The Leaning Tower of Pizzas

You guys, we kind of have a major problem: we are addicted to pizza. I know, I know, admitting it is the first step and hopefully someday we will be able to overcome this but when it comes to dinner time we are kind of in a survival stage: whatever is fast and easy. So without further ado I give you: French Bread Pizzas.

Now, my method is slightly different from what I've seen on Pinterest (cutting the bread in half lengthwise, baking at 425, etc) and to be fair, that method might be faster and it's easier to customize toppings. I know I found my method somewhere on Pinterest but I cannot find the pin so hopefully no one is upset I've stolen their recipe. But we like my method and I can't wait to give the other one a try. I just like to be honest and if there's a better way to do something then I want to give you a heads up.

INGREDIENTS:
1 loaf of French or Italian Bread
1 package of pepperoni
1/2 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1-2 cups of your favorite cheese, shredded (or you can be weird like me and use sliced cheese)
Whatever toppings you like on a pizza (fresh tomatoes, pineapple, olives, ham, green peppers, mushrooms, sausage, etc)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 375. I cut the bread into slices but you can slice it lengthwise if you wish it and then place on a foil-lined sheet pan.

Now if you did choose to slice it lengthwise, apparently you need to bake it at 425 for like 5 minutes so that your pizza isn't soggy. We aren't mighty particular about crispy-ness/chewiness but if something like that bugs ya then by all means: do that.

Spoon your favorite spaghetti sauce over the bread, then add the pepperoni, then the cheese (you can fight me every step of this process and say that's wrong: I really don't care; do what you feel is right). I use my fancy-pants cheese slicer so that I don't have to mess around with shredded cheese but again: it's up to you.

Bake until the cheese is melted or until you have reached desired crispy-ness for your crust. This isn't one of those recipes where you put it in the oven and forget about it. You need to watch it like a hawk. Plus (in my experience) not everyone has the same oven that bakes the same way at the same altitude: there are BOUND to be varying results. Not that you asked for it but in my opinion: cooking is most definitely a science. You have to kind of play around with recipes until you find the sweet spot and what works fabulously for one person might not work for the next so just . . . . be careful. Anyway, hope you find success with this recipe!

Bam. You've seen the tower of Pizza. Tell all your friends :)

Pho-reaking Delicious Pho

Yet another recipe I found on Pinterest that I loved and was made possible because of my amazing SIL who gave me Star Anise :)

INGREDIENTS:
6 oz wide rice noodles
6 cups chopped bok choy
2 cups mung bean sprouts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 fresh Thai chile or serrano, thinly sliced
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
10 whole star anise*
6 whole cloves
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cinnamon stick
2 bone-in chicken breasts (about 2½ pounds total), skin removed, trimmed

DIRECTIONS:
Combine broth, brown sugar, fish sauce, star anise, cloves, ginger and cinnamon stick in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.

Add chicken breasts, meat-side down.

Cover and cook on High for 4 hours (or on Low for 8 hours).

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Remove spices and discard. Add noodles and bok choy to the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on High for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the bone and shred with two forks. When the noodles are tender, stir in the shredded chicken.

Serve bowls of soup with bean sprouts, basil, mint, cilantro, sliced chile and lime wedges on the side so everyone can add their own toppings.

*Add star anise, named for its star-shaped pods, to Asian-inspired dishes to lend distinctive licorice-like flavor. Look for it with other bulk spices in natural-foods stores, in Asian markets or online.

Yes . . . I had to do without bok choy, bean sprouts, and the Serrano but it was still amazing. Next time! 

Crockpot Chicken Lo Mein

I was complaining to my SIL about my proximity to an Asian Market (it's seriously like 4 hours away, guys) but since she's an absolute gem she brought me some hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and Pocky (which we sailed through like crackheads). She made this meal possible and I will never forget her kindness :) Anyway, this is another recipe I happened to find on Pinterest and we really enjoyed it :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
Salt and black pepper to taste

SAUCE:
2/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
3 teaspoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, optional

2 cups fresh lo mein noodles or cooked spaghetti noodles
2 cups baby bok choy, washed and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded, thinly sliced
½ cup matchstick carrots
2 tablespoons corn starch + 3 tablespoons cold water
Sesame seeds, for garnish, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Lightly grease 4-5 quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Add chicken and season with salt and black pepper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce and pour over chicken. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours on high or 3-4 hours on low, stirring once to distribute sauce evenly.

Meanwhile, prepare noodles according to package directions and set aside.

Once chicken is cooked, transfer to cutting board and cut into cubes or shred with two forks.Toss back in to slow cooker along with bok choy, bell peppers and carrots.

To thicken sauce, whisk together corn starch and water in a small bowl and stir into slow cooker.

Cook on HIGH for an additional 20-30 minutes or until sauce has thickened up. Give everything a good stir to combine and coat with sauce.

Serve hot and garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.

Chris's Magically Easy Grilled Cheese

I'm PASSIONATE about finding easy recipes that take little prep and taste amazing especially since I feel like in this day and age nobody really has a whole lot of time for meal prep. We have three kids under the age of four so we definitely have our hands full! When I was pregnant with #3 I had absolutely no ability to leave the couch and food prep was disgusting to me (at least for those first 20 weeks). My poor husband was left to take care of dinner (I helped with a few ideas but again, I wasn't SUPER helpful in my misery).

Anyway, I love seeing FB videos of recipes and food hacks and I found this one tip for grilled cheese: use mayo! I decided to give it a shot and Chris declared these to be the best grilled cheese sandwiches EVER. So there you have it. Not really a recipe but an awesome food hack for the best grilled cheese ever. These are pretty much what sustained our family for a little while and they didn't complain at all.

Oh, and random side note but: our school district referred to these as "Ham and Cheese Zombies". I have no idea why but anyway, we add ham to ours :)

INGREDIENTS:
Bread
Cheese
Ham
Mayo

DIRECTIONS:
We pull out our handy dandy pancake skillet so we can cook a few at a time. Usually we heat it to around 300 degrees.

We slice some cheese and pull out the other ingredients.

Then we spread the mayo and put the bread on the skillet and add the ham and cheese and lid (as my dad calls it) which also has mayo on the outside.

We flip it after a couple of minutes and then cook for two more and bam! You're done!

BBQ Chicken Salad

I remember bringing home my first baby. It's a pretty tough transition for everyone involved. Luckily I had the help of my mom who seemed to know just how to help and one of those ways was in the form of this AMAZING BBQ chicken salad. It was exactly what starving, postpartum me needed but I think anyone would find that it will hit the spot :) I found the recipe for the Crockpot BBQ Chicken via Pinterest and it is definitely a keeper :)

INGREDIENTS:
Crockpot BBQ Chicken:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Honey BBQ sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
Salt, to taste

Salad:
Lettuce
Tomatoes, Diced
1 Can of Dark, Red Kidney Beans
4-5 Hard-Boiled Eggs*
Shredded Cheese
Ranch Dressing


DIRECTIONS:
1) Season chicken breasts lightly with sea salt and place in crockpot.

2) In a mixing bowl, combine BBQ sauce, brown sugar, Italian dressing, and Worcestershire sauce then pour over chicken in crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

3) Once the cook-time is up you can serve it whole or shredded but if you decide to shred, you should let it cook in the sauce for 10-15 minutes more.

4) Make your salad. We like it with the fixings I mentioned but I guess there's really no wrong way to eat this chicken. It's great in a sandwich, wrap, or salad :)

*Did you know you can make hard-boiled eggs in the oven? Total game-changer for me because I like easy. You just put them in a muffin tin and bake for 30 minutes and 325 degrees. Then you put them in an ice bath for 10 minutes and then they're ready for you to peel and eat :)

Shepherd's Pie

Loooove me some Shepherd's Pie :) Found this fabulous recipe and I'm stealing it!

INGREDIENTS:
1 medium onion, diced
1 pound ground beef
3/4 tsp. salt
dash of pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 package of cut green beans
1 can tomato soup
2 cups mashed potatoes (I use a bag of frozen potatoes and follow the instructions on the package)
1/2 - 1 cup shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Brown ground beef with onion. Drain off any grease and add salt, pepper, garlic powder, green beans, and tomato soup. Heat through.

2. Transfer to a baking dish and top with half your shredded cheese.

3. Top with mashed potatoes and remaining cheese.

4. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted, and heated all the way through.

Ranch Chicken Enchiladas

I stumbled across this recipe a long time ago and we love it :)

INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 oz taco seasoning packet
3/4 cup salsa
3/4 cup ranch dressing (prepared)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 flour tortillas (medium)

DIRECTIONS:
Place 1/2 cup chicken broth in crock pot, add chicken breasts and taco seasoning. Cover with lid and cook on Low heat for 3 hours or until chicken is fully cooked. Remove chicken from crock pot and shred.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Stir the salsa and Ranch dressing together until combined. Spread a thin layer of salsa-ranch mixture over the bottom of the baking dish.

Take one tortilla and place 1/3 cup of chicken down the center. Top with 1 Tablespoon cheese and 2 Tablespoons salsa-ranch mixture. Roll up and place in baking dish. Repeat.

Pour the remaining salsa-ranch mixture over enchiladas and then sprinkle evenly with remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through.

Drizzle the tops with more ranch dressing, if desired and serve!

Sloppy Joes

Do you ever find yourself on the hunt for a good recipe and you get sucked into the story the blogger is telling? I really like this anecdote from Our Best Bites but here's a brief summary in case you're too lazy to click the link: Kelsey from The Next Food Network Star 2008 made sloppy joes for a challenge and had to feed them to Martha Stewart and Martha refused to eat them! I can't think anyone would be above eating a sloppy joe but there you have it! Anyway, so glad I tried this recipe; it's a good one! Oh and in case you're wondering: apparently these hail from Sioux City, Iowa. These "loose meat" sandwiches are the creation of a chef named Joe :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. lean ground beef
Seasoning salt, to taste
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 green pepper, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp. mustard
3 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
3/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/3-1/2 cup water to reach desired consistency
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
6-8 hamburger buns
Pickle slices

DIRECTIONS:
Chop the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat about 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. When hot, add the beef and brown it, stirring frequently, with the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Season to taste with seasoning salt.

Add in mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Combine tomato paste and water and add to hamburger mixture. Add more water if desired. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve on hamburger buns (we actually love them topped with pickles; also: you can serve these as sliders on King's Hawaiian Rolls).

Indoor S'mores

We lived with my parents for a summer. They were nice to put up with us for 6 weeks. This was the highlight of our 4th of July because: food. Duh. Anyway, my sister made these because my other sister had friends over and they were doing fireworks and these were amazing :) I'm pretty sure she used the recipe from the box but I think this one is exactly the same.

INGREDIENTS:
1 bag (10.5 oz) miniature marshmallows (5 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (9 oz)
5 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box (13 oz) Golden Grahams cereal (8 cups)

DIRECTIONS:
Grease 13×9-inch pan with butter. Reserve 1 cup of the marshmallows.

In a large saucepan, melt the chocolate chips, butter, corn syrup and remaining marshmallows over low heat. Stir until completely melted.

Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

Pour cereal into saucepan. Stir until coated with the melted chocolate mixture.

Stir in remaining 1 cup marshmallows.

With buttered back of spoon, press mixture in pan.

Cool at least 1 hour or until firm.

Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Thai Red Curry Chicken

I'm just a country bumpkin kinda gal so most foods from other cultures are quite foreign to me but lately I have been trying to branch out and I found this fantastic, not too spicy/hot dish that we really love from Carlsbad Cravings (she has an amazing story by the way and she makes some tasty dishes). Anyway, hope you like this as much as we do :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
1 pound chicken breasts sliced into 1/4” slices then 2” pieces**
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced then chopped into 2” pieces
1 orange bell pepper thinly sliced then chopped into 2” pieces
1 small zucchini, sliced
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1  13.5 oz. can quality coconut milk (I like Chaokoh)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon Asian/Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (like Mae Ploy)
2 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
sriracha to taste (optional)

Garnishes
lime zest to taste
fresh basil
fresh cilantro
fresh lime juice

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil over medium high heat in large nonstick skillet. Add chicken, onion and red curry paste and cook just until chicken is no longer pink. Add bell peppers, zucchini, ginger and garlic and saute 1 minute.

Add half of the coconut milk. Mix remaining coconut milk with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and add to skillet along with all remaining ingredients (expect Garnishes).

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the vegetables reach desired crisp-tenderness. If you would like a thinner sauce, thin with water (I don’t do this). Discard bay leaf.


Garnish with additional optional fresh basil, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice and Sriracha to taste. Serve with rice.

Have patience with me . . . . a better pic is . . . forthcoming lol

Olive Garden's Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Found this on Pinterest and I'm so glad I tried it. This recipe comes from Cinnamon-Spice & Everything Nice

INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup onion, diced
½ cup carrots, diced
½ cup celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
coarse salt and fresh black pepper
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 + ½ cups half & half
2 cups cooked white meat chicken, shredded or cut into small bites
1 pound potato gnocchi
3 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
fresh grated Parmesan and/or Romano, for serving

DIRECTIONS:
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven heat the butter and oil together over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until tender over medium-low heat about 10 minutes, stirring often.

Sprinkle the flour into the pot and stir into the vegetables, cook 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the chicken broth 1 cup at a time, followed by the half & half.

Add the cooked chicken. Bring up to a simmer and maintain for 20 minutes stirring often. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the gnocchi separately according to package directions. Add them to the soup along with the spinach. Simmer until spinach is wilted. Stir in basil. Serve with grated cheese.

Tuna-Stuffed Avocado

I really love this recipe from the Stay at Home Chef :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 avocado, halved and pitted
1 (4.5 oz) cans tuna, drained
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoons minced jalapeno
¼ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
salt and pepper (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:
Scoop out some of the avocado from the pitted area to widen the "bowl" area. Place the scooped avocado into a medium-size mixing bowl. Mash it with a fork.

Add the tuna, bell pepper, jalapeno, and cilantro to the mixing bowl. Pour lime juice over. Stir it all together until everything is well mixed.

Scoop the tuna into the avocado bowls. Season with salt and pepper.

Banana Cream Pie

I don't know how I get so lucky but it seems like MOST recipes I try from Pinterest are winners. Anyway, glad to have stumbled across this super easy recipe :)

INGREDIENTS:
Ready Made Pie Crust or Easy Homemade Pie Crust*
1 box Banana Cream Pudding (3.4 oz)
1 3/4 cup Milk
8 oz Cool Whip
3 Bananas

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400.

Par bake crust for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Allow to cool.

Slice 2 bananas and layer in bottom of crust.

Combine milk and pudding mix and whisk until thickened (about 2 minutes).

Fold in 2/3 of whipped topping.

Transfer to pie crust and chill for at least one hour.

Slice last banana.

Top with remain whipped topping and garnish with banana slices.

*She likes that kind of crust, but we are more into the graham cracker so that's what I went with . . .