Fourth of July Inspiration

With the Fourth of July weekend just around the corner I am going to provide you with two recipes that can be served as a side or appetizer for your weekend BBQ. First up is the Meatball Casserole! This quick fix will easily please your hungry guest. Place this casserole next to a few napkins and toothpicks and your guests will surly help themselves to this meaty and cheesy goodness. After having a savory meatball, your guests can crunch into this unique appetizer; Fried Green Tomatoes!! This dish can be served as an appetizer or as a tasty side to the hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill. Make sure to provide a home-style ranch dipping sauce to balance the salty and tartness of the green tomatoes.   

Thursday I will be attempting to make Cake PoPs! Yes, those god sent mini-desserts that Starbucks recently started caring. This could be a very dangerous recipe to know how to whip-up, but what a cute dessert to provide for your guests as you watch the fireworks in the sky!   

Meatball Casserole

Prep: 15 minutes    Bake : 45 minutes

Ingredients

About 10-12 slices of French bread

3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

1 pk. (18 oz.) frozen Italian-flavored or regular meatballs, healthier option use ground turkeyballs

1 medium red bell pepper

½ white onion

1 ½ cup tomato pasta sauce, choose your favorite flavor

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

The Process

1.    Heat oven to 350*

2.    Spray pie plate, 10x1 ½ inches with cooking spray

3.    Brush one side of bread slices with EVOO. Line the bottom and side of pie plate with bread, oil side up and slightly overlapping… like so

4.    Bake for about 5 minutes or until the edges are light brown

5.    While the bread is cooking, toss meatballs, bell pepper, onion and pasta sauce in a large bowl

6.    Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes or until hot in the center. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

7.    Enjoy.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Prep: 5 minutes   Fry: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

1 egg

Vegetable Oil, depending on the size of the pan will determine how much you will need

About 5 large green tomatoes, if serving for a BBQ you might need to make more

½ cup flour

½ cup yellow cornmeal

1 Tbsp. chili powder, optional

1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper, optional

Salt, to sprinkle on after the frying

The Process

1.    In a large saucepan or deep fryer heat vegetable oil over a medium high heat; the oil should be about an inch deep

2.    Slice all the tomatoes… like so

3.    In two shallow bowls; one should contain egg and the other flour, cornmeal, chili powder and cayenne pepper mixture… like so (sorry this was taken midway through when things were a little messy)

4.    One at a time, take a tomato slice and drench it in the egg. Directly from the egg mixture cover it in the flour mixture. From there the tomato goes straight into the hot oil. Repeat the process until there is about 4-5 slices in the oil.

5.    Turn slices over after about 4 minutes have passed or they appear to be a golden brown color.

6.    Remove the slices from the oil after both sides are a nice golden brown. Place on a plate that a paper towel placed over it. Sprinkle with salt while still hot.

7.    Repeat steps 4-6 until all the tomato slices are gone.

8.    Tomato slices can be stored in a 250* oven for about 30-45 minutes to keep warm or until served.

9.    Enjoy!

Meatlovers Pizza Bake

Prep: 15 minutes   Bake: 35 minutes

It’s meaty… It’s cheesy… and it’s all in one dish! The Meatlovers Pizza Bake is sure to please when it comes to picky eaters because it taste like you are biting into a meatlovers pizza itself. To top off the meaty cheesy goodness, it is served great with some crispy buttery garlic bread. So dish up and enjoy this little piece of recipe heaven!  

Ingredients

3 cups rotini pasta

1 pound spicy Italian sausage

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

¼ cup water

4 oz. Canadian-style bacon, cut into fourths

1 jar pizza sauce

Sliced mushrooms-optional

¾ shredded pizza cheese blend

The Process

1. Heat oven to 350*. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook and drain pasta in a large saucepan as directed on the box. Return the pasta to the saucepan.

3. While the pasta is cooking, cook sausage and onions in a large skillet until the sausage is not longer pink; drain the fat.

4. Add bell peppers, water, bacon, pizza sauce, and mushrooms into the sausage mixture; stir to combine all the ingredients.

5. Add the meat mixture into the pasta and stir, Spoon pasta mixture into casserole dish, sprinkle the top with cheese.

6. Cover and bake 30 to 35 minutes. Enjoy!!

Sorry, I could not get this picture to rotate for the life of me!

Spicy Molasses Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Prep: 5 minutes  Cook: 9 hours

I love it when I come across a recipe or get a tasty idea that requires a minimal amount of ingredients and time spent in the kitchen when I know that I will be on the go all day. This recipe fits both of those requirements but is so tasty and yummy that your family will think that you slaved away in the kitchen all day. The Spicy Molasses Pulled Pork Sandwiches only takes 4 steps to get it from the pantry to the kitchen table and best yet, it only takes 5 ingredients to do so. Enjoy!!      

Ingredients

3 ½ pound pork boneless loin roast

2 Vegetable broth cubes- crushed up

2 Tbsp. molasses

¼ tsp. cayenne powder

12 hamburger buns

The Process

1. Place the pork roast in the Crockpot. Top the roast with broth cube, molasses, and cayenne powder.

2. Cover and cook for about 9 hours.

3. Remove the pork from cooker; place on the cutting board. Shred pork using 2 forks. Stir shredded pork into juices in cooker.

4. When serving remove pork with slotted spoon and top with your favorite BBQ sauce if desired!

5. Enjoy!!

Portobello and Chicken Fajitas

Prep: 15 minutes   Cook: 15 minutes

This quick and easy 30 minute meal provides a little something extra to the regular fajitas taste. This recipe could be made with chicken or steak and is served great with my homemade Spanish rice; which can be located on the 5/8-5/15 tab to the right. By tossing the chicken/steak with chili powder and garlic before it hits the skillet, the flavors sink into this simple summer dish.

Ingredients

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs; cut into strips

1 ½ tsp. chili powder

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 package flour tortillas

3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 large bell peppers; cut lengthwise into ½ -inch-wide strips

1 large red onion, cut into about 8 wedges

4 Portobello mushroom caps; sliced ¼ inch thick

1 container whole-milk greek yogurt, for serving

The Process

1. In a medium bowl, toss chicken/steak with chili powder and half of the garlic

2. Wrap the tortillas in a sheet of foil, place in the oven and turn too 300*. Let them warm while you cook the meat and veggies.

3. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Add 1 ½ Tbsp. of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) the chicken/steak; season with salt and pepper.

4. Cook, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink. Using tongs or a fork, transfer the chicken into a bowl.

5. Add the remaining 1 ½ Tbsp. of EVOO, garlic, peppers and onions to the skillet the chicken was cooking in. Cook over a medium heat, stirring, until veggies start to char.

6. Stir in mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is crisp-tender.

7. Return the chicken to the pan and cook, stirring, until the veggies are tender and the chicken is hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

8. Serve the chicken-veggie mixture with warm tortillas and greet yogurt. Enjoy!!

Cheesy Popper Sliders

Prep: 20 minutes   Grill: 10 minutes

If you are looking for an amazingly good burger recipe that is different from the everyday burger or you want to impress your friends at your next home BBQ then you need to try this recipe. The Cheesy Popper Sliders are the perfect combination of spice and cheese without losing the flavor of a nice beef burger. The inspiration for this recipe came from a recent EveryDay with Rachel Ray magazine; if you are looking to kick up the level of spice, her recipe includes fresh jalapeno’s and fresco chile peppers as a topper to the sliders. I am a little weak when it comes to spicy things so I took this recipe down a notch and used the cheesy jalapeno bread that I had my eye on when I went to the grocery store. Hope you enjoy these sliders as much as my family did =)     

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese

2 Tbsp. grated onion

1 large garlic clove finely chopped

½ ground cumin

Salt and pepper

Small handful of cilantro, finely chopped

2 lbs. ground beef

1 brick sharp yellow cheddar

4 loaves of cheddar and jalapeno bread- found in the bakery section

The Process

1. Preheat an outdoor grill, indoor griddle or grill pan to medium high heat.

2. Combine cream cheese, onion, garlic, cilantro and cumin in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

3. Divide up ground beef into about 12 small patties; if you want sliders, and about 8 larger patties for hamburger style.

4. Season the beef with salt and pepper and coat with extra virgin olive oil. Place the beef on the grill for about 2-3 minutes.

5. Flip the beef and top with a nice spoonful of the cream cheese mixture and sliced cheese.

6. Grill the beef with the lid down, or a tent with foil for indoor grilling, until the cheese is melted. Serve on top of the cheesy jalapeno bread, cut the bread in half for proper sizing.

7. Enjoy!!

Recipe for the fried green tomatoes will be coming soon!

The Famous VanderMolen Brownies!

Prep: 1o minutes    Bake:55 minutes

For as long as I can remember, my mother’s brownie recipe has been in high demand for any celebration, work event, or just because desserts are always welcomed. The recipe itself is rather easy and many of you have probably used the same exact recipe that I am going to provide. The true art to this recipe requires some minor tweaks to the recipe provided on back of a Betty Crocker box of brownie mix. Here is the secret for making The Famous VanderMolen Brownies. First, we use 3 boxes of brownie mix to make our brownies nice a thick. Second, you need to have the right size baking pan in order for your brownies to bake properly. For MANY years, my family has had only one pan that was the right size to cook our brownies in; it had no brand or size for us to find a new one. Recently, my mother found a deep cookie sheet that was a very similar size. Lastly, we have mastered the time and temperature that these brownies need to bake to be the perfect mixture of cake and fudge.

Ingredients  

3 Boxes of Brownie Mix-brand does not matter; target has the best prices and it often goes on sale for .99 cents at StaterBrothers

** Triple the needed ingredients on the back of the brownie mix box; this is what I use…

6 eggs- some call for 3 eggs for each box, use 9 if you like a cake textured brownie, I prefer brownies a little fudge like so I use 6

¾ cup water

1 ½ cup vegetable oil

Cookie sheet 16X12X1

2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips- optional

1 ½ cups chopped walnuts- optional

The Process

1. Preheat oven to 325*

2. Mix all ingredients together in mixer-boxes of brownie mix, eggs, water, and veg. oil.

3. Grease a 16X12X1 pan with shortening or butter.

4. Pour the brownie mixture into the pan, even it out with a spoon. Top with semisweet chocolate chips and chopped walnuts if desired.

5. Bake on 325* for 50-55 minutes

6. Let brownies cool for at least 1 hour and Enjoy! Makes about 35 brownies

Tasty Chocolaty Tart

Prep: 10 minutes   Bake: 40 minutes   Cool: 1 hour

My chocolaty tart has a nice balance of texture and sweetness to make any chocolate lovers mouth water. This chocolaty treat is paired great with a dollop of cool whip or a nice cold scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a small cup of tea. The crust is made out of flour, butter, and eggs with the filling consisting of semisweet chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and walnuts.

Ingredients

½ cup butter softened

1 cup flour

1 egg

1 tbsp. butter

1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp vanilla

The Process

1. Heat oven to 400*. Cut 1/3 cup butter into flour inside a medium bowl. Mix together until crumbly.

2. Mix in egg and beat until dough forms. Press firmly and evenly against bottom and side of ungreased tart pan (9x1 inch pan) Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

3. Once the crust is done, reduce the oven heat to 350* . Melt 1 Tbsp. of butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Add in the sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips. Cook low until all chocolate is melted.

4. Once all the chocolate is melted, add in the vanilla and walnuts. Scoop the chocolate mixture into the semi-baked crust.

5. Bake about 25 minutes or until edge is set but chocolate appears moist in the center. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.

6. Enjoy!!