Ham & Potato Pockets

I've been away awhile!  Had a baby in January but I'm going to try to get back to posting every so often because we've been trying lots of new recipes.

This will become a favorite for sure.  It was delicious!  I could see doing a breakfast pocket, or a bbq chicken pocket, or a pizza pocket.  And next time I'll definitely use my homemade crescent rolls instead of store bought.

Ham & Potato Pockets

3/4 lb cooked ham, diced
1 c Swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 c ranch dressing
2 c frozen hash browns
1/2 c onion, diced
2 Tb margarine
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 cans crescent rolls

Place 2 cups frozen hash browns in microwaveable safe bowl and defrost approximately 3 minutes.
In small skillet cook onions and hash browns in butter until warmed and slightly browned.  Add garlic powder.
In separate small bowl, mix together ham, Swiss cheese, and ranch dressing.
On cookie sheet spread out crescent roll dough and pinch together triangle perforations to make 4 squares per can.
Place 1/4 cup potato mixture and 1/4 cup ham mixture into center of the crescent square.
Fold over dough and seal with fork.
Place in 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.

FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:
Let cool and then flash freeze (or place in a small zipper sandwich bag) and place in a gallon size freezer bag.  Freeze.  To serve:  Place in microwave for 2-4 minutes OR in oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.

Serves: 8

Scrambled Egg Muffins

We had this for dinner but this would be a great breakfast, brunch, and would probably freeze well too.

Scrambled Egg Muffins

1/2 lb pork sausage
12 eggs
1/2 c chopped onion
1/4 c chopped green pepper (I used red)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

In skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  In bowl, beat eggs.  Add onion, green pepper, salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Stir in sausage and cheese.

Spoon by 1/3 cupfuls into greased muffin cups.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

12 servings
158 calories per muffin

Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry - Redo

 Who knew puff pastry is SO good!  Remember when I tried this before with phyllo dough?  I didn't think it was all that bad but compared to this...I'll never do it the wrong way again!  These were so very good.  Definitely a keeper.

Thaw a box of puff pastry.  You'll need two sheets.  And just so you're aware, it takes longer than 40 minutes to thaw, like the box says.

Roll one sheet of puff pastry out to whatever size pan you'll be using to put it on.  Top with ham and cheese.  I used leftover ham from Christmas but deli ham would be fine too.  Swiss cheese was our choice but you could use whatever you like.  Roll out other sheet of puff pastry and place on top.  Seal sides with egg wash and also coat top with egg wash.

Bake at 450 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until brown and puffed up.

**You could spread the pastry with mustard before you put the ham and cheese on but we chose to leave it off and just dip ours in the mustard as we ate it.  We used honey mustard and it was delicious!

This post is linked to:

It's a Keeper Thursday 

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Tip Day Thursday



Lasagna Soup

 This is from Family Fun magazine February 2009.

I liked it.  There were a few too any noodles so it was "soupy" enough but I would make it again.  I'm also going to try freezing the leftovers.  I know sometimes noodles are hard to freeze but I thought in a soup it might work.

Lasagna Soup

2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb Italian sausage
2 onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tb tomato paste
1 (28 oz can) diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
8 oz fusilli pasta
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
8 oz ricotta
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella

In  large pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add sausage and saute, breaking apart, until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Drain any excess fat from pot.  Add onions and saute until soft, about 6 minutes.  Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper; saute 1 minute.  Add tomato paste and saute until it turns a rusty brown, about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes with their juice, the broth, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Add pasta, then increase heat to medium high and boil soup until pasta is tender to the bite, following the time recommendations on the pasta package.  Discard bay leaves, then stir in basil.  If desired, season with salt and pepper.

In small bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, and 1/4 tsp salt, pinch of pepper.  To serve, place about 1 1/2 Tb of ricotta mixture in each bowl, sprinkle with some mozzarella, and ladle soup on top.  

Makes about 13 cups.

**We don't like tomatoes so instead of a can of diced tomatoes I used a can of tomato sauce.  I also didn't have fresh basil but I think that would be very good so next time I will make sure I get that.

This recipe is linked to:
A Southern Fairytale
11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven
Tasty Traditions at Coupon Cookin'

Alfredo Sausage and Vegetables

I wasn't sure how this would turn out and my hubby isn't a big fan of white sauces but it was Wonderful!  Will definitely be made again.  It had really good flavor and a ton of veggies.  Not the best thing in the world for you but it sure was good!

Alfredo Sausage and Vegetables

1 pkg smoked sausage
8 oz uncooked fettuccini
1/4 cup margarine/butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup matchstick-cut zucchini
1/2 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1/2 cup matchstick-cut red pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
1/3 cup grated parmesan
2 Tb chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Cut sausage into 1/4 inch slices; set aside.  Cook fettuccini; drain and keep warm.

While cooking pasta, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is tender.  Increase heat to medium high; add sausage, zucchini, carrots, pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, 5 to 6 minutes or until carrots are crisp tender.

Stir in peas and cream; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through, but do not boil.  Stir in parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper.  Toss with drained fettuccini.  Sprinkle with additional parmesan.

**I left the peas out since my husband doesn't really like them and I added in some broccoli since I had some to use up.  I think next time I might add some asparagus as well.

This post is linked to:
Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative Party Blog
Tuesday Night Supper Club at Fudge Ripple
Mouthwatering Monday at A Southern Fairytale
Tasty Tuesday at A Beautiful Mess
Homemaker Monday at 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at At the Well
Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff

Stuffed Pork Chops

These were pretty good but I overcooked them a little bit and they got a little dry.  I'd make them again though.

Stuffed Pork Chops

4 boneless pork loin chops

4 slices ham, any variety

4 slices swiss cheese

1/2 cup baby spinach leaves

1 Tb dried sage leaves, crushed

1 tsp olive oil

Make a 2 inch long cut in the side of each chop to form pocket.  Top each ham slice with 1 cheese slice and 1/4 of the spinach; roll up.  Stuff 1 ham roll in each chop; press edges of pocket together to seal.

Sprinkle both sides of chop with sage.  Heat oil in large skillet on medium high heat.  Add chops; cook 8 to 10 minutes on each side or until cooked through and golden brown on both sides.

**I baked these in the oven and just used some seasonings from my cabinet since I didn't have sage.



Tortellini Soup

The best soup ever!!  Unfortunately I'm the only one in my family who really loves this recipe.  My husband eats it because that's what's for dinner but he doesn't love it.  And my kids will eat a couple bites of a tortellini but that's it.  Good think I like it enough to eat all the leftovers!

Tortellini Soup

Brown 1 lb. of Italian sausage with the casings removed.  Saute 1 chopped onion and 2 large garlic cloves.  Combine above.

Add 2 cans of chicken or beef broth
1 oz can of tomato soup
1 diced green pepper
1 sliced carrot
3/4 lb can chopped tomatoes
2 Tb basil
1 tsp oregano

Simmer 40 minutes.  Add 8 oz cheese tortellini 5 minutes before serving.  Best when soup is made ahead.  Add tortellini last.

**We aren't big fans of chunks of tomatoes so here's what I use in mine:

Jimmy Dean Italian sausage
1 can tomato soup
1 can tomato sauce
beef broth
green pepper, red pepper, carrot
onion, garlic
basil, oregano
I probably doubled the amount of tortellini

***I also make a double batch of this.  It freezes well if you make it to the point of adding the tortellini.  Then all you have to do is thaw is, get it simmering, and add the tortellini.

This post also linked to:
Mouth Watering Monday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

This is an easy, yummy meal that isn't too bad for you.  We make this quite often and even the kids enjoy it.

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tb paprika

                                                       1 Tb garlic powder

1 Tb poultry seasoning

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

4 thick cut boneless pork chops

salt and pepper to taste

In large bowl whisk together olive oil, broth, and seasonings.  Pour into slow cooker.  Cut small slits in each pork chop with tip of knife, and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Place pork chops in slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for 4 hours.  Baste periodically with sauce.

***To make a more healthy version, I used only a couple tablespoons of oil and more broth for my sauce.

Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuits

These taste better than they look and were worth all the time it took to cook 16 eggs, 16 sausage patties, and 16 biscuits!  I made 9 for the freezer for when we need a quick breakfast.  I will say they aren't the healhiest of foods but every once in awhile it's nice to have a hearty breakfast.

All I did was bake the biscuits while I fried up some eggs and heated the sausages.  They were fully cooked sausages but I still cooked them up in a skillet to get them nice and crispy on the outside.  Then assemble.

 

Red Beans & Rice

This is a recipe we grew on eating.  It's doesn't take too much time and is also a great freezer meal.  I always cook two batches and freeze one for later.

Red Beans & Rice

1 (16 oz) pkg smoked sausage

1 tsp salt and pepper

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

1 chopped onion

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 rib chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 (16 oz) can dark red kidney beans, UNdrained

1 (16 oz) can red beans, UNdrained

2 cup cooked rice

Slice sausage.  Place in large pan.  Cover with water.  Bring to boil and simmer 15 minutes.  Drain water, reserving 1/4 cup.  Add salt, pepper, onion, garlic, celery, and parsley to sausage; mix well.  Pour in undrained beans and cook 40 minutes over medium heat.  If mixture is too dry, add 1/4 cup reserved liquid.  Serve over rice.

Ham and Cheese Calzones

This is a keeper! This was extremely good. I wanted to eat more but made myself stop but I'm considering eating it for breakfast it was that good! Mostly because the bread was that good. You could put any filling in it, I just happened to do ham and cheese tonight. I'm going to try in the future:

--pizza
--bbq chicken
--chicken cordon bleu
--chicken parmesan
--meatball

And anything else I can think of because as I said...they are that good!

Ham and Cheese Calzones

1 cup water
1 Tb olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 Tb sugar
1 pkg yeast
whatever you want inside...in this case I had 10 slices of American cheese from the deli and some sliced ham from one I cooked a month or so ago and had in the freezer.
mustard, optional

Place the first 9 ingredients into bread machine on dough cycle. Once the cycle is complete, place dough on clean, floured surface. Knead into a ball. Divide into 2 balls. Further divide into 4 balls. And divide one more time into 8 little dough balls. (I took two of these balls and made them into four smaller "mini" calzones for the kids.)



Roll out the dough balls into rectangular oval-ish shapes. Place onto greased baking sheet. Place fillings onto one half of the dough. Fold the other half over filling. Pinch the edges together and crimp with fork if desired. I didn't do this for these but probably would if there were a sauce inside, like spaghetti or pizza sauce. Brush the top with some olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

These are very freezer friendly. Freeze after baking.

Franks and Beans

Not the most healthy recipe but my husband enjoys this one.


Franks and Beans

2 cans pork and beans
1 pkg (12 oz) hot dogs, halved lengthwise and sliced
2 Tb brown sugar
2 Tb worcestershire sauce
2 Tb mustard
1 pkg cornbread mix
1 c shredded cheddar

In bowl combine first 5 ingredients; mix well. Transfer to a greased 9 inch dish. Prepare cornbread; stir in cheese. Drop by spoonfuls onto bean mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until heated through.

Serve: 6

NOTE: I do not put the cornbread on the beans to cook. I find putting bread on top of something moist makes it impossible to get done in the amount of time it should. Therefore I make the cornbread seperately and either eat them seperately or mix them together. It's good either way.

Ham and Cheese Puff Pastries

This is a recipe I adapted from Ina Garten, Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry. We saw the show where she was making these and my husband and I both thought they looked pretty tasty.

So here's my admission of being a less-experienced cook...I had phyllo dough and just figured I'd use that instead of puff pastry. Found out they aren't really interchangeable but these turned out okay nonetheless. That's also part of the reason I'm doing this blog, so I can learn from trying new things. I'm still broadening my horizons when it comes to ingredients so it's a learning process for me. That's what it's all about right?

Ham and Cheese Puff Pastries

deli ham
your choice of cheese (I used white American and Swiss)
mustard (I used French's honey Dijon)
puff pastry (or in my case phyllo dough!)
egg and water for egg wash


Place three sheets of phyllo dough on bottom of a baking sheet or 9 x 13 dish.

Layer with cheese. Here I used half swiss and half white american since I wasn't sure what would taste better and what my kids would eat.

Layer on ham and mustard. Top with three more sheets phyllo dough.

Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with a little garlic salt and whatever other seasonings you think you'd like. I used garlic salt and some onion onion from Tastefully Simple.

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Grilled Honey Mustard Pork Chops

Tonight we bbq'd. It was gorgeous weather and we ended up with some yummy food that we'll definitely make again.

We did honey mustard pork chops, bacon wrapped shrimp, and grilled corn on the cob. I'll post each one seperately so this post doesn't get too crowded.

Honey Mustard Pork Chops

I don't really measure anything so I'm estimating here!

4 thick cut pork chops--trim fat and cut small slits in them.
French's honey dijon mustard--a couple tablespoons
Orange juice--one or two tablespoons
few shakes of: garlic powder, Tastefully Simple's onion onion (or onions powder or salt), pepper, whatever herb you like (I think I used tarragon and/or thyme.

Mix all together and let marinade for a couple hours.


I'm still getting used to his food blog thing and always forget to take pictures! I'll get better becasue I like seeing pictures on other people's blogs.