Cheesy Bacon & Egg Bake

While searching through some cookbooks the other night, I stumbled upon the most delicious looking breakfast casserole. With a few adaptations and extra veggies, this version turned out to be a new favorite. 

Cheesy Bacon & Egg Bake

2 c. southern style frozen hashbrowns
3 T. oil
1 (10 oz.) can nacho cheese condensed soup
2 T. milk
1 bell pepper, chopped (I used red)
1/2 t. onion powder
6 eggs
2 T. butter
1/2 c. grated cheese (cheddar or colby jack work great)
1/2 c. bacon crumbles (I used pre-packaged real bacon bits)
salt & pepper

In a large skillet, heat oil and cook hashbrowns according to package directions. Season with salt and pepper. Spread in a 9x9" pan.

 In a mixing bowl combine soup, milk, chopped pepper, and onion powder. Spread over hashbrowns.

Using the same skillet as the hashbrowns, melt butter and scramble eggs over medium heat until almost done. Season with salt and pepper and layer over the cheese mixture.

Top with cheese and bacon.

Bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes.

This is a great meal for any time of day. I love having breakfast foods for dinner. Enjoy!

Caprese Dip

I think this might be the easiest dip ever! It's delicious with pita chips.

Caprese Dip
8 oz. mozzarella, cubed
2 T. shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 t. dry basil
1 roma tomato, chopped
drizzle of olive oil

Arrange mozzarella in a pie pan.

Sprinkle parmesan on top.

 Then add basil.

 Top it all with chopped tomato and drizzle with olive oil.

 Bake at 375 F for 10-15 minutes or just until melty.

 This would be a fun appetizer for a backyard barbecue. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Spaghetti

I know that spaghetti is one of the easiest thing to make, but believe it or not, doing it in a crockpot is even easier and SOOOOO good! I got the idea from Picky Palate and I've adapted my recipe from that one.I found this 32 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce at Costco, but you could just measure 3 1/2 cups of any spaghetti sauce.Slow Cooker Spaghetti

1 lb. lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey

2 t. onion powder

2 t. garlic powder

1 t. italian seasoning

salt to taste

8 oz. dry spaghetti (I used whole wheat)

32 oz. (3 1/2 c.) spaghetti sauce

4 oz. cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)

2 c. water

Brown meat in a large skillet and add onion and garlic powder and italian seasoning. Add salt to taste.In crockpot, pour half of the spaghetti sauce and top with half of the dry spaghetti (broken to fit).Add cooked meat to crockpot and top with cubed cream cheese.Add remaining spaghetti sauce and pasta. Add 2 cups of water.Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours. Stir well before serving. Top with parmesan cheese.This spaghetti is so good! My whole family really loved it. Enjoy!

Fettucini with Creamy Zucchini Sauce & Mushrooms

I really love pasta. This recipe is delicious, simple, and very flexible. If you want to add meat, you could use chicken or shrimp instead of (or in addition to) mushrooms.

Fettucini with Creamy Zucchini Sauce & Mushrooms

12-16 oz. dry fettucini (I used Ronzoni Garden Delight) cooked according to package directions

1 bottle alfredo sauce (I used Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan)

2 T. oil

3 small zucchini, sliced or chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

2 t. garlic powder

1 T. butter

4 c. sliced mushrooms

Parmesan cheese, if desired

(This sauce was great, but any alfredo sauce would be delicious!)

In a large skillet, heat oil. Add zucchini and onions. Season with salt and cook over medium heat until veggies are soft.
Pour sauce into a blender and add cooked veggies and garlic powder. Blend until smooth.

Return skillet to heat and add butter, mushrooms, and a sprinkle of salt. Cook until mushrooms are soft.

To serve, layer pasta, sauce, mushrooms, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, if desired.

Such a delicious and easy dinner. Enjoy!

Quinoa Cakes

Lately I've been very intrigued by quinoa but until recently, I only used it in place of rice. So when I came upon this recipe from Monica Bhide's website I was eager to try it. Now I have a new favorite! These little patties are so good and satisfying. They are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.Quinoa Cakes (adapted from Super Natural Every Day)

1 c. dry quinoa, cooked
4 eggs
1/2 t. salt
2 T. dried chives
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. grated extra sharp cheddar
1/2 c. grated parmesan
1/2 c. oats or oat bran
olive oil

Pour cooked quinoa into a bowl.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Form into 12 patties. Heat about 2 T. olive oil and cook patties for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden.Even though this meal is meatless it's very satisfying.I love to cut them up and eat them in salads. Enjoy!

Brazilian Cheese Bread

Okay, so lately I've been trying to find the perfect recipe for brazilian cheese bread (pao de queijo) and it's been quite the adventure. I think I've probably tried at least 15 different recipes. Finally I found one that I love! Plus my husband approves (and he would know since he lived in Brazil for 2 years.) I found the original recipe on Globe Trotter Diaries, but I adapted it to my own taste.So cheesy...so good!

This cheese was the perfect addition to this recipe. You really can use any combination of cheese but this crumbly cheese combined with parmesan was really great!

Brazilian Cheese Bread

2 1/4 c. tapioca flour

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. oil

2 eggs

1/2 c. crumbled cotija cheese

1/2 c. grated parmesan

Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine water and oil and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour into the flour mixture. Stir to mix. (It will be super stiff and lumpy.)Stir in eggs then stir in cheeses. (Mixture will still be a bit lumpy.)Roll into about 20 balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 325 F and bake for 10-15 more minutes.I hope you like these little cheesy breads as much as we do. Enjoy!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This is my favorite go-to dip for parties and special occasions. It's so easy and fast and it never disappoints. I usually serve it with pita chips or buttery crackers.Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 (10 oz.) box frozen chopped spinach
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and roughly chopped
1 c. mayonnaise (eyeball it)
1 c. sour cream (eyeball it)
2 c. grated mozzarella (eyeball it)
1/2 c. grated parmesan (eyeball it)
3 cloves garlic, minced

Unwrap spinach, place in microwave-safe bowl, and defrost in microwave. Squeeze out excess water.Mix all ingredients together.Spread into a 2 qt. casserole dish.Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.This dip is delicious with any variety of crackers or veggies. Enjoy!