Stuffed Meatball Pie

Ingredients

for 10 servings

1 lb pizza dough, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 cloves garlic, minced, divided

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

3 cups tomato puree

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

12 oz tomato paste

1 lb low moisture mozzarella, sliced

2 lb meatballs

2 cups caramelized onions

3 cups bell peppers, chopped, sauteed

Parmesan, to serve

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).

Cut a 1 pound ball of pizza dough in half and roll out two large discs of dough.

Spray the inside of a springform pan with cooking spray and lay in one of the dough discs. Press the dough into the corners.

Sprinkle the olive oil, 2 cloves of the minced garlic, salt, and pepper on the dough and brush to cover the surface. Press the bottom of the dough with a fork.

Bake until the dough is cooked and lightly golden brown, 15 minutes.

Mix together the tomato puree, dried basil, 4 cloves of minced garlic, dried oregano, and tomato paste in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Into the partially cooked bottom layer of pizza dough, shingle a layer of mozzarella slices and then a layer of the homemade marinara sauce.

Spiral the meatballs in the dish as tightly as possible. Cover with more marinara sauce.

Add a layer of caramelized onions, and more sliced mozzarella.

Add the green, yellow, and orange bell peppers on top of the mozzarella.

Cut the second piece of dough into strips to form into a lattice pattern on top of the pie.

Brush with 2 tablespoons more of olive oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, and kosher salt.

Bake for 40 minutes to an hour, or until the dough on top is browned and the sauce, meatballs, and cheese are heated through.

Slice the pie, serve with extra marinara sauce and grated parmesan.

Enjoy!

https://tasty.co/recipe/stuffed-meatball-pie

Jack Daniel's Smoky Bacon Mac and Cheese

SERVES 4  |  ACTIVE TIME 30 Min  |  TOTAL TIME 30 Minutes

½ tsp kosher salt + more for pasta water
12 oz Hickory smoked peppered bacon, uncooked
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup Jack Daniel's Whiskey
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon New Mexico chili powder
1 tablespoon chili pepper paste
½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
4 ounces extra sharp cheddar (white), shredded
2 ounces smoked provolone cheese, shredded
2 ounces Asiago cheese, shredded
8 oz dry elbow pasta
croutons (garnish)

Bring an 8 quart covered pot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Once it boils, add a handful of salt and pasta. Reduce heat to medium high and cook uncovered to al dente (has a bite to it). Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile warm a large 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Using clean kitchen shears cut bacon into bite size pieces over the skillet and let them to fall into the pan. Stir occasionally as needed. Cook until crisp.

While the bacon is cooking, shred cheeses and prepare remaining ingredients.  

Once bacon is cooked through, remove bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings and discard the rest. Wipe the side of the skillet to avoid flame ups.

Pour reserved bacon drippings back into the skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once melted add flour and whisk to combine. Add spices, chili paste, Worcestershire, whiskey and chicken broth. Whisk to combine. Allow to come to a bubble for 3 minutes, whisking occasionally to help pick up the bits on the bottom of the pan. Add milk. Whisk to combine. Bring back to a bubble and add cheeses.  Stir until cheese is melted and smooth. 

Add pasta to sauce and stir to combine. Add bacon. Cook pasta in sauce for 5 minutes over medium heat until sauce thickens and the pasta has a chance to absorb some of the sauce.

Sprinkle with croutons, if desired.  

Serve and enjoy!

Fried Lasagna

TOTAL TIME: 0:50

LEVEL: EASY

SERVES: 10 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

• 10 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
• 1 15- oz. container ricotta
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten (divided)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 c. finely chopped parsley
• vegetable oil
• 1/2 c. flour
• 2 c. italian breadcrumbs
• Marinara sauce, warm (for serving)

DIRECTIONS

1. Lay cooked lasagna noodles flat, in an even layer, on a greased baking sheet.
2. In medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 egg and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until evenly combined. Spread the ricotta mixture onto each lasagna noodle, then sprinkle with mozzarella. Fold each lasagna noodle 3-4 times, to create a square. Freeze the lasagna servings on the baking sheet for 30 minutes, or until hardened.
3. When the lasagna squares are frozen, set up a dredging station. Divide the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls. Season breadcrumbs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, dredge lasagna in the flour mixture then dip in eggs. Toss in breadcrumbs for the final dredge.
4. Meanwhile, heat oil. Pour about 1 1/2" vegetable oil into a large, deep skillet (or a shallow pot). Heat over medium heat until the oil reaches about 350 degrees F, or until the oil is shimmering. (If a splash of water sizzles when you flick it into the pan, it's ready.) Working in batches, add 3-4 lasagna squares to the hot oil using tongs. Do not crowd the pan, or the oil will cool! Cook until golden brown on one side, about 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook until the second side is golden, 2-3 more minutes. Place the fried lasagna squares on a cooling rack lined with paper towels. Repeat until all the lasagna is fried.
5. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with warm marinara for serving 

http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipes/a49688/fried-lasagna-recipe/?src=social-email

Baked Tex-Mex Spaghetti

Ingredients:
¾ Lb. ground turkey or lean ground beef
½ c. finely chopped onion
4 Tbl. unsalted butter
½ c. all-purpose flour
1½ c. milk
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Cheddar cheese, grated
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Pepper Jack cheese, grated
2 Tbl. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbl. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. salt
1 (16 oz.) pkg. angel hair pasta

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, brown ground turkey or beef in a large skillet over medium heat. When meat is almost cooked through, add the onion and saute until tender and meat is cooked through.

Remove meat from the skillet and set aside. To the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Gradually whisk in the flour until a paste forms and cook for 2 minutes, whisking frequently. Slowly whisk in the milk until thickened. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and creamy. Stir in the meat mixture, grated Cheddar cheese, 1 cup of the Pepper Jack cheese, chopped cilantro, cumin, chili powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta and sauce mixture and stir until all pasta is evenly coated with sauce.

Pour into prepared casserole dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining Pepper Jack cheese and return to oven, uncovered, for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand a few minutes before serving, then slice and garnish with desired toppings (olives, chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions). Serves: around 6 - 9.

Recipe by The Recipe Critic at http://therecipecritic.com/2015/12/baked-tex-mex-spaghetti/

FUDGY PUMPKIN BREAD WITH BROWNED BUTTER GLAZE

Ingredients:

For the bread:

2 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup applesauce, preferably unsweetened

3 1/2 cups flour

1 cup granulated sugar

2 cups brown sugar (reduce by 1/4 cup if using sweetened applesauce)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon cloves

4 eggs

For the drizzle:

1/2 cup butter

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9x5 loaf pans.

In a large bowl, beat together the pumpkin, oil, and applesauce until well combined with an electric mixer.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, salt, ginger, and cloves.

Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet until combined.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined.

Pour batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack. Cool completely.

While the bread is cooling, add the butter to a small sauce pan over medium heat and let melt. Once melted, continue cooking, whisking often, until the butter foams. When the butter begins foaming, whisk constantly until the butter turns a deep golden shade. Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar.

Drizzle over the bread.

CREAM CHEESE AND CHICKEN TAQUITOS

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked shredded chicken

6 ounces ounces cream cheese, softened

⅓ cups sour cream

½ cups salsa

1½ cups colby jack cheese

1 cup chopped baby spinach, stems removed

12 - 6 inch corn tortillas

vegetable or canola oil, for frying

Instructions:

Heat ½" oil in a sauce pan on medium heat.

In a large bowl mix together the chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, co-jack and spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Once oil is hot enough (place hand over pan, above oil, to feel heat), add a few tablespoons of chicken/cream cheese mixture to the center of a tortilla and spread out. Roll up and set seam side down in oil using tongs. Cook until golden brown on both sides.

Repeat until all the tortillas are filled, rolled and fried.

Set on paper towels to drain.

Serve warm and ENJOY!

Chicken Enchilada Crescent Braid

Ingredients:

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup enchilada sauce

1 cup cooked shredded chicken

2 TBSPS diced green chiles

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp cumin

seamless crescent dough

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese and enchilada sauce until fully blended. Then add in the shredded chicken, green chiles, frozen, corn, chili powder, salt, and cumin.

Spread the crescent roll dough out on a silicon mat or parchment paper and place that on a baking pan. Leaving three inches in the middle, make cuts down the side of the dough an inch apart on both sides.

Spread the chicken mixture down the middle of the dough. Take a strip of dough from one side and fold it over the middle mixture. Then take a strip from the other side and fold it over the middle. Continue down the dough, alternating sides until it is completely folded over.

Pinch the ends of the dough to keep the filling inside while it bakes.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes so that the top is nice and golden brown.

Let stand about 10 minutes before cutting in to it.

Caramel Apple Bars

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups sugar

8 TBSPs Unsalted Butter at room temperature

1/3 cup apple butter

2 eggs

2 tsps vanilla extract

11 ounces caramel bits

1/4 cup Heavy Cream

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, spray a 9 by 13 inch pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

In the stand of a mixer, beat together the Horizon Butter and the apple butter until combined. Then beat in the sugar until light and fluffy.

Add in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.

Slowly add in the flour mixture, until just combined.

Combine the caramel and the Heavy Cream in a measuring cup and microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.

Spread 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the baking dish, pour the caramel over it, and add the rest of the dough to the top. It is easiest to add the rest of the dough by flattening small pieces and setting it on top of the caramel.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges of the bars are golden brown.

Southern Pecan Pie

1 sheet refrigerated piecrust (half a 15-ounce package)

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

2 cups toasted pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Unroll the piecrust and place in a 9-inch pie plate. Fold the overhang under and crimp the edge with a fork or your fingers. Bake the crust until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack. (Leave the oven on.)

Whisk the corn syrup, brown sugar, salt, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl. Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl, then whisk into the corn syrup mixture.

Finely chop 1/2 cup pecans and spread evenly over the piecrust. Roughly chop another

1/2 cup pecans and mix into the corn syrup mixture, then pour the filling into the crust. Arrange the remaining 1 cup pecans on top in a decorative pattern.

Bake the pie until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a rack. Serve with whipped cream, if desired