Sweet Hawaiian Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes

These are SO good! It technically started off as a burger, but it was too messy so we tried turning it into sloppy joes. Easier to eat (although still messy!), but just as delicious! It is definitely a regular supper item in our household. The name is really long...but the food is so good, it is worth the long name!

 The recipe makes around 8 sloppy joes, depending on how much filling you use.


INGREDIENTS
1.5 lbs ground beef
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 yellow onion, minced
1/4 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
Honey BBQ sauce (I use between 1/2 to 3/4 of a bottle total)
Can of pineapple tidbits or crushed pineapple, drained (but save some juice!)
8 slices cooked bacon
1/2 lb sliced cheddar cheese
Kings Hawaiian Original hamburger buns
french-fried onions

DIRECTIONS:
Brown the ground beef and onion in large skillet. Drain fat.
Add in the garlic, Colby Jack, BBQ sauce (amount depends how saucy you want it), and some pineapple juice (I don't measure, but I would say a couple Tablespoons worth). Mix well and let simmer.

Split the buns and put them face up on a baking sheet. Put a slice or 2 of cheddar cheese on the top halves. Broil for a couple of minutes, until cheese is melted.

Put meat mixture on bottom half of bun, followed by crushed pineapple, french-fried onions, and a slice of bacon (we use 1 slice broken into 2 pieces). Add a little extra BBQ sauce if desired. Enjoy!

Crockpot Tortellini Sausage and Spinach

I feel like I say it often (mostly because I DO say it often!), but this is one of my favorite meals! Easy to make, not many ingredients, and super yummy, even as leftovers. We like it served with garlic bread, so that we can use the bread to mop up the sauce in the bottom of the bowl :)

You can also use refrigerated tortellini if you want, just don't add it in until the last 20 minutes or so, otherwise it will be overcooked.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground sausage

19 oz bag frozen cheese Tortellini

Baby Spinach (I used just over half of a 6 oz bag, but I think it would be good with the whole thing too)

2 14.5oz cans Italian style diced tomatoes (do not drain)

8 oz cream cheese, cut up

3 cups chicken broth

Garlic Powder (I didn't measure, just sprinkled over the top)

Parmesan Cheese for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Brown the sausage, drain the grease.

Put all ingredients in the crockpot.

 Cook on low for about 5 hours, stirring once in the middle so the melted cream cheese blends in.

Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese, if desired, and enjoy!

Tortellini Tomato Soup

This is a nice little spin on plain old tomato soup, with only a little bit more effort. In fact, it is the only way we eat tomato soup in our house anymore.  Delicious paired with grilled cheese! 

INGREDIENTS:

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 10.75 oz cans condensed tomato soup

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

3 cups Chicken stock

1 cup milk

4 oz cream cheese, cut up

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning

1 9oz package cheese filled tortellini

salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Saute garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for a couple of minutes.

Add remaining ingredients except tortellini. Mix well and bring to a simmer.

After it is simmering, add tortellini and simmer until tender (follow package directions). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Garlic Alfredo Sauce

This sauce is really easy to make and is done quicker than the time it takes to boil the pasta! You can adjust how garlicky you want it - we love garlic so we do a lot!

 INGREDIENTS:

2 Tbs butter

2 Tbs minced garlic

4 ounces cream cheese, cut up

1 cup milk

1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add cream cheese and whisk until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.

Add milk a little at a time, whisking as you do it.

Add cheese, pepper, and salt. Stir until cheese is melted and everything is well mixed.

For a thin sauce, remove from heat immediately. For a thicker sauce, cook for a few minutes. Will thicken more as it stands. If it gets too thick, slowly stir in a little bit of milk.

Enjoy!

Garlic Sweet Chili Sauce

I am in love with this stuff. In. Love.

I could eat it on anything.Things like egg rolls (awesome recipe here!) and crab wontons are delicious dipped in it. Plus it id super yummy on rice, pasta...even macaroni and cheese.

It will last in the fridge for awhile, but it gets really thick. Just spoon out how much you want and microwave for a few seconds and it will thin back out. This recipe doesn't make a bunch though, so if you are serving a large group, I recommend doubling.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1 Tablespoon cold water

1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the sugar, rice vinegar, and 1/4  cup water over medium high heat. When it begins to boil, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Let it start boiling again, then bring to a simmer for about 3 minutes.

While that is simmering, mix together the cornstarch and cold water.

Return sauce to a boil, then add cornstarch mix and salt.

Stir constantly, about 3-5 minutes, as sauce thickens.

Let cool and enjoy!

Crockpot Pepperoncini Beef Hoagies

I am not a very big fan of this beef plain, but it is really good as a sandwich!

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 lb boneless beef roast

16oz jar whole pepperoncinis

4 cloves garlic, minced

Hoagie Rolls

sliced provolone

DIRECTIONS:

Place roast in crockpot. Cut small slits into roast and put garlic in. Pour jar of pepperonicis and juice in. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.

When done, shred and let sit for another 20ish minutes to soak up more juices.

Cut hoagie rolls in half. Place meat (and desired amount of peppers, if any) and cheese on bottom half.

 Broil (including top half) a couple of minutes, til cheese is melted.

Serve with a side of the juice for dipping, if desired. Enjoy!

Artichoke Spinach Dip

We have made a few different versions of artichoke spinach dip, but this is the best by far! The amounts are not exact, so make it how you think you would like it best!

INGREDIENTS:
Small amount of Olive Oil
14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
16 oz cream cheese
Spinach (fresh or frozen, as much or as little as you want)
Parmesan cheese (roughly 1/4-1/2 cup, but again as much or as little as you want)
Minced Garlic (about 1.5 teaspoons, more or less to taste)

DIRECTIONS:
In large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low.  Brown garlic.
Add cream cheese. Stir frequently. Once melted, add in spinach. Cook for a few minutes, then add artichokes and Parmesan Cheese. Taste and add more garlic if desired.
Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, toasted bread, or whatever else sounds good!

NOTES:
I used about 4.5-6 oz frozen spinach. If using frozen, be sure to squeeze out all excess liquid before putting in skillet.

Chile Colorado Burritos

These are so easy, and taste so yummy! If you are craving some Mexican food, you definitely need to try these out!

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 lbs stew meat
2 10oz cans mild Enchilada sauce
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can refried beans
Burrito size flour tortillas (about 5, depending on how you fill them)
1-2 cups shredded cheese
sour cream and black olives for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Place meat, bouillon cubes, enchilada sauce, onion, and garlic into slow cooker. Cook on low for about 8 hours, until meat is super tender and falling apart.
When meat is ready, heat up refried beans in microwave.
Spread desired amount of beans on a tortilla and top with beef (use a slotted spoon to drain the sauce).

Roll tortilla up burrito style (folding in both sides). Top with sauce and cheese.
Heat in 300F oven for about 4-5 minutes, until cheese is melted. 
Top with sour cream and/or black olives if desired.

adapted from HERE

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is the only tortilla soup I have ever had, so I can't say how it compares to others. All I know is I love this one!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (can still be frozen)
15 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, smashed
10 oz can enchilada sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 
4 oz can chopped green chilies
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.4 oz cans chicken broth
10 oz pack frozen corn
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 bay leaf
Salt and Pepper (I don't measure these, just do what seems good to me)
6 corn tortillas (this is optional, you can just use tortilla chips)
vegetable oil or cooking spray (only needed if using tortillas)
Sour cream and shredded cheese for toppings

DIRECTIONS:
Throw everything (except tortillas and oil) into crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours.
Remove chicken, shred, and put back in crock pot. Cook additional 2 hours.
Brush both sides of tortillas with vegetable oil (or spray with cooking spray). Cut into strips (a pizza cutter works awesome!). Bake about 10 minutes in 400F oven, turning over half way.

Serve soup with tortilla strips, sour cream, and cheese.

adapted from HERE

Lemon Garlic Grilled Chicken

This chicken is soooo good! It is good plain and on top of a salad. Im sure it would be delicious with pasta too but we haven't tried it that way yet.

INGREDIENTS:
6 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into slices (big enough to grill, small enough to soak up the marinade)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients except for chicken. Pour over chicken and marinade in the fridge overnight. Grill and enjoy!

Adapted from HERE.

Toastachos

I pretty much feel like these are beef tostadas, but I got them from Rachel Ray's website and she called them toastachos, so that's what I am going with.

These are quick to make but have a lot of little steps. I suggest having everything pre-measured and ready to go before starting. I suppose that is probably a good idea for any recipe haha but I usually do my chopping and such while doing other things like browning the meat.

Matt called his the "man-nacho" because of how much he piled on it :) 

Mine, minus the sour cream. I totally forgot about it until after I took the picture.

INGREDIENTS:
Corn or vegetable oil, for frying
6 (6 inch) corn tortillas
Salt and pepper
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped, divided
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped, divided
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup beef stock
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups mexi-blend cheese (plus more for topping if desired)
Pickled jalapeño slices
Sour cream, if desired

DIRECTIONS:
Fry the tortillas one at a time in oil over medium-high heat until golden and crisp. Season with salt.
In a skillet, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown for about 5 minutes. Add half  of the onion and half of the jalapeño peppers. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute. Add the beef stock and lower the heat to a simmer.
In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes with the remaining onion and jalapeño. Season the salsa with salt.
Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cheese to melt.
Cover each tortilla with the meat and cheese sauce, then top with salsa, pickled jalapeños, sour cream, and shredded cheese. 

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

I hate making breakfast in the mornings. I am tired and would rather just sit on the couch. This is the perfect solution. Throw it all together the night before, wake up and eat! The original recipe (found HERE) called for 12 eggs, but I knew we would have way too many leftovers so I cut down on them, plus I made a few other small changes based on what I did or didn't have. I haven't tried it the original way, but this way is definitely a keeper!

INGREDIENTS:
32 oz bag frozen hash browns
10 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 Tablespoon dried chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3/4 cup shredded cheddar
3/4 cup shredded monterey jack
7 eggs
1 cup milk
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried dill
salt and pepper (I didn't measure these, just used what I thought looked good)

DIRECTIONS:
Spray crockpot evenly with cooking spray. 
Pour half of the hashbrowns into crock pot, followed by half of the bacon, onion, bell pepper, and cheese. Repeat layers.
Mix eggs, milk, garlic, dill, salt and pepper in large bowl. Pour evenly over top of ingredients in crock pot.
Cook on low for about 8 hours (thermometer placed in center should reach 160F when done).

NOTES:
I have also made this using 2 bags of real bacon bits (they come in a zip lock 3 oz bag) instead of taking the time to actually cook up some bacon. Much easier and tastes just as delicious!

Crockpot Cheesy Bacon Chicken

I personally am not a huge fan of bacon, but this is definitely one of my favorite meals! The kids eat it willingly also, which is always a plus. Ill be honest, it doesn't necessarily look very appealing, but don't judge a book by its cover! ;)

INGREDIENTS:
4-6 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce
1/2 cup Ranch
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
10 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

DIRECTIONS:
Place the chicken in the crockpot.
Mix together the teriyaki sauce, ranch, and garlic. Pour over chicken. Top with onion and bacon.
Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-8. When chicken is done, top with cheese and put lid back on crockpot until cheese is melted, it only takes a couple of minutes.

Adapted from HERE

Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese

Yummy and filling! My kids don't like spicy food, and since you layer the buffalo chicken in, its easy to make half with the chicken and half of it regular macaroni and cheese to please everybody.

I just love how evenly my oven bakes ;)

INGREDIENTS:
6 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
5 cups milk
3 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar
2 cups shredded jack cheese
1 pound cooked pasta
2 cups Buffalo chicken
Panko breadcrumbs (I didn't measure, just used what looked good)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a 9x13 (or larger) pan.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter then whisk in the flour. Whisk 3-4 minutes.
Slowly add the milk to the mixture, continuing to whisk to break up clumps. Continue to whisk the mixture until it thickens (about 10 minutes).
Add the seasonings, 3 cups of the cheddar cheese and 2 cups of the jack cheese to the mixture, continuing to stir until all of the cheese is melted.
Place a layer of noodles over the bottom of the dish, then layer with the cheese sauce, shredded cheddar cheese and buffalo chicken, repeating until all of the food is layered.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.
Bake at 375F until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbling (about 30 minutes).

NOTES:
If you don't have any buffalo chicken on hand, you can just cook some chicken, shred, and mix with desired amount of buffalo sauce. 

adapted from this site

Thin Crust Chicken Bacon Artichoke Pizza

Similar to Papa Murphy's Chicken Bacon Artichoke deLite pizza.

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST:
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 teaspoon dry yeast
SAUCE:
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash black pepper

TOPPINGS:
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (I use Oscar Myer Fresh Deli chicken)
1 cup baby spinach leaves
6 oz marinated artichoke hearts, cut into small pieces
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 slices turkey bacon, cooked, broken into small pieces
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

DIRECTIONS:

In medium bowl, mix warm water and salt. Add yeast and 1 cup of flour. Mix together, then add 1/3 cup of flour. Knead into a sticky dough, adding a little more water if needed. Let dough rest, covered with a towel, for at least 10 minutes.  

 Butter a 16 inch round pizza pan. With buttery hands, spread dough thinly over pan. (It might seem like there isn't enough dough, but it works, be diligent!) 

Mix the Italian dressing, garlic powder, salt and pepper together. Spread over the crust. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.

Put toppings over the sauce in the order listed.

Bake @425 for about 15 minutes, until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly. Watch it carefully, the crust burns easily since its thin!

adapted from here

Egg rolls

These are better than any restaurant egg rolls I have ever had. This recipe makes a lot, so be prepared to spend a couple hours making them. They are definitely worth it though. Depending on how much filling is used per egg roll, it makes 40-50.

Tastes great with sweet and sour sauce, or my homemade sweet chili garlic sauce.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground beef
1 lb pork sausage
2 large carrots
1 large green bell pepper
1 large onion
5 celery stalks
4 cans of bean sprouts
1 can water chestnuts
1 can bamboo shoots
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon ginger
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 packs of large egg roll wrappers

DIRECTIONS:
Brown ground beef and sausage. Let cool.
Chop carrots, bell pepper, onion, celery, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots. (A slap chop works best!) Drain excess juices.
In very large bowl, combine all filling ingredients.
Fill and wrap according to wrapper instructions. (I don't know how much I put on each wrapper, I do what looks good to me). 
Heat deep fryer to 350F. Fry egg rolls until golden brown.

NOTES:
I have used both egg roll wrappers and lumpia wrappers (similar to spring rolls. the picture above is using this kind).  Both work, but I prefer the egg roll wrappers. They are best fresh, but still good reheated. Bake in the oven @350 until filling is hot, or broil for a few minutes.

Tortilla Pinwheels

This is definitely one of our favorite snack foods. The hardest part is having to wait for them to chill in the fridge! 😊

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz sour cream
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz can green chilies, drained
2.5 oz can chopped black olives
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup shredded cheddar
garlic powder and seasoned salt to taste
5 10 inch flour tortillas
salsa for dipping

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients together (except for tortillas, obviously haha).
Spread evenly among tortillas, getting close to the edges. Roll tortillas up tight (but not too tight so filling doesn't all squish out). Wrap each one with plastic wrap. Refrigerate a couple hours or overnight.
Unwrap and cut into 1 inch slices. Enjoy!

Spiral Pasta Pizza Bake

This is easy to make despite the long list of ingredients.  It makes a large amount (9-12 servings probably), so it would be good for a pot luck, or any group of hungry people! :)

INGREDIENTS
12 oz Tri color Rotini
2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 8oz cans tomato sauce
1 6oz can tomato paste with pesto
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup Parmesan (I used half shredded, half grated)
3 cups Mozzarella
Pepperoni slices (I had a 6oz package, I used roughly half)

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta according to package directions.
In large pot, cook the beef, onion, salt, and pepper til no pink. Drain. Stir in tomato sauce and paste, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning. Mix well.
In medium bowl, eggs, milk, and Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta. Pour egg mixture over pasta and stir. Transfer to a greased 9x13 pan. Pour beef mixture over pasta. Top with Mozzarella and pepperoni. 
Cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes @ 350F. Uncover and bake additional 20-25 minutes, til cheese is golden brown.

Black and White Bean Turkey Chili

This chili has a little bit of kick to it, but not too bad. My boys, ages 3 and 4, both gobbled it up (and they normally just complain about things with beans).  

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground Turkey
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cans Great Northern Beans (drained, not rinsed)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
8 oz garlic chili pepper cheddar cheese, cubed
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup medium salsa
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4oz can diced green chilis 

DIRECTIONS:
Cook onion and turkey in skillet until browned.
Put rest of ingredients in a large pot. Add meat & onion when they ready. Simmer over low heat 25-30 minutes.

NOTES:
I intended to use jalapeno cheddar cheese but, as usual, the commissary caused me to changed my plans. The chili was still delicious but any sort of cheese with spice would be good too, I think. I have never seen this cheese any where else (although, I admittedly have never looked, so maybe its more common than I realize.)

Crockpot Caesar Chicken

This chicken can be used in a variety of ways. I made both chicken Caesar sandwiches as well as a salad. Yum!  The kids gobbled it up and even asked for seconds.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
Caesar Dressing (didn't measure, probably about a cup)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried Parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper


DIRECTIONS:
Put chicken in slow cooker, along with 1-2 cups of water.  Add garlic powder. Cook on low 4-6 hours.
When fully cooked, remove chicken. Shred, discarding all fat. Discard water from slow cooker.
Return chicken to slow cooker, along with remaining ingredients. Use more or less of the dressing to preference. Mix evenly. Cook on low until heated through (30 minutes is plenty).

For sandwiches, put desired amount on burger bun, top with extra Parmesan and Romaine lettuce. I also topped with a little more dressing so the sandwich wouldn't seem dry.

For salad, put chicken on top of romaine lettuce. Add more cheese and dressing, if desired.