Pizza Bites

1 loaf french bread (or bruschetta works great too)
1/4 c butter, softened
pepperoni or canadian bacon
mozzarella cheese, shredded
parmesan cheese, shredded
Italian seasoning

Red Sauce: (from Jamie Cooks It Up)
1 - 14.5 oz can Italian stewed tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 t sugar
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp lemon juice
pinch red pepper flakes

Put all sauce ingredients into blender or food processor and blend until smooth. 
Cut french bread into 1 1/2 in thick slices
Spread butter on one side of each slice and place on cookie sheet
Cover with a bit of red sauce, mozzarella, meat, parmesan
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until the bottoms are golden and the tops or bubbly.

Creamy Tomato Basil Parmesan

Okay...so I was having this REALLY busy day (car registration, Halloween costume making, goodies for teachers, 5th grade class party, pictures for the senior girl's volley ball team....you getting the picture so far???) and I get a text from my little sister on the way home.  Well, I just HAD to call her back...you know!  So we're gabbing on my way home, I walk in the door and discover it's nearly 5:00.  UGH!  Dinner time!  What to do for dinner????!!!  So with little sis on the phone I start frantically (yes, really, FRANTICALLY) throwing things into a pot.  And I'm laughing in between swapping stories and joking that my dinner better turn out really great!!  Well......it did!!!!!!!  Not too bad for throwing it together.  Add a few pizza bites on the side and it was a dinner fit for a family of five (that's how many we had home anyways).....FABULOUS!!!

1 can diced tomatoes - pureed in blender
1/2 c heavy cream (it was leftover in the fridge.  You can also use 1 can evaporated milk)
3 c milk (apprx....till you get the consistency you prefer)
1 T dried basil (or more if you prefer)
1 tsp garlic salt
Parmesan cheese to taste

Just heat and serve!  Easy!!!  And they loved it!!!

Black Pepper Chops with Molasses Butter

On the menu tonight......chops and taters!  It's FREEZING outside, I'm missing my sis, and I'm in need of some way comforting comfort food!  This always does the trick!

4 pork loin chops, 1 1/2 inches thick
1/4 C butter, softened
1 T molasses
1/2 tsp lemon juice
4 T coarsely ground black pepper

In a small bowl, blend butter, molasses, and lemon juice with a fork.  Cover and refrigerate.  Rub chops on both sides evenly with pepper.  Grill chops over medium heat for 12 - 15 minutes, turning once.  Top each chop with a tablespoon of molasses butter.

Goes great with roasted veggies or fried potatoes.

Chicken and Dumplings

Does your family really thing chicken soup only comes from a little red and white can?  The colder weather that's forecast this week makes it the perfect time for homemade soup.  Enjoy!

6 cups chicken broth (1 1/2 boxes or 3 cans) OR 6 c. water + 6 chicken bouillon cubes
1 lb. cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (I use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store)
1 c. sliced carrots
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 bay leaf
1 handful of chopped fresh parsley (or 1 Tbsp. dried parsley)
1/2 tsp. basil
1 14-oz. can evaporated milk (fat free is fine)
1 recipe of Bisquik dumplings (recipe is on the box)


In a large pot, heat some olive oil over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Saute for a few minutes and then add chicken broth, chicken, bay leaf, and basil. Bring to a boil. Add carrots and celery and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until carrots and celery are tender. When carrots and celery are almost done, add chopped parsley. Add evaporated milk. Increase heat to boiling and add noodles or add prepared Bisquik by small spoonfuls (they'll really puff up while they're cooking). Cook until noodles are tender or until dumplings are cooked through (they should appear moist but feel firm; this is after about 4-5 minutes).

Once you go black you'll never go back Chocolate Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 small chocolate pudding mix

16 oz sour cream

4 eggs

1 C canola oil

mix till smooth

add 1 bag chocolate chips

Pour into a buttered and floured bundt pan

Bake 300* for 50 min

Cool and flip onto a pretty plate. Sprinkle powder sugar on top

FRESH TOMATO BASIL SOUP

8 fresh tomatoes chopped in 1/4 (or 2 large cans of stewed tomatoes)

2 anaheim peppers chopped in 1/4

1/4 C chopped fresh basil (1 T dried)

1 spring of fresh thyme (1/2 t dried)

1 t salt

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t onion powder

Bring 1/4 C canoal oil to a sizzle in large stock pan. Add all indredients to pan, cook 5-10 mintues.

take mixture from pan, blend in foodprocesser or blender till smooth.

Put back in pan, bring to boil. Turn off heat. Add

1/4 C br. sugar (or to taste)

1/2 C heavy cream.

top with mozzarella, serve with toasted baguettes

Apricot Blush Jam

Okay, I admit I am just not a canner/jammer.  But I definitely caught the bug.  I've made this once or twice before and it's to die for good!  I don't know why I don't make it more often.  It's really super easy and fairly quick.  The kids love it!!!

9 C smashed apricots, peaches, or pears
2 C crushed pineapple
10 C sugar
1 - 6oz. package orange jello
1 - 6oz. package raspberry OR cherry jello

Mix fruit, pineapple and sugar in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and add jello.  Cook 5 more minutes to completely dissolve jello.

Pour into jars leaving 1/2" head space at top of bottle.  Process for 20 minutes.
Makes nearly 9 pint jars (wide mouth)