Adapted from:
https://butterwithasideofbread.com/fiesta-ranch-chicken-pasta-salad/)
This was the original recipe...and I didn't like it as a pasta salad. However, I did like it without the noodles as a filling for tacos.
Ingredients
3 boneless chicken breasts cooked and diced
1 packet taco seasoning mix
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
16 oz corn frozen or canned
1 cup onion chopped
1 pepper chopped (ed, orange, or yellow)
3 oz olives sliced
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 tomatoes chopped
Instructions
Combine all of the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Serve cold with tortilla chips for taco salad or warm with tortillas for burritos.
Monday, May 19, 2025
Easy Calzone Recipe
Source: https://natashaskitchen.com/easy-calzone-recipe/
Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
• 2 lb pizza dough (see recipe below)
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1 cup pepperoni
• • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 475 °F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with oil.
Divide the dough into 8 equally sized pieces. Roll each piece into a 1/4" thick circle.
Place the filling on half of each circle (pizza sauce, ricotta, pepperoni, and shredded mozzarella). Make sure to leave the edges clean to allow for sealing the calzone. Fold the side over the filling and crimp the edges.
Place calzones on a baking sheet, leaving space apart. Cut a small vent on the top of each calzone. Brush the tops with oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Overnight Pizza Dough Recipe
Servings: 8 people (makes 2, 10-12 inch crusts)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 10minutes
Ingredients
• 1 1/4 cups warm water, 105-110˚F
• 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 Tbsp fine sea salt
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, (measured correctly) plus more to dust*
Instructions
How to Make Pizza Dough:
In a small bowl, stir together water, honey, and salt then sprinkle the top with 1/2 tsp yeast and let sit 5 minutes then stir.
Measure 3 1/3 cups flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour yeast mixture into the center then stir with a firm spatula until the dough comes together. Knead by hand 2 minutes (dough will be sticky). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 4-5 hours or until doubled in size.
Transfer dough to a floured surface, turn to coat lightly in flour so it isn’t sticky then divide in half. Fold each piece of dough in half 8 times, gently pulling the sides over the center like closing a book, turning the dough each time and repeating for 8 folds. Form a ball in your hands and transfer each piece of dough to a lightly oiled bowl seam-side-down, cover and refrigerate overnight (18 hours) or up to 1 week.
**I don't think putting it in the fridge made it rise much more than it had already risen, so I'd try using it after the first rise.
Remov the dough from the fridge 1 hour before using to give it time to warm up.
Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
• 2 lb pizza dough (see recipe below)
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1 cup pepperoni
• • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 475 °F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with oil.
Divide the dough into 8 equally sized pieces. Roll each piece into a 1/4" thick circle.
Place the filling on half of each circle (pizza sauce, ricotta, pepperoni, and shredded mozzarella). Make sure to leave the edges clean to allow for sealing the calzone. Fold the side over the filling and crimp the edges.
Place calzones on a baking sheet, leaving space apart. Cut a small vent on the top of each calzone. Brush the tops with oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Overnight Pizza Dough Recipe
Servings: 8 people (makes 2, 10-12 inch crusts)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 10minutes
Ingredients
• 1 1/4 cups warm water, 105-110˚F
• 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 Tbsp fine sea salt
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, (measured correctly) plus more to dust*
Instructions
How to Make Pizza Dough:
In a small bowl, stir together water, honey, and salt then sprinkle the top with 1/2 tsp yeast and let sit 5 minutes then stir.
Measure 3 1/3 cups flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour yeast mixture into the center then stir with a firm spatula until the dough comes together. Knead by hand 2 minutes (dough will be sticky). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 4-5 hours or until doubled in size.
Transfer dough to a floured surface, turn to coat lightly in flour so it isn’t sticky then divide in half. Fold each piece of dough in half 8 times, gently pulling the sides over the center like closing a book, turning the dough each time and repeating for 8 folds. Form a ball in your hands and transfer each piece of dough to a lightly oiled bowl seam-side-down, cover and refrigerate overnight (18 hours) or up to 1 week.
**I don't think putting it in the fridge made it rise much more than it had already risen, so I'd try using it after the first rise.
Remov the dough from the fridge 1 hour before using to give it time to warm up.
Friday, May 16, 2025
Delicious Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins
Delicious Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins
Source: https://simplyyummyeats.com/healthy-cottage-cheese-blueberry-muffins-recipe/
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup honey or maple syrup or liquid stevia (I used a mix of honey and solid sugar substitute)
Source: https://simplyyummyeats.com/healthy-cottage-cheese-blueberry-muffins-recipe/
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup honey or maple syrup or liquid stevia (I used a mix of honey and solid sugar substitute)
• ¼ cup vegetable oil or unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the cups.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, honey, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Stir everything together until it’s well mixed and smooth.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure these dry ingredients are well combined to ensure your muffins rise properly.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined—be careful not to overmix, as this can make your muffins tough! 5. Gently add the blueberries to the batter, taking care not to crush them.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
7. 7. Bake for 20-25 minutes. They’re done when they’re golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
8. Once baked, let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Alice and Kyle LOVED these! Rachel and Zed didn't like the blueberry part.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the cups.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, honey, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Stir everything together until it’s well mixed and smooth.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure these dry ingredients are well combined to ensure your muffins rise properly.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined—be careful not to overmix, as this can make your muffins tough! 5. Gently add the blueberries to the batter, taking care not to crush them.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
7. 7. Bake for 20-25 minutes. They’re done when they’re golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
8. Once baked, let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Alice and Kyle LOVED these! Rachel and Zed didn't like the blueberry part.
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Roasted Baby Carrots
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 3 Servings
Ingredients:
1 pound baby carrots
2 tablespoons light brown sugar not packed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Pre heat oven to 450°F.
Add all ingredients to a small or medium-sized baking sheet, toss well to combine and arrange them in an even layer without overlapping.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven and place on a wire rack. Toss the carrots well and arrange them in an even layer without overlapping.
Continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes or the carrots get tender with a deep color and caramelized.
Place pan on a wire rack to cool and serve hot.
Biscuits (2 versions)
Source: https://thecarefreekitchen.com/wprm_print/baking-powder-biscuits-recipe
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Egg Wash (I skipped the egg wash and they were fine!)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add room temperature butter and use a fork or pastry blender to mix. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs.
Make a well in the center of the butter and flour mixture, then add milk all at once and mix just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (dough will be sticky and a little lumpy). Let the dough rest for 2-3 minutes.
On a floured surface, lightly knead dough by hand until smooth (about 30 seconds), then roll dough out with a rolling pin until the dough is even and about 3/4" thick.
Cut dough with a 3-4" round biscuit cutter or the bottom of a cup/jar (you can also cut into squares using a sharp knife) and place 1-2" apart on a lightly greased baking dish.
Use your thumb and make a small indent on the top of the biscuit. (This will help them rise straight on all sides)
Beat egg in a small bowl with the milk. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the biscuits.
Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter if desired. Serve warm, and enjoy!
Notes
Freezing:
Freeze unbaked biscuits flat on a baking sheet before storing them in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
To bake frozen biscuits, remove from the freezer and transfer to a baking sheet. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight, or bake from frozen and add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Ingredients
3 c all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
3.4 tsp salt
1 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 c butter
1 egg, beaten
1 c plus 2 tbsp milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter with pastry blender.
Combine egg and milk. Add to dry ingredients and stir until well moistened.
Knead 10 times.
Roll out 1-inch, cut with 2/5 inch cutter.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheet until done, 12-15 minutes.
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Egg Wash (I skipped the egg wash and they were fine!)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add room temperature butter and use a fork or pastry blender to mix. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs.
Make a well in the center of the butter and flour mixture, then add milk all at once and mix just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (dough will be sticky and a little lumpy). Let the dough rest for 2-3 minutes.
On a floured surface, lightly knead dough by hand until smooth (about 30 seconds), then roll dough out with a rolling pin until the dough is even and about 3/4" thick.
Cut dough with a 3-4" round biscuit cutter or the bottom of a cup/jar (you can also cut into squares using a sharp knife) and place 1-2" apart on a lightly greased baking dish.
Use your thumb and make a small indent on the top of the biscuit. (This will help them rise straight on all sides)
Beat egg in a small bowl with the milk. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the biscuits.
Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter if desired. Serve warm, and enjoy!
Notes
Freezing:
Freeze unbaked biscuits flat on a baking sheet before storing them in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
To bake frozen biscuits, remove from the freezer and transfer to a baking sheet. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight, or bake from frozen and add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Mile High Biscuits
Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/140596819608953820/Ingredients
3 c all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
3.4 tsp salt
1 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 c butter
1 egg, beaten
1 c plus 2 tbsp milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter with pastry blender.
Combine egg and milk. Add to dry ingredients and stir until well moistened.
Knead 10 times.
Roll out 1-inch, cut with 2/5 inch cutter.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheet until done, 12-15 minutes.
Cheddar Broccoli Potato Soup
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
5 1/2 Tbsp butter, divided
1 1/3 cups chopped carrots (about 3)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 small)
2 cloves garlic , minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 1/2 cups peeled and cubed russet potatoes , cut 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick (2 large)
3 cups chopped broccoli florets (from about 2 heads)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups milk (preferably 1% or 2%)*
1/2 cup heavy cream*
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz)
1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese (1 oz)
Instructions:
In a large pot over medium heat, melt 1 1/2 Tbsp of the butter. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.
Stir in chicken broth, potatoes and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover with lid and cook 15 minutes. Stir in broccoli and cook 5 minutes longer or until veggies are tender.
Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 Tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, whisking constantly 1 minute. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in milk (whisk well until no lumps remain).
Cook stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken, stir in heavy cream. Remove from heat and once all veggies are tender pour into the soup and stir. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar and parmesan cheese until melted. Serve warm.
Notes
* I skipped the cream and just used milk (3.5 cups total).
This broccoli potato cheese soup won't freeze well because of the dairy. If making in advance, store in the fridge for 1-2 days.
You could also use cauliflower instead of broccoli in this vegetarian potato soup recipe.
You could also use cauliflower instead of broccoli in this vegetarian potato soup recipe.
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
¼ cup unsalted butter
½ cup diced onions yellow or white
1 cup shredded carrots
2 1/2-3 cups broccoli florets chopped small
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 cup milk *
1 cup heavy whipping cream*
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
In a large pot over medium high heat, melt butter. Add in onions, carrots and broccoli. Cook to soften about 5 minutes (may be more or less depending on the size vegetables you cut).
Slowly add in broth, milk, and cream.
Sprinkle with flour and add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
Continue stirring and heating over medium heat until thickened. This will take about 10-15 minutes.
Once thick, add cheese and stir until melted and smooth.
Serve soup and enjoy!
½ cup diced onions yellow or white
1 cup shredded carrots
2 1/2-3 cups broccoli florets chopped small
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 cup milk *
1 cup heavy whipping cream*
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
In a large pot over medium high heat, melt butter. Add in onions, carrots and broccoli. Cook to soften about 5 minutes (may be more or less depending on the size vegetables you cut).
Slowly add in broth, milk, and cream.
Sprinkle with flour and add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
Continue stirring and heating over medium heat until thickened. This will take about 10-15 minutes.
Once thick, add cheese and stir until melted and smooth.
Serve soup and enjoy!
*I just used 2 cups of 1% milk, and it was still good.
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