Shrimp Flatbread Pizza!

Shrimp.  That one word is it's own sentence.  It's also it's very own food group.  (Not technically but who cares.)  Anything you cook will taste better with shrimp.  Seriously.  I can't think of a more enjoyable food.  I love shrimp.  It's amazing.  As far as I'm concerned, I could totally replace chicken in just about every meal with shrimp and it would be to die for.  Don't you think? 

Well. . .not everyone will agree with me, and by not everyone I mean my entire family.  Dave hates shrimp.  He just about gags at the thought of it.  Justin too.  Tessa won't even try it, and Ava will take a few bites as a "show of support" to me.  Needless to say, I went a long time not enjoying shrimp to the full extent that one should enjoy shrimp to.  UNTIL. . . I realized that I can sub shrimp in MY OWN meal and still let them eat their own boring version!  Genious!  So when I make a pasta dish with chicken, I'll saute a few shrimp and have that instead!  Or when I do fajitas, I'll do the steak and chicken for them, but again, saute up a few shrimp for my meal!  I am so smart. 

I have no idea when my love of shrimp started, but I DO remember my grandma taking me to Red Lobster on occasion as a child and indulging me in my tasty passion for seafood.  (FYI:  Red Lobster as an adult=not nearly as classy as you remember it being when you were a kid.)  I've come to realize that when it comes to ordering shrimp in a restaurant, I almost always end up disappointed.  It's either too salty, over cooked and rubbery, or served too cold.  I like my shrimp cooked just enough that it's warm, pink on the outside and "POPS!" when you bite into it!  WITH THE EXCEPTION of ordering shrimp in OCEANSIDE restaurants where it's their specialty!!!!!

Some of the tastiest shrimp dishes I've ever eaten have been on our vacations . . one of my favorite things about traveling to ocean destinations is the fresh seafood: 

Catch 31 in Virginia Beach, VA. . .BEST Coconut Shrimp EVER!
Chicks Oyster Bar in Virginia Beach, VA. . . mouthwatering Shrimp Taco Salad!
Frenchy's Rockaway Grill  in Clearwater, FL. . . SECOND best Coconut Shrimp!
Surf Rider  in Virginia Beach, VA. . . most amazing Seafood Alfredo you'll ever eat!
PInchers Crab Shack  in Naples, FL. . . a Shrimp PoBoy that will you fill you up, but leave you wanting more!
The Dock in Naples, FL. . . Shrimp. Nachos.  Need I say more?


Well, to finally wrap it up, tonight my family wanted to make flatbread pizzas. . .which did not sound good to me at all. . .theirs all looked like this:

Flatbread, sauce, pepperoni, cheese, blah blah blah.  Boring.  So while I was helping them prep their pizzas, my mind went to SHRIMP:

I like to keep a bag of UNCOOKED frozen shrimp on hand in the freezer for JUST these types of occasions!  They ate their boring pizza, and I THOROUGHLY enjoyed my special treat!

SHRIMP FLATBREAD PIZZA 

( I just made one pizza, but you can make many more if you'd like!)

1 piece of flatbread.  (Naan, or a similar brand.)

Garlic infused olive oil

Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

8 large uncooked shrimp (thawed)

dab of butter

cracked black pepper

flat leaf parsley

1.  Put your piece of flatbread on a cookie sheet and brush lightly with Garlic Infused Olive Oil.

2.  I buy the fresh mozzarella that comes in a log, and just dice a little bit and toss it on top of the bread.  

3.  Toss in a preheated oven at 400 and let cook for about 10 minutes.

4.  In a small saute pan, melt a tiny bit of butter.  Once butter is melted, toss in your shrimp.  I buy the tail-on, uncooked, peeled, and devained shrimp.  Just tastes a bit fresher than the precooked stuff and that way I can be assured that it won't get that over cooked rubbery texture. 

5.  Cook until it looks just slightly pink and then turn over to finish cooking.  This takes just minutes, or less depending on how hot your pan is.  Once shrimp is cooked, remove from pan to prevent overcooking.

6.  At this time I pull the tails off, and chop the shrimp into bite size pieces.

7.  Take flatbread out of the oven, and top with shrimp and some chopped flat leaf parsley!

Cinnamon Pecan Swirl Coffee Cake

 I love Sundays. . . for so many reasons, and breakfast is NOT one of them.  I shouldn't admit it, but I RARELY cook a nice breakfast on a weekend.  If I'm going to put my heart into a meal, it's only gonna happen once a day, (which is usually dinner time).  On the rare occasion that I DO make "breakfast" it's not in the morning.  I'm a "breakfast for dinner" kind of girl. 

HOWEVER. . . I CAN and WILL make a quick batch of banana bread, make up some granola, or whip up a coffee cake on a Saturday night so my family has a special treat on Sunday mornings before church. 

Last night around 10:00, Dave and I decided to watch a movie (Saving Mr. Banks, I'm a Disney fanatic, totally recommend it) and I thought I might as well toss something in the oven since I'll be up anyways and that way they can have a SOMEWHAT special breakfast before church.

I'm not sure what I enjoyed more about this recipe, the taste, or the smell that worked it's way through my whole house as it baked in the oven.  Not even kidding, by 11:00pm, my house smelled like toasted pecans and cinnamon.  It took everything in my husband to actually wait till morning.  It smelled so good.

 

You see that lovely dark ribbon of goodness buried inside that deliciously moist cake?  That is cinnamon, and brown sugar, and ground pecans, otherwise know as "the heavenly tasty cinnamony swirl."  THAT is what makes this so amazingly wonderful.   That lovely ribbon of flavor will work it's way into every bite if eaten correctly. . . yes. . .there is a correct way to eat this.  It's a no-brainer.  You want that layer in every bite, and you will eat it as such!  

CINNAMON PECAN SWIRL COFFEE CAKE

CAKE BATTER:

1 cup softened butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

"RIBBON 'O FLAVOR" aka. "CINNAMON SWIRL"

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (if you don't like nuts, you don't need to use them!)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon 

1.  In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and eggs. 

2.  In a separate bowl, mix together all of our dry ingredients.

3.  Add your dry ingredients to your creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream.  (Dry ingredients, sour cream, dry ingredients, sour cream, etc.)

4.  In a Bundt pan sprayed with nonstick baking spray, spread half of the cake batter.

5.  In another bowl, combine all the ingredients for the "cinnamon swirl" and sprinkle over the cake batter in the pan.

6.  Spread the rest of the cake batter evenly over the "cinnamon swirl" layer.

7.  Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.  It literally was EXACTLY 50 minutes in the oven for this one!

8.  Let cook in pan for approx. 10 to 15 minutes, and turn onto a plate or cake stand.  Dust with powdered sugar and serve!

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Dessert Cups!

CONNECT RALLY Cheesecake Dessert Cups!!!!!  LOTS of people requesting the recipe. . .so here it is!!!  Doesn't get much easier (or tastier) than this!!!  

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE PARFAIT CUPS

1 batch makes 10 dessert cups!

CRUST

1 package of graham crackers, crushed

2 TBSP melted butter

2 TBSP sugar

Combine ingredients and scoop into cups using the 2 TBSP scoop.

CHEESECAKE FILLING

2 8oz packages of Cream Cheese

1 14oz can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

2 TBSP Lemon Juice

Whip all ingredients together until light and fluffy.  Divide among 10 dessert cups.

STRAWBERRY PUREE

2 cups Frozen Strawberries

¼ cup Sugar

Toss in the microwave and heat till berries are mushy. . .Blend until pureed!

STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

¼ cup Powdered Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Whip all ingredients together until stiff peaks form. 

Divide Crust, Cheesecake, Strawberries, ad Whipped Cream between ten cups, layering in the order listed!

Bacon Cheddar Wedge Salad!

BACON CHEDDAR WEDGE SALAD

SALAD:
Romaine Lettuce, cut in half lengthwise
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Crumbled Bacon
Avocado Slices
Buttermilk Dressing

DRESSING:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo
1/2 to 1 cup buttermilk (Depending on how thin/thick you like your dressing)
3/4 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp or more salt
1 Tbsp dill
1/2 tsp garlic powder
few dashes cayenne pepper
few dashes paprika
few dashes worcestishire sauce


1.  Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and refrigerate for several hours!!!!

2.  Set 1/2 of a head of romaine lettuce on a plate, drizzle with dressing, top with cheese, bacon, avocado, and tomato (which is not pictured).

3.  EAT!!!!

Kim's. . . OR Amanda's . . . Sausage Stuffed Peppers!

My sisters are great.  They both cook well.  Amanda's great at making recipes. . .but Kim is good at taking a recipe and turning it into something completely different!  They're great!    This recipe is a combination of the two of them, and I can't take credit for either one!

Amanda has a recipe for a delicious sausage dip that you make in the crockpot.  Kim then took that recipe, added some delicousness to it, and stuffed it in a pepper.  This is amazing.  So good.  I ate a "leftover pepper" at Kim's house for lunch one day. . .and knew that this would be a "MUST"make for me!  The following week I made it for dinner and enjoyed each heavenly bite.  So. Good.

KIM'S . . . OR AMANDA'S . . . STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS

1 8oz brick of cream cheese
1lb of ground sausage (Jimmy Dean!)
1 can of Rotel Tomatoes
1 can of Green Giant Corn. . .whatever kind you like.
1 can of black beans
4 or 5 green (or whatever color you want) peppers

1.  I like to cut my peppers in half rather than a using a whole pepper because my kids will not eat a whole pepper, SO, half your peppers and toss them into some boiling water.  Cook for just a few minutes until peppers are tender. 

2.  Take peppers out of boiling water, and place in a baking dish, cut side up!

3.  Saute your sausage until browned all the way through.

4.  Add the cream cheese, Rotel, corn, and black beans to the sausage and continue to heat until the cream cheese is melted. 

5.  Stuff your peppers with the sausage mixture, top with shredded cheese if you'd like, and bake at 350 until bubbly and delicious!

6.  Thank my sisters for their AWESOMENESS!

Heath Toffee No Bake Cheesecake Jars!

Heath.  Cheesecake.  Toffee.  These are just a few simple words to express how much you love someone.  In my case. . .my husband.  He is a HEATH addict.  He loves all things Heath, and he adores anything with caramel in it!  So this idea. . . was all about him.  I just took the "No Bake Cheesecake" recipe I was already using. . .and added a few other items to the mix.  What you get is heaven in a jar. 

HEATH TOFFEE NO BAKE CHEESECAKE JARS

GRAHAM CRACKER LAYER:
1 sleeve of graham crackers crushed
2 Tbsp melted butter
3 Tbsp sugar

1.  Combine all of these ingredients in a bowl and mix utnil combined and crumbly.

2.  Scoop 1 1/2 Tbsp into the bottom of 10 small jars.  This should take up about half of your cracker crumbs.  Save the rest to layer again.


HEATH CHEESECAKE LAYER:
2 8oz bricks of cream cheese, softened
1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup Heath Toffee Bits

1.  Toss the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk into a bowl and mix until creamy. 

2.  Add in the lemon juice and vanilla.  Whip until light and fluffy.

3.  Fold in the Heath Toffee Bits.

4.  Divide cheesecake in half.  Put half of the cheesecake into a large pastry piping bag, and pipe into the jars on top of the graham crackers.  Reserve the other half for the second layer.










 
CARAMEL LAYER:
1 jar of Mrs. Richards Butterscotch Caramel Topping

1.  Spoon a layer of caramel over the top of the cheesecake filling.

2.  Repeat layers a second time:  cracker crumbs, cheesecake, and caramel.  Top with whipped cream if you desire, or screw the lids on the jars and toss in the fridge!

Tender Crisp Garlic Green Beans!

I think that fresh green beans might be one of my favorite veggies ever.  There is nothing better than green beans that were picked the day you eat them!  Now, I don't have a garden. . .but there are MANY local farmers who set up shop in their driveway and offer tons of fresh goodness!  Of course in March. . .that's just not an option.  So instead I purchase the "fresh" green beans from Costco.  They're long, and thin, and sweet, and savory, and tasty.  Even my kids love them.  There are rarely leftovers when I make a big batch of green beans! 

One of my favorite ways to eat just about any vegetable is to roast it in the oven until it's tender, but with these green beans. . .it takes F.O.R.E.V.E.R  So here's how I LOVE to prepare green beans:

TENDER CRISP GARLIC GREEN BEANS

A big pot of boiling salted water
A whole lotta green beans cut into shorter pieces, or left long
A few tsp of butter
Salt, pepper, and a clove of garlic

1.  Toss beans into a pot of boiling water that's been salted and let boil until ALMOST fork tender.  This only takes a few minutes.  The color will get darker and richer. . .and they'll look tasty!

2.  Drain the green beans and rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking process.

3.  In a frying pan, toss in a few tsp. of butter.  I don't know if I even use that much.  Then toss in a while, peeled, clove of garlic. 

4.  Once butter is melted, toss in the green beans and saute over medium heat until desired tenderness is achieved.  I like mine with a bit of a bite to them still, but slightly darkened on the outside.  Toss with salt and pepper. 

5.  Pour into a serving dish, and remember to remove the clove of garlic!

Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese!

I love mac and cheese.  Restaurant mac and cheese, homemade mac and cheese, and even yes, the "blue box" mac and cheese.  It's just childhood  on a plate.  Pure, deliciousness.  I have made MANY homemade recipes, but I love trying new ones.  I guess that must mean that I haven't found a favorite. . .until today.  This recipe requires no baking, it's quick, and easy, and creamy, and tasty.  You have to try it.  Today.  Seriously.  You have a few hours till dinner, and who doesn't have a box of pasta in the cupboard?!  Make it!

HOMEMADE CREAMY MAC AND CHEESE

2 cups pasta, any shape you have (I used mini bowties!)
3 Tbsp butter
1 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
salt
pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices GOOD american cheese

1.  Cook pasta according to directions on package.  Drain, and toss back into pan with butter.  Mix to coat pasta in the butter.

2.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, salt, and pepper.  I used a generous amount of salt and pepper.

3.  Pour cream/egg mixture over the pasta and toss in the cheeses.  Stir over medium heat until cheese is melted and mac and cheese is nice and creamy.  The longer you stir/cook the thicker it will be.  I like it not-too-thick and oh-so-creamy, so as soon as that cheese was melted, it was done!

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf!

I just have to say in advance. . . I hate meat loaf.  I don't remember my mom making it often as a kid, but on the rare occasions that she did, I'd rather starve than eat it. I shouldn't even say this, since I am posting a meatloaf recipe. . .but it always reminded me of the can of cat food I remember my grandma feeding her cats.  Meat does not naturally come in loaf form, so eating and enjoying meatloaf is not something I do often.

I have made meatloaf for my family several times, and still feel the same way about it.  HOWEVER., when you wrap something in bacon, it becomes a WHOLE. 'NUTHA. FOOD.  You can barely qualify this as meatloaf.  It is now a smoky, bacon-wrapped, party in your mouth.  Dave loved it.  He loves just about any form of meatloaf.  I could probably crack open a can of Spam and he'd be happy, (note that I am sure that Spam even has meat in it. . . does it?)  but this meatloaf. . .he really genuinely, loved it.  I will even admit that I MORE than enjoyed this.  It was so good.  The flavor was just right, the bacon crisp yet tender, and the glaze. . .well. . . without it, this meatloaf wouldn't be the same.   

So if you're a meatloaf fan. . . this is a total no-brainer for you.   If, like me, you're not a meatloaf fan. . . I may have just changed your life.  You're welcome. 

BACON WRAPPED MEATLOAF

MEATLOAF:
1 cup heavy cream
6 slices of italian/white bread
2 lbs lean ground beef
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
few dashes of cayenne pepper
4 eggs
12ish slices of bacon

GLAZE:
1/2 cup ketchup
3Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp mustard
few dashes of Worcestishire Sauce

1.  Break bread into bite sized pieces and pour the heavy cream over the bread pieces.  Let soak while you move on to the next step.

2.  In a great big bowl, toss in your ground beef, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and eggs. 

3.  Toss the bread soaked in cream into the bowl with the other ingredients.

4.  Now comes the part that makes me want to gag every time. . . dig your hands all up in that business and mush until all the ingredients are combined.

5.  Line a cake pan or jelly roll pan with foil, and form meat into a loaf in the center of foil-lined pan.  (I did a longer rather than wider loaf.  It helps cook a bit faster and is easier for covering with the bacon.)

6.  NOW comes the fun part, grab that bacon, and just cover the meatloaf with it.  Tuck the ends in under the meatlaof to keep it from falling apart!

7.  Toss in the oven at 350 and bake for about 50 minutes. 

8.  While meatloaf is baking, whisk your glaze ingredients together.  After the meatloaf has baked for about 50 minutes, pour glaze over the top of the meatloaf and return to oven for another 15 to 20 minutes. 

9.  Once you remove the meatloaf from the oven, let set for ten to fifteen minutes before slicing!