Thanks, Mrs. T

 We are huge pierogi fans in our house, and I am always looking for new ways to include them in our weekly meal plan. They are sort of a "new" thing for us, since I only started making them a couple years ago. They just weren't something I grew up with, and never thought to try. So, what changed you ask. 

Thanks to a foodie/blogging relationship with the great folks at Mrs. T's frozen pierogies, these little pillows of potato and cheese goodness are now a permanent part of our family's cuisine. 

Now, if you love to make homemade, or want to try, there are a thousand recipes out there for them and I fully support that approach. But for me, being able to grab a couple boxes out of the frozen food section, knowing I can have them on the table in almost no time, works for me. 

I use Mrs. T's for my Loaded Pierogi Skillet, which has quickly become a go-to 20 minute side dish for busy weeknights. And now I have a brand new recipe that we love just as much, thanks to inspiration from my friends at Mrs. T's. 

Combining their mini four-cheese medley pierogies with a buttery buffalo sauce is a GENIUS idea for a tasty appetizer for your next party, snacking while watching March Madness this week, or a side dish with a little kick perfect any night of the week. All the flavors of buffalo wings, but in a yummy dumpling.

I am so thankful we discovered pierogies, even if we were a little late to the party; and even more grateful for the opportunities to team up with a fantastic company any chance I get!

 

What Are Pierogies

Put simply, pierogies are filled dumplings. They can be savory or sweet, but the most popular fillings are potato, cheese, onions and cabbage.

Where Can I Buy Mrs. T's Frozen Pierogies

If you've never seen them before, Mrs. T's can be found in the frozen food section of your grocery store, usually close to the frozen pastas. 

What Kind Of Hot Sauce To Use

For this recipe I used a basic cayenne hot sauce, similar to Frank's Red Hot. But feel free to use any flavor or brand you like. 

Can I Make Pierogies In The Air Fryer 

YES! For this recipe, follow the directions but instead of baking in the oven, place the pierogies in the air fryer basket and cook at 400 for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway through.

 Best Tips

Melt butter over low heat to avoid scorching.

No need to thaw pierogies.

Don't forget to turn halfway through cooking so they don't burn.

Save any leftover buffalo sauce mixture to baste on the pierogies when they come out of the oven.

Serve with blue cheese, ranch or your favorite dipping sauce.

If serving as an appetizer, include toothpicks or skewers so people can help themselves.

 

Buffalo Mini Pierogies

1 box mini 4-cheese medley pierogies

4 TBS butter, melted

1/2 cup hot sauce

1/2 tsp chili powder

Green onions, chopped, for garnish

Blue cheese dressing and crumbles, for serving

Carrots and celery, for serving

Preheat oven to 400. In a large skillet, melt butter over low heat. Add hot sauce and chili powder. Stir well. Toss with frozen pierogies. Transfer to a large baking sheet coated in nonstick spray. Bake for 16-18 minutes until browned, turning halfway through. When cooked, baste pierogies with extra sauce. Sprinkle with green onions. Serve with blue cheese and veggies. 

More Easy Side Dish Recipes

Souper Rice

Cafeteria Noodles

Sheet Pan Macaroni and Cheese 

Easy Corn Casserole 

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes 

Red Potato Salad 

Broccoli Grape Salad

Shared at Weekend Potluck

 

I Didn't Love Them As A Kid

When I was growing up I did not enjoy some "kid friendly" foods other children my age craved. For example, I was not a fan of tacos or corn dogs. How did this occur? Well, my dad was a meat and potatoes kind of guy, and some of those "fun" foods weren't ones my mom made. But she also raised me right, and every time I was at a friend's house for supper and it was taco night, I ate with a smile and didn't utter a word! 

It wasn't until I was a teenager I learned to enjoy Mexican food and Chinese food, and they quickly became favorites. Ironically, my dad loves Mexican food now too! Once he got a taste for it, he couldn't get enough, and he would be happy to see tacos on his supper table these days. 

I was actually an adult before I tasted a corn dog I truly enjoyed. It was at a local street fair and Alex wanted one, so we shared. Oh my gosh! I ended up getting another one. I had to know why this one tasted different from any other I had every tried. Have you guessed it yet? Honey. The extra bite of sweetness put the flavor over the top for me and since that day, I have loved them as much as my kids, as long as they contain that magic ingredient. 

Imagine my delight when I found boxed, frozen corn dogs at Aldi that declared right on the box "made with honey in the batter!" They have become a staple in our house, so when I saw this new internet craze, I knew they would be perfect for this brilliant idea.

Take frozen corn dogs, take the stick out, add some chili, cheese and onions and ta-da...Chili Cheese Corn Dogs! How genius! 

Looking for a simple supper this week that the kids will love? Done! Trying to plan the menu for your Super Bowl party in a few weeks? Done! 

I wasn't a picky eater as a kid, Lord knows mom wouldn't have allowed that; but how funny is it the few things I didn't enjoy were ones other kids begged for? Thank goodness I grew to love them all so my kids could too! 

  

Chili Cheese Corn Dogs

2 (6 count) boxes frozen corn dogs

2 (15 oz.) cans chili without beans

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 medium white onion, diced

1/4 cup yellow mustard

Preheat oven to 375. Bake corn dogs for 13-15 minutes, or according to package directions. While corn dogs bake, warm chili on stove top. Once corn dogs are cooked through, carefully remove stick. Using a sharp knife, cut down the center of each corn dog. Squeeze or spoon a small amount of mustard into each. Spoon chili into each. Top with shredded cheese. Bake for 10 minutes more until cheese is melted. Top with diced onion.

 

Stress Free Sandwich Night

Sandwiches. We all have our favorites. From Philly Cheese Steaks to Reubens and everything in between, there are so many to love. I think for a lot of us, sandwiches are something quick you can grab at lunch time, an on-the-go meal to eat while driving or sitting at your desk. But I am here to tell you when done right, sandwiches can open up a whole new world when it comes to your weeknight menu plan!

 If you aren't planning a sandwich night for one of your weeknight meals, you are missing out on a great opportunity for taking a little stress out of your life. A simple sandwich supper can be filling, delicious but still so easy on the cook after a long day. 

When I do a sandwich supper I am sure to plan a couple side dishes to help round out the meal, so it's a great time for fries, cottage cheese, fresh fruit, salad or a bowl of a favorite soup. But even with the addition of a couple other dishes, sandwich night is still one of the easiest ways to get a meal on the table your family will love and you won't be exhausted with a sink full of dishes to clean up after. 

I've been making these Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches for years. They are easy, inexpensive thanks to using boneless chicken thighs, and can even be prepped ahead of time if you want to save even more effort when supper time rolls around. (See the note below)

Boneless chicken thighs sometimes get a bad wrap. I know the boneless breasts are the most popular, but for certain recipes, thighs can easily be swapped out and save you some major dough! Plus, dark meat has so much flavor too! 

These are great for a weeknight meal when everyone has to eat at different times too! They keep warm on the stove or even in the slow cooker beautifully. Or serve up a big batch for your next Game Day watch party! 

Dinner time can be so incredibly stressful, but it doesn't have to be! Between planning ahead and remembering our good friend, Mr. Sandwich, simple stress-free meals are sure to turn a bad day into a good one!

 Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

2 lbs. boneless chicken thighs, trimmed

1 (8 oz.) bottle hot sauce, like Franks

4 TBS butter

1/4 c. olive oil

Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper

Blue cheese dressing, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place chicken on foil. Baste with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake for 20-30 minutes until juices run clear. Cool enough to handle and shred with 2 forks. In a large pot melt butter over low heat. Add entire bottle of hot sauce and stir to combine. Add chicken and mix well. Put lid on and allow to warm through, about 15 minutes. Serve on buns with blue cheese dressing, and carrots and celery on side if desired.  *NOTE* The chicken can be baked ahead, cooled, shredded and refrigerated for 1-2 days. When you're ready, continue with rest of recipe.*

 Shared at Weekend Potluck

Two Favorites One Simple Game Day Treat

 Every time I post a recipe that mentions "game day" I always get comments about "We don't watch much football, do you think this would work for a supper idea too?" 

Let me clear, 99% of my recipes are absolutely adaptable to your needs. Just because my family is a football watching, pigskin loving group doesn't mean I don't realize not everyone is. Likewise, if I post a recipe that I think would be a terrific game day treat or tailgating fare, chances are it would be just as tasty weeknight meal too! You make it when you want to. How will I ever know? 

In fact, the recipe I'm posting today screams football season to me. Chili. Sliders. Those are game day staples. But I tested this recipe over the summer, and guess what. It was our supper that night! 

If you've never had Cincinnati style chili, you need to prepare yourself for an entirely different experience. It's use of Mediterranean spices give it an unique flavor profile. It can be served as is, but is also served over spaghetti, baked potatoes and of course hot dogs. The restaurant chain Skyline has made it famous, and the day it came to our city, we were thrilled. We love this stuff so much I even created a pretty close copycat recipe I make in the slow cooker all fall/winter long. 

For this recipe I actually used the canned Skyline chili you can find in the grocery store. I had a can of it sitting in the pantry and I was looking for a new way to top some slider burgers. Two favorites came together in a simple burger supper that we loved. Like I said, this was back in the summer so we grilled our sliders, but you could cook them whatever way works for you. We grill year round, but an indoor grill or even baking would work too! 

I know without a doubt I will making these again soon so we can eat them in front of the television while we cheer on our favorites team(s)! But like so many of my recipes, football isn't required to enjoy them, just an extra bonus for us! 

 

Cincinnati Chili Sliders

2 lbs. ground beef

1 (15 oz.) can Skyline Chili, or 2 cups leftover homemade, warmed

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3 tsp. seasoning salt

Black Pepper

Slider Buns

Score ground beef with knife or back of your hand into 12 equals portions. (My packages were 1 pound each, so each was scored into 6 sections) Form 2 inch patties, leaving an indention in the middle with your thumb. Sprinkle with seasoning salt and black pepper. Preheat grill to high and grease. Cook patties for 3 minutes on each side to sear. Lower heat to medium low and continue cooking, and flipping until cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Place each slider on a bun. Top with shredded cheese, chili and onion. *NOTE* If using canned chili, remove the extra liquid in a colander before using to avoid extra moisture.

Welcome Back Football

If you aren't a football fan, you might not even realize or care that the season is officially here! This past weekend was the kickoff to NFL, but high school and college teams have been playing for a couple weeks now. While I never look forward to the end of summer, the return of pigskin fun is something our whole family looks forward to every single year. 

Let's face it, part of the fun of watching football is the food that comes along with it. Even those who don't care about first downs, penalties and the score can get behind some tasty game day eats. 

With stadiums filling up once again, you know there are going to be some outrageous tailgate parties pre-game! But even if you are cheering your favorite team from home, you can enjoy some great snacks! 

If we are going to have an entire day of football watching, I love putting out a mini spread and we graze through every touchdown. From hot dips to sandwiches or a big batch of chili, game days in our house mean something yummy to eat too. 

These pretzels have become our latest addiction. Seriously. You can't eat just one, or just one handful! They are buttery, salty and filled with flavor. I don't drink, but my husband tells me a big handful of these and a cold beer are a perfect match. 

Game days are some of the most fun, and most delicious! Football fans and non-fans alike can always agree on a big plate of tasty dishes.

If you love game day food as much as we do, please be sure to check out some of the fantastic collections I've written for Parade Magazine!

• 50 Best Game Day Foods On A Budget
• 60 Finger Foods For Football Seasons 
• 50 Crock Pot Super Bowl Must Haves  
  

 Everything Pretzels

1 lb. bag mini twist pretzels

2/3 cup butter, melted

6 TBS everything bagel seasoning 

 Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl combine pretzels and butter. Gently stir to coat. Sprinkle with seasoning. Gently stir well. Transfer to large rimmed baking sheet. Bake 10-120 minutes until butter is absorbed. *NOTE* Some of the seasoning will fall off, you can't help it. The 6 tablespoons allots for that. We like dark pretzels, so I let mine bake for 20 minutes. 

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Lunch or Game Day

I won't lie. This recipe was supposed to up on the blog weeks ago as an idea for a hot summer night when the thermometer still read 90 at 6pm and you needed something light and refreshing. Well...obviously that didn't happen. Oops.

So when I found the post sitting there in the draft folder, staring back at me, mocking me, knowing my OCD would kick into overdrive and I would be kicking myself for the mistake, I had to adapt.

Honestly, we eat this stuff year round. A couple years ago, I made it for our annual New Year's Eve buffet! Therefore, it wasn't that hard for me to find a way to share it with all of you now that fall is in the air.

This would be fantastic for Game Day! We are a football loving family and there are times we will be watching the game at home, just the 4 of us, and I still put out a party spread. It's fun to eat all day and cheer on our favorite teams. And it would be just as tasty in the parking lot while yo tailgate with your friends! It would easily travel in a cooler.

But if football isn't your thing, make a big batch on the weekend and have something yummy for lunch all week long.

Or if neither of those "trip your trigger" (As grandma used to say!) it would be terrific for any fall party as well! Get the friends around the bonfire and give them something to snack on while the hot dogs roast or the chili stays warm in the Crock Pot.

Delicious food can be enjoyed any time of year, any season you want! Don't box yourself if and think if you like it in July you can't enjoy it in September too!

Seafood Salad

1 lb. imitation crab, chopped
1 c. frozen cooked extra small shrimp, thawed
2 celery ribs, diced
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. Chesapeake seasoning
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1 TBS lemon juice
Salt and Pepper

Combine shrimp and crab in a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour over seafood. Stir gently to combine. Chill until ready to serve, at least an hour. Serve with crackers.

Shared at Weekend Potluck
Shared at Meal Plan Monday

Tailgate at Home

It is football season! And while nobody plays in our house, we are avid fans! Between watching the games on tv, following stats online (that would be the teenager), cheering for our favorite teams, and yes even yelling at the refs, we are definitely a football family.

Here is a little secret though. We don't share the love of any one team. There is some overlap though. Let's see, Mr. E and I are avid Steelers fan. Alex is Seahawks all the way. My love for Notre Dame is DEEP, and I've passed that onto Alex, but his dad is Purdue all the way. And Max, well, we still have time to brain wash him!

Let me tell you about that Notre Dame love though. See, as a kid all I wanted to do was go to Notre Dame and march in their band. It was my DREAM. To have a degree with that gold emblem and to play my flute in the greatest half time show ever. I had the grades in high school. In fact, I got accepted my junior year! But, another local university offered me a full ride, and I'm not going to turn down free money. But I will tell you what, I still have that acceptance letter, as a reminder that all my hard work paid off.

Fast forward to after Adam and I were married, and I finally got to attend my first home Notre Dame football game. I got to walk the campus, see the band practice, visit the bookstore, be inside the stadium, see "Touchdown Jesus", watch as they ran onto the field, and yes enjoy that half time show I had dreamed about. I' won't lie. I spent most of that day crying. Seriously, ND campus and the entire experience is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

And those football Saturdays in South Bend all include on thing. Tailgating. Those fellow ND fanatics take their pre-game food very seriously!

It has been years since we've been to a game, but we can still have some tailgating fun, right in our own living room. Just minus the tailgate!

To me, a party or gathering has to have a great veggie tray. I know everyone always teases me, but I love fresh, crunchy veggies in a creamy, cool flavorful dip. Plus all the other stuff too! Oh, and this is super tasty on chips, pretzels, and crackers too!

This has been my go-to dip for years now. Every time I make it, I get rave reviews, and requests for the recipe. With only 5 ingredients, and a lot of help from the store, it can be your new favorite too! 

Irresistible Veggie Dip

16 oz. sour cream

16 oz. French onion dip

1 envelope Ranch Dressing Mix

1 envelope Knorr Vegetable Mix

1 TBS Dried Parsley, extra for garnish

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients. Chill a few hours or overnight before serving. Stir well. Garnish with parsley. Serve with veggies, chips, crackers, etc. 

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Welcome Fall

Yep, it happened. Autumn arrived. Officially. Summer. Is. Over. Excuse me while I go cry into my pumpkin spice latte.

Seriously though, I've said it before, and I will again. I don't hate fall. Sure, the rain gets annoying, and the drop in temps are not something I enjoy, but there are still warm sunny days and fun to be had. But to me, I know what comes after fall, and that is something I dread...so it becomes like a gateway of sadness. 

Two of the things I actually enjoy about this time of year came together in today's recipe. My Crock Pot and Game Day! Sure, I use my slow cooker year round, but not near as much as I do starting now all the way through winter. And September brought with it our family's favorite sport to watch...football! We love it all. High School (Go Cadets!) College (Go Irish) and NFL (Go Steelers) Just don't mention those choices to my husband or oldest son because we are a house divided on a couple of them! 

When we want to sit around and watch the game, I almost always plan to have a Crock Pot meal that day. Heck, I also plan those types when we are out enjoying a fun fall activity too. What's better than coming home after visiting a pumpkin patch or picking apples and having the smell of something warm and yummy fill the house? Plus, if you love to tailgate, this would travel beautifully to the stadium parking lot too!

So with this dish, I went a little retro. Called up on my inner child. It wasn't that hard because the 2 year old LOVES beans and weenies! Why not make a big batch for all of us to scarf on while yelling at the refs? Oh, and if you're not a pigskin family like us, it happens to make a terrific weeknight meal too!

Crock Pot Beans & Weenies

4 (15 oz.) cans pork n beans, extra liquid on top drained

1 lb. hot dogs, sliced

2 TBS butter

1/2 c. ketchup

1/2 c. barbecue sauce

2 TBS yellow mustard

1 TBS dried minced onion

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 c. brown sugar

Salt and Pepper to taste 

Diced onion

In a medium skillet melt butter over medium high heat. Saute hot dogs in butter until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Add to Crock Pot. Add pork n beans. Stir well. In a medium bowl combine ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard, brown sugar, and seasonings. Pour over hot dog mixture. Stir to combine. Cook on LOW 3-4 hours. Garnish with diced onion, if desired. 

Inspired by South Your Mouth


Shared at Weekend Potluck 
Shared at Meal Plan Monday