Pizza Snacks

Pizza Snacks
http://tasteerecipe.com/2016/09/12/addicted-pizza-rolls-family-even-better/2/

Ingredients

2 cans (13.8 oz each) Pillsbury™ refrigerated classic pizza crust
8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 48 cubes
48 slices pepperoni (3 oz)
¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 jar (14 oz) Barilla pizza sauce, heated

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray two 9-inch pie pans or one 13×9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Remove dough from both cans. Unroll dough; starting at center, press out each dough rectangle with hands to form 12×8-inch rectangle. Cut each rectangle into 24 squares.

Top each square with cheese cube and pepperoni slice. Wrap dough around filling to completely cover; firmly press edges to seal. Place seam side down with sides touching in sprayed pie pans.

In small bowl, combine oil and Italian seasoning; mix well. Drizzle over filled dough in pans. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 400°F. for 16 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm pizza bites with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Nacho Pinwheels

Nacho Pinwheels
http://tasteerecipe.com/2016/09/12/looking-party-food-everyone-will-love-young-old-try-nacho-flavored-delights/2/

They really are easy. Wrap them up nice and tight in saran wrap and cut them soon before serving. Make sure they were refrigerated overnight so they were nice and firm for cutting. Making these with some soft cream cheese would be good too! The more cheese the merrier right?

Ingredients

4 spinach-flavored or flour tortillas, 8 to 10 inches in diameter
½ cup bean dip
½ cup nacho cheese dip
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped green onions or chopped fresh cilantro


Directions

Spread each tortilla with about 2 tablespoons bean dip and 2 tablespoons cheese dip. Sprinkle each with onions.

Tightly roll up tortillas; wrap individually in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour but no longer than 24 hours. To serve, cut off ends from each roll and discard. Cut rolls into 1/2- to 3/4-inch slices. Secure with toothpicks if you like.

Quick Tip: Use jalapeno flavored nacho cheese with these for an extra kick of flavor!

Cast Iron Biscuits

Cast Iron Biscuits
http://tasteerecipe.com/2017/12/25/youll-treasure-biscuit-recipe-forever-ever/2/
From What’s 4 Dinner Solutions!

Ingredients
2 cups white flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
¾ cup milk
large bowl and cast iron skillet


Instructions:
Mix dry ingredients together, cut in shortening, add milk. Stir quickly with a fork until completely moistened, don’t over mix.

Knead gently on floured surface for 10-12 strokes. Roll out to ½ inch thick, cut into biscuits.

Place in cast iron skillet, with a bit of space between them, and bake in preheated oven at 450° for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.

Cast Iron Apple Crisp/ Pear Crisp

So my bowl of McIntosh apples left me wanting apple crisp. I had seen a recipe that pre-cooked the apples in a cast iron skillet that looked really good and since I’m all about cooking in my cast iron skillets, I thought I’d give it a whirl. And I have to say, that yes it did make the best apple crisp ever. Pear Crisp is delicious. It is my basic Apple Crisp recipe (here), added some walnuts and yum!

Cast Iron Apple Crisp
https://whats4dinnersolutions.com/2011/09/22/perfect-apple-crisp/

Filling
2 lbs apples – mix of sweet and tart (about 3 apples)
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to taste

Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar (more as desired)
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup flour
10 inch cast iron skillet and small mixing bowl

Directions
Core and cut apples into small pieces (about 1/2 inch). Peeling is optional, but with this method the peels cook nice and soft, so it isn’t necessary.

Melt butter in skillet, add apples and sugar, stir until apples are well coated. Cover and cook on medium heat until apple mixture is soft and caramelized, stirring occasionally. About 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In mixing bowl, stir together butter, sugar, flour and oats, mix until crumbly. Crumble over the apple mixture. Bake for 10-15 minutes, just until top is crispy golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes and serve warm.

What makes this so good is that because the apples are cooked on the stovetop, you can use a much higher heat in the oven and get a good, crisp top without drying the whole mixture out or under cooking the apples. Really, this is one of the best apple crisps I’ve made.

Alternately, if you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, you can transfer the cooked apple mixture to a glass baking dish, add topping and bake that way.

Cinnamon Apple Syrup

This was fun. We browsed through a local Amish run store the other day, I wanted to go there in particular because they have decent blue cheese for a good price. I bought a pound of cheese and was walking the few aisles looking over their stock of spices and pastas when a bag of pancake mix caught my eye. We opened it today and mixed up a batch. Pretty good stuff.


Cinnamon Apple Syrup
https://whats4dinnersolutions.com/2013/11/25/pancake-pr0n-cinnamon-apple-syrup/

The apple topping is pretty easy

soften a diced apple in butter
add a little water or cider
add light brown sugar, maple sugar, maple syrup
add cinnamon, a few cloves and a pinch of nutmeg.

Simmer a while
Thickened it with corn starch

while the griddle heats up for pancakes.

Praline-Apple Bread

Praline-Apple Bread
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/praline-apple-bread

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3/4 lb.)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar


Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 1/2 cup pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 4 minutes.

Step 2
Beat sour cream and next 3 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.

Step 3
Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to sour cream mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chopped pecans; lightly press pecans into batter.

Step 4
Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.

Step 5
Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a 1-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread; let cool completely (about 1 hour).

Step 6
Note: To freeze, cool bread completely; wrap in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Bourbon Baked Apple Crisp

Bourbon Baked Apple Crisp
https://whats4dinnersolutions.com/2014/09/18/bourbon-baked-apple-crisp/

Wandering around the web today, someone posted a recipe for Bourbon Baked Apples. Hmmm, I have bourbon. I have apples. Guess I need to bake some Bourbon Apples, stuffed with oatmeal crumble.

Ingredients
4 large favorite apple
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of salt
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup apple cider
1/4 to 1/2 cup bourbon (depending on taste – you can substitute more cider if you prefer)

vanilla ice cream

Directions
In a bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon. Add softened butter and vanilla, and mix thoroughly. You want it to be crumbly.

Cut the top off the apple, enough to use as a lid. Scoop out core and seeds, being careful not to pierce the bottom of the apple. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired and then stuff with the oats mixture, packing it in and covering out to the edges of the apple. Place the top of the apple back on and press down.

Place apples in a large baking dish. Pour apple cider and bourbon in the bottom of the pan. Place in a 400 degree oven and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until skin is soft and wrinkled and flesh is soft. During the baking period, baste every 10 minutes with the cider/bourbon mix.

Serve immediately with ice cream.

Apple Pie Cookies

Apple Pie Cookies
https://whats4dinnersolutions.com/2010/10/01/apple-pie-cookies/apple-pie-cookies1/

It’s part butter cookie, part apple pie, part apple crisp – I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Butter Cookie Base:
1 cup + 2 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour

Apple Pie Filling:
2 Golden or Granny Smith, or other firm, apples – cored and chopped into small pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons water (as needed)
Crumble Topping:

2 tbsp butter, soften
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup rolled oats (not instant)
Bowl, saucepan, min-muffin pan, wax paper

Directions

In bowl, cream together butter and sugar, add cinnamon and vanilla, mix well. Add flour, blend until well mixed, but do not over beat. Spread onto wax paper and roll into a long tube, about 1-1/2” in diameter. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until chilled and firm.

Meanwhile, in saucepan, melt butter and add apples and simmer on medium to medium-low. Mix together brown sugar and spices, add to simmering apples, mix in well. When apples are softened, sprinkle flour over them, mix in, add water as necessary to create a thick syrup. Let simmer on low until you are ready to use.

In bowl, cut together butter, flour and oats until fine crumbles.

To assemble: spray muffin pan with oil, remove dough from refrigerator, cut twelve 1/4-inch slices from the dough, then replace remainder back into the refrigerator. Press each disk into the muffin pan, making a little bowl. Add apple mixture and top with crumbles. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool slightly before removing from the pan. They should slip out pretty easily – I used a knife to help slip them out. Makes 36 cookies.

You’ll have to let the pan cool just a bit before you assemble the next batch, as the butter cookies melt pretty quickly.

Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce

Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce
https://whats4dinnersolutions.com/2014/09/18/dinner-menu-mambo-italiano-edition/

Ingredients
9 – 12 oz pasta of choice (I like angel hair for this recipe)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 green pepper
1 small onion
3 tsp. crushed garlic
1 lb lean ground beef

6 oz tomato paste
1 tsp crushed basil, crushed
1 tsp oregano, crushed
1 tsp rosemary, crushed

3 tomatoes, diced (or 14 oz can diced tomatoes)
15 oz can tomato sauce
2 tsp dried basil, crushed*
2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1 carrot, finely grated or 1/2 tsp sugar (these reduce the acidity of the sauce and bring out the spices – trust me on this one)
Salt & pepper to taste


Directions
In skillet, heat oil, sauté pepper, onion, garlic. Add hamburger and cook thoroughly.
Add tomato paste and 1 tsp ea of crushed basil, oregano and rosemary, mix well.

In saucepan, add remaining ingredients and bring to a low boil, reduce heat, add meat mixture and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Cook pasta according to directions, drain well and serve with sauce and Parmesan cheese.

Meatball Subs

Meatball Subs
https://whats4dinnersolutions.com/2013/03/01/friday-recipe-exchange-meatballs/

A quick tip, cookie scoops make meatball production easier and quick.
This is a DOUBLE recipe that makes 8 to 10 subs, you can easily halve the ingredients or you can freeze extra meatballs and sauce for later.

Meatballs:

2 lbs lean ground beef*
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
½ onion, chopped
½ cup milk
1 egg
2 tbsp grated parmesan
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp crushed garlic
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp basil
baking sheet

Mix all ingredients together and mix well. You’re going make 1 ½ inch balls. The easiest way to do this is to use a cookie/muffin scoop (see photo above). Place on the baking sheet and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes. Don’t overcook, as they will finish in the sauce.

*For spicier meatballs you can substitute 1/4 to 1/2 of the ground beef with spicy Italian sausage.

Sauce:

4-15 oz cans tomato sauce
2-6 oz cans tomato paste
14 oz can diced tomatoes
2 tsp oregano, crushed
3 tsp basil, crushed
3 tsp crushed garlic
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely grated
In large saucepan or dutch oven, add ingredients, bring to a low boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add meatballs and stir gently. Let simmer for 10 minutes or longer.

Grinder/Sub Assembly:

8 large hoagie/sub rolls
2-4 oz parmesan cheese
8 oz sliced mozzarella cheese
baking sheet

Slice rolls, but DO NOT slice completely in half. Place 4 to 6 meatballs in each roll, add lots of sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan and top with slices of mozzarella. Place on baking sheet, cheese side up and bake at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bread is toasty. Keep a good eye on it, they will burn quickly. Serve with lots of napkins.

NOTE: My mom has this trick of slicing out a wedge on the top of the rolls (instead of slicing them in half lengthwise) to make the pocket (see photo at top). Then they actually sit on their natural flat bottoms while baking. This has the added advantage of creating instant breadsticks from what is cut out that you can brush with olive oil and garlic and bake.

Zucchini Italiano

Zucchini Italiano
https://whats4dinnersolutions.com/2014/09/18/dinner-menu-mambo-italiano-edition/

2 medium zucchini
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp crushed garlic
salt & pepper to taste
½ tsp oregano, crushed
½ tsp basil, crushed
4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
medium skillet

Clean and slice zucchini, heat oil in skillet, add zucchini, garlic and spices. Stir-fry over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon water and let steam until zucchini is tender. Toss with parmesan and serve.

*CRUSHING Spices – when using dry spices, to get the best flavor, you should crush them, either by rubbing them in your hand or using a mortar and pestle before adding them to a recipe.

Meatballs

Meatballs
https://whats4dinnersolutions.com/2010/11/09/meatballs/

Ingredients
1 1/4 lbs lean ground beef (80%/20%)
1 lb Italian sausage
6 oz of half & half
6 oz Parmesan cheese grated
scant Tbs Fennel seeds
scant Tbs Red pepper flakes
Minced garlic as desire. Finely dice
Half an onion
Cup loosely packed basil leaves, chopped
1 1/2 - 2 Cup fresh bread crumbs cup and a half, maybe two cups
2 eggs
Salt and pepper.

Directions
Now squish everything together with your hands until it’s all mixed.

Pour some olive oil into a skillet and heat it over a medium flame.
As it comes to heat, start molding the meat into balls of a size you are comfortable with.
Fry them in batches in the hot oil, turn them so as to brown them all over, or as best as you can.
When browned, set them aside on paper towels to drain.
They will finish cooking in whatever sauce you use so don’t worry if they are a bit pink in the middle.

Meatball Soup

Italian Meatball Soup
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/italian-meatball-soup/

PREP TIME: 30 Minutes
COOK TIME: 45 Minutes SERVINGS: 8 Servings

INGREDIENTS

Meatballs:
3/4 pounds Ground Beef
1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Minced
1 whole Egg
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Ground Oregano
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice

SOUP
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
7 cups Low Sodium Beef Stock
2 cups Water
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
3/4 cups Onion, Chopped
3/4 cups Carrots, Chopped
3/4 cups Celery, Chopped
1 cup Russet Potato, Chopped (do Not Peel)
1/2 pound Cabbage Chopped
ditalini pasta-short, small diameter tubes
Grated Parmesan Cheese To Serve

TIED IN A CHEESECLOTH BUNDLE
4 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Minced
2 whole Bay Leaves
1 teaspoon Peppercorns
sprigs of thyme and rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS
To make meatballs, combine all meatball ingredients and mix well. Shape into small balls and chill for 30 minutes.

Gather 4 tablespoons parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a cheesecloth bundle. Tie to secure.

After chilling, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a heavy pot. Briefly brown meatballs, then remove to a plate. To pot, add beef stock, water, salt, tomato paste, and herb bag. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes.

Add onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Simmer 15 more minutes. Remove herb bag.

Add cabbage and meatballs + handful of chopped fresh basil. Bring to a boil, then simmer 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.