Spinach Alfredo Pizza

I made this pizza last night. I didn't like, but both Dante and Caleb did. I didn't like the alfredo part. I don't really like alfredo sauce very much.... the texture kinda grosses me out. I know, I'm weird. I think it would be really good with spaghetti sauce though, so I'm going to try that. Anyway, here's the recipe..... if you like alfredo sauce and spinach, you'll like this pizza.

Ingredients

• 1 package (6-1/2 ounces) pizza crust mix
• 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
• 4 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Italian cheese blend

Directions

• Prepare pizza dough according to package directions. With floured hands, press dough onto a greased 12-in. pizza pan.
• Spread Alfredo sauce over dough to within 1 in. of edges. Top with spinach, tomatoes and cheese. Bake at 450° for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.
  

Homemade Chicken and Noodles

I got this recipe from The Pioneer Woman (I love her blog!) and it is sooooo good! Mine turned out a little soupier than I think it's supposed to be, but it was still super yummy. I will definitely make this again.

Ingredients

• 1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken
• 2 whole Carrots, Diced
• 2 stalks Celery, Diced
• ½ whole Medium Onion, Diced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoons Turmeric
• ¼ teaspoons White Pepper (more To Taste)
• ¼ teaspoons Ground Thyme
• 2 teaspoons Parsley Flakes
• 16 ounces, weight Frozen "homemade" Egg Noodles
• 3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour

Preparation Instructions

Cover chicken in 4 quarts water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove chicken from pot with a slotted spoon. With two forks, remove as much meat from the bones as you can, slightly shredding meat in the process. Return bones to broth and simmer on low, covered, for 45 minutes.

Remove bones from broth with a slotted spoon, making sure to get any small bones that might have detached.

Add the carrots and celery (and onions, if using) to the pot, followed by the herbs and spices. Stir to combine and simmer for ten minutes to meld flavors.

Increase heat and add frozen egg noodles and chicken. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

Mix flour and a little water. Stir until smooth. Pour into soup, stir to combine, and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until broth thickens a bit. Test and adjust seasonings as needed.

Menu Plan Monday

Here's a look at our menu for this week.....

Monday- baked chicken, veggies and dinner rolls
Tuesday- Homemade chicken and noodles* and bread
Wednesday- Quesadillas, fresh veggies and fruit
Thursday- Beef Stew and homemade bread
Friday- pizza
Saturday- Chicken salad sandwiches on homemade buns
Sunday- Sandwiches/leftovers

*recipe will be posted soon!

Margherita Pizza

This was very, very good! The only thing I didn't really like was that my crust was too thick. Margherita pizza should have a thin crust. Next time I'll divide my dough in half. But I will definitely make this pizza again. It was so yummy and brought back memories of our time in Italy. Yum!


Ingredients

• 1 recipe Pizza Dough (see Recipe Center)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes, undrained (1-3/4 cups)
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 16 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
• Fresh basil leaves

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Prepare Pizza Dough as directed, using the Thin-Crust Pizzas directions. Drizzle dough with olive oil.
2. For sauce, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, snipped basil, garlic, and tomato paste. Spread a thin layer of sauce over dough in each pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove pizzas from oven and place mozzarella in single layer on top of the sauce. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes more or until crust bottom is crisp and brown. Top with basil leaves. Cut pizzas into wedges and serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

This soup is soo good!!! You definitely need to try this one!

• 1 can (15 Oz.) Black Beans, Rinsed And Drained
• 1 can (14.5 Oz.) Diced Tomatoes
• 1 package (10 Oz.) Frozen Corn
• ½ cups Onion, Chopped
• ½ cups Red Pepper, Diced
• 1 can (10 Oz) Enchilada Sauce
  
• 1 can (10 3/4 Oz) Can Condensed Cream Of Chicken Soup
• 1-½ cup Milk
• 2 whole Chicken Breasts
• 1 cup Pepper Jack Cheese, Shredded

In a 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of the mixture.

In a large bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker. Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Remove chicken and cut or shred into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken back into the soup. Top with pepper jack cheese and serve. The soup can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips.

Note: if the soup is too thick for you, just add a little more milk after it’s all cooked.

Menu Plan

Here's a look at this weeks menu.....

Monday: Quesadillas, fresh fruit and veggies
Tuesday: Cheesy potato soup and homemade bread
Wednesday: Spaghetti and garlic bread
Thursday: Chicken pot pie
Friday: Margarita pizza*
Saturday: Enchilada Soup*
Sunday: Leftovers/Sandwiches

*Will post recipes soon.

Potato Soup

I made this soup tonight and did it a little differently than normal. I added cheese and dried parsley. It was sooo good!!!

Here's the original recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 3 cups cubed peeled potatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  
• 2 cups milk, divided
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives

Directions

In a 3-qt. saucepan over medium heat, combine water, bouillon, potatoes, onion, celery, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add 1-3/4 cups milk. Combine flour with remaining milk; stir to form a smooth paste. Add to soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Add a small amount of hot liquid to sour cream; stir to mix. Gradually add to soup, stirring constantly; heat through but do not boil. Add parsley and chives just before serving

Yield: 4-6 servings.

What I did differently:
I used 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper instead of the black pepper, I also added a tsp of dried parsley flakes to it with the salt and pepper. After I stirred in the sour cream, I added 6 slices of Deli Deluxe cheese. One slice at a time, torn in pieces and stirring until melted. I also stirred in 1/2 cup of cauliflower puree and heated it through. The cauliflower was more for extra veggies than taste, you can't even tell that the cauliflower is in there. It was SO good this way!

Menu Plan Monday

Here's a look at what's on the menu for this week....

Monday: Chunky Potato Soup (look for the recipe tomorrow!) and homemade bread
Tuesday: Chicken strips, fruit and veggies
Wednesday: Spaghetti, garlic bread and veggies
Thursday: Quesadillas
Friday: Pizza
Saturday: Chicken Parmesan
Sunday: Not sure yet.....