Homemade Pizza with Savory Crust

I love pizza. Not as much as I love Chinese food and dessert, but it’s definitely one of my top favorite foods. What I don’t appreciate about pizza, though, is how unhealthy and greasy it is. I typically blot off some of the grease with a napkin, but even at that there’s still a lot. So to keep myself from feeling totally guilty, I like to make homemade pizzas. It might not be enough to reclassify pizza has “healthy food,” but I feel like making homemade pizza takes some of the unhealthy components out of it (plus, you know what exactly is going in your pizza, and who is handling it).

It’s definitely a lot harder to make a pizza crust from scratch rather than buying a pre-made one or a pizza kit, but this pizza crust isn’t really that hard. It’s very flavorful, too! Not to mention, when I do all of the work, I kinda feel like I deserve the pizza.

The dough needs to rise in a warm place for about an hour, so I like to have my oven preheated to the temperature 400 degrees for that long and have the bowl with the dough sit on top of it. So go ahead and preheat your oven to 400 degrees. If you aren’t interested in doing that, just have a warm, dry place ready for your dough, and preheat the oven around the time you’re going to bake the pizza.

First, combine 1 Tbsp olive oil, ½ Tbsp stevia* (the granulated kind), 1 tsp salt, and 1 Tbsp active dry yeast in a large mixing bowl. You can also add seasonings to your crust by adding them in at this step (I typically do ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp basil, and ½ tsp garlic and herb).

When the ingredients have combined, pour in 1 cup of warm water and stir until the yeast has dissolved.

Once the yeast has dissolved, add the flour. I do a mixture of all-purpose and whole wheat flour, by combining 1 cup of whole wheat with the wet ingredients, followed by mixing in 1 cup of all-purpose flour, and then ¼ cup of whole-wheat and ¼ cup of all-purpose. You do not want a dry dough. You want the dough to be slightly wet (especially if using whole wheat – you want it to feel kind of tacky) but not so much that it sticks to your fingers. If the dough is sticking to your fingers, add in another ¼ cup of flour.

Once your dough is formed, plop it onto a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes. Put it back into the bowl, cover, and set the bowl in a warm, dry area and let the dough rise for about an hour. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s doubled in size.

When the dough is ready, grease a round pizza pan (12”-13”) with about a tsp or so of olive oil. Plop the dough onto the greased pan and carefully work it out so that it fills the pan. Top with your favorite toppings (I do the classic – pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni) and bake in your preheated oven at 400 degrees for about 18 minutes, give or take a minute (when the crust is slightly golden brown).

Serve and enjoy!

*If you don’t have granulated stevia, you can substitute your preferred granulated sweetener. However, stevia is 4 times as sweet as sugar, so, if you use sugar, you will use 2 Tbsp.

Homemade Pizza With Savory Crust

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

½ Tbsp granulated stevia*

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp active dry yeast
½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp basil, and ½ tsp garlic and herb (if desired)

1 cup warm water

2 ½ - 2 ¾ cups of flour (all-purpose, whole wheat, or a mixture of both; I typically do half whole wheat and half all-purpose)

Extra flour for dusting

1-2 tsp Olive oil for greasing pan

Desired toppings

*If you don’t have granulated stevia, you can substitute your preferred granulated sweetener. However, stevia is 4 times as sweet as sugar, so, if you use sugar, you will use 2 Tbsp.

Directions

The dough needs to rise in a warm place for about an hour, so I like to have my oven preheated to the temperature 400 degrees for that long and have the bowl with the dough sit on top of it. So go ahead and preheat your oven to 400 degrees. If you aren’t interested in doing that, just have a warm, dry place ready for your dough, and preheat the oven around the time you’re going to bake the pizza.

First, combine olive oil, stevia, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. If desired, you can also add seasonings to your crust by adding them in at this step (I typically do ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp basil, and ½ tsp garlic and herb). When the ingredients have combined, pour in the water and stir until the yeast has dissolved.

Once the yeast has dissolved, add the flour. I do a mixture of all-purpose and whole wheat flour, by combining 1 cup of whole wheat with the wet ingredients, followed by mixing in 1 cup of all-purpose flour, and then ¼ cup of whole-wheat and ¼ cup of all-purpose. You do not want a dry dough. You want the dough to be slightly wet (especially if using whole wheat – you want it to feel kind of tacky) but not so much that it sticks to your fingers. If the dough is sticking to your fingers, add in another ¼ cup of flour.

Once your dough is formed, plop it onto a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes. Put it back into the bowl, cover, and set the bowl in a warm, dry area and let the dough rise for about an hour. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s doubled in size.

When the dough is ready, grease a round pizza pan or stone (12”-13”) with about 1 tsp or so of olive oil. Plop the dough onto the greased pan and carefully work it out so that it fills the pan. Top with your favorite toppings (I do the classic – pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni) and bake in your preheated oven at 400 degrees for about 18 minutes, give or take a minute (when the crust is slightly golden brown).

Serve and enjoy!

I’ve also made a buffalo ranch chicken pizza with this crust recipe, and it is delicious! What are your favorite types of pizzas?

Molly 

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Bowls

For some reason I've been very slow in getting my most popular recipe up on my blog. I mean, I am a procrastinator, but come on! I've had this blog for almost a year now. You'd think I would get it up at some point. Oh well, better late than never!

First, a little back story: Kyle hated black beans. He told me that I was not allowed to put them in this recipe. Rather than saying what I really wanted to, I told him that he could pick around the black beans. Long story short, it was too much of a hassle to pick them out, so he ended up eating them.

This recipe makes a lot, so I invited a couple of my friends over to eat with us, one of who was a self-proclaimed black bean hater. I eventually got her to shut up and try the black beans. Another friend came over when we had finished eating (another self-proclaimed black bean hater) and we convinced her to try the food, too.

It's funny how all three stopped being black bean haters once I got them to actually eat this recipe.

I've had more than one person ask me for my recipe (which should have made me post this recipe sooner; again with the procrastination). I had a bunch of people over from my church to help out with some things around my house, and, because this recipe makes so much, this was the first recipe that came to mind when I knew I would have to feed everybody. Everybody loved it.

Alright, enough procrastinating. Below you will find the recipe for my most popular dish, Chicken Taco Bowls.

Spray the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Put 1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of the cooker. Add 1 15 oz can of black beans (drained), 1 15 oz can of corn (drained), and 1 16 oz jar of taco sauce (I use Ortega medium heat). Sprinkle in 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1/2 Tbsp cumin, 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp salt, and a dash of black pepper. Add 1/4 cup water and give everything a good stir, then cover and let cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Cook rice according to the package right before the food is done (2 cups of water per cup of rice, boil then let simmer for anywhere from 20-45 minutes, depending on the rice you use). When the rice is done, shred the chicken, then build the bowls by putting rice in the bowl, followed by the chicken, and topped with desired toppings (salsa, sour cream, cheese, etc.).

Serve and enjoy!

I used black rice on this particular day. Looks strange; tastes amazing!

Chicken Taco Bowls

Ingredients

1.5 lbs chicken breast
1 15 oz can corn (drained)
1 15 oz can black beans (drained)
16 oz  taco sauce (I use Ortega, medium heat)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
black pepper (for taste)
1/4 cup water
Rice (however much you want to eat)
Desired toppings

Directions

Spray the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker, and pour in the corn, beans, taco sauce, and water; sprinkle in the seasonings; stir; let cook on low for 6-8 hours.

When the food is close to being done, cook the rice according to the package (typically 2 cups of water per cup of rice, boil and let simmer for anywhere from 20-45 minutes, depending on the rice you use).

When the chicken is done, shred it and serve this delicious concoction on top of the rice. Top with your desired toppings and enjoy!

Molly

Recipe adapted from Budget Bytes Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Bowls.

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies: the go-to favorite cookie for a lot of people. Personally, oatmeal raisin is my favorite (yes, I know I’m weird; I take after my grandma!) but I still like a good chocolate chip cookie. Preferably, ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookies that have been a bit under-baked. What about you guys? What are your favorite kinds of cookies, and do you prefer them soft or a bit crunchy?

There are so many chocolate chip cookie recipes out there; probably each person (well, each baking person) has their own recipe. I like my grandma’s recipe, my cousin’s recipe, and even the kind I get in a box at Walmart, but the recipe below is probably my favorite. It uses two kinds of sugar, a cup of butter, and a whole bag of chocolate chips. What’s not to love?

Like I said, I believe every person has their own chocolate chip recipe, but if you’re looking for a new one - or one in general if you’re just getting into baking – I highly recommend this one!

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

First, mix 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, ½ tsp baking soda, and ¼ tsp of salt in a bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream together 1 cup of brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar, and 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter with a hand mixer (or, if you’re lucky, a stand mixer). When the butter and sugar are creamed, add 2 eggs and 2 tsps of vanilla and mix.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat with the mixer, then add one package (2 cups) of semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir until mixed.

Make dough balls (about the size of a ping-pong ball) and place them on a baking sheet with about 1 ½ inches between them. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the middles are still gooey. Let the cookies set on the tray for about five minutes, then move them to a cooling rack.

Serve warm with a nice big glass of milk and enjoy! Store the remaining cookies in an airtight container with a piece of bread to keep them from getting hard.

This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into chunks

2 eggs

2 tsps vanilla

1 package (16 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Mix 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, ½ tsp baking soda, and ¼ tsp of salt in a bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream together 1 cup of brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar, and 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter with a hand mixer (or, if you’re lucky, a stand mixer). When the butter and sugar are creamed, add 2 eggs and 2 tsps of vanilla and mix. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat with the mixer, then add one package (2 cups) of semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir until mixed.

Make dough balls (about the size of a ping-pong ball) and place them on a baking sheet with about 1 to 1 ½ inches between them. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the middles are still gooey. Let the cookies set on the tray for about five minutes, then move them to a cooling rack.

Serve warm with a nice big glass of milk and enjoy! Store the remaining cookies in an airtight container with a piece of bread to keep from getting hard.

Don’t forget to tell me your favorite kind of cookies and if you like them soft or crunchy in the comments! I’d love to know!

Molly

Kellogg's Origins Gift Basket Giveaway (Open to US only; 18+. Ends 6/28/15)

Hey, guys! I know I haven't been around much lately, but I come bearing gifts! At the bottom of this post you'll find a giveaway for Kellogg's NEW Origins cereals, which focuses on natural ingredients rather than fun, colorful, sugar-filled bits and pieces.

I've really been getting into natural foods, so I'm very excited to hear that Kellogg's is jumping on the wagon, and I can't wait to try this new cereal! My friend Maria over at Adventures of the Mommy Homemaker got to try the new Origins cereal, and she really liked it. See what she has to say below!

I was definitely curious to give the Muesli a try. I have heard that my aunts and cousins in Italy love it and have eaten it since they were children, so it only made sense that I would give it a try. I tried it and loved it. If I could describe it, I'd say it would be like eating oatmeal. The only difference is that it's delicious both cold or hot - and my is it filling! 

As you can see, Maria is very happy with the Muesli cereal. However, we don't just want you to take Maria's word for it. Kellogg's is giving one lucky reader a chance to win a Kellogg's Origin Gift Basket, which will include a 3 pack of Kellogg's Origins, an adorably decorated mason jar - good for taking your Origins granola, cereal, or muesli with you while you're on the go - and a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

 

If you don't want to wait around to find out if you're a winner to try the cereal, you can pick up Kellogg's Origins at Kroger, Meijer, Safeway, Hannaford and select Walmart locations.  They retail for $4.59 or 2 for $6! That a total save of $3.18! Woohoo!

Like I said earlier, I've been getting into natural foods. Not only is it healthier, but it's also more satisfying! Our bodies are meant to be fueled by the basic food groups, not by sugar-filled bits and pieces passed off as food by so many companies. I'm very excited to find out that Kellogg's, one of the biggest brand names, is finally getting on board and producing more natural foods. I can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Here's what Maria had to say about this change: 

When it comes to Kellogg's we think of Special K, Corn Flakes, Frosted Flakes, and many other delicious and good for you cereals. Well, Kellogg's either stepped into a time machine and went back to Ancient Times, or they just decided to bring the ancient grains back into the 21st Century. It's definitely the latter, since I don't think anyone has created the time machine yet. 

You're probably wondering what in the world am I talking about right? Well, I'm talking about Kellogg's Origins available in Cereal, Granola, and Muesli. If you're a health nut, or trying to become healthy, then you probably already know what muesli is. If you don't allow me to explain what all three are. The following information below was provided by Kellogg's.

Kellogg's Origins - Granola

• Kellogg’s Origins Ancient Grains Granolahelps introduce ancient grains to consumers with a crunchy, satisfying mix of whole ancient and traditional grains (oats, barley, wheat, spelt, rye), fruits (raisins, apples, cranberries), pumpkin seeds, and almonds.

• Kellogg’s Origins Ancient Grains Granola is available in two flavors: Raisin Apple and Cranberry Almond with Pumpkin Seeds. It comes in resealablepouches that make it convenient to nourish your body, even on the go.

Kellogg's Origins - Cereal

• Kellogg’s Origins Ancient Grains Blendcereal combines whole ancient grains (Kamut® Brand khorasanwheat, spelt, quinoa) with whole traditional grains (wheat, brown rice, barley, bran) to provide a healthy, delicious breakfast experience.

• Kellogg’s Origins Fruit & Nut Blend cereal delights with hearty flakes of whole grain wheat, milled corn, and toasted whole grain oats mixed with cranberries and walnuts.

• Both new cereal offerings come packaged in box with a clear view window, which highlights all of the colorful and wholesome ingredients.

Kellogg's Origins - Muesli

• Kellogg’s Origins Muesliis packed with nutritious whole grains (rolled oats, wheat, rye, spelt, barley), fruits (raisins, apricots, cranberries, dates), nuts (cashews, almonds), and pumpkin seeds.

• A European breakfast staple for over 100 years, muesli is versatile and can be eaten with milk or yogurt, soaked overnight in the refrigerator in water or fruit juice to soften, or served hot with water or milk. It can also be enjoyed as a light evening snack.

• Kellogg’s Origins Muesli is available in two flavors: Apricot Cashew Raisin Coconut with Almonds and Raisin Apricot Cranberry with Pumpkin Seeds and comes in resealable pouches

 

OFFICIAL RULES

 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

 

1. HOW TO ENTER: The Kellogg’s Origins^™ Blogger Giveaway (“Giveaway”) is an online-only Giveaway. Giveaway begins on 8:00:00 AM (ET) on 6/22/15 and ends at 12:00:00 PM (ET) on 6/28/15 (“Promotion Period”). To enter the Giveaway, go to Adventures of the Mommy Homemaker (“Blog Website”) during the Promotion Period and follow the online instructions to complete your entry. Entry into the Giveaway is free.

All entries become the property of Adventures of the Mommy Homemaker (“Sponsor”), will not be returned and may be shared with Kellogg Company for promotional purposes. Limit one (1) entry per person for the Giveaway – regardless of number of blogs visited. In the event of a dispute regarding entries, any entries will be deemed to have been submitted by the Authorized Account Holder of the email address submitted at the time of entry, provided that person meets all eligibility requirements set forth in these Official Rules. “Authorized Account Holder” means the natural person who is assigned to an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Entrants may not participate with multiple e-mail addresses, nor may entrants use any device or artifice to enter multiple times or as multiple entrants. Any entrant who attempts to enter with multiple e-mail addresses, under multiple identities or uses any other device or artifice to enter multiple times will be disqualified from participation in the Giveaway and all entries submitted by that entrant will be void. Only fully completed entries are eligible. Proof of submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsor. Sponsor is not responsible for any change of mailing address, email address, and/or telephone number of entrants.

 

2. ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Employees of Adventures of the Mommy Homemaker, Kellogg Company, their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies and their immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of each are not eligible to participate.

 

3. WINNER SELECTION: Winner will be selected in a random drawing using random.org no later than 6/29/15 from among all eligible entries received by the Sponsor or its designee, whose decisions are final and binding. Winner will be notified by email. In the event the Sponsor is unable to contact the winner within forty-eight (48) hours of first notification attempt, prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner may be selected.

 

4. PRIZE/APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUE (ARV)/ODDS: One (1) Grand Prize – Winner will receive a Kellogg’s Origins^™ Prize Pack consisting of: three (3) new Kellogg’s Origins^™ products (one (1) of each of the following: cereal; granola; and mueslis); one (1) $50 Amazon Gift Card; and one (1) Mason Jar. Total ARV of prize $68.36. Gift card is subject to the terms and conditions associated with it use. Odds of winning depend on total number of eligible entries received. Unclaimed prize will not be awarded. All applicable federal, state, and local taxes on prize are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. Limit one (1) prize per person for each Blogger Giveaway.

 

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8. WINNER’S LIST: For name of winner, send an email to (pr@themammahomemaker.com) by 7/31/15 with the following included in the subject line: Kellogg’s Origins^™ Blogger Giveaway – Winner’s List. Winner’s list to be available after 6/30/15

 

9. SPONSOR: Kellogg NA Co.

 

®, ™, © 2015 Kellogg NA Co. Kellogg Company is not a sponsor or co-sponsor of this Giveaway and is no way responsible for the administration of this promotion by the blogger and/or the verification of the winner. Kellogg Company is the prize provider in this Giveaway; and its fulfillment agency will fulfill the prizes to the winners.

 

Pi Day Pie Experience

I love baking and cooking. I make dinner for my family pretty much every night, and I spend a lot of my freetime collecting recipes that I want to try. If I’m bored, one of the first things I think to do is bake something.

However, I have never tried my hand at pie-baking until just recently.

People always say that pie crusts are one of the most difficult things you will ever try to make. My own grandma is always complaining about her pie crusts, and she’s made them for years. So I just had it in my head that I could either just buy a pie or have someone make it for me. Why bother putting myself through so much stress?

Pi Day might be a mathematical day, but, hello, it’s called Pi Day, pronounced pie day. Obviously we need to eat pie on Pi Day.

Dean agrees. Image courtesy of Google image.

For some reason, I had the urge to attempt my very first pie on this year’s Pi Day.

I looked up a bunch of pie crust recipes, decided on what kind of pie I was going to make, and set off to buy the ingredients. I originally wanted to make a butter crust, but Mom was all “No! Pie crusts need to be made with shortening!” I tried telling her that the recipe I found said that it was better than any shortening crust, but she was convinced that I needed a shortening crust.

I looked up a few more crust recipes and found the Pioneer Woman’s recipe. Hers calls for shortening, so, because I love her show and I trust her judgement (better than my own mother’s when it comes to pie crusts; sorry, Mom), I conceded and bought some shortening.

So the grocery shopping was complete and the hard part over. All that was left was to actually make the pie.

Because I had never made a pie before, I didn’t exactly feel comfortable experimenting. These are the three recipes that I used to put the pie together.

Sylvia's Perfect Pie Crust (The Pioneer Woman's Recipe)

Quick Stovetop Apple Pie Filling

Apple Pie with Oat Streusel (I only used the streusel part of the recipe, and I didn't use a food processor)

The crust.

Confession: The Food Network channel is one of my favorite channels to watch. However, I am very selective about the shows that I watch. The Pioneer Woman is one of my favorite shows; she’s just so warm and cheerful, and I love her ranch! Plus, her food looks amazing and isn’t too different than what I’ve grown up with (some of those shows have really weird dishes and I’m like “Yeah, I’m never going to make that; I don’t even know where I’d get the ingredients!”) I was very happy when I found her pie crust recipe.

She gives very detailed descriptions for her recipe, so it was easy for me to follow along. I divided the dough into two parts instead of three because I wanted a thicker crust. I don’t think I formed the dough ball correctly because the edges kept breaking when I rolled it out, but it wasn’t TOO difficult to keep it all together and form something that resembled a circle.

The hard part was when I needed to get the crust into the pan. I didn’t exactly get it centered, but I was able to salvage all my hard work. By the time that was complete, I wasn’t exactly prepared to make the edges look pretty. Besides, who cares what it looks like as long as it tastes like a little slice of heaven?

The filling.

Peeling apples isn’t my favorite thing to do, although coring has become significantly less daunting ever since I got my nifty apple corer from Casa Bella. So once I got the peel off, making the filling was probably the easiest part (besides eating it, of course).

The topping.

This is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted in my entire life. Okay, I might be exaggerating, but you get the point.

I knew I wanted a crumbly, streusel-like topping, sort of like what you find on a typical Dutch Apple Pie. However, I wanted to incorporate oats into my topping, and the Dutch Apple Pie recipes I found didn’t really have what I was looking for. So I typed in “Oat streusel recipe” into Google. I didn’t find just a recipe for streusel, but it was easy enough to look at a recipe that uses oat streusel and just use that part of the recipe.

I didn’t used the entire amount that this recipe made because it make a lot and I didn’t want to overpower the apples. While I was waiting for the pie to bake, I made the worst decision of the day and decided to start snacking on the leftover streusel. I couldn’t stop. Do I regret it? Yes. Would I do it again? Oh, yes.

The pie went into a 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes. When it was done, it got a generous amount of Smucker’s caramel sauce drizzled all over it.

And then the hardest part of all: waiting for it to cool.

Who knew that pies take at least an hour to cool? I didn’t.

But it was so worth the wait. And all the deliciousness cost me was time and my kitchen!

Don't worry; cleaning up was the second thing I did once the pie was in the oven!
(Eating the crumble was the first thing I did :) )

Because I knew I would eat the entire pie if I kept it, I took two slices over to my grandparents and one to the professor whose office I have pretty much claimed as my headquarters during my various breaks during school hours. One of my classmates was in my professor’s office when I got there, so they shared the pie.

I got raving reviews.

So the crust gave me a little trouble, but not too much. I am no longer intimidating by the pie-making process, which is a good thing; I still have the other crust in my freezer!

Any suggestions on what my next pie should be?

Cheers!

Molly

Cheeseburger Pasta Casserole

Cheeseburgers and pasta combined into one casserole. It's like a heart attack waiting to happen. But it's a delicious heart attack waiting to happen!

I am addicted to Pinterest. Seriously. You can probably find me avoiding my responsibilities (like doing homework, doing chores, or keeping up with my blog) by browsing Pinterest for hours. I especially love the recipes that I find; it's actually where I found the inspiration for this recipe.

You can view the original recipe here.

Start off your "heart attack waiting to happen" recipe by browning a pound of hamburger, one chopped onion, and garlic (either one clove or 1 tsp of Tastefully Simple's Garlic Garlic) in a skillet. When the burger is brown and the onions are transparent, drain the grease (if needed).

Boil 8 oz of rotini noodles by following the directions on the box (approximately 10 minutes). Once al dente, set aside.

Add 1 tsp of seasoned salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 2 tbsp of ketchup, and 2 tbsp Dijon mustard to the skillet. Stir until combined, and then add 15 oz of tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and then simmer on warm for about 5 minutes.

Stir the noodles into the burger mixture, then transfer to a greased baking dish. Top with 1 - 1.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Cheeseburger Pasta Casserole

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic (or 1 tsp Garlic Garlic)
8 oz rotini noodles
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp ketchup
15 oz tomato sauce
1 - 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook noodles according to the package (usually about 10 minutes). Set aside.

Brown beef, garlic, and onion in a large skillet. When the beef is brown and the onions are transparent, drain the grease (if necessary) and add 1 tsp seasoned salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper, 2 tbsp of Dijon mustard, and 2 tbsp of ketchup. Stir.

Add 15 oz tomato sauce to the mixture. Bring mixture to a boil and boil over low heat for about 5 minutes.

Stir in the cooked noodles to the burger mixture. Transfer to a greased baking dish. Top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake for about 15 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Molly

Lemon Bars - AKA a Taste of Heaven

This recipe has been in my family for as long as I can remember; maybe even longer. They are like crack to every single one of us; I do not kid. I remember one time my grandma sent half a pan home with my dad, but only about four made it home and Dad didn't tell us that he'd already had some so he got another one in addition to the ones he'd already eaten throughout the day.

A shortbread-like crust, a lemon filling, a powdered sugar top... What's not to love?

Grandma made some the other day and sent 6 home with us. They were gone by the end of that day, and Kyle made Mom make more that night. Those ones were gone within two or three days.

Like I said: crack.

First, make the crust. Whisk together 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt. Cut in a cup of butter until you have something resembling a coarse meal (use some knives, some forks, a special tool, or your bare hands.

Press this mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

While the crust is baking, mix 4 eggs, 2 cups of white sugar, and 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour in a bowl.

Add in 1/3 cup of lemon juice to the batter.

When the crust is done, pour the batter on top and bake for another 20 minutes.

After your lemon bars are finished baking, remove from the oven and dust with powdered sugar.

Let the lemon bars cool a bit before serving. These can be enjoyed while warm or after a few hours in the fridge; both ways are delicious.

Lemon Bars

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup powdered sugar

Salt

1 cup (two sticks) butter

Filling

4 eggs

2 cups white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup lemon juice

Topping

Powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

Make the crust by whisking together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt. Cut in 1 cup of butter until you have something resembling a coarse meal. Press into the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.

Prepare the filling by combining 4 eggs, 2 cups of white sugar, and 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour in a bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup lemon juice.

When the crust is done, pour the batter on top of it and bake for another 20 minutes.

After the lemon bars are done baking, dust with powdered sugar. Allow to cool and then serve immediately or refrigerate and serve cool; warm or cold, these are delicious both ways!

What are some recipes that last only a day or two in your homes?

Molly

Molly's GarCarbs (AKA Whole Wheat Garlic and Herb Biscuits)

I was originally going to call these “Whole wheat garlic and herb biscuits,” but then my GoCo (sort of like a youth group) started naming them. So they went from “Whole wheat garlic and herb biscuits” to “Molly’s Carbs,” to “Molly’s Whole Wheat Carbs,” to “Molly’s Garlic and Herb Carbs” to “GarCarbs.” I’m also supposed to have them in green packaging when I decide to sell them because people always assume that green stuff means healthy stuff and will be more likely to buy them. I’m also supposed use Helvetica font on the packaging.

So if you ever see a green packaged biscuit mix with the name “Molly’s GarCarbs” written in Helvetica on the front, you now know where they come from. But until I get around to this awesome business plan, I will share the recipe so that you can enjoy them now instead of later.

First, gather you ingredients. You will need 1 ½ cups of whole wheat flour, 2 ½ tsp of baking powder, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp dried basil, ½ tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, 6 Tbsp cold butter, and 1 cup of milk.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and herbs in a mixing bowl.

 Cut in the butter (using either a fancy tool or two forks) until you have something resembling a coarse meal.

Pour in the milk and mix everything together.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place about a golf ball sized amount of dough on the baking sheet. This batter makes about a dozen biscuits.

Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy your GarCarbs!

Yes, there is one missing. I had to try them and make sure they were good!

Molly’s GarCarbs

Ingredients

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

2 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp dried basil

1 tsp garlic powder

6 Tbsp cold butter

1 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and herbs in a mixing bowl.

Cut in the butter (using either a fancy tool or two forks) until you have something resembling a coarse meal.

Pour in the milk and mix everything together.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place about a golf ball sized amount of dough on the baking sheet (you can use either your bare hands or a spoon). This batter makes about a dozen biscuits.

Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy your GarCarbs!

Molly

Based loosely on Martha Stewart's Flaky Buttery Biscuits recipe.

Orange Cranberry Scones

GUYS.

This recipe...

is amazing.

So as you may or may not know, I've tried making breakfast for my family every Wednesday during the school year (no way am I waking up at 5:45 am over holiday break). Since I've had a couple weeks off, I wasn't sure what to make now that school is back in session. I was browsing Pinterest and I saw a recipe for scones.

I thought about it.

Most scones I've had are dry. But they were never homemade.

So I thought about it some more.

I looked up a basic scone recipe, adapted it, and tried my hand at making some orange cranberry scones. And they turned out awesome and Mom and Kyle love them!

First, in a large mixing bowl mix 1 cup of whole wheat flour, 1 cup of all purpose flour, 1/4 cup of oats, 2 Tbsps of brown sugar, 1 Tbsp of flaxseed, 1 Tbsp of chia seeds, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt.

Next, cut in a stick of butter until you have a mixture that resembles a coarse meal.

In a separate bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt, 1 large egg, and the juice from 1 orange (approximately 1/4 cup of juice). Add to the dry ingredients and mix. Your dough will be dry and crumbly, but you will mix it with your hands on a floured surface next and make it all stick together. Stir in the cranberries.

Put the dough on a floured surface and kneed until the dough sticks together. Flatten out into a circle, about ten inches. Cut into wedges and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup oats
1 Tbsp flaxseed (I used milled)
1 Tbsp chia seeds (I used milled)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 egg
Juice from 1 orange (approx. 1/4 cup)
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix flour, oats, flax, chia, powder, soda, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

Cut in the butter until you have a crumbly mixture.

In a separate bowl, mix Greek yogurt, juice, and egg. Add to the dry ingredients. (The dough will seem dry; you will mix it better on a floured surface.)

Gently stir in the cranberries.

Dump the dough onto a floured surface. Kneed until it forms a dough ball that sticks together (ie you don't have a bunch of crumbly dough). Flatten into a circle (approx. 10 inches).

Cut the dough into wedges with a sharp knife (you might want to flour the knife).

Place the wedges on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Molly

Healthy Hearty Beef Vegetable Soup

Good afternoon readers! How has your winter been? Here in Ohio we usually have dreadful winters full of snow and ice and below freezing winds. However this year, for some strange reason, has been devoid of all of these nasty weather conditions. Has it been cold? Yes, but I think the coldest day has still been in the 40s and we’ve had plenty of days in the 50s and even 60s. It’s strange but I’m not complaining!

I love making warm dishes for dinner during these colder months, especially soups. The winter months are also usually the sick months, so soup is good for warming the body (and soul!) as well as providing the ultimate comfort for an ache-y throat.

I found this recipe while browsing Pinterest. It sounded really good, but I made a few tweaks. If you’re being bombarded by cold weather or the sniffles, I highly recommend you try this soup!

Start off by browning 2 lbs of burger and 1 chopped onion in a large pan. Drain if needed.

After the burger is cooked all the way through, add 2 cups of chopped potatoes, 1 ½ cups of chopped carrots, 1 ½ cups of chopped celery, ½ cup of brown rice, 1 can of green beans, 1 can of corn, 6 cups of water, and spices (salt, pepper, basil, dried oregano, and 2 bay leaves). Bring to a boil and simmer for approximately 40 minutes.

Once the soup has simmered for 40 minutes, add 15 oz of tomato sauce. Simmer the soup for another 20 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

Healthy Hearty Beef Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef

1 med onion (chopped)

2 cups chopped potatoes (peeled)

1 1/2 cups chopped carrots

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1/2 cup brown rice

6 cups water

15 oz tomato sauce

1 can green beans

1 can corn

3 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

2 bay leaves

Directions

First, brown the burger and onions in a pan. Add one tsp salt for flavor. Drain if necessary.

Next, add the potatoes, carrots, celery, rice, water, corn, green beans, spices, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about forty minutes.

After the soup has simmered for about forty minutes, add the tomato sauce. Bring to a boil again and let simmer for another twenty minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Molly