Crock Pot Pizza Dip

                                                                           

This recipe is a version of the Foodtastic Mom's Pizza Dip! Yummy Cheesy, Saucy, and lots of Pepperoni in this delicious crockpot dip!

 

 

4, 8 Ounce Blocks of Cream Cheese at room temperature

2 Packets of Good Seasons Italian Seasoning 6 Ounce Size

1, 23 Ounce Jar Marinara Sauce, use your favorite

1 Pound Thin Sliced Pepperoni I cut into quarters

4 Cups of Italian Cheese Blend Shredded Cheese

Parsley 

I large Bowl beat cream cheese and 2 Cups of the shredded Italian Cheese together, Spray with cooking spray your crockpot. Spread the Cream Cheese mixture over the bottom. Now brown your Pepperoni until lightly crisp. Drain well. pour Marinara Sauce over the cream cheese mixture. Spread Pepperoni over the sauce then lightly stir it into the sauce. Now cover the top with the remaining 2 cups of shredded cheese. Sprinkle with parsley. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Serve with sliced Italian bread or your favorite crackers or bread! This is a large amount you may easily divide the recipe in half!  Great for appetizer, party dip or just because! 

Easy Pumpkin Crumb Cake

                                                                          

This is an easy but spectacular dessert!

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix

1, 15 Ounce Can of Pumpkin

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon, Cloves, and Ginger

Follow the directions on the box of cake mix, then add the can of pumpkin, spices,  and beat well. Pour into a prepared 10 X 15 cake pan. Now mix up those crumbs!

CRUMBS:

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon + 1 Teaspoon Each of Ginger and Cloves

1 Cup Melted Butter + 1 Teaspoon Vanilla

2 and 1/2 Cup Flour, more if needed

Stir together Sugars, Salt and spices together add melted butter and vanilla stir well.  Gently fold in Flour with large fork. If too wet add more flour, You want to gently fold the flour in to make large soft crumbs, adding more flour only if the batter seems to wet, weather will affect the crumbs so you might need to add the extra flour, but you do not want this to be too dry. Now gently sprinkle the crumbs over your cake batter. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for at least 30 minutes. Check to see if there is any wet batter on the end of a toothpick. If wet batter bake and check every 5 minutes, mine took 45 minutes. Once baked let cool. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream! Delicious!

Homemade Pizza Sauce Made with Fresh Picked Tomatoes

                                                                          

                                                                                          

This is FRESH Pizza Sauce made with tomatoes from my garden! Delicious and easy!

5 Large Tomatoes Peeled and Cored

1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic

Salt to taste

Sugar to taste

Vinegar to taste

1 Tablespoon Of Chopped Parsley

1 Tablespoon Of Italian Seasonings 

Peel and core your tomatoes, puree in blender until smooth. 

In a sauce pan add your prepared tomatoes and seasoning EXCEPT the salt, sugar and vinegar. Cook on a low simmer stirring often to prevent the sauce from sticking. This will thicken in about 1 hour. Now taste and add salt, sugar if needed then taste again adjust to suit your taste. If to sweet add a little vinegar and taste adding more if needed. This will make 1 and 3/4cups of great sauce and makes one large pizza! It was delicious! 

Chicken Ranch Macaroni Salad

                                                                               

What a lovely change from regular Macaroni Salad! 

 

  1, 16 Ounce Box Elbow Macaroni cooked according to package directions.  Helpful Hint I cooked mine in the broth from the chicken!

2 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

1, 16 Ounce Bag Frozen Broccoli Cauliflower Carrot Medley Cooked in the Chicken Broth from the chicken

Water, Enough to cover the chicken on your stovetop along with 1 Teaspoon Salt & 1 Tablespoon Crushed Garlic

2 Ribs Celery Chopped

1 Small Onion Chopped

1 Green Bell Pepper Chopped

1 Cucumber Peeled & sliced thin

24 Ounces of your favorite Ranch Dressing

Cook Chicken in enough water to cover along with the salt & garlic. Simmer until cooked about 45 minutes. Meat Thermometer should test chicken temperature at 165 degrees. Remove from pot & let cool until you can handle the chicken to dice into bite sized pieces. Now in the broth add the frozen vegetables and cook those about 8 minutes. Remove them from the broth and place them in a deep bowl. Add the diced Chicken.  Now dump into the pot of broth the Macaroni & cook according to the package directions. If you need more liquid just add water. Once cooked drain well. Now chop the fresh vegetables and add them  to the bowl. Once Macaroni's are cooked drain them & add them to the bowl. Stir well. Now add your Ranch Dressing Stir well and chill. Chill at least 4 hours, overnight is best. You may want to add 2 hard boiled eggs chopped to the recipe. I had people who do not like hard boiled eggs so I did not add them, but for me I would. Enjoy this main course Macaroni Salad! 

Corned Beef Hash

Delicious Homemade Corned Beef Hash!

2 Pounds Corned Beef, Leftover or make fresh! I had a 2 pound Corned Beef Brisket frozen on hand. I just thawed and simmered on my stovetop covered in water with the packet of spices that come with the brisket. I simmered this for 2 hours covered with lid. Let meat cool then dice into bite sized pieces. Discard the broth.

6 to 8 Potatoes peeled and cubed, again in nice size pieces.

1 Medium to Large Onion peeled and chopped

1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic

2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley

6 to 8 Uncooked Eggs if you like, I was not using eggs this time

Pepper to taste

Do not add salt until Hash is done. Taste and see if any salt is needed, then salt if desired.

4 Tablespoons Butter, unsalted is preferred. I only had salted butter on hand it was perfect.

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil.

Melt butter with the oil in a large deep skillet. Add the potatoes, onion, parsley & garlic. Fry stirring often. You want the potatoes to have a nice brown crust. Now add the diced Corned Beef. Stir in the beef  and fry covered stirring often. Once potatoes are soft and everything has a bit of a brown crust you have Corned Beef Hash! At this point taste and see if your hash needs salt, add accordingly! Feel free to break eggs onto the top cover and cook until eggs are softly set. I was not feeling like an egg this time, so I just dished up the hash when it was ready! Serve 6 Nice sized servings SO GOOD! 

Hoagie Pasta Salad

                                                                             

4 Kinds of meat, cheese, veggies and dressing make up this delicious salad based on the Hoagie!

1, 16 Ounce Box Of Elbow Macaroni or use the pasta you like, and cook according to the directions.

16 Ounces of Cooked Ham, Diced Small

8 Ounces Genoa Salami, Diced Small

8 Ounces Hard Salami, Diced Small

8 Ounces German Bologna  Diced Small

2 Cups Shredded Cheese, I used 6 Blend Italian Cheese

1/2 Red Onion Diced to make at least a half cup

6 Ripe Tomatoes Diced Small

8 Ounces of Pickled Sliced  Mild Banana Peppers or use hot if you like heat. Reserve 2 TBS of juice for the dressing

Half of a head of Iceberg Lettuce torn into small pieces and do not add the lettuce until ready to serve or the lettuce will get soggy. 

Stir of the above together in a LARGE bowl, except the lettuce. This makes a huge salad. Feel free to cut recipe in half . Then add the following dressing

2 Cups Mayonnaise

1 Cup Sour Cream

2 TBS. of the Pepper Juice

2 TBS. Italian Seasoning

Mix well and stir it into your salad. Chill well best overnight. Right before serving tear the lettuce in small pieces and stir it into your salad! The above recipe makes at least 16 to 20 servings. Great for picnics or gatherings. So good you will want to make this often! ENJOY! 

Ricotta Cavatelli Pasta Salad

                                                                          

This is a delicious pasta salad with a touch of heat!

3 Packages of Seviroli Frozen Ricotta Cavatelli 13 Ounce Bags. Cook according to package directions

1/2 Pound of small diced Capicola Ham, this has some heat to it. Use regular ham if you wish

1, 16 ounce bottle of Ranch Dressing

1 Large Cucumber sliced thin

1 Green Pepper chopped in small cubes

1/4 Cup Chopped Red Onion chopped small

3 Large Tomatoes Chopped

1 Tablespoon Chopped Parsley

2 Teaspoons Italian Seasonings

Cook pasta according to package directions. Chop the  veggies and ham & stir into pasta. Add seasonings and dressing, stir to combine. Chill well. Makes 1 huge bowl of very good pasta salad!