Tomato Bacon Pasta

Bacon makes everything better, right?? So why wouldn't it make pasta better, too??? 🤔 🙌

An easy pasta dish featuring, you guessed it....BACON! 😋

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 T tomato paste
• 29 oz can tomato sauce, or crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried oregano, or Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp sugar, optional (more or less for taste)
• 8 oz pasta, cooked per instructions

HOW TO MAKE TOMATO BACON PASTA

1. In a large skillet, cook your bacon over low/medium heat. Remove bacon to paper towel to drain excess fat/oil. Remove bacon grease from pan, minus 1-2 tablespoons.

2. Add your chopped onion to your bacon grease and cook until tender. Add in your minced garlic, tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook an additional minute.

3. Pour in your tomato sauce and stir. Add in oregano and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

4. While sauce is simmering, cook your dry pasta to al dente, per instructions.

5. Add in your pasta and bacon, and toss to combine.

6. Enjoy!

TIPS

-Make this an even easier, and quicker, meal by subbing in a jar of marinara sauce! (just leave out everything but the pasta and bacon 😉)

Chicken Noodle Soup

 Such a hearty, delicious soup! A classic, and perfect on those chilly, fall days!

This is one of those recipes that you don't realize how easy it is until you make it! Especially if you shortcut it and use a rotisserie chicken (every time 🙋)!! 

WHAT YOU NEED

• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (or one rotisserie chicken)
• 2 medium or 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T butter
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp better than bouillon, chicken
• 12 ounces wide egg noodles
• salt and pepper to taste

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

1. Heat your olive oil and butter in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat.

2. Add in your onion, celery and carrots. Sautee until tender, about 7-8 minutes. Add in the better than bouillon, thyme and your minced garlic. Stir and cook for about a minute.

3. Pour in your chicken broth, water and add bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add in your noodles and cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes or until noodles are cooked. 

4. Add in your shredded chicken and combine. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and serve hot.

5. Enjoy!

TIPS
-Make sure all your veggies are chopped/diced to roughly the same size so they all cook evenly.

-Sub out the better than bouillon for a chicken bouillon cube, or another cup of chicken broth. May need to alter salt to taste.

Cheeseburger Soup

It's soup season y'all!! I love soup year-round, but the family definitely jumps on board in the fall!

This is a classic soup recipe that - shocker - I hadn't tried until a friend brought us some after our last baby was born. I know, I know 🤦🤦🤦 BUT!! It was a massive hit with the family so I had to try and make it myself! It is creamy and hearty and all the things a fall season soup should be!

My version is very closely based off of the Award Winning Cheeseburger Soup from The Recipe Critic.

WHAT YOU NEED

• 1 lb ground beef
• 4 cups peeled and chopped potatoes
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3-4 celery stalks, diced
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or 16 oz Velveeta)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 5 T butter, divided
• 1/4 cup flour
• salt and pepper to taste

HOW TO MAKE CHEESEBURGER SOUP

1. Brown your ground beef in a large dutch oven pan, or other heavy bottomed pan. Drain and set to the side.

2. Add in 2 T of your butter (to the same pan) and saute your onion, celery and carrots over medium heat until softened. About 5 minutes or so. Add in your basil and parsley. Cook down veggies until tender. 

3. Add in your potatoes, beef and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer. Put lid on and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. (You can poke through with a fork or knife easily)

4. Make a roux (melt your remaining 3 T butter and add your flour. Stir continuously until bubbly, 3-5 minutes) in a small skillet. Add your roux mixture directly to your soup. Stir in and bring it to a boil. 

5. Reduce heat to low, then add in your cheese. Stir until combined. Stir in your milk, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Remove from heat and stir in your sour cream.

7. Enjoy!

TIPS

-Prep your veggies beforehand! Have all your potatoes peeled and chopped, onion and celery diced. Makes the process move more smoothly and less likely to burn or overcook anything.

-If using shredded cheese (my preferred method) shred your own cheese off a block! A little more time consuming (and definitely part of the prep from the previous tip!) but the flavor it adds is amazing! Pre-shredded, bagged cheese works great as well!

-Top with bacon crumbles 😋

-Eat alongside some homemade rolls (or store or bakery bought - who am I to judge🤷) It's perfect for soaking up all that creamy, cheesy broth! 

-Don't leave out the cream! You can sub in another type of cream (yogurt or heavy whipping cream), but it is necessary for the final consistency and texture of the soup.

Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork

 Crockpot meals are some of my favorite meals! Prep them early in the day, and have minimal cooking and cleanup at dinnertime! Total win!!

I've been making this for many years now, and I have used many different cuts of meat. They, for the most part, all work just fine. However, cook time can play a factor for some. With this particular cut of meat, the pork tenderloin, it makes for a quicker cook! Not to mention, the fall apart tenderness. Soooo good!

There are so many different ways to eat your pulled pork. The most popular, in our household at least, is a BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich. It's our go-to. But, you can make up some nachos, top a baked potato, or eat it as-is!

WHAT YOU NEED:

• pork tenderloin
• BBQ sauce
• apple cider vinegar **helps break down your meat and tenderize it
• worcestershire sauce
• brown sugar
• chili powder
• paprika
• garlic powder
• red pepper flakes - optional

HOW TO MAKE CROCKPOT BBQ PULLED PORK

1. Rinse your pork loin off, pat dry and place in bottom of slow cooker.
2. In medium sized bowl, combine your apple cider vinegar, BBQ sauce and worcestershire sauce. Set aside.
3. Combine brown sugar and spices in small bowl, then pour into sauce mixture.
4. Stir and mix it all together then pour slowly over meat.
5. Cover and cook on high heat for 4-6 hours.
6. Shred meat with forks or tongs and combine with sauce. Serve immediately.
7. Enjoy!

Meatball Pasta Bake

 Massive pasta fan here!! Who else?!? This was a quick and easy dinner you can make any day of the week!!

I adapted this recipe from Damn Delicious' Meatball Baked Ziti. I just happen to come across some gorgeous pre-made spicy meatballs from my grocery's butcher section. I decided then and there that I wanted to do a pasta bake, and this is what I came up with! I usually make my own meatballs, and that will be a future post 😉, but these pre-made meatballs looked so yummy, I had to try them! And hey, sometimes a busy mama can use all the help she can get!!

WHAT YOU NEED

• meatballs (store bought, frozen(thawed) or homemade!)
• dry pasta (whatever you have in your pantry - I used penne)
• marinara sauce (I used jarred, but sub in your favorite homemade!)
• onion - chopped
• garlic - minced
• olive oil
• dry red wine
• fresh parsley - chopped
• fresh mozzarella - sliced

HOW TO MAKE MEATBALL PASTA BAKE

1. Preheat your oven and spray your baking dish. I use a canola oil spray, vegetable oil spray or olive oil spray would work here as well. Or you could just lightly oil it and spread it if you are out of spray.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add in some salt. A nice pinch. Add in your pasta and cook by instructions to al dente. Drain and set aside.

3. In your large skillet with heated olive oil, brown your meatballs on all sides. This can take a few minutes or longer, depending on your stovetop and heat level. I start at medium high, but end up at low medium by the second batch. (The joys of having an electric cooker 😅)

4. Remove your meatballs and set aside. I put them on some paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

5. Add your chopped onion to the skillet over medium heat. Sauté those up until they are soft and getting some gorgeous color on the edges. Add your minced garlic to the pan and sauté those for only about 30 seconds to a minute. They will get nice and fragrant for you. That's when they are done.

6. Deglaze your pan with the wine. Make sure to scrape up all the little bits on the bottom of the pan! Those yummy bits = FLAVOR. 

7. Add your marinara to the pan. Mix it all together really well. Let it come to a boil, then add your meatballs back in. Reduce the heat down to a simmer and let that go for about 5 minutes or so. It lets the flavors meld and come together.

8. Now drop your al dente pasta and chopped parsley into the pan. Mix and combine all ingredients. Add to your prepared baking dish and top with your sliced mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella makes a massive difference, but if you don't have any, shredded will work! 👍

9. Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Your cheese should be completely melted and the sauce and cheese will start to bubble on the edges. Let it set for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

10. Enjoy!!

Sweet and Spicy Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich

 Is there anything better than a grilled cheese sandwich? Crispy, crunch, ooey, gooey, salty perfection. 😋

A grilled cheese sandwich is an amazing base to create a variety of different sandwiches! The possibilities are endless!

Today I'm sharing my Sweet and Spicy Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich. 

It is one that you can customize your heat level. Omit the jalapenos, use mozzarella or colby jack cheese in place of the pepper jack. Pick a hot pepper jelly, or a mild. Go for a nice sourdough bread instead of the jalapeno cheese bread. Or, take it up a notch with fresh jalapenos - sautéed or raw! 

WHAT YOU NEED

• jalapeno cheese bread
• cream cheese
• jalapeno pepper jelly
• sliced jalapenos (jarred) optional
• bacon, cooked
• pepper jack cheese, sliced
• butter
• cooking spray

I know there is a massive debate on butter or mayo for your grilled cheese. I am team butter. I have tried mayo and it is not my thing lol. If you are team mayo, go for it! That's what's amazing about cooking.. you can eat what you love, cook what you love with what you love!

HOW TO MAKE A SWEET AND SPICY JALAPENO POPPER GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

I know it seems slightly silly to give out directions for a sandwich, but a grilled cheese can be incredibly temperamental. And, your results likely will be affected by your type of stove(gas or electric), your pan, your spatula, and so on. I, for example, have an electric cooktop, and I constantly have to adjust my heat, pull my pan plus use cooking spray(yes, even with a nonstick pan) to help me get the perfect grilled cheese. It takes practice and learning your tools and equipment.

1. Heat pan over med/low heat. This depends on your cooktop/stovetop. You have to find your sweetspot. Once heated, coat bottom of pan with cooking spray. I use Canola oil spray, but olive vegetable will work here.
2. Liberally spread butter over outside of bread. I have found that pre-buttering my bread slices helps me tremendously! I find it way easier than trying to butter once the sandwich is formed. I just keep everything on a cutting board for easy clean up.
3. Spread one piece of bread with cream cheese. There is no real measurement here, just your personal preference. Then a layer of pepper jelly. Same as cream cheese.. this is a personal preference of amount. Don't leave this ingredient out! This is where the "sweet" comes from! Add sliced jalapenos, if desired. Top with bacon (I use 2 slices per sandwich, but there are no rules here 😁) and pepper jack cheese.
4. Place second piece of bread on top.
5. Place sandwich in heated pan and cook until cheese is melted and bread has golden crust. Babysit your sandwich. A grilled cheese cannot be left alone! Flip and repeat.
6. Remove from heat, be careful as sandwich will be hot.
7. Enjoy! I like to pair with some spicy jalapeno kettle cooked chips, but would be great with a bowl of soup!