Italian Shepherd's Pie

Serves 4
Prep. Time: 20 min.
Bake Time: 15 min.

1 lb. ground beef
little bit of finely chopped onion
2 c. marinara sauce
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper

Topping:
1 c. flour
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. Italian seasoning
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, melted

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat; drain. Add sauce, salt and pepper and heat through for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the topping until just moistened. Spoon filling into 4 8oz. ramekins or one 1 1/2 qt. baking dish. Spoon the topping on top as evenly as you can. Bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes.

Seven Layer Salad

Serves 8

Chop and layer in a bowl or trifle:
1 small head iceberg lettuce
1 small head cauliflower
1 c. frozen peas
1 small white onion or 4-5 green onions
1 lb. fried, crumbled bacon

Dressing:
1 1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/8 c. sugar
1/4 c. grated Parmesan

Top with 1 c. grated Cheddar cheese

Moist Chocolate Chip Muffins

Serves 12
Prep. Time: 10 min.
Bake Time: 18 min.

1 1/2 c. flour
2/3 c. sugar
3/4 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 egg
1 c. sour cream
5 T. butter, melted
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ones. Mix together and add chocolate chips. Spoon into greased muffin pan, filling each cup 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes.

Ranch Chicken Fingers

Serves 4
Prep. Time: 5 min.
Bake Time: 8 min.

Combine in a shallow dish or bowl:
1 c. breadcrumbs
1 T. Italian seasoning

Combine in another shallow dish or bowl:
1/3 c. Ranch dressing
1 t. water

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips

Dip chicken in Ranch mix, then roll in the crumbs. Plase on lightly greased non-stick pan. Bake at 425 for 8 minutes.

Great with fries and some Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce.

Nate the Great's Kahlua Cake

Serves 12
Prep. Time: 10 min.
Bake Time: 60 min.

1 pkg. dark fudge cake mix

1 lg. box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 pint sour cream
1/2 c. Kahlua
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 pkg. chocolate chips

Mix dry ingredients. Add the rest. Pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 60 minutes. MUST be served with Vanilla ice cream, in my opinion.

Emeril's Uptown Get-Down Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 6
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 45 minutes

Bechamel Sauce:
3 T. unsalted butter
3 T. flour
1 1/2 c. heated milk or 1/2 & 1/2
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. tabasco
4 1/2 oz. or 1 c. Parmesan

The Rest:
1 t. salt
1 lb. elbow macaroni
2 T. unsalted butter
1/8 t. minced garlic
12 oz. Velveeta, cubed
1/4 c. breadcrumbs
1/2 t. seasoning salt

Bechamel: Melt butter in medium saucepan. When foam subsides, stir in flour and cook on low, stirring constantly for several minutes. Slowly add milk and cook on medium, stirring constantly. Remove and add salt, pepper, Tabasco and Parmesan; stir well, cover and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 3 qt. baking dish. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil, then add salt. Pour macaroni into the rapid boil and stir vigorously for 5 minutes until slightly undercooked. Drain and toss with the garlic and butter. Add the Bechamel sauce and toss. Layer in the baking dish: 1/3 macaroni, 1/3 Velveeta cubes, 1/3 macaroni, etc. Top with breadcrumbs, Parmesan and seasoning salt. Bake 30-45 minutes until bubbly and beginning to brown.

For a meal in itself, just add some cubed cooked ham.

Rolo Pretzels with Pretzel M&Ms

This has Nate written all over it. I found it here: http://twopeasandtheirpod.com/rolo-pretzels-with-pretzel-m-and-ms/

Serves as many as you decide to serve :)
Bake Time: 2 min.

mini pretzels
rolo candies, unwrapped
pretzel m&ms

Preheat oven to 350. Place pretzels on large cookie sheet. Top each with a rolo. Place in oven until rolos are just barely starting to melt. Remove from oven and press a pretzel m&m on top of each rolo. Eat them warm or cold! Yum!

Kielbasa and Red Potato Stew

Be ye warned: this takes a good 2 1/2+ hours to make from start to finish. But it is totally worth it. 


Serves 10
Prep. Time: 15 min.
First Round of Baking: 45 min.
Second Round: 60 min.
Last Bit: 15 min. 

10 medium red potatoes, cut into quarters

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

2 lbs. smoked Polish sausage or Kielbasa, cut into bite sizes

1/3 c. olive oil

1 T. basil

2 t. salt

1 t. pepper

2 c. heavy whipping cream

3 T. cornstarch

3 T. water

Mix oil, basil, salt and pepper together.  Get all your ingredients chopped up properly. Put potatoes, onions, peppers, and sausage in a large roasting pan.  Pour oil mixture into roasting pan and mix until everything is well coated.  Cover with lid or foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and pour cream into pan, stirring carefully.  Return to oven and bake 45 to 60 minutes more, until potatoes are tender.  Combine cornstarch and water; pour into stew, carefully stirring.  Place roasting pan on the stove top and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until liquids thicken.

Bread Machine Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

• Serves 12
• Bread Machine Time: 1 1/2 hrs.
• Dirty Time: 15 min.
• Overnight
• Sit Time: 30 min.
• Bake Time: 25 min.
• Cool Time: 10 min. 
• 
  
• Begin this process in the evening the night before you want to eat the rolls. 
• 
  

Warm in a saucepan:

• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 c. water
• 2 T. butter

Pour that into the breadmachine pan. Add the following in this order:

1 egg

• 3/4 t. salt
• 3 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c. white sugar
• 2 1/4 t. active dry yeast

Set machine to dough setting. Probably takes 1 1/2 hours or so. 

Once Dough cycle is complete, remove the dough from the bread machine and punch down. On a floured surface, roll into a large rectangle. 

Combine the following really well in a bowl:

1/3 c. packed brown sugar

1/3 c. sugar

1 T. cinnamon

1/2 t. coarse sea salt

2 T. butter, melted

Smudge the mixture evenly over your dough rectangle. Roll the dough up into a log starting at the long side. Cut into 12 slices using thread or dental floss. Place the rolls cut side down in a greased 9x13 pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, pull the rolls out of the fridge to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the oven to 375. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool for ten minutes before frosting.

Frosting:

• 2 c. confectioners' sugar
• 3 T. melted butter
• 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• 3 T. milk