Baked Turkey + Swiss Sliders

The best weeknight dinner (or crowd-pleasing app) when you have a jam-packed kids' sports and activities kind of night!  Serve with your favorite sides of choice.

These sliders can be assembled up to 4 hours before baking, which is my favorite kind of meal!  Simply store them covered in the fridge until you're ready to bake 'em.

Don't like turkey and Swiss combo?  Play around with different meats and cheeses!

 

Ingredients:

• 1 12-count package King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (I like the King's Hawaiian Savory Butter Rolls.)
• ▢ 3/4 pound thin-sliced deli turkey
• ▢ 3/4 pound thin-sliced Swiss cheese (Make sure to ask for it to be sliced thin or get Sargento brand "thin-sliced" Swiss.)
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter (I only used half of a stick.)
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon Everything but the Bagel seasoning

Directions:

(See below for step by step images!)

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with foil and spray the bottom with cooking spray.
• Without pulling the rolls apart, slice them in half horizontally. Place the bottom half of rolls in the prepared casserole dish.
• Layer the turkey onto the rolls, and then layer on the cheese.
• Place the top half of rolls onto the cheese.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop. Once melted, stir in the Dijon, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and Everything but the Bagel seasoning.
• Brush the butter mixture over the tops of the rolls. Let the rolls sit for 5 minutes to soak up some of the butter.
• Cover the rolls with foil and bake until they’re warm throughout and the cheese is melted, about 30 to 35 minutes, removing the foil during the last 5 minutes.
• Serve warm and eat immediately.
  
  
  
  
  
  *www.thecookierookie.com
  
  
  
  
  
  

Cheeseburger Macaroni

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey!)
• 1 packet taco seasoning (or about one ounce)
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis (such as a 10 ounce can of Rotel) (I used 10 ounces of petite diced tomatoes, with no green chiles, and food processed it (a couple pulses) to minimize the chunky tomatoes)
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup elbow macaroni

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. flour (I used whole wheat.)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground pepper

Directions:

• In a large sauce pan (such as a dutch oven), brown ground beef and drain grease. (I didn't have to drain grease because of meat choice.)
• Stir in taco seasoning, tomatoes, beef broth, and macaroni and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover pan. Simmer 10-14 minutes or until macaroni is tender. (I stirred every so often, as the pasta stuck to the bottom of the pan while cooking.)
• In a separate small saucepan, melt the butter.  Add the flour and cook, whisking for 2-3 minutes until it becomes fragrant and starts to turn a light brown color. 
• Whisk in the milk and bring to a soft boil. Continue whisking until smooth and mixture starts to thicken. Remove mixture from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Add the salt and pepper to the cheese sauce. 
• Pour the cheese sauce over the hamburger mixture. Stir gently to combine.
  Kids loved it and so will you and your meat-loving men in your lives!
  *www.sixsistersstuff.com

Chicken Parmesan Minis

Makes 12.  Easy weeknight dinner!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound of raw, ground chicken
• 1/2 of a red pepper, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced (I used about 1/4 of an onion.)
• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon of oregano (I used one drop of Oregano essential oil.)
• 3 mozzarella cheese sticks, each cut into 4 pieces
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tablespoon EVOO

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. For the topping, mix together the Italian bread crumbs, one tablespoon of Parmesan cheese, and one tablespoon of olive oil; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg, then add chicken, red pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, 1 tablespoon of Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
4. Spray a regular sized muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon heaping spoonfuls of the chicken mixture into a muffin tin (start with about one tablespoon in each muffin tin). Place a cheese cube (one of the pieces of cheese stick) down in the center of the mixture. Then, spoon one more tablespoon or so of chicken mixture on top, making sure the cheese is covered completely. (I made these mid-morning to prep for dinner, so after I completed this step, I covered the muffin tin in Syran wrap and refrigerated until ready to bake.)
5. (When ready to bake,) Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of each chicken mini.
6. Put the muffin tin in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until cooked through.  (Check at 25.)
7. Serve with marinara sauce under the minis or in a cup on the side for dipping.

*www.sixsistersstuff.com

Cheesy Taco Sticks

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef (I use 1/2 pound.)
• 1 packet taco seasoning mix (I made my own mix and used a heaping tablespoon of seasoning.)
• 1 tube Pillsbury Pizza Dough
• 5 colby jack and cheddar cheese sticks, halved
• 4 Tbsp. butter, melted (I halved the butter recipe, so 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 teaspoon of both spices.)
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dried parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with non-stick spray and set aside.
3. Cook the ground beef in a skillet, breaking up with a wooden spoon until fully browned and crumbled. Drain any fat and return skillet to stove top. Mix in the taco seasoning packet (but no water) (I added a little bit of water.), and stir until fully coated. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.*
4. (If desired, watch THIS video for a play by play.)  Spread the pizza dough out until it's flat and cut in half horizontally and then sliced 4 times vertically, creating a total of 10 small rectangles. Place about a tablespoon or more of the taco meat in the center of each pizza dough, top with a halved cheese stick and then carefully roll up the pizza stick, making sure to pinch all seams closed.  Turn stick over so that the sealed side is face-down on the baking sheet.
5. Combine the melted butter, garlic powder, and parsley in a small bowl and brush it on the tops of the cheesy taco sticks. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on top.   Be sure to check on sticks as they bake.  (I actually baked mine at 400 for about 12 minutes because I got nervous.  They should be golden brown (see pic).) Serve hot with your favorite taco toppings!

Notes:

*You can use leftover taco meat in this recipe. But if you do make the full 1 lb. of ground beef, you will have lots of leftover taco meat, so you can freeze it and save for later use!

*www.iwashyoudry.com

Easy! Four Bean Chili (with meat option!)

Ingredients:

Chili:

• 2 large onions, chopped (I only used one large onion.  Finely dice, or even pulse in food processor if desired.)
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 4 ounces tomato paste 
• 1/4 cup chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (I didn't use because I was feeding it to my kids.)
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I didn't use because I was feeding it to my kids.) 
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 6 cups vegetable broth 
• One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (I suggest petite diced, so look for two, 14 oz. cans.)
• 2 cups canned (drained) or frozen corn (I suggest sweet!)
• One 15-ounce can black beans 
• One 15-ounce can garbanzo beans 
• One 15-ounce can kidney beans 
• One 15-ounce can pinto beans 
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

• Toppings Bar (optional garnishes):

  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Shredded Cheddar
  • Avocado
  • Cooked chopped bacon
  • Chopped yellow onions
  • Chopped chives
  • Sliced jalapenos
  • Corn chips, such as Fritos
  • Tortilla chips
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    Directions:

    For the chili: In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the onions with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Mix in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil along with the tomato paste, chili powder, chipotle powder (optional), coriander, cumin, cayenne (optional) and garlic. Cook to toast the spices and tomato paste, 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the vegetable broth, tomatoes, corn, black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, Worcestershire, and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

    Serve the chili with the toppings bar.
    
    

    Cook's Note

    This recipe also works well with ground turkey or beef. Simply brown 2 1/2 pounds of ground meat (remember to season!) before adding the onions.
  • *www.cookingchannel.com (Tiffani Thiessen's)

Turkey Pesto Meatballs!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 pound Lean Ground Turkey (I used 1 pound breast, 1/4 pound thigh.)
• 1/4 cup pesto
• 1/4 cup your favorite breadcrumbs (I used Italian seasoned.)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tsp. salt
• I added about 1/8 cup of chopped carrots and a heaping handful of baby spinach (using my mini food processor to finely dice.)
• 2 cups tomato sauce  *(I used herhttp://simpledinners.blogspot.com/2015/06/easy-tomato-sauce.html recipe.  You can also just buy your favorite jarred brand.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place all the ingredients (except for the tomato sauce) in a bowl and using your hands, combine until everything is incorporated.
3. Using about 1 tablespoon of the mixture per meatball, roll into balls and place on a plate.
4. Pour the tomato sauce into a 9 x 9 inch baking pan and top with the meatballs.
5. Cover the baking pan with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.
6. Serve with a salad or pasta.

To Freeze: At the end of step 3, place the rolled meatballs on a cookie sheet and freeze. After 30 minutes, place the par-frozen balls in a Ziploc bag, label and freeze. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours or put them straight in the oven with sauce increasing cooking time by 5 minutes.  

*Weelicious Cookbook: One Family, One Meal

Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients:
1/2 cup preserves (raspberry, strawberry....)
8 slices bread, crusts cut off
4 ounces (1/2 cup) cream cheese, softened (I used whipped.)
3 large eggs
1/3 cup milk 
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
pinch of salt
butter, for greasing the pan
maple syrup or honey, for serving

Directions:
Remove crusts from slices of bread.

Evenly spread a generous amount of preserves on 4 slices of bread.

Evenly spread a generous amount of softened cream cheese on the remaining 4 slices.

Make 4 sandwiches, each with both cream cheese and preserves.

In a shallow bowl, (I used a glass pie dish), whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, and salt to combine.

In a large sauté over medium heat, melt the butter.

Dip each side of the sandwiches in the egg-milk mixture to thoroughly coat.  (Don't let them sit there for a long time.  Just coat, don't soak.)

Cook the stuffed french toast over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden.  

Serve with maple syrup or honey, if desired.

*Weelicious Cookbook, One Family One Meal

Easy! Cheeseburger Cups

I have an idea for next time, but until then, these were super easy and yummy!  

(See notes for idea...)

Ingredients: 
- 8 refrigerated biscuits
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire 
- 1 Tbsp. mustard
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 8 small slices of cheese (The pre-cut cheese squares {the ones that you pair with crackers} fit perfectly and were super easy to use!)
- Toppings of your choice

Directions:
Crumble and cook the beef in a skillet. Drain. Mix in ketchup, Worcestershire, mustard, and brown sugar. Grease a muffin tin, and line 8 cups with the refrigerated biscuits. Divide the meat mixture among the 8 cups, and bake at 400°F/204°C for 10-15 minutes, until the biscuit dough is brown. Top with cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.

*Next time: The biscuits were a little "thick," so next time, I am going to slice them in half horizontally, which will then double the amount of cups.  Keep the same amount of meat needed, only instead of about 2 tablespoons of meat for each biscuit, use 1 so that you have enough meat for 16 biscuits!  Also, try ground turkey for a "leaner" meal!

*Tasty Cookbook, 2016

Easy! Crock Pot "Ravioli" Casserole

I'm not sure why this blogger calls it "ravioli casserole," but who cares?  It's easy, and I was able to hide veggies for the picky eaters, and it's yummy.  This serves about 8 people, so prepare for leftovers if you're not feeding a large crowd.  Win win!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef (I have used both ground turkey and ground chicken, but feel free to switch up your choice of meat...you can even do a combination!)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
(I also food processed a heaping handful of baby carrots.)
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes (Supposedly these break up while cooking, but they were huge and scary to me.  I food processed them before adding to crock, however this step is not necessary.)
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt/pepper to taste
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed (I used one HUGE heaping handful of fresh spinach and chopped.)
16 oz. bowtie pasta, COOKED (Don't forget to salt your water!)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (Grate your own!)
1 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded (Grate your own!)

Directions:

Brown meat with onion and garlic (and I seasoned with salt and pepper while cooking). While meat and onions are cooking, cook pasta according to package directions.  Once meat is cooked and onions are translucent, transfer to crock pot and add (carrots if you're using them), tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, and seasonings. Cook for 6-7 hours on low.  For the last 30 minutes, add the spinach,  pasta, and Parmesan to crock pot and stir.  Finally, sprinkle the mozzarella on top and turn crock pot on high.    

*www.becomingbetty.blogspot.com