Italian Sausage Stromboli

We have our usual pizza night every week still. I finally signed up at recipezaar so I wanted to use a recipe from there. Our changes were that we used homemade dough, red bell pepper and cooked it on the pizza oven. We served it with a side of sauce and if we made it again we'd use lots more sauce in it(sauce is optional).

Ratings:

Sabrina 9

Hunter 8

Corrine 10

and Justin enjoyed some cheese=)

Recipe: http://www.recipezaar.com/193995

Crispy Zucchini Spears

I made this after Shar's family gave it rave reviews here. It is so good!! Very much like at a restaurant without all the fat from being fried. Another family book recipe. We didn't cut it into spears but will next time.

Ratings:

Sabrina 10

Hunter 10

Corrine 10

Crispy Zucchini Spears

2 medium Zucchini

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1/2 - 3/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp oregano powder

1 egg, beaten

Slice Zucchini lengthwise to make spears. Combine cornmeal, flour, parmesan, garlic salt, paprika, oregano together.Dip Zucchini spears in egg, and then into the mixture. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes at 450 Degrees

Hunter's Hot Pot Pie

Thanks to Lissa for this one=)) This recipe was originally named Hearty Chicken Casserole and I renamed it because Hunter absolutely LOVES pot pies and he said this one is the best.

Ratings:

Me 10

Hunter 10

Corrine 8

Hunter's Hot Pot Pie

1/2 c butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 c all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
16 oz frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
2 c cubed, cooked chicken or turkey
1 10 3/4oz can cream of mushroom soup, UNdiluted
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 c shredded cheddar

In small bowl, cream the butter and sour cream. Add egg; beat well. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and add to creamed mixture. Spread into a greased 3 qt casserole dish.
In a large bowl, combine the veggies, chicken , soup and onion. Pour over crust, sprinkly with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 400* for 35-40 minutes or until heated through.

Carrot Souffle

I got this recipe off Recipezaar and finally found a recipe from there that we'd make again! I would love to try brown sugar in it next time.
My variations on the recipe--I chose to use 5 eggs in it and instead of a bit of the various spices I used 3 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice .
Ratings

Me 9
Hunter 10(I served this as a side dish and he told me it tastes more like a dessert)
Corrine 10 1/2

Carrot souffle
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen carrots (or - 1 large, 1 pound bag, peeled and sliced)
salt
1 cup milk or light cream
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sugar
3-5 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 dash ginger
1 dash allspice
1/4 lb butter
Cook carrots till 'very' tender in salted water.
Drain and mash.
Combine all ingredients and mix with an electric mixer till smooth.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until set.
If cooked a day ahead: Warm at 350 degrees for 20 minutes

Ho Ho Cake

This tastes just like a ho ho if not better. We all gave this a ten and it will be in our family book but I'm switching the shortening to butter.

Ingredients:
***Bottom:***
1 (18.25 oz.) box Chocolate Cake Mix
***Topping One:***
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup solid Crisco vegetable shortening
5 ounces can Evaporated milk
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
***Topping Two:***
1 can Fudge frosting (16 oz.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 15-1/2" x 10-1/2" baking dish. Bake chocolate cake in baking dish, according to the directions on the box for 20-30 minutes or until cake bounces back when you touch it lightly on the top, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, except for a few crumbs. Allow to cool.
Mix sugar, butter, Crisco, evaporated milk and vanilla extract together until creamy with an electric mixer, about 10 minutes. Spread over cooled chocolate cake.
Heat opened can of fudge frosting in the microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute till pourable. Pour over white topping. Refrigerate over night.

Kristine's Beans

This is going into our family book! Delicious!!! We all gave this a ten and got seconds.

Kristine's Beans


1# hamburger (I doubled the meat in the pot pictured)
1 small onion or 1/2 large onion
1/2# bacon cut in pieces
Brown above ingredients together.



1 can dark kidney beans - drained(I only half drained all these)
1 can light kidney beans - drained
1 cans butter or lima beans - drained
1 humungo can pork 'n beans - do not drain
Mix all ingredients together in a dutch oven.



Add:
1/2 cup ketchup
3/4 cup brown sugar
squeeze of mustard
Cook on stove until heated through.

Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars

I saved this recipe from a group ages ago and finally got around to making it. I used walnuts and I didn't think it looked all that great but it tasted really good=)

Ratings:

Me 9

Hunter 10

Corrine 10 1/2

Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars
Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 14-ounce can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 c. butterscotch flavored chips
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 c. sweetened coconut flakes
1 c. chopped nuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in a 13x9-inch baking pan.
Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over melted butter, then pour condensed milk over crumbs.
Top with remaining ingredients in order listed.
Press cookie mixture down firmly into pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool before cutting into bars.
Can be stored in airtight container at room temperature.
Makes 24-36 bars

Shar's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I made this after Shar did and it was really good! I used special dark chocolate chips and didn't have any walnuts. I think I would have liked it more with the walnuts so if I make it again I need to be sure to have them.

Peppered Balsamic Chicken

Ratings:

Me 8

Hunter 8

Corrine 5

Peppered Balsamic Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning

1-1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 teaspoons butter

parsley sprigs

cherry tomatoes

On hard surface with meat mallet or similar flattening utensil, lightly pound chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.

Press lemon-pepper seasoning evenly on both sides of chicken.

In large frypan, place oil and heat to medium temperature. Add chicken and cook, turning once, about 7 minutes or until fork can be inserted in chicken with ease. Remove chicken to warm serving platter; keep warm.

In medium bowl, mix together vinegar, broth and garlic; add to frypan. Cook over medium-high heat, scraping up brown meat bits, about 2 minutes or until mixture is reduced and syrupy. (The original recipe cautions breathing the vinegar when it hits the heat)

Add butter; stir to melt. Place chicken on serving dish and spoon sauce over chicken.

Garnish with parsley sprigs and cherry tomatoes.

Makes 4 servings.

Shredded Parmesan Brussel Sprouts

This won't be going in our book and my quest for easy delicious brussel sprouts will continue. I wish I had time to make Cheesy Gratin of Brussel Sprouts often but I rarely have hours for a side dish. This was definitely different but there was nothing to cover the natural bitterness of the sprouts.

1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
directions
Preheat the oven to 425°. In a food processor fitted with a slicing blade, coarsely shred the brussels sprouts.
In 9X12 casserole dish, toss the brussels sprouts with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and spread in an even layer.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, until the brussels sprouts are tender and browned in spots; rotate the pan and stir the brussels sprouts halfway through roasting.
Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, toss and bake for 1 more minute, or until the cheese is melted. Transfer the brussels sprouts to a bowl and serve.
MAKE AHEAD The brussels sprouts can be baked up to 2 hours ahead; rewarm them before serving.

Berries and Stars

We made this to take for the Fourth of July. It's from Kris' recipe week and it was good! I think we'd all prefer just the berries and Cool Whip...it was very festive though!