Shrimp Pasta Formaggio

I pinned this recipe on Pinterest and decided it would be the perfect thing to make for my wonderful in-laws when they came to visit our new house (and help put up a cabinet).  This is an easy, yet impressive dinner for your guests.  It is creamy and cheesy (but not too cheesy) with just the right amount of tomatoes blended in.  I served it with a spinach salad and Cheesy Biscuit Bombs.

1 to 1 1/2 pounds uncooked pasta (I used rotini, but you can use linguine or whatever you choose)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic - optional
1 can (14.5 ounces) Italian style tomatoes, do not drain
6 ounces fresh spinach leaves
1 pound frozen cooked, peeled, deveined shrimp
1/2 cup whipping cream (I used more like 3/4 to 1 cup for 1 1/2 pounds pasta)
Salt and pepper
1 cup Italian three cheese blend
3 tablespoons fresh shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed.  Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook (optional).   Add tomatoes and simmer for 4 minutes.  Add spinach and cook until wilted (about 1 minute).  Add shrimp and cream, cook 4 minutes or until heated through.  Season with fresh ground pepper and some salt.

Add drained pasta to the skillet (I had too much pasta to fit, so I added the cream mixture to the pasta).  Toss to combine.  Add Italian cheese blend, stir once.  Top with Parmesan cheese.

St. Patrick's Day Schweddy Balls

If you haven't seen the Schweddy Balls SNL skit with Alec Baldwin, youtube it right now.  Then read this blog post.

Michelle and I have been making these white chocolate coated balls of Oreo deliciousness for years at Christmas time.  Sometimes I use red and green sprinkles.  But they can be made at any time of the year with chocolate drizzled on top.  I was trying to find a good St. Patrick's day treat and thought these would be perfect with green sprinkles.  I think I ate five the first day, and a minimum of two or three each day afterwards.  With just three ingredients, you have no excuse not to make them

1 package (14 ounces) regular Oreo cookies

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 package (24 ounces) white almond bark

Mash up Oreos.  You can use a food processor, but I just put them in a large Ziploc and smash them with a rolling pin.  This is very therapeutic if you are at all stressed.  Keep smashing until they look like dirt.  With a hand mixer, mix Oreos and cream cheese.  I used to just use a spoon, but the hand mixer combines everything much better.  Put in the freezer for 30 minutes (I think I only did about 20 - I was impatient).

Melt almond bark.  Remove Oreo mixture from freezer.  Roll into balls.  Dip into white chocolate and roll until covered.  Place on wax paper to cool.  If you are using sprinkles, sprinkle right away or the white chocolate will harden and the sprinkles won't stick.

Store in the refrigerator.

Puppy Chow

I can't believe I have not posted this recipe before!  I have been making it forever, and I'm sure you have too.  But just in case here's the recipe for this peanut butter-chocolate goodness.

9 cups rice chex, corn chex, or Crispix (I used Crispix this time.)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Measure cereal into a large bowl.  Microwave chocolate, peanut butter, and butter on high for 1 minute.  Stir.  Microwave 30 seconds longer and stir.  Continue until you can stir it smooth.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour mixture over cereal.  Stir to evenly coat.  Pour into a 2-gallon Ziploc bag. (I only had a 1-gallon bag, so I did it in two batches.)  Add powdered sugar and shake to coat with sugar.  Cool on wax paper.  Store in an air tight container.

Parmesan Asparagus

We grill asparagus all the time during grilling season.  It is pretty cheap right now at the grocery store, so I decided to try it either in the oven or stove.  I've tried it in the oven before, and it hasn't really turned out like it does on the grill.  I went with this recipe I found on-line which boils it, and it was delicious!  It was cooked to perfection and the Parmesan really adds great flavor.  I already bought another bunch of asparagus to make it again!

1 bunch asparagus

2 tablespoons Olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan

Pepper

Salt

Cut asparagus into two inch pieces.  Cut at an angle.  Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Add asparagus and simmer for exactly 3 minutes. Drain and add other ingredients to hot asparagus.

Peanut Butter Granola

Ever since I made the Peanut Butter Lovers Granola which is very chocolately, I have been wanting to find another peanut butter granola.  I found this one on Pinterest and it is amazing!  It is easy, quick, and only a few ingredients.  It is absolutely delicious.  I love it so much more than the chocolatey version.  If you like peanut butter, you have to make it!  I love to eat it plain, but my friend, Kelly, said that it is delicious over Greek yogurt which I must try.

I adjusted the amounts a little.  I was worried that the honey flavor would be too strong, but it isn't at all.  It is enough honey to give it a perfect sweetness without the strong honey flavor.  But it definitely has a robust peanut butter flavor.  Next time I will be doubling the recipe!

6 tablespoons peanut butter (I think you have to use a high quality peanut butter.  I used Jiff, and it worked great. Kelly used another kind, and it hardened too quickly to combine completely with oats.  If you try it with natural peanut butter, let me know how it turns out!)
3 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a cooking sheet with foil or parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (I have to get one of those!).

Combine peanut butter and honey and microwave for about 45 seconds until melty.  Stir together and add cinnamon and vanilla.  Stir into oats until completely coated.  (This takes quite a bit of stirring.)  Spread onto baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until toasted and golden brown.  Store in an airtight container.  It is optional to add any dried fruit or nuts or even chocolate or peanut butter chips.  Yummmmmmm.

Stuffed French Toast

While I have been updating my blog this morning, the Bates Brothers have been putting up towel racks and putting back together our treadmill in our new house.  Thank goodness someone is being productive today.  :)

Also thanks to Derrick for running to the store to pick up syrup so I could make this Stuffed French Toast for him and Dustin in our new kitchen Sunday morning.  My mom's friend from St. Louis, Dawn, who is an incredible cook, gave me The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook for our housewarming gift.  This is a great, more delicious alternative to regular french toast.  My husband and brother-in-law enjoyed it and said it is a make-again.

8 ounces cream cheese

4 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

16 slices white sandwich bread

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup milk

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Microwave the cream cheese until softened, 10-20 seconds.  Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Refrigerate (I stuck it in the freezer to speed it up) until chilled.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter.  Whisk together in a flatish bowl the melted butter, milk, egg, vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar.  Slowly whisk in the flour.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over half of the bread.  Press the remaining slices of bread on top to make sandwiches.  Dip each sandwich into the batter and coat both sides.  In a large skillet, heat butter or spray with Pam.  When hot, lay the dipped sandwiches in the skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides.  Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.  Serve with syrup.

Valentine's Day Gnocchi

Happy Valentine's Day!  Every year that we have been together, Derrick absolutely spoils me rotten on this day.  He usually has flowers and chocolates and sits me down with a glass of wine while he does all the cooking - something absolutely special and amazing.  This year he had to work late and I had the day off, so I wanted to try my best to return the favor.  I had no idea what to make so I searched on my Pinterest board and found this Gnocchi and Tomato Bake.  I was shopping with Michelle at Costco that day, and they did not have any Gnocchi, but the Price Chopper by our house did.  And my wonderful husband after working until almost 8PM brought home something I have been craving for a very, very long time - Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory!  It was the perfect Valentine's Day in our new house with my new husband!  :)

1 pound gnocchi (it comes dried in the pasta isle of Price Chopper)

1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes

Approximately a cup of your favorite pasta sauce

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

fresh basil, chopped or torn (I used a ton - I love fresh basil)

about 5 ounces fresh mozzarella

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Set oven to broil.  Boil water and cook gnocchi (it only takes about 2 minutes).  Drain.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Add tomatoes.  Sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper.  Add pasta sauce.  Heat.  Add gnocchi.  At this point I added half of the basil.  Stir until the gnocchi is coated in the sauce.  Transfer to a casserole.  Sprinkle with remaining basil.  Top with sliced mozzarella.  Broil until cheese melts and it is heated through.