Lasagna Soup

Submitted by: Poppy

Lasagna in a soup? Yes! This soup is kind of a mixture of my mother-in-law's Italian Soup and my mom's Lasagna. It's as delicious as it is easy!

* Oregano not pictured *

The Soup

1 lb Jimmy Dean Sausage (regular or Italian)

2 cloves Garlic

1 box Chicken Broth

1 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 lb cooked noodles (any kind will do)

Bullion (if more flavor is needed)

Cheese Topping

1/4 c grated Parmesan (freshly grated, if you have it)

1/2 c Ricotta

1/2 c shredded Mozzarella 

pepper to taste

Boil water in a large pot, be sure to salt the water. 

Brown sausage in a different pot, drain grease, add back to pot. Add minced garlic cloves to sausage and cook until garlic is softened a bit. Add chicken broth, oregano, and garlic powder and simmer. In boiling pot of water, cook noodles according to package. Drain and add noodles to soup.

Combine ricatta, parmesan and mozzarella. 

Serve soup with a dollop of cheese mixture.  

Finger Steaks

Submitted by: Poppy

Finger Steaks. You can find them on menus across Idaho, but not many other places. Why, just why not? I am not sure, but once you try them, you'll love them. The first homemade finger steaks I had were made my mother-in-law, and they were and will remain the BEST! Here is my attempt at replicating hers.

It seems like lots of steps, but the hardest part of this recipe is cleaning up the stove afterwards!

Step 1. Mix 2 Eggs and 1 c Milk in a large bowl.

Step 2: Add 3 c Flour, 1 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Pepper, 1 tsp Garlic Powder, 1 tsp Onion Salt to a 

large brown grocery sack (I double sack mine).

Step 3: Generously salt and pepper cubed steak. Cut cubed steak into finger sized strips. 

Cut against the tenderized grain. 

Step 4: Soak steak in milk/egg mixture. Then place steak into the flour mixture, shake bag.

Step 5: Fry the flour drenched steak in a cast iron skillet, or in a frier. I always use shortening and heat to medium/high. They do not have to cook for long, just until each side is golden. A couple minutes on each side. 

Step 6: Drain steak on paper towels or brown grocery sack. 

SALT right after taking out of fryer. 

Step 7: EAT 'em. I like mine with fry sauce 

(equal parts ketchup and mayo, and a shake or 2 of seasoned salt)

This made 1 1/2 lbs of finger steaks. It fed our family of 5 little piggies! 

There was enough milk mixture and flour to make at least another pound of steaks. 

1 1/2 - 3lbs Cubed Steak

2 Eggs

1 c Milk

3 c Flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion salt

Appx 2 c Vegetable Shortening for frying 

               (depending on size of skillet)

Chicken/Sausage/Rice Bowls

submitted by: Poppy

Is this really a recipe? Not sure. Do we eat it for dinner and like it? Yes. Okay, putting it on here! 

Goya Yellow Rice "Spanish Style" 

Smoked Sausage

Chicken

Lemon Pepper

Feta Cheese

Green onion (optional)

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Make Goya rice as directed on the box. While rice is cooking (about 25 min), cut sausage into disks and in half again. Cook sausage until browned. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces, season with lemon pepper, salt and pepper.  Fry chicken in olive oil and butter. Once everything is cooked, assembly the bowls. Rice, chicken, sausage, feta cheese, and green onions (optional). 

* My daughter likes lemon squeezed over hers. 

Slow Cooker Granola

This recipe is one I found in a slow cooker cook book and I love it. Best part is you can just let it cook and not worry about burning your granola in the oven! And you can add other yummy things to the granola depending on what you like.

You will need

• A slow cooker
• 4-5 cups of uncooked oats (not instant)
• 1/2 cup of oil
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• Non stick cooking spray 

Mix all the ingredients together and put in a slow cooker sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover and cook on low setting for 5 hours stirring occasionally until golden brown. Tastes great as a cereal or with yogurt! 

Calzones

Submitted by: Poppy

Asking my husband what he wants for dinner is dangerous business. Given the choice, he'll pick calzones or finger steaks every time. Calzones are not hard to make, just take a little ahead of time prep, and that's not always my forte! But, they are well worth it and one of our family favorites. 

The Pizza Dough

3 1/2 - 4 c bread flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees)

2 T olive oil

1 package yeast

Add all ingredients into bowl with paddle attachment. Add flour until dough no longer sticks to the side (see below).

Dough is done when it no longer sticks to the side of the bowl.

 Form dough into a ball and place in a well greased bowl. Cover and let rise. Can be refrigerated and used later in the day or the next couple of days. Just take out of fridge a couple hours before using. 

 Place in a warm place to rise for a 1 1/2 hrs or so. It will look like the picture below. 

Done!

The Sauce

1 can tomatoes (any kind will work)

2 cloves garlic

3 T olive oil

1/2 tsp salt (to taste)

pinch of red pepper flakes

Saute garlic and olive oil, add tomatoes and salt. Simmer. 

The Fillings

Canadian Bacon

Pepperoni

Sausage

Ricotta Cheese

Mozzarella Cheese

Sauce (above)

Anything else! 

Assembly

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line and spray a baking sheet.

Cut off fist sized pieces of pizza dough and spread into circles on baking sheet. I made one as a pizza for my little guy. 

Then fold over the calzones and pinch closed. Brush on an egg wash (one egg beaten), and cut a few slits in the top.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the top and bottom are golden. Depending on what oven I use, sometimes I will pop under the broiler for about 20-30 seconds to crisp up the top. 

I serve with a side of sauce and ranch dressing. We like Uncle Dan's Ranch Dressing Mix the best!

Enjoy!!

Beef Enchiladas

submitted by: Poppy

This one comes right off the back of the Old El Paso Red Enchilada Sauce can. I use a bit more meat and double the cheese, because everything is better with more cheese. It is a go-to meal at our house, when I want to make something quick and easy.

1 1/4 lb ground beef (1 lb is fine, my family likes them a little meatier)

2 cans (10 oz) Old El Paso enchilada sauce 

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

8 medium sized flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground beef, drain grease. Add 3/4 cup enchilada sauce and 1 cup cheddar cheese to the meat. 

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish (remember to do this!)

Spoon some of the meat mixture into a tortilla, roll it and place seam side down in baking dish. Repeat until the meat is gone. I get about 8 tortillas total. 

Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top, then sprinkle with 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese. 

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

Serve plain or with whatever toppings sound good! 

Cowboy Caviar

Cara's Cowboy Caviar

• 1 can of whole corn (drained and rinsed)
• 1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 can of black eyed peas (drained and rinsed)
• 1 avocado
• 4-5 Roma tomatoes
• 1 bottle of Italian dressing (any brand)
• Handful of Cilantro (or more to taste)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Garlic salt (not pictured)

Combine all the ingredients and pour most of the bottle of Italian dressing into the mixture. I will always stop and taste to see if I should add more seasonings. You can add onions and jalapenos to add spice. This is a real crowd pleaser and there are tons of variations available. I keep mine simple but it is YUMMY and so easy.

Cranberry/Orange/Almond Shortbread Cookies

submitted by: Poppy

I discovered these delicious little crunchy cookies at Christmas this year. They are easy and so, so good. Not terribly sweet, but sweet enough. Perfect with a cup of coffee, tea, milk, water, diet coke, orange juice, whiskey ... you get the picture. 

1 c. unsalted butter (if salted, reduce salt by 1/4 tsp.)

1 c. powdered sugar

3/4 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp salt

2 c. flour

1 T orange zest (about 1 large orange)

2/3 cup sliced almonds (toasted is best)

1/3 c. dried cranberries 

Coarse sugar (optional)

Mix butter, sugar and extract. Add flour, salt and orange zest until combined. Gently mix in cranberries and almonds. 

Place dough on a piece of cling wrap and form into a log. Refrigerate for a couple hours, until firm. 

Cut into 1/4" slices, place on greased, or parchment lined pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 14 minutes, or until edges just start to turn golden. Let them cool on a baking sheet for a few minutes, until set. 

*Sprinkle coarse sugar on top to give a little extra sweetness. For lots of extra sweetness, glaze after they are cooled. 

Orange Glaze

3/4 powdered sugar

juice of 1/2 orange

teaspoon or so of melted butter

Garden Chili

submitted by: Poppy

Chili can really be anything you want it to be! This one has lots of bell peppers, jalapeño, tomatoes, garlic and onions. It also uses canned chili beans, so it comes together fast. Sometimes I'll use all ground beef, sometimes half ground beef and half sausage, depending on what I have in the fridge.

1 lb ground beef

2 bell peppers (any color)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 jalapeno

2 cloves garlic

2 cans diced tomatoes 

3 cans Bush's Chili Beans

3-4 T Chili Powder (Mexene, if you have it)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

red pepper flakes (optional, to make it more spicy)

Chop all the veggies, add to pot with 1 T. olive oil. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, chili powder, salt and pepper and simmer on low. Brown ground beef and then add to the pot. Simmer until ready to eat.

Top with garnish of your choice ... cheese, cilantro, saltine crackers, tortilla chips, sour cream, green onions, avocado, fried egg ... lots of options! 

This also works great in a crock pot. 

Cheeseburger Pie

Submitted by: Poppy

An oldie, but goodie. Such a simple recipe, but everyone seems to like it, even my bunch of picky eaters. Of course, I had to leave out the onion in our pie. I put green onions on top of mine. In the summer, a big slice of fresh tomato on top is so yummy!

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 

1/2 cup Bisquick

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 inch pie plate.

Brown beef and onions. Drain grease and add salt. Spread beef in pie plate. Next, sprinkle cheese on top of beef. Mix together milk, eggs and Bisquick. Pour mixture over cheese. 

Bake for 25 minutes. 

Eat plain, or top with garnish of your choice! Enjoy!

Poppy's Salsa

Submitted by: Poppy

Everyone loves this super, easy salsa! Except if you are one of those strange souls, who does not like cilantro (yes, talking to you mom). 

1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Handful Cilantro

1 Garlic clove

1 Jalapeno (seeded)

Juice of 1 Lime 

Salt and Pepper to taste (start with about 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper)

Combine all ingredients. Process with hand blender or food processor. 

Make lots, it goes fast! Enjoy!

Puff Pastry Pizza - Updated

Submitted by: Poppy

This is a great little pizza to make, especially if you have puff pastry on hand. If my family didn't think that veggies were poisonous, I could think of tons of possibilities for toppings ... mushrooms and feta, mozzarella and basil, bbq chicken and green onions ... the options are endless! 

Puff Pastry Pizza

1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)
1/4 c. pizza sauce (I used Classico)
1 c. shredded Italian cheese (or mozzarella)
1/2 lb Jimmy Dean sausage (may use a bit less than this)
1 clove garlic
1 egg (for egg wash)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Brown sausage and garlic. Drain grease.

Line baking sheet with foil and lightly grease. Place one sheet of puff pastry on the pan. Add sauce, then cheese, then sausage, leaving an inch border on the outside. Beat an egg, and brush the egg wash on the outside border of the puff pastry.

Bake for 22-24 minutes, until golden brown. Enjoy!

** In the picture, I used an extra strip of puff pastry on the outside border. It was not necessary and I would not do it that way again, because it was a bit too thick. **


UPDATE: Made a few different versions, and cut into smaller strips. I liked these better, my husband liked the full pizza better. 

Sausage/Cheese/Tomato/Basil
Garlic/Olive Oil/Tomato/Fresh Mozzarella/Basil
Alfredo/Chicken/Cheese/Basil