Creamy Jalapeño Popper Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, diced
  • 6 medium jalapeño peppers, seeds removed, finely diced
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
  • 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened and cubed
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 
  • 1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning 
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Bacon bits (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven.
  2. Add in the onion and jalapeños, cooking until softened, about 5–7 minutes.
  3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Sprinkle flour over the top of the vegetables, stirring to combine, until no dry spots remain.
  5. Slowly pour in the broth and heavy cream, stirring constantly.
  6. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low.
  7. Add in the cubed cream cheese, cooking and stirring until melted.
  8. Fold in the shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until melted and the soup is smooth and creamy.
  9. Season with Adobo and black pepper.
  10. Serve hot, sprinkled with bacon bits (if desired) and oyster crackers.

The original recipe for this slightly spicy and incredibly delectable soup can be found here.

Mini Cannoli Cups

Ingredients

  • 2 refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
  • 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese, strained
  • 1 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • Dash of lemon juice
  • Mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Combine the cinnamon and turbinado sugar in a small bowl.
  3. Unroll one room temperature pie crust onto lightly floured surface or cutting board.
  4. Sprinkle the dough with half the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  5. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough until it’s about 1/8 inch thick.
  6. Use a 2-1/2 inch round biscuit cutter, round cookie cutter, or a cup, cut out roughly 24 rounds of pie crust (you will need to re-roll the dough a few times).
  7. Place the rounds in a ungreased mini muffin tin. Use your fingers to press the dough to fit the pan.
  8. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the cups are golden brown.
  9. Remove the cups from the oven snd allow to cool for 15 minutes.
  10. Repeat this process with the other pie crust.
  11. In a medium bowl, mix together the strained ricotta, mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract until creamy.
  12. Place the filling in a prepared piping bag with an open star/large round tip or a 1-gallon zip-top resealable bag; seal the bag and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  13. Just before serving, remove the filling from the refrigerator; if using a resealable bag, snip one corner off.
  14. Pipe approximately 1 tablespoon of filling into the cooled pastry cups.
  15. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the filling, dust with additional powdered sugar, if desired, and serve.

To make these incredible bite-sized desserts, I combined two different recipes; they can be found here and here.

Bacon, Onion & Pepper Quiche

Ingredients

  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 1/2 small white onion, sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 bell pepper, sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 deep dish (9 inches) frozen pie crust
  • 3/4 cup shredded white cheddar cheese, divided
  • 5 large eggs 
  • 1-1/4 cups heavy cream 
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley 
  • 1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning 
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet until it reaches desired doneness; remove from the skillet to cool (reserving bacon grease), then chop or crumble into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Add the onions and peppers to the pan with the reserved bacon grease, and sauté over medium heat until tender; set aside to cool.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
  4. Prepare the pie crust by pricking the bottom and sides with a fork, then sprinkling about 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese evenly in the bottom.
  5. Bake the crust for about 10 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
  6. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl or large glass measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream and seasonings.
  7. To the egg mixture, add the bacon, onions, peppers and the rest of the shredded cheese, stirring until combined.
  8. Pour the mixture into the par-baked pie crust.
  9. Bake the quiche in the preheated oven until the center is set and the top is lightly browned, about 45 minutes (cover the crust edges with foil for the last 5-10 minutes or so if getting too done). 
  10. Allow to stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Classic Butter Noodles

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
  • 1 tablespoon dry minced onion
  • 1/2 tablespoon of dried dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons of garlic salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper
  • 1/4 cup of heavy cream 
  • 1 box (16 ounces) pasta (I used farfalle)

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, melt the butter.
  2. Stir in the onion, dill, black and white pepper, garlic salt and dried nutmeg and let this sit for 15 minutes on the lowest heat setting so the herbs and spices bloom. 
  3. Boil your pasta according to the package directions until it is al dente; drain.
  4. Add the heavy cream to the butter mixture and whisk until combined.
  5. Add your hot noodles to the butter mixture, tossing to coat.
  6. Serve immediately with your favorite protein and a salad for a complete meal.

The original recipe for these delicious noods can be found here.

Chicken Bacon Ranch “Enchiladas”

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 pound chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or cubed
  • 1 packet (1 ounce) ranch seasoning
  • 2 cups salsa verde
  • 1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 10 8-inch flour tortillas
  • Green onions, chopped, for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  2. Cook the bacon, reserving the grease, and remove the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate.
  3. Add the chicken to the reserved bacon grease, sprinkle with ranch seasoning, and cook until heated through.
  4. In a small bowl, combine the salsa verde and Ranch dressing.
  5. Spread about 1/3 of the salsa and Ranch mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
  6. Warm the tortillas and lay them flat on a work surface.
  7. Evenly divide the chicken among the tortillas.
  8. Spoon about 1/3 of the remaining salsa and Ranch mixture evenly over the chicken.
  9. Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over the chicken and sauce.
  10. Roll up the tortillas and place them, seam side down, into the prepared baking pan.
  11. Spoon the remaining salsa and Ranch mixture over top of the rolled tortillas.
  12. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top.
  13. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly.

French Onion Orzo Casserole 

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced 
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 1 pound ground meat (turkey, beef, pork)
  • 1 package (1 ounce) onion soup mix
  • 2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
  • 1 cup crispy fried onions

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
  3. Add in onions and sauté until carmelized; remove to a bowl and cover to stay warm.
  4. Pour oil into the same skillet.
  5. Add ground meat and, over medium-high heat, cook until no longer pink. 
  6. Stir in the onion soup mix, cooking for a few minutes.
  7. Add orzo pasta and broth, and simmer until pasta is al dente.
  8. Spread the orzo and meat mixture evenly in the baking dish.
  9. Top with the cooked onions.
  10. Spread sour cream over top of the onions.
  11. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, then top with crispy fried onions.
  12. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  13. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

The original recipe for this incredible casserole can be found here.

Slow Cooker BBQ Pineapple Meatballs

Ingredients

  • 2 bags (20 ounces each) frozen meatballs 
  • 1 whole pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks 
  • 1 can (6 ounces) pineapple juice
  • 2-1/2 cups (or one small bottle) preferred barbecue sauce
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning
  • Cooked rice or mashed potatoes

Instructions

  1. Combine frozen meatballs, pineapple chunks and juice, barbecue sauce, brown sugar and Adobo seasoning in a slow cooker.
  2. Mix all ingredients together until the meatballs are well covered with sauce.
  3. Put the lid on the slow cooker.
  4. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or high for 2 to 3 hours.
  5. Stir well before serving over rice or mashed potatoes.

The original recipe for these tangy and sweet meatballs can be found here.

Cake Mix Coffee Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 box (13.23 ounces) yellow cake mix, divided
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1-1/2 cups sour cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
  2. To make the filling, place 2/3 cup of cake mix in a medium bowl.
  3. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans, mixing with a spoon or spatula to thoroughly combine.
  4. In another bowl, combine the remaining cake mix, eggs and sour cream until completely combined.
  5. Pour half of the wet batter into the prepared pan, then sprinkle evenly with half of the filling.
  6. Pour the remaining batter over top and smooth it into an even layer.
  7. Sprinkle the remaining filling mixture over the top of the batter.
  8. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Allow the cake to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

The original recipe for this easy moist and delicious coffee cake can be found here.

Hot Chicken Salad Casserole

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1-1/4 cups mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon dry ranch mix
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon Adobo seasoning 
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1cup plain wavy potato chips, slightly crushed

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350º and lightly grease a square baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ranch mix, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and onion powder, and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Add in the chicken, cheese, celery and bacon and stir until well combined and everything is evenly coated.
  4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
  5. Top with crushed potato chips, then place in oven.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until mixture is hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.
  7. Remove from oven and serve hot alongside a salad.

The original recipe for this surprisingly scrumptious dish can be found here.

Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chicken breasts, finely chopped or shredded
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup Frank’s Red Hot
  • 1/4 cup Ranch dressing
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 packages (8 ounces each) Crescent Roll Sheets

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375° and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, Frank’s Red Hot and Ranch dressing, mixing until smooth.
  3. Fold in the chicken and shredded cheese until incorporated.
  4. Unroll each crescent sheet onto a cutting board.
  5. Spread half the chicken mixture on each sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the long sides.
  6. Beginning with one of the long sides, roll up each crescent sheet, jelly-roll style, toward the opposite long border and pinch the edges closed.
  7. Using a serrated knife, cut each roll into 10-12 slices (about 1-inch thick), and place them on the prepared baking sheets, making sure they’re spaced at least an inch apart.
  8. In batches, bake the pinwheels in the preheated oven until the dough is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
  9. Remove to a wire rack to cool slightly.
  10. Serve hot or at room temperature with a side of ranch or blue cheese dressing.

The recipe that inspired for this wonderfully easy appetizer can be found here.