EASY recipe of the week: stuffed mushrooms

ready for one of the easiest appetizers EVER?

1 pkg whole mushrooms
1 cup freshly grated mozzarella
4 ounces cream cheese (room temp)
4 ounces sour cream

(1) remove stems from mushrooms and place on baking sheet









(2) mix together mozzarella, cream cheese and sour cream.





(3) fill each mushroom with cheese mixture.









(4) bake at 350* for about 15 minutes

(5) enjoy!

(crappy iphone photo...sorry)

Recipe of the Week +

If this blog is scattered, I apologize. I'm currently watching Ellen. And Lady Gaga is on. In some sort of spacesuit attire, standing on the piano bench in stilettos and leaned over to actually PLAY the piano. Oddest thing I have ever seen. If you don't believe me, just go here and you can see it for yourself. We-ird! So I'm distracted, just a bit!

Luckily I don't have to be in too sound of a mindframe to simply post a recipe...so here you go.

I took a Rachael Ray recipe and made it even easier--woo-hoo! I made these for a Girl's Night I had at my house a couple of weeks ago, and then again for Anthony and I the other night for dinner (coupled with almond tossed green beans and a small tomato salad for me). It went over well for both crowds, so I'm definitely adding it to the rotation!

Ranch Stuffed Potato Skins

4 Idaho potatoes
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix (I use Hidden Valley Ranch)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 425ºF.

Scrub the potatoes of any excess dirt and prick them each several times with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, tossing lightly to coat. Bake the potatoes in the oven until tender, about 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Remove the baked potatoes from the oven and let cool enough to handle.

While the potatoes are cooling, combine the milk and ranch dressing mix. Season the ranch mixture with salt and freshly ground black pepper and reserve in the refrigerator until the potatoes are ready.

Once the potatoes are cool, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop the insides out into a mixing bowl, leaving a thin layer of flesh still intact on each half. Be sure not to pierce the skin of the potato while doing so.

Add the ranch to the potato and mash lightly to mix everything together. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and scoop the filling back into the hollowed out potato shells, dividing it evenly between all eight potato halves.

Place the potato skins back onto a baking sheet and sprinkle the cheese over each of them. Place them back into the oven to melt the cheese, 1-2 minutes.

Bonus: the cardinal couple who was yelling at Emi this afternoon when she ventured onto the back patio. I'm guessing that I will see baby cardinals soon...

Recipe of the Week -- Pizza Sticks

All credit goes to Rachael Ray for this one...

So I have a confession. You know those pizza rolls? The ones that are REALLY bad for you, that you pop in the microwave or oven and they're gooey little bites of heaven?

I could eat them daily. And probably did for a time in high school.

However, in the interest of being more healthy, I found this recipe on Rachael Ray's website. I (naturally) adapted it a tiny bit, but most of it's exactly as she presented it.

Pizza Sticks

(pictured with peppered salami and grape tomatoes)

8 slices white bread, crusts removed (I use whole-wheat white)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
basil leaves
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups prepared tomato or pizza sauce, warmed (I use Trader Joe's marinara sauce)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put slices of bread on smooth surface (I just used a cutting board) and use a rolling pin to gently flatten each slice. Place a basil leaf on each piece of bread, and cover with freshly shredded mozzarella. If you want more basil-y flavor, add another leaf. Roll up the bread and seal the edges. Lightly brush with the melted butter and pop in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they've browned a bit and the cheese is melty.

This recipe has so many alternate methods. I'm going to try it with chicken sausage soon. And making it spicier with some crushed red pepper. And perhaps adding some fresh parmesan. See what I mean? Perfectly good and pretty healthy...at least more so than the original. :0)

Recipe of the Week -- Deviled Eggs

I thought I'd go with the obvious Easter dish...only these are just incredibly fabulous deviled eggs. It's totally a Southern thing to serve, but I'm ok with that!

12 large eggs
3 tablespoons mayonaise
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon golden brown mustard
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
cayenne pepper

Place eggs in large saucepan/Dutch oven. Add enough water to measure an inch above eggs. Cover and quickly bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain. Immediately run cold water over eggs or place them in ice water until cooled completely.
{I use a plastic colander inside a large mixing bowl filled with ice water}

Remove shell by gently tapping each egg all over and rolling between hands to loosen shell. Then hold egg under cold water as you peel the shell.

Slice eggs in half lengthwise, and carefully remove yolks. Mash yolks; add mayo and other ingredients. Stir well, then spoon mixture into egg whites.

Recipe of the Week -- Spinach Dip

So, one of the blessings of this season of unemployment is that my friends have tried to help me however they can. One set of friends has asked me to babysit weekly for a Bible study that meets on Friday mornings at my church. And born out of that I've been asked to babysit for a small group every other week on Sunday evenings.


This past week, the small group switched things around and held a luncheon instead. They met after 2nd service at the designated house (about a mile from church), I came in after 3rd and was immediately told "fix a plate!" Well, ok...who's going to refuse that?


I grabbed the barbeque sandwich and some cole slaw and then I saw it...the little container of heaven on earth.



Spinach Dip



It should be noted that I have always had an aversion to all things spinach. Only recently will I even eat spinach raw in a salad. But for SOME reason I have always had an affinity for spinach dip. Hot, cold, whatever. I found Publix deli to be a good source to buy it from, and that has been good enough for me. Until Sunday.


My friend Robbie was the amazing creator of the dip. And when she told me what she puts in it, and the fact that it costs $1.75 to make (Publix deli=half the dip for over twice the price) I knew I had to share it. Now...there are a lot of recipes running around out there. And believe me, I'm going to play around with this one for awhile. My next attempt will include some fresh shredded parmesan too. But here's the basic, bare bones version.



Robbie's Spinach Dip


1 block of cream cheese, left at room temp for several minutes to soften
1 pkg of frozen spinach
Worcestershire sauce to taste
a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice


Cook spinach and drain ALL water out. Stir in cream cheese, worcestershire, and lemon juice until the mixture is creamy and smooth. (hint: you don't want cream cheese lumps, so if you can't get it completely smooth pop it in the microwave for a few seconds). This is delicious hot or cold.



Robbie suggested add-ins: hot sauce, crumbled bacon

Recipe of the Week -- Pinwheels

This week I'm pulling out an old recipe from me--I've made this since high school and it's been highly requested as a repeat from *everyone* I've made it for. Yay for lots of cream cheese and ranch goodness :) And yay for EASY!

Everybody's Favorite Pinwheels

package of flour tortillas (8-10)
2 packages of cream cheese
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch Original Salad Dressing mix (not the dip or buttermilk recipe!)1 slice of onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 small can of sliced black olives

Soften cream cheese and combine with ranch dressing mix and onions. Spread the mixture evenly over the tortillas. Sprinkly the celery and black olives over them, and then roll up like a burrito. wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Slice into small pinwheel shapes and serve!