Stuffed Crust Pizza Snacks

So, is it just me, or does the afterschool routine become so monotonous that you really need something to spice it up?  A new snack-- spare me the Goldfish please!  I was really bored with what I had to offer for snacks one day and decided to look for something new.  One of our favorite meals (which hasn't made it here yet) is homemade pizza.  I usually end up with more dough than I need for the crust, so with the leftover crust, I tried a recipe (I greatly modified) which was originally from the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest 39 in 2000 (submitted by Ellen Hyde of Culpeper, VA). 

• 2 cans refrigerated pizza crust (of course they are advertising Pillsbury, but any crust will do.)
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 48 cubes (I just used shredded, it was a bit messier, maybe, but did the job and was what I had on hand)
• 48 slices of pepperoni (I used lunchmeat like ham or turkey I had on hand.)
• 1/4 C vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 t dried Italian seasoning (I didn't have any, so I used garlic powder, oregano, parsley, and some basil-- really you could use any mixture you wanted with this.  Oh, and I don't think I measured anything either. It's all a matter of what you like!)
• 2 T grated Parmesan Cheese
• heated pizza sauce (if you want)

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray two 9 inch pie plates or one 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray.  Unroll dough from both cans; starting at center, press out each dough rectangle to form a 12x8 inch rectangle.  Cut each rectangle into 24 squares.  
2. Top each square with cheese cube and pepperoni slice.  Wrap dough around filling to completely cover; firmly press edges to seal.  Place seam side down with sides touching in pie pans. 
3. In small bowl, mix oil and Italian seasoning.  Drizzle over filed dough in pans.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake 16-22 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm pizza bites with warm pizza sauce

Note:  With the baby on the way, I don't see myself making these too often in the near future.  However, I may try to bake them off and freeze them for a quick reheatable snack!  (To reheat, I'd either pop them back in the oven, or cover with a wet towel in the microwave so they don't get so hard and chewy.)

Taco Casserole

Here is an easy recipe you can whip together and let it simmer all day in a crockpot!  Don't ya love it when dinner's already cooked?  This, once again, comes from Stephanie's blog and it is definitely a keeper.  I will give you the original recipe from her blog, and then add in my own modifications for it (because I just can't leave well enough alone!)

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, browned
• 14 1/2 oz can rotel
• 10 3/4 oz can cream of onion soup
• 1 pkg dry taco seasoning
• 1/4 c water
• 6 corn tortillas cut into 1/2" strips
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 green onions, sliced

1. Combine beef, tomatoes (rotel), soup, seasoning, and water in slow cooker.
2. Stir in tortilla strips.
3. Cover. Cook on low 7-8 hours.
4. Spread sour cream over casserole. Sprinkle with cheese.
5. Cover. Let stand 5 minutes until cheese melts.

**My modifications:

• I added one diced onion to the beef while it was browning.
• I had to add vegetables to the mix, or I have no chance for the kids to eat any!  Add about 2C chopped fresh baby spinach (although frozen would likely work too), 1 1/2C frozen corn, 1 can Ranch style beans with liquid (or you could use any canned bean drained is preferable, this was just the only beans I had on hand, and what's ranch style beans without the liquid?)  
• I added an additional 2 corn tortillas-- maybe to soak up the additional liquid I had just put in?
• I can never find cream of onion soup, so I substituted cream of mushroom. (Also the reason for the added onion with the beef.)
• I didn't the last time I made this, but you could also substitute the taco seasoning for about for 1 lb of beef, you can try 1.5 Tbs chili powder and 2 tsp each of the paprika and cumin. (a little tip I learned from Pioneer Woman's blog)  It will significantly help at reducing the amount of sodium in this dish.

A Better Brownie

Now, I know there are yummy and easy box recipes out there, but this is an easy from scratch recipe that is so good.  I've made it twice in the last two weeks!  (Yes, I'm pregnant, and craving sweets!)  The recipe was revamped to be made lower in  fat, cholesterol and sugar than typical brownies, but you can't tell!  Thank you, Sarah Phillips for your baking genius!

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder (Sarah prefers Dutch or alkalized cocoa powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 squares (2 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites (I'm really not afraid of eggs here as the yolks provide so many valuable nutrients and no one here has any cholesterol issues to worry about, so I just used 2 large eggs total)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder (optional) (If you like coffee flavor, try it with the coffee, otherwise, you get an equally good brownie without it.)

   

1. Heat the oven to 350º degrees. Lightly coat an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set the mixture aside.
   
2. Heat the butter in a small saucepan until just melted, being careful not to burn it. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chopped chocolate, stirring until it is melted. Let the chocolate mixture cool until it's tepid.
   
3. In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the egg and egg whites just until combined. Whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture, sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and espresso powder (if you're using it) until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture but do not overmix the batter.
   
4. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the brownies on the center oven rack until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 25 minutes. The brownies will look under-baked (a cake tester will come out with a few moist crumbs), but they will set up more as they cool. Place the pan on a wire cake rack to let the brownies cool, then slice the batch into 24 pieces.

Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Marsala Sauce

If you are looking for a meat-eating crowd pleaser, this is your dish!  YUM-YUM- Extra YUM!  I don't think I'm the first to comment that you will want to drink this sauce!  The pork turns out super tender, and the sauce is just a must have!  It's also good over vegetables.  Another great one from allrecipes.com

• 2 pork tenderloins
• 4 T Dijon mustard
• 1 T oil
• 2 T butter
• 2 shallots,  minced
• 1 C Marsala wine
• 1 T Dijon mustard
• 1 C heavy cream (I've used half and half or whole milk)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat pork tenderloins generously with mustard. Oil a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange tenderloins in pan, and brown the meat. Turn to brown evenly. Transfer meat to prepared baking dish.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Turn, and continue cooking for 20 minutes, or until desired doneness.
4. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in the same pan used to cook the pork. Cook shallots in butter until soft. Stir in Marsala, mustard, and cream, and cook until volume of liquid is reduced by half.
5. Slice pork, and place on a serving dish. Spoon sauce over meat, and serve. 

There are of course plenty of comments on the recipe in the link, but since I don't have shallots on hand most of the time, here is an alternative:

• Sautee (fresh) mushrooms, scallions (or regular onion) and garlic.  Once tender, remove from pan and continue making sauce.  Add mushroom mix back to sauce once finished.

Peanut Butter Power Balls

I'm pretty sure that a friend of mine introduced this to me, but then I found it on FamilyEducation.com as well.  Let me tell you that if you like peanut butter, these are just incredible.  It's a bit like taking a spoon to a jar of peanut butter, but with some other stuff mixed in as well (so you don't feel as bad doing it).  The kids love it, of course!  It's a good protein and calcium source for a "hit the spot" afternoon treat.  Oh, and did I mention how easy they are?

• 1 C peanut butter
• 1/2 C non-fat dry milk powder or soy protein powder
• 1/2 C raisins or chocolate chips
• 1/4 C honey
• Graham cracker crumbs (you don't need much, maybe 1/2 C?

Mix all ingredients except the graham cracker crumbs in a large bowl.  Shape mixture into 1-inc balls.  Roll in crumbs and refrigerate (or freeze-- balls will thaw by lunchtime).  Note: To make it easier, since the dough is pretty sticky, I spooned the mixture into a bowl of graham cracker crumbs.  The crumbs made the "balls" lots easier to manipulate. 

Enjoy!

Super Simple Salmon

This is another yummy fish dish.  "If you wish to wish a wish, you may swish for fish with my Ish wish dish."  Haha!  How much do we love Dr. Seuss?  I digress... back to the recipe.  Again, very few leftovers (unfortunately) with my crew.  AND any leftovers there were, they were claimed by a very excited 20 month old!  Ah, to self sacrifice in the name of love!  Good thing he's so cute!  Seriously, though, this is an incredibly easy and delicious recipe from allrecipes.com.  I was surprised at how quickly the fish cooked up on the stove, as salmon is very thick, and I turned it only in the last 2 minutes of cooking (it took me a while to try to figure out how exactly to flip such a long fish).  I think the kids actually drooled at the table for this stuff.  Amazing!  Please try!  You won't regret it!

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 (6 ounce) salmon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 lemon wedges (I didn't have any on hand, so I sprinkled mine with some lemon juice instead-- no one else wanted any, so I don't think it's all that necessary.)

1. Stir together the garlic powder, basil, and salt in a small bowl; rub in equal amounts onto the salmon fillets.
2. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook the salmon in the butter until browned and flaky, about 5 minutes per side. Serve each piece of salmon with a lemon wedge.

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

If there's one thing I can say about my kids' eating is that they really are not picky when it comes to protein sources.  (Beans may be a bit harder to sell unless carefully wrapped in a tortilla, maybe.)  They especially love fish, and they like it simple, or extravagant... however it comes, as long as it comes!  I found this recipe during Lent one year on allrecipes.com.  And, like many of the recipes that sound good while I'm looking for something new to try, they get printed and stuck in a pile, forever forgotten.  (Which is another reason for this blog!)  I recently found it again, as I was cleaning out my cabinet full of recipes and cookbooks and decided to try it.  Of the 2 lbs of fish purchased (for 2 adults and 3 kids 5 and under), I think there may have been enough for one lunch the next day?  If there was any left for lunch, it certainly wasn't much.  This fish is deliciously seasoned, moist, and pretty easy to prepare.  True, there are a few ingredients, but trust me-- oh so worth it!  It's mostly dried seasonings you likely have in your pantry anyway!    

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
• 2 pounds tilapia fillets

1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.
3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.