This is an easy way to make Stromboli using all store bought items and putting them together to make dinner. I purchased Pilsbury refrigerated pizza crust, pepperoni, mushrooms, sliced cheese and pizza sauce. I had onion, green pepper, ham and ground beef at home already.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
I cut the roll of pizza crust in half and make two Stromboli with each roll of pizza crust. Spread each piece out flat on a large cutting board. Layer whatever toppings you like and roll up. It basically looks like a loaf of bread. Close up both ends by pressing the dough together. Top with olive oil or garlic spread. Put Stromboli's on a greased sheet pan and bake 6-10 minutes (check the package directions) or until the top is golden brown. Serve pizza sauce on the side for dipping.
These Stromboli are easy to make and taste great!
It's nice to have those pantry ingredients when you get a sweet tooth and decide to make a cake. I made this Sprite Pound cake with mostly pantry ingredients. This is the third recipe I like to make that uses soda as an ingredient. I will post the other two recipes later. I took lots of pictures this time and will post them with steps. This is not a diet friendly recipe, but I have found that you can use diet soda and Splenda to make a sugar free version. Click on the link below to print out the recipe. I also sliced some strawberries and coated them with sugar. Let the strawberries sit while the cakes cook and they will make their own juice.
Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter and shortening. (I did not intend for the butter to melt. I softened it up in the microwave.)
The creamed butter and shortening should be light and smooth
Add the sugar one cup at a time and beat on slow speed to combine.
Scrape down the bowl and make sure all ingredients are combined.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each one.
Add the vanilla and combine.
Add the flour one cup at a time alternating with Sprite. Beginning and ending with flour.
Scrape down the bowl one last time to make sure everything is incorporated.
Prepare the pans by spraying with non-stick spray and then coating with flour.
Divide batter into 3 loaf pans, 1 - 10 oz tube pan or 2 - 8 oz tube pans. I tried it with two loaf pans this time and one of them overflowed in my oven.
Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack for a little bit and then turn out of the pan to cool completely.
I basically made mine a Strawberry Shortcake with sliced strawberries. Slice the strawberries and add a little sugar. While they sit they will make their own juice.
I couldn't think of anything better to have for dinner on this cold, snowy, January evening than Tortellini Vegetable Beef Soup. There is a TV cooking show hostess named Sandra Lee and she used to have a show on Food Network called Semi-Homemade. If I had to put a label on this type of recipe it would be Semi-Homemade. Its a mixture of canned or frozen ingredients that you add to fresh ingredients and make your own Homemade Soup.
Tortellini Vegetable Beef Soup
3/4-1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1 (15 oz) can Mixed Vegetables
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen lima beans
1/2 cup frozen sweet peas
1 cup frozen brussels sprouts, thawed & chopped
3 1/2 cups water
1 Knorr Homestyle Vegetable Stock tub
1/2 Knorr Homestyle Beef Stock tub
1 (64 oz) can or bottle tomato juice (or V-8 juice)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 package fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
In a large stock pot over medium heat, cook ground beef in 1/4 cup water. The water helps break up the ground beef into smaller pieces. If you like larger bite sized pieces of beef, omit the 1/4 cup water. Season the ground beef with worcestershire sauce, onion powder and garlic salt. Drain the ground beef. I like to cook the brussels sprouts in a little water in the microwave for 5 minutes while the ground beef is cooking. Remove the brussels sprouts from the microwave, drain and chop into bite sized pieces. Add all ingredients to the large stock pot except tortellini and heat to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes to cook the frozen vegetables. Add tortellini and cook according to the package directions. Serve with crackers, corn bread or garlic bread.
Prego has a new line of Alfredo Sauce. There were a couple of options of flavors. I chose the Homestyle Alfredo made with fresh cream. It has 80 calories in a 1/4 cup serving, however I found that you really don't need 1/4 cup of sauce per serving. I used about half that amount on my serving of Chicken pasta, and Broccoli Alfredo last night. I prefer to make Alfredo sauce from scratch, but that can be pricey. This jar of Alfredo sauce was $2.29 at Food Lion. This is a great product at a great price.
I like to make homemade Alfredo sauce, but it can be pricey. I went to the grocery store on the way home on Monday to decide what to make for dinner. I went to Food Lion because it is on my way home. They have a MVP coupon scanner there (you scan your MVP card and it prints out a sheet of coupons to use during that shopping trip. However sometimes one coupon has a later expiration date). I got a coupon for $2 off of Tyson Frozen Grilled Chicken strips. I decided to make this easy fix meal. I made this meal for under $15 to feed 6 people.
I purchased the following items and put together my whole meal to feed 6 people for only $12.15 plus Tax
frozen Food Lion brand broccoli florets - $2.39
Prego Alfredo Sauce - $2.29
Mueller's Ruffles pasta - $1.69 (minus MVP discount $.70) $.99
Tyson Frozen Grilled Chicken Strips - $8.49 (minus MVP discount $1.50) $6.99 (minus MVP scanner $2 Coupon) $4.99
fresh french bread $1.99 (minus MVP discount $.50) $1.49
Just about anybody with teenagers has been to Taco Bell. We have two teenagers and a pre-teen at our house. We have found that Taco Bell is a pretty good option when eating out. They are reasonably priced and we all get full. I usually get a chicken quesadilla & I really like the sauce that is on it. After eating quesadillas at Taco Bell I wanted to make them at home. I started cooking chicken and seasoning it with Taco Bell Taco Seasoning mix. I use flour or whole wheat tortillas and the taco blend cheese I find at the grocery store. The only thing missing was the sauce. I even experimented with sour cream and taco seasoning to make my own version of the sauce, but it wasn't the same. One day I was planning on making a Mexican type meal and I saw this sauce in the store. It seems to be in all grocery stores as well as Walmart and Target now. The only one I have tried is the Spicy Ranchero Sauce. It tastes just like the sauce on Taco Bell's Quesadillas. I'm going to use it tonight to make cheese quesadillas with whole wheat tortillas.
When I watch cooking shows on TV sometimes I hear them say this is a Method not necessarily a recipe. This is one of those times. In the case of gravy you can use almost any kind of liquid you like. You can also use many different types of fat. Fat and flour is what you use to make the Roux which acts as the thickening agent for the liquid. Today I made a Chicken Gravy to go with our Island Chicken and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. You just need to start with a medium size stock pot or deep pan and a whisk.
Gravy Recipe
This is more of a basic Method of how to make gravy. You can use meat drippings, butter or oil for the fat. Chicken stock, beef stock, vegetable broth, milk, or meat juices can be used for the liquid. Sometimes I use a combination of liquids to give the gravy more body. I just match the fat and liquid to the meat I am making.
2 Tbsp. fat (butter, meat drippings, or oil)
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups liquid (Chicken Stock, Beef Stock, Vegetable Stock, meat juices, milk or a combination)
salt and pepper to taste (stocks can be salty so taste the gravy before adding salt)
Start with a Roux. In a medium stock pot or a deep pan melt the fat. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
Pour in the liquid. Whisk constantly until boiling. The liquid will not get thick until the mixture comes to a boil.
Once it comes to a boil decide if it is at the right thickness for you.
If the gravy is too thick add a little more liquid whisking constantly. If the gravy is too thin you can add a slurry of flour and water. Put a tablespoon of flour and a little more than a tablespoon of water into a cup or small bowl. Mix with a fork and pour into the gravy slowly, whisking constantly.
Taste the gravy and add salt and pepper if needed.
**You can also use this method to make sausage gravy or braised beef. Brown the sausage or beef. Drain all but about 2 Tbsp of fat. Add flour to the meat and fat. You may need a little more than 2 Tbsp flour. Mix enough flour in to make the meat look a little dry. Stir and cook for a minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Pour in enough milk to cover the meat mixture. Stir while heating to a boil. Boiling with thicken the milk and make the gravy. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. Serve with biscuits or toast.
Canned green beans are kind of blah and I am not a fan of frozen green beans. I'm a Southern girl and do not like my green beans to have any crunch. I am happy if the green beans are cooked to death and falling apart. I know, I know that cooks out all of the nutrients. Using Chicken Stock and butter you can create a very flavorful side dish. With this recipe you can cook them as long as you want & they soak up lots of flavor. Click on the button below for the recipe.
Need a change from ordinary mashed potatoes? Here's a great way to bump up the flavor of ordinary mashed potatoes. Mine are topped with chicken gravy. Gravy Recipe to follow.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6-8 adults (or hungry kids)
1 (5 LB) bag Russet potatoes, peeled & diced
1 cup milk
2-3 cloves garlic
1 stick butter
1 (8 oz) carton Sour Cream
Salt and pepper to taste (I like to use garlic salt also)
Put potatoes in a pot of cold water and put on the stove to boil. Boil for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
In a small saucepan put milk, garlic and butter. Heat over Medium Low heat until the milk is heated and the butter is melted. Take off of the heat. Let it sit while the potatoes are cooking. This will also soften the garlic.
When the potatoes are fork tender, drain them & put back into the hot pot. Pour milk mixture over the potatoes and mash. I like to use an electric hand mixer. If you like your potatoes more chunky, just use a hand masher. Stir in Sour Cream and salt and pepper.
If the potatoes are too dry you can add more milk. If they are too juicy just put back on the stove burner on low. Some of the milk will cook down. Stir often to keep the potatoes from sticking.
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