Julia Child's Cheese Souffle

Savory souffles are great for a main course for a brunch or dinner, or in a smaller portion as a side dish. This cheesy souffle is made with both Swiss and Parmesan cheese! With such a delicious flavor, this is the perfect kid-friendly souffle! Don't worry about making this dish, it's pretty much failure proof! The recipe is actually a Julia Child's recipe, no recipe can ever be bad when it has her name on it! This dish was paired with The Family Movie Night: Beauty and the Beast, be sure to check it out!

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup hot milk
1/4 teaspoon of paprika
a pinch of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
4 egg yolks
5 egg whites
1 cup coarsely grated Swiss cheese


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Butter either 6 souffle cups or a straight-sided baking dish (a small circle casserole baking dish) with 1-1/2 of the softened butter. Dust the inside of the baking dish with the Parmesan cheese, making sure to knock out the excess. 

In a large sauce pan, melt the remaining butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour, stir the mixture constantly for about 2 minutes. The butter and flour should foam or froth up. Remove the mixture from the heat and beat in the hot milk. Then simmer over medium heat and stir slowly until thick, about 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the paprika, nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Slowly add the egg yolks in one at a time, whisking in between. 

Whisk the egg whites, to stiff, shinning peaks. Then, whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the sauce pan to lighten it up. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites into the sauce a little at a time, alternating with some of the Swiss cheese. 

After the eggs and cheese have been completely folded into the sauce pan mixture, scoop the mixture into the prepared baking dish(es), and place the pan into the oven. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake for 25-30 minutes. When finished the top of the souffle should be browned and it will have puffed up about 1-2 inches above the rim of the dish (this may not puff up so much in a larger baking dish). The dish needs to be served immediately, and the puff will start to flatten after a few minutes. 

Source: Cooking Weekends

Taco Casserole

This just might be the oddest casserole I have ever made. Since you eat it with chips it feels more like a dip than a casserole. But I knew everyone would love it.. and I thought it sounds a lot like a taco salad. So is it a casserole or a dip? You can decide that for yourself, but I decided it tastes very good! 

Ingredients:

Refried beans

1 lb. ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

2 cups of Mexican cheese

A few tablespoons of your favorite salsa

Tortilla chip

Lettuce

Sour cream

Diced Tomatoes

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2.  Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Then drain and rise. Follow the directions on the taco seasoning package. 

3. To make the casserole: spread the refried beans on the bottom of a casserole dish, pour all the beef on top the beans, spread all the cheese on the top, and add a few tablespoons of salsa on top (you can add more if you like). 

4. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted. 

5. To assemble a portion: place a few tortilla chips on a plate, top with the taco casserole, the top with diced tomatoes, sour cream and lettuce.

Source: craftquickies.com

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

If I ever want a simple meal that everyone will eat, THIS is my go to dish. I have made this for meal for a crowd, I have made it for kids, and have made this to take to someone (it is easy to freeze)! Another good thing.. this is cheap! If you are on a budget, this is wonderful meal to cook, because it makes so much for what you pay! A lot of people worry about the cottage cheese, but trust me, include it, you won't be able to taste it (even if you don't like cottage cheese). This dish goes great with a salad, steamed veggies, or some garlic bread. This is a must try dish!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb. ground beef

1 (15-ounce) can tomoato sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

black pepper, to taste

8 ounce (weight) egg noodles

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/4 cup small curd cottage cheese

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Then rinse the ground beef and drain the fat. Add the tomato sauce, salt and pepper to the skillet, let simmer on the stove. 

3. Cook the egg noodles and set aside.

4. In a large bowl, mix the sour cream and cottage cheese together. Add in plenty of pepper, the noodles and the green onions. 

5. To assemble your dish, pour half of the noodles into a large casserole dish. Top with half of the meat and sauce mixture. Then sprinkle on half of the cheese. Repeat all layers, starting with noodles, then meat and sauce and top with the rest of the cheese. 

6. Bake for 20 mins until the cheese has melted.

Source: thepioneerwoman.com

 

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Bacon wrapped meatloaf with a sweet and spicy sauce on top.. I bet I caught your attention at bacon wrapped! :) The recipe is from the Pioneer Woman, I have been so obsessed with her recipes lately, everything is so good! I made this the other day, the bacon was crispy and gave a nice texture to normal meatloaf! The sauce on top was so good! Much better than the normal ketchup. This was my first meatloaf and it was successful! I will definitely be making it again!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk

6 slices white bread

2 lbs ground beef

1 (heaping) cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

Ground black pepper, to taste

1/3 cup minced fresh parsley

4 whole eggs, beaten

10 slices thin/regular cut bacon

1 1/2 cup ketchup

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon dried mustard

Tabasco, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a shallow bowl, pour the milk over the slices of bread. Allow them to soak for several minutes.

2. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, milk soaked bread, parmesan cheese, seasoned salt, black pepper, parsley and eggs. Mixing by hand works the best!

3. On a broiler pan, transfer the meat mixture and form into a "loaf" shape. Lay each bacon slice over the top tucking them under the bottom of the meatloaf. 

4. To make the sauce, mix the ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard and tabasco sauce in a bowl. spread 1/3 of the mixture over the meatloaf. 

5. Bake the meatloaf for 45 minutes, then pour 1/2 of the leftover sauce onto the meatloaf and bake for another 15 minutes. Turn the broiler on for 3 minutes to get the bacon crispy. Make sure the meatloaf is cooked all the way through! Slice the meatloaf and serve with the remaining sauce. 

Enjoy!

Source: thepioneerwoman.com

Crunchy Ranch Chicken Tenders

I have made a lot of chicken tenders, trying to find a good recipe that has a lot of flavor and the breading doesn't come off. My little was a allergic to eggs, and (finally!) has grown out of it! So we are now able to give her anything made with eggs! These chicken tenders seemed like a great kid friendly meal that I could feed to her! We had our niece spend the night, and whipped these up, they are so easy to make and every one loved them! This is a must try recipe! 

Ingredients:

2/3 cup corn flake crumbs OR panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 (1-ounce) package dry ranch-flavored dressing mix

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken tenders

3 Land O Lakes Garlic and Herb Saute Express Squares

Directions:

1. Place corn flake crumbs (or panko bread crumbs), flour and eggs into 3 separate shallow bowls. Add ranch dressing mix to the bowl with flour and stir to combine.

2. Coat each chicken tender with flour (shaking off the excess). Then, dip into the beaten egg and press into the corn flake crumbs (or panko bread crumbs).

3. Melt each Saute Express Square in a skillet over medium-low heat. Place the chicken tenders into the skillet, turning occasionally for about 10-12 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Source: landolakes.com

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Pot Pie

I have tried a lot of chicken pot pies, and I had yet to find the perfect one.. until now. Some were made with biscuits, others lacked flavor and that creamy gravy. But this.. this is THE chicken pot pie recipe. It has delicious soft vegetables, a creamy flavorful broth, and a buttery flaky crust! I will never make another one. It is seriously that good! Now, I have heard a lot about preparing and then freezing meals, but I have never took the dive and tried it, until now. This recipe is actually recommended to make ahead of time and freeze. The first time I made it, I had cream, celery and pie dough left over. Of course, it felt like a waste of money. We loved it so much, that I made it again the next week, using enough ingredients for 2! It was so much easier, the portions are just right for 2 batches and I love that I have nice, delicious chicken pot pie in my freezer waiting for me to feel like having a lazy dinner and not wanting to cook!

Ingredients (for 1 pie):

3 celery stalks

3 medium carrots, peeled

1 large yellow onion

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of butter

2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups low sodium chicken broth or stock

1 chicken bouillon cube

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup heavy cream

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon salt

black pepper, for seasoning

pie dough, store bought or homemade (homemade recipe below)

Directions:

1. Begin preheating the oven to 400 degrees and by dicing the celery, carrots, and onion into small, fine dice. 

2. Melt the butter in a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots, and onion. Saute the vegetables for a few minutes, until translucent. 

3. Add the chicken and stir to combine. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the top and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes, gently stirring. 

4. Pour in the chicken broth and stir. Add the chicken bouillon cube and stir. The mixture should start to look like a creamy gravy, but still runny. Next, stir the frozen peas in.

5. Pour in the cream and stir. Allow the mixture to cook over low heat, for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the mixture can thicken. Season with thyme, salt and pepper. Be sure to taste it and make sure it is seasoned good!

6. Pour the mixture into a deep pie pan, or small casserole dish. (If you are freezing one, the foil pie pans work great!

7. Place the crust onto the top of the pan, pressing the edges down (it doesn't need to be prefect) and place a few slits in the crust to make sure the mixture can let out steam. 

8. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Let the pie cool for 10 minutes before eating (this will help the mixture to thicken some as well). 

Thyme Pastry Dough

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup cold butter (1 1/2 sticks)

1 egg

2 1/2 tablespoons cold water

1/2 tablespoon distilled white vinegar 

1 spring of fresh thyme leaves, thinly diced

Directions:

1. Combine the flour and salt in large bowl. Use a pastry cutter or 2 forks to gradually work the cold butter into the flour until it resembles small pebbles, this should take about 3-4 minutes.

2. Lightly beat the egg with the fork and add it to the mixture. Next, and the old water and vinegar and stir until combined. (This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated at this point)

3. When ready to use the dough, cover a clean surface with a small amount of flour, and in the thyme and knead the dough to mix it in. Then, begin to roll out the dough1 inch larger than the pie pan. 

Comment if you made this and loved it! 

Photo Source: lydias cozy corner
Recipe Source: foodnetwork.com 

Beer Battered Fish Tacos with Baja Sauce

 

A crunchy beer battered fish taco, fried until golden brown, topped with a refreshing creamy baja sauce. A great way for adults and kids to eat fish who don't normally like it! 

Ingredients:

For The Tacos:

1 lb. frozen tilapia, thawed, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

12 oz. bottle of mexican beer

1 tablespoon mexican seasoing

vegetable oil, for frying

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup mexican beer

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

12 corn or flour tortillas, warmed

1 lime, cut into wedges

3/4 cup shredded queso blanco or monterey jack cheese

3/4 cup shredded green cabbage

For the Baja Sauce:

1/2 sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoon mexican seasoning

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced 

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

 Directions:

1. Place fish in a large, zip-top bag. Mix 1 bottle of mexican beer and mexican seasoning together. Pour the mixture over the fish and place in the fridge and chill for 2-3 hours.

2. Pour the oil into a skillet or dutch oven until 1 1/2 inches depth. Heat oil to 360 degrees.

3. Combine flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup of beer and hot sauce. Drain the fish, and discard the marinade. Coat each fish in the flour batter.

4. Cook fish in batches for about 4 minutes or until done. Drain off on paper towels.

5. To make the Baja Sauce: Mix all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl, until well combined.

6. Place 2 - 3 pieces of fish on each tortilla, squeeze lime wedge over the fish. Top with a spoonful of the baja sauce.

Enjoy! :)

Source: myrecipes.com

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana

Baked chicken breasts, rolled up with cheeses and spinach, covered in bread crumbs and topped with cheese.. perfect! This recipe is a huge hit at my house. It gives the kids there veggies, tastes amazing, and baked chicken is always healthier than fried! This is a great recipe from SkinnyTaste, that has LESS THAN 200 calories a serving! It goes great with a salad!

Ingredients

olive oil non-stick spray

8 thin chicken cutlets, 3 oz each

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

6 tablespoons egg whites

6 oz part skim mozzarella

5 oz frozen spinach, squeezed dry of any liquid

6 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese

1 cup marinara sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450° and spay an 8x12 casserole pan with non-stick cooking spray

2. Wash each of the chicken cutlets and season with salt and pepper

3. Combine the breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp of parmesan cheese into a bowl

4. In another bowl, whites 1/4 cup of egg whites (only using egg whites makes it healthier)

5. In another bowl, combine 1.5 oz of mozzarella cheese, the rest of the parmesan cheese, spinach, ricotta cheese, and 2 tbsp of egg whites

6. Lay the chicken cutlets out flat, and spread 2 tbsp of the spinach mixture onto each cutlet, making sure to cover the whole surface. Roll the cutlets up and keep the seam side down to keep them intact.

7. Dip each rolled up chicken cutlet into the egg whites, and then into the breadcrumbs, making sure to cover all surfaces. Once they are covered place the chicken roll ups into your baking dish

8. Lightly spray all of the chicken cutlets with an olive oil cooking spray (this helps them get crispy)

9. Bake for 25 minutes. Then cover the chicken with the marinara sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for another 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and is bubbly.

Enjoy! :)

Source: Skinny Taste

Crescent Roll Burgers

I’m going to be completely honest.. I’m a horrible cook. But the good news is, that I’m getting better. I can’t make hamburgers, I know they are easy, but mine never turn out good. I let the guys cook the burgers. So, the last time I made burgers, it was no big deal, no special toppings or anything. I used those individual packaged slices of cheese, and somehow, one of the burgers had plastic on it. The thought of a burger makes me taste plastic. This is horrible I know. That was months ago, by the way. Well, the boyfriend has been begging for hamburgers. So I came up with a compromise.. meet the Crescent Roll Burger!

It is made with ground beef that is very well seasoned and grated cheese. Everything came out tasting delicious! No plastic and no complaints! I love this because it so quick and so easy to make. Plus it very kid friendly! I would recommend this for a quick and tasty meal!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Beef

3 tbsp. of A1 Steak Sauce

½ tbsp. of Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp. of Onion Powder

2 cans of Refrigerated Crescent Rolls

1 cup of Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Brown the ground beef, drain and rinse it.

3. Add the steak sauce, worcestershire sauce, and onion powder to the beef and stir.

4. Take 2 triangle of the crescent rolls and pinch the seam together to make a bigger rectangle shape.

5. Place some of the meat, and some of the cheese into the crescent roll and roll together starting with the corners.

6. Place all of the crescent rolls onto a baking sheet lined with foil.

7. Bake for 14-18 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Creamy Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

This recipe has been a family favorite of mine since I was a little girl. My whole family loves this recipe, even my 1 year old! It’s a very easy and delicious casserole, perfect for a weeknight dinner. Since I’m a stay-at-home Mom, I boil my chicken early in the morning, and then store the chicken and the broth in the fridge, until I’m ready to use it. You never know what will happen! So I’m prepared to make dinner within minutes! I love this dish with a nice salad, and a side of broccoli or green beans! 

Ingredients:
3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 stick butter, melted
8 oz. package of Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing Mix
1 can of cream of chicken soup
8 oz. of sour cream
1 ½ cups of chicken broth (from boiling chicken)
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large pot, boil the chicken in water on medium-high heat for 15-20 mins. Make sure they a thoroughly cooked through.
3. Keep 1 ½ cups of the water that the chicken is boiled in, with no pieces of fat or chicken it (you may want to strain it).

4. Dice the chicken into pieces

5. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk the sour cream, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, salt and pepper togther.
6. Mix the stuffing mix and the butter together. Keep ½ cup of the stuffing mix for topping. Press the stuffing onto the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan. 

7. Lay the diced chicken on top of the stuffing mix.

8. Pour the soup and cream cheese mixture on top of the chicken, make sure it spreads out evenly.

9. Sprinkle the top with the set aside ½ cup of stuffing mix.

10. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. 

Enjoy! :) 





Photo: coffeeandcannolis.com

Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

Our house has been obsessed lately with Philly Cheese Steak, so we decided to try our hand at a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. This is definitely a man pleasing meal, the boyfriend raved about these! This recipe is adapted from Rachael Ray. 

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Beef

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 small Yellow Onion, diced

1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped

1/4 cup A-1 Steak Sauce

1 cup of Beef Stock

Hamburger Buns or Sandwich Bread

1 Tbsp of Butter, plus more for toasting

Salt and Pepper 

1 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup of Milk
1 Cup of Shredded Provolone Cheese

Directions:

1. In a skillet, brown the ground beef, then rinse and drain.

2. In the pan with the ground beef, add the olive oil, onion and pepper.

3. Saute for 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the steak sauce and beef stock, cook until there is only a small amount of liquid in it. 

5. While the beef mixture is cooking, butter one side of the buns or bread and place on a stove top frying pan. 

6. Melt the butter in a medium skillet on medium-high heat

7. Stir in flour and whisk for 1 minute

8. Whisk in milk and cook until the mixture is thick and bubbly

9. Remove from heat and stir in cheese

10. Assemble the Sloppy Joes! 

Enjoy! 

Photo: blogchef.ne

Spinach and Chicken Stuffed Shells

Spinach and Chicken Stuffed Shells

 

These are amazing. They take a while to make, but it is so worth it. In my house we will try any recipe with spinach, and we loved these! 

Ingredients: 

1 box of Jumbo Pasta Shells

2 cups of chopped, cooked Chicken Breast

1 box of frozen, chopped Spinach, thawed

2 cloves of minced Garlic 

15 oz container of Ricotta Cheese

8 oz package of Cream Cheese, softened

1 2/3 cup of shredded Parmesan Cheese

1 egg, beaten 

1 tbs of Dried Parsley Flakes

1 tsp of Italian Seasoning 

1/2 tsp of Salt

1/2 tsp of Pepper

2 cups of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Boil shells according to the package directions. Drain them and rinse them with cool water to prevent them from sticking to each other.

3. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, spinach, garlic, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add 1 cup of mozzarella cheese to the mixture.

4. Grease 2 9 x 13 baking dishes, spread 1/2 of the sauce into both pans

5. Spoon the mixture into the shells, be generous! [or use a ziplock bag with the tip cut off and pipe the filling into the shells. 

6. Lay the stuffed shells on top of the sauce

7. Very lightly top the shells with the remaining sauce

8. Cover with foil, and bake for 40 mins

9. Uncover, Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on top and bake for 5-10 mins [until cheese has melted]

Enjoy :)

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Baked Spasagna

This is a mix between a baked spaghetti and a lasagna. It is amazing! I wouldn't eat baked spaghetti any other way! It combines the spaghetti sauce and cheese from spaghetti, but has that layer of ricotta cheese from lasagna.

Ingredients: 

1 lb of Ground Beef

1 can of Spaghetti Sauce

8 oz of Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup of Sour Cream

15 oz Ricotta Cheese (the smaller container)

1 stick of Butter

3/4 of a box of Spaghetti Noodles

2 cups of Sharp Cheddar Cheese 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°

2. Boil the noodles according to the directions on the box, I use 3/4 of a box, because it feels like too much noodles to use a whole a box. You can use more or less if you want to. 

3. In a skillet, brown the beef, then drain and rinse it

4. Add the spaghetti sauce into the pan with the beef

5. In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and ricotta cheese together

6. In a 9 x 13 casserole dish, slice 1/2 of the stick of butter into thin slices and layer them on the bottom of the pan. 

7. Layer 1/2 of the noodles onto the pan (on top of the butter)

8. Spread all of the cream cheese mixture evenly on top of noodles

9. Layer the rest of the noodles

10. Use the last of the butter stick and lay thin slices of butter on top of the noodles

11. Pour the beef a spaghetti sauce mixture onto the top

12. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes

13. Take out and top with all of the cheese, bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. 

Enjoy :)

Recipe Adapted and Photo Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com