Grinder Sandwich

 

Ingredients

For the grinder salad:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded

For the sandwich:

• 16 ounce Italian loaf of bread
• ½ pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
• ½ pound thinly sliced ham
• ¼ pound thinly sliced Sopprasetta salami
• ¼ pound thinly sliced Genoa salami
• 6 thinly sliced deli-sized pepperoni

To assemble the sandwich:

• 2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 large beef steak tomato, sliced

Instructions

• Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, pepper, oregano, chili flakes, and salt until combined.
• Add the sliced pepperoncini and sliced red onion and stir around in the dressing until coated. 
• Add the lettuce, and using tongs or a fork, toss it in the dressing to coat, set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
• Cut the bread in half and place it on a baking sheet (cut side up). Remove most of the inside of the bread leaving about ½ inch of the bread.
• Add half of the provolone cheese to each side. Place in the oven until melted (about 4 or 5 minutes).
• Layer the ham slices on one half of the sub and layer the soppressata on the other half.
• Top the ham with the salami slices. Then top the soppressata with the pepperoni.
• Place back in the oven to warm up the meats and to toast the bread (about 5 minutes).
• Remove from the oven then sprinkle the tops of the meat with ¼ of the Parmesan cheese. 
• Add tomato slices then drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and add salt and pepper (to taste).
• Next, we're gonna add some of that beautiful grinder salad we made earlier. Top with the remaining parmesan cheese.
• Add the top half of the sandwich over the bottom half (pressing it down gently).
• Cut into slices and serve! (Optional) melt 2 tablespoons of butter and brush lightly over the top of the sandwich and sprinkle with oregano and parsley flakes to make it look more professional and cute 🥰 

Creamy chicken pasta w/ bacon

Ingredients

Main Ingredients:

• 6 bacon strips
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken (thick in size, such as chicken breasts)
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 4 small tomatoes (diced)
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (more, if desired)
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded (more for garnish)

Pasta:

• 10 oz. penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons Parsley (chopped)

Instructions

• BACON: Add bacon strips to the skillet and cook until crispy. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined platter that will absorb extra grease. Chop into 1 inch pieces
  
• CHICKEN: Paper towel dry the chicken and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Then set aside.
  
  Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add chicken breasts and cook on each side on medium high heat for about 4 minutes per side (for a total of 8 minutes) until nicely browned. If chicken is still pink in the center, reduce heat to medium and cook covered for several minutes until no longer pink in the center. Remove chicken from pan and slice it.
  
• Add butter to the hot pan and once it melts, add chopped garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  
• Add tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes on medium high until tomatoes release their juices. Add fresh spinach and cook until it wilts.
  
• Reduce the heat and season with paprika, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes and salt. Mix.
  
• Next add heavy cream - you are still cooking on low heat. Once heavy cream is slightly simmering, slowly add Parmesan cheese. Once you add the cheese, stir on low simmer until smooth.
  
• PASTA: In the meantime bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta and cook it according to instructions. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse.
  
• Add sliced chicken, bacon and pasta. Next add chopped parsley. Stir until fully coated in sauce. Season with more salt if necessary.
  
• TO SERVE: Serve with additional shredded Parmesan and red pepper flakes, if desired.

Cheesy potato breakfast casserole

 Cheesy potato casserole 

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian Sausage, cooked
• 1 yellow onion, chopped, sauteed in sausage grease
• 7 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 diced red potatoes covered in olive oil and cooked in the air fryer for 14 minutes on the potatoes setting 
• 8 ounces of shredded white Cheddar Cheese
• Salt & Pepper, to taste 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray medium casserole dish (we used 9 x 13) with non-stick spray. Set aside.
2. Prepare sausage and onions.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, including sausage and onions. Pour into prepared casserole dish. Reserve roughly one cup of the cheese for topping.
4. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and top with reserved cheese. Return to oven for 8 minutes.
5. Allow casserole to rest for 15 minutes if you dare 🤣. Serve and enjoy!

Simply delicious drink

 Simply delicious 

One container of lemonade 

One packet of blue raspberry lemonade powdered drink 

Empty one packet of kool aid into one bottle of lemonade place the cap back on and shake it - shake it like a Polaroid picture 🤣🤣 take a sip and there will be a party 🎉 in your tummy 

Air fryer chicken legs

 

Air fryer chicken legs 

INGREDIENTS

• 
  6 medium Chicken drumsticks (~1 1/2 lb total)
• 
  1/4 cup Unsalted butter (softened)
• 
  1 tbsp  parsley flakes 
• 
  2 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 
  3/4 tsp Seasoned salt (divided)
• 
  1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
• 
  1/4 tsp Black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 380 degrees F (193 degrees C). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
  
• In a small bowl, make the compound butter by mashing together the butter, garlic, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt with a fork.
  
• Run your hand under the skin on each chicken leg to separate it from the meat. Place a dollop of compound butter under the skin and press the skin gently so that it spreads out underneath.
  
• Season the chicken drumsticks (over the skin) with smoked paprika, pepper, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt.
• Place the chicken drumsticks in the air fryer in a single layer, skin side down. Air fry for 10 minutes. Flip over, then air fry for 8-10 more minutes,  then flip and cook a third time for 10 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Taco Soup

 

Taco soup 

INGREDIENTS

  

• 1½ lbs ground beef
• 1 (15.25 oz) can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 (15.25 oz) can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 (15.25 oz) can of whole kernel corn (drained and rinsed)
• 2 (15.25 oz) cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 (1 oz) package of taco seasoning I use original but you can use mild or hot also.
• 1 (1 oz) package of ranch seasoning.
• 1 pint or 2 cups salsa I prefer homemade salsa but you can use any brand. Use and mild or as hot as you like!
• 2½ cups water
• 1 pack of corn tortillas sliced and fried in vegetable oil for the toppings
• 
  
  
  

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• In a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown ground beef until it is no longer pink. I like to drain excess fat after the ground beef is cooked. Place cooked cooked beef on a paper towel lined plate. This will help absorb any additional fat.
  
• In a large pot add drained black beans, drained kidney beans, diced tomatoes, and drained corn. Stir to mix well.
  
• Add in salsa, water, taco seasoning, dry ranch seasoning, and stir well.Heat to a boil and reduce heat to med low. 
  
• Add cooked hamburger back into the pot and stir to combine. Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.
  
• Serve warm and add your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
  

Caramel pound cake

 INGREDIENTS:

1 (8 ounce) package whipped cream cheese

6 eggs

3 sticks of butter

3 cups cake flour

2 cups white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

 

Caramel sauce:

1 stick butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup corn syrup

1 can sweetened condensed milk

 

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray the Bundt pan with cooking spray and a light dusting of flour.
In a bowl, cream butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy.
Add both sugars slowly to the butter mixture, and make sure they are well incorporated. Add vanilla.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each adding of the egg.
Slowly add the flour while you are continually mixing. Make to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Pour the batter into the baking pan. Gently tap the baking pan on the counter to remove the air bubbles.
Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. You can check with a toothpick to see if it’s done, the toothpick will be clean, if it is. You can cook it for an additional 10 minutes if needed.
Remove cake from oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan before removing and letting to cool completely.
Caramel sauce: While the cake is cooling, prepare the caramel topping.
In a large saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Cook on a medium heat and stir constantly until everything is melted and the mixture comes to a boil.
Reduce to a low heat and add the sweetened condensed milk. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes. Once it’s done pour over the cooled cake.

Jambalaya

 

Jambalaya 

INGREDIENTS

  

• 2 chicken breasts skinless, boneless, cut into chunks
• 1 pound andouille sausage links sliced
• 1 can diced tomatoes 28 ounces
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery thinly sliced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup rice see note
• 1 pound shrimp 13-15 count

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Add all the ingredients except the shrimp into the pot and stir.
  
• Boil on medium heat for about an hour. Add the deveined jumbo shrimp and Simmer for 11 minutes 
• Cook the rice in 1 hour before finished. 
  
• 1 cup of rice  2 cups of water 
• Bring to a boil. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• Cover with a lid and simmer for 22 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
• You will get perfect rice. 
  

Southern Smothered chicken

 Ingredients

• 3 chicken legs and 3 chicken thighs with skin
• ½ cup oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 chicken bouillon
• 2 ½ cup cold water
• ½ cup milk
• 3 tablespoon of the seasoned flour mentioned below

SEASONING THE FLOUR:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• ½ teaspoon all spice powder
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
• ¼ teaspoon heaped ginger powder

Instructions

• Mix all the flour seasoning together, take three tablespoon from this mix and keep aside.
• Wash the chicken and pat dry. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour and keep aside.
• In a pan, heat the oil and add the chicken. When the bottom of the chicken turns golden flip to the other side and cook until golden.
• Remove the chicken from the oil when both sides are golden. At this point, the chicken is not completely cooked.
• Keep around 4 tablespoon of oil in the pan, add the chopped onion and fry until light brown.
• Add three tablespoon seasoned flour to the onion and stir for at least two minutes on medium heat.
• Pour the cold water over the onion and flour mixture in one go and keep on stirring. Add the chicken bouillon and continue stirring.
• Now add the milk and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the chicken to the sauce.
• Cover the pan and let the chicken cook for 20 – 25 minutes or until completely cooked. Stir occasionally.
• Serve with rice or mashed potato… you know we love rice in this house ❤️❤️

Lasagna Rolls

 INGREDIENTS

  

• 12 lasagna noodles (cooked to instructions)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoon olive oil (2 x 1 tablespoons divided)
• 24 ounces marinara spaghetti sauce
• ½ cup yellow onion (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese (finely shredded)
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese (2 x 1½ cups divided)
• ¼ cup parsley (chopped)

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
  
• In a large skillet, over medium high heat add 1Tbsp of olive oil. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking apart with a spatula or spoon. 3-4 minutes. Add ⅓ cup of yellow onions and cook until transparent. 3 minutes. Add ¼ tsp crushed red pepper, 1 tsp black pepper, ½ tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt and garlic. Mix well and saute for 1 minute. Pour in 24 oz of your favorite marinara sauce, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside.
  
• In a large pot bring water to a boil and add 1 tsp off salt and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Cook lasagna noodles to al dente according to directions listed on package. Then drain noodles and put them back in the pot and cover with cold water.
  
• While pasta is cooking prepare the cheese mixture. By adding ricotta cheese, 1 large egg, ½ Parmesan cheese, 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese and parsley to a large bowl. Mix until fully incorporated.
  
• Lay out cooked lasagna noodles and divide ricotta cheese mixture over noodles and spread evenly. Add a large spoonful of meat mixture to each noodle and spread evenly. Spread ⅓ cup of meat sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Roll noodles up jellyroll style and place seam side down in baking dish.
  
• Cover roll-ups with remaining meat sauce then sprinkle remaining 1 ½ cups Mozzarella cheese over roll-ups.
  
• Cover with foil and bake for 38 minutes in preheated oven. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 2 minutes. Serve garnished with chopped fresh parsley.

Strawberry shortcake icebox cake

 

INGREDIENTS

  

• 2 cups crushed vanilla sandwich cookies, I used 20 Golden Oreos
• 6 tablespoons crushed freeze-dried strawberries
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 cups heavy cream, very cold
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup strawberry preserves, I used Smucker's brand
• 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
• 11 ounces vanilla wafer cookies
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced (¼-inch slices)

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Divide the crushed vanilla sandwich cookies evenly (1 cup in each bowl) into two small mixing bowls.
• Add the crushed freeze-dried strawberries and 3 tablespoons of melted butter to one of the bowls of cookies. Stir to combine.
• To the second bowl of crushed vanilla sandwich cookies, stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of the melted butter until evenly coated.
• Combine the strawberry-coated crushed cookies with the plain crushed cookies to create a strawberry shortcake crumble topping. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the very cold heavy whipping cream. Using a handheld mixer, starting on low, beat the heavy whipping cream for 1 minute. Gradually increase the speed on the mixer up to high, and beat the heavy cream for another 2 to 3 minutes or until it reaches soft peaks.
  
• Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip your heavy cream. Your whipped cream should be soft but able to hold its shape on the tip of your beaters. Set aside.
• In another large mixing bowl, add the room temperature cream cheese and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed, using a handheld mixer, for 2 minutes until the cream cheese is fluffy and smooth.
• To the bowl of beaten cream cheese, add the strawberry preserves and strawberry extract and beat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until you have a nice creamy strawberry cream cheese mixture.
  
• Add half of the whipped cream to the bowl of the strawberry cream cheese mixture. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese until you have a light and fluffy strawberry cheesecake filling and you no longer see streaks of whipped cream. Reserve the other half of the whipped cream.
• To the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish, add half of the strawberry cream cheese filling to the bottom of the dish and spread it into an even layer.
• Using 42 to 44 vanilla wafers (about half the box), cover the bottom layer of the strawberry cream cheese filling so that you have a single solid layer of cookies.
  
• Layer the sliced fresh strawberries over the top of all the vanilla wafer cookies so that they are in a single layer.
• Spread the remaining strawberry cheesecake filling evenly over the fresh sliced strawberries being careful not to disturb the fresh strawberry layer. Top this layer with the remaining half box of the vanilla wafer cookies in a single layer.
• Spread the other half of the homemade whipped cream evenly over the top of the final layer of vanilla wafer cookies.
• Finally, top the homemade whipped cream with an even layer of the reserved strawberry shortcake cookie crumble.
• Chill the strawberry shortcake icebox cake in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours or up to overnight.

Mexican Breakfast burrito

 

• 1 (8-oz) package Mexican chorizo
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 8 eggs, whisked
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 10 ounces shredded potatoes (see note)
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or cilantro, optional
• 6-8 Fajita sized flour tortillas

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook the chorizo, breaking it apart with a spatula, for eight to ten minutes or until it’s cooked through. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Remove the chorizo from the pan (leaving the reserved fat in the pan) and transfer it to a bowl.
2. In the same pan, melt one tablespoon of butter. As it melts, stir to combine it with the reserved fat from the chorizo. Pour the whisked eggs into the pan and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Cook the eggs, frequently stirring, for about ten minutes or until the eggs are cooked but still very soft. Add the shredded cheese and stir until it melts into the eggs. Transfer the cooked eggs to a bowl.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook the chorizo, breaking it apart with a spatula, for eight to ten minutes or until it’s cooked through. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Remove the chorizo from the pan (leaving the reserved fat in the pan) and transfer it to a bowl.
2. In the same pan, melt one tablespoon of butter. As it melts, stir to combine it with the reserved fat from the chorizo. Pour the whisked eggs into the pan and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Cook the eggs, frequently stirring, for about ten minutes or until the eggs are cooked but still very soft. Add the shredded cheese and stir until it melts into the eggs. Transfer the cooked eggs to a bowl.
3. To roll, fold the edge of the tortilla over the top of the filling and tuck in the sides. Roll the burrito up. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
4. Wrap the burritos in tin foil and place them on a baking sheet. Pop them in a warm oven for five to ten minutes to warm them through before serving .
5. Chile this can be meal prep . They will last all week in the freezer when you make them Sunday night.