Easy Pasta Casserole

Perfect for the weeknight dinner!

Ingredients: 
1 lb. ground beef
1 t Garlic salt
Pepper to taste
16 oz penne
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
16 oz can tomato sauce
10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 T Italian seasoning
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Set a pot of water on to boil.
3. Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Season with garlic salt and pepper.
4. When water comes to a rolling boil, add the pasta. Cook until al dente.
5. Drain grease off ground beef. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, soup, Italian seasoning, and 1/3 cup cheese. Heat over medium-low heat until simmering.
6. When noodles are done, drain and rinse. Pour them into a 9" x 13" baking dish.
7. Pour tomato sauce mixture over pasta. It will ooze down into the noodles. If the sauce doesn't ooze to your liking, stir things up a bit!
8. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
9. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.
10. Let casserole stand 5-10 minutes before feeding your crew!

Bon appétit! 

Turtle Fudge Brownies

I've finally gotten my baking groove back….not to mention my blogging groove. Sorry that it's been over a year! What was I thinking?!

Anyway, I wanted to share my latest recipe find. So, you know all those great recipes that require caramels. Remember how most of your prep time is spent unwrapping those little boogers? Not anymore! Kraft has come out with Caramel Bits…already unwrapped little caramel drops. I couldn't resist--I had to buy them!

But what to make with them…..

So I looked on the back of the bag. Voila! A scrumptious brownie recipe!

Here ya go!!

Ingredients:
9 x 13 Family Size Brownie Mix
2 eggs
1/4 C water
2/3 C vegetable oil
1 bag of Kraft Caramel Bits
1/3 C whipping cream
1-2 C chopped pecans, divided (I only used 1 cup)

Step 1
Make brownie mix according to the directions on the box.

Step 2

Pour half the batter into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350*.

Step 3

Meanwhile, microwave the Kraft Caramel Bits and whipping cream for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until caramel is completely melted. (It took my little microwave about 3 minutes.)

Step 4

Stir in 1/2 of your pre-chosen amount of pecans.

 

Looks yummy enough to eat!

Step 5

Pour and spread the caramel mixture over the baked layer of brownie.

                    

Step 6

Pour the remaining brownie batter over the caramel layer. (I didn't judge half so well, so my upper layer of brownie didn't quite cover the caramel.) Sprinkle with remaining pecans. Bake for about 20 minute more, until a toothpick comes out of the top layer of brownie mostly clean. Let it cool for a while then enjoy!

Let me know if you try out this recipe! I'll let you know how it is tomorrow. Made this for dinner with a friend. It might be rude to bust into it tonight….maybe. 

Super Easy Lemon Bars

I don't know about you, but I LOVE me some lemon bars! You will be amazed at the simplicity of these cake-like lemon bars...2 ingredients. That is all. 

What you need:

1 box angel food cake mix

1 can lemon pie filling 

Optional: Powdered sugar

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine cake mix with pie filling.

3. Pour into 9x13 cake pan.

4. Bake until the top begins to golden (approx. 20 minutes).

5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, slice, and ENJOY!

**Warning** 

If you take this to the school workroom, don't expect leftovers!

Mushroom Pizzas

I have been told how nasty this picture looks, but these scrumptious mini pizzas are so stinkin' tasty! (Not to mention a healthy alternative to regular pizzas.)

What you need:

2 large portabella mushroom caps

1/2 cup pizza sauce (I'm not fancy--I use the stuff in a jar.)

6 pieces turkey pepperoni

1/4 cup sliced black olives

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

(Feel free to substitute with your favorite pizza toppings)

What to do: 

1. If your mushrooms have a stem, cut it out.

2. Use a damp cloth to clean out the inside of the mushroom--especially between the little gill things. **Remember to not soak your mushrooms as they will absorb and hold on to excess moisture!

3. Bake the mushrooms at 400 degrees for about 7 minutes. This helps to rid them of excess moisture.

4. Work carefully with the hot mushrooms as you top each with 1/4 cup of pizza sauce, 3 pepperoni slices, a few black olive slices, and 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. 

5. Broil them for about 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is nice and melty. 

6. I recommend eating these bad boys daintily with a knife and fork because they are so HOT straight from the oven!

Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

I absolutely love the tart taste of this yummy appetizer! Even if you're not a blue cheese fan, give it a try!

What you need:

12 small mushroom caps (I used white button mushrooms)

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

What to do:

1. If your mushrooms have a stem, pluck them off. (Chunk 'em or clean 'em & throw them into your spaghetti sauce!) 

2. Using a wet cloth or towel, clean the insides of the mushroom caps. Avoid soaking the mushrooms in water as they will absorb the moisture. You really just need to wipe off/out grime and dirt from the inside and outside of the mushrooms.

3. Broil the mushrooms for about 3 minutes.

4. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and stuff blue cheese crumbles into the caps. 

5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 8-12 minutes or until the cheese has melted. If you're feeling adventurous, combine some bacon bits with the blue cheese crumbles. 

**Carefully enjoy this app as it the melty cheese and juicy mushrooms will be HOT HOT HOT!!

Pepperoni String Cheese Roll-Ups

This super easy, 3 ingredient recipe can serve as a snack, appetizer, or main entree! 

What you need:

1 can of crescent rolls (8 rolls)

4 sticks of string cheese

24 pieces of turkey pepperoni

Optional: marinara sauce for dipping

What to do:

1. Lay out all 8 crescent rolls. 

2. Lay 3 slices of pepperoni on the wide end of the triangle.

3. Lay 1/2 a cheese stick on the pepperoni.

4. Beginning with the wide end, roll up the crescent roll.

5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for ~15 minutes or until rolls are golden brown.

6. Serve warm with marinara for dipping.