Spaghetti Pie

Spaghetti Pie, have you ever even heard of it before? I hadn’t until a blogger I follow recently made it. The idea peaked my interest only I wanted to make it a touch more adult, although I won’t lie, if I had leftover spaghetti and sauce I would making her version but seeing how I am making all the components just for this recipe I am stepping it up a few notches.

My Mother in Law makes really good lasagna; I had it for the first time a few months ago and really enjoyed it, so much so that I plan on making it and sharing it here sometime in the future but for the time being I am using her idea of using cream cheese in the place of ricotta and making my own version of spaghetti pie.


This “pie” has 4 delicious layers, the noodle crust, a cream cheese and spinach cheese layer, the meat sauce layer and then the bubbling gooey cheese topping. It is phenomenal, a truly delicious play on spaghetti and lasagna mixed together.


Spaghetti Pie

Crust:
8 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Meat Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound hamburger meat, thawed
13 ounce can spaghetti sauce

Filling:
10 ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
8 ounce cream cheese, room temp.
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
black pepper

Topping:
½ cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 10 inch pie plate with butter, set aside.

Toss hot cooked noodles in leftover butter. Mix the eggs and 1/3 cup shredded parmesan together in a small bowl. Toss with spaghetti. Add the spaghetti to prepared pie plate and shape into a crust shape gong up the sides of the plate.

Cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are just translucent. Add the hamburger meat to the skillet and cook until the meat is cooked through. Stir in the pasta sauce and heat through. You’re looking for a thick meat sauce, remember this is being used as a filling so it needs to be a firm layer when cut into.

Place the cream cheese in a bowl and combine with spinach by removing small amounts of spinach from the colander, squeezing vigorously to remove remaining moisture, and then adding to the cream cheese. Add the black pepper and the rest of the parmesan cheese and stir to combine.

To assemble you put the cheese mixture into the middle of the “crust” and smooth out. Top with the meat sauce and bake, uncovered, 25 minutes.

Top with the mozzarella and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, let cool about 10 minutes, then slice and serve, like a pie.


The end result was an incredibly tasty “pie” that was about the same amount of work as making homemade lasagna.

Would I make this again? Absolutely, we loved it, I am already thinking of ways to adapt it in the future. I also see this as a perfect halloween recipe with a clever name. It will be showing up on our table again in the near future.

Stuffed Cabbage Stoup

I was hoping to make a few more soups before “winter” was over in my neck of the woods, but the last few days have been in the 70’s here in Southern Texas, not exactly soup weather. Luckily though, a cold snap came in today with temperatures in the 50’s. I’ll take it and run with it!

Lately, I have been trying to make smarter food choices. Not only am I trying to lose weight but I am also trying to make sure I am meeting the nutrients that I need daily. For some reason I have been super interested in that as of late. Once upon a time I was incredibly fit. I did yoga daily and was a vegetarian (early 20’s) and then slowly I have neglected myself to the point of having gained weight and now just walking a mile burns my calf muscles. (Just trying to keep it real here folks.) Now, I did say that this wouldn’t become a weight loss blog, or did I say that to myself? Either way, it won’t become one, I guess I just want to share that this recipe is healthy and sometimes I am long winded about saying something simple. So the short version: This stoup is one of the better recipes on this blog, as of now.

It reminds me a lot of the Stuffed Cabbage Casserole I have made a dozen or so times in the past and although I will continues to make it in the future I will rotate it, when the weather is right, with this stoup.

Baby Cakes ate a bowl full and really enjoyed it. He didn’t score it but I did. I give it two thumbs up or on our regular scale a 10. I ate two full bowls of it and felt no guilt because ¼ of the pot (or two bowls as the case may be) is only 535 calories! Rock on! Big thanks to Rachel Ray!


Stuffed Cabbage Stoup
recipe slightly adapted from Rachel Ray

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
32 ounces chicken stock
1 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, finely chopped
1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced
28 ounce can diced tomatoes
8 ounce can tomato sauce
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons dill, finely chopped

Heat a deep pot over medium high heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, once hot add meat, allspice, paprika, salt and pepper, and begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the bay leaf, onions, garlic and carrots. Cook veggies 2 to 3 minutes to begin to soften them, and then add cabbage and wilt it down a bit, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and the chicken stock; cover the pot.

Raise the heat to high and bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Stir in parsley and dill, and serve.


We had ours with rice served on top. Normally I would use brown rice (healthier) but I had leftover rice pilaf from the night before that I used instead. I just added ¼ cup to the top of each bowl.

This stoup really is amazing! I loved it, so much so that I am having it for dinner again tonight. Yum.

Happily shared over at Newlyweds Recipe Linky.

In the words of Rachel Ray, Yum-O,

Stroganoff-Style Spaghetti and Meatballs

Baby Cakes and I ate off this recipe for 3 meals. First, the night I cooked it then for a late lunch on Saturday and again for lunch on Sunday. 3 times, and I am not a leftover fan that alone should tell you how amazing I found this recipe to be.

Now you might notice that it is similar to my Aunt Maggie’s Beef Stroganoff that I shared when I first started blogging only better, so much better. I plan on recreating Aunt Maggie’s recipe with these ingredients sometime in the very near future.

To bring the cost down you could use ground meat, stew meat or even chicken, although frozen prepared meatballs do occasionally go on sale (that's how I got mine). Get creative.


Stroganoff-Style Spaghetti and Meatballs
recipe from Taste of Home Simple & Delicious magazine, January/February 2010, p27

1 lb. uncooked spaghetti
1 package (28 ounces) frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs, thawed
4 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cans (10.75 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoon beef broth
1 tablespoon seasoning blend
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups sour cream

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté the meatballs, onion and garlic in oil for 4-5 minutes or until meatballs are browned. Stir in the soup, milk, broth and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.

Gradually stir in sour cream; heat through but do not boil. Drain the spaghetti; stir into the skillet. Serve immediately.


So amahzing!

XOXO,

Ewww Meatball Stew

I cannot tell you why I printed this recipe. I can’t even tell you what possessed me to make this recipe other than it looks like the perfect Halloween stew. I am in the process of thinking up the perfect name.

It’s not very often that I post a recipe on a Saturday but for the first time in a long time, probably an entire year, we are actually home for a weekend. I started this recipe and off we went intentionally stopping at every garage sale we passed. It has been a lovely day and surprise of all surprises this soup actually turned out really well.

This is actually a mix of two recipes one being Monster Mash Meatball Soup and the other being Slow Cooker Meatball-Bean Stew.


Ewww Meatball Stew

½ medium onion, diced small
16 oz. can baked beans, undrained
14.5 oz. can stewed diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained
12 oz. frozen cooked italian style meatballs
32 oz. beef stock
11 oz. Halloween shaped pasta
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, sliced (2 cups)
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

In a large slow cooker, mix the onions, baked beans, tomatoes, meatballs, broth and pasta.

Cover and cook on High for 5-6 hours.

Stir in the zucchini and mixed vegetables. Cover, and cook on High for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Serve with garlic bread or grilled cheese for dipping.


Gross factor? Check. Flavor? Check. It reminded me of a canned pasta with meatballs. I actually really liked it and Baby Cakes gave it 9.5. What does that say about us? lol.

Boo Y'all,

North African Meatball Stew

I must say right off the bat that this is one of the best main dishes I have ever made and posted on this blog. Although this is Weight Watchers recipe there is nothing diet about it. It has depth of flavor and produced incredibly tender meatballs. Love at first bite!

Baby Cakes give this one an 8 and wanted me to share that anything above a 7 he would gladly eat again but I personally use his score system with the 10 as my score which means love it. And I do, I love it!


North African Meatball Stew
recipe from Weight Watchers Ready, Set, Go! Cookbook, pg. 80

1 pound ground lean beef (5% fat or less)
1 tablespoon dried cilantro
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cup diced tomatoes
¾ cup water
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix together beef, cilantro, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoons of pepper in a large bowl, just until well combined. Shape into 24 (1-inch) meatballs.

Heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, water, tomato paste, and remaining 1 teaspoon cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to boil.

Add the meatballs to the skillet. Reduce heat and simmer covered until meatballs are cooked through and sauce is thickened about 30 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.

Serving Size: 6 meatballs and 2/3 cups of sauce
Weight Watchers Points Plus Points: 5

Serve over couscous, quinoa or rice.


I will most assuredly be making this again and again and again.

Bon Appetite,

Crock Pot Cheeseburger

So in regards to blogging I’ve been a bit delayed. There is a fire here in my hometown and I admit that I have been all consumed with that since last Monday. We’ve packed up the important things and are now just waiting for the fire to be put out. For the time being it’s looking better and I have let my guard down enough to have a normal day, I even cooked supper for the first time this week.

I am still on Weight Watchers although I have been naughty for the last 2 days; I’m not looking forward to my weight in tomorrow but I not quitting either. So it’s back on the horse today with a recipe I found in my Betty Crocker Win at Weight Loss Cookbook. I love this book; it is full of easy yummy recipes. I actually went through it with my point’s calculator and marked the point’s value for each recipe in it. It’s just one more way to make staying on plan easier. Enough about weight watchers, didn’t I say I wasn’t going to talk about it?

This dish is wonderful. It tastes great and is so easy to make. And although it came from a weight loss cookbook there is nothing diet about it in regards to taste. I can imagine that this would satisfy everyone in your household, especially children.


Crock Pot Cheeseburger
slightly adapted from Betty Crocker Win at Weight Loss Cookbook, pg. 130

1 lb. 90% lean ground hamburger
1 tablespoon garlic powder
8 ounces pasteurized prepared cheese loaf, diced
2 tablespoons fat free milk
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

In a large skillet cook the hamburger meat with the garlic powder over medium heat until browned, drain.

Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray. Mix the cooked beef and remaining ingredients together in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 7 hours.

Serve on buns or as a salad.

To serve as a salad: Serve on a bed of lettuce using 1/6th of the meat mixture. In lieu of salad dressing although you could use thousand island use a squirt or two of ketchup and mustard.

Serving size: 1/6 (meat mixture only)
Weight Watchers Points Plus Points: 6


As always, I wouldn't share it otherwise, a delish supper. This in salad form really works for me. Occasionally I crave cheeseburgers and this had all the flavors of one. Maybe next time I'll toast a pita for the bread factor.

Yum,

Smothered Hamburger Steak

Every once in a while Baby Cakes will order hamburger steak at a local icehouse/restaurant we have down the road from us and although I grew up eating it occasionally I hadn’t ever made it. Tonight that changes.

I remember my Mom making this only she used chicken fried steak meat. I had thawed hamburger meat so this recipe is a combination of the both of us.

Baby Cakes loved it. I loved it. You’ll love it. Yum-O.


Smothered Hamburger Steak

1 lb. hamburger, seasoned and formed into 3 or 4 oblong patties
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 packet brown gravy
1 cup cold water

Coat the bottom of a large skillet with the tablespoon of olive oil. Place the hamburger patties in the skillet and cook until almost done over medium heat. Transfer the patties to a plate and set aside.

Add the onions and sauté until caramelized.

Whisk together the gravy mix into the water and pour into the skillet with the onions.

Turn up the heat to medium high and thicken the gravy, about 5 minutes.

Turn the heat down to low and add the meat back to the skillet. Warm through.

You can serve this with mashed potatoes or buttered rice.


Seriously you guys how have I not made this before? It is wonderful. Baby Cakes ate two patties in one sitting.

Love,

Sautéed Steak with Onions

A few weeks ago my local grocery store offered a $3 off coupon off of their store brand of meat. To take advantage of that coupon I found the cheapest cut of meat I could and ended up getting it incredibly close to free. Only after I got it home did I realize that I have no idea what to make with it. I could make chicken fried steak but I don’t fry, not a single thing, ever. (Let me elaborate...)

Once upon a time while babysitting my youngest sister, she’s 11 years younger than I am essentially making me the responsible one in this scenario, I was cooking and talking on the phone and tipped a scolding hot dish of gravy over on top of her little baby head. That was 16 years ago and although she is fine, more than fine, it scared the crap out of me, and although it wasn’t grease it was gravy it still makes me shy away from all things scorching. I won’t even take anything out of the oven unless there isn’t anyone around to do it for me. Sad I know, but just one of those things that makes me into me.

Needless to say I needed a non-frying recipe so I found this. And it is great! I told Babycakes that I'll be making this more often and he is told me that he is down with that.


Sautéed Steak with Onions
recipe adapted from Chef2Chef.com

2 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, sliced
1 lb. bottom round steak, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar

Melt butter in skillet over med heat. Add onions, cook until just starting to brown, about 5 min. Remove onions; set aside.

Increase heat to high. Add steak to skillet; cook until med rare, 3-5 min per side. Transfer to carving board; cover to keep warm.

Return onions to pan. Stir in broth, vinegar, ketchup, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring up the browned bits from the pan, until slightly thickened, about 1 min.

Slice steak; transfer to serving platter. Pour sauce over steak and serve.


Like I said above I love it. I love love love it.

XOXO,

Grape BBQ Meatballs

Keeping with the quick and simple recipe plan I thought I would try these little meatballs. I found this recipe on another blog that I frequent but didn’t want to turn the oven on so I adapted it ever so slightly to make it quicker in an attempt to keep the house cool.

I will admit. I am not crazy about them, there aren’t bad persay but they aren't great either. I could frankly take them or leave them. Although Baby Cakes does not agree with me. He insists that they are keepers, I wish that I felt the same way.

Perhaps making them with raspberry jam or blackberry preserves... Okay, these will be back at some point in the future with a different jam or even with pork instead of beef.


Grape BBQ Meatballs
recipe adapted from Taste and Tell

1 cup grape jam
2 cups prepared bbq sauce
a bag of frozen home-style meatballs

In a large saucepan bring the jam and bbq sauce to a low boil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and heat thoroughly for 20-30 minutes, stirring to coat often.

Serve over rice or potatoes.


Quick and easy, just how I like a weeknight supper to be.

Wink,

Bar-B-Ranch Salad

It is 101 degrees today in my neck of Texas. You read that right its 101. In spring! (Those numbers are normally reserved for the end of July and the entire month of August, namely summer.) Sweltering, stifling, knock you out kind of heat, and sticky to boot (humidity).

Baby Cakes works outside in this all day so it is not unheard of that he A) doesn’t want supper at all when he arrives home or B) wants a cold crisp salad. Tonight is B.

Luckily we have a ton of leftover smoked Brisket and Sausage to use up. I’m going to wing it…


Bar-B-Ranch Salad

1-2 cups chopped brisket, heated
1 cup chopped link sausage, heated
1 can ranch style beans, drained
1 can sweet corn kernels, drained and rinsed
1 small tomato, diced
1-2 heads romaine lettuce, diced and rinsed
½ cup ranch dressing, homemade*
½ cup brown sugar b-b-q sauce
1-2 cups original Frito chips

Toss all of the ingredients together and serve.


*I don’t care for bottled ranch. In fact I have yet to find any brand, any bottle or jar that tastes as good as homemade, as in the result of following the directions on the back of a ranch packet. Even when I was a kid I would add milk and mayonnaise to the bottle of ranch and shake it up to make it thinner, it was too thick without doing that. It used to make my Dad so mad- everyone else in the family loved it so basically I was ruining it for everyone but me. Ahhh memories. Lol.

Baby Cakes gave this a Bad A$$ rating. I give it two very enthusiastic thumbs up. It isn't gourmet but then again what on this blog ever is? It is really good and it managed to keep us both cool and fill us up. Amen!

XOXO,

Pineapple-Glazed Meatballs

Ah summer is here, with a vengeance. Soon even the cool evenings will be gone and we will be left with heat to sit and puddle in. So in anticipation of that very thing I plan on arming myself with simple and quick and possibly even heat proof recipe. This is the first one dedicated to summer. Yes, summer kicks but we can kick back.

I came across this recipe fairly recently, actually more than fairly, like two days ago on a blog I find myself coming back to again and again, Real Mom Kitchen. I love that she whips up simple fair because let’s face it as much as I like to eat fine cuisine there isn’t always time for it, or the want for it. (Okay, you got me; I really don’t eat fine cuisine. The finest thing I eat would be crème brulee or crab legs, oh or oysters, fancy right?)

This recipe handles both obstacles, needing something simple and something that won’t force me to kick the AC down to 60 degrees. Oh and did I mention how amazing it is? So tasty that Baby Cakes took the leftover meatballs and some bread to work to fashion his very own meatball sub. (Perhaps a future blog post?)


Pineapple-Glazed Meatballs
recipe from Real Mom Kitchen

1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 (16 oz) package fully cooked frozen meatballs
cooked rice

In a skillet combine the barbecue sauce and pineapple together. Add meatballs and stir until coated.

Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Serve over rice.

Serves 4-6.


Amazing. So simple and the kitchen wasn’t a 100 degrees when I was done.

Love. Love. Love.

Souperburgers

I was not well prepared for last week’s grocery trip. I am a couponer, and sometimes I spend so much of my nonworking week prepping for couponing that I kind of forget about planning out a meal. I’m still new and it’s hard work saving money. Luckily this week I remembered in time to grab a cookbook on my way out the door and thumbing through it I came across this recipe. This isn’t a new cookbook; in fact when Baby Cakes and I were first dating we would often hit garage sales together on Saturday mornings. (We we’re so exciting huh? It worked for us.) That is where I picked up a copy of Best Recipes From the backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans and Jars by Ceil Dyer. Truth be told I hadn’t even looked in it, in four years of it sitting on my shelf, moving with us and countless recipe searches I just always passed this book by. Not anymore. I’ve only made it to page 74 out of 578. Yes, I’ll be cooking from this book for quite some time to come.

One thing I really enjoy about this book is that it explains when and where the original recipe came from. For example today’s recipe, Souperburgers begins with this brief description: “Back in 1959 Campbell’s test kitchens developed this “souper” easy hearty main dish. Good cooks around the world still write in for this recipe. The results never disappoint them.” If nothing else it’s an interesting read but luckily it's a great recipe too.

Baby Cakes was treated to lunch at work and wasn't hungry (although he didn't tell me that until after I toasting the buns) but after he saw what I made he said he wanted one. He and I agree that they are amazing. They have so much flavor. The gumbo soup really makes it in this recipe. I would have to say that this recipe is better than Sloppy Joes. This is the new offical Bennett house sloppy-esque sandwich recipe.


Souperburgers
from the Best Recipes Cookbook

1 pound ground beef
½ cup onion, chopped
1 can Campbell’s Chicken Gumbo Soup
2 tablespoons catsup
1 tablespoon mustard
6 buns, split and toasted

Brown beef and cook onion in skillet until tender (use shortening, if necessary); stir to separate meat. Add soup and seasonings. Heat; stir often. Cook until the majority of liquid is cooked down. Serve on toasted buns. Makes about 3 cups.


Now don't be put off by the fact that there is rice in it you don't even notice and who knows that might just be what takes it over the top.

Yum! Really that's all there is to say about that.

XOXO,

Comfort Casserole

I’m back! I took a bit longer than I anticipated but I have good reasons. It seems like life has been throwing me curveballs, not in Baby Cakes and my personal life mind you, but some of my dear friends life’s have been taking turns and I have been immersed in trying to support them during their trials. I recently read somewhere that when you are overloaded with things on your to do list simply start cutting things from that list so I chose to cut the blog until things calmed down (honestly I chose to cut cooking in general, bad move, my waistline is paying for it). However, because my daily to do list hasn't seemed to lessen any I have chosen to cut some other things and get back to our regularly scheduled programming, basically forcing my own hand to calm my life down. I’m ready for boring again, I’m begging for boring again. That being said I can’t promise to do multiple posts a week, as is my norm, but I will be blogging at least once or twice a week. It’s my therapy. Seriously.

To get back in the scheme of things I decided to cook a scrumptious supper. I didn’t plan on cooking so I searched through my recipe box and found this recipe and oh.my.goodness it was good. I could and would eat this every day. Baby Cakes gave this one all 10 digits and I am inclined to agree.


Comfort Casserole
recipe from Hun… What’s for Dinner

1 lb. cooked ground beef
medium onion, chopped
6 oz. package noodles, cooked according to directions and drained
16 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
16 oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 package frozen mixed vegetables, cooked and drained
2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded
2 teaspoons parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brown the beef with the chopped onion until cooked through and drain. Mix the soups with the sour cream then stir in the beef. Set aside.

Boil the pasta according to package directions tossing in the frozen vegetables for the last 5 minutes of boiling. Drain the pasta and vegetables and mix into the soup and meat mixture along with the cheese. Stir in the parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Pour into a 9 X 13 casserole dish, top with a bit more cheese and cover with foil.

Bake 350 degrees for 25 minutes, remove foil from dish and bake 5-10 minutes more or until cheese is melted.


I think the best past about this recipe that it is so versatile, any ground meat, pasta or vegetable combination would work for this dish. I’ll admit that the boiling, cooking and chopping all before ever baking is a bit time consuming but I promise it is so worth it. I know I say this all the time but this one really is going into regular rotation.



(I actually typed this post up last week but when I went to attach the photos I couldn't find my camera! Then last night when searching for my keys in the bottom of my purse I found it, thing is I actually took everything out of my purse twice when looking for it last week. Perhaps divine intervention? God knew I needed one more week to recharge and I have to say it was wonderful. Baby Cakes and I had a peaceful week of early dinners and plenty of couch time. Finally, back to normal. The only negative is that I actually cooked 3 new recipe during the week of lost camera but hey it gives me a reason to cook them again.)

Home again, home again, jiggidy, jigg,

Cream Cheese Chili Layer Dip

I have a tendency to take meat out of the freezer with the intention of cooking it the next day only for something to come up or I have a rough day and don’t feel up to cooking that night. That’s the plus side to not having kids I suppose, I can just tell Baby Cakes to fend for himself. Well, I did that the other night and knew, as gross as it sounds, that I would have to smell check the chicken before I cooked it tonight. Just as I suspected it would be it was no good. So the question lurked all day in my mind, if the chicken isn’t any good anymore what should I make for dinner?

When I walked in the door from work I walked directly to the cabinet and starting scavenging. It super cold outside here in South Texas so I know something warm would hit the spot. I also want easy, as in 5 minutes prep time easy. Then I remembered a weekend or two ago coming across a recipe for Cream Cheese Chili Dip and y’all know how much I enjoy a dip (oh I do, I really really do). Bingo, Cream Cheese Chili Dip it is. I’m sensing a pattern here.

When it comes to ease this dip takes the cake or cheese as it were. Three ingredients is all it takes although the Wolf Brand Chili website actually lists more, oh well maybe one day, and when it comes to prep work it can’t get any simpler. I implore you to make this dip, when Baby Cakes walked through the door and asked what I was making I got a “oh, yummy” and it is, it may not be gourmet but it is yummy.


Cream Cheese Chili Layer Dip
recipe from the Wolf Brand Chili website

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 can chili, without beans
shredded cheddar cheese, use your discretion

Preheat the oven to 350.

Spread the cream cheese into the bottom of a small baking dish; spread the chili over the cream cheese and then the shredded cheese over the chili.

Bake for 20-30 minutes. Garnish with green onions if desired. Serve warm.


We tried it with tortilla chips, corn chips and well whatever the Cakes could get his hands on. This is a keeper for shore (yes I know the actual way to say that is for sure but my blog, my lingo).

I thought I'de give you a shot of what it looks like underneath the cheese.


Peace, Love, and Spinach Dip,

If Ya Can’t Stand the Heat Chili

As a child I always knew when winter was on its way because on that first cold snap my Daddy would come home from work and make a giant pot of his chili. Now let me tell you that his chili is not for the faint of heart, he likes heat in his bowl and sometimes forgot that the majority of his children and his wife (god love my Yankee Momma) were wimps in regards to the Scoville Scale. Yes, winter was on its way when chili was served for dinner in the Jones house.

The thermometer right now reads 52 degrees and falling and although I do love a break from the sweltering heat I am not a fan of the bitter cold, no thank you. Mother Nature can keep the bone chilling cold weather that is on its way to my front door as I sit here typing this. (Shiver) This “winter” has been a few cold days with a few comfortable fallish days and even a warm day thrown into the mix for good measure. God Bless Texas, right? Right.

Anyhoo, due to the cold weather I decided that chili was on tonight’s menu, being the carbon copy of my father that I am, so I called my Daddy to ask him how he makes his version. Now the recipe that follows isn’t really a verbatim copy of his his but it’s my variation because as I stated above I am a wimp. It’s also not his because with just two mouths to feed versus 8 mouths it would take us weeks to eat it all so I’ve scaled it down a bit. Oh, and I didn’t have all of his ingredients on hand so I improvised. Okay, so maybe this is actually Megan’s version of Ronnie’s (a.k.a. Daddies) Chili. Oh well. Either way his is my inspiration for the recipe that follows.

Baby Cakes LOVES this chili and I must concur, it is amazing. There is a subtle sweetness to it and the heat level is finally more on my level. However, there is enough heat for the BCakes to enjoy it as well, plus he added some extra chili powder. I would have eaten a second bowl but kept thinking about how nice it would be to come home from work tomorrow to another Frito pie for supper. I really can’t say enough about it, it’s wonderful.


If Ya Can’t Stand the Heat Chili
highly adapted from my Daddies recipe

1 lb. lean ground chuck beef
1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tbs. chili powder*
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 large onion, diced
1 can Rotel, regular, chunky*
1 small can tomato sauce
1 can ranch style beans, with liquid
2 cans dark red kidney beans, with liquid
1-2 cup(s) frozen corn

Measure in the olive oil into a large dutch oven, turn the heat up to high and add the ground beef and onion and sauté until cooked completely.

Add the chili powder and ground cumin and stir, cook about a minute longer. Turn the heat down to medium/medium high and add the rest of the ingredients, stir. Bring the chili to a low boil and then turn the heat down to low. Let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. The longer it slowly heats the more the flavors will marry.

*If you want more heat try adding HOT Rotel or 3 Tbs. of chili powder. It won't take much to take the heat up a notch.

(I do keep saying how wimpy I am but in all honesty I can handle quite a bit of heat, my idea of the perfect amount might truly be too much for some other people. So although this recipe isn't spicy it isn't mild either. Just a heads up.)


Now Daddy always served his over rice or with crackers and one of my sister Kayla always insisted on a slice of American cheese on top but I prefer a warm bowl of Frito pie. Fritos, shredded cheese and a huge dollop of sour cream, Yum. No matter how you serve it just serve it because it really is so flavorful. There’s something about chili, it warms the soul.

"Baby, it's cold outside",

Trailer Trash Pot Roast

The thing that got my attention about this recipe is the name, Trailer Trash Pot Roast, how could I not make this? Originally I thought this was a crock pot recipe and on Sunday night I pulled out all the ingredients to prepare for in the morning and thankfully I read through the recipe start to finish only then realizing that it is not infact a crock pot recipe. "Well, this one will just have to wait until I have a day off". Today is that day off, well at least from my 9-5 job that it. It could easily be made into a crockpot recipe and I might actually make it again using that method.

Let me just tell you that this roast made the entire house smell so delicious all.day.long! I had never even heard of chili sauce before now but am already trying to come up with other ways to use it. I love being introduced to new products and especially new recipes. I did change one tiny thing about this recipe and that was the cooking time. I wanted to start it in the morning and have it be ready when Baby Cakes gets off work so I started it around 9:30 am and am letting it cook through until about 4:00 pm. I’ll let you know how it turns out, obviously.

I’ve made recipe from here before but I will give credit where credit is due and share her blog, as this recipe is from there, Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy. If you haven’t been there before go check her out now. Her entire blog is full of recipes that give the reason for her blog name, stop by and find some things to make.


Trailer Trash Pot Roast
revised from Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy

3 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 lb. beef chuck roast
salt and pepper to season roast
12 oz. Coca Cola
1 packet dry Lipton Onion Soup
1 bottle Heinz Chili Sauce
1 large or 2 small onions, peeled and quartered
3 large carrots or 5 small carrots, scrubbed and chopped into chunks
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup Coca Cola
2 cups water

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the roast on both sides with salt and pepper and sear the meat until browned, again on both sides. It took about 6 minutes per side to get a good brown crust. Remove from heat and set aside for just a moment.

Whisk the soup mix, chili sauce and coke together in a bowl. Pour about half of the mixture into the dutch oven and use it to deglaze the pan. Place the roast back into the dish and cover with the remaining sauce mixture. Cover and bake 3 hours.

Add the chopped onions and carrots into the pot with the roast, cover with 1 cup of water and continue baking for another 2-3 hours or until the vegetables and meat are fork tender.

Once it is done scoop out the roast, carrots and most of the onions and set aside in a bowl or on a platter. Set the pot over medium/low heat and add the coca cola to the pan, deglaze and then whisk in the brown sugar and remaining water. Bring to a boil and thicken a bit. Place the roast and veggies back into the "gravy" and heat through.

Serve it with mashed potatoes or buttered noodles and enjoy.


We had ours with mashed potatoes and let me tell you Baby Cakes ate 2 bowls of his own plus my leftovers. He loved it. I on the other hand wasn't so sure. Maybe I'm just used to my Mom's roast or maybe it was the chili sauce, hence why I doctored it up and added brown sugar at the end. So overall we have one person who LOVED it and one person who wouldn't order it at a resturant but doesn't hate it. You'll have to make this one and judge for yourself.

Nom, nom, nom,