Simply Sides 11 - Cheesy Baked Egg White Muffins

I don't know if this dish is actually a side dish, but I think it fits more effectively in this category than my other ones. This recipe is super simple to make, fairly healthy, and is high in protein.  These baked eggs are great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack.  In fact, the first time I made them, I made them as part of a "Breakfast for Dinner" night.  Super delish!
I found the original recipe on Pinterest (are you surpised??? LoL!).  Find the original recipe here!  I tweaked it a little, and here they are!

Cheesy Baked Egg White Muffins

Ingredients:
2 whole large eggs
6 egg whites (save the yolks, you can make homemade mayo, and/or hollandaise sauce, like I did!)
dash of your favorite hot sauce
salt and pepper
handful of your favorite shredded cheese (I used cheddar, but pepper jack would also be delish)
cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Grease muffin tin with cooking spray (this makes 6 muffins... I just used 1/2 my tin (mine holds 12) but you could double the recipe and make a full tin).
Beat together whole eggs and egg whites.  Stir in salt, pepper, and hot sauce.  Fold in shredded cheese.  Pour into greased muffin tin.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 14 - Oreo Pie

We are making room for dessert this week!  Not that I really need it, I think I've been packing on some pounds lately.  But I keep coming across all these great recipes so you know I just HAVE to try them!

Per usual, I came across this recipe on Pinterest.  You can find the original recipe here, on another food blog.  If you love Oreos, this is the dessert for you!

Oreo Pie

Ingredients:

Crust: 
1.5 sleeves of crushed Oreos
1/2 stick of melted butter.

Pie:

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter 
1 cup powdered sugar 
1 medium tub cool whip 
3 oz. box instant chocolate pudding 
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1/2 sleeve crushed Oreo Cookies

Directions:

To make the crust, crush up 1.5 sleeves of Oreos and mix with melted butter.  Then deeply press into a pie pan.  Refrigerate while making filling.
For the pie, mix together the cream cheese and the butter until smooth. Carefully fold in the powdered sugar and half of the cool whip. Then pour over the Oreo crust, and set aside.
To make the pudding layer, whisk together the chocolate pudding mix and the milk and let it sit for a few minutes (it should start to thicken fairly quickly).  Then pour it over the first layer. Add oreos, stir in to pudding.
Spread the remaining cool whip over the top.
Refrigerate for one hour

Tuna Noodle Casserole - Home Cooked Recipe 49

What is more comforting then a creamy pasta casserole?  Not too much!  This week's recipe is all about comfort, and making a classic dish your own.  My girlfriend and I were talking about how much we love tuna noodle casserole while lounging by the pool on Saturday.  She was talking about how much she adores her mom's, and I told her how I make mine.  I was thinking, "what an easy dinner, let me make that Sunday night and blog about it this week"!  I am going to give you lots of ways you can alter the recipe to suit your own tastes.  A classic with options?  Sounds good to me!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:
2 5oz cans of tuna (I use solid white albacore, use your favorite OR you can use chicken if you don't like tuna)
1/2 bag (8oz) frozen peas (you can use ANY frozen veggie you like, mixed veg, carrots, broccoli, etc)
1/2 bag (6-8oz) no-yolk egg noodles
2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) cream of mushroom soup (I use cream of celery due to a mushroom disliker in my househould, but you can use any "cream of" soup, and you can also use cheese soups)
2 cans of milk (use your soup cans once empty)
2 tbs sour cream (this is optional, but I think it makes a huge difference in flavor and creaminess)
salt and pepper to taste (other fun spices you can use: paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne)
Topping:
1 cup potato chips, crushed OR 3/4 cup breadcrumbs mixed with 1 tbs olive oil OR 1 cup croutons, crushed OR 1/2 sleeve butter crackers (such as Ritz), crushed - This time, I used garlic cheese croutons
Cooking spray
***Additional add-ins: sauteed onions, a handful of grated cheese (mozzarella or cheddar work well)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
Cook egg noodles according to package directions, drain.
grease casserole dish (I love my white round Corningware, but use whatever you have)
Mix together both cans of soup and both cans of milk.  Whisk in sour cream.  Add spices and combine well.  Drain tuna, flake with a fork, and fold into soup mixture.  Fold in frozen veggies, then stir in cooked noodles.  Top with your choice of topping.  Spray lightly with cooking spray.  Bake for 30-40 mins.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!

Simply Sides 10 - Three Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos

There has been in a trend lately where jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon have been going around at parties.  They are tasty little morsels, but I wanted something a little more exciting than plain cream cheese.  So yesterday, armed with fresh jalapenos and three cheeses, I made these cheese stuffed jalapenos.  Delish!

They are perfect as a side dish on Taco Night, would be great as party food, and can also be served as an appetizer.  They are pretty simple and cheap to make, so give them a try!

As a bonus, from now on when I think a dish is on the cheap side to make, I am going to try to tell you what it costs me!

Three Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos

Ingredients
6 fresh jalapenos (only cost me .74 and makes 12 of these snacks - plenty for 2 people)
1/2 of an 8oz block of cream cheese, softened (costs .60 to .75 depending on store brand or name brand, I used a name brand)
1/4 of an 8oz block of colby/jack cheese, shredded (.41 - out store had a sale on Kraft blocks and I had a coupon!)
2 tbs of parmesan (around .10, hard to measure)
Sprinkle of black pepper, seasoning salt, and garlic powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.
Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise and remove all the seeds (*hint, I use gloves to do this.  At the very least make sure you wash your hands thoroughly after this task and don't touch your body parts - you will be sorry!) Lay them out on a baking sheet lined with foil.
Mix cheeses together. When well combined, add in a dash of salt, pepper, and garlic.  Mix together well.
Fill jalapeno halves with cheese.  
Bake for 10-20 minutes, until peppers soften and cheese becomes brown and bubbly.
Enjoy!