Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

My kids always seem to be STARVING when they get home from school in the afternoon, and my question to them is always, "Did you eat lunch today?"  And they reply, "Yes!"  Okay, so, guess I better come up with some filling snack recipes, huh?  This recipe would also double well as a cold lunch option.  I found this recipe on the Rachael Ray Magazine website.  They were so simple to throw together, and they freeze great.  My husband even said they were "really good", and coming from him, that's got to mean they're good.  I usually have to ask him what he thought of a recipe, and he offered up his opinion voluntarily as he was popping the fourth or fifth one of these!

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/budget-recipes/pepperoni-pizza-puffs

Right outta the oven!

A little dippin' sauce on the side..

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 4 ounces pepperoni, cut into small cubes (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup store-bought pizza sauce
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

Frozen Assets
Freeze the baked puffs in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. To reheat, bake the frozen puffs on a baking sheet in a 350° oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through, then stir in 1 tablespoon basil. Sprinkle the puffs with the remaining 1 tablespoon basil. Serve the puffs and red pepper slices with the pizza sauce for dipping.

Chicken Lo Mein

I'm a big fan of the recipes that offer restaurant flavor, only healthier and cheaper.  This one fits the bill.  And yes, the theme tonight is apparently chicken recipes.

Chicken Lo Mein

8 oz. lo mein noodles or thin spaghetti
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
2 lg cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. chicken broth
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame or olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 c. snow peas
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1.  Prepare noodles according to package directions.
2.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes, or until browned and no longer pink.  Remove to a plate and keep warm.
3.  Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, pepper, garlic and snow peas and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until tender-crisp.  Stir in the chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the chicken and noodles and heat through.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Sitting here on such a chilly, dreary night, I figured that I should post a couple of recipes, been kinda lazy lately.  But I can be lazy, 'cuz I've got a freezer full of homemade meals!  Ha-ha!  Seriously, though, this freezer cooking thing is the best "mom tip"  I have discovered, and I hope some of you try it.  Here's one that the kids loved.  My son asked for seconds, so I know I have found success!

Chicken Tetrazzini

14 oz. spaghetti
1/2 c. butter
6 tbsp flour
4 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. half and half
2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp pepper
4 c. cut up cooked chicken
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
3/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 c. diced onion
2 cloves pressed garlic
2 c. sliced mushrooms

1.  Cook spaghetti as directed on package.  Drain.
2.  Heat butter in a large skillet until melted.
3.  Saute onions, mushrooms, and garlic.
4.  Stir in flour, salt, and pepper.  Stir constantly until smooth and bubbly.  Remove from heat.
5.  Stir in chicken broth and half and half.  Heat until boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.
6.  Stir in spaghetti, chicken, and grated parmesan cheese.
7.  Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Top with fresh shredded parmesan cheese.
8.  To serve immediately:  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 ninutes until bubbly.
9.  Or to freeze:  After topping with the parmesan cheese, do not bake right away.  Cover dish with plastic wrap and freeze.  Thaw completely and bake as directed on serving day.

Fresh Mushroom Soup (Pressure Cooker Recipe)

As I have started on this freezer cooking "project", I am looking at meals and grocery shopping in a whole new light.  I actually shop from ads now.  I go out of my way to look at what is on sale, from meats to pantry staples.  So as I was shooting down the produce aisle this evening to get lettuce for a salad for dinner tonight, I noticed that mushrooms were on sale for $1 for an 8 oz package.  Cheap!!!  So I whipped up a batch of this fresh cream of mushroom soup to put in the freezer.  Only takes 15 minutes from start to finish using the pressure cooker.  This has become my favorite soup ever!

Mushroom Soup

2 tbsp butter
6 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 cups diced onion
1 tsp garlic powder
3 cups water (or chicken broth, if not needing vegetarian)
1/4 cup half and half
6 tbsp baking mix
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper

1.  Melt the butter on medium-high heat in the pressure cooker.
2.  Add the onions and mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
3.  In a large bowl, combine water, half and half, garlic powder and baking mix.  Mix well.
4.  Add the water mixture, salt and thyme to the mushrooms.  Stir well to combine.
5.  Once all ingredients are in the pressure cooker, lock the lid.
6.  Bring the cooker to 15 psi using high heat.
7.  Once at high pressure, lower the heat to maintain pressure.
8.  Set the timer.  Cook for 3 minutes.
9.  Once the time is up, remove the pressure cooker from the heat and use a natural release.
10.  When the pressure drops, remove the lid, stir in sour cream, parsley and pepper.

I love this soup with the asiago Baking Stone bread from HyVee!!

Poverty Meal

This recipe is great by itself, served with a salad and crusty bread!! Also a good base, you can add beans, corn...I added tomato sauce to make it more like goulash.

1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
2 - 16 oz. stewed tomatoes
1 - 16 oz. can water
8 oz. elbow macaroni, uncooked
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
parmesan cheese, optional

1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent.
2. Brown ground beef and drain.
3. Add ground beef, tomatoes, water, raw macaroni, salt and pepper to the onion and garlic mixture.
4. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until tender.
5. If desired, top with Parmesan cheese.

Poverty Meal Recipe - Food.com - 27520

Chicken Lo Mein

Better than Chinese take-out and another hit w/ the fam... 

http://recipes.rodale.com/Recipe/chicken-lo-mein.aspx

8 oz lo mein noodles or thin spaghetti
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame or olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup snow peas
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1.  Prepare noodles according to package directions.
2.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add teh chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes, or until browned and no longer pink.  Remove to a plate and keep warm.
3.  Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, pepper, garlic, and snow peas and cook, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes, or until tender-crisp.  Stir in the chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the chicken and noodles and heat through.

**Freezer cooking note

The next time I make this, I think I will cook and cool the chicken and combine w/ the veggies and sauce (and double the sauce), and freeze, then cook the noodles fresh and saute w/ the chicken and veggies.

Carrot and Cream Cheese Muffins

Another keeper!!!  I have always liked carrot cake, but never really craved it.  I probably like it more for the cream cheese icing than for the cake itself.  These muffins I can see myself craving.  Yes, they're that good.

Carrot Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling

Preheat oven to 350.
Sift together:
1½ c. all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp.baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 c. sugar

In a separate bowl, beat:
3 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil until lightened.
Stir in:
1½ c. shredded carrots
½ c. chopped walnuts
½ c. raisins that have been soaked for 10 minutes in hot water (or warmed rum, if you’d like).

In another bowl, cream:
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1 egg yolk
½ c. sugar
½ tsp. vanilla.

Fold the dry ingredients into the egg/oil mixture. Stir until just combined. Fill mini-muffin cups about ¾ full. Plop a generous teaspoon of the cream cheese filling on top of the batter in each muffin cup.  (I used a pastry/decorator bag, but a ziplock bag with a hole cut in the corner would work, too)

Bake about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake part comes out clean.

Mmmmmm.......I love it even more because it has hidden vegetables!

http://www.thedeliciouslife.com/carrot-muffins-with-cream-cheese/