthy treat for her. I'll get one for me soon enough because I know I'll be making them again!

Ingredients

¼ cup oatmeal, uncooked
5 strawberries, fresh or frozen
6 oz strawberry or mixed berry greek yogurt
1 cup ice
¼ cup milk

Instructions

If your strawberries are fresh, remove the stems and cut them in half. Freeze in a single layer. (My strawberries were in the freezer for about 2 hours.)
Put the oatmeal in the blender and blend until it it powdery.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth.

Notes

Source: Me.

Skinny Beer Cheese Soup

2013-04-25T09:57:00.001-04:00

I am well on my way to that beach ready body. I've been working out 5 days a week, chugging water like a madman, and eating tons of fruits and veggies. I really don't mind any of it. Especially the eating healthy part. When I cut out alot of the processed junk in my diet, I'm reminded of how fresh, bright and flavorful clean eating can be. Coincidentally, my daughter has declared that my favorite food is salads because I eat them so much. And I have to say, I do love salads.

As much as I feel great about cleaning up my diet, I find myself daydreaming about my favorite not-so-good-for-me foods. Cheesesteaks, baked mac and cheese, potato chips...my weaknesses. Sometimes a girl just wants some rich indulgent deliciousness.

Lightening up a dish can be easy though; scale back the butter a little, swap an ingredient for a healthier option, use milk instead of heavy cream. There's all kinds of ways to make a meal healthier. Then there's the recipes that are only really good in their full fat, creamy, buttery, clog-your-artery goodness.

And Beer Cheese Soup was one of those recipes that I thought wouldn't be good in a lightened up version. I mean, come on. Beer and cheese don't exactly scream healthy. Nevertheless, I decided to give this Skinny Beer Cheese Soup a whirl in hopes of keeping up the weight loss momentum I've got going on.

I will admit, I was wrong. Beer Cheese Soup CAN be lightened up and still taste amazing. This soup only has 393 calories in two cups of soup. 2 CUPS, people! That's a LOT of soup! You gotta try it!

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth, divided
1 1/4 cups potato, peeled and cubed
2 tsp butter
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
1/2 cup carrot, finely diced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup flour
2 1/2 cups 1% milk
5 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
12 oz beer

Instructions

In a small saucepan, simmer 2 cups of chicken broth and the potato for 15 minutes or until the potato is tender. Transfer the potato mixture to your blender and take out the center piece of the blender lid to let the steam escape. Put a clean dishtowel over the top of the blender to avoid splatter. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
In a large dutch oven, melt the butter oven medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot to the pan and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds more.
Whisk together the flour, remaining broth, and milk in a medium bowl. Add this mixture to the dutch oven and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk.
Add the cheese, dry mustard, worcestershire, pepper and salt to the soup. Stir constantly for one more minute (until the cheese melts).
Add the beer to the soup and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Notes

Also picture is grilled cheese made with Best Basic White Bread (coming soon to The Two Bite Club).
Source: Adapted from Beer Cheese Soup - Cooking Light Magazine.

Butternut Squash & Sausage Shepherd's Pie

2013-04-23T10:54:00.001-04:00

I am one of those people who like to mix their food together. Well, not actually mix it together, but I like that one perfect bite on my fork. A little taste of each thing on my plate in one mouthful. You know, a little bite of corn with my mashed potatoes or a small piece of steak in the same bite as my salad. Yum and yum.

My husband, however, is not a fan of this way of thinking. He doesn't like eating the different components of his meal together. That's why he's also not a huge fan of casseroles. Everything's all mixed up right off the bat. Shepherd's Pie falls into the casserole category and that's why I almost never make it. When I saw this recipe in a magazine, I knew right away that I wanted to make it after reading the ingredients...I just had to figure out a way to sell it to my husband.

So, the night I decided to prepare it, I busied myself with the prep, not involving him in the "what's for dinner" decision. I knew he'd shoot it down if I even mentioned the words shepherd's pie. I was just sliding the dish into the oven when he finally asked what we were having, and by then we were past the point of no return. He couldn't argue his case for something else. Success!

The verdict? He said it was "a little weird", but he ate every bite and went back for seconds. I LOVED it. It gave me forkful after forkful of "perfect bites". My kind of comforting, hearty, rich and delicious meal!

Ingredients

2½ lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
5 tbsp butter, softened
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 lb bulk sausage (I used plain sausage, but italian sausage would be great, too.)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef broth (I used reduced sodium broth)
1½ cups crushed tomatoes (about half of a 28 oz can)
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen peas and carrots

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°. Grease a 9 x 11 glass baking dish (or 6 individual casserole dishes).
Boil squash in salted water, covered, for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to the pot. Mash the squash with the butter, parmesan, ½ tsp of the salt and ¼ tsp of the pepper. Set aside.
In a large skillet, cook the sausgae until no longer pink. Drain the grease and set aside. In the same pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and the mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
Stir in the broth, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, and worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the sausage, peas and carrots and remaining ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes.
Spread the mixture into the greased dish(es). Spread the butternut squash over the top(s).
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Top with additional parmesan, if desired.

Notes

Source: Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

Mango Banana Popsicles

2013-04-17T09:25:00.000-04:00

I'm a lucky momma. My kid loves healthy food. Fruits, veggies, whole grains...she eats them all. Especially fruit. Man, that girl can pack in some fruit.

I occasionally go a little shop-happy and stock up with a few too many apples (or in this case mangoes) and I'm left with a bowl full of goods that's on the verge of going bad. The last thing I want to do is toss my fresh produce in the garbage, so I look for way to use it up.

That's how these popsicles were born. I had mangoes that were on their way out. We always have bananas. And with the weather being beautiful lately, the idea of a cool treat on a hot and sunny Florida afternoon sounded perfect. Easy, creamy, fresh and healthy. What could be better?

Ingredients

1 banana
2 mangoes
½ cup milk

Instructions

Peel the banana and remove the pit and skin from the mango. Place all ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and insert sticks/handles. Freeze.

Notes

If you're having trouble removing the popsicles from the molds, run under warm water for just a few seconds and they should come right out.
Source: Me.

Hummus

2013-04-15T14:23:00.000-04:00

I am in love with hummus. My sister-in-law frequently serves it at our family gatherings and I pretty much plant myself next to it and chow down. The creamy texture, the bite from the lemon, the earthiness of the tahini...it's just so yum. My favorite thing to dip with is carrots. Their sweetness pairs perfectly with the garlic and lemon. LOVE!

I occasionally can find a good deal on hummus at the grocery store when it goes on sale buy one, get one, but I knew I could make it myself for less money. And so the search began for a recipe. I adapted one that I found to suit my tastes and the results were outstanding. I'll be making this one again and again! Healthy, easy, and addictively delicious!

Ingredients

1 (15 oz) can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
⅓ cup tahini
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp oregano

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients into your food processor. Blend until smooth.

Notes

Serve with fresh veggies (my favorite is carrots) and crackers.
If you're making this for a party, I suggest doubling the recipe.
Source: Adapted from Hummus found on Simply Recipes.

Cottage Cheese Scrambled Eggs

2013-04-11T11:47:00.000-04:00

My daughter is a breakfast girl. She loves all things breakfast. That's why I'm always up for trying new twists on traditional breakfast favorites. I don't remember where I saw the idea to try mixing cottage cheese with eggs (probably pinterest), but it makes the most moist delicious scrambled eggs EVER! Nothing wrong with that little added boost of protein from the cottage cheese either. ;)

Ingredients

2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup small curd cottage cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a small bowl combine the eggs and cottage cheese.
Heat a small non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Spray with a little cooking spray (I use olive oil spray). Add the egg mixture to the pan.
Cook for a few minutes, then gently stir the eggs around with a wooden spoon or spatula. Continue cooking until the eggs are fluffy and cooked through.
Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Notes

Makes one serving.
Shared for Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage and Tasty Thursday at The Mandatory Mooch.

Frozen Banana "Ice Cream"

2013-04-08T15:34:00.000-04:00

My four year old loves ice cream for dessert. What kid doesn't?

I'm not a fan of giving it to her too often, though, because it's not the healthiest in the world. She does usually choose the fruit varieties over the chocolatey kinds, so that's something right? They're all packed with sugar, though.

And the last thing I need is a toddler hopped up on sugar right before bed. If you have kids, I know you're with me on this.

There is the sugar free. But, that's way worse than the regular ones because when they take the sugar out, they pump the chemicals in. No, thank you. I'd rather give her the real sugar than the fake stuff.

I recently came across the idea of this frozen banana ice cream on Pinterest. You know what's in it?

Bananas.

Just bananas.

No extra sugar, no dairy, no fat. No ice cream maker or rock salt required.

Too good to be true? Oh no, friends. This one's a keeper. Blend the bananas in your food processor and the result is exactly like soft serve ice cream. Ah-mazingly good. And because I can't resist the peanut butter/banana combo, I threw some in for added yumminess. TRY IT!

Ingredients yeilds 1 bowl of ice cream

2 bananas, frozen
1 tbsp peanut butter (optional)

Instructions

1. Freeze two bananas. (I freeze them whole then use a paring knife to cut off the peel after they're frozen. You could always chop them up in to slices and freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Either way works. Just as long as you end up with two frozen peeled bananas.)

2. Roughly chop the bananas and place into your food processor.

3. Scrape down the sides with a spoon or rubber spatula after blending for a bit. Add about a tablespoon of peanut butter, if desired.

4. Continue to blend until smooth, scraping the sides again, if necessary.

5. Serve immediately, or freeze for later!

Notes

You could try other add-ins like honey, other frozen fruit, or chocolate chips.
Source: Pinterest
Shared over at Recipes For My Boys Thursday's Treasures.

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Bread Machine Pizza Dough

2013-04-01T16:30:00.001-04:00

When we make homemade pizza, I like to go all the way homemade and make the dough, too. It's easy enough to buy a can of dough or some pre-made dough from the grocery store, but I can assure you, it's just as easy to make it yourself (and more gratifying, to boot!).

I love this super simple bread machine recipe. I use this for pizza, calzones and pepperoni bread. It can be rolled as thin as you like or left a little thicker for a nice hearty chewy crust.

Ingredients

1 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1¼ tsp active dry yeast

Instructions

Place ingredients in your bread machine in the order listed.
Set the machine to the dough setting and let the machine go to work!
On a lightly floured surface (cornmeal would work, too!), roll out the dough to your desired thickness. I like to roll it out to about ¼ inch thick.
Top with your choice of sauce, cheese and toppings and bake in preheated 425° oven for 15-20 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

2013-03-13T15:57:00.002-04:00

The first time I saw this bread, I about died. You know what did it for me? Then chocolate chips. I mean, come on. All those little chocolate morsels look amazing, do they not? I knew I'd be making it.

This past month, it was my turn to bring snacks for the Mom's group I'm a part of. People usually bring brunch type items and I knew this banana bread would be perfect.

I split the batter into two loaves and there was one whole loaf left to bring home to share with my daughter and my husband which was a good thing considering my husband was commenting on how good the house smelled while it was baking. It smelled so good.

I do find it only fair to disclose that I ate this bread toasted.

With butter.

Oh, yes I did. And you should, too.

Ingredients

3-4 over ripe bananas
2 eggs
1½ cups sugar
½ cup milk
1 stick butter, softened
2 cups flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, split

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a mixing bowl, beat the bananas, eggs, sugar, milk, and butter until smooth.
In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Add to the banana mixture and mix for 1 minute.
Stir in the nuts and half of the chocolate chips.
Split the batter into two greased 8½ x 4½ loaf pans. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top of the batter.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

Source: Adapted from Banana Bread found on Mom! What's for Dinner?.
Shared over at 365 Days of Baking & More for Wicked Good Wednesdays.

Peasant Bread

2013-03-04T09:47:00.001-05:00

One of my New Year's resolutions this year was to make more homemade bread. I decided to put up a call out for recipe suggestions on my blog's Facebook page when I had some Minestrone in the works and no bread to serve with it. I was hoping one of my blogger friends would be able to suggest a stellar loaf or roll that would pair nicely with my soup. The Baking Fairy suggested I make Alexandra's Kithchen's recipe entitled "My Mother's Peasant Bread: The Easiest Bread You'll Ever Make". If that doesn't scream, "make me!" well then, I don't know what does.

My husband and daughter are big bread fans and give me the evil eye if I serve dinner without it. This bread was perfect served as a dinner accompaniment, but also be good other meals like sandwiches for lunch and french toast for breakfast, which was good because it made two loaves.

Well, we had no problem finishing off both loaves. We ate it with the Minestrone and continued to have it with every meal after that until it was gone. We had egg sandwiches the next morning, grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch, and finished off the rest with spaghetti. Two loaves in 24 hours! It was crispy on the outside and soft and airy on the inside. I'll be making it again, for sure.

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour (I used bread flour because it was all I had on hand)
2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups lukewarm water (mix 1½ cups cold water with ½ cup boiling water)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp active-dry yeast
2 tbsp butter, room temperature

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and the salt.
In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar into the water. Once all of the sugar is dissolved, sprinkle the yeast over top. Set it aside and let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then gently stir it up and add it to the flour mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until full combined. Cover the bowl with a small towel (dampened with hot water and wrung out) or with plastic wrap.
Let the dough rise in a warm spot for 1½-2 hours. The dough should double in size. (For the perfect warm spot for rising, let your oven preheat at it's lowest setting for 1 minute. Turn the oven off and then put the dough in the oven to rise.)
Preheat your oven to 425°. (If your dough has been rising in your oven, make sure you take it out before preheating!)
Grease two 1 liter oven proof bowls (I used square pyrex high sided one liter casserole dishes) with one tbsp of butter each.
Using two forks, punch down the dough, scraping it from the sides of the bowl. As you scrape it down, turn the dough up onto itself. Take your two forks and divide the dough into two equal portions and place into your prepared bowls. Let the dough rise in the bowls on the counter for another 30 minutes.
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375° and bake for an additional 22-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn them upside down to take them out of the bowl. Cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before cutting.

Swedish Meatballs

2013-02-20T10:35:00.001-05:00

I am always looking for new recipes that use ground beef. I like to buy the big family size packages and split them up in to one pound portions to freeze. It's inexpensive and, more importantly, makes my husband happy. Got to keep the hubs happy, right?

I was flipping through one of my magazines when this recipe caught my eye. Well, not actually flipping. I don't really look at a magazine from cover to cover. I just go straight to the food section, skim that, then move on to the next magazine. I should really only subscribe to food magazines, so I get my money's worth, but whatever.

Anyway, this recipe met all my criteria for a family pleasing meal, and I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand. Got to love when that happens! This classic dinner ended up being a comforting, rich, hearty, flavorful meal. We loved it!

Ingredients

MEATBALLS
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 small onion, chopped
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tbsp dried parsley
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
1 lbs ground beef
GRAVY
¼ cup flour
1¼ cups milk
1 (10½ oz) can beef consomme
1½ tsp worcestershire sauce
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
NOODLES
1 (8 oz) package egg noodles
2 tbsp butter, cubed

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs. Shape meat into 12-15 meatballs. They should be about 1½ in diameter.
In a large skillet, brown the meatballs on all sides. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside.
Stir the flour into the pan drippings with a whisk. Continue stirring until the flour is lightly browned. Slowly stir in the milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Add the consomme, worcestershire, pepper and salt.Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to simmer and return the meatballs to the pan and cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the meatballs are simmering, cook the egg noodles according to the package directions. Drain and toss with the butter. Top the buttered noodles with the meatballs and gravy.

Notes

Source: Adapted from Mom's Swedish Meatballs found in Taste of Home magazine.
Shared over at Semi Homemade Mom for Show & Share Wednesday and on Daily Dish for Foodie Friends Friday.

5-Minute Nut Fudge

2013-02-09T16:20:00.000-05:00

Ever since I made my Baileys, White Chocolate & Pistachio Fudge, I've been wanting to make MORE FUDGE! I hadn't realized that making fudge could be so easy. And let me tell you, it doesn't get much easier than this recipe.

This one's for sure a keeper, because it can be customized to suit your tastes by switching out some of the chips and putting in whatever kind of nuts you like. I'm thinking next time I'm going to do peanut butter chips and peanuts. Or maybe white chocolate and almonds! Yum!

It's the perfect gift or addition to a holiday cookie platter, too. We made it this past Christmas and I think I'll be making some again for Valentine's Day for my loves!

Ingredients

butter, softened (for greasing the pan)
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips (or peanut butter chips, or white chocolate chips, or whatever you like!)
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz chopped nuts (I used pecans)

Instructions

Grease an 8 inch round cake pan or an 8 x 8 glass baking dish with the softened butter.
In a medium saucepan, combine the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, condensed milk and vanilla and heat over low, stirring continuously until the chips have melted.
Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts.
Pour the fudge in to the prepared pan/dish and refrigerate until firm. Remove from the fridge and cut into small pieces.

Notes

I preferred this once it had returned to room temperature after firming in the fridge.
Source: Adapted from Fabulous 5-Minute Fudge Wreath by Every Day with Rachel Ray.
Shared at Love Bakes Good Cakes All My Bloggy Friends link party.

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

2013-02-04T17:31:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to get myself on a smoothie kick. That way I'll be packing in the fruits I'm wanting to take in every day. I'm always offering my daughter fruit with her meals and as snacks, but for some reason I don't eat it very often myself.

It's probably because I'm a salt lover and crave things like potato chips. We all know that chips aren't gonna be doing me much good when it comes to that weight loss New Year's resolution! Smoothies like this one make it easier to get my fruits in and less likely to reach for the chips.

I love a blueberry and banana combination, so this one is perfect for me! You can easily sub out other fruits, though, as long as some of them are frozen.

Ingredients

2 over ripe frozen bananas
½ cup fresh blueberries
½ cup plain, blueberry or vanilla greek yogurt
1 tbsp water

Instructions

Put all of the ingredients into your blender. Blend until smooth.

Notes

Source: This one's mine.

Football Favorites

2013-02-01T15:00:00.000-05:00

Have you started planning your menu for the big game?

Serve up some of these stellar game day favorites
at your big bash!

(from top)

Greek Pinwheels

Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Pinwheels

Pepperoni Bread

Classic Slow Cooker Beef Chili

Sausage Cream Cheese Dip

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Guacamole

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings with Kicked-Up Ranch

Corn Dog Muffins

Hot Ham & Cheddar Sliders

Crock Pot Herbed Turkey Meatballs

2013-01-30T11:37:00.000-05:00

Last time I went grocery shopping, I bought a couple pounds of ground turkey. I really like it, and it's a healthy alternative to beef. I had my New Year's resolution of dropping the baby weight this year in mind when I bought it. (Who am I kidding. I had this weight before the baby. No need to sugar coat things here and put the blame on the little one!)

So, I'd been trying to think of ways to transform the turkey into meals my husband will eat. He's not so sure about the whole turkey deal. I wanted to make turkey burgers, but that was a no-go. He wanted beef. I had already made turkey chili recently, which I can get away with with minimal complaints, so that was out. I saw a turkey meatball recipe on Pinterest, and that's when inspiration struck.

I added some fresh herbs for flavor, some ricotta to keep them moist, and some fennel seeds to make them really special. Then, I decided to cook them in the crock pot with a red wine laced chunky tomato sauce. So delicious.

I still wasn't sure my husband was going to go for them, though. So I went ahead and made those meatballs into meatball subs. Man code says you gotta love meatball subs if you're a guy, right? It worked. He ate them and my daughter digged 'em, too.

I did, however, get this response as he left the dinner table, "That was good. And by good, I mean I don't love turkey." Not sure what to make of that one! Haha! I LOVED them, he ate them. Good enough for me!

Ingredients

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
½ tsp each dried oregano, dried basil, and italian seasoning
2 tbsp olive oil, split
¼ cup red wine
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
1 tsp fennel seed
½ cup part skim ricotta
3 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
1 tbsp each fresh oregano and fresh basil, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, combine the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried seasonings, 1 tbsp of the olive oil, red wine, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside.

In a large, dry non-stick frying pan, toast the fennel seeds over medium heat for 2 minutes, shaking the pan frequently.
In a large bowl, combine the seeds and remaining ingredients and mix well.
Roll the meat mixture into 16-20 meatballs. Heat the remaining tbsp of olive oil in the pan and brown the meatballs on all sides over medium high heat. Be gentle when flipping them so they don't break apart!
Add half of the sauce to the bottom of the crock pot. Place the meatballs in a single layer in the sauce. Top with the remaining sauce.
Cover and cook on low for 4½ hours.

Notes

Source: This one's mine!
Serve with pasta or on Hoagie Rolls toasted in the oven with mozzarella on top!
Shared on Thursday's Treasures over at Recipes For My Boys.

Hoagie Rolls

2013-01-28T08:55:00.000-05:00

I don't like buying bread at the grocery store. And when I say bread, I mean, loaves, rolls, bagels, muffins, buns...baked goods, in general. You want to know why? M.O.N.E.Y.

Now, don't read in to that the wrong way. I can afford the bread. I just can't stomach the price of bread when I know how inexpensive it is to make. It's the same way I feel about certain italian restaurants that charge you fifteen bucks for twenty cents worth of pasta. Seriously, people. It's redic when you think about it.

That's why one of my New Year's resolutions this year was to bake more bread. My other resolution is to lose weight, so I'm not entirely sure how that's all going to play out, but why stress over little details.

I know I'm capable of making my own bread. I just need to plan ahead and get it done. If I allow time for rising and baking and I can have bread that is far tastier than the store's every night if I want to. These hoagie rolls are a perfect example of that. I made them to serve as the vessel for my Crock Pot Herbed Turkey Meatballs (coming soon to The Two Bite Club!) and they were absolutely amazing and exactly what I had hoped for in terms of a roll. They were perfectly soft and chewy and stayed that way for days.

You can call them hoagie rolls, you can call them submarine rolls, you can call them sandwich buns. One thing I know for sure is that you'll be calling them delicious.

Ingredients

4 cups bread flour
1 3/8 cups warm water
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp yeast
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp cold butter, cubed

Instructions

Pour 3/8 cup of the the warm water in to your mixing bowl. Add the sugar and yeast. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.
Add the flour and the remaining water to the bowl. Using your dough hook attachment, mix for 4 minutes. Add the salt and mix for 6 more minutes. If the dough becomes slack, it's ok. Add the cubes of butter to the bowl a little at a time while the mixer is turned on. Once all of the butter has been added, mix for 2 more minutes.
Grease a large bowl with butter and place dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for one hour. It will double in size.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Divide the dough into 8 equal parts, shape in to rolls, and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Handle the dough as little as possible while doing this part. Cover with plastic wrap again and let them rise for another 45 minutes. Make a shallow knife slice over the tops, if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Notes

Source: The Kitchen Whisperer
Shared at Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party over at Walking On Sunshine.

Crock Pot Shredded Barbecue Chicken

2013-01-23T09:54:00.001-05:00

I know I've already mentioned it like a gazillion times, but my husband doesn't like pork. That's why this recipe is SO perfect for my family. Shredded chicken is an awesome substitute for shredded pork in the crockpot. This recipe is so easy, so flavorful and it versatile, too.

Easy. You throw everything in, turn it on and forget about it.

Flavorful. With just a few added ingredients, a run of the mill barbecue sauce is elevate to a zesty sauce for the chicken to soak up.

Versatile. It's not just for sandwiches! Try it on a baked potato with shredded cheese. Serve it over a crisp garden salad with ranch dressing. Make a barbecue chicken pizza! Think outside the box, people! No matter how you decide to serve it, I know you'll love it.

Ingredients

3 large chicken breasts
1 12 ounce bottle of barbecue sauce
½ cup italian salad dressing (I've used light italian, caesar italian, tuscan italian...use whatever you've got!)
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Place chicken in your crock pot.
In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and pour over the top of the chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Shred chicken with two forks and cook for an additional hour.

Notes

Source: Adapted from a recipe found on allrecipes.com.
Shared over on Recipes For My Boys for Thursday Treasures.

Cheesy Beef & Butternut Squash Pasta Bake

2013-01-21T09:33:00.000-05:00

When I'm at the grocery store, I'm always on the lookout for whatever fruits and veggies are on sale. This time I spotted big, beautiful butternut squash. They only had monster sized ones, so I got the produce department to split one in half for me. (Did you know you can ask and they'll do that for you? They usually will. That way you're not stuck with way more than you need.)

It wasn't on my list, so I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it, but I just had to have it. I'd figure out the details later. If you're going to impulse buy, I'd say vegetables are a good choice to splurge on! Better than the bag of chips that was taunting me a few aisles over. Ha!

So, it sat in my fridge for a few days. I kept eyeing it and contemplated what I would make. Should it be soup? Or maybe oven roasted with herbs. Perhaps a simple mash. I just couldn't decide.

Then it hit me. Mac and cheese. I had seen it done before, but had never tried it myself. But, I couldn't call it mac and cheese and serve it to my husband. He's a creature of habit and would argue that what I was serving was definitely not mac and cheese if there was butternut squash in it.

That's when the creative juices started flowing. I'd add beef. That would work. He loves meat. It would take it out of the realm of mac and cheese and into a whole different category. Problem solved...but, would it work? Would it taste good? It was worth a shot. I was going for it.

So was born my Cheesy Beef & Butternut Squash Pasta Bake. It was good. Uniquely different, rich, hearty and fabulously good. Win!

Ingredients

4 cups cubed butternut squash (1 small or ½ of a large one)
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1¾ cups milk, divided
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
10 oz elbow macaroni (or whatever kind of pasta you have on hand)
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp melted butter

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. On a foil lined cookie sheet, spread the butternut squash in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time.

3. While the squash is roasting, cook the pasta according to the package directions and brown the ground beef and garlic in a large frying pan. Drain the grease from the meat.

4. When the butternut squash is done, puree it in your food processor with ¼ cup of milk until smooth.

5. In a large pot (I used my pot from boiling the pasta), melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium high heat. Add the 3 tbsp of flour and whisk together to form a paste. Cook for 1 minute while continually stirring.

6. Slowly add the 2 cups of milk, whisking constantly to avoid and lumps. Boil until thickened. Reduce the heat to low and add the butternut squash, rosemary and 1 cup of the shredded cheese to the pot. Stir until fully incorporated. Add the cooked pasta and beef to the pot. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Spread half of the macaroni mixture into a greased 9 x 11 glass baking dish. Top with 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining macaroni mixture and the last cup of cheese.

8. In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Spread the breadcrumbs evenly over the casserole. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Notes

This would be and equally excellent vegetarian dish if you omit the ground beef.
Source: Inspired by Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese from Two Peas & Their Pod.
Shared over at Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen for Manic Monday Link Party.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

2013-01-16T08:22:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm a little late with this one. I was supposed to post these before Christmas, so those who were googling 'christmas cookie recipes' might find it. Alas, I, as usual, didn't get everything done that I wanted to get done before the big day. Better late than never though, right?

Actually, we'll just say that I'm way ahead of all the other bloggers out there in getting ready for Christmas 2013. Yeah, that's it. I'm so ahead of the game. (Don't judge me, man. I'm rationalizing here. Anything to make me feel like less of a slacker!) Or, just make them any time during the year because cookies awesome and they taste good. No need for a holiday!

So, here they are. Pretty little peanut butter blossoms. We have made these for Christmas every year since I was a kid. They're a favorite, for sure. The peanut butter and chocolate combo is a no-brainer and just about no one can resist a cookie with a kiss on top!

Ingredients yeilds about 4 dozen

48 Hershey's Kisses (You can buy them unwrapped! Just look around the candy and baking sections at your grocery store.)
½ cup margarine, softened
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
⅓ cup sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
extra sugar for rolling the cookies in

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°.
Beat the margarine and peanut butter until blended.
Add the sugar and brown sugar and beat until fluffy.
Add the egg, milk and vanilla and beat well.
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Beat it into the peanut butter mixture a little at a time until it's all incorporated.
Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll them in the extra sugar and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden. Take them out of the oven and immediately press a Hershey's Kiss into the center of each cookie. The cookie will crack around the edges.
Cool the cookies on a wire rack until completely cooled. (The kisses will get really soft. It will take a while for them to harden again! Be patient!)

Notes

Source: Slightly adapted from a recipe by the folks that make Hershey's Kisses.

Chicken & Swiss Casserole

2013-01-14T08:22:00.002-05:00

It's safe to say that I love food. I love to eat, I love to cook, and I love to grocery shop. Seriously, I can spend three hours in the grocery store like it's nothing. No joke. I even have a food blog, for goodness sake. You don't start a food blog if you're not in to food.

But, no matter how much my heart is fond of all things yummy, there are just some nights that I don't want to cook. I sit around hemming and hawing about what I'm going to make for dinner until the very last second. Then, my husband looks at me like, "Didn't you think about this earlier? You had all day!" Yes, my dear, I did have all day. And yes, I did think about it. Like a million and two times. But I just didn't feel like cooking. Sometimes that cooking fire just isn't burning bright enough. He just doesn't get it.

Luckily, though, there's meals like these. I can make this on those night's when inspiration just hasn't hit me and I need to get my butt in gear and get something on the table. Why is this meal so perfect for those days? Because it is SO EASY to prepare and the end result makes it seem like my planning and efforts were great. And it makes the whole family happy. With some steamed veggies on the side, it's a done deal.

The chicken comes out beautifully cooked and juicy, the cheesy stuffing on top with little buttery bites of crispiness are delectable, and the flavors are homey and reminiscent of Thanksgiving. I'll take it!

Ingredients

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 slices swiss cheese
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup (I use Campbell's)
¼ cup milk
1½ cups herb seasoned stuffing mix (I use Stove Top)
¼ cup butter, melted
salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°.
Place chicken in a glass baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.
Put 2 slices of swiss cheese on each piece of chicken.
In a bowl, combine the soup and the milk. Pour over the chicken.
Top with the stuffing mix. Drizzle with the butter.
Cover and bake for 50 minutes.

Notes

Some sauteed mushrooms would be an excellent addition. You can also sub out the cream of chicken soup for cream of mushroom.
Source: Adapted from Swiss Chicken Casserole on allrecipes.com.

Hot Ham & Cheddar Sliders

2013-01-11T10:02:00.001-05:00

You've probably seen a couple versions of this tasty little sandwich floating around Pinterest. I get a lot of my inspiration from Pinterest these days. For those of you who aren't pinning, you're missing out on a goldmine of recipe inspiration. If you're not following me, you totally should be. I pin some wicked good stuff. I'm a pinning fool! (Find my boards here! )

Anyhoo, let me tell you about these sandwiches, or should I say little bites of heaven. Yeah, people. They're that good. I am SO GLAD I stumbled across these little beauts.

First of all, they're so easy to throw together. Ridiculously easy.

Second, they elevate an otherwise boring lunchtime ham and cheese into something very dinner worthy.

Third, everyone loves them! Me, my husband and my three year old all scarf these down like they're going out of style. I even made them for my daughters second birthday party!

What makes these sliders so special is the combination of the sweet roll and the savory sauce on top. Don't skip the sauce. You'll be missing the star of the sandwich if you do. And DON'T skip the poppy seeds! Go out and buy a small thing of them before you make this even if you think you'll never use that many poppy seeds in your life, because I promise you, you'll be making these again.

So, go on. Make them for a party. Make them for lunch. Make them for dinner. Just make them!

Ingredients

24 King's Hawaiian rolls (The small ones, however, I have used the hamburger bun size when that's all I had.)
24 slices of ham
24 slices of cheddar cheese
1½ tbsp yellow mustard
8 tbsp butter, melted
½ tsp wocestershire sauce
1 tbsp minced onion
1 tbsp poppy seeds

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°.
Slice open the buns. If you buy the Hawaiian rolls as I've recommended, they come with 12 rolls all stuck together, so cut them in one big piece before you pull them apart. (So much easier than cutting through 12 individual rolls.)
Place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese on each roll. (Fold the slices up to make them fit on the tiny buns.) Place the sandwiches on a cookie sheet with the sides of the sandwiches touching each other.
In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients to make the sauce. Pour the sauce over the tops of the sandwiches.
Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

Make ahead and keep in the fridge until you're ready to bake them.
Perfect for feeding a crowd! (Did I hear someone say Super Bowl?)
I've also made these with turkey and swiss. Sub the meat and cheese with whatever you like!
Source: Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything.
Shared on Wicked Good Wednesdays at 365 Days of Baking.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Smoothie

2013-01-07T12:05:00.000-05:00

I worked at a gym for a few years before I started having kids. Working at a gym has some awesome benefits, let me tell ya.

First, I was always motivated to make healthy choices. Being surrounded by people all day that took excellent care of themselves and were great shape really motivated me.

Second, the free gym membership. It's really easy to convince yourself to workout on a daily basis when you're already at the gym. No brainer right there.

Third, the smooooooothies! Yes, my gym had a smoothie bar and man-oh-man were they good. That's when I fell in love with peanut butter banana smoothies.

To this day, they're my favorite kind. Packed with protein and fruit, they're smooth, creamy, rich, and delicious. Try one!

Ingredients yeilds 2 small smoothies

2 over-ripe frozen bananas
6 oz vanilla greek yogurt
¼ cup milk
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Done!

Notes

Source: Me!

North Carolina Style Pulled Pork

2013-01-02T08:56:00.000-05:00

Getting my husband to eat pork is like pulling teeth. He's just not into it. I've actually been instructed to never buy it again. Several times. Yeeeaaah, that's not going to happen. I love pork. (Pork fat rules!)

Luckily, I can occasionally get away with making my Easy Peasy Pulled Pork, which is a barbecue sauce based pulled pork. I guess because it's covered in sugary molasses based barbecue sauce, he can choke it down. Silly man.

That being said, I was a little worried the day that I made this recipe. I had intended on making the barbecue sauce one he will eat and realized that I had no barbecue sauce in the house. Now what was I going to do? Improvise, that's what. I went out on a limb and made this vinegar based recipe.

He was not amused when I told him it was pork, but NOT the usual kind. He grumbled all the way to the table and reluctantly started eating. Then, he kept eating. The whole sandwich.

And then another one.

I just kept my mouth shut and smiled to myself. There will be more pork dishes served in this house. Oh, yes...there will. Even if I have to come up with a few more "forgetful" days to make it happen.

If you like pork, like me, you should try this one. It's tangy, vinegary, juicy goodness on a roll. I'm salivating just thinking about it!

Now, as a disclaimer, let me say that I know that in North Carolina folks take their barbecue very seriously. There is a difference between different types of barbecue by eastern and western NC. I'm just keeping it simple by calling this North Carolina style. No offense to any North Carolina foodies out there!

Ingredients

2 large onions, quartered
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
5 lb pork butt
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup worcestershire
½ tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp sugar
½ tsp ground mustard
½ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

Place the onions in the bottom of your crock pot.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper. Rub all over the pork and then place the meat on top of the onions.
Combine the remaining ingredients. Drizzle about 1/3 of the mixture over the roast. Cover the remaining sauce and refrigerate.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove the meat and onions from the crock pot and discard the onions. Shred the pork and return to the crock pot. Add the remaining vinegar mixture from earlier to the crock pot.
Serve on toasted buns.

Notes

Source: Yummly

Pepperoni Bread

2012-12-28T14:33:00.002-05:00

If there's one food I think of when I think of holiday cookin', it's pepperoni bread. Seem strange to you? Not to me!

When I was growing up, my Mom always made snackers for our family to feast on for our Christmas tree trimming party and on New Year's Eve. I find it funny how my memories are so focused on the food we had as much as the hanging of the tinsel and the charades on New Year's. Guess I've always been a foodie at heart!

I've since carried on the tradition with my family and we make various finger foods like chips and dips and wings, but pepperoni bread is always the star of the snackers show! You can buy pre-made pizza dough or frozen bread dough, which is what my Mom always used, but I prefer to make my own dough in the bread machine.

Whichever route you decide to go, I'm sure you'll love this fabulously simple bread!

Ingredients

1 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1¼ tsp active dry yeast
8 oz (half pound) pepperoni, thinly sliced (I get mine sliced at the deli counter)
8 oz (half pound) provolone or mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced (I prefer provolone and get it sliced at the deli counter)
2 tbsp butter, melted
pizza or spaghetti sauce, for dipping

Instructions

Place the first five ingredients in your bread machine in the order listed. Set the machine to dough and let it go to work!
Preheat oven to 350°.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out in to a large rectangle about ¼ inch thick and 12 x 18 inches. Don't worry if it's not perfectly square. Close is good. Lay out the cheese and pepperoni over the dough. Cheese first, then the pepperoni. Leave at least a half inch of dough showing around the edges.
Roll into a long log (jelly roll style) beginning with the long edge making sure to fold in the sides as you go. Pinch the seam closed. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet with the seam side down.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Note: The seam will most likely bust somewhere. Or the edge will ooze out cheese. If it does (and it will), don't sweat it! There will still be lots of cheesy yummy pepperoni goodness inside.
Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter. Slice with a serrated knife into 1 inch slices and serve with a side of sauce.

Notes

Source: Me!