Creamy Spaghetti

This is a really simple tip that we use to add a little pizazz to the boring old spaghetti that is a staple at our house.

-pasta
-ground beef
-jar of spaghetti sauce
-CREAM CHEESE!

Just add 1/2 a block of cream cheese to your jar of sauce and stir through until heated.  This makes a really yummy, creamy sauce.  It is a delicious alternative to 'regular' spaghetti! I stock up on cream cheese when it goes on sale for 99 cents and this is one dish we always make when we have cream cheese on hand.

Easy Stuffed Peppers

Looking for a great ground turkey recipe?  Well, look no further! Peppers were on sale for 50 cents each recently so I concocted this recipe to use the peppers that were in my fridge and a roll of ground turkey that had been in my freezer for awhile. I feel like I found a winner for ground turkey usage!  I've tried a few ground turkey recipes and this is the first one I've truly liked.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Halve 3-4 peppers and scrape out insides. Bake peppers while the rest of the ingrediants are being prepared.
Prepare rice (I used white minute rice to save time-maybe 3 cups)
Brown ground turkey with minced onion (I used half a medium onion)
Black beans (about 1/2 a can or whatever you like)
Mix rice, turkey/onion, and black beans and fill the peppers
Salt to taste
Top with cheese and continue to bake until the peppers are soft.

*Tip--- Make sure the peppers are pretty soft before you add the rest of the ingrediants.  I think I put my ingrediants in too soon. I had to remove the peppers before the cheese burned, even though my peppers were still a little crispy.

Pudding Shots

Here's the recipe I know you've all been waiting for. Sorry most you can't use it right now... maybe this fall! Oh and I wouldn't recommend serving these for dinner!;)

1 small pkg. chocolate instant pudding (make sure you use instant pudding and not the cooking kind-it will not work)
3/4 cup whole milk (I had used 1% and they turned out OK)
1/4 cup Vodka
1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
8 oz.Cool Whip

Mix milk and pudding together with electric mixer.
Add alcohol, make sure it's mixed well.
Mix in Cool Whip.
Pour into little individual cup (the ones with lids work great if you can find them.
Keep in the freezer-do not refrigerate.
You should get 21 to 25 shots out of 1 batch.

Other flavor suggestions:
Vanilla pudding + Rootbeer Schnapps = Rootbeer float
Vanilla pudding + Tequila Rose = Strawberry Pudding Shots
Chocolate pudding + Khalua = Cafe Mocha
Banana pudding + Coconut Rum + Blue Maui (blue raspberry vodka in place of regular vodka)= Tropical Flavor
Vanilla pudding + Triple Sec + Orange Vodka(in place of reg. vodka)=Orange Creamsicle

Italian Dunkers

Hot dog buns were on sale for 88 cents so I bought a bag even though we didn't have any hot dogs. I racked my brain for awhile, trying to come up with something to use them for before the buns expired. They were getting a little dry as they approched the expiration date so I decided to do something that involved baking the buns. I sprinkled shredded cheese over the hot dog buns and then sprinkled each one with a little garlic powder. I baked them just long enough for the cheese to melt and the bread to become crispy and then we dipped them in spaghetti sace with browned ground beef. This was cheap and easy!

Reuben Pizza

This recipe entered our repertoire because of a discussion between Paul and my brother. They thought the idea of Reuben Pizza sounded amazing, but we weren't sure if anyone had ever attempted it. I did a little research and found a basic recipe on allrecipes. I've made it a few times since then and tweaked it... I think we've perfected it now! It's super easy. Also, feel free to make your own crust to go with it. I have yet to find a successful pizza crust recipe, so I've just been using Boboli pre-made crusts, and they work just fine (they slash your prep time too!)

This is the recipe for one pizza, but I never make less than two at a time. Just double/triple the ingredients to accommodate. We've found that the amount of dressing in this recipe is perfect, but the other ingredients are totally up to your personal taste. We tend to pile it high with corned beef, and maybe skimp a little on the swiss cheese.

1 store-bought Boboli pizza crust (or pizza crust of your choice)
1/2 cup thousand island dressing
2 cups shredded swiss cheese
6 oz corned beef, chopped into small pieces
1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed, drained and squeezed with a paper towel. (You don't want mushy sauerkraut on your pizza)
1/2 tsp caraway seed (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, place pizza crust on a pizza pan
Spread 1/4 cup thousand island dressing directly on crust (you'll use the other half later)
Sprinkle with half of swiss cheese
Scatter corned beef over the cheese, then drizzle with remaining dressing
Top with sauerkraut, then remaining swiss cheese
Sprinkle with caraway seed, if desired
Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese melts and toppings are heated through

Monkey Bread

Tom and I made these on a Sunday morning not too long ago. They are AMAZING. This recipe is best to make when you are going to have guests over or when you are going somewhere so as to prevent taking down the whole plate by yourself!

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cans Pillsbury Grands Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube pan(I used an angel food cake pan because I didn't have anything else. I would not recommend doing this because a lot of the caramel goodness leaked out!) with shortening or cooking spray. In large storage plastic food bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon. Separate dough into 16 biscuits. Cut each into quarters. Shake in bag to coat. Arrange in pan. In small bowl, mix brown sugar and butter. Pour over biscuit pieces. Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate. Pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

Caribbean Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup

I guess I'm on a black bean kick, but this soup is awesome. My mom got a gift card to a cooking class for Christmas, and she took me with her today! This was the super easy one-pot meal for non-chefs like me. A pureed soup without having to bake a squash? Yes, please.

1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14 oz) light unsweetened coconut milk
1-3 cups low sodium vegetable broth (We made ours on the thicker side)
6 T chopped fresh cilantro
1 T fresh lime juice (we actually used the juice of a whole lime... depends on how much you like)
1 T grated lime peel
salt and pepper

Stir cumin in med. saucepan over med. heat for 30 seconds
Add pumpkin, beans, coconut milk, broth and half of cilantro
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer at least 3 minutes to blend flavors
Mix in lime juice and lime peel
Season with salt and pepper
Ladle into bowls, garnish with remaining cilantro