Johnny Marzetti Casserole

 

Photo source: Real Simple

Apparently there is a mystery concerning the identity of Johnny Marzetti.  Who is he, where did the recipe come from and why is it named after him?  Interesting read on the article since I wondered about the recipe name when I first found it.

The recipe is similar to my pasta concoctions that change regularly with my mood.  Lazy day I make with jarred spaghetti sauce, other times I make my own sauce and let it cook for hours.  Most of the time I use italian sausage, sometimes brown some ground beef with the sausage and I love it with ziti.  Also love it with angel hair pasta. How about some chunky sliced mushrooms on occasion?  When I plate it (sometimes), the pasta is topped with ricotta cheese, then the sauce.  Delicious!  But then again, I can't call it a Johnny Marzetti dish because of all the variations.

Click here to go to the Real Simple recipe page with excellent instructions with photos.  And then there is that Johnny Marzetti story!

Seafood Mac and Cheese from Kardea Brown

Photo Source:  The Food Network

This seafood mac and cheese is my favorite item from the episode Sunday Supper on the Food Network. 

Click here to go to the Seafood Mac and Cheese recipe page.

If you love southern food, you must check out Kardea Brown, who has some of the best southern recipes I've seen.  She is from South Carolina, where the dishes are different than those southern recipes from Florida.  Her show is quite a treat.  You can find her videos on The Food Network's You Tube channel  Click here to go there.

Chicken Dumpling Casserole

Photo source: Plain Chicken

Originally posted January 2014

The Captain makes the best Chicken and Dumplings from scratch that I have ever had.  But, like most everything made from scratch, it takes hours to make. I will post his recipe soon because it really is worth it when you have the time.  (It breaks my heart to say he never wrote his recipe down for me and now he is gone.  Lesson learned to not put things off because it may be too late.)

This recipe is one of those semi-homemade meals that I love so much. Sometimes you just don't have the time to slave away for hours in the kitchen. Cream of chicken soup is one of my favorite methods of making a delicious meal fast and easy.  Grocery store rotisserie chicken is another secret to a fast and delicious meal.  Of course making your own chicken is more economical!


UPDATE and REVIEW:

The name of the recipe is deceiving.  It is more like a Chicken and Biscuits Casserole or add some vegetables and call it a Chicken Ala King Casserole.

The biscuit topping that forms is not thick like a biscuit, but is very tasty and somewhat crunchy.  We loved it.  It produces a gravy that is thick and a nice compliment to the chicken and biscuit topping.  I've never added chicken broth to cream of chicken soup and was pleasantly surprised.

We served it over mashed potatoes, which was a great choice and I highly recommend it for a day you are in the mood for delicious comfort food that is a fast and easy meal to prepare.

The plan for the next time it is made . . . double the flour, baking soda mixture for the biscuit topping and add cooked vegetables like corn, peas, carrots or green beans.

Click here to go to the recipe page.

Pie Crusts - Everything You Need To Know

 

Photo source:  All Recipes

If you’ve been looking for foolproof instructions on how to make pie crust and everything else  you need to know, all you need to know is here. You are guided through the process with step-by-step videos in some pages, clear directions, and expert tips and tricks.

I'll be adding to this list.

• How to Use Store-Bought Pie Crust to Make Desserts That Aren't Pie
  
  
• The Secret Ingredient for the Flakiest Pie Crust Ever (You Already Have It)
  
  
• 5 Easy Tips to Make Store-Bought Pie Crust Taste Homemade
  
  
• This Is the Best Pie Dish for Baking Golden, Flaky Pies
  
  
• Best Pie Crust Recipes of All Time
  

• 10 Easy Pie Crust Recipes
  
  

• Easy Pie Crust from Martha Stewart with video

Air Fryer French Fries

 

Photo source: Food Network

"Forget the frozen fries! These homemade French fries come out perfectly golden and crisp and only use 1 teaspoon of oil…just another reason to love your air fryer.  Learn how to cut potatoes for fries and customize the seasonings, plus, all the air fryer tips to make them crispy and tender." - comment from Food Network Kitchen.

As a frequent user of my air fryer, I high recommend this recipe for crispy, fresh french fries.

Click here to go to the Food Network recipe page.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

 

Photo source:  Southern Living

"That unique presentation is everything: Pineapple upside-down cake is baked with rings of canned pineapple slices that become sticky and sweet during their time in the oven. After baking, the cake gets inverted in one big flip so that the pineapple rounds end up topping the cake as its displayed upside down—or right side up, depending on your point of view. A cherry in the center of each pineapple ring adds a whimsical polka-dot sensibility to the cake." - comment from Southern Living about the cake.

This cake brings back so many childhood memories.  My nana made it a couple times every month.  I had forgotten about this delicious cake with an awesome presentation.

Click here to go to the Southern Living recipe page.

Easy Fudge Bites

 

Photo source: Martha Stewart

"These melt-in-your-mouth morsels are dainty dynamos. Making the fudge—a mix of marshmallows, chocolate, and milk—is literally a flash in a pan. Then, simply form them into balls and roll in snazzy toppings like freeze-dried raspberries, pistachios, toasted walnuts, and peppermints." - comment about fudge bites from Martha Stewart.com.

Quick and easy, perfect for gift-giving and so versatile!

Click here to go to the recipe.

Key Lime Cake

 

Photo Source: Taste of Home

From the Recipe Creator: Unlike the pie, this Key lime cake is topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting. You can top it with graham cracker crumbs as a nod to the original pie crust.  If you’ve ever had a true Key lime pie, you know it’s a real treat. Every bite of the pie is creamy, with a balanced sweetness and wonderful tanginess from prominent Key limes. But for those who prefer cake to pie, this Key lime cake recipe is the perfect alternative. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Sounds delicious and the cream cheese frosting paired with the tangy cake is the perfect pairing.

Click here to go to the Taste of Home recipe page.

Grilled Pizza with Hot Sausage, Grilled Peppers and Onions and Oregano Ricotta

 

Photo source: The Food Network

RECIPE COURTESY OF BOBBY FLAY

FROM BOY MEETS GRILL

THE FIREHOUSE GRILL EPISODE

THE FOOD NETWORK

In this episode, Chef Bobby Flay cooks an Italian feast for a group of firemen from the FDNY. He shops and cooks up some hot firehouse favorites, including this grilled pizza.

Looks delicious!

Homemade Spice, Seasoning and Gravy Mixes

 

The cost of everything is getting out of hand.  As a family on a fixed income we are coming up with different things to keep costs down to a minimum.  I don't think we are alone!

A great start is using our own spice, seasoning and gravy mixes.  I'll add to the following list as I find articles and videos for a wide variety.

Here's Everything You Need to Make 10 Flavorful Spice Mixes

10 Homemade Pantry Staples That Save Money

Homemade seasoning mixes - taco, fiesta, onion soup mix

More to come!

Ree's Chicken-Fried Steak with Gravy

 

Photo source: Food Network

"Ree Drummond's top-rated comfort food recipe star's crispy, juicy cube steaks and a creamy country gravy with plenty of black pepper.  To achieve just the right flavor, Ree dredges her steak in a flour mixture that's been enhanced with paprika and cayenne. Topped with cream gravy, this is a cowboy classic on a whole new level." - comment from Food Network Kitchen.

She makes everything look good!  This is one of my favorite foods and her recipe is a great example of how it is made.  Extreme respect!

Click here to go to Food Network's recipe page.

Butter Pecan Cookies

 

Photo source: Martha Stewart

"These delicate, buttery cookies, which get their crunchy texture from toasted pecans and a sugar coating, practically melt in your mouth." - comment about the cookie from Martha Stewart.com.

They sound like the best cookies ever that I would love to try!  How about crumbling a cookie over a bowl of butter pecan ice cream?

Click here to go to the recipe page.

Homemade Corn Tortillas

 

Photo source:  All Recipes

"These corn tortillas are the real thing! A simple mixture of masa harina and water results in the most wonderful corn tortillas you've ever tasted. The secret is to use a cast iron pan." comment about corn tortillas recipe from All Recipes.

The Captain and I made homemade corn tortillas all the time.  They were excellent even using a stainless steel frying pan.  The difference between homemade and store bought is like night and day.  We made tortilla chips using the same dough.

Click here to go to the recipe page from All Recipes and be amazed at the difference.

Baked Stuffed Shrimp

 

Photo source: Food Folks and Fun

"I have recreated this recipe to bring a little bit of my Grandma’s New England home cooking into my kitchen and yours. I like to serve this stuffed shrimp with my rice pilaf recipe." Comment from Jillian of Food Folks and Fun.

My favorite food ever is shrimp and I love stuffed shrimp.  This one sounds like a winner.

Click here to go to Jillian's recipe page.

Cheesy Crab Poppers

Photo source:  Host The Toast

"I made these Cheesy Crab Poppers on a whim a few days ago because they are really quite easy. That being said, after I took one bite of a crabby, cheesy, cornbread-y ball, I knew I had to get into the spirit of Christmas and give the gift of tastiness to all of my friends immediately." - comment about the poppers from Morgan of Host The Toast.

There are a few things I would change in this recipe aside from adding some hot peppers or hot sauce.  I would sauté the vegetables first since I hate biting into crunchy raw vegetables in this type of appetizer.

Click here to go to Morgan's recipe page.

This one is a winner!

Ground Beef Taco Dip

 

Photo source: Taste of Home

"Ground beef taco dip is packed with flavor yet super simple to make, thanks to a few handy ingredients. Packets of store-bought taco seasoning add spice. A mix of sour cream and cream cheese (low-fat if you like) builds a super-smooth base. And a top layer of fresh vegetables creates a dash of crunch." - description of recipe from Taste of Home.

This taco dip is like one I used to make a long time ago that was always one of the first things to go.  Everyone loved it.  I have the recipe around here somewhere and I will post when I find it.

Click here to go to the recipe page.

Cherry Fudge Truffle Coconut Cheesecake

 

Photo source:  Taste of Home

WOW!  What a presentation!  The recipe creator says this cheesecake is a showstopper and just from the photo, I agree that it is.  If it tastes as good as it looks, this is a winner.  But how can you go wrong with a cheesecake that contains coconut, cherries and fudgy chocolate.  Outstanding!

This cheesecake comes from Taste of Home.  Click here to go to the recipe page.

Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

 

Photo source: Taste of Home

"When it comes to planning dinner, it’s often tricky to find a filling, nourishing meal that will appeal to kids and feature a few veggies. Kind of a cross between chicken pot pie and Midwestern hot dish recipes, this chicken Tater Tot casserole ticks every box. It’s pure comfort food that even the pickiest eaters will love" - description of recipe by Taste of Home. 

Gotta love it if it contains tater tots, chicken and cream of chicken soup!   Love that it is easy and can be frozen for another even easier meal.  And look at that presentation!

Click here to go to recipe page with lots of information including everything you want to know about freezing and storing the casserole.

Hot and Spicy Hush Puppies from the Neelys

Recipe and photo courtesy The Neelys . . . The Food Network

Show: Down Home with the Neelys

Episode: Loungin' and Lunchin'

Hush puppies are the perfect compliment to a seafood meal, at least they are in my opinion. 

I really miss The Neelys on The Food Network.  However, those episodes are on the website as well as this episode which is available on video as well as the recipe you can print out.  Just click on the link above.

 

White Chocolate-Cherry Shortbread Cookie

 

Photo source: Better Homes and Gardens

"When the cookie tray needs some sparkle, turn to this festive recipe. A Christmas classic goes from traditional to fabulous when dipped in melted white chocolate and rolled in nonpareils and edible glitter. The slightly fruity treat is one of our most popular cookie recipes of all time." - description of cookie from Better Homes and Gardens.

Sounds like this is the perfect gift-giving, delicious Christmas/holiday cookie.  And it makes such a beautiful presentation.

Click here to go to the recipe page.