1 - 2- 3 Easy Bubble Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 can of biscuits (I used Pillsbury Grands Homestyle)
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
• pizza sauce (my recipe!), or use one 15 oz can/jar
• pepperoni, diced or sliced (use as much as you like!), optional
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
• dried Italian spices , to taste
• pepperoni to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Cut each biscuit into quarters.  Place the biscuit pieces in a greased 8 x 8 glass baking dish.
3. Top with the sauce and the pepperoni.
4. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese on top add pepperoni.  Bake for an additional 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with oregano and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Romaine Salad with Chicken, Cheddar, Apples, Spiced Pecans and Cranberry Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

Salad:
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3-4 medium)
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about 8-10 cups)
• 8 ounces sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped or sliced thin
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup spiced pecans, store-bought or following the simple recipe below
Dried Cranberry Vinaigrette:
• 1/4 cup cranberry juice or water
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup red wine or raspberry vinegar
• 1 shallot, peeled and quartered
• 1 small garlic clove, peeled
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Quick Spiced Pecans:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups pecan halves
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• You can make extra dressing if you would like more!!!!
• 
  
• DIRECTIONS

1. For the chicken and salad, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is shimmering and hot. Add the chicken and cook until it is nicely browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip the chicken over, add the water, and cover the skillet. Cook the chicken, letting it poach, until it is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool slightly before carving.
2. Toss the lettuce, cheese, apple, pecans, onion and dried cranberries together. Divide the salad among the serving plates. Slice the chicken on a diagonal and arrange over the salad. Serve with the vinaigrette. I prefer to let everyone douse their own salad with dressing, but you could toss the salad with 1/2 cup or so of the vinaigrette before assembling it on the plates and serve the extra dressing on the side.
3. For the pecans, melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the spices and then the pecans. Toast the nuts, stirring often, until the color deepens slightly and they are lightly toasted, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and toss with the sugar. Let them cool completely before tossing with the salad.
4. For the dressing, combine the cranberry juice (or water) and cranberries in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for one minute until hot. Process the hot cranberry mixture, vinegar, shallot, garlic, thyme, mustard, salt and pepper in a blender until the shallot and garlic are finely chopped. With the blender running, add the oil and continue to blend until the dressing is smooth and well-combined. Thin the dressing, if needed, with additional cranberry juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. You can make extra dressing if you would like more!!!!

Smothered Sweet Pork Burritos

You'll get more flavor if you use a pork roast that has a bone in - it can easily be removed once the pork is done cooking; however, this could also be made with boneless pork loin or a leaner cut of pork. Just keep in mind that it might not be quite as tender as a roast that has darker meat also. A note about the enchilada sauce, not all brands are created equal. I love the Herdez brand of green salsa or enchilada sauce (which I use interchangeably) so make sure you find a brand that tastes good (with a heat level you prefer).

INGREDIENTS

For Burritos:
• 2 1/2 pounds pork roast like pork shoulder or butt roast
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1-2 teaspoons liquid smoke
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 (15-ounce each) cans green enchilada sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Dash of hot sauce (optional)
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (or a combination), grated
• 6-8 whole wheat or white flour tortillas, burrito-sized
For Cilantro Lime Rice:
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• juice and zest of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

DIRECTIONS

1. Trim any excess fat pockets from the pork roast (it's ok to leave a bit here and there just trim the large pieces off). Cut the pork into 2-3 large pieces. Season each piece on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil until rippling and hot. Add all the pieces of pork and brown on each side, 2-3 minutes total. Transfer the pork to the insert of a 5-6 quart slow cooker.
3. Add the liquid smoke and 1/2 cup water. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours.
4. While the pork is cooking, prepare the rice. In a skillet or medium saucepan, melt the butter and add the rice. Stir, letting the rice and butter cook for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (broth, salt, pepper, lime juice and zest, cilantro and cumin) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 15-16 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. This can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to assemble the burritos.
5. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred into bite-sized pieces (discarding the bone, if needed, or any large pieces of fat). In a large bowl, toss the shredded pork with the brown sugar, 1/2 cup of the green sauce, chili powder, salt and pepper (add more salt and pepper to taste if needed). Add the hot sauce, if using.
6. Stir in the beans, rice and cilantro to the pork mixture.
7. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and spread about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of the green sauce on the bottom.
8. Warm the tortillas lightly in a skillet or in the microwave. Scoop about 1/2 cup of the meat mixture into each tortilla and sprinkle with a bit of cheese (you'll want to leave some cheese for the top of all the burritos before they bake). Roll up burrito style (folding the ends in and rolling).
9. Place the burritos seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the burritos and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until heated through and the top is bubbly and slightly golden. Serve immediately.

TASTY Balsamic Chicken Noodle Bowl

Note: I tweaked this recipe to have a high noodle ratio since I love me a lot of noodles, but if you like a bit less noodles, simply cut down the amount to 12 ounces. Also, good-quality balsamic vinegar is key here since the flavor really shines through. When I haven't planned ahead, I use uncooked chicken and cook it up with the peppers.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces   OR 1 lb. Linguine
• 1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
• 4 tablespoons good-quality balsamic vinegar
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil (can substitute 1/2 cup fresh basil)
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 1 1/2 cups shredded or cubed mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until just tender according to package directions. Drain.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. When combined, slowly whisk in the 1/3 cup olive oil until the dressing is completely combined.
3. While the pasta is boiling, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the bell pepper. Cook briefly until crisp-tender. Add the cooked chicken and cook for 1-2 more minutes, until the chicken is heated through.
4. When the noodles have been drained, add the hot noodles to the skillet with the red pepper and chicken and toss. Add the shredded or cubed mozzarella and the feta and toss quickly to combine before the cheese melts. Pour the dressing over the top and toss with tongs to coat all the ingredients with the dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Homemade Ciabatta Bread

Homemade Ciabatta Bread

YIELD: MAKES TWO LOAVES OF CIABATTA BREAD

Note: this dough requires a “biga” or a starter to be made the night before so plan ahead! It takes mere seconds to stir together but you don’t want to skimp on this step – it is important for the flavor and outcome of the dough. Also, if you don’t have a scale to weigh the flour, take care to measure with a light hand as you don’t want the starter or dough overfloured.

INGREDIENTS

Overnight starter:
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ¼ ounces) unbleached or regular all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cool water
• 1/16 teaspoon instant yeast
Dough:
• all of the starter (from above)
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ¼ ounces) unbleached or regular all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
Topping for Garlic Bread:
• 1 medium head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled (about 15 medium cloves) and finely minced
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• pinch (1/16 teaspoon) of salt
• 1 cup (4 oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• snipped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. For the starter: Mix the starter ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Cover the starter and let it rest at room temperature overnight, or for up to 15 hours. It will become bubbly and puffy.
2. For the bread: Place all of the dough ingredients, including the starter, into the bowl of your mixer and beat at medium speed, using the flat/paddle beater, for 7 minutes (scraping the bowl as needed). As it starts to mix, it will be very wet and sticky. After mixing for 7 minutes, the dough will be smooth, soft, shiny, and elastic. Alternatively, knead the dough ingredients in your bread machine using the dough cycle.
3. Using greased or lightly oiled hands, transfer the dough to a greased bowl or other rising container, cover it, and let it rise for 2 hours, deflating it halfway through, and then recovering and letting it rise another hour. If you’re using a bread machine, allow it to rise for an additional hour after the dough cycle has ended.
4. Lightly grease your work surface/counter, and a half-sheet baking pan (18? x 13?) or similar large baking sheet or line it with parchment or a silpat liner. Grease your hands, as well.
5. Very gently turn the dough out of the bowl onto your work surface; you don’t want to deflate it. It’ll lose a bit of volume, but don’t actively punch it down. Using a bowl scraper, bench knife, or your fingers, divide the dough in half. You should have two fat logs, each about 10? long x 4? wide.
6. Handling the dough gently, transfer each piece to the baking sheet, laying them down crosswise on the sheet. Position them about 2 1/2? from the edge of the pan, leaving about 4? between them. Lightly cover the dough with heavily oiled plastic wrap or a proof cover, and allow it to rise for 60 to 90 minutes. Midway through, gently but firmly dimple the dough with your fingers, making fairly deep pockets. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.
7. Spritz the risen loaves with lukewarm water. You’ll see that the dimples have filled in somewhat, but haven’t entirely disappeared. Bake the loaves until they are golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.
8. To make garlic bread: Prepare the topping by combining the minced garlic cloves, melted butter, olive oil and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Cut the loaves in half lengthwise, like you’re going to make giant sandwiches. Spread the cut halves with the garlic mixture. Bake the bread in a preheated 400°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and the edges of the bread are starting to brown. Remove the bread from the oven, and sprinkle it immediately with the grated Parmesan and parsley, if desired. Cut in crosswise slices to serve.

Caramel and Chocolate Pecan Bars

Ingredients

For the crust:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup pecan halves
For the topping:
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

To make the crust:

Combine flour, brown sugar, and butter, beating at medium speed with an electric mixer until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Press onto bottom of ungreased 9″x 13″x 2" baking pan. Place pecans evenly over top of crust.

To make the topping:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine butter and brown sugar in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Continue stirring and allow mixture to boil for 1 minute. Pour evenly over crust and pecans.

Bake 18-22 minutes, until caramel layer is bubbly. Be sure not to overbake.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and allow to melt slightly. Swirl chocolate chips over the crust. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Easy & Quick Oven Baked Tacos

Oven Baked Tacos!

Brown your ground beef and drain completely - then add refried beans, taco seasoning and about half a can of tomato sauce. Mix together and scoop into taco shells, (stand them up in a casserole dish).

Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake at 375 for 10 minutes!!!!!!

Top with All your Favorite Toppings and enjoy!!!