Pepperoni Pizza Penne Pasta Bake

This easy, yummy recipe is from something I saw Guy Fieri make on Food Network the other day.  You know, Guy Fieri, the Diners, Drive ins & Dives, guy?  I figured if he said this was a good idea, it would work - don't you agree??  

I just took some pepperonis (I had leftover from something else I'd made earlier in the week) and put them in a skillet with some olive oil.  I cooked them until they were crispy and heated through.  Then I removed the pepperonis from the skillet and put them aside.  Leaving all the glorious pepperoni infused oil in the pan.

Then I added the ground beef to the oil, seasoned and browned the meat with garlic and onions.

Once meat was drained, I added one large can of crushed tomatoes (like 28 oz) and one can of tomato sauce (like 4 oz or something like that, the little can).  Then I chopped up the pepperoni, which was nice and crispy at this point, and added it to the sauce - you can see the little guys right there on top - yum!!

Brought it to a boil, covered, and simmered for 30-45 minutes.

Mixed with some penne, added a generous amount of mozzarella, baked at 350 for about 10 minutes (or until cheese is melted) and here it is!

Totally yummy & a little different than the normal spaghetti night - the pepperoni shook things up!  Yum!

Rice Pudding

Strange choice, I know!  But the recipe was on the back of the rice box, I asked my husband if he wanted to try it, he agreed, so this is the result!  Whatever works, right?  Ha!  We both agreed it was pretty good for a cool fall evening around the holidays, but it's definitely something you need to be in the mood for & I don't think it would keep well.  Definitely better warm, right off the stove.  I'm not giving it like rave - Cream Biscuits - reviews, but it was good for something different, you know?  And perfect for fall!

For this recipe, you'll need:

• 1 cup Instant Rice
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine rice, TWO cups milk, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and raisins.  (I say TWO cups bc I missed this the first time and had to fish out the 1/2 cup.  lol)  Bring to rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat; boil slowly 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Mix eggs with remaining 1/2 cup of milk.  Slowly add to hot mixture, stirring with fork (so you don't end up with scrambled eggs in your pudding)  Cook over medium heat until thickened.  

Add vanilla remove from heat.  Let cool 10 minutes.

Looks yummy, don't you think?  Pretty tasty - Happy Fall!

Roma Chicken

We have been enjoying this recipe since we were first married.  It's been a staple, consistently good, easy, & tasty dish.  It's evolved a little over the years and this time around may have been my favorite!

For this recipe, you'll need:

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs butter
• 4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• italian seasoning grinder
• 1/2 cup sliced green olives
• Hot cooked rice

Brown chicken in pan with olive oil and butter.  Season chicken.  I seasoned mine with salt, pepper, and, of course, garlic powder!  After browning chicken, remove chicken from skillet.

Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.  Then add chicken broth and return chicken to skillet.

Add tomatoes and green olives.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.  When it's finished cooking, I cut the chicken up into smaller chunks before serving with rice.

This makes a lot, so I usually pour the leftover chicken over the rice to keep and the next day it tastes just as good with the tomato-y rice!  Yum!

We had it this night with our favorite green beans - Enjoy!

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I don't have all my organized pictures for this one bc I was throwing it together to take to our church Thanksgiving dinner and decided at the last minute to document and share with y'all!  This one is easy & yummy & has bananas and chocolate!!  Haha!!  I'm obsessed with that combo lately!!

For this recipe, you'll need:

• 1 package Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix (+ eggs and oil per box instructions)
• 2 bananas, smashed (I used three this time bc I was feeling crazy that way)
• 1 - 8 oz block cream cheese
• 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• splash milk
• Package mini chocolate chips

Mix cake mix according to package directions

Add smashed bananas and bake according to package directions.  I usually make two round pans for this cake, but since I was taking it to church, I just made a 9x13 pan.  Bake and cool completely before frosting.

Beat powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla.  Keep adding milk a little at a time until you like the consistency.  Frost cake.  When I frost the two round cakes, I frost between the layers and add chocolate chips as well.  Then I frost around the cakes and put the chocolate chips all over - SO yummy!

But for the purposes of this cake, I just frosted the top and topped it with chocolate chips - still excellent!  :)  

I will say, though, that the flavors of this cake taste best if you make it a day ahead.  I made mine & took it straight to church & kept thinking it didn't taste quite right.  But the next day for breakfast dessert?  All the flavors had become friends and it was AWESOME!!

So awesome that this was the last piece of cake!  We ate it so fast this is the only picture!  Try it, you'll love it!

Snickerdoodles

This is my great grandmother's Snickerdoodle recipe.  And it is my husband's FAVORITE cookie!  He LOVES them!  And the little ones love them, too!  Not too sweet, perfect texture, yummy cookie - and best of all, EASY!

All you need is:

• 1 cup butter (original recipe calls for soft shortening, I've never used the shortening, but you could if you'd like to)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• cinnamon (to roll dough in)

Thoroughly mix together butter, sugar, eggs

Original recipe calls to sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.  I don't have a sifter, so I just mix.

Slowly mix flour mixture into egg mixture until all flour is blended.  Make sure all butter pieces are blended thoroughly to prevent burning when baking.  If you have one of those pastry/dough attachments for a Kitchen Aid Mixer, this would work wonderfully for this part.

Roll balls into size of walnuts and roll in mixture of 1 tbs sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon.  Try to adhere closely to this ratio, as too much sugar or too much cinnamon throws it all off - don't ask me how I know :)

Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes

Don't they look yummy?

SO yummy!  My husband could seriously eat a DOZEN in one seating!!  Enjoy!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Here's a perfect fall classic cookie.  I used this as an excuse to eat cookies for breakfast - it's a healthy cookie, right?  Well, the oatmeal was the real justification for cookies for breakfast.  I thought it worked!

On a sidenote, the raisins are optional in this recipe and let me say a word about raisins.  I usually buy Sunmaid bc they are always good, blah, blah, blah.  This week when I went to the store, I guess I was having an out of body experience bc I got generic raisins thinking they would be okay (bc most generic stuff is just fine).  Well, friends, I've come to the conclusion that with raisins - just buy Sunmaid!  They really are better.  So next time I will be spending the few extra cents on Sunmaid and these cookies will be perfecto!  

On to the cookies!

For these, you'll need:

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional - I used this)
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves (optional - I didn't use this, but will in the future)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups rolled oats

Beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds.  Lovely, isn't it? 

Add sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon (and cloves if using them)

Beat in as much flour as possible.  I was able to beat in all the flour but it was tricky!  The dough is very thick.

Stir in oats and raisins.  Bake in 375 degree oven on parchment paper for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden.

Don't they look yummy?  Yummy & healthy!  I'm starting the revolution today:  cookies for breakfast!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

I have deemed it cookie week on Cowtown Cooking!  It just so happened that works nicely into my life this week, so here it is!  The first of my cookies I'm going to share came from the back of the Duncan Hines box - yes, friends, it's super duper easy!  And, yes, I do think I have an addiction to all things chocolate peanut butter lately.  I need to seek help for that...

All you need is:

• a box of Duncan Hines Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Mix
• 3/4 cup mini Reese's pieces (about half the bag)
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tbs water

Add egg, oil, and water to brownie mix.  Then what does it need?

Some color?

Add Reese's.  Mix.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 7-8 minutes - yes, friends, it's really THAT easy!!

**I will say that this recipe doesn't make that many cookies.  Since I like to bake & share, I will probably make a double batch next time around...since no one likes to run out of cookies!  But that should be easy:  two boxes of brownie mix, two eggs, 2/3 cup of vegetable oil, 4 tbs water, and a whole bag of mini Reese's & I'll be set.

And SO tasty!  Especially right out of the oven with a big glass of milk!

Viva la cookie!!

Tortellini Soup

It was accidently Soup Week at our house this week!  Oops!!  But it's all good bc the mister loves BOTH of the soups I made this week!  He's really not a huge fan of soups, and I usually don't make two soups in one week, but it just happened this week and I suppose it helped that I made the two that he really likes.  He especially likes this one - based off a super easy Pampered Chef recipe from years ago.  And the little one loves it, too!  So win-win at our house!

For this soup, you'll need:

• onion, chopped
• 1 garlic glove, smashed & chopped
• about 2 tbs olive oil
• pkg of your favorite tortellini (we used spinach cheese tortellini bc that's what the little one picked out, but I think you can use whatever you like)
• 1 - 10 oz pkg frozen spinach (cut leaf or chopped), thawed
• chicken broth (I made my own chicken broth, but if using canned, use 3-4 cans of broth)
• 1 - 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 tsp dried basil leaves

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until tender in the pan you plan to make your soup in.

Now, I made my own chicken broth (because you know I'm crazy I'm into that these days) and I have to show you the super nerdy exciting thing that I did to get my broth ready.  The black stockpot is the pot with the broth, and the stainless steel pot is the one I sauteed the onions & garlic in.  I just place my colander over the steel pot and poured my broth directly into it from the stockpot that I made my broth in.  So easy and accomplished the task of straining the broth and getting all my broth in the right place without getting something else dirty.  Sometimes it's the simple things in life that get me excited, ha.

So then I had my stock, onions, & garlic ready to go.  Brought that to a boil over medium-high heat.

Added the tortellini and cooked it to package directions.  I know it sounds silly to have to say this, but DO NOT DRAIN.  That would be counterproductive to making your soup, friends :)  After you've cooked the tortellini, add tomatoes, basil and spinach, bring to boil again, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Thought I would share this steamy picture first!  Can you smell the yummy goodness?

I think this soup is so pretty & festive for the holidays!  I promise, you'll love it!  Enjoy!

Taco Soup

I made this on Halloween, the perfect fall soup!  This soup is even acceptable to the mister bc it's definitely hearty!  It's a Paula Deen recipe so you know it's that good!  And easy?  Yes!

For this soup, you'll need:

• 2 lbs ground beef (I used about a pound and a half)
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 - 15 1/2 oz cans pink kidney beans
• 2 - 15 1/2 oz cans pinto beans
• 1 - 15 1/2 oz can of niblet corn, drained
• 1 - 14 1/2 oz can Del Monte mexican tomatoes*
• 1 - 14 1/2 oz can Del Monte tomatoes with chilies*
• 1 - 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 - 4 1/2 oz cans diced green chilies*
• 1/2 cup green olives, sliced - optional
• 1 - 1 1/4 oz pkg taco seasoning mix
• 1 - 1 oz pkg Hidden Valley Original Ranch salad dressing mix
• Corn chips
• Sour cream
• grated cheese
• chopped onions

**I used 2 cans of Rotel instead of the Del Monte tomatoes, I couldn't find them

**I used one - 7 oz can of diced green chilies

Brown meat with onion, drain fat.

Pour in beans, corn, tomatoes, chilies, olives, and seasonings.  If using crockpot, cook on low for 6-8 hours or simmer on low heat for an hour in stockpot for an hour.  I simmered mine on the stove for a little more than an hour.

To serve, we tested fritos on the bottom, before ladling the soup, or topping soup with fritos.  Both me & the hubby agree, topping with fritos is better than putting fritos first - the crunch was much better to us than soggy chips!

After the chips, I also topped it with sour cream, shredded cheddar & green olives.  I guess black olives would work, too, but this mama gets grossed out by black olives so they don't make it to anything cooked in this kitchen :)

Doesn't it look yummy?!?  Totally Yummy!!