Tag Archives: Cheese

Mini Pizza

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 25 July, 2014 None comments

I used to be a horrible morning person. All growing up I could never get up in time for school. My dad would come in on a bright sunny morning with extreme excitement in his voice. “Honey, it snowed last night!” I would try and process which season we were in, whether I should be excited or simply the sad reality that what my dad just shared was absurd. It was summer, 70 degrees by 7 am and my dad is trying to get me out of bed with snowflakes.

When that approach turned out to be anything but successful, he would often take a running shot at my bed and plummet down directly on me. “Wake up, isn’t it a beautiful day?!” This would often make me so mad that this grown man is jumping on my sleeping, lifeless body to somehow muster up some excitement to come running from the room? It made no sense to me, what was to wonderful to quickly wake up when sleeping was my number one friend.

Oh my poor dad. I look back and contemplate how he survived with three daughters, not how we survived. We were blessed and taken care of immensely with a wonderful Father who even though couldn’t get his girls up in the morning, taught us everything else we needed to know about life. :)

As I’ve grown, the morning side hasn’t really left me. Loving my sleep and late nights was a usual for me until I had my son……boy was that an eye opener for me. I have adapted extremely well which requires me to be in bed by 9:30. :) Although he’s a great sleeper, I can’t seem to catch up on years of lost sleep while chasing a toddler around.

So with the early morning routine, I am often up by 6:30 and not because little man is up by then, but because it allows me to get some stuff done before the day truly begins. Which is an easy prompt for early bedtime. Never sitting until touching foot in bed to read and let my mind rest, is a long awaited pleasure all day long.

This night in particular, Michael was out with some buddies and I was watching a movie. My tummy began to rumble and even though I had dinner (an hour ago), I was hungry. I decided to make a yummy little pizza on english muffins. It was probably 9:30 when I turned the oven on. My mind was telling me this would be great, while my tummy was telling me don’t even think about it….my mind won that battle.

After eating these delicious little pizza snacks, my tummy paid for it all night long.

Ingredients:

Butter
Garlic salt
Pepperoni
Cheese
Fresh Basil

I reverted to a heaping hand of butter with a generous amount of garlic salt. Topping with pepperoni and cheese and then toasting them lightly in the oven.

Using a generous portion of garlic and butter creates something worth devouring. This late night snack was incredible with a nice touch of basil to flow with the flavors, but my advice would be…”Do not eat it too late!” :)

Something so simple but so garlicy and buttery was a wonderful moment to devour.

Bacon Stuffed Chicken

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 25 May, 2014 None comments

Bacon Stuffed Chicken. Similar to Cordon Blue but way better, I took the initiative to grill this up as I have found a new enjoyment in barbecuing lately. Although there are only so many things you can grill without making chicken more than 3 times in a week the same way, I wanted to take the opportunity to spice it up a bit. I choose to stuff chicken breasts like you would Cordon Blue, but because I had no ham, I turned to bacon, our true friend! :)

The weather was impeccable! While the chicken grilled, Cooper and I would take time to step away and water the garden we’ve been working so hard on.

Still not gathering the concept that once we dug the hole, buried our seeds and recovered the hole, doesn’t mean to uncover the seeds again. Sweet baby makes me laugh. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the attempt to grow our garden together.

After the chicken and garlic covered beans were done, Cooper and I sat on the back porch together enjoying the weather and eating our delicious meal. Michael got home late from work and was so happy to see such an amazing meal in front of him that looked as if I slaved over it for hours. Though it looks complicated, its is extremely easy to prepare and the grill does most the work.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, sliced open
8 pieces of bacon
4 slices of Pepper Jack Cheese
Garlic Salt (optional)
Paprika (optional)
1 lb Fresh Green Beans
EVOO
Garlic Salt

Prepare chicken by slicing open leaving one end still connected. Stuff with raw bacon and cheese. To hold shut pin together with three toothpicks.

Season the top of the chicken with garlic salt and paprika.

Grill until no juices flow clear. Be careful not to over cook.

Eating dinner with mama on the back porch on a beautiful evening.

Cooper still hating the fact I take pictures all the time

Serve with fresh grilled green beans!

Enjoy!

Cheeseburger Orzo

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 22 May, 2014 None comments

This is amazing comfort food the whole family will devour. Trying to think of something that would be a good meal while watching three kids has not been an easy task for me. I am beyond worn out by the time later afternoon comes that dinner is the last thing I want to think about.

We have been barbequing a lot lately as it causes for easy clean up, good food and easy makings. :) But when you BBQ, you tend to run through your meat a lot quicker and run out of ideas. So, while starting up the grill has become my friend, not only because it’s easy but also because I’ve just learned to grill and have thoroughly enjoyed it, I decided to steer clear of the grill tonight! :)

Adding a great twist to Mac N’ Cheese and Hamburger Helper, I came up with this…

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 tsp Salt
3 Tbsp Taco seasoning (or 1 packet if not homemade)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups Orzo pasta, cooked
4 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
3 cups milk
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. Sriracha (optional)
2 cups cheese, shredded (any kind works)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook turkey with chopped onions, salt and red pepper flakes until fully cooked.

IMG_3991 - Copy

Once cooked add taco seasoning.

Once the meat is cooked and seasoned, set aside. In a medium sauce pan melt the butter over medium heat and add in flour. Gradually stir in milk. Cook until it thickens.

Once thickened, stir in parmesan cheese.

Stir in shredded cheese.

Pour cheese mixture over turkey and Orzo and mix.

Mix well.

Place lid on and bake for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly.

Adapted from confessionsofacookingdiva.com

Jumbo Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 21 May, 2014 None comments

These are maniac sandwiches. They are piled high of many toppings leaving your mouth fulfilled with delicious flavor.

Ingredients:

4 ciabatta rolls
½ lb bacon
4 pickles
4 slices of pepper jack cheese (or Colby)
2 avocados, sliced
16 slices of turkey

Cook bacon until desired crispness.

Meanwhile, slice pickles, avocado and cheese. Set aside.

In a small fry pan lay turkey and crisp it up a little bit leaving you with warm, fried turkey.

Toast ciabatta rolls and assemble with toppings. Use Mayo if desired!

Serve with a fresh pasta salad.

Ham & Cheese Bake

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 4 May, 2014 None comments

I enjoy making a quick “fancy” breakfast to send with my husband to work to make it seem like he’s eating a decadent meal while he drinks his coffee and sits at his desk. :) This quick meal is easy and great to send throughout the week with one preparation. This meal is also great for breakfast for dinner!

Ingredients:

10 eggs
1 cup milk
¼ cup green onions, chopped
¾ cup sliced mushrooms
½ ham, diced
½ cup grated cheese
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic salt
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cumin

In a mixing bowl combine eggs and milk. Whisk well!

In a greased pie plate, sprinkle mushrooms.

In whisked egg mixture, add onions, ham, cheese and seasonings. Mix well.

Pour on top of mushrooms. And bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes or until fully set. Jiggle the plate to make sure the middle doesn’t wiggle.

Serve warm!

Mini Corndogs

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 18 April, 2014 None comments

I made these in a mad rush to get my son to eat something since forcing fluids was not only getting old and time consuming, but I knew my little man needed some nutrients to fill his little tummy. I had the idea to use corn bread mix plus hot dogs that were previously thawed in the refrigerator and see if I could get him to eat this muffin.

It worked, he had a couple bites which was huge for the little man. :) Yay! He made mommy so proud.

Ingredients:

Jiffy Corn Bread Mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese
3 kosher hot dogs

Mix together the mix, egg and milk.

Line a muffin tin with paper and fill 1/3 full.

Cut hotdogs into threes and lay sideways. Batter does not need to cover the hotdog, this will take place automatically when baking.

Top with shredded cheese for added flavor.

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Beware, these are beyond delicious and better for you than corndogs and you would fry a corndog and these are simply baked. :)

Open Face Southwest Sandwich

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 11 April, 2014 None comments

One afternoon I simply decided to make these sandwiches without really knowing what I was doing. I was probably in high school at the time. They were so good I called it my “secret sauce” as I didn’t want anyone to know how to make them but to keep coming back asking for more.

I forgot about these as I never really wrote down the recipe except in my brain. I bought warm French bread from the store yesterday because it was $1; can’t beat that. I thought I could use it for delicious French toast but as dinner was approaching I wasn’t in the mood for breakfast and I remembered these glorious sandwiches. They were perfect as it was beyond warm outside and our first 72 degree day of the year! They also were great for a quick dinner as we have been hospital bound the past week and a half to visit my mother-in-law.

Ingredients:

1 loaf of French Bread
½ cup mayo (use 1 cup if you omit the Blue Cheese)
½ cup blue cheese dressing (optional)
1 can black olives, chopped
½ pint cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp garlic salt
Dash of black pepper
½ yellow onion, sliced
2 avocado
12 slices of turkey
12 slices of cheese (I used Kerrygold)

In a small bowl mix together mayo, blue cheese dressing, olives and tomatoes.

Slice French bread and layer on a broiling pan.

Spread a small amount of mix on top of the bread

Layer with onion, turkey and avocado

Top with cheese.

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Broil for an additional 1-2 minutes to crisp it up.

ENJOY!!!! You will not be disappointed! The sauce is what makes these killer sandwiches!

Turkey Mac N’ Cheese

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 29 March, 2014 None comments

Turkey Mac n’ cheese helps add a little protein to the meal. I made this for dinner and love the fact that I can make it early in the day while my son is sleeping and then wait to bake it until we are ready to eat. This is how I try and live my life to avoid the hassle of cooking while my toddler runs rampant all through the kitchen. :)

This is a quick, easy meal that provides the utmost comfort meal in the end. I love comfort food, I love easy cooking, and most of all I LOVE tasty food!

Ingredients:

1 lb elbow macaroni
6 tbsp butter
¼ cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
½ tsp paprika
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheese
2 cups cubed turkey
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 sleeve saltine crackers, crumbled

Cook the macaroni according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan melt butter.

Stir in flour and whisk until fully smooth. Add salt, pepper, garlic salt and paprika.

Add milk and bring to a boil, cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Mixture will thicken.

Remove from heat and add the cheese and mix well.

Add turkey and mushrooms and mix well.

In a greased baking dish, add noodles. Top with sauce mixture and mix until fully coated.

Sprinkle with crumbled crackers and drizzle with EVOO.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Cooper has been devouring this meal as he finally began to eat again. Makes mommy so proud! :)

Cheddar English Muffins

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 28 March, 2014 None comments

I’ve made a couple recipes for English muffins and this was a good twist with the cheddar. I made these this afternoon while the rain poured down, Cooper napped, and our ditch continued to get dug by our hired hand that was not myself. It was a good day for baking as I proceeded with blueberry coffee cake after the muffins and cinnamon sugar biscuits. Yes it’s a lot of carbs but they hold for good breakfast treats with coffee and we are taking some treats over to my mother-in-law this weekend.

Try them out and see how you feel about them.

Ingredients:

2-3 cups flour (don’t use whole wheat, it doesn’t rise properly)
1 tbsp sugar
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
¾ cup warm water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tbsp cider vinegar
½ cup cheddar cheese

In a stand mixer combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt.

Add water and oil; beat well for 2 minutes. Add egg and vinegar and beat another 2 minutes.

Add cheese and mix remaining flour just enough to for a stiff dough. (you may not use the remaining cup of flour)

On a floured surface roll dough into a 1/2 inch thick circle and use a biscuit cutter to cut your circles. Or use the top of a cup if you don’t have a biscuit cutter.

Place muffins on a greased cookie sheet and cover with a tea towel. Let rise until doubled in size.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Flip muffins and bake another 10-15 minutes until fully cooked.

Cool on a wire rack.

Cheese Please!

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 21 March, 2014 None comments

I absolutely love cheese. While I was pregnant I was so sick I couldn’t really eat much nor did anything sound good when I went to eat. The only things I could stomach were the little tangerine “cuties.” I went through boxes of these, literally 15 or more boxes during my first trimester. I would pop 5 at a time. I loved them so much and was so happy they made my tummy feel better. Morning sickness is truly the worst; nothing can actually describe these feelings. The only thing that brought light to my life during these 13 weeks of misery was my cuties and of course knowing I had a little baby I was growing. If you are pregnant or have been pregnant you are the only women who truly know how this morning sickness actually works. It’s a weird concept that eating actually helps the sickness, yet the thought of eating may cause you to throw up, while throwing up makes you not want to eat again. This vicious cycle can’t be tamed.

As my tummy started to settle and my cravings picked up, I began turning my appetite towards cheese as well as my cuties. I have always had a deep love for cheese even prior to pregnancy. I would buy blocks of medium or sharp cheddar cheese and cut chunks and melt them in the microwave. I have pictures of eating my cuties and cheese while my husband downs a bowl of ice cream. I would literally eat this melted cheese with either a fork or my fingers, it was so delicious. You hear the rumors that the husbands gain along with the wife; well I have proof that my weight was not ice cream induced but his most likely was. :) The thought of melted cheese right now actually turns my nose up, but I must say at the time it was fantasy land.

Now that I am post pregnancy I still love my cheese; cold cheese that is. I’ve found that Fred Meyers is one of the best places to buy block cheese for less. They have a refrigerator section at the end of the isles full of cheese. They have a big sign above that says “CHEESE CHEESE CHEESE.” They have sharp, medium, Pepper jack, Monterrey, and swiss. These are decent size blocks that are roughly $2.30-2.50 each. They almost always have these cheese piles and you can get a variety for a great deal.

Trader Joes also has cheese for an impeccable price. They have authentic cheese and delicious soft cheese for a good deal. We loaded up on cheese from there for our wedding and had many different platters full of many different tastes.

Here’s a few pics:

Display case for Hors’ devours

Cake Pops for the guests!

Fred Meyers and Trader Joes, I’ve found have the best bang for your buck for block cheese. Costco on the other hand has the best deal for shredded cheese. I buy the double bag for $12-15 depending on the kind. I have a container I use for the fridge, and constantly fill that with the remaining cheese I keep in the freezer. It’s a way better deal to purchase this in bulk rather than buy a couple smaller 8 oz or 16 oz bags from your local supermarket. This will last you a long time even if you are a household such as mine that enjoys their cheesy meals.