Two of my new favorite recipes!

Sorry that this post doesn't contain a new recipe from me, but you won't be disappointed!

Last week, I was looking for a good summer meal.  It was hot outside and I had a bunch of strawberries and kiwis cluttering up my kitchen.

I scoured pinterest and my favorite food blogs in search of a dinner that was both easy and delicious.

First up, I found these:  Cheeseburger Quesadillas.

The fried onions, the sauce, the crispy tortilla, and the yummy seasoned burger.  oh my.  The sauce of mayo and salsa?  life changing.  Especially if you have some yummy homemade salsa on hand.  Wow.  I've made them twice since then...  My BFF came over, and she needed to know the amazingness that was these Cheeseburger Quesadillas, so I made them for her too!  They are quickly going to become a go-to meal in my house.

Now, for dessert with our delicious quesadillas, I found this recipe:  Strawberry Kiwi Crisp from my absolute favorite food blog, How Sweet It Is.  Jessica is not only an amazing cook and recipe developer, she is also hilarious, and a great writer.  I can't tell you how much I enjoy her daily blog posts, recipes, and facebook updates. 

But now, about this dessert: (photo by How Sweet It is)

It was the most delicious fruit crisp I have ever had.  As with every recipe of hers that I try, it was amazing.  The tanginess of the fruit and the sweet crispy topping, and the yummy syrup that brings it all together.  Oh my.  We had ours with cool whip, because we had no vanilla ice cream, but it was still amazing.


So make these two recipes.  And check out their blogs.  And if you don't have pinterest yet, get it, you won't regret it!  It's a great place to find new recipes, crafts, and household tips and ideas.

I'll be back soon with some new recipes  -- need to find some new summer recipes around here :)

Slow Cooker Beer Chicken Tacos

Insert apologies for not posting here ....  I've used them all, so instead, I'm giving you an amazing recipe that I think I might be able to eat every single day, that is both easy, and quick!  forgive me?

adapted from How Sweet Eats recipe for Crock Pot Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos

• 1 can beer (use what you like - different beers add different flavors)
• 1 packet Taco Seasoning
• 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4)

1. Whisk beer and taco seasoning together in a bowl -- watch out, it will foam!
2. Place chicken breasts in the bottom of slow cooker, and pour beer mixture over top.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours.
4. There's going to be a lot of juice, but it's okay!  Use 2 forks to shred the chicken completely, and stir.  Put the lid back on for 15 minutes to let the flavors get all yummy and delicious together, and the chicken will soak up the liquid.
5. Serve on soft taco shells with your favorite toppings.

We served ours with rice, black beans, lettuce, salsa, cheese, onions, and sour cream.  I think corn, red onions, and tomatoes would be great additions, too, we just didn't have them!

My review:  I'm never making taco chicken meat any other way, ever again.  This was the most juicy, delicious chicken ever, and the beer gave it such a yummy depth of flavor.The hubby raved, and how great is it to have a dinner that doesn't heat up your house, and can

Oven Baked Chili Dogs

Terrible picture, but it's the only one I got in my excitement to enjoy these!

• 8 hot dogs
• 8 hot dog rolls
• 1 can of chili (no beans!)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• Cheddar Cheese
• Mayonnaise
• Mustard
• Hot Dog Relish
• Black Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line inside of hot dog buns with mayonnaise and sweet relish.  I know the mayo sounds gross, but it will keep your buns from getting dry while you bake the hot dogs.
3. Sprinkle some pepper on top of each one.
4. Add a line of mustard down each roll.. 
5. Add your the hot dogs, and place into a 13x9 pan (they should fit perfectly!)
6. Top hot dogs with chili, cheese, and diced onion. 
7. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.

My review:  These tasted amazing!  We were both skeptical about having to wait 45 minutes for hot dogs for dinner, but they were really yummy.  I think they would be a great thing to make if you are having a lot of people over, even possibly for the super bowl.  Even though I don't like relish or mustard on hot dogs, I loved the flavor of these.  Try them!!

Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

(adapted from recipe at SkinnyTaste)


Ingredients:

• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 celery stalks, diced small
• 15 baby carrots, diced small
• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
• salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp parsley flakes
• 3/4 cup half & half

Directions:

1. In a large frying pan, cook the bacon on low heat for about 5 minutes.  
2. Add in the onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms, and cook for another 5 minutes on low.
3. Add the ground beef and garlic, and turn the heat up to medium high and cook until browned.
4. Drain the grease off, and add in the wine.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Add to crock pot. Add tomatoes, italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
6. (If preparing the night before, cover and put in the refrigerator)
7. Cover and set slow cooker to low for 8 -10 hours. 
8. Adjust
   salt and pepper to taste,
   add parsley and half and half.
9. Serve over your favorite pasta.

My review:  This was delicious and made a TON!  I ended up making a lasagna with the leftover sauce - which makes about 4 meals for John and I.  You could make this and freeze into 2-4 meals for your family.  We both really loved the flavor of the sauce, and it's a nice, hearty, healthy meal, with lots of vegetables.

Cheesesteak Pizza

• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 6 sandwich steaks (like SteakUmms), chopped in bite size pieces
• 1 pound pizza dough (homemade or store bought)
• 1/2 cup Steak Sauce
• 6 slices provolone cheese
• 6 slices white american cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat.
3. Add mushrooms, peppers, and onions, and steaks.
4. Season with salt and pepper, and saute until soft (about 8-10 minutes) and steaks are cooked.
5. Drain off any excess grease.
6. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface.  Put on your pizza pan/stone/cookie sheet.
7. Cover the surface with the american cheese and add the layer of steak sauce.
8. Add the steak mixture and top off with the provolone cheese.
9. Bake 15-20 minutes, until all melty, delicious, and golden brown.

My review:  This was delicious, and better than any that I've had out at a pizza restaurant.  It's nice, because you can control the grease.  We liked it dipped in a little ranch, but it would also be good with more steak sauce.  Yum!

Lasagna Soup

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 (32 oz) box chicken broth
• 2 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups broken lasagna noodles
• 1 (5 oz) package grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. In a large pot, combine ground beef, onion, bell pepper and garlic. 
2. Cook until beef is browned.
3. Drain well.
4. Stir in thyme, brown sugar, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt.
5. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
6. Add noodles, and simmer until noodles are tender.  (If you want, you can boil these separately and then just add in at this point).
7. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
8. Serve in bowls, covered in mozzerella cheese.

My review:  This was delicious!  Tasted just like lasagna, with a little less work!  Serve with crispy baguette slices and a yummy green salad.

Pinterest!

I've not dropped off the face of the earth... I have about 6 recipes waiting to be shared with you, but my camera is holding my pictures hostage.  My SD card is stuck in my camera, and as soon as I figure out how to remove it without killing my camera, you will get some new recipes - most of which my husband claimed were "good as hell" which is apparently his new compliment that means something is really good  -- I think he should work on it, what do you think? ;-) 

In the meantime, I want to tell you about my current obsession:  Pinterest!  It's still in an invite only stage, but if you need an invite, just leave a comment with your email address or email me (address is to the right...) and I will send you one!

Basically, it's this cool social network tool, where you can pin pictures you find on any website to a board, and when you want to go back to the original site, you just click on the picture.  It's like using bookmarks, but you get a picture, and you get to share your bookmarks with other users.

Here's a screenshot of one of my recipe boards...

I love finding new recipes on here, as well as crafty new projects.  I may go broke if I try to do all the crafty projects I've found, but it's a great place to find decorating inspiration, crafty projects, wedding ideas, cleaning tips, fun ideas for kids,  and other things you never knew you wanted to find :-)  You can link up with any of your friends on facebook, and tweet your pins -- it's very cool!

Seafood Mac and Cheese

I don't have a picture of this, but I promise, it is delicious!!


Ingredients 

• 2 cups Velveeta Cheese
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 cup chopped red and green peppers
• Any Seafood Desired (I used 1 small can of crabmeat (from the Tuna aisle), 2 steamed tilapia fillets, and 1 packet of precooked salad shrimp)
• 1 box medium pasta shells
• Italian bread crumbs
• 4 tbsp Butter

Directions

1. Combine the cheese, milk, cayenne pepper, paprika, red and green peppers and seafood together in a saucepan on medium heat.  Stir often to keep the cheese from burning.
2. Boil pasta according to the package directions, and drain.
3. Combine pasta and cheese sauce together, and pour into a greased square casserole dish. (you can butter the dish or just use cooking spray).
4. Sprinkle bread crumbs to cover the top.
5. Cut the butter into small slices and evenly place over the top.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the bread crumbs are crispy and golden brown.

My review:  This is delicious and oh so rich and satifying.  All I did was make my seafood cheese fondue recipe and added pasta and breadcrumbs.  Delicious!!

Crispy Creamy Southwest Chicken Burrito

Makes 6-8 Burritos
Adapted from the Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 red pepper, diced
1/4 green pepper, diced
1 cup rice, cooked
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 cups cheddar cheese (Mexican would probably be good too!)
Burrito Size Tortillas
Sour Cream


Instructions
Mix the rice with the lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, and onion powder in a large bowl.
Add all remaining ingredients except the sour cream and cheese.
Turn your panini press on medium high - high and spray with cooking spray.  If you dont have a panini press, use a skillet.
On each tortilla, spread about a tablespoon of sour cream, and cover with cheese.
Fill with the chicken mixture, and wrap up tightly.
Put on the panini press, or in the skillet flap side down first.  If on a skillet, press down with a spatula (and turn once golden brown).
Repeat with each burrito.

My review:  These were delicious and we have put it on our "rotation list" as one of our favorites.  I made the filling one night, and we had these at least 3 different nights, without getting tired of them!  They are delicious and creamy and crispy and wonderful.  Also a plus, they are HEALTHY!

Philly Cream Cheese and Tomato Pasta

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound fusilli or rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 jar of your favorite red pasta sauce (I used Prego Mushroom)
• 3/4 block of cream cheese, cubed
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and onion on medium high heat.
3. Drain the grease off of the beef, and return to the stove.
4. Add in the garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add the sauce and bring the whole mixture to a simmer.
6. Once it is simmering, add in the cream cheese and parmesan and stir well.  It will take about 5 minutes for the cream cheese to melt and incorporate into the red sauce.  Keep stirring.
7. At this point, you can either mix together with the pasta in a large dish, or you can just serve on top of the pasta, whatever floats your pasta-loving boat!
8. Serve with a green salad, as the sauce is very creamy and rich.

My review:  This was amazing, and something I just threw together on a weeknight for dinner.  I planned on making spaghetti, but opened the fridge and saw cream cheese, and it was all over after that.  It was such a good hot meal after a crappy cold rainy day.  We both loved it, and it was another one where we were fighting over who got to eat the leftovers.  Yum!

Naughty Chicken

This chicken dish is getting straight up coal in its stocking this year, because it is deliciously naughty.  Serve it with some steamed broccoli, or a brisk 30 minute walk, because you're going to need it.  Joking aside, this chicken dish was to die for, and I couldn't wait to eat the leftovers!  I adapted the recipe from Mandy's Recipe Box, you can find the original recipe here.

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon, diced into pieces (try not to get anything with a fancy flavor...)
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup brown sugar
• up to 1 cup of water, as needed
• Cooked rice, for serving (the amount depends on what you like, I made 4 dry cups)

Directions

1. Fry the bacon in a large skillet, until it's almost done and crispy and delicious.
2. Remove all bacon grease but about 1/2 cup (you can leave more in if you like -- the original recipe didn't have you taking any out, but we found it to be a little too greasy -- we had really fatty bacon.  If your bacon is meatier, you probably wouldn't want to take any out).
3. Stir in the chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and chicken.
4. Cook until chicken is cooked through.
5. Add in the brown sugar, and continue to cook on medium high, until sugar is dissolved, and sauce begins to thicken.  If you notice your sauce getting too thick, add in some water.
6. Serve over rice and indulge.  Yum!

My review:  I loved this dish.  The bacon grease added a depth of flavor, and the spicy sweet flavors added later were very dynamic too.  We really enjoyed this dish.  I want to try it with some stir fry vegetables added into the sauce too.

Stuffed Pepper Mini Meatloaves

I love the filling in stuffed peppers, but I never eat the actual pepper.  This was my way of still having the stuffed pepper flavor, but not wasting the pepper.

Makes about 16 mini meatloaves.

Ingredients

• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 package Zatarain's Dirty Rice (cooked acoording to package directions, without the ground beef)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Cook your rice the night before if possible -- it takes about 30 minutes, so it's nice to not have to do that the night that you plan to bake your mini meatloaves.
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Throw the peppers, onion, tomatoes, ground beef, and rice in a large bowl and mix until well combined.
4. Spray a regular size muffin pan with cooking spray.
5. Fill each muffin hole with the beef mixture.  Pack it in - they will shrink as they cook.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.
7. Top each with some cheese.
8. Bake for 10 more minutes.
9. Serve with a big green salad  -- I even broke up the loaves and mixed them into my salad.

My review:  This was an idea I had when my peppers didn't look very pretty, and when I remembered that I don't even like the pepper part of stuffed peppers.  I loved this.  It was pretty spicy, and if your family doesn't like much spice, then you may want to just use 2 cups of regular white or brown rice.

Missing in Action

After a crazy summer of living basically alone in the new house, while John was away working to make money for said new house, and I wasn't using my beautiful new kitchen to cook meals for myself....

 
 and then a crazy fall of getting married....

and then honeymooning on Cape Cod

and taking care of our many animals - Lily, Jack & Sawyer, and Boo

and unpacking and decorating to make our house feel like a home

and just dealing with life,

Dragonfly Kitchen was lifeless for months.

But the air is getting cooler now and I'm ready to get my butt back in the kitchen and start testing and creating some yummy recipes to share with all of you.

In the meantime, try this recipe.  It's life changing and delightful and delicious and amazing.  I served it for dinner with friends a few weeks ago, and they raved.  And I'm not gonna lie, I'm dying to make it again.  So worth all of the work.

I'm so glad to be back :)

Baked Zucchini Fries

3 zucchinis (about 1 lb.)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (the powdery stuff!)
1 packet Shake N Bake Chicken coating mix
2 eggs, beaten


Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
Cut the ends off each zucchini.  Cut crosswise in half and then cut each piece into 1/4 inch matchlike sticks.
Add cheese to coating mix in a ziploc bag and shake to combine.
Add zucchini to the beaten egg in a bowl and toss to coat.
Place 1/4 of the zucchini in the bag with the breading and toss to coat.
Spread onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
Repeat with remaining zucchini.
Bake 7 minutes, and then turn.
Bake 7 more minutes.

Serve with ranch dressing, or any other dipping sauce you would like.

My review:  These were delicious. My fiance was a little apprehensive because he loves fried zucchini and was disappointed when he heard I was planning on baking these.  He was pleasantly surprised, and said that these were just as good!  I loved them.  I would like to try them with a different flavor of shake and bake, like the herb one...  Also, some fun dipping sauce.  I think thousand island would be good, or a spicy ranch.  So many possibilities, and this is one of my favorite foods!

Tortellini Spinach Salad

 

20 oz package cheese tortellini, refrigerated

1 can quartered artichokes

1 package fresh baby spinach, washed

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup diced red onion

(1-2 cups chicken or steak, grilled) optional

Mix all ingredients together and toss.  Serve with a delicious vinaigrette.

My review:  This was yummy!  I loved the combination of salad and pasta.  Very good made as a meal with the addition of the meat, but also great as a side without it!