Slightly adapted from the Life in the Lofthouse website.
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 C. pizza sauce
Mini pepperoni slices
2-3 Tbsp. black olives, sliced
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, garlic powder, oregano, and basil. Spread mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Top the cream cheese with half of the mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese. Spread the pizza sauce on top of the cheeses. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the sauce and then top with the pepperoni slices (as many or as few according to personal preference) and olives. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve dip with baguette slices.
Peanut Butter Frosting
From Our Best Bites.
1/3 C. butter
1/3 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 10-oz. package peanut butter chips
1 C. powdered sugar, sifted
Combine the peanut butter chips, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the chips are melted and the mixture is combined. Remove saucepan from heat; whisk in vanilla extract and powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy.
1/3 C. butter
1/3 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 10-oz. package peanut butter chips
1 C. powdered sugar, sifted
Combine the peanut butter chips, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the chips are melted and the mixture is combined. Remove saucepan from heat; whisk in vanilla extract and powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms
From the Jimmy Dean website.
2 lbs. large mushrooms, stems removed and reserved
1 pkg. sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed, softened
3/4 C. dry Italian bread crumbs, divided
1/2 C. (2 oz.) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Finely chop enough mushroom stems to measure one cup; discard any remaining stems. Place mushroom caps, rounded sides down, in lightly greased shallow baking pans.
Cook sausage, chopped stems, and garlic in large skillet over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, or until sausage is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently; drain. Return cooked sausage to skillet. Add cream cheese, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and parsley; mix well. Spoon into mushroom caps.
Combine remaining breadcrumbs, remaining Parmesan cheese, and oil; sprinkle over mushrooms.
Bake 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender and stuffing is lightly browned.
Notes: Stuffing may be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. Let mixture come to room temperature to make it easier to stuff the mushrooms.
2 lbs. large mushrooms, stems removed and reserved
1 pkg. sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed, softened
3/4 C. dry Italian bread crumbs, divided
1/2 C. (2 oz.) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Finely chop enough mushroom stems to measure one cup; discard any remaining stems. Place mushroom caps, rounded sides down, in lightly greased shallow baking pans.
Cook sausage, chopped stems, and garlic in large skillet over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, or until sausage is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently; drain. Return cooked sausage to skillet. Add cream cheese, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and parsley; mix well. Spoon into mushroom caps.
Combine remaining breadcrumbs, remaining Parmesan cheese, and oil; sprinkle over mushrooms.
Bake 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender and stuffing is lightly browned.
Notes: Stuffing may be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. Let mixture come to room temperature to make it easier to stuff the mushrooms.
Garlic Cheese Bread
From the Jamie Cooks It Up blog.
1 loaf French bread
1/2 C. (one stick) butter, softened
1-1/2 Tbsp. Johnny's Garlic Seasoning
1 C. mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp. dried parsley, optional
Slice the French bread in half lengthwise. In a small bowl, combine butter and seasoning. Spread the butter on the inside of both halves of the French bread. Wrap the bread in foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Take the bread out of the oven and sprinkle cheeses over the top of each half. Wrap just the sides of the bread with foil, leaving the cheese uncovered. Broil the bread until the cheese starts to brown. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Cut and serve.
Note: Johnny's Garlic Seasoning can be found at Walmart or Costco.
1 loaf French bread
1/2 C. (one stick) butter, softened
1-1/2 Tbsp. Johnny's Garlic Seasoning
1 C. mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp. dried parsley, optional
Slice the French bread in half lengthwise. In a small bowl, combine butter and seasoning. Spread the butter on the inside of both halves of the French bread. Wrap the bread in foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Take the bread out of the oven and sprinkle cheeses over the top of each half. Wrap just the sides of the bread with foil, leaving the cheese uncovered. Broil the bread until the cheese starts to brown. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Cut and serve.
Note: Johnny's Garlic Seasoning can be found at Walmart or Costco.
Hard-Boiled Eggs
This recipe from Betty Crocker makes perfect hard-boiled eggs with no weird discolored ring around the yolks.
Place eggs in a single layer in pan. Add enough cold water to cover eggs by at least one inch. Heat uncovered to boiling over high heat. Remove pan from the heat. Cover with lid; let stand 18 minutes.
Immediately pour off the hot water from the eggs, then run cool water over them in the saucepan until completely cool.
Tap each egg lightly on the kitchen counter to crackle the shell. Roll the egg between your hands to loose the shell, then peel starting at the large end. If the shell is hard to peel, hold egg under cold water while peeling.
Notes: To make the eggs easier to peel, I have heard that it helps to add 1-2 Tbsp. white vinegar to the cold water before it is heated to boiling. I have also heard that it helps to use one-week old eggs.
Place eggs in a single layer in pan. Add enough cold water to cover eggs by at least one inch. Heat uncovered to boiling over high heat. Remove pan from the heat. Cover with lid; let stand 18 minutes.
Immediately pour off the hot water from the eggs, then run cool water over them in the saucepan until completely cool.
Tap each egg lightly on the kitchen counter to crackle the shell. Roll the egg between your hands to loose the shell, then peel starting at the large end. If the shell is hard to peel, hold egg under cold water while peeling.
Notes: To make the eggs easier to peel, I have heard that it helps to add 1-2 Tbsp. white vinegar to the cold water before it is heated to boiling. I have also heard that it helps to use one-week old eggs.
Egg Salad
Egg salad is not complicated. I've been making it for years. Just mix hard-boiled eggs with mayo and mustard. When I was asked to make egg salad for a baby shower, I was paranoid that my basic recipe wouldn't be good enough. So I scoured the internet for a "better" recipe. I was intrigued by some avocado-based egg salads, but ultimately found my recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything. The exact recipe is actually a deviled egg dip, but it works beautifully as an egg salad. And, guess what? The recipe wasn't so different from my novice version!
1 dozen hard-boiled eggs
1 C. light mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. prepared yellow mustard (add more if you like)
Salt and pepper
Paprika
Halve hard-boiled eggs lengthwise. Coarsely chop half of the egg whites and transfer them to a large bowl for later use. Add the remaining whites and all of the yolks to a food processor along with the mayonnaise and mustard and process until smooth. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the reserved egg whites. Stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dust top of mixture with paprika.
1 dozen hard-boiled eggs
1 C. light mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. prepared yellow mustard (add more if you like)
Salt and pepper
Paprika
Halve hard-boiled eggs lengthwise. Coarsely chop half of the egg whites and transfer them to a large bowl for later use. Add the remaining whites and all of the yolks to a food processor along with the mayonnaise and mustard and process until smooth. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the reserved egg whites. Stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dust top of mixture with paprika.
Zucchini Tots
My friend Natalie passed along this recipe from The Two Bite Club. Delicious and healthy!
1 C. zucchini, grated (about one zucchini, 7 inches in length)
1 egg
1/4 onion, diced
1/4 C. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 C. dry breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Squeeze the excess water from the zucchini using your hands or a clean dish towel. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Fill each muffin section to the top, pushing down on the filling with a spoon so the mixture is compacted (otherwise the tots will fall apart when they are taken out of the muffin tin). Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. To easily remove the tots from the pan, run a plastic knife around the edges of each tot. Makes 12 tots.
Notes: I grated the zucchini using the small holes on a box grater. I used Progresso's Garlic & Herb Breadcrumbs. I think these would be delicious served with a zesty dipping sauce, like this copycat recipe for Burger King's onion ring sauce.
1 C. zucchini, grated (about one zucchini, 7 inches in length)
1 egg
1/4 onion, diced
1/4 C. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 C. dry breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Squeeze the excess water from the zucchini using your hands or a clean dish towel. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Fill each muffin section to the top, pushing down on the filling with a spoon so the mixture is compacted (otherwise the tots will fall apart when they are taken out of the muffin tin). Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. To easily remove the tots from the pan, run a plastic knife around the edges of each tot. Makes 12 tots.
Notes: I grated the zucchini using the small holes on a box grater. I used Progresso's Garlic & Herb Breadcrumbs. I think these would be delicious served with a zesty dipping sauce, like this copycat recipe for Burger King's onion ring sauce.