Lasagna Cups

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 large onion
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef cooked and drained
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1-8 oz. can tomato sauce {+1/2 can water to wash out can}
• 1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt & pepper to taste

For the cheese filling:

• 1-10 oz. tub Philadelphia Italian Herb & Cheese Cooking Cream
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, grated & divided
• 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 egg

And

• 21 lasagne pasta sheets

Instructions:

1. For the sauce- heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onions, pepper, zucchini and garlic until tender, 5 minutes. Stir in cooked ground beef and tomato paste until well incorporated. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook 30 minutes or so. {The longer it cooks, the better it will taste!} This will be very thick.
2. For the cheese filling- stir all ingredients together excluding half of the grated mozzarella cheese. Set aside.
3. For the pasta- Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta sheets 2 minutes less than package directions and drain. Place pasta on greased baking sheet until you are ready for assembly.
4. For assembly- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 jumbo muffin tins with squares of parchment paper. If they don't stay in on their own, that's ok--the pasta will help with that. Line the edges of the muffin tins with 1 pasta sheet per cup. {Pasta sheet will overlap about 2 inches.} Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of sauce into the bottom of each cup {#1}. Next cut 9 pasta sheets into quarters and press one of these pieces of pasta into the bottom on top of the sauce {#2}. Top pasta sheet with a generous tablespoon of sauce {#3} and then a generous tablespoon of cheese filling {#4}. Repeat this pasta-sauce-cheese layering one more time being sure to press out any air bubbles. Top these lasagna cups off with a 3rd piece of pasta, more sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until everything is hot and bubbly. Serve hot.

Bacon Cheeseburger Bombs

Ingredients:

• 1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury Grands!
•  Flaky Layers refrigerated original or buttermilk biscuits
• 1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef, 
• cooked or 16 frozen (thawed) cooked meatballs
• 1 block (8 oz) Cheddar cheese, cut into 16 cubes
• 16 slices bacon Long toothpicks or skewers Canola oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Cut each biscuit in half; press with hands into circle about 3 inches in diameter.
2. In center of each biscuit round, place 2 tablespoons cooked ground beef (or 1 meatball) and 1 cube of cheese. Wrap dough to completely enclose beef and cheese; pinch seams to seal.
3. For the Fried Version: Wrap each stuffed “bomb” with 1 bacon slice; gently secure loose bacon with toothpick by inserting it through bacon and halfway into “bomb.” In 3-quart heavy saucepan or deep fryer, heat oil to 350°F. Fry stuffed “bombs” 4 to 5 minutes or until dough is golden brown on all sides. Place on paper towels to cool. Repeat with remaining "bombs". Serve warm with ketchup and mustard, if desired.
4. For the Baked Version: Heat oven to 400°F. Place bacon on foil-lined cookie sheet with sides. Bake about 8 minutes to partially cook bacon. Wrap each stuffed “bomb” with 1 slice partially cooked bacon slice. Place bacon wrapped dough 2-inches apart on two foil-lined cookie sheets with dough seam side down. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with ketchup and mustard, if desired.

Sweet Potato Lentil Stew

Ingredients:

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1-1/4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups)
• 1-1/2 cups dried lentils, rinsed
• 3 medium carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the first nine ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until vegetables are tender. Stir in cilantro and salt.

Baked Cheese Chips

Ingredients:

• Cheese of your choice. This time I used mild cheddar
• Parchment paper-must be parchment
• Baking sheet
• Paper towel
• Sour Cream
• Salsa

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. While the oven is doing its thing, cut up your cheese. 
2. Lay the parchment paper on the baking sheet and place the cheese on the parchment paper. Don't over crowd them, they will spread out. 
3. Bake until bubbly and brown, about 10 minutes. Once you take them out of the oven, place the crispy cheese on paper towel and blot with another piece of paper towel. You don't realize how greasy cheese is until you cook or bake with it.
4. Eat with sour cream mixed with salsa. Presidents Choice White Corn and Black Bean. Seriously delicious. 
5. Bon Appetit

Spicy Buffalo Wings

Ingredients:

24 chicken wings
1/2 cup melted butter
6 Tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup brown sugar
6 clove garlic, minced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place wings in a baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, hot pepper sauce, cayenne pepper, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic.

Brush wings with the sauce.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until cooked through, basting frequently.

Just before serving, pour remaining sauce over wings, broil for one minute to crisp the skin.

Chicken Quesadilla

Ingredients:

2 10-inch flour tortillas
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup diced chicken
1/3 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 medium tomato, chopped
2 teaspoons diced onions
1 teaspoon diced canned jalapeno
1 slice bacon, cooked
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro
1 dash salt

For serving as toppings:

Sour cream
Guacamole
Salsa

Directions:

1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Spread half of the butter on one side of each tortilla.

2. Put one tortilla, butter side down, in the hot pan, then spread cheese and cut up chicken strips in the center of the tortilla, leaving about an each all the way around.

3. Sprinkle the tomato, onion, and jalapeno over the chicken and cheese.

4. Crumble the slice of cooked bacon and sprinkle it over the other ingredients.

5. Sprinkle the cilantro and a dash of salt over the other ingredients.

6. Top off the quesadilla with the remaining tortilla, being sure that the buttered side is facing up.

7. When the bottom tortilla has browned, after 45-90 seconds, flip the quesadilla over and grill the other side for the same amount of time.

8. Remove the quesadilla from the pan, and, using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the quesadilla three times through the middle like a pizza, creating 6 equal slices.