Simple Lasagna

This is an easy breezy lasagna that is super simple and that everyone will love. It has been so long since I first made this that I don't remember where I found it, tried doing a search but no luck.If you've seen this recipe somewhere else, let me know, I like to give credit where credit is due. In the meantime, enjoy some lasagna!

1 lb lean ground beef (93% lean)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2.5 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
1.5 cups nonfat cottage cheese
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1-2 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
9 barilla oven ready lasagna noodles
2 Tbsp shredded parmesan

Preheat oven to 350, 325 for rv ovens or convection ovens. Cook ground beef with the garlic until meat is done. Pour one cup of the spaghetti sauce into a two quart rectangular dish. Stir remaining sauce into meat and heat over med-hi until hot. In small bowl mix together cottage cheese with Italian seasoning.

Place three uncooked noodles in dish on top of sauce. Spread 1/3 of meat mix on top of noodles. Spread 1/2 of cottage cheese mix on top of the meat mix. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese on top of cottage cheese. Add another layer of noodles, 1/3 of meat mix, remaining cottage cheese mix and 1/2 cup of mozzarella.

For the final layer add the remaining three noodles, remaining meat mix, 1/2 to one cup of mozzarella and sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for one hour. Remove from oven and let sit, still covered with the foil, for 15 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Date Night at Prima Pasta

I love date night out with my honey! It is possibly my favorite night of the week. Getting out with just me and the hubby for a couple of hours. Good food + good company = great time!! This week we went to Prima Pasta.

It's a great little Italian place here in Early, TX. They have awesome Italian and we recently decided it is the BEST place for pizza in town.

This is the Neopolitan (thin crust) with all our fav toppings - pepperoni, hamburger, jalapenos, mushrooms, onions and extra cheese! The sauce on this pizza is amazing without being overpowering, so you can still taste all the yummy toppings. They have many other great items on the menu as well - baked manicotti, spinach artichoke dip, chicken parmigiana, fettuccine alfredo with chicken,  and the list goes on and on! If your ever in the area you should give them a try!

Chicken Alfredo Grilled Pizza

It has been a while since I made these. They were VERY yummy but since the move I have not been doing any grilling. Need to start back up and these pizzas would be a great place to start! Something I'm sure everyone in the house would enjoy.

3 slices of bacon
1 lg chicken breast, cubed
olive oil
garlic powder
3 thin individual sized crusts
alfredo sauce
Italian seasoning
red onion slices, rings separated
jalapeno, sliced
mozzarella
shredded parmesan

In skillet cook bacon till nice and crispy. Drain on paper towels. In grease remaining in skillet cook the chicken. Remove from pan and place on small plate. Preheat grill to med-high. In small bowl mix together 3 Tbsp olive oil and about 2 tsp garlic powder.

The peaches were for our salad. They were very yummy grilled!

Assemble all ingredients together on cookie sheet or other pan or platter to make easier to carry out to the grill. Brush one side of each crust with the oil/garlic mixture.

Place crusts, oil side down, on grill. Grill for about two minutes. Brush the other side with more of the oil/garlic mix and flip the crusts over.

Once you have flipped them over, top each crust with desired amount of alfredo sauce, sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Then top with bacon, chicken, onion, jalapeno and cheeses. Close lid on grill and continue to cook until cheese is melted and crust nice and crispy, about five minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

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Grilled Pizza

I have been looking at grilled pizzas for a while, and with the oven on the fritz and temps in the upper 90s and low 100s, this seemed the time to give it a try. I really liked the way these turned out. Nice and crispy crust, topped however you like!

olive oil, mixed with a dash of garlic powder
3 thin six inch pizza crusts
pizza sauce
whatever toppings you like (just make sure to precook all meat)
we used:
     shaved parmesan
     pepperoni
     breakfast sausage cooked with about one Tbsp chopped cilantro
     shredded mozzarella cheese

Assemble all toppings together on cookie sheet to make them easy to carry outside.

Heat grill. Brush one side of each pizza crust with olive oil. Place oil side down on grill and cook for two to three minutes or until crust reaches desired brownness. *Remove from grill. Brush ungrilled side with olive oil. Turn over to side that has been grilled and top however you like.

Return to grill, close lik and cook for an additional two to three minutes until cheese is melted and bottom is brown and crispy. Remove from grill.

Serve and enjoy!

*Another method would be to not remove pizza crust from grill but go ahead and brush top side with oil and flip over. Add your toppings right there on the grill. You will need to do this quickly so that the crust does not burn. Once topped, close lid and cook until cheese is melted. Remove from grill, serve and enjoy!

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Italian Chicken

This is one of those recipes that came together almost by accident. In other words it took a couple of unexpected thing to happen for it to work - #1 leftover pasta from spaghetti night and #2 a FREE package of frozen Italian vegetables from HEB. I planned this as soon as I obtained the pkg of vegies, but without the pasta. Glad I had the leftover pasta, that made it more of a meal. Turned out very yummy, you may want to add some of your favorite pasta sauce but it is good without it.

2 Tbsp olive oil, cut into bite sized pieces
2 sm chicken breasts
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp minced onion
12 oz frozen Italian vegetables
2 cups cooked whole wheat spaghetti, cold

In large skillet heat oil. Add the chicken, parsley, garlic, Italian seasoning, basil, salt and minced onion.

Cook until chicken is almost done.

Stir in the Italian vegies and continue to cook for four to five minutes.

Toss in pasta and continue cooking until heated through.

Serve and enjoy!

Easy Spaghetti Sauce

This is a revamp of my recipe for Quick Spaghetti Sauce. I made a couple of adjustments to make it into a sauce for two as well as adding zucchini to sneak in some veggies. I had planned on using only 1/4 cup of onion but after I had it chopped and in the pan I realized I had used the wrong side of this measuring cup that attaches to my cutting board.

So, if you don't love onion you may want to reduce it. For us the amount of onion was fine.

1/2 lb ground turkey or lean ground beef (I have used both and like it either way)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
8 oz Italian seasoned tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
1 small zucchini, chopped
2 mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp Itailian seasoning
1 tsp sugar
generous dash of cinnamon
7 oz spaghetti or other pasta

Brown ground turkey, onion and garlic.

Add zucchini and mushrooms and continue cooking for two to three minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, pepper, water, Italian seasoning and sugar.

Simmer, covered, until zucchini is soft, about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti. Remove from heat and add the cinnamon, stirring well.

Serve over spaghetti with garlic bread. Enjoy!

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

It has been a while since we had pizza so I decided to throw one together for us. It turned out super yummy and we will be having it again soon!

3 8" thin pizza crusts or flour tortillas
6 heaping Tbsp alfredo sauce, divided
12 oz pkg chicken fajita meat
2 Tbsp olive oil
8 strips green bell pepper
2 handfuls fresh spinach
2 mushrooms, sliced
mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, 425 for RV ovens.

Top each crust with two heaping tablespoons alfredo sauce.

Divide chicken evenly between the three pizzas. In skillet heat oil. Add bell pepper and cook for about three minutes. Place on top of chicken on two of the pizzas. In same skillet cook spinach and mushrooms for about two minutes.

Divide between all three pizzas, putting a little extra on the pizza with no peppers. Top with desired amount of mozzarella cheese. Bake directly on oven rack for five to seven minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

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Saucy Ground Beef and Noodles

This is one of those recipes that I would rate as just okay but the hubby seemed to really enjoy it. I found it HERE. If I make it again I think I will add more seasoning to jazz it up a bit and not put in the bell pepper, maybe zucchini. It was very easy to make and was like an Italian soup or stew.

1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 1/2 cups extra broad egg noodles, yolk free
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, optional
1/2 of a 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 of a 4.5 oz jar sliced mushrooms
shredded mozzarella cheese, optional

In medium saucepan cook ground beef, onion and pepper till ground beef is done, about eight to ten minutes.  Drain if necessary.

Stir in remaining ingredients, except cheese. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally  Reduce heat and simmer till noodles are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve topped with cheese and enjoy!

John had to step outside for a minute while I was cooking. This is where Midnight sat until he came back in.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

I have not made homemade pizza sauce in YEARS and the last recipe I used was NOT this simple! This recipe was sent to me by my wonderful blogger friend, fellow full-time RVer and Gate Guard, Bobbie (and Jim) of Chappy Trails, where they share their RVing adventures. You should check out their blog, there is always something interesting going on!

I had to make a couple of changes, the recipe originally called for 1 1/2 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp rosemary. I knew I didn't have rosemary and when I went to the local store they didn't have it either. I actually thought I had basil, I was wrong, so I substituted Italian seasoning for both. This sauce turned out super yummy and is inexpensive to make. I will definitely be making it again.

6 oz tomato paste
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp oregano
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 to 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

Mix all ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes

OR increase olive oil to 1/3 cup, combine all ingredients and let stand for several hours before using.

For the pizza I used my now fav Crescent Roll Pizza Crust, brushed with olive oil, top with pizza sauce and your favorite toppings (we used pepperoni, bacon canned jalapenos and Italian blend shredded cheese). Bake at 400 degrees for ten minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

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Pepperoni Sausage Pizza

Every other Saturday I make the drive to Pleasanton to do laundry and grocery shopping. The Saturdays in between I go into Three River and shop at their tiny little grocery store. Well the tiny little store does not carry pizza crust. So I had to make a substitution - a can of crescent rolls! It turned out so yummy I may not buy pizza crust again!

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls
3/4 cup pizza sauce
parmesan cheese
1/2 lb maple flavored sausage
28 slices pepperoni
1 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread dough out flat on baking sheet.

Moisten fingers with water and press seams of rolls together to make one large sheet of dough. Bake for five to seven minutes, until just starting to brown. Meanwhile, in skillet brown sausage till done. Set aside. Remove crust from oven. With spatula flatten dough slightly. Brush with olive oil. Top with pizza sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Spread sausage, then pepperoni evenly over the sauce. Top with mozzarella. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Bake pizza for ten minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy!

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Spicy Bacon Burger Pizza

I have really been craving pizza lately. Possibly because there is no place nearby to get a good one and forget about delivery! I suppose this has been a good thing, it has forced me to come up with my own. And who can make pizza exactly the way I like it better than me? Maybe Papa John's but I don't think they've heard of him around here, so here is my latest pizza creation.

5 slices bacon, cooked crisp
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 serrano pepper, chopped
salt to taste
2-3 thin slices red onion, cut in half
1 12" precooked pizza crust
olive oil
1/2 cup pizza sauce
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef, draining if necessary, add serrano, garlic and salt to taste, continue cooking for about two minutes.

Set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray pizza stone with nonstick cooking spray. Place crust on stone and brush with olive oil.

Top with pizza sauce, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Spread  burger mixture over pizza sauce. Break bacon into large pieces and spread out over pizza.

Scatter onion over the bacon and burger. Top with cheese and bake 10 - 12 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

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