Beep Beep Buses Coming Through

 

 Happy August! I can't believe I'm saying that. In fact, I do so with a little choke. See, in this house August means a couple things. One, it's officially back to school time (10 days to be exact) AND int he same time, my baby will celebrate his 5th birthday! ("Mommy, I'm going to be a WHOLE hand this year!") 

Neither of these things are events this mama's heart handles well. I love having my kids home with me, and I am never ready for them to be another year older. Sure, I can be excited for them; and be ready to celebrate, but that doesn't mean I don't fight back tears along the way! 

I developed this recipe for an easy "summer lunch for kids" and then realized it was almost time for school before I was posting it. That's okay though. Many kids won't be boarding the bus for a few more weeks, some not until after Labor Day! Others are still learning from home, and could still use a fun, yummy lunch. Also, they work so well for a kid's party or sleepover. Or, as my boys pointed out after eating them for lunch, I could double the recipe, add a salad on the side and have a simple supper for a busy night. Oh, and let's not forget Game Day! Football Sundays are coming soon too, and these would be perfect! So...my easy kids lunch really has so many more possibilities! 

These mini pizzas used a frozen Texas Toast garlic bread for the crust and can be customized by little hands for fun in the kitchen! Any of your favorite toppings work, just make sure if you're using fresh veggies they aren't wet...nobody wants a soggy pizza! Oh, and it's best if you use the garlic bread without cheese. Sounds weird I know, but using "fresh" gets a better melt factor and allows the toppings to stick better! 

Summer lunch time will be winding down soon, but lucky for me you have so many more options with these yummy personal pizzas. But hey, there is still some time! Plan a pizza party lunch this week before those littles are grabbing their backpacks and lunch boxes as they run out the door!

Garlic Bread Pizza

1 (8 count) box Texas toast garlic bread

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup pizza sauce

2 tsp. Italian Seasoning

Sliced Pepperoni

Sliced Black Olives

Preheat oven to 425. Place garlic bread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Top with pizza sauce and both cheeses. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Top with pepperoni, black olives and other desired toppings. Bake for 5-10 minutes more until browned and cheese is melted. Serve with extra pizza sauce for dipping if desired.

 Shared at Weekend Potluck

 

When My Boy Asks

 My kids are so used to me planning diverse menus with many of their favorites every week, it isn't often they feel the need to request something, unless I ask them for input. But every once in a awhile, Alex will ask for me to make something he is craving, rather it be a beloved favorite or he wants me to try a new recipe. Such was the case when it comes to the new pasta bake I'm sharing today and boy am I glad he asked because it lead to something delicious and a recipe I am quite proud of! 

We are going on month 302 of this pandemic...or so it seems...and while I do think our family has adjusted to the things are the best we can, there are still moments I find us whining about things we miss. And that's okay. We all deserve to have a little whine now and again after what we have endured over the past year! Even my kids have truly stepped up to the challenge of "the new normal" better than I could have ever expected. 

My 4 year old will gladly wear his mask if I allow him to go into a store with me (which isn't often, and it helps the mask has either a panda or Baby Yoda on it!). My teenager goes to school every single day, in a mask, for 7-8 hours, without much complaint. He only gets to take it off when he eats lunch, which by the way is no longer with his friends, but in an assigned classroom where the food is brought to them and they eat at their desks. (I'm not complaining, our school has done an outstanding job at protocols this year and I'm so pleased we've been in-person with only a couple weeks of preventative remote since August!) But everyone is human, and sometimes a "oh I miss ___" will come out of one of our mouths. 

Alex's most recent lamenting was about buffets. Yes, we were a buffet loving family. We enjoyed a tasty Asian buffet, seafood buffet and the dinner buffet at our local Pizza Hut. In this case, it was the last one Alex was missing. No, not because of the all you can eat pizza, but instead the pasta they always served on it. He could eat plate after plate of their cavatini. I don't blame him, the other one they always had, a spaghetti with a white, cream cheese sauce makes me drool just thinking of it. (In case you're wondering, no it wasn't Alfredo. It was completely different, and it will be the next one I master!)

So when my oldest baby was sad because he had a hankering for this cavatini, and asked if I thought I might be able to come up with something similar, this mama had to try! Well, I don't want to pat myself on the back too much, but even I have to admit I hit it out of the park! 

This copycat is spot on! Both Alex and his dad couldn't get over just how close to the original it tasted. The boys was thrilled and I scored major mom points! 

This pasta casserole is sort of like a pizza, pasta combo so your kids will probably love it as much as mine! Maybe they have been asking you to try something new, and now you have your answer!

 Copycat Pizza Hut Cavatini

1 lb. rotini pasta, cooked to al dente

1 lb. mild Italian sausage

4 oz. pepperoni, chopped

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 TBS olive oil

2 (24 oz.) jars tomato and basil spaghetti sauce

1 1/2 c. shredded pizza blend cheese

2 TBS grated Parmesan/Romano cheese

1/4 tsp. dried red pepper

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Salt and Pepper

Dried Parsley

Preheat oven to 350. While pasta cooks, brown sausage in large skillet. Drain well. Set aside. Wipe out skillet and add olive oil over medium high heat. Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic in oil until tender, about 5 minutes. When pasta is cooked, drain well. In a large bowl combine sauce, sausage, onion mixture, pasta, dried red pepper, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir well. Transfer half pasta mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, half pizza blend cheese and half pepperoni. Add other half pasta mixture, rest of pepperoni and top with pizza blend cheese. Bake for 45 minutes until brown and bubbly. Sprinkle with dried parsley before serving. 

 

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Dollar Store Delight

A couple weeks back there was a convo on Facebook about buying food at Dollar Tree and how 99% of what they sell is pre-packaged, processed junk. Now, I will no dispute that much of it is exactly that, but I also know there are some things I can find at me that not only are exactly what I would find at my major super market, but a whole lot cheaper, helping me stay on budget.

One of the things I mentioned in the thread was gnocchi. I discovered my local Dollar Trees (yes, we have 4 within just minutes of our house) carry 1 lb. packages of gnocchi. They are a fine quality, and taste the same as the $4 packs I can find elsewhere. I can honestly say every single gnocchi recipe you can find on this blog was made with $1 gnocchi.

So the next time I was in there I decided to create a new recipe around those; and see what else I could find too. In this recipe alone, the gnocchi, Italian seasoning, and pepperoni came from DT. I would have been able to get the marinara sauce there too, they just happened to be out of it the day I went. But...and here is the funny part...I got the sauce at Kroger...for $1 and the 2 cans of mushrooms at Aldi for $1 total. The only thing in the recipe that cost me more than a buck was the bag of mozzarella cheese, and I actually had a coupon for that too!

I guess this is my point. Do I want my family eating cheap, processed food every night of the week? Absolutely not. But there are some things to be found at the dollar store that you can turn into something delicious, yummy and stay on a pretty strict budget. This casserole fed our family of 4 (and I've got big eaters) plus enough for a lunch the next day, for around $7. That is less than $2 per person!

In my opinion, there just needs to be less judgment all around when it comes to where we buy our food, and what we are buying. We all do what we can, in the way we can, and I refuse to turn my nose up at something just because it came from a discount store! After all, look what you can do with it!

Pizza Gnocchi Bake

2 (1 lb.) packages potato gnocchi, cooked to directions

1 (24 oz.) jar marinara sauce

2 (4 oz.) cans mushrooms

1 (4 oz.) package pepperoni, chopped, reserve a few whole for top

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Italian Seasoning

Preheat oven to 400. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. When gnocchi are cooked, drain and return to warm pan. Add chopped pepperoni, mushrooms, sauce and 1 cup cheese. Stir well to combine. Transfer to baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining cheese, top with pepperoni slices, sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bake for 10 minutes more until cheese melted and bubbly. Rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Upping Your Frozen Food Game

I am so blessed to have so many connections because of what I do here. One of my favorite communities I've been working with lately is MyMagazine Sharing Network through the Kroger family of stores. 

I receive free samples or coupons for free items and get to try them and let the powers that be know what I think of them. Plus, share my thoughts on social media too! 

My latest campaign came at a perfect time. They sent me coupons for various items from the frozen food section of my local Kroger store, and asked I try to elevate one or more of them to something new. 

Mission accomplished! I knew exactly which one I was going to play around with first too. The oldest was home for Spring Break and it was time to come up with a fun, tasty lunch for him using Farm Rich Mozzarella Cheese Sticks.

I looked in the pantry to see what I had on hand, and about 30 minutes later I had a dish he loved and I knew would be a big hit with your kids too! Rather it be lunch, after school snack or a kids' party these will be the star! I can just see a bunch of littles around the pool, soaking up the sun, scarfing these down!

Oh, and if you wonder why there is no sauce on this pizza? I was afraid it would make it too wet, but some on the side to dip might be good. I just didn't have any on hand! 

If you want to learn more about MyMagazine Sharing Network, click here & maybe you can start to receive yummy free samples too!

Cheese Stick Pizza 

15 frozen mozzarella sticks*

Sliced Pepperoni

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Sliced Black Olives

Canned Mushrooms

Dried Oregano

Cook cheese sticks according to package directions. When finished, allow to cool for just a couple minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350. Transfer to a 9 inch pie plate. Top with cheese, pepperoni, olives and mushrooms.  Bake for 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with oregano. *NOTES* 15 cheese sticks fit in my pie plate perfectly, be sure to check yours. Some marinara on the side for dipping would be fun too, I just didn't have any on hand. 

Shared at Weekend Potluck
Shared at Meal Plan Monday

Disclaimer: I received a free sample I used in this recipe. The blog post and recipe were all my ideas.

Soul Food Saturday #47

I saw this recipe for the first time on Facebook, and had to give it a try. The perfect combination of garlic bread and pizza. How could that be wrong? Now that I have your full attention. This would be perfect for movie night, or a quick after school snack. This combinations are endless. Grab the kids because pizza bread is what's for dinner!

Pull Apart Pepperoni and Extra Cheese Pizza Bread 

1 Can Grands buttery Biscuits
½ c. Mozzarella /cheddar cheese blend
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 c. olive oil
4 oz pepperoni
½ c. Parmesan cheese
½ tsp. granulated garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut biscuits into quarters. Cut the pepperoni into smaller pieces. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and toss so that the oil is spread evenly on each piece of dough. In a 9 inch pie plate, bake for about 20 minutes (or until the top is brown and the center is thoroughly cooked)
TIP: Be sure to check it in the middle before you pull it out. If the middle is still not cooked through allow another 5 minutes at a time until center is done. 

Not Just For Muffins

When I was a working girl one of my favorite places to "go to lunch with the girls" was Uno's Pizzeria.  One, because they were close to the office, and offered a 15 minute lunch. From the time you ordered, to the time they brought you the food, it was 15 minutes, or it was FREE! When you only have an hour to spare, that's a pretty great deal. And two, because they had, hands down, two things on their menu that to me, they did better than anyone else.

The first favorite I had was their fish n chips. Oh my word. It was this huge piece of beer battered cod, served with a huge helping of their yummy fries. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. But the other was an in-house specialty...their deep dish pizza. I'm not really a deep dish fan, but theirs? I could not get enough! They did it better than anyone. After all, they originated in Chicago, and nobody does deep dish like Chi-town! The crust was the absolute best I have ever eaten, and it was the perfect indulgence during a busy work day.

Well, Uno's closed here in Fort Wayne quite a few years back, and I have not had a deep dish pizza since. No joke! But when a friend told me about these cute little appetizer pizzas she had a party, I figured they might just be a great way to get me out of the rut. Not because they would even come close to the one I loved so much, but they were easy, and I love something that can play multiple rolls. Sure, they make a great appetizer, but make enough, add a salad and you've got a meal the kids will love! Oh, and any time I can find a new use for my muffin tin...I'm in!

Add your favorite toppings and make these a fun new pizza party treat! Get the little ones in the kitchen and let them help! If you've got extra tortillas left over from tacos earlier in the week, turn them into something completely new! There are so many reasons these would be a star in your kitchen, and you will be a total rock star for making them!

I miss those deep dish pizzas a lot, and don't know if I'll ever find another I enjoy as much, but until then, I'll munch on these to ease my pain!

Mini Deep Dish Pizzas

4 large flour tortillas

Cooking Spray

1 c. mozzarella cheese

12 turkey pepperoni, cut into 4 pieces each

1 (15 oz.) can pizza sauce

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 TBS Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 400. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. In a small bowl combine pizza sauce, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Stir well. Using a glass or the empty pizza can, cut 3 rounds from each tortilla. (You want to make sure the rounds are just a little bigger then the wells in your muffin tin.) Place tortilla rounds in muffin tin, so each well is covered on the bottom and up the sides a little. Fill each with about 2 TBS of pizza sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with 4 pieces of pepperoni each. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy. Let stand 2 minutes and remove with fork.

Shared on The Country Cook Feb. 28, 2014

 

Bonfire Bundles

This time of year I always try to provide you with a great idea for your upcoming Halloween party, or if your family is like ours and the evening is a simple one of neighborhood trick-or-treating, and supper needs to be quick and simple, something that would work for that too. Well, today is the day!

If your house is the place to be Halloween night, with friends and family dropping by, or a huge kids party, these would be a huge hit! I guarantee! Have a big platter of these sitting next to your cauldron of apple cider, and all the little ghoulish guests will flip! Rather it is held indoors, our out next to the biggest bonfire of the season, they are the perfect party food!

Our Halloween does indeed include a party, but I am not the host. We actually go back to my hometown (about 15 minutes from our house) so Alex can trick-or-treat in the neighborhood I grew up in, and then head to the local volunteer Fire Department for the fun filled party, with games, costume contests, door prizes and candy galore! It's a great tradition I'm so excited to be continuing with him. It allows his grandma to always be part of the festivities and it's kinda nice to see something I enjoyed so much as a child still going strong, and a community still enjoying it.

But all of this going on between the hours of 6pm and 8pm means supper needs to be quick, simple, but most of all FUN! I like treating him to something "party inspired" on Halloween, and it's usually something he can eat with his hands. Plus, it needs to be on the light side. Between the excitement of the night, and the sheer rush, supper really isn't high on his priority list.

These take the fun and yumminess of pizza and turns them into something new, adorable, and 100% kid friendly! Three things that all food should be on Halloween!

However you are spending next Thursday night, I hope it's full of smiles, more treats than tricks and some delicious food, not just Snickers and Butterfingers!

Mini Pizza Bundles Inspired by The Gunny Sack

20 refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

20 pieces pepperoni

2-3 String Cheese, cut into 20 small chunks

1 egg, beaten

Parmesan Cheese

Italian Seasoning

Garlic Powder

Pizza Sauce

Preheat oven to 425. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Flatten each biscuit out. Lay a piece

of pepperoni on each, then a piece of string cheese. Gather sides of biscuit up, forming a bundle. Lay, seam side down in baking dish. Brush all with egg. Sprinkle with Parmesan, Garlic Powder and Italian Seasoning. Bake 18-20 minutes until browned. Serve with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Shared on The Country Cook Oct. 25, 2013

Soul Food Saturday #19

Well, we have one week of school under our belts! Five days down. Only 175 more to go! It's hard to believe that summer is coming to end, Labor Day is next weekend, and autumn is just around the corner. And today Bekki is sharing a great idea for any busy school night, especially if your family is like ours and the "after school" activities keep you just as busy!

  *NOTE* Bekki had a friend give her this recipe, but couldn't remember where she got it, so if you recognize it, or where it came from, please let us know so we can give them a little shout out love!

For most summer vacation is officially over. The new school year has begun and thoughts of fall sports and fun are in the air. So I decided we needed a fun recipe that’s great for a family movie night snack or one to come home and have right after a day at school. This one will be fun for the kids to help with. Choosing your favorite combinations of meats and cheese, just like your favorite pizzas. Whether you are a dipper or a purist, this will fit everyone’s fancy. Pull out the ranch, or your favorite marinara. Or maybe even both. This one is a winner!

 

 

Mini Pepperoni Pizza Egg Rolls

3 mozzarella string cheese, quartered
12 mini egg roll wrappers
36 slices of mini pepperoni
Oil for deep-frying

Marinara or pizza sauce (optional)

On top of egg roll wrapper, place three pieces of pepperoni from one corner to another. Place a piece of the quartered string cheese on top of the pepperoni. Moisten around entire edge with water to seal, with either your finger, or a brush. Start fold by folding corners over the cheese. Then pull bottom corner over cheese and pepperoni and keep rolling until cheese is tightly wrapped. Repeat with the rest of wrappers.

In a skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees F. Fry sticks, a few at a time, for 30-60 seconds on each side until completely brown. Drain on paper towels.

Dairy At The State Fair {Dairy Ambassador #WinnersDrinkMilk}

The Indiana State Fair is in full swing, and Indiana Dairy wants to make sure you enjoy what they have to offer at the fair grounds.

Anyone who has ever visited the State Fair can't help but notice the Dairy Barn, which happens to be a must on our fair agenda every single year. From the gooey grilled cheese to the thick and delicious milkshakes, we also treat ourselves to a yummy stop at the Dairy Barn.

I am especially looking forward to it this year because I've heard they have a new milkshake flavor...lemon! Ya'll know how much of a lemon freak I am...and I have to believe that will taste so refreshing during a sunny, warm day at the fair!

Plus another thing I love about the Dairy Barn is the reasonable prices! They really allow a family to enjoy some fair staples without emptying the wallet. Just take a look at this year's menu:

Open weekdays from 7 am-9 pm and weekends from 7 am- 10 pm, they also serve breakfast daily until 10 am. This year their featured sandwich is the Blue Moo- slices of blue and American cheese on sourdough bread. (I love that name! Too cute!) If you're looking for something a little healthier for the little ones at the fair, the Dairy Barn also offers the Fuel Up to Play 60 Kid's Meal-a great choice inspired by the Dairy Council's school health and wellness program. Plus, parents with babies with bottles can stop by the Dairy Barn anytime and they will fill them with milk for free!!

In addition, Indiana Dairy also sponsors the Cheese Sculpture, which will be unveiled August 7th, in the Dupont Food Pavilion. The sculpture this year will highlight the importance of childhood nutrition and starting your day with an energizing breakfast. And every day at 2 pm, also in the Dupont Food Pavilion, let Indiana Dairy's master chef show you how to prepare some delicious recipes. Plus, during one of the highlights of our visit every year, the daily parade at 6:30 pm, you can catch the dairy float rolling through the fairgrounds. 

To celebrate our upcoming trip to the fair, I decided to highlight dairy by combining two favorites in our family. I've already told you how much we love the dairy barn and all of it's yummy offerings, but at the top of the list is definitely their grilled cheese sandwiches. Seriously, they are the best ones I've ever had in my life! And the other one is pizza at the fair. While they don't offer it at the Dairy Barn, we always seem to find more than one vendor offering huge slices of pizza, perfect for a certain little boy! Actually last year, he had a Dairy Barn meal, complete with grilled cheese and milk, for lunch and pizza for supper. So I figured why not take both of Alex's favorites and turn them into one tasty, easy sandwich, perfect for a simple summer supper. 

If you are heading down to the State Fair, please include the Dairy Barn in your visit. You won't regret it! And be sure to have a grilled cheese and lemon milkshake for me!!

Pizza Grilled Cheese

Sliced mozzarella cheese

Sliced Pepperoni

Sliced White Button Mushrooms

Garlic and Herb Italian Bread, sliced medium

Pizza Sauce for dipping

Spread bread slices on one side each with butter or margarine. On bottom piece of bread layer cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, and another slice of cheese. Top with another slice of bread, butter side up. Cook in a large skillet over medium heat until both sides are golden brown. Serve with pizza sauce on side. *NOTE* I found my bread in the bakery section at Walmart. If you can't find it, regular Italian or French bread would also work. Or even some sliced garlic bread!

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Aug. 7, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook Aug. 9, 2013

He Loves The Box

The blue one. That says Kraft on it. With the mac and cheese inside of it. And to be honest, I can't say I blame him. Sometimes, I need transported back in time to my childhood and enjoy a classic. No, it's not as good as homemade. No, it's not that great for me. But I can't help myself, sometimes I just gotta have it. 

Most of the time when I satisfy his craving, or indulge myself, it's as a side dish...easy and quick...exactly what I need sometimes. But a few years ago when a friend shared this with me, I was pleasantly surprised that with just a few ingredients I could make that classic into something new, and a filling main dish, perfect for a busy weeknight when I'm rushing around trying to get supper on the table, along with about a hundred other things.

Now, if you prefer a homemade version, and stay away from the pre-packaged version all together, kudos to you! Seriously, you have much more will power than I do. This could easily be made with a creamy "from scratch" version, just be sure your end product results in about a pound of pasta. Then simply add the rest of the ingredients. Either way you make it, your kids are going to love it! Mac n Cheese and Pizza in one delicious dish...they will think you are a genius!!

Every once in awhile it's okay to treat ourselves to one of life's simple pleasure. For our family that means mac and cheese out of a certain blue box. But at least this way I get to "jazz" it up a little and give my little guy two things he loves in one simple dish.

Pizza Style Mac n Cheese

2 (7.5 oz) boxes mac n cheese

1/2 stick butter (NOTE this is a different amount than listed on box)

1/2 cup milk

1 (15 oz.) jar pizza sauce

3/4 c. pepperoni, chopped

1 (6.5 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 (3.5 oz) can sliced black olives, drained, a few reserved for garnish

2 TBS Italian Seasoning, extra for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook macaroni until done. Put back on hot pan over low heat. Add milk, butter and cheese packet. Stir until well combined. Add pizza sauce. Stir and cook on low until some liquid evaporates. Add pepperoni, mushrooms, olives and seasoning. Stir well to combine. Cook on low for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to combine, stirring often. Garnish with extra black olives and seasoning. 

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain May 15, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook May 17, 2013