The Outback's Mac-a-Roo and Cheese

Even though I have been trying to prepare meals that are a bit more health-conscious, sometimes you just need to splurge. This knock-off of the steakhouse's popular kid's meal is perfect for indulging, especially on a cold winter's night.

For years, I only ordered Mac-a-Roo and Cheese at the Outback - even as an adult (at least, until I discovered the wonder that is Alice Spring's Chicken). And now, Ryan enjoys it too, so I was excited to find a version to try at home.

I was skeptical about using Velveeta. I'm not afraid of processed food, but the idea of such a cheese really kind of grosses me out. Even as I was cooking, I sampled a piece of the cheese and - blech. I thought there was no way I'd enjoy this.

But the plastic-cheese flavor totally fades and combines with the roux and paprika to really form a yummy, albeit unhealthy, dinner. Ryan, who is not a big dinner-eater, gobbled it up and has requested it several times since.

I will definitely make this again (did I mention that it was super easy and fast?) and will probably make extra to portion out in single-serving sizes for fast lunches.


12 oz. Package of Medium Size Rigatoni Pasta
1/2 LB Store Brand Processed Cheese Food (cubed)
3 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Paprika
1 1/2 C. Milk


Preparation:
Prepare Rigatoni using package instructions. Drain and set aside. In a large saucepan on medium heat melt butter and add flour, stirring constantly. Mixture should thicken. When flour thickens add milk, salt, paprika, and cheese cubes. Stirring constantly until the sauce thickens but yet is smooth. The cheese sauce should resemble an extra thick cream. If mixture is to thick a little more milk may be added. Pour the drained pasta in the sauce and gently stir well. When pasta is completely coated with sauce mixed well the Mac A Roo is ready to serve.

Weight-Watchers Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili

One of my message boards has been talking about this Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili (from Gina's WW Recipes - full of awesome stuff!) and I was really excited to try it out.

I've said this a thousand times, but there is nothing like dumping stuff into the crockpot and coming back to it hours later and poof- there's dinner. Whether you're working crazy hours, or dealing with nutty kids, or really just don't feel like cooking, this is an awesome meal for you.

And I would NEVER have guessed it was so figure-friendly if I didn't know it specifically came from a WW blog. It was just SO AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS - I couldn't figure out how it could be good for you.

Make this tonight - you will not be sorry.


Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 16-oz can black beans
• 1 16-oz can kidney beans
• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
• 10 oz package frozen corn kernels
• 2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
  
• 24 0z. (3) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• chili peppers, chopped (optional)
  
• chopped fresh cilantro

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream (extra points).

Sloppy Brookes

Ryan really loves our friends Brooke and Joe and associates their names together. So I probably shouldn't have been surprised when the following conversation took place a few weeks ago.


We were about to sit for dinner, and he asked what we were having; I told him I made Sloppy Joes. He thought about that for a minute and answered, "And Sloppy Brookes, too?"

I, of course, told our friends about this immediately, and Brooke declared that there SHOULD be a Sloppy Brooke sandwich. We immediately started collaborating and discussing Brooke's favorite foods: chocolate, cheese, and coffee.

I didn't really think cheese belonged in that group, but Brooke reminded me that cream cheese would work just fine. We brainstormed some more and finally...

The Sloppy Brooke was born.


I selected Brooke's favorite chocolate chip cookie for the "bread" part of the sandwich (I did not enlarge them like she suggests, though I would for sure do that if I was making them to stand alone), and stuffed it with a mocha cream cheese filling. Since Brooke drinks hazelnut coffee, I rolled the sandwiches in roasted hazelnuts.

Ryan and I had a blast concocting these, and they were delicious! The mocha in the cream cheese is subtle and not overpowering (and the leftovers are awesome on your morning bagel!), and the roasted nuts made me feel like I was eating Nutella. And the cookies... oh, the cookies! On their own they are fantastic; as part of this sandwich, they are divine.

Brooke, we hope you enjoy these little treats! Next up, a Sloppy Chily...


Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

For the mocha cream cheese filling:

• 2 cups cream cheese
• 2 rounded tablespoons hot chocolate mix
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup espresso

• 1 cup hazelnuts, chopped

To make the cookies:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Cover dough and chill for 2 hours.
Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool completely on baking sheet.

To make the mocha cream cheese filling:
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a mixer. Mix on medium speed until smooth and incorporated.

To make the hazelnuts:
Place in a small skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring frequenty, for just a few minutes. Watch them closely - they burn easily!

To assemble:
Take one cookie and drop a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture on the underside. Top with another cookie (so the bottoms of the cookies are "facing" each other). Roll the sides in the roasted hazelnuts; repeat for all cookies.

Win a cookbook!

Visit Picky Palate for your chance to win an awesome cookie cookbook!

Superbowl Snack Throwdown: Mom's Super Easy Kielbasa Bites

Kielbasa was the big winner in the very last week of HighLowAha's blogging contest. I must admit that I wasn't super excited about this one, though, because I'm not a fan of kielbasa. Then again, I don't salami either, and that was the other option... so I assumed this would be a lose-lose week.


However, even though I don't like kielbasa, I actually rather enjoyed this recipe from my mom and may or may not have even eaten quite a few in between snapping photographs. The carmelization adds such an interesting layer of flavor that leaves little guys rather addictive. And really, who doesn't enjoy food on a stick?


This little appetizer shouldn't even be called a "recipe" - it's just so beyond easy that I almost feel like I'm cheating. It takes a bit of time, but not effort; you can easily leave it while it's on the stove to tend to other tasks or dishes.


Ingredients

• 1 package kielbasa
• 1 12oz can ginger ale

Chop the kielbasa into 1/2" slices. Place in a medium to large skillet and pour the ginger ale over the top. Bring to a slow boil and then simmer until brown and caramelized and all liquid is gone, stirring occasionally - about 45 minutes to an hour.

Superbowl Snack Throwdown: Mesquite Chicken Pizza Sticks

It is so hard to believe that HighLowAha's Superbowl Snack Throwdown is just a week away from its conclusion. It certainly flew by! Please visit their site to vote for our final secret ingredient.

(BOTH of my peppers went bad - please use your imagination and pretend there are peppers on this pizza!)

This week's ingredient was barbecue sauce, and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to try out this recipe for Mesquite Chicken Pizza that I've been eying on Tasty Kitchen. This is another concoction that is just so fabulously versatile. If you're a whiz in the kitchen, you can make your own pizza dough and even barbecue sauce. If you're more of a throw-together kind of cook, then grab some store-bought dough and a bottle of sauce.


I absolutely loved the flavor combination on this pizza. The smokiness of the seasoning coupled with the sweetness of the barbecue sauce... and of course, everything is made better with handfuls of cheese!

To make these a little "snackier," I cut them into strips. When I was pregnant with Ryan, Pizza Hut had come out with their "Dippin' Strips" pizza, and I LOVED them. So any pizza that's cut into strips is just perfect in my mind... and then you can dunk!


Ingredients

• 1 pizza crust - homemade or store-bought
  
• 7 whole Chicken Tenders
• 5 dash(es) Mesquite Grilling Seasoning
• 1 whole Green Pepper, Diced
• 1 whole Red Pepper, Diced
• 1 whole Small Red Or White Onion, Diced
• 2 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
• 2-½ cups Grated Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 cup Smokey Barbecue Sauce, plus more for dipping
  
• 2 dash(es) Salt

Preheat oven to 400.

For pizza assembly, spread 1/3 of the total amount of cheese onto crust. Then sprinkle on peppers, onions, and chicken. Add remaining cheese, and salt. Drizzle on any smokey barbecue sauce of your choice.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

Olive Garden's Salad Dressing

Before I get into the recipe part of this post, check out this little bottle! Years ago, my grandmother had it and I thought it was so freaken cool. It has a little sensor and mixes it up for you as it pours. It also has measurements along the sides for various salad dressing recipes. Awesome!


After awhile, though, hers broke and she couldn't find a replacement anywhere. I was pretty bummed that I couldn't get my hands on my own.

Well, thanks the power of the internet, my dad found them not too long ago and gave me a nice little post-Christmas surprise!


Although I'm excited to try some of the recipes on the bottle, I immediately searched for a new Olive Garden variation. Like many people, my favorite part of the Olive Garden is their dressing. I'm not a huge salad person, but I for sure could make quite a meal out of their salad, especially if you add some tasty breadsticks.

Suffice it to say that my salad was quite enjoyable this week. I tried a knockoff recipe once and it was okay, but not that great. This one is a lot better and might entice me to start eating more salads!


Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 Tbls. corn syrup
• 2 Tbls. Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbls. Romano cheese
• 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
• 1 Tbl. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until well-blended. If dressing is too tart, add sugar to taste.

Monkey Oatmeal

My husband bought me Hungry Girl's latest cookbook, 200 Under 200, for Christmas, and so far I really love it. It's full of great breakfast, lunch, and snack ideas that are actually filling but guiltless.


This yummy little oatmeal dish actually seemed like a treat! I think I may have used too much chocolate, though; I have only a canister and not individual packets. I followed the can's instructions for a single serving, but it seemed like a lot. I would definitely cut back next time.


As I'm sure you can imagine, Ryan was pretty sold on this breakfast from the title alone. I doubled it for the two of us, and he actually ended up eating more than I did! He has requested it several times since.


Ingredients

• 1/3 cup regular oatmeal (not instant)
• 1 25-calorie packet diet hot cocoa mix
• 1/2 medium-sized banana, squashed
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1 no-calorie packet Splenda
• dash salt

Pour hot cocoa mix into glass with cinnamon, sweetener, and salt. Add 1/4 cup hot water and stir thoroughly. Once cocoa has dissolved, add 1/4 cup cold water and stir. Place in refrigerator to chill (note: I totally skipped this step and it was fine). Combine with mashed banana and oats in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, and mix well. Microwave for 2 1/2-3 minutes. Give it a stir, and then allow oatmeal to cool and thicken.

Help me help babies

On April 25, I will be joining Team Three Cheers for Babies in the March of Dimes' annual March for Babies.



If you'd like to help us reach our goal, click the link above. We, along with countless of little babies, would appreciate any support!

Three-Cheese Garden Pizza

When Brooke came to do a Pampered Chef show at my house, she made this delicious Three-Cheese Garden Pizza to demo some of her products.


It was so good that I went online to try to find the recipe. Since then, I've made this numerous times. It's so easy and simple to throw together, yet it looks rustically elegant. I love that it's packed full of veggies and nutrition - makes the bowl of ice cream for dessert not count. ;)

I should add, in case anyone is interested, that after watching Brooke's demo, I purchased the "large bar ban" and "garlic press." I don't think I will ever make pizza in anything else besides this piece of stoneware. I can't wait to get more!

Ingredients

• 1 package refrigerated pizza crust
• 1 small onion, sliced into rings
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 2 plum tomatoes, sliced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  

1.	Preheat oven to 400°F. Using lightly floured Baker's Roller™, roll pizza crust into a 14-inch circle on Large Round Stone. Bake crust 7 minutes. Remove from oven; place on Stackable Cooling Rack.
2.	Using Ultimate Slice & Grate fitted with v-shaped blade, slice onion, zucchini and tomatoes. Slice mushrooms using Egg Slicer Plus®.
3.	Using Garlic Press, press garlic over crust; spread evenly. Sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar cheeses evenly over crust; top evenly with onion, zucchini, mushrooms and tomatoes. Grate Parmesan cheese over vegetables using Deluxe Cheese Grater. Sprinkle with seasoning mix. Bake 15-18 minutes or until crust is golden brown; remove from oven. Cut into wedges using Pizza Cutter.