eatatallies.com» Dinner

Baked Spaghetti

Allie — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 05:20:56 +0000

It does not work for me to prepare dinner in the afternoon. In the afternoon, my kids need me, my undivided attention. When I am trying to make dinner while Caleb is asking for help with his homework, Bella is begging for a snack and Drew is coloring on the table, it just doesn’t work. My most enjoyable afternoons with my kids are when I know that dinner has already been taken care of so I can focus on taking care of them. This Baked Spaghetti is the perfect make ahead meal. Make it in the morning and enjoy the afternoon with your family, it’s a win win for everyone :)

Baked Spaghetti with Creamy Marinara Sauce
12 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 pound ground beef
1 jar marinara sauce (26 ounces)
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
⅓ cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons fresh chopped basil
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
3 ounces cream cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese
1 can Fried Onions

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Drain and toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a small skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook until soft.

In a separate skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat.
Once cooked through, drain the excess grease.

Add the garlic, onions, basil, oregano, and jar of marinara sauce to the cooked ground beef.
Stir in the cream cheese until melted and combined.

Put a thin layer of the marinara sauce on the bottom of your casserole dish.

Layer the spaghetti over the sauce.

Top with the remaining marinara sauce.

Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese.
(If making this ahead of time, now is the time to cover and refrigerate or freeze)
Otherwise, bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with Fried Onions.
Then continue baking for an additional 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Allie — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 04:54:34 +0000

Most days I love being a mom more than anything in the whole world. Other days, I am left feeling discouraged and defeated. Today was one of those days. A day like today calls for a bag of chips, some cheese, a little buffalo chicken and maybe a bit of celery to top it off. Here’s to hoping for a better tomorrow!

Buffalo Chicken Nachos
1 1/2 cups Buffalo Wing Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup water
4 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 large bag (family size) Ranch Tortilla Chips
3-4 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
5 oz. crumbled Blue Cheese
1 cup chopped celery

In a sauce pan, heat the Buffalo Wing Sauce with the butter and water.
Add the shredded chicken and allow to simmer 3-5 minutes.
Strain the chicken and reserve the sauce.

Spread half of the chips evenly onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.
Top with half of the strained buffalo chicken.

Next sprinkle half of the cheese over the top.
Repeat the layers once more: chips, chicken and cheese.
Bake at 45o until cheese is melted, about 5-7 minutes.

Top with crumbled Blue Cheese and place back in the oven for 1-2 minutes until cheese is softened.

Finish off with chopped celery and reserved wing sauce.
Enjoy!

Source: adapted from Food Network Magazine

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Six Layer Sourdough Club

Allie — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:57:00 +0000

January and September are the two months that I make big organizational attempts in my disorganized chaotic life. January is of course the perfect time for New Year’s resolutions but September, it is the Back to School fever that gets me motivated. With Caleb starting first grade yesterday, I decided that I really need to get it together over here. This realization first hit me when I glanced at the calendar hanging in my pantry and saw October 2010. Yes, that is the last time that I wrote something down on a calendar. For the past 11 months, I have kept all appointment, meeting, activity, party dates, etc in my head. That is a lot to remember and has lead to an occasional forget. This school year, I want to be organized. I don’t want to be forgetful.

One thing that helps my crazy life go a bit more smoothly, is to prepare dinner in the morning. When I have dinner in the slow cooker or marinating in the fridge before 10am, my day is freed up to focus on all the other things I should be doing. And when my big first grader needs help with his homework after school, I will have the time to sit down at the table with him rather than slave over the stove because dinner has already been taken care of.

So my 2011 School Year Resolutions are:

Number 1: I will make dinner in the morning. I will not let the four o’clock “what’s for dinner?” frenzy strike.

Number 2: I will use a calendar. I will write all important dates down and I will remember them!

How about you? Any School Year Resolutions?

Here’s a make ahead sandwich for you to prepare while you think about it…

Six Layer Sourdough Club
5 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup chopped red onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large sourdough round

4 ounces sliced turkey

4 ounces sliced cheddar cheese

4 ounces sliced salami

4 ounces sliced monterey jack cheese

Using a knife, hollow out the sourdough round.
Reserve the top for the finished sandwich.

Brush the inside of the bread with olive oil and and set aside.

Place tomatoes, bell peppers, basil, onion, and garlic in a large bowl.

Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Stir to combine.

Spoon half of the tomato mixture into the bread round. Press down firmly.

Next layer the turkey,

cheddar cheese,

salami

and monterey jack cheese.

Top with the remaining tomato mixture.

Place the bread top back on the sour dough round and press down firmly.

Wrap tightly in foil and refrigerate up to 24 hours to combine flavors.

Slice into 8 wedges and serve.

Enjoy!

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Pineapple Green Chile Pork Tacos

Allie — Wed, 25 May 2011 04:42:00 +0000

Two weeks before my first son entered this world, I waddled out of the office to go on my maternity leave. That was six years ago and I still have not returned. Two years after Caleb was born, Bella made her way into this world, and a little over a year after that came our surprise baby Drew. That is three babies in three years. In such a short time, I went from a working woman to full time mommy nearly drowning in my daily responsibilities of caring for three little ones ages three and under. I could see no end in sight to the nursing, changing, feeding, dressing, napping life of my children until recently.

This past fall when Caleb entered kindergarten and Bella began her first year of preschool, I was finally able to catch my breath. I even began to get a little itch to do something with myself outside the home. I have never liked “direct sales” companies and I have never liked attending people’s home parties. I like to shop, I just don’t like the products that are being offered at most home parties. However when I was doing my job searching this past Fall, I discovered Vault Denim. It was a brand new company that was selling designer jeans at in home parties. Being a sucker for jeans, I signed up to be a consultant with the company. It really was a great decision. I still get to be home with my kids but I get to have justified (honey, I’m getting paid…) Girls Night Out quite often. I never thought I would be a direct sales girl but I’ve also never been able to resist a cute pair of jeans :)

I thought I should share my little endeavor with you all since it is part of the reason I have been a bit blog neglectful these days. My quiet evenings that I used to spend blogging are now spent at Jean Parties :) Soon I will find balance again but for now I am enjoying my full-time mom and wife status while being a part-time blogger and Vault Denim Consultant.

Here is a quick and easy meal for your busy life.

Pineapple Green Chile Pork Tacos

1 (3 pound) pork roast

1 (16 oz.) jar salsa verde

2 (8 oz.) cans crushed pineapple, undrained

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles

1/4 cup brown sugar

1-2 teaspoons chopped jalepeno

Salt and pepper, to taste

Corn tortillas

Favorite taco toppings

Place the pork roast into the slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, combine salsa verde, crushed pineapple, green chiles, brown sugar, jalepeno, salt, and pepper.

Pour over pork roast.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Remove roast from crock pot.

Drain the juices in the slow cooker through a colander, reserving the pineapple salsa mixture.

Shred the roast with a fork and combine it with the drained pineapple/salsa mixture.

Serve in warm tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.

Enjoy!

source: adapted from Let’s Dish

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Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Allie — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 09:34:00 +0000

I am a stay at home mom and I do most days “alone”. I am the one feeding the kids, getting them dressed, taking them to school, mediating arguments, tending to owies, wiping away tears. I do it every day. I am the one caring for a two year old, three year old and five year old all by myself every day… until 6pm. There is something to be said for the relief that the six o’clock hour brings. No matter how crazy my days are, how overwhelmed I am feeling, I know that at 6pm my husband will be home and we will be doing life together again.

Recently my husband went out of town for 12 days. 12 days!!! I was alone for twelve days with our three small children with no relief in sight. It rained most days, the kids were sick, we were stuck inside, the kids missed school, they were waking up at night, I couldn’t sleep, the cat threw up… I was on the verge of losing my mind. I texted my husband two days before he was scheduled to return to let him know that I was seriously considering running away from home. I really don’t know how I got through those last days but somehow I managed to survive.

When my husband returned home, I made him his first home cooked meal in two weeks, an Enchilada Casserole. Then I put on some lipstick and headed out for a much needed night off with some girlfriends.

Relief had arrived.

Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole

4 cooked chicken breasts, shredded

8 ounces sour cream

garlic salt to taste

14 corn tortillas

1 (28 ounce) can green chile enchilada sauce

16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the cooked shredded chicken breasts
with sour cream and garlic salt.

Set aside.

Pour about 1/2 inch enchilada sauce
in the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.

Place 4-5 tortillas on top of the sauce in a single layer.

Top with half of the chicken mixture.

Sprinkle with one third of the cheese.

Pour one third of the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese.

Repeat the layers (tortillas, chicken mixture, cheese and sauce).

Coat remaining tortillas thoroughly with enchilada sauce and arrange on top of the layers.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with any remaining enchilada sauce.

Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes.

Remove foil the last 5 minutes.

Cool slightly before serving.

Enjoy!

source: adapted from allrecipes

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Curried Turkey Pita

Allie — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 14:01:00 +0000

We celebrated Thanksgiving at my parent’s house with fabulous food and plenty of leftovers. I had my fill of turkey and Thanksgiving leftovers in the days that followed, so you can imagine my dismay when I returned home to find an entire uncooked turkey waiting for me in my refrigerator. The last thing I felt like doing the weekend AFTER Thanksgiving (the weekend I should be unpacking, organizing, and decorating for Christmas) was cooking a turkey. However I do love my husband (the husband who loves a good turkey and will eat Thanksgiving food long after the holiday has passed) so for him I slathered it with butter and herbs and roasted it to perfection. Last night we had round two of “Thanksgiving dinner” and today with the leftovers, I made this Curried Turkey Pita for lunch. If you happen to have anymore leftover turkey in your house, I recommend you do the same :)

Curried Turkey Pita

1/3 cup mayonnaise

3/4 teaspoon curry powder

2 cups shredded roasted turkey

1/4 cup dried cranberries

3 sliced celery stalks

1 sliced green onion

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients.

Spoon into pita halves and enjoy!

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Slow Baked 6 hour Barbecue Ribs

Allie — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:59:00 +0000

Okay, I know that it has been awhile since I last posted. I just can’t seem to get it together these days. Balancing the preschool and kindergarten schedules, trying to make it to the gym on a regular basis, attending soccer practice and games, remembering snacks and show and tell, keeping a somewhat clean house and having dinner on the table. And that’s just the “have-to” list. It does not include all the surprise non-agenda items that occur on a daily basis from the the dirty diaper flinging two year old, the injury prone three year old, and the never know what your gonna get five year old. Yeah, life just doesn’t seem to be going all that smoothly over here.

However despite the crazy chaos in my house, I thought I should send something yummy your way. These ribs are actually quite perfect for crazy houses like mine. They take minimal time and effort as they slow cook all day. And just think, when your neighbor pops over at noon and your house already smells like dinner, she just might think that you actually have it all together ;)

Slow Baked 6 hour Barbecue Ribs

1 Rack Baby Back Ribs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, sliced

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

On the underside of the rib, remove the thin membrane and discard.

Cover the bottom of a baking dish with foil, allowing excess to hang over the sides.

Place half of the onions on the bottom of the baking dish.

Place ribs on top of the onions.

Rub one clove of garlic on each side of the ribs.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place the other half of the sliced onion on top of the ribs.

Wrap the foil tightly around the ribs, covering the completely.

Reduce the oven to 300 degrees before placing the ribs inside to bake for 5 1/2 hours.

After the ribs have baked for 5 1/2 hours, unwrap the foil and remove the onions.

Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Place the ribs on a foil lined baking sheet.

Brush generously with barbecue sauce.

Return to the 400 degree oven uncovered and bake for 20-30 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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Sloppy Janes (a.k.a. Turkey Sloppy Joes)

Allie — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 06:59:00 +0000

I have had a few people ask me if I was ever going to post some “healthy” recipes. Well here it is, today is the day! This recipe came from my good friend Debbie and she informed me that this is actually a Weight Watcher’s recipe. Did you hear that people!?!? A Weight Watchers Recipe! So enjoy today’s post and forgive me for the cookies or maybe brownies I will be posting in a day or two ;)

Sloppy Janes (a.k.a. Turkey Sloppy Joes)

serves 6

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 1/2 onions chopped

1 cup chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 pound ground turkey breast

1 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil.
Saute the onions, celery and garlic until softened.

Stir in the cumin and chili powder.

Add the turkey and continue to cook while breaking the turkey apart,
about 3 minutes.

Add the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and salt.

Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and the turkey is cooked through,
about 5 minutes.

Serve on toasted hamburger buns
or if you want to be healthy like me sandwich thins ;)

Enjoy!

oh and by the way, 6 points if eaten on a sandwich thin :)

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Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Allie — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:24:00 +0000

I grew up in a “Leave it to Beaver” kind of neighborhood. All of the families knew each other (or at least knew each other’s business). There was a plethora of kids. There were Pancake Breakfasts, Fourth of July parades, summers full of swimming at the neighborhood pool. I loved growing up where I did. I always hoped that I would find a neighborhood like that to raise my own children in.

Well here I am, all grown up with three kids of my own and I have. My neighborhood is full of young families with an abundance of kids and babies. We have barbecues and progressive dinners, Easter egg hunts and Bunco nights. We celebrate holidays together and birthday parties. We call each other to borrow an egg or for a quick helping hand. We even share dinner ideas and recipes with one another. This recipe is one I have adapted from my neighbor Sarah, a good friend and fabulous cook :)

Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches

~printer friendly version~

4-5 lb pork shoulder roast

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

1 yellow onion, chopped

12 oz. can Root Beer

1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce

Place pork roast in Crock Pot.

Rub minced garlic over roast and season with salt and pepper.

Top with chopped onion.

Pour Root Beer over roast.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Use tongs to pull the meat apart and shred.

Once the meat is shredded, cover and allow to soak up the sweetness from the root beer for 10 minutes.

Drain off the root beer

and return pork to crock pot.

Mix in the barbecue sauce.

Cover and contine to cook for 30 minutes to an hour.

Serve on sesame buns.

Enjoy!

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Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Allie — Mon, 31 May 2010 11:06:00 +0000

Not very often does my husband compliment me on my cooking. I think it’s because he is spoiled and doesn’t realize how good he has it. If I am needing the extra boost, I will occasionally fish for compliments. Do you like this? Would you want it again? Is this the best thing you have ever eaten? He usually gives me the answers I am hoping for but rarely does he freely offer them. However, this dinner was a different story. This dinner produced several compliments without any fishing on my part. He loved this. He told me so more than once. He had a second helping. He took the leftovers to work for lunch. Just a few of the signs that this dinner was really good!

Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Serves 4
~printer friendly version~

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders

1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as safflower

1/3 cup Frank’s (my personal favorite) Buffalo Wing Sauce

2 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to oven.

In a medium bowl, stir together blue cheese and 1/2 cup buttermilk. Season dip with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Place flour seasoned with salt and pepper and remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk in separate medium bowls. Set out another rimmed baking dish alongside.

Dip chicken in buttermilk (allowing excess to drip off),

then in flour

coating both sides (shaking off excess);

place in baking dish.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high.

Working in batches if needed, fry chicken 5 minutes per side

until golden brown and cooked through.

Transfer to rack in oven to keep warm.

In a large bowl, stir together hot sauce and melted butter.

Add chicken,

and toss to coat.

Serve tenders with blue-cheese dip.

Enjoy!

source: adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

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