Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

My most recent recipe swap selection came from my good friend Pam (Balancing Exercising with Healthy Eating).  The theme was sandwiches, and she submitted Rachael Ray's Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes.

These were really easy and fast to make, perfect for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner.  I served these on little finger rolls (hey, they were on sale) and I just loved the cheese sauce.  I think I'll add some green pepper next time for a little extra flavor.

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

adapted from Rachael Ray

• 1 tablespoon EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
• 1 pound ground turkey
  
• 1 softball-sized onion, chopped
  
• 1/4 cup steak sauce
  
• 1 cup chicken stock
  
• Salt and ground black pepper
  
• 4 dinner rolls (or 8 finger rolls), toasted if desired
  
• 1 tablespoon butter
  
• 1 tablespoon flour
  
• 1 cup milk
  
• 1 cup desired cheese, shredded
  

In large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, brown the ground sirloin, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onion and cook another 3-4 minutes, until the onions start to get tender. Stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble and cook about 2 minutes.

While the meat is cooking, melt the butter in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook about 1 minute. Whisk in milk, bring up to a bubble and let thicken, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir the cheese in a figure-eight motion until it is all incorporated.

To serve, place a scoopful of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the rolls, then top with the cheese sauce and replace the top of the roll.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

I was skeptical about this dish because it called for cottage cheese. I don't think I like cottage cheese, although admittedly I haven't tried it in several years. I thought about subbing ricotta in, but decided to be a big girl and try it again.

I didn't mind it in this dish, though I don't have any plans to finish the rest of the container. ;)

This dinner reminded me of Lighthouse Lasagna, which I think I prefer, although this one is faster. I doubled everything, except for the beef, and it made enough for our family, plus a little leftover.


Sour Cream Noodle Bake
from The Pioneer Woman

• 1-¼ pound Ground Chuck
• 1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles
• ½ cups Sour Cream
• 1-¼ cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
• ½ cups Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste)
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sourProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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ream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.

To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.

Banana Cinnamon Chip Cake

The only thing I can say about this cake from Two Peas and Their Pod is that I made it after breakfast, and it was gone by bedtime.

Totally gone. Like, in my belly. I can, of course, share blame with my husband and two boys, but still. But... it was that good.

This was my first experience with cinnamon chips, and oh boy. I have a new addiction. I even added some to my daily trail mix.


Banana Cinnamon Chip Cake
from Two Peas and Their Pod

• 3 very ripe bananas
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup cinnamon chips

For topping:

• 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, mash the bananas well with a fork or potato masher. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and sugar.

Add ¾ cup of the cinnamon chips, and stir briefly. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the pan, and top with the remaining ¼ cup chips.

Bake for 3Proxy-Connection: keep-alive
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40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Baked Onion Rings

I LOVE onion rings. I don't know why I don't buy them more often, but thanks to Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes, I don't have to. These make-your-own are easy (albeit slightly time consuming but that's my own fault for not remembering that they needed to soak for a few hours) and taste delicious!

Everyone in my house gobbled these up, and I am pretty sure it won't be long until I make them again.

(Her recipe says to bake for about 12 minutes - mine needed about 6 minutes longer.)


Low Fat Baked Onion Rings
from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

• 1 medium onion, sliced into 1/4 inch rings
• 2 1/4 cups low fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup Italian seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup crushed corn flake crumbs
• salt to taste
• olive oil baking spray

Place slices of onion in a shallow dish. Pour the buttermilk over the top and let them soak for about 1 - 2 hours, refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Combine panko, bread crumbs and corn flakes in a large dish, season with salt.

Dip each soaked onion ring into the crumb mixture; coat well. Place rings onto two cookie sheets. Lightly spray with oil. Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Saucy Pesto Chicken

My most recent recipe swap category was chicken, and my draw came from A Taste of Home Cooking.

I don't really have the luxury of a lot of time to cook during the week, so I looked for ways to cut corners without sacrificing quality and flavor. During my weekend food shopping, I found a jar of organic garlic pesto sauce, and while I'm not really a fan of jarred sauces, this wasn't a variety that I normally keep stocked in my freezer. I figured it would be perfect, and it was.

Served over egg noodles and with a few minor changes, this was a pretty easy and delicious meal. Next time, I might baking it. Or adding artichokes. Or both!


Saucy Pesto Chicken
adapted from Taste of Home

1 package (9 ounces) fresh baby spinach

salt and pepper, to taste

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

1 jar (or homemade equivalent) of pesto sauce

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 pound egg noodles, cooked

6 campari tomatoes, chopped

minced parsley, for garnish

Place spinach in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown chicken in remaining oil on both sides; slice into strips or bite-size pieces and place over spinach. Pour sauce over chicken.

Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160° and sauce is bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer. Serve with pasta. Sprinkle with tomato and parsley.

Barbequed Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas

I am a huge quesadilla fan. One of my fondest college memories is running down the road to Friendly's at like 11pm for some chicken quesadillas. Yum. I love trying new varieties and think they taste so awesome when cooked on my panini press.

I just made The Pioneer Woman's version the other day and they were delicious. I used leftover rotisserie (okay, that does NOT look like it's spelled correctly but spell check isn't picking it up, we're going to just go with it) chicken and canned pineapple, so the prep time was minimal - pretty much just as long as it took the panini press to preheat.


Barbequed Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas
adapted from The Pioneer Woman

• 4 large tortillas
  
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 1/2 cup barbeque sauce
• 20oz can pineapple chunks, drained
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend)

Preheat panini press or griddle.

Combine chicken and barbecue sauce; set aside.

Spray a skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat, warm tortillas on each side until slightly brown.

Respray the skillet and add the pineapple. Cook for a few minutes, tossing frequently. Add the chicken and cook until heated through.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese over one half of each tortilla. Divide the chicken and pineapple mixture evenly over each tortilla half, and top with another 1/4 cup of cheese over each. Top with more barbecue sauce if desired. Fold over the tortilla and cook until browned and the cheese is melty and gooey.

Protein Breakfast Shake

During the week, I don't get a chance to eat lunch until around 1 and my breakfast time varies. Because I'm a teacher, it's not like I can pull out a snack whenever the urge strikes, so I'm always on the hunt for healthy breakfasts that will keep me full until my prep period.

Enter Slim Fast.

Now, I am NOT a Slim Fast person. Admittedly, I did it for my wedding and did see results, but that's not necessarily a road I plan to travel again; it just doesn't work for my lifestyle. But I found a can of their protein shake powder at the grocery store and thought I'd try it out.

I threw in some additions and am really satisfied with the result. I make it a few times a week, and it's just as delicious as it is filling. I drink it in my car around 7am, and with a fiber bar or some fruit around 10am, I'm good to go until lunch.


Protein Breakfast Shake
adapted from the SlimFast canister

• 8oz skim milk
• 1 scoop SlimFast High Protein Shake Mix
• 1 banana, broken into 3 or 4 pieces
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup crushed ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender (or in a large cup to use with an immersion blender) and blend until desired consistency.

Thanksgiving Burger

I've made Thanksgiving Burgers before, but when my friend Colleen posted a different variation, I had to try it. I really loved that hers was more of a all-inclusive patty rather than the messier option of having the extras on TOP of the burger.

Colleen mentioned omitting the gravy in favor of cheese; I chose to use both!

I had wanted to serve these with sweet potato fries to be a little more Thanksgiving-y, but the bag I thought I had in my freezer turned out to be regular fries. Oh well.


Thanksgiving Burgers
slightly adapted from Cooking This and That; originally adapted from Taste of Home

• 1 pounds ground turkey
  
• 1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 cup stuffing mix, dry
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/2 cup turkey gravy, warmed
  
• 4 sandwich thins or hamburger buns
  

In large bowl, mix together turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, cheese, and thyme. Form into 4 patties. Grill over medium-high heat, about 6-7 minutes a side or until cooked through. Top with gravy and serve immediately on buns.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I was pleased to receive one of my friend Lishie's recipes in a recent swap. Everything always looks awesome and I love to see her personal touches on what she creates.

I've made several versions of Sweet and Sour Chicken; the flavor in this make-your-own-takeout version was good, but a little too intense. If I were to make this again, I would likely cut down on the amount of orange juice.


Sweet and Sour Chicken
slightly adapted from DeLish; originally from Secrets of a Skinny Chef

• 1 cup orange juice
  
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lemon, juiced & the zest
• 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1⁄2 cup AP flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
  
• 1 package frozen veggies - I used a stir-fry mix
• 1 small can water chestnuts
• 1 medium can pineapple chunks, drained
  

Preheat tProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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oven to 450°F.

To make the sauce: in a medium bowl, whisk the first 6 ingredients together (the juice through the oil) until incorporated and smooth. Set aside.

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet (or “grease” with cooking spray).

In one shallow bowl, place the flour, cornstarch, salt & paprika, and mix. In another shallow bowl, the eggs.

To bread the chicken, place all of the chicken pieces into the eggs and toss the pieces until they are covered. Transfer the egg-coated chicken to the flour mixture for coating. Lift each piece, shaking off the extra flour mix, and place them on the prepped baking sheet.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the breading is crisp.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the vegetables and cook until heated; add the water chestnuts and pineapple.

Transfer the chicken from the baking sheet to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies, gently stirring until the sauce is incorporated into the skillet. Cook about 2 minutes more, until the sauce thickens.

Red Velvet Ice Cream

I just love ice cream (who doesn't?!) and while I'm definitely an Edy's fan, there is nothing like homemade ice cream.

We love the Funfetti Ice Cream I've made in the past, and I've always wanted to try it with other cake mixes. I was inspired by the red velvet box in the baking aisle and couldn't wait to try it.

The flavor wasn't really what I expected, but it was still so creamy and delicious. I brought it to my monthly girls' night, and it was the perfect end to an evening of food, wine, and great friends.

Side note: I just learned recently that placing plastic wrap on the surface of the ice cream is crucial in preventing freezer burn. I feel like everyone knew this except for me, but I figured I'd share in case there are one or two others out there in the dark. ;)


Red Velvet Ice Cream
adapted from food.com

• 4oz cream cheese
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup red velvet cake mix

Using a mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Slowly add the milk, cream, and vanilla; once all of that is incorporated, whisk in the cake mix. Pour into your ice cream maker and prepare according to manufacturer's directions.