Crunchwrap Supreme

Copying the Taco Bell classic.

• 1 lb hamburger
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• salt
• pepper
• 
  
• 4 large tortillas (10 inch)
• 4 small tortillas (street taco size)
• 4 tostada shells
• nacho cheese sauce (I used 2 gravy scoops of this recipe.)
• 1 cup sour cream
• shredded lettuce
• chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
• 
  
• 1 tbls vegetable oil

• Brown the hamburger, drain and rinse if necessary.
• Mix in the spices.

Layer:

1. large tortilla
2. 2 scoops of meat
3. nacho cheese sauce (I used a couple of my gravy scoops of this recipe
4. tostada with sour cream spread on top
5. lettuce
6. tomato (opt)
7. small tortilla

Tightly fold edges of the larger tortilla toward the center, creating pleats. Slide it into the hot pan and cook both sides until golden brown.

NOTES:
Worked well. Cook over medium heat and keep an eye on it. They cook faster than expected.

A breakfast version with sausage and scrambled eggs would be good.

Creamy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

1 (8 ounce) package wide egg noodles

• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast

• 8 ounces cooked ham, cubed

• 8 ounces Swiss cheese, cubed

• 1 (10.75 ounce) can reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup (such as Campbell's® Healthy Request)

• ½ cup 2% milk 

• ½ cup light sour cream

• 2 tablespoons butter

• ⅓ cup seasoned bread crumbs

• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook egg noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer noodles to the prepared casserole dish; top with chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese.

3. Mix cream of chicken soup, milk, and sour cream together in a bowl; spoon soup mixture over noodle mixture.

4. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in the melted butter until crumbs are coated with butter and cheese, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over casserole.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until casserole is bubbling and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Allow casserole to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

   
   

   Notes:

   A little salty so perhaps I’d try a low sodium can of soup next time. (I wonder if that’s even a thing?)

   I added a diced red pepper for color.

   Tasty and nice looking. Definitely worth making again.

   Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231154/creamy-chicken-cordon-bleu-casserole/?print

Pickle dip

 It would be easy to make a half batch, but why would you?

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

9 ounces Buddig corned beef*, chopped (store brand is fine)

16 ounces baby dill pickles

Chop the pickles and meat, mix it all together and let the flavors blend in the fridge for at least a few hours before you gobble it all up.

Serve with crackers.

* Most recipes call for dried beef, and that is good, but I always have trouble finding it and the corned beef is also good and probably cheaper anyway.

Copycat Costco Chicken Packets

Ingredients

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1 cup shredded provolone

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

2 cups skinless chopped rotisserie chicken meat

4 slices cooked and crumbled bacon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1/3 cup good-quality prepared creamy Caesar dressing

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Combine the mozzarella, provolone and Parmesan in a large bowl and toss to combine. Transfer 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture to a small bowl and reserve.
• Add the chicken, bacon and chives to the large bowl with the cheese. Drizzle with the Caesar dressing and season with several grinds of black pepper. Toss until everything is combined and well coated.  
• Divide the pizza dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll one piece into a 7-by-9-inch rectangle. With one of the long sides closest to you, arrange a quarter of the filling in a log across the center of the rectangle, leaving an inch of space at each side edge. Fold in the sides, then fold the bottom piece of dough over the filling and roll up to enclose it, trimming away any excess dough. Pinch the seams together to seal well. Place the roll seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, leaving about 2 inches between each on the baking sheet.  
• Brush the rolls all over with the melted butter and sprinkle with the reserved cheese mixture. Bake until the rolls are golden and the cheese topping is crusty and browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. 

Notes

• I didn't have provolone so I just doubled the mozzarrella
• I used precooked, crumbled bacon  (pantry staple around here)
• I used this pizza dough recipe, but if there were a TJ's around here, I'd probably buy it.
• It says "good quality Caesar, but I used a cheap-o bottled dressing and it was good.  I saw other versions of this recipe that used ranch.
• These get a LOT of filling, but it melts down as it bakes, so go for it.  Also, they looked like lumpy messes but I soon figured out that once I placed them on the baking sheet it was easy to mold them into nice rectangles.
• They are a pretty big serving, but it might be good kid food if it were divided into 6 portions instead of 8.  Or just cut the big ones in half.  
• Nick declared the filling to be "just like the Costco" version.  The crust is a little different, but it was still good.

Zucchini & Herbed Ricotta Flatbread Pizza

Flatbread

• 1 teaspoon active dry or instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (180ml) warm water, (between 100-110°F, 38-43°C)
• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for hands and surface
• 1 Tablespoon (15ml) olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for brushing the dough
• 1 teaspoon salt

Toppings

• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
• 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 Tablespoons milk, to thin
• 1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (or a few cloves, chopped)
• 2 cups sliced zucchini (about 1 medium/large)
• 6–8 ounces goat cheese (depending how much you like!)
• optional: crushed red pepper flakes and fresh basil to top

Instructions

Make the crust: 

• Place the yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Or, if you do not own a stand mixer, a regular large mixing bowl. 
• Pour warm water on top. Whisk gently to combine, then loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to sit for 5 minutes. The mixture should be frothy after 5 minutes. 
• With the stand mixer running on low speed, add the flour, olive, oil, and salt. Beat on low speed for 1 minute as it all combines and becomes smooth. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add 1-2 more Tablespoons of flour. 
• Place the dough in a greased bowl (I use nonstick spray to grease) and cover with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to sit and rest for 45 minutes at room temperature. Once it has rested and slightly risen, you can place it in the fridge for up to 2 days. More instructions in the make ahead tip below.

As the dough is resting and rising, prepare the toppings. 

• Toss the halved cherry tomatoes with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread onto a parchment paper or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and bake in a 400°F (204°C) oven for about 20 minutes until blistered and roasted. Set aside. Turn the oven up to 475°F (246°C). 
• Whisk the ricotta, basil, milk, lemon juice*, and garlic together in a medium bowl. You can use a mixer for this if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Shape the dough: 

• Punch the dough down to release any air. Divide the dough into two. On a lightly floured surface with floured hands and working with one dough piece at a time, begin shaping and stretching the dough until it is 1/4 inch thick. You can use a floured rolling pin for this too. Don’t worry about the shape of the dough, just make sure it’s pretty thin. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Carefully transfer both pieces of dough to a parchment paper or silicone-mat lined baking sheet, or use a pizza stone. Poke your fingers all around the surface of the flatbreads or prick a few holes with a fork. 

Spread half of the ricotta mixture onto each, then top with zucchini, tomatoes, and finish them by crumbling the goat cheese on top of each.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust and toppings are browned to your liking. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with crushed red pepper, fresh basil, and/or freshly ground pepper. Slice and serve warm.

SALLY'S NOTES

Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The tomatoes can be baked about 2 days in advance; just keep in the refrigerator until ready to use. Likewise, the ricotta mixture can be mixed and prepared 2 days in advance. Cover and keep in the refrigerator. The dough can be prepared through step 3, then after it has risen, cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Continue with step 5. To freeze the dough, prepare it through step 3. After it has risen, punch it down to release any air. Divide it in 2, if desired, then wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator. Then let the dough sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before stretching out/shaping and topping. If the thawed dough keeps shrinking back as you try to shape it, lightly cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest on the counter or your work surface for 15 minutes. (The gluten just needs a chance to settle.)

MY NOTES

• I didn't mix any milk with the ricotta and about half the lemon juice called for.  (I didn't want the ricotta to be too liquid-y)
• Obviously I didn't use honey goat cheese.  But I did use some feta so I guess that still counts.

Hawaiian Ham and Swiss Sliders

24 slices of deli honey ham

6 Slices of swiss cheese, cut into fourths

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1/2 cup butter melted

1 tablespoon Onion Powder

1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

2 packages (12 count) KING'S HAWAIIAN Original Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls

Preparation

Step 1

Cut rolls in half and spread mayo onto 1 side of the rolls. Place a slice or two of ham and slice of swiss cheese in roll. Replace the top of the rolls and bunch them closely together into a baking dish. 

Step 2

In a medium bowl, whisk together poppy seeds, dijon mustard, melted butter, onion powder and worcestershire sauce. 

Step 3

Pour sauce over the rolls, just covering the tops. Cover with foil and let sit for 10 minutes. 

Step 4

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for additional 2 minutes until tops are slightly browned and crisp. Serve warm.

NOTES:

I used Pepperidge Farms Hawaiian rolls and they didn’t have quite the same flavor as Kings. It was good, but I’ll try Kings next time.

Delicious recipe. Very easy. 

Nick suggests a sauce with a little more zing like Arby’s horsey.

Crockpot Cheeseburgers

Koop family party food!

It makes 8 servings. 

2 pounds of hamburger

Sprinkle of onion flakes

3 cloves of minced garlic

2 Tbsp. (bottled) mustard

8 oz. Velveeta cheese

Brown meat/onions

Add garlic/mustard/Velveeta to a warm crockpot. 

Ready when Velveeta is melted. 

Serve with ketchup/mustard/pickle chips 

Easter Quiche

I used this formula from Sally's Baking Addiction:

4 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper*
up to 1 cup shredded or crumbled cheese (see recipe note)
up to 2 cups add-ins


Our add-ins were bacon (Costco precooked bits), a bag of spinach (steamed and wrung dry in a piece of cheesecloth and chopped), and smoked Gouda.  I made this one without a crust and it was fine.  Even better, in a way.  I'd definitely do this combo again.

For the second one I used about 3/4 cup asparagus, finely chopped red peppers, and mushrooms, all sauteed a little, and with cheddar.  This one needed either a bolder cheese or some additional seasoning, but was still fine.

I mixed both the night before and left the filling in bowls until I needed it.  It worked well.
I used the cream and milk recommended here.  Logically, it seems like just a cup of 1/2 and 1/2 would be just as good, but I feel like the cream gave it an especially good texture.
Also, fwiw, the one with a crust took a little longer than the crustless one.

Bake @ 350 for about 50 minutes.

Creamy Ranch Chicken Pasta

2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8 ounces)
One 1-ounce package ranch-dressing seasoning mix
1 pound penne pasta
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons sour cream, at room temperature
1/4 cup sharp yellow Cheddar, shredded

THE OFFICIAL DIRECTIONS

• Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and sprinkle all over with 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix.
• Add the penne to the 6-quart Instant Pot® and add 4 cups water to the pot. Place the chicken thighs on top of the penne. Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. After the pressure-cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for quick- release and wait until the quick-release cycle is complete. Being careful of any remaining steam, unlock and remove the lid. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board until cool enough to handle.  
• Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, Cheddar and remaining seasoning mix (about 2 tablespoons) in a large bowl. Set aside.  
• Roughly chop the chicken into small pieces while it is still warm. Add the chicken to the cream-cheese mixture and stir to combine. Add the chicken and cheese mixture to the pasta and stir until the cheese mixture melts and the pasta is well coated.

WHAT I REALLY DID

• Dump the chicken into the instant pot and pour the whole packet of ranch dressing mix on top and a little water on the bottom - maybe a half cup.
• Cook in the instant pot for 8 minutes on high.
• Mix the dairy products together along with the cooked and cut up chicken.
• Pour in another packet of dressing mix into all that because you are doubling the recipe to give half to Jen and Jonah and didn't read the instructions well enough to notice that the seasoning mix needs to be divided.

At this point I just divided it into two tupperwares and called it make-ahead meals for our two families.  When I reheated mine, I added some milk to the skillet because it was pretty thick.

I served it over rice and it was delish.

The key here (Klejeski children) is that it tastes like Chicken Packets only without the crescent roll outside.  It would definitely work for that recipe though.  Good memories!

Baked Cheese Grits

4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup quick-cooking grits (not instant)
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
2/3 cup milk half and half or heavy cream
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
4 large eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
pinch paprika

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Add water and salt to a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the grits and mix well, bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for five minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Remove from the heat and add the cheddar cheese, milk, butter, Worcestershire sauce, ground red pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well to combine. When the butter and cheese have melted, add the eggs and make sure they are thoroughly mixed in with the other ingredients.
• Spray a 2-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and pour in the mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and the Parmesan cheese.
• Bake uncovered for one hour. Let the casserole stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

NOTES:
I used Old-Fashioned grits (Quaker)
The recipe says you can add up to two more cups of cheese, fwiw.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

2 tsp. oil
1-1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
1-1/2 Tbsp. sliced garlic
6 oz. baby spinach
¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup milk
3 oz. provolone cheese, torn into pieces
1-1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 – 20 oz. butternut squash
1 cup ricotta cheese
1-1/2 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated

Yield: 1 - 8x8 glass baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add onion and garlic; sauté for 4 minutes.  Add spinach and sauté until wilted; remove from heat.

Place yogurt, milk, and provolone in a blend, blend for 20 seconds.  Add flour, salt and eggs; blend 1 minute.

Peel the neck of the squash.  Cut the neck from the bulb; and slice the neck into 24 long slices 1/8 inch thick.  Place squash slices in the baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 4 minutes or until almost tender.

Remove the squash from the baking dish.  Coat the dish with cooking spray; spread ½ cup of the yogurt mixture in the bottom of the pan.

Shingle 1/3 of the squash over the yogurt mixture.  Top with 1/3 of the ricotta, 1/3 of the spinach mixture, and 1/3 of the remaining yogurt mixture.  Repeat twice ending with the yogurt mixture.

Sprinkle lasagna with Gruyere.  Cover dish with foil and bake for 60 minutes.  Remove foil and broil until lightly browned.  Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:
A double recipe will fit in a 9x13 pan.
You could certainly add some cooked italian sausage.

Crock Pot Breakfast Bake

This is a perfect method for Sunday brunch!

Cooking spray, for slow cooker
12 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. finely chopped chives
salt
pepper
2 c. shredded Cheddar
1 lb. baby potatoes, thinly sliced 1/8" thick
10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 c. thinly sliced red onion
1 c. chopped red bell pepper
Chopped parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

• Whisk together eggs, milk, and chives; season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese.
• Lightly grease a 5- or 6-quart crock pot. Layer half the potatoes, bacon, red onion, and red peppers, then the rest of the potatoes. Pour in the egg mixture.
• Cover and cook on low for 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Garnish with parsley.

My Notes:

• I cut the potatoes and onion pretty thin with my Pampered Chef mandoline - quick, easy and consistent.
• I was concerned that both chives and onion would be overwhelming, but it was fine.
• Used pre-cooked bacon pieces from Costco.
• Just used regular potatoes that I had around.
• I  was a little afraid that all the potatoes would clump together so I did more layering - one layer of potatoes, a little onion/bacon/peppers, repeat.
• It would be very easy to change out the breakfast meat and seasonings.
• I did the egg/cheese prep the night before and just put it together on Sunday morning.  It was done and perfect in time for after-Mass brunch.  
• Source

Cowboy Quiche

Ingredients

• 1 whole Unbaked Pie Crust (enough For A Deep Dish Pan)
• 2 whole Yellow Onions, Sliced
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 8 slices Bacon
• 8 whole Large Eggs
• 1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream Or Half-and-Half
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• READ THE NOTES, SUE, AND MAKE 3/4 BATCH LIKE IT SAYS

Preparation

Fry the onions in the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat for at least 15 to 20 minutes (maybe longer), stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Fry the bacon until chewy. Chop into large bite-sized pieces and set aside to cool. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out the pie crust and press it into a large fluted deep tart pan (or a deep dish pie pan). 

Whip the eggs, cream, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then mix in the onions, bacon, and cheese. Pour the mixture into the pie crust.

Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet, cover lightly with aluminum foil, and bake it for about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the quiche is set and the crust is golden brown. (The quiche will still seem slightly loose, but will continue to set once remove from the oven.)

Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. If using a tart pan, remove the quiche from the pan, cut into slices with a sharp serrated knife, and serve!

Thanks to Pioneer Woman

NOTES:

• Adding salt is unnecessary.
• I made 3/4 batch and made it pie-sized instead of in a tart pan.
• I used Costco bacon bits instead of starting with raw bacon
• Frozen pie crust, baby.  Easy, cheap and delish!

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon melted butter
1⁄2 medium chopped onion
1⁄4 cup melted butter
1⁄4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 cups chicken stock
1⁄2 lb fresh broccoli (chopped into bite size pieces)
1 cup carrot, chopped
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
crusty bread

• Sauté onion in butter. Set aside.
• Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half.
• Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.
• Add salt and pepper and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg.
• Serve with crusty bread and Enjoy :).

NOTES:

• I'd consider steaming (or microwaving) the veggies a little next time.  
• I used processed cheese instead of cheddar.  Don't judge, it melts perfectly!
• Considering the cheese choice, I did not add any additional salt.

Swiss Potatoes

• 3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8 inch slices
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill weed
• 3 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about ten ounces) or it works with
• regular Swiss cheese which is much cheaper and still tastes good
• 1 1/3 cups whipping cream
• 1 1/3 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.
Overlap 1/3 of potatoes in prepared dish.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon dill weed and 1 cup cheese. Repeat layer twice,  using 1/3 cup of potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon dill weed and 1 cup cheese for each layer.  Whisk cream, stock and mustard in bowl.  Pour over potatoes.  Bake until potatoes are tender and the top is crusty and brown, about 1 hour.  Cool 10 minutes and serve.

NOTES:

• This was Johnny's one request for Thanksgiving dinner. :)
• Holly says: "Also does not require whipping cream; I'm sure I always use milk/half & half."
• I used the mandolin for cutting potatoes - worked very well.

Warm and Creamy Bacon Dip

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups Daisy Brand Sour Cream
3 ounces real bacon bits
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped green onion

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Place the mixture in a 1-quart baking dish. Cover. Heat the dip for 25-30 minutes or until hot. Serve with assorted fresh vegetables, crackers and/or chips.

NOTES:

• Easy and delicious
• I kept it warm in a fondue pot instead of baking it.  I first had it at Langfeld's and she had it in a mini crock pot.
• I used Aldi sour cream so it was a little thinner than it would be with Daisy, but the flavor was the same.

Homemade Cheez-its

Makes about 1 quart

3 T boiling water
1 T annatto seeds (optional), coarsely ground
6 ounces (1½ cups) finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 T (2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (3¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
2 T cornstarch

If using annatto, combine water and annatto seeds. Let steep for 5 minutes. Strain and discard seeds. Put annatto seed water in ice bath until cool.

Using stand mixer fitted with a paddle, combine cheese, butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper until combined and starting to stick to sides of mixing bowl, about 30 seconds. Add flour and cornstarch and mix until combined, about 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of annatto seed water or plain cool water and mix until dough ball forms, about 10 seconds. Add remaining 1 tablespoon water if needed. Transfer dough to floured counter and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Unwrap dough onto well floured counter and roll to 1/16 inch thickness. Cut into 1-inch squares. Using the blunt end of a skewer, poke a hole in the center of each square. Transfer to baking sheets. Sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Bake until light golden around edges, about 18 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cool completely on baking sheets. (Crackers can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days).

Notes: These baked up crispy and very tasty, if a tad greasy. My crackers were plenty orange without the annatto. Make sure you roll these quite thin (the dough should be translucent) as they rise about 4x in the oven. I did one pan where I spread the crakers out a bit, and one where they were left next to each other on the baking mat. The former baked up crisper.

Macaroni and Cheese 2

8 oz. elbow macaroni
4 Tbsp. butter, divided
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard (I omitted this because I didn’t have any)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup swiss cheese, divided
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1) Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain.

2) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3) Melt 2 T. butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and salt and stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in dry mustard. Add milk gradually, stirring constantly.

4) Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

5) Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheddar, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, and 1/4 cup of the swiss. Mix cheese sauce and macaroni in a large bowl. Spoon into a 9 x 7 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar, mozzarella and swiss.

6) Melt remaining butter in saucepan over medium heat. Combine bread crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle on top of the cheese. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

MY NOTES:

• This is almost identical to my go-to recipe, but the variety of cheeses makes it a lot better.
• I added a small amount of ham - a good choice.  (Bacon would also be pretty outstanding, but I didn't have any thawed.)
• Instead of bread crumbs, I just sprinkled garlic croutons on top of it all.  Very good!
• Recipe source.

Crescent Pepperoni Roll-Ups

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

40 slices turkey pepperoni

4 pieces of mozzarella string cheese, cut in half

garlic powder

pizza sauce

Preheat oven to 375.

Unroll crescent rolls and separate into 8 triangles.  Place 5 slices of turkey pepperoni on each crescent roll.  Top pepperoni with string cheese half and roll up.  Sprinkle crescent rolls with garlic powder.  Place rolls on baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Serve with a side of warm pizza sauce. 

NOTES:  These were easy and neater to eat than expected.  I had regular pepperoni, but ran it under boiling water and blotted it with paper towels.  Every thing stayed in the bread nicely.

Thanks to Molly's Pinterest page which directed me to this source.

Caprese Salad

We made this for our tea party last night, which was a great option to have as part of our "light dinner."  It's easy to make, summery, fresh, delicious, and really pretty!  Nothing special--just plain mozzarella from Costco, basil from the garden, bushel boy tomatoes, and a mixture of balsamic vinegar and Italian dressing.  Mostly I just wanted to post a few photos because mom did such a nice job at making it pretty.  One thing to note is that it's best to make this at the last minute; by the end of the evening, the cheese had lost a lot of its moisture, so it was kind of just sitting in liquid in the plate.