Lasagna Roll-Ups - Home Cooked Recipe #69

The great thing about the following, is that it's super versatile.  You can change out the filling, the cheeses, the sauce... You can really make it your own and still follow the same basic steps!

Lasagna Roll-Ups (Spinach/Artichoke/Roasted Pepper Alfredo - Vegetarian)

Ingredients
6 lasagna noodles, cooked, drained, and cooled (you can easily double this)
4 oz ricotta cheese
4 oz shredded mozzarella
4 oz frozen spinach, cooked
1 roasted red bell pepper, divided
4 canned artichokes, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan
4 tbs butter
garlic powder
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Melt butter in saucepan over medium.  Add salt, pepper, and a couple dashes of garlic powder.  Chop roasted red pepper into a small dice.  Add half to pan. Saute 5 minutes. Add cream, bring to a boil, reduce to low, and stir in parmesan.
Stir together ricotta, half of mozzarella, spinach, artichokes, and other half of roasted pepper.  Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of garlic powder. Divide mixture into 6, and spread each section on one of the lasagna noodles.  Roll up.  
Place a couple spoonfuls of sauce into the bottom of baking dish.  Place rolls in pan.  Cover with remaining sauce.  Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top.  Cover with foil, bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 22 - Blueberry Tarts

Summer is the season of blueberries! I have always been a fan of this little round fruit, and I eat a ton of them in the summer.  On cereal, in fruit salads, plain by the handful, and also in desserts!  It's so easy to make these little tarts.


Blueberry Tarts

Ingredients:

• 1 pint blueberries
• 1/2 a lemon, juiced
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbs cornstarch
• water
• refrigerated pie dough

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Add first 4 ingredients to a saucepan and heat over medium on the stove.  Add in a bit of water, I usually use about 1/4 of a cup.  Cook for 15-30 minutes until some berries burst and sauce thickens up.  Take off heat and let cool.
To make the tarts like I do, cut 4 rounds out of 1 roll of refrigerated pie dough.  If you don't have a little pie maker like I do, you can also make one big pie.  Just place whole round of pie dough in pie plate.  
Fill dough with blueberry filling, just spoon four equal parts into dough,
Bake for 30-45 minutes until crust is cooked (but not too brown!).  I serve mine with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy!

Shrimp and Cheesy Grits - Home Cooked Recipe 68

I have fully embrace southern cooking! We never ate things like collards or black eyed peas or grits when I was growing up in NY.  And now I make and enjoy them with gusto!  I have made grits several times before, but never how I have for this recipe.  And guess what?  It was super easy!  The shrimp is also fast and simple to prepare.  Try this recipe soon!

Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup quick cooking grits (I used Quaker, do NOT use instant grits)
• salt and pepper
• garlic powder
• 4 oz shredded cheddar (I actually used a cheddar mix from Sargent
• 2 oz grated parmesan
• 8 tbs butter, divided
• 1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
• chili powder
• cayenne
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced finely
• fresh lemon slices

***optional: cook grits in chicken broth instead of water for more flavor - although mine were PLENTY flavorful! you can omit garlic powder from grits if you think the garlic in the shrimp is enough.  you can also use cajun spice in place of cayenne and chili powder when seasoning shrimp.***

Directions:
Preheat oven broiler.
Rinse and dry shrimp well.  Season with a dash of chili powder, dash of cayenne, and salt and pepper.  Melt 6 tbs of butter, add minced garlic and let simmer 5 minutes.  Toss seasoned shrimp with butter and put in a baking dish.  Broil for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring water to a boil.  Season with salt (about a teaspoon), and a dash of garlic powder.  When boiling, whisk in grits and turn heat to medium low.  Allow grits to cook about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in remaining 2 tbs butter.  When butter is fully incorporated, add in cheeses and mix well.
Place a bed of grits on plate, and top with shrimp (and some butter from baking dish!).  Squeeze some lemon on if desired.  
Enjoy!

Crock*Pot Italian Beef - Pinterest Pick #9

OK, I'll admit it, I have been slacking with this blog for the last few weeks.  To be honest, I am so tired from being back at the office.  Hopefully I will be back home telecommuting again soon and will be able to bring you more recipes.  In the meantime, I did make a great dish this weekend!  It was another combo of slow cooker and Pinterest, and the results were delicious.  I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today.  Few ingredients, little prep... And super tasty!
Find the original recipe HERE and the original pin HERE.  I made a few adjustments, but nothing major.  Serve the beef on a sandwich, over noodles, over rice, with potatoes... Very versatile!

Crock*Pot Italian Beef

Ingredients:

• 1 lb beef stew meat
• 1/2 jar of pepperoncini
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1 packet Italian dressing seasoning
• salt and pepper

*** hoagie rolls, mayo, and sliced provolone if making my sandwiches

Directions:
Place beef in slow cooker.  Add salt and pepper (I eyeball these, use about a teaspoon each).  Add Italian dressing mix.  Toss beef with spices well until each cube is coated.  Pour half the jar of peppers, including juice, into slow cooker.  Dissolve bouillon cube in chicken broth and pour into slow cooker.  Stir well.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4.  Discard peppers and shred beef.  
*To make sandwiches:
Spread mayo on roll.  Place on cheese slices.  Top with beef.  Add giardiniera (a mix of carrots, cauliflower, celery, etc) or fresh pepperoncini if desired.  
Enjoy!

Beef and Broccoli - Crock*Pot Cafe 7

Yum yum yum! One of my favorite Chinese dishes is beef and broccoli.  To make the recipe even easier, I dumped all the ingredients into the slow cooker while I went to work.  Then I only had to use my little rice cooker when I got home to make some white rice to go with my meat and veggies.  Easy and delicious!

Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients: 

• 10oz frozen broccoli florets
• 1 lb beef stew meat
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 beef bullion cubes
• 1 tbs oyster sauce
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbs honey

Directions:
Mix all ingredients except broccoli in slow cooker. Put on low for 8 hours.  Place broccoli in the last 30 minutes and cook on high. Serve with white rice.  ***To make a thicker sauce, when dish is 30 minutes shy of being done, reserve 2 tablespoons liquid from dish.  Mix that liquid with 1 tbs cornstarch.  Pour back into slow cooker and cook on high for last 30 minutes.
Enjoy!