Taco Casserole - Pinterest #2

For my second Pinterest experiment I made another recipe.  This time, I tried Taco Casserole.  It was good and we ate way too much of it.  If I make it again, I think I will add more tomatoes because I thought it was a little bit dry.  But, the flavors were tasty and it seemed easier than making actual tacos.

Pinterest version

 

  

My version

 

For the recipe, follow the link above (recipe title) to the website where it was originally posted.

Spicy Sausage Penne - Pinterest #1

I decided to do a monthly experiment this year and blog about it.  If you don't know what Pinterest is, it's a website that allows you to "pin" pictures, ideas, recipes, etc. on a virtual bulletin board and it lets you browse other peoples boards and vice versa.  It's a fun way to share things on the internet but be careful, because it can be VERY addicting.  It's so easy to stare at fun ideas on Pinterest all day and not actually get anything done.  There is also a funny website called Pinstrosity that shows people's failed attempts to copy what they've pinned.  I'm going to do a Pinterest Experiment each month and see if I succeed or fail!  I will include a link to the original "pin" and the original picture vs. a picture of my version so you can see how well I did!

My first Pinterest Experiment is a recipe (most of them will probably be recipes since I'm not very crafty).  The picture of Spicy Sausage Penne looked so good I wanted to eat it as soon as I saw it.  I finally made it for dinner last week and it was good.  It was spicier than I expected, but I guess with "Spicy" in the title I should have known.  I forgot the green onions, so my picture doesn't look as good but it was pretty tasty.  I think I used a different cheese blend too since mine looks so yellow (or maybe I should blame that on my camera).  My verdict: it was good.  I would give myself a 7 out of 10 since I didn't follow the recipe exactly.  But, at least it wasn't a failure!  So, what do you think?  How did I do?

Pinterest version

 

My version

For the recipe, follow the link above (recipe title) to the website where it was originally posted.

7-Layer Bars

It's time for cookies!  Actually, I can't believe I haven't made any before now.  I've been busy, but I finally decided that I wanted cookies TODAY.  Even though Spritz are my favorite Christmas cookie, they take a little more time to make.  So, I decide to start with a cookie that's a little quicker.  7-Layer Bars are in my Top 5 favorite cookies so I was happy to start with them.  I don't know why they are called 7-Layer Bars because they only have 4-5 layers as far as I can tell (they only have 7 ingredients after all).  But, they are tasty so I don't care what they're called!  They aren't really cookies since they are bars and they are ooey and gooey, but if you like chocolate and coconut, you will love them!

The ingredients.

Mix melted butter and graham cracker crumbs.

Spread in the bottom of the pan and press into a crust.

Layer the coconut on the crust.

Layer the chocolate chips and nuts on top of the coconut.

Pour on the sweetened condensed milk.

This is what it looks like before it goes in the oven

(I forgot to take a picture of it after!) 

The tasty finished product...so good!

7-Layer Bars

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips (optional) (I never use these because I prefer just chocolate!)
1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans, but walnuts are also good)
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
-Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.  Spread over the bottom of 9x9-inch pan.  Press into pan to create a crust.
-Layer coconut, chips, and nuts, one at a time, on top of crust.
-Pour sweetened condensed milk over layers.
-Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Let cool and cut into bars.  Refrigerate leftovers.

 Dirty Dishes.

7-Layer Bars

Taste: 5 out of 5

Dirty Dishes: 4 out of 5

Time/Effort: 5 out of 5

TOTAL: 14 out of 15

Crock Pot Soup

For the recipe this month, I'm using one I got from Pinterest.  I saw Abby pin it and it looked easy and delicious, so I tried it.  It was easy and delicious!  I've since made it many times.  I always double the recipe because we eat a lot and because it's really good as leftovers the next day.  I love using the crock pot and I like making something that is just as good (or better) the next day.  The website that the soup came from doesn't include a name, it just says "super easy super yummy crock pot soup".  So, I'm calling it Crock Pot Soup for lack of a better idea.  Make this soup and enjoy it - you won't be sorry!  (The pictures are for a double recipe.)

The ingredients 

(I use three large chicken breasts when I double it, instead of four).

Rinse and drain the beans.

Dump all the ingredients in the crock pot.  

No particular order, but I try to layer it.

Set it and forget it!

The soup doesn't look very good until the end!  

Trust me, though, it's delicious!

Shred the chicken and stir it all together (doesn't it look better now?).

Serve with cheese and chips...it's so good, I'm drooling just looking at the pictures!

Crock Pot Soup (from Held Scraptive)

1 can Rotel
1 can corn (with liquid)
1 can black beans (drained & rinsed)
2 frozen chicken breasts
8 oz. cream cheese
1 packet dry ranch dressing
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:
-Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook for 6-8 hours on low (4-5 hours on high).
-Shred chicken and thoroughly stir soup.
-Serve with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

 Dirty Dishes - pretty good! 

(I love using the crock pot because it usually dirties less dishes!)

 Crock Pot Soup

Taste: 5 out of 5

Dirty Dishes: 5 out of 5

Time/Effort: 4 out of 5

TOTAL: 14 out of 15

Pizza Crust

The recipe this month is one I use often.  Well, I used to use it weekly...then I stopped...now I started again.  Since I have more time now, I've re-started my tradition of making pizza once a week.  We now have home-made pizza every Friday.  So, I thought I'd share my pizza crust recipe, which I got from my sister (who got it from Allrecipes.com).  It does require a bread machine, but I'm sure you could make it without the machine - it would just be more work.  If you use the bread machine, it's easy and delicious...enjoy!

The ingredients...pretty standard.

Add water, oil, salt, and sugar to bread machine then cover with flour and sprinkle with garlic.

Sprinkle on yeast and herbs.

Let your bread machine work it's magic!

Roll out dough and place on lightly greased pizza pan.

Top with your favorite pizza toppings 

(for this one we used pesto, garlic chicken, and red onions).

Bake for 12-15 minutes at 475 degrees.

Slice and enjoy 

(in my case, with a Diet Dr. Pepper!).

Ricardo's Pizza Crust (from Allrecipes.com)

1 cup warm water
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour (I always add more flour as needed)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (I usually use a little more...we like garlic)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Directions:
-Combine water, olive oil, sugar, and salt in pan of bread machine.  Add flour, then sprinkle garlic on flour.  Lastly add yeast.
-Turn machine on dough cycle.  As the dough mixes, sprinkle on oregano and basil (I usually just add this when I add the yeast).  Let mix for about 15-30 minutes.  Let the dough rest from 5-30 minutes (the longer it rests, the thicker and more tasty the crust).  Meanwhile, heat oven to 475 degrees.
-Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface.  Spray a large pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Place dough on pan and add your choice of pizza toppings.
-Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.

Dirty Dishes - I forgot to take a picture!

But it was just the bread machine pan, the pizza pan, and the pizza cutter...not bad!

Pizza Crust 

Taste: 5 out of 5

Dirty Dishes: 5 out of 5

Time/Effort: 3 out of 5

TOTAL: 13 out of 15

White Sauce

When I was growing up, any time we had waffles - we had white sauce.  I guess it's also called "waffle sauce" but I don't remember ever hearing that.  It was always just white sauce, and it was delicious on waffles.  Now that I'm an adult, I don't make waffles very often.  I love waffles, don't get me wrong, but they just seem like too much work.  I usually wait until I'm with my dad or sister and let them make waffles for me.  Luckily, today, it happened...my dad made me waffles!  So, of course, we made white sauce.  It's a creamy, vanilla-y, sauce that makes waffles even more delicious.  I usually add white sauce AND maple syrup, but the white sauce is perfectly tasty without the syrup.  And, the beauty of this recipe is that it's so simple!  Next time you have waffles (or even pancakes), try making white sauce!  (It's the first "perfect" score I've given using the scoring system at the bottom!)

The ingredients - so simple! 
(The sugar and flour are in the fancy canisters.)

 

Combine flour, sugar, and boiling water...stir until it thickens.

Serve it in a pretty pitcher.

 

Pour it on your waffle and ENJOY!  I added some maple syrup too!

White Sauce (or Waffle Sauce)

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
-Mix sugar and flour together (you can sift to prevent lumping, but I'm usually too lazy to do that).
-Slowly add boiling water.
-Bring to a boil and continue boiling until thickened.
-Add margarine and vanilla.

Dirty dishes...again, so simple!

White Sauce

Taste: 5 out of 5

Dirty Dishes: 5 out of 5

Time/Effort: 5 out of 5

TOTAL: 15 out of 15

The first PERFECT score!

Cheeseburger Pizza Pasta

I'm still trying to use up all the food in my pantry before leaving the country.  I have very random things so it's hard to follow recipes.  I had one can of cheddar cheese soup and it reminded me of a recipe I tried a while ago (Cheeseburger Pasta)...it was ok, but I wasn't sure I wanted to eat it again.  And, since I didn't have all the other ingredients, I couldn't duplicate it.  So, I decided to MODIFY it and make it work with what I had.  The results: better than the original.  It turned out like goulash and it was really good.  I added too much pasta (because I needed to use it all) so it wasn't as saucy as it might have been...but it was really good.  And, it was good as leftovers the next day!  I'll include the original recipe (in case you want to try it) and also my modified recipe.

My ingredients.

Brown the hamburger with the onions.

 

Add the cheese soup, the pizza sauce, and the chili's.

Add the pasta and the water.

Let it simmer while the pasta cooks.

Delicious and hot!

Top with mozzarella cheese and enjoy!

Cheeseburger Pasta (original recipe)

1 pound ground beef
1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed tomato soup
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups uncooked medium shell pasta

Directions:
-Cook beef in skillet until browned.  Pour off fat.
-Add soups, water, and pasta.  Heat to a boil.
-Cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until done, stirring often.

Cheeseburger Pizza Pasta (MODIFIED recipe)

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped (I used dried chopped onions because I had them and I'm lazy)
1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 can (15 oz.) pizza sauce
1 can (4.5 oz.) chopped green chili's
1 1/4 cups water
2 cups uncooked medium shell pasta (I used macaroni because that's what  I had...I liked it better because it tasted more like goulash with the macaroni instead of shells)
Mozzarella cheese as garnish

Directions:
-Brown beef and onion in a large pot.  Pour off fat.
-Add soup, pizza sauce, chili's, water, and pasta.  Heat to a boil.
-Cover and cook over medium heat 10-12 minutes or until noodles are done, stirring often.

Dirty dishes.  The meal is made in one pot so there aren't many dishes.

Cheeseburger Pizza Pasta

Taste: 4 out of 5

Dirty Dishes: 5 out of 5

Time/Effort: 5 out of 5

TOTAL: 14 out of 15

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Last night we had a sort of Olympic Opening Ceremony party.  It wasn't a full party since we don't have TV, but we watched the festivities online...Cheryl, Jen, and I sat on the couch and starred at the laptop screen.  It was fun to spend the evening with friends.  We also had fun making (and eating) dinner together.  I am about to share with you one of my favorite meals.  Enjoy our version of Tuna Noodle Casserole...

The ingredients (I used more cheese than is pictured).

  

Mix the soup and tuna and other ingredients.

  

Meanwhile, boil the egg noodles until done (depending on your definition of "done").

  

Also meanwhile, continue mixing all the other ingredients.

  

Add the noodles to the other ingredients; mix well, then spread in 9x13 pan.

  

Sprinkle more cheese on top and more fried onions.

Cheryl is a great hand model/scooping model.  I never get a picture of the finished casserole because we always start eating before I remember to take one!

Such a yummy (and easy) dinner!

 Tuna Noodle Casserole

1 package (12 oz.) egg noodles
1/4 cup chopped onions (I use dried chopped onions because I'm usually too lazy to actually chop an onion - but either works)
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (I use any type of cheese I happen to have...usually a blend or mozzarella - I also use more than 2 cups...closer to 3)
1 cup frozen green peas (I often use a little more because I like peas)
2 cans (6 oz.) tuna, drained
2 cans (10.5 oz.) mushroom soup
1 can (4.5 oz.) mushrooms (I often omit this if I don't have any)
1 can (6 oz.) French's fried onions (the original recipe called for less, but who are we kidding?)

Directions:
-Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta in boiling water for 8-10 minutes.  Drain.
-In a large bowl, thoroughly mix chopped onions, 1 cup cheese (I usually use 1 1/2 cups),  peas, tuna, soup, mushrooms, and half the can of fried onions.  Add noodles (let them cool for a couple minutes).
-Transfer mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish and top with remaining cheese (another 1 1/2 cups) and remaining fried onions.
-Bake in 425 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

   

Dirty dishes - not bad.  The casserole dish isn't pictured and it's usually the worst thing to wash because of all the stuck-on cheese.  But, since this meal is essentially made in one bowl, I'd say it's pretty good.  (If you chop the onions, you'd have a few more dirty dishes.)

 

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Taste: 5 out of 5

Dirty Dishes: 4 out of 5

Time/Effort: 5 out of 5

TOTAL: 14 out of 15