Tag: Parmesan

SRC – Stuffed Shell Casserole from Making Miracles

Well Dined | Stuffed Shell Casserole

Remember when I thought that the fall SRC post was my last one?  Well, I had completely forgotten that I still had one more regular Secret Recipe Club post.  Oops!  Luckily I did remember in time and was able to look through my assigned blog – Making Miracles.

Rebekah is a mother of two who traveled extensively as a child, including living in Africa – wow!  Most of her meals are “quick, easy, and family friendly”, but sometimes she has time for something more complicated.  She has also been a surrogate for many years resulting in 4 baby girls, 2 of whom are twins!  What an amazing gift!  I can’t imagine how challenging and rewarding that must be.

On Rebekah’s blog I saw lots of casseroles, and you KNOW I love casseroles.  I was particularly interested in this Crockpot Turkey and Rice Casserole, this Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage Casserole, this Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Casserole, this Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole with Doritos, and this Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole.

Other dishes that peaked my interest were Brown Sugar Meatloaf, Mozzarella Stuffed Italian Meatloaf, Sweet and Sour Meatballs, and Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Roast.

Well Dined | Stuffed Shell Casserole

I let my husband look through all of my top choices (so generous of me *wink*).  He picked out these classic Stuffed Shells, and I was happy to oblige!  But then I ran into a problem – the store didn’t have any jumbo pasta shells!  I thought I remembered having a box at home, so I bought the rest of the stuff and went back to check.  It turns out that what I had was actually large shells, not jumbo.  I was out of time and had already bought the other ingredients, so I decided to improvise. (more…)

Food ‘n Flix – Hotel Transylvania 2 (Oozing Eyeball Pasta)

Well Dined | Spinach Dip Stuffed Meatballs

Holy miracle, Batman – I finally got my act together in time for Food ‘n Flix again!  It’s been almost a year, yikes.  This month, our film was Hotel Transylvania 2, hosted by Kimberly at Coffee and Casseroles.

Well Dined | Food 'n Flix

This film is a sequel, and though we didn’t have to, I watched both films – I had been meaning to see them anyway, because my neighbor’s kids are obsessed and quote them all the time.  These are really cute films about acceptance, diversity, fear mongering, and family.  Big topics for kids movies, I know.  They voice actors are big names, too – Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Steve Buscemi.

Well Dined | Food 'n Flix

They also had all kinds of cute and creepy (but not too creepy) foods – like “scream cheese” and “monster-ball soup”.  So there was lots of foodie inspiration.

Well Dined | Spinach Dip Stuffed Meatballs

I had seen a Buzzfeed video for Spinach Dip Stuffed Meatballs and thought how cute those would be as Oozing Eyeballs! (more…)

ICC – Orecchiette with Chicken, Garlic, and Rosemary

Well Dined | Orecchiette with Chicken, Garlic, and Rosemary

I have recently joined a group called Improv Cooking Challenge (see my first post here), where we are assigned 2 ingredients to incorporate into a dish each month.  This month, the challenge was garlic and rosemary – perfection!

Well Dined | Orecchiette with Chicken, Garlic, and Rosemary

I chose to make a simple pasta with shredded rotisserie chicken, garlic, and rosemary; tossed together with starchy pasta water and Parmesan to make a light sauce.  Five ingredients, 30 minutes, easy and delicious.  You’re welcome, world! (more…)

SRC – Breakfast Risotto from Cookaholic Wife

Well Dined | Breakfast Risotto

It’s Secret Recipe Club Reveal time!  This month I was assigned Cookaholic Wife, written by Nichole.  We are both married, in our 30’s, on the East Coast, and cat moms.  I feel a connection!  We also must have similar tastes, because I saved more recipes than I have with any other SRC blog.  So bear with me for a bit here, and know that this is the edited down list!

Nichole loves s’mores just as much as I do!  Okay, maybe a little more.  The top s’more recipes that caught my eye were Vanilla Bean and Bacon S’mores, S’mores Pie, and Cinnamon S’mores Bark.

She also has some killer looking cupcake recipes like Orange Cream, Butterbeer, and Brown Sugar Butterscotch.

Other sweets that I liked the sound of were Sugar Cream Pie, Stone Fruit Eton Mess, Limoncello Cheesecake Bars, Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake, Lemon and Sour Cream Doughnuts, and Coconut Lime Cookie Bars.

On the more grown-up (read: boozy) side of things, we have Rum Punch and Limoncello Gelee.

My favorite apps were Philly Cheesesteak Spring Rolls, French Onion Puff Pastry Bites, and Corn Basil Cakes.

And, lastly, the entrees that had me drooling were Ham and Cheese Gnocchi Skillet, Drunken Italian Noodles, Doritos Casserole, Corn and Bacon Skillet Mac and Cheese, and Chicken with Creamy Orzo.

Well Dined | Breakfast Risotto

But the overall winner, the one I knew I had to make as soon as I saw it, was this Breakfast Risotto.  Creamy risotto with white wine and shallot, finished off with crispy pancetta, Parmesan, and a poached egg.  Simple and amazing.

Well Dined | Breakfast Risotto

There aren’t a ton of ingredients here, just simple classic flavors.  And while risotto is a bit labor intensive (you gotta stir, stir, stir to release all that creamy starch), it isn’t particularly complicated.  I love the bacon and eggs take on this that is reminiscent of carbonara; and who doesn’t want breakfast for dinner?  Enjoy! (more…)

Chicken Bacon Alfredo Lasagna Roll-ups

Well Dined | Chicken Bacon Alfredo Lasagna Roll-ups

I have been saving Tasty (Buzzfeed Food) videos on Facebook like crazy.  They always look so good!  So this week, I declared that I must make one thing from a saved link; and I chose these decadent Chicken Bacon Alfredo Lasagna Roll-ups.

Well Dined | Chicken Bacon Alfredo Lasagna Roll-ups

Start by cooking lasagna noodles and filling them with a mixture of cooked chicken, bacon, and Alfredo sauce (made with butter, garlic, cream, cream cheese, and Parmesan).  I made some changes to the original, using 12 noodles instead of 8 and more filling per noodle to use up all the filling.  I didn’t like how, in the video, there was chicken and bacon on the top instead of all contained. (more…)

Slow Cooker Parmesan Tomato Soup

Well Dined | Slow Cooker Parmesan Tomato Soup

I have been really digging the slow cooker lately, I think it’s the long dreariness of the middle of winter.  This soup is sure to brighten even the dreariest day, warm you up, and make you smile.  Plus it is easy and mostly hands off.

Tomatoes, onion, celery, and carrots soften for hours with chicken broth, oregano, basil, and bay.  Then you make, essentially, a bechamel and stir it in along with Parmesan to make it thick and creamy an luscious.  This simple but lovely soup was met with rave reviews from the friends I served it to.  I hope you enjoy!

Slow Cooker Parmesan Tomato Soup
adapted from Today’s Mama

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
4 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup flour (use sweet rice flour to make it gluten free)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, chicken broth, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.

About 30 minutes before serving, melt butter over low heat in a saucepan and add flour.  Cook, stirring, for a few minutes until the floury smell is gone.  Slowly stir in the milk, a little at a time, until the mixture is smooth.

Add to the vegetables along with the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.  Taste for seasoning and add additional basil and oregano, if needed.

Cover and cook on low for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

One Year Ago – Apple Galette with Salted Bourbon Caramel
Two Years Ago – Daube Provencal (French beef stew with red wine)
Three Years Ago – Spiced Carrot Soup with Crispy Chickpeas and Tahini
Four Years Ago – Roast Beef Sandwiches
Five Years Ago – Aji de Gallina; Kheer

SRC – Slow Cooker Honey Parmesan Pork from Jessie Weaver

Well Dined | Slow Cooker Honey Parmesan Pork

It’s time for the first Secret Recipe Club post of 2016! Yay! My assignment this month was Jessie Weaver, The Vanderbilt Wife.

Jessie is a wife and mother of 3, she started her blog as an encouragement to write regularly. She also hoped to support women who feel imperfect, writing that she is an awful housekeeper and lazy. I love that, because I am also those things and I don’t even have the excuse of being busy with kids. She is really down to earth and I like that about her writing.

I felt like there weren’t a ton of recipes for me to choose from, but the ones that I liked, I REALLY liked. My top picks were Oxtail Stew, Sweet Potato and Sausage Hash, Honey Parmesan Pork, and Boozy Chocolate Butterscotch Cookies.

I’ve been really digging the slow cooker lately, so I decided to go with the Honey Parmesan Pork.

Well Dined | Slow Cooker Honey Parmesan Pork

Start by browning a boneless pork roast on all sides (I made a half recipe, so this roast is only 2 lbs). (more…)

Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Well Dined | Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

A little bit sweet, a little bit savory, a little bit herby and cheesy – this yummy dish looks gorgeous and tastes amazing, plus it is low carb!  Both the husband and I loved it, which is sometimes difficult to achieve.  So I call this one a winner!

Well Dined | Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Start by roasting some squash halves (keep in mind that the full recipe uses 2 whole squashes, even though I only show 1).

Well Dined | Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Meanwhile, make the filling by sauteing onion, celery, garlic, and herbs; browning crumbled sausage; and then adding apple. (more…)

SRC – Broccoli Farro Casserole from The Tasty Cheapskate

Well Dined | Broccoli Farro Casserole

It’s time for another Secret Recipe Club post!  This month, my assignment was The Tasty Cheapskate.  Food was not a big focus for Jean growing up, neither eating it nor cooking it, which is pretty much the opposite of my childhood.  Luckily all that changed for her as an adult.  Now she focuses on whole foods and budget friendly family meals.  She even did a challenge where she fed her 6 person family on $6 a day!  Incredible!

Looking through her blog, I found a lot of yummy baked goods.  Like a bunch of different pull-apart breads, but especially this coconut and lime one.  Also zucchini bread with lemon or with coconut.  And self frosting nutella pumpkin muffins – shut the front door!  But despite all those yummy delights, what I really wanted was a nice healthy meal – so my eyes lit up when I saw this Broccoli Barley Casserole.  And I was even more excited when I saw that the original recipe used farro, which I have been meaning to start using for a long time, and that it could be made in one pot.

Well Dined | Broccoli Farro Casserole

Start by sauteing onions and garlic in a Dutch oven.  Then add the farro and allow to toast a bit.

Well Dined | Broccoli Farro Casserole

Add in frozen spinach, water, and vegetable stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until the liquid is almost all gone and the farro is tender but still chewy, about 20 minutes. (more…)

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Well Dined | Cauliflower Crust Pizza

I give full credit to Melissa (Smells Like Brownies) for this idea.  I’d heard of cauliflower pizza crust before and thought I should try it, but I never got around to it.  So I was really glad when she brought it up and suggested we try it.

Well Dined | Cauliflower Crust Pizza

It turns out that cauliflower crust is really easy!  It doesn’t taste or feel like traditional crust, but it is yummy and chewy – I liked it!  I was surprised that I could actually pick up a slice and it held together.  So whether you are gluten-free, looking for low-carb, or just like to try new things, I highly recommend this pizza crust!

Well Dined | Cauliflower Crust Pizza

The first step is to pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until very fine.  Then place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave to steam.  Carefully remove the plastic wrap and transfer to a cheesecloth lined colander to cool.  Once it is cool enough to handle, twist the cloth and squeeze to release as much moisture as possible.  Like really squeeze this thing to death, I’m not joking.  You may need to take turns with a cooking buddy like we did.

Well Dined | Cauliflower Crust Pizza

When you’ve removed as much moisture as you can, add mozzarella, Parmesan, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper, salt, and an egg.  Use your hands to combine into a dough. (more…)