'Ono Made Easy

Sometimes I get a strong craving for Italian food like spaghetti and meatballs! I didn't feel like making any kind of homemade sauce, but I did want to try to make homemade meatballs. Mangia! This recipe was adapted from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/spaghetti-and-meatballs-recipe/index.html . Ingredients 1 1/4 lbs ground sirloin 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 egg, beaten 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 cloves garlic, chopped salt and pepper Directions  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Mix beef, Worcestershire sauce, egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Roll meat into 1 1/2 in medium-sized meatballs and place on a nonstick cookie sheet or cookie sheet greased with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake meatballs 10-12 minutes, until no longer pink.

I love making treats, especially with a holiday theme in mind! When I was looking for a Halloween treat idea, Mark showed me this recipe for Bloody Broken Glass Cupcakes, adapted from all recipes.com. Ingredients 1 (18.25 oz) box white cake mix 1 cup water 1/3 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 ( 16 oz) can white frosting Sugar glass: 2 cups water 1 cup light corn syrup 3 1/2 cups white sugar 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar Edible blood: 1/2 cup light corn syrup 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 cup water, or more more as needed 15 drops red food coloring 3 drops blue food coloring Directions Cupcakes  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 12-cupcake tins with paper cupcake liners. 2. Blend cake mix, 1 cup water, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Beat with a mixture on low speed for 2 minutes. Divide cake batter between lined cupcake tins. 3. Bake cupcakes in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 18-22 minutes). Coo...

There's a first time for everything, including baking a turkey for Thanksgiving! Thanks to my co-worker/friend Hilah, I now have a wonderful turkey recipe (adapted from allrecipes.com)! http://allrecipes.com/recipe/perfect-turkey/detail.aspx Ingredients 1 whole ( 18 lb) turkey, neck and giblets removed 2 cups salt 1/2 cup butter, melted 2 large onions, peeled and chopped 4 carrots, peeled and chopped 4 stalks celery, chopped sprigs of fresh thyme 1 bay leaf 1 cup dry white wine ( I used Lucky Duck Sauvignon Blanc) Directions 1. Rub the turkey inside and out with salt. Place the turkey in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture for 12 hours or overnight. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Throughly rinse the turkey and disgard the brine mixture. 3. Brush the turkey with 1/2 of the melted butter. Place the breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff ...

Who ever thought it could get really chilly in South Carolina! It was definitely a soup day. Mark kept talking about how he loves the Pasta Fagoili soup at Olive Garden, so I adapted this recipe from Pinterest: http://stickafork.net/2012/11/pasta-e-fajoili-soup/ Ingredients  1 lb ground beef 1small onion, chopped 1 large carrot, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 28oz can diced tomatoes 15 oz can tomato sauce 15 oz can beef broth 15 oz can red kidney beans (with liquid) 15 can great northern beans (with liquid) 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 8 oz dry ditalini pasta ( I couldn't find ditalini, so I used small shells) Directions  1. In a large stockpot, brown the ground beef over medium high heat until cooked through. Drain and return to the pot. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add rema...

I wanted a healthy/quick chicken dish that made you feel good and full. Here's a recipe I adapted from Pinterest: http://attackofthehungrymonster.blogspot.com/2013/08/wiaw-clean-eats-mexi-rice-bowl-with.html ( makes 4 servings)  Ingredients for the chicken: 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes salt  to taste pepper to taste 1 tsp paprika ( I left this out b/c Mark doesn't like paprika, but I put it on my chicken later) 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo) 2 limes, zested and juice 2 garlic cloves, minced Directions 1. Place chicken into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. 2. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, adobo sauce, lime zest and juice and garlic. Pour it over the chicken and toss to coat. 3. Cook in a skillet on medium heat until done ( about 20 minutes).  Ingredients for the rice: 1 cup cooked rice 1 cup black beans (drained and rinsed) 1 cup cooked...

Mark and I were looking for a good crock pot recipe. We adapted this recipe from the Betty Crocker Cookbook, heart healthy edition. Spicy Chicken in Peanut Sauce Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil 8 large skinless chicken thighs (about 3 lbs.) 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup) 2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes, undrained 2 tablespoons honey 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter Directions 1. In a 12in nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil about 4 minutes, turning once, until brown. 2. In 4-to-5-quart slow cooker, mix onion, diced and crushed tomatoes, honey, cumin and cinnamon. Add chicken. Spoon tomato mixture over chicken. 3. Cover and cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours. 4. Stir in peanut butter until melted and well blended.

 Ever have a pasty from Michigan? This adapted recipe kinda reminds me of a cross between a pasty and a Hot Pocket: http://willcookforsmiles.com/2013/09/broccoli-chicken-alfredo-hand-pies.html Ingredients 1 tbs oil 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 cup diced broccoli florets ( steamed) salt, pepper 3/4 cup alfredo sauce 1 pack of pastry sheets ( 1 small egg whisked w 1 tbs of water for egg wash) Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking sheet. 1. Dice and Cook the chicken in a medium size pan with a little bit of salt and pepper until completely done.  2. Mix the chicken with the steamed broccoli and alfredo sauce. 3. Break apart the pastry sheets. Separate the chicken mixture between half of the pastry sheets. 4. Take the other half of the pastry sheets and place them over the top of the chicken mixtures. Press the seams together. 5.  Brush hand pies with egg wash and bake on sheet for 20-25 minutes, until the pie are crispy a...

Mark was trying to think of a good salsa to make to go with our Slow Cooker Carnitas, so he decided to put a bunch of fresh ingreidents together and called it Two Tomato Taco Topping! Ingredients: 10 cherry tomatoes 10 orange super sweet Zima tomatoes 1/2 fresh green jalapeno pepper 1/3 medium red onion, chopped juice of one small lime 3 tablespoons of fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon of garlic powder 1 teaspoon cumin Directions: Mix and toss all ingredients in a bowl. Olé!

Mark and I love tacos, so we decided to spice up our usual taco night. Oh yea, and we love Chipotle! Mark found this recipe for Slow Cooker Carnitas from allrecipes.com and changed it just a little bit:: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-carnitas/detail.aspx (makes 10 servings) Ingredients  1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 ( 4 lb) boneless pork shoulder roast 2 cups chicken broth Directions 1. Mix the salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander and cinnamon in a bowl. 2. Place pork in slow cooker and cover the top with the spice mixture. 3. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture. 4. Cover and cook on low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 7 1/2 hours. ( Turn the meat after it has cooked for about 3 1/2 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from the s...

Bubba from Forrest Gump: "shrimp is the fruit of the sea" I love me some shrimp, especially when it's in an easy recipe! Clean Eating Italian Style Shrimp ( recipe adapted from  http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-italian-style-shrimp /) ( makes 2 servings) Ingredients 1 lb. frozen, pre-cooked shrimp 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 teaspoon garlic powder 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon olive oil Directions 1. Put all ingredients into a skillet and cook until the shrimp are warmed through, stirring regularly. I added some rice and mixed veggies to the dish. Bam!

I'm trying really hard to find healthy breakfast options that will keep me satisfied but won't have me so full that I can't function early in the morning, so I came across this recipe for Rasberry Vanilla Refrigerator Oatmeal, which I modified from: http://www.theyummylife.com/recipes/224/Raspberry+Vanilla+Refrigerator+Oatmeal . Ingredients: 1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats 1/3 cup milk 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon raspberry jam or preserves ( Trader Joe's Raspberry Preserves is amazing!) a handful of raspberries, broken in half Directions: 1. (In a container that can be sealed tight with a lid) add oats, milk, yogurt, vanilla extract, and raspberry jam. 2. Seal the container with the lid and shake until well combined. 3. Remove the lid and add the raspberries. Stir gently. Seal the container again with the lid. 4. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 2-3 hours. 5. Eat chilled. Don't you feel hea...

So....I've been getting more into Pinterest lately. It's awesome for finding recipes! Again, I wanted a yummy dessert, so I found a recipe for Reese's Peanut Butter Bars, originally from mybakerlady.com  . Ingredients  1 cup melted butter 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 2 cups confectioners' sugar 1 cup + 4 tablespoons peanut butter 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips Directions  1. In a medium bowl, mix the butter, graham cracker crumbs, confectioner's sugar and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 in. pan. 2. Melt the chocolate chips and remaining peanut butter in the microwave. Stir until smooth. 3. Spread over peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Onc of my favorite desserts is brownies, so I wanted to try a brownie recipe with a little kick. I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com . This recipe is adapted from  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aaron-sanchezs-mexican-brownies-recipe/index.html . Ingredients 2 sticks unsalted butter 2 cups sugar 4 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon (canela) ( I just used regular ground cinnamon b/c that's what i had) 1/4 teaspoon chili powder or cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Directions  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13in baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Press the paper into the corners of the pan and lightly grease the paper with butter. 1. Melt 2 sticks of butter in a nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat; do not boil. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla to the saucepa...

One of Mark's favorite treats is smokey links! I got this recipe from my mother-in-law. Ingredients 50 smokey links  or 5 lbs of meatballs 1  oz can Oceanspray Jellied Cranberry Sauce 2 ( 12 oz each) jars Heinz Chili Sauce 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice Directions  Place all ingredients into a saucepan and place on low heat for a half hour.

I bought a tabletop grill for my husband Mark's birthday, so we knew we had to test it out asap! I voted to grill up some steaks! Mark found a recipe on allrecipes.com   called the Best Steak Marinade in Existence. I agree with the name! This recipe is adapted from  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Best-Steak-Marinade-in-Existence/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=the%20best%20steak%20marinade&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page Ingredients  1/3 cup soy sauce                                  1 teaspoon ground white pepper (we used black pepper to taste) 1/2 cup olive oil                                    1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional- we didn't use this)                   1/3 cup fresh lemon juice ...

I wanted a dessert that had berries in it, and a cobbler sounded good, so I found this recipe on Cooks.com. This recipe is adapted from  http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1637,150168-233201,00.html  Ingredients: 4 cups mixed berries ( I used frozen blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries) 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided 1 stick butter 1 cup flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 cup milk Directions: (Preheat oven to 325F) 1. Mix berries and 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside. (make sure you defrost and drain if you use frozen fruit) 2. Melt the butter in a 9 x 13 baking dish. 3. Combine the rest of the sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and milk and mix until lumps disappear. 4. Pour mixture over butter in the dish. Spoon fruit over the top. 5. Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Today for lunch I was super hungry, but there wasn't much in the fridge. When in doubt, make a quesadilla! I've been lovin' the T Marzetti's Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing lately, so I had to make sure I put it in this recipe. Ingredients: flour tortilla  cooked chicken corn chopped tomatoes cheddar cheese, shredded kalamata olives orange pepper ( whatever you want to add!)  black beans and corn on the side T Marzetti's Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing Frank's Red Hot Wings (Buffalo) Sauce Directions: 1. Place a little butter on a skillet on medium heat 2. Place a flour tortilla on a plate and put all of your ingredients on one side of the tortilla. 3. Fold the tortilla in half and place on the skillet. Once one side is nice and crispy, flip it over. 4. Once both sides are crispy, place your quesadilla on a plate. Place some of the blue cheese dressing and buffalo sauce on the side and get ready to dip!

Ok. So I was craving donuts pretty bad, but we don't have a bakery nearby that's good. So.... again I looked to Pinterest. This recipe is modified from allrecipes.com: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/donut-muffins/ Ingredients: 1/2 cup white sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups. 2. Mix 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in the milk, then mix in the baking powder and flour until just combined. Fill the prepared muffin cups about half full. 3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are lightly golden (15-20 min.). 4. While muffins are baking, place 1/4 cup melted butter in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together 1/2 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. 5. Remove muffins from their cups, dip each mu...

When it's cold outside, it's time for some soup! I found this recipe on Pinterest: http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/10/ham-and-potato-soup.html Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes 1/3 cup diced celery 1/3 finely chopped onion 1/2 cup diced carrots 1 cup diced cooked ham 3 1/4 cups chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 5 tablespoons butter 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups milk Directions: 1. Combine potatoes, celery, onion, carrots, ham, and chicken broth in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium high heat until the potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes). Stir in the salt and pepper. 2. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in the milk so that lumps don't form and until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat un...

I wanted something light and tasty to bring to a meeting, so I decided banana bread would be a good choice. This recipe is modified from the Food Network : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/banana-bread-recipe/reviews/index.html?pn=4 Ingredients: 1 cup granulated sugar 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (I used salted butter b/c that's what I had) 2 large eggs 3 ripe bananas 1 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt ( I used 3/4 of a teaspoon because of my salted butter) Directions: 1.Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F and butter a 9x5x3in loaf pan. 2. Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until blended well. 3. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. 4. In a small bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and ground cinnamon. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. 5...

One of my husband's favorite meals is Alice Spring's Chicken at Outback Steakhouse. I found a recipe for Alice Chicken on allrecipes.com and modified it a little bit. THis recipe is modified from : http://allrecipes.com/recipe/alice-chicken/ Ingredients: about 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 5 fluid oz Worcestershire sauce 8 or so slices of bacon (I used peppered bacon) Shredded Cheddar/ Monterey Jack Cheese Directions: 1. Rinse chicken breast halves in water. Take each chicken breast and poke several times with a fork. Place each chicken breast in a large glass dish or bowl. Cover chicken with Worcestershire sauce. Cover dish or bowl and refrigerate for about an hour. 2. Place strips of bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until bacon turns brown. Drain, and set aside. 3. Remove chicken breasts from the marinade (discard any remaining liquid) and place in a skillet/pan on medium heat until chicken is cooked throu...