Parmesan Meatloaf Muffins

One of my favorite meatloaf recipes (okay, okay, only 1 of 2 I eat haha - the other is Taco Meatloaf!).

Italian flavor meatloaf, topped with tomato sauce and cheese. Yum!

This recipe makes 12 regular sized muffins and 12 mini muffins (much easier for the kids), or you could do approximately 16 regular sized.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground turkey

1 lb ground beef

2 eggs

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup pasta sauce (I usually use tomato sauce with some Italian seasonings mixed in)

1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Grease muffin tins with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, seasonings, and Parmesan cheese.

Fill muffin tins almost full of the meat mixture, packing it down.

Spread a spoonful of sauce over the top, followed by the shredded cheese.

Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes, making sure meat is cooked through.

Let stand for 5 minutes and Enjoy!

adapted from HERE

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!

Broccoli and 3 cheese stuffed shells

None of us really like cooked broccoli too much but these are still yummy! You could always adjust the amount or just take it out completely and I am sure it would be delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
18 jumbo pasta shells (i usually cook a few extra in case some break while cooking)
15 oz Ricotta cheese
10 oz frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 cup shredded Mozzarella
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (I have used both grated and shredded, either way is good)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Jar (around 28oz) Pasta sauce with vegetables

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta. Drain.
Meanwhile, mix ricotta, broccoli, 1/2 cup mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and pepper in a medium bowl.
Spread about 1 cup of the pasta sauce in 9x13 dish.
Spoon approximately 2 Tablespoons of filling into each shell and arrange them in the dish in a single layer.

Pour remaining sauce over shells evenly. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
Bake @400F for 25 minutes.

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.

Hot Antipasto Poor Boys

Anything with artichokes has to be yummy!!

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
14 oz can artichokes, drained and quartered
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
5 oz thinly sliced pepperoni
2.25 oz can sliced black olives, drained
Hoagie Rolls (3-4)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:
In large bowl, mix Italian dressing and grated Parmesan cheese together. Add the artichokes, tomatoes, pepperoni, and black olives. Toss to coat.
Slice each roll in half. Place cut side up on baking sheet. Broil 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
Spread filling over the buns. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Broil another 3-4 minutes, til filling is hot.

NOTES:
We use 4 hoagie rolls, and make 2 of them with a small amount of filling for the kids. If it was only adults eating, I think 3 would be better.

Italian Chicken Pasta

Only 5 ingredients and super yummy!

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz Penne
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 Tbs beef seasoning
Parmesan cheese (I prefer shredded but I use grated sometimes as well)

DIRECTIONS:
Cook Pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cool water, drain again.
Heat oil over medium high heat. Saute chicken with beef seasoning until no pink, about 5-7 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Stir in cooked penne and heat through.
Sprinkle with cheese.

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.

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. 

Chicken Garlic Pizza

This pizza is SO good! It is supposed to be similar to Papa Murphy's chicken garlic pizza, but I have never eaten that particular one from there, so I can't say how close it is. In any case, it is delicious!

Before the top layer of cheese:

 Right out of the oven:

INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup Ranch Dressing
3/4 Tbs minced garlic
2 cups shredded mozarella
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/4 cup grated parmesan
3/4 cup grilled chicken breast, bite sized pieces
3/4 cup diced Roma tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced green onion (green part only)
Homemade pizza crust

DIRECTIONS:
Mix ranch and garlic together. Spread over pizza crust.
Mix all cheeses together. Spread about half over the sauce.
Evenly spread chicken, tomatoes, and green onions on pizza. Top with remaining cheese.
Bake @ 425F for 12-15 minutes, til cheese is golden brown.

NOTES:
I use this chicken instead of making my own:

Also, any kind of tomatoes will work but if you use something other than Roma, be sure to drain off extra liquid/seeds.


adapted from here