Tasty Tuesday: Chicken & Dumplings

I know every southern lady has her own recipe for this classic dish, but I thought since I was making this on Sunday for my family I would share mine! It was perfectly warm and delicious on a windy and rainy evening! This my version of his mother's dumplings so take it as you will for traditional or not.

Ingredients
1 whole chicken cut in half
3 stalks of fresh celery chopped
1 large yellow onion  chopped
1/2 stick of butter
Water
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Celery Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp White Pepper
1 tsp Chicken Seasoning
1/2 tsp Chipolte Chili Powder (*optional for a kick)
3 cans of biscuits (NOT Grands ~ but regular sized)
1 cup of flour
dash of salt
dash of pepper

Directions
1. In a large stock pot melt butter and saute veggies. Add in salt, pepper, celery salt, white pepper, chicken seasoning and chili powder. Top with chicken and cover with water.
2. Bring up to a boil and then turn down heat to Medium. Cook until chicken is done and broth has tons of flavor adding water as needed to keep chicken covered. (I usually cook mine for about an hour and a half.)
3. Remove chicken and de-bone. You can add all of the meat back into the stock, or reserve some for another meal. (I often use 1/2 and then use the other 1/2 for a casserole or chicken salad.) Be sure to taste the broth for any added seasoning that you might need. (This is a GREAT time to toss those bones, skin, and such into the crockpot with some celery and onion with salt and pepper for homemade chicken stock!)
4. In a bowl mix flour, dash of salt, dash of pepper. Set aside. Open a can of biscuits. One by one, roll them out flat then and cut into strips. Toss in the flour and set aside into another bowl. Continue with all three cans of biscuits.
5. Toss biscuits with a bit of remaining flour to make sure they are well coated.
6. Turn heat back on under chicken and broth and bring to a boil. Dump in dumplings and stir once. Lower heat to medium low and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover and cook another 10 minutes.

:) This truly is one of my husband's favorite meals and I always like cooking for him things that he enjoys. This recipe never turns out the same each time I cook it. I gave you measurements for the seasonings but please note that it is only a guesstimate because I never measure them!

Tasty Tuesday: Pasta Comfort Food with Pizzazz

Bacon, Tomato, Chicken & Kale Garlic Penne

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound chicken (chicken breast or tenders)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 packet of Zesty Italian Seasoning
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup frozen chopped kale
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
6 bacon strips, cooked, drained and chopped
1 and 1/3 cups half and half or whipping cream
1 and 1/3 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded
10 oz penne pasta
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for topping at serving

Directions
1,In a large skillet, on high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until hot. Add cubed chicken and cook on one side on high heat for 1 minute. While it cooks, sprinkle the chicken with paprika and Italian seasoning. Stir the chicken until well cooked. Reduce heat to medium and continue to step 2.
2. To the same pan add canned tomatoes, kale, garlic, crushed red pepper, and bacon. Mix everything well.
3. Add half and half (or cream) and bring to boil. Only after half and half starts boiling, add grated Parmesan cheese - immediately reduce to simmer and stir, while simmering, until the cheese melts and makes the sauce creamy, only about 1 minute (at most 2 minutes). Then, immediately remove from heat. Season with more crushed red pepper and salt, if needed.
4. In the mean time bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta and cook it according to instructions. Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water and drain again.
5. Add pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Season with more salt if necessary. To serve, top the pasta with grated Parmesan cheese

Tasty Tuesday: Crispy Fried Okra

One thing I loved as a kid was going to Wyatt's Cafeteria and getting fried okra on the side of a piece of fried cod. I never liked it when it was made at home because it never came out right. I would sometimes buy the frozen premade but it still wasn't the same. Sunday brought a little inspiration to the kitchen (in the midst of clothes dryer repair) and decided to try it from scratch. It not only was delicious but it was easy!

Ingredients
1 bag of frozen cut okra
1 cup of flour
2 cups of seasoned bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Salt
cooking oil

Directions
1. Defrost your bag of okra. Once it is completely defrosted drain on a towel to remove excess water.
2. In a bowl mix eggs, milk, and a good dash of each of garlic salt and pepper.
3. In another bowl add the flour, good dash of garlic salt and pepper.
4. In a shallow baking dish dump the bread crumbs.
5. Place 1/2 of the okra into the flour and stir around to coat well.
6. Using a fork place floured okra into egg mixture and coat well.
7. Using another fork, transfer okra from egg wash into bread crumbs and using hands turn around bread crumbs until okra is well coated.
8. Place crumb coated okra on a plate, and proceed steps 5-7 with the remaining okra.
9. With an electric skillet set to 350* heat oil. Once oil is well heated (test by adding in one piece of okra ~ if it is bubbly around the edges your good to go), carefully place 1/3 of the okra into the oil to cook. After a couple of minutes, turn okra to ensure all of the surface is crispy and browned.
10. Remove from oil onto a pan that is lined with paper towels and lightly salt.
11. Continue until all okra is cooked.

Tasty Tuesday: Bacon, Ham, & Corn Chowder

It's been far too long since I shared a new recipe with you guys, and this one is perfect for the cooler weather that is trying to set it's eyes on all of us! If you like comfort food this is for you!

Ingredients
2 cups Ham Chunks (great use for holiday left overs)
1 lb bacon
3 cups of frozen corn
1 bell pepper chopped
3 jalapenos seeded and chopped
2 carrots diced
2 stalks of celery diced
1 small to medium yellow onion chopped
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chipolte chili powder (optional)
1/3 cup of flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
4 oz cream cheese
2 cups chicken broth
1 bunch of green onions chopped

Directions
1. Brown bacon in a soup pot that you added about 2 tbs oil to. Once bacon is brown removed to a bowl to cool.
2. Add in all cut up veggies (except green onions and corn) and saute until tender.
3. Add in seasonings and flour and stir around. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add in heavy cream and stir well until combined.
5. Add in milk and stir in until combined.
6. Add in cream cheese and stir until combined.
7. Dump in the frozen corn and ham chunks and stir well. Once combined, mix in the chicken broth. Mixture should resemble a creamy soup.
8. Add in all the bacon as well as the green onions and simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

I served this with garlic Ciabatta rolls and it was amazing!



Would you like to check out my grocery haul for this week? Click here! I will be sharing some planning and how I get done all that I get done on a busy schedule later this week!

Tasty Tuesday: Brown sugar & garlic chicken (Slow Cooker Recipe)

It was a rainy weekend here in South East Texas and well, I had to make due with groceries we had for dinner instead of running to the store. I mean I could have gone out but really who wants to do that if you don't have to!? This is one reason I always try to keep staple items in our pantry and a pack of either chicken thighs or ground beef. You can always come up with something with those two meat choices!

Ingredients 
2lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
2 tsp minced garlic (or 4 whole cloves minced)
1/2 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup soy sauce

Directions
1. Place the chicken thighs on the bottom of your crockpot.
2. In a bowl mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken. (DO NOT by any means reduce the amounts! Well, I mean if you want to go ahead but I wouldn't!)
3. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours. Shred and serve over rice (or even pasta) with a green veggie of your choice.

**I added in 1/2 a bag of frozen chopped kale at the end of cooking and just let the heat from the meat and sauce heat it up. Gave a bit of extra nutrients and really was delightful. **

Tasty Tuesday: Winner Winner Ranch Italian Chicken Dinner

The concept is not new, but Ranch makes everything better!

Ingredients
 2 1/3 pounds Chicken Thighs (Boneless, skinless)
1 large can of green beans(or two regular sized ones)
2 pounds of Red potatoes quartered
1 Italian Seasoning packet
1 Ranch Packet
1 stick of melted butter
Drizzle of olive oil

Directions
In a large casserole, make three rows. One for the chicken, one for the potatoes, and one for the green beans. Drizzle each row with olive oil. Sprinkle both seasoning packets over all the ingredients. Drizzle melted butter over entire dish and bake covered with foil in a preheated 350* oven for 1 hour. Serve with fresh raw veggies (cucumbers, tomatoes, etc) and either hot crusty bread or croissants.

Tasty Tuesday: Italian stuffed shells

Sunday dinners are going to be changing over the next few months with football gatherings in our neighborhood, so this past Sunday I made sure to make a "family" dinner to enjoy with my family before we started a new busy week (I returned to the classroom, hubby had a full work week ahead, and the kids last week of summer). I had pinned a few new recipes to try and after looking them over, decided I would play and create my own version of a favorite of many. I can't leave a recipe alone so here is my version of Italian Stuffed Shells which I served with my families favorite Garlic Knots and a side salad.

Ingredients
2 Jars of Barilla Marinara Sauce
1 Box of large shells (cooked as directed on box, drained, cooled)
1 large White Onion chopped
1 to 2 TBS Olive Oil
1 # Ground beef (I used a 50/50 mix of venison and beef)
1 16 oz container of Ricotta Cheese
1 5 oz container of grated Italian three cheese
1 8 oz shredded mozzarella
1 packet of Italian Seasoning
1 large egg

Directions
1. Prepare pasta as directed.
2. In a large bowl mix together the Ricotta cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese.
3. In a skillet cook onions, ground beef in olive oil until onions are tender and meat is browned. Drain     if needed.
4. Add one jar of marinara to ground beef and onions.
5. Pour a light layer of sauce on bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish
6. Fill shells with cheese mixture and put in casserole dish.
7. Cover shells with remaining sauce and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
8. Cover pan with foil and bake in a 375* oven for 45 minutes.
9. Remove foil and bake for additional time to allow cheese to finish melting and brown a little.
10. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
11. Serve with your family's favorite French bread or these amazing Garlic Knots and a side salad.

This freezes beautifully if you just want to prepare it ahead of time in a throw away foil pan and cook another night!

Tasty Tuesday: Bacon & Beer Macaroni and Cheese

Oh my word! First do not let the word "beer" turn you off this recipe. Second, wipe that drool off your face from the idea of bacon in your macaroni and cheese!

Ingredients
1 package of medium shell pasta (1 #)
1 pound of bacon chopped
4 oz Cream cheese
8oz of SHARP cheddar cheese Shredded
4oz of Colby jack cheese Shredded
4 to 6 oz of Velveeta
1 medium yellow onion chopped
2+cups of milk
1 16oz of Guinness beer
Celery Salt (1/2 tsp+)
Garlic Salt (1 tsp+)
Ground White Pepper (1 tsp +)
Ground Black Pepper (1 tsp +)
Chipolte Chili Powder (1 tsp+)
8 oz of cheese for topping

Directions
1. Boil Pasta to aldente as per directions on your pasta.
2. In a LARGE pot cook bacon and onions in 3 TBS Olive Oil until onions are tender and bacon is crispy. Take out and drain on paper towels.
3. Add in 1/4 cup of oil and 1/3 cup of flour. Whisk together and allow to cook for two minutes to cook the flour but no longer. You do not want to brown the flour.
4. Add in 2 cups of milk and bottle of beer and whisk until it thickens. Add in more milk if needed (I most likely used almost another whole cup but I didn't measure to be exact).
5. Add in cream cheese and allow to combine and be whisked in.
6. Melt in the remaining cheese (except for the amount for topping) and add seasonings as needed. I used quite a bit of each but we like flavor and a little heat. I wanted to add in some red pepper flakes but didn't. Next time I will.
7. What you are wanting is a luscious cheese sauce! If you need to add more milk, please do. Taste for seasonings. Add drained pasta and pour into a sprayed 13x9 casserole dish. Top with cheese.
8. Bake in a preheated 375* for about thirty minutes ~ checking to make sure that the top doesn't get too browned.

I served this for a main meal with Garlic Knots and cut up cucumbers with cherry tomatoes. I wish I had gotten some green onions to put on top!

Tasty Tuesday: Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits

Biscuits! YUM! Need I say more?! In our house we adore biscuits on the side of many meals. Sometimes I like to play with the dough and make them something a bit more exciting, and these were definitely just that ~ exciting!

Ingredients
3 cups of baking mix (I prefer Bisquick)
1 cup of buttermilk
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of chopped pickled jalapenos
1 tsp Chipolte chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 stick of butter melted

Directions
1. In a large bowl measure out baking mix, garlic salt, cheddar cheese, jalapenos, and chipolte chili powder. Add buttermilk and  stir to combine. (If need be add a little more milk or mix to make dough not sticky but be careful about over mixing.)
2. Pat dough out to 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick and using a circle cutter, cut out.
3. Dip each biscuit into butter and put on a baking sheet.
4. Bake in a 450* oven for about 10 minutes or until nice and golden.
5. Brush on any remaining melted butter on top of each biscuit. (If you do not have any left over, met just a little bit more ~ you won't regret it!)


Serving ideas:
1. On side of a bowl of chili or stew!
2. With biscuits and gravy!
3. Just as they are with just a bit of butter in the center!

Tasty Tuesday: Layered Baked Pene

As summer is over half way done, I have decided to try a few new recipes that I can use in the Fall, that will be tasty and easy for a busy night. This is a great dish you can make ahead and pop in the oven to finish off just before it's time to eat! Serve with Garlic Knots and a salad and you have a tasty meal your whole family will love that will taste like you spent forever in the kitchen!

Ingredients
1 # ground beef
2 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 jars of your favorite Marinara Sauce
1/2 of a white onion chopped
2 TBS minced garlic
Basil, Italian seasoning, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Crushed Red Pepper, Black Pepper, Celery Salt, Garlic Salt, Basil, Lemon Pepper
16 oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 box of pene pasta

Directions
1. Boil pasta until it is aldente. (A little bit of chew left in it)
2. In a large sauce pot heat olive oil on medium high heat and saute onions for about 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute for one minute. Add meat and begin to brown the meat and finish cooking the onions and garlic stirring often until meat is cooked through. Drain.
3. Place meat,onions, and garlic back into sauce pot and add in the jars of sauce. Taste it and add various amounts of the seasonings listed above. It is hard to tell you exact amounts because I just sprinkle what looks good and taste. (Be careful on seasonings with salt.) Once you get it seasoned and it almost tastes amazing, toss in about 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and stir, turning heat to low and allow to simmer for a few minutes.
4. Drain pasta if you haven't already.
5. In a large casserole dish place about 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom.
6. Dump the drained pasta on top of sauce and spread out.
7. Sprinkle pasta with Garlic Salt and 1/2 of your mozzarella cheese.
8. Pour on the rest of the sauce spreading to cover the pasta and cheese.
9. Sprinkle the top with garlic salt and mozzarella cheese.
10. Bake in a preheated 375* oven (covered with foil) for twenty minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. (IF you are starting with a cold dish, please allow an extra 10 to 15 minutes.)

Tasty Tuesday: Easy Sausage and cheese Kolaches

As Mommas we like to have a few quick breakfast idea sin our pocket for those crazy busy mornings. Summers are not so hectic but our school days are. Sausage and cheese kolaches also  make a great weekend breakfast as well! Add some fruit, or scrambled eggs on the side and you have a full breakfast! These are great made ahead of time and frozen as well ~ for those mornings that are even crazier than crazy!

Ingredients
1 can Grands Biscuits (8ct)
1 package of Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage Links (NOT cocktail size)
4 slices of Kraft American Cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Smoosh one biscuit out flat. Add 1/2 of a cheese slice and one sausage link in the center.
3. Fold biscuit over the sausage until all the cheese is completely closed in.
4. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.
5. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving (but it is so hard to wait!)

Tasty Tuesday: Creamiest Dreamiest Cheeseburger Macaroni

Some days you just need a good go to casserole that you can throw together in no time, and still feel like you have offered your family a tasty dinner! Seeing as how fast Summer vacation is flying by I will be working on a few more "quick" meals so that menu planning will be a bit easier once I return to work and the kid's crazy schedules begin with football and drill team practices and games.

Ingredients
1# of ground beef (or turkey)
1 packet of Ranch Dressing Mix
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 of a pound of block of Velveeta cut into chunks
4 oz of Cream Cheese
1 package of pasta (your choice) (I like mini shells for this)
2 cups of milk (give or take)

Directions
1. Start a pot of water to boil for your pasta.
2. In a skillet brown the ground beef. Add in the Ranch seasoning, black pepper, Velveeta, and cream cheese. Stir together, then add about a cup of milk. Continue stirring until cheeses are melted and adding milk to get a good luscious consistency.
3. Boil pasta as directed, drain, and add to cheesy meat mixture.
4. Taste for any additional seasoning. When the kids eat this I keep it pretty much as it is, sometimes adding a bit of chipolte chili powder to my serving. (Occasionally I add garlic and onion powder to the batch as it is cooking as well.)

Serve this with hot crusty bread, salad or steamed veggie of your choice for a complete meal! It's tasty, filling, and relatively inexpensive.

Tasty Tuesday: Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

I have a chicken dinner that is worthy of a Sunday supper, or even just a Monday night!

Ingredients
6 to 7 Chicken Thighs (bone in, skin on)
8 to 10 Carrots peeled and cut into large chunks
8 Russet potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks
1 Yellow Onion peeled and cut into large chunks
1 packet of Ranch seasoning
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
3 TBS Olive Oil
Chicken Seasoning
Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Directions
1. In a large bowl mix the carrots, onions, and potatoes with olive oil and ranch seasoning packet and black pepper. Toss to coat well. Pour into a 11x13 casserole dish.
2. In same bowl add chicken thighs. You can add in another tablespoon of olive oil if you would like but I found that just barely a drizzle was enough.
3. Sprinkle chicken seasoning and lemon pepper seasoning over chicken and toss in bowl to coat well. Place chicken on top of vegetables.
4. Bake in a 400* oven for an hour and a half. Turn down temp to 375* and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes.

This dinner was a HIT and let me tell you, the chicken was tasty and juicy! I have one picky eater, so I also made a side of Rice A Roni (chicken flavor) and served this with a salad. I normally do not make meals that need to be baked in the oven for that length of time during the summer but we in the midst of a Tropical Storm coming in and the cloudy skies kept it cooler than normal. Perfect time to cook a meal like this! This is definitely something to be cooked in the Autumn and Winter or cooler climates than we have in Texas for the summer.

Tasty Tuesday: Slow Cooker Cheesy Ranch Potatoes

Sunday my husband woke up and decided he wanted to cook on his smoker. Yay! I love when he does that! So, the bulk of dinner was being done by him, I only had to come up with some sides. I decided I would make some slow cooker cheesy ranch potatoes because I could get it set up and then let it cook without heating up the house. Funny thing is I realized this would be amazing with eggs on a tortilla for breakfast, or even just as they are for a meal. I don't know if it is because it is summer or what, but I have been feeling the desire to go easy on the meat and eat more veggies and fruits.

Ingredients
6 to 8 Russet potatoes Peeled and chunked
4 TBS vegetable oil
1 packet of Ranch seasoning
1 cup of cheese
1 packet of Oscar Meyer Bacon pieces (or six slices of precooked bacon crumbled)
4 slices of colby jack cheese

Directions
1. In a large bowl combine the first 5 ingredients and stir well to coat.
2. Spray the inside of your slow cooker with Pam or your choice of non stick spray.
3. Dump contents into slow cooker.
4. Cook on High for three hours and then switch it to low for 1 to 2. Stirring every now and then.
5. In the last 30 minutes, place sliced cheese on top and allow to melt.

Toppings:
Sliced green onions and sour cream if desired.

Tasty Tuesday: Stuffed Panko Crusted Pork Chops

Last week I decided to throw in a yummy new recipe to my menu plan and boy am I glad I did!

Have I mentioned how much I really like Kale lately? I have been using it where fresh spinach is usually called for and I have to say the texture it adds where Spinach went limp... boy oh boy! I love it!

Ingredients
4 Boneless Loin Chops (Butterflied but not split)
1 block of cream cheese
1 package of Zesty Italian Dressing (dry) Seasoning
About 1 cup of Kale (Frozen then squished in the bag ~ it chops it for you!)
Your favorite Steak Seasoning
Salt if needed (Check that steak seasoning)
2 cups panko crumbs
2 TBS oil
2 TBS Taco Seasoning
2 eggs whisked

Directions
1. In a bowl mix zesty Italian seasoning, cream cheese, and kale.
2. Sprinkle seasoning inside of chops.
3. Fill chops with cream cheese mixture evenly.
4. Use toothpicks to seal the edges closed.
5. Sprinkle steak seasoning over top and bottom of chops.
6. Place in a covered casserole dish into fridge until about 30 minutes before you want to start cooking them.
7. Thirty minutes before time to cook, pull chops out of fridge. In a skillet heat up 2 tbs of oil and add panko crumbs stirring until they begin to brown. Be careful! They scorch easily if left unattended.
8. Remove from heat and add taco seasoning stirring to combine well.
9. Dip chops into whisked eggs, and then into panko crumbs to coat.
10. Bake on a foil lined cookie sheet with a cooking rack in a 375* oven for about 30 minutes.

When I served these I used two boxes of Rice A Roni fried rice, added in a bit more butter and added at least 2 cups of frozen kale! It was delish!

I would love for you to link up one of your current favorite recipes in the linkup below!

Link up your latest entry here!

Tasty Tuesday: Summertime Tip

Toll-house cookie dough base w/ chocolate chips & peanut butter chips

This week's Tasty Tuesday has NOTHING to do with a new recipe, but instead just a little ol tip from me. Perhaps you haven't thought to do this before, or maybe you have done it but forgotten how nice it is to have a "back up" plan ready to go in the blink of an eye.

I don't know about where you live, but my neighborhood is totally full of kids which I love, but sometimes can catch you off guard for something to feed the crew. Sometimes I have to remember to get a bag of apples and just go out there with waterbottles and apples and share away ~ other times they run in BEGGING for something!

Over the weekend I did a double batch of our favorite cookie dough and decided this morning to tend to it and prep it to be used two other times. Most likely on a Saturday or some midweek day in the summer. We tend to do go through lots of snacks and treats in the summer, let alone with just having three teens in the house!

Here is what I did:
1. Put cookie dough in a LONG tube on Cling Wrap.



















2. Roll into a log.



















3. Slice log in 1/2



















4. Wrap each half in wax paper.



































5. Wrap in foil.



































6. Place in gallon size freezer bag.

Allow to defrost or with a sharp knife cut through frozen dough and bake off at 375 for about 12 minutes or until done.

Creamy Sausage, Tomato & Kale Minestrone

Sometimes you just have to play in the kitchen. The following recipe is an adaptive version from one of our family's favorite soups Sausage, Spinach and Tortellini Soup.

Ingredients
1 # Italian sausage without the casing (I used mild)
1 8 oz Package of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 1/c Minestrone pasta (Ditalini)
2-3 cups fresh chopped kale
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 onion chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
2  TBS Crushed Red Pepper flakes
4 cups of Chicken broth (or veggie broth)

Directions
1. In a soup pot brown sausage, onions, and celery together on medium heat until the meat is cooked through and the veggies are tender. Add in garlic and cook for another minute or two.
2. Add in tomatoes and all the seasonings.
3. Cut cream cheese into small squares and add to the sauce. Stir in until it is incorporated well.
4. Stir in kale. (I LOVE using kale because it hold's its texture ~ unlike spinach)
5. Add 4 cups of broth and turn heat up to medium high.
6. Pour in minestrone noodles and stir well cooking for the length suggested on box.

Mine came out a bit thick so you can add more broth if you wish, or perhaps a bit of half & half. This is a GREAT dinner to serve to a crowd along side of some crusty french bread and side salad.

Tasty Tuesday: Bacon, Spinach, and Tortellini Mac-n-cheese

This past week I really had no interest of eating, let alone cooking much. By Saturday I was itching to play in the kitchen and oh my word am I ever glad I did! Macaroni and cheese is a top comfort food for many. If you like it too... I promise you~ you will love this spin! It has bacon in it! Who doesn't love bacon!?

Ingredients
2 TBS Olive Oil
1 pound of bacon cut into pieces
1/2 red onion chopped
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
6 to 8 oz bag of fresh baby spinach
3/4 cup of oil
3/4 cup of flour
2 + cups of milk (+ as needed to make sure it's not too thick)
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 cup cheddar shredded
1 cup Colby/cheddar shredded
1 container of soft cream cheese spread
19 oz bag of frozen cheese tortellini cooked 1/2 .way through

Directions
1. In a large pot put in 2 tbs olive oil and allow to heat up slightly. Add in bacon and begin cooking. Once it is about 2/3rds of the way cooked, add in your red onion and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until bacon is browned and onions are tender. Add in spinach and allow the spinach to wilt for about 2 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towel covered plate.
2. Add in 3/4 cup of oil and flour and whisk together to make a nice paste. Add in seasonings and continue to whisk. Cook for about 2 minutes or so to make sure you get out the raw flour taste.
3. Whisk in milk slowly until you get a good "loose" gravy texture. It may take only the 2 cups of milk, it may take more. Add in cheeses and whisk in until blended well. Check the consistency again ~ you may need to add another splash of milk or so.
4. Whisk in cream cheese and make sure it is blended well.
5. Add in tortellini, bacon, onion, and spinach mixture. Mix well.
6. Spray a lasagna pan with Pam. Pour mixture into pan. Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes in a 375* oven until top browns slightly and it is all bubbly and delish!