Pepperoni Carbonara

When I found this recipe, I knew my family would like it. I've been trying to branch out from tomato-based pasta dishes to give them more variety. Even the Princess who prefers no sauce at all on her pasta really enjoyed this dish and went back for more. I left out the tomatoes because I knew the kids would be more likely to eat it. I also tweaked the seasonings a bit to suit our tastes.

I have to say that making your own sauce instead of using jarred alfredo sauce is definitely the way to go in these types of dishes. Nothing beats homemade.

Here's what you need:

8 oz penne pasta, cooked according to the package directions
1/4 cup butter
2 teas minced garlic
1 cup chopped turkey pepperoni
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup half and half
1 teas Italian seasoning
1 teas dried basil
1/4 teas salt
1/4 teas black pepper

In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook for about 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Stir in the remaining ingredients. Keep stirring until the cheese is completely melted. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and make sure everything is well coated with sauce.

Menu Plan January 30-February 5

Next week is Superbowl Sunday, and though we're still having some friends over to watch the game with us, it won't be as big of a party as last year's. Because my Steelers aren't in it this year. Oh, well.

In the meantime, I'm keeping things simple in the kitchen.

Here's what on the menu:

Monday
Pulled pork sandwiches (crockpot), fries

Tuesday
Cheeseburger soup, homemade bread

Wednesday
Chicken burritos (using my crockpot chicken filling), rice

Thursday
Hot dogs with West Virginia hot dog sauce, seasoned potatoes

Friday
Ravioli, green beans

Saturday
Homemade pizza

Sunday
Cheesy chicken nachos

For more yummy meal planning ideas, head over to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Chicken Taco Filling in the Crockpot

I often cook chicken breasts in my crockpot, then shred them up in my Kitchen Aid mixer. Then I divide the shredded meat up and freeze it for future use in soups, sandwiches and casseroles. It's so convenient to take a bag of cooked chicken out of the freezer and toss it into the soup pot when I need it.

So I thought, why not spice up the chicken a little for specific dishes? So here's a simple, simple way to get flavorful cooked chicken to use in a variety of recipes.

Here's what you need:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 packet taco seasoning (I use 2 TBSP of my homemade seasoning)
2 cups your favorite salsa (again, I use homemade)

Trim any excess fat from the chicken. Place it in a crockpot. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the chicken, then pour salsa over all. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until chicken is very tender.


Remove from the crockpot and shred. Separate into 2-cup portions for future use. Freeze in Ziploc bags or other freezer containers.


This chicken can be used in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas and nachos. It's very versatile and yummy!

Make Your Own Taco Seasoning

I've been trying to make my own seasoning mixes now for a while, and I've finally found a taco seasoning blend we all like. My children aren't big fans of spicy foods, so I always have to take that into consideration when whipping up taco seasoning. If your family prefers more heat, add more chili powder and a little cayenne.

Here's what I use:

1/4 cup minced onion
2 TBSP sea salt
2 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP corn starch
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP cumin
1 1/2 teas dried oregano

Mix up all the ingredients and blend well. Store in a jar or airtight container. To make tacos, start with 1 tablespoon seasoning mix per pound of meat. If that's not spicy enough for you, add a little more, up to another tablespoon.

I also use this mix any time taco seasoning is called for in a recipe, like taco soup or nachos.

Tasty Tilapia

My family loves eating fish, especially tilapia. I enjoy cooking it for them because I know it's a healthy meal. Whenever Mr. Lego sees it pop up on the menu, he cheers. So I guess I'm doing something right. LOL

I especially like this recipe because the fish is baked, not fried. And I usually have all of the seasoning ingredients on hand. The result is a flavorful, colorful dish that everyone loves.

Here's what you need:

4 tilapia filets, thawed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teas garlic powder
1 teas ground mustard
1 teas ground ginger
1 teas paprika
1 teas coarse salt
1 teas dried oregano
1/2 teas black pepper
1/2 teas chili powder
1 TBSP lemon juice

In a shallow bowl, combine the olive oil and seasonings. Let sit for about 10 minutes to give the flavors a chance to blend. The oil will turn a lovely orange-red color.

Dip each filet into the bowl, making sure both sides are covered. Place on a greased baking sheet. If there is any of the oil mixture left, pour over the filets. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Bake at 400 degree for 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

If I had to choose my favorite sandwich of all time, it would be a Philly cheesesteak. Charles laughs at me because if we go into a sandwich or sub place to eat, I almost always choose a Philly cheesesteak. I love the combination of meat and cheese, onions and maybe some peppers on a crusty roll, dripping with butter. Not good for the waistline, but oh so good!

And they're easy to make at home, too. You can control how much butter, if any, you wish to use to cut down on calories and fat. But don't ever leave out the onions. Ever.

Here's what you need:

1 lb thinly sliced round steak, cut into strips
1 onion, sliced into rings
seasoned salt
2 TBSP worchestershire sauce
4 slices provolone cheese
4 crusty sandwich rolls
butter

After you slice the meat into small strips, sprinkle with seasoned salt and set aside. This is the seasoning I use, Emeril's Baby Bam Seasoning. I'll post the recipe below.


Melt some butter in a pan and cook up the onions until they're soft and brown. I like them really browned!

Add a little more butter to the pan and fry up the sliced steak.


Cook until no longer pink. Stir in the worchestershire sauce, making sure all the meat gets coated.

Split the sandwich rolls and spread a little butter on both sides. Pop into a 400 degree oven for a few minutes until the butter is melted and the buns are a little crisp. Load up with meat.


Layer the onions and provolone cheese on top. Stick back into the oven until the cheese is melted and gooey. This will only take a few minutes.

These are so yummy! Even the kids like them, though Mr. Lego has me leave off the cheese for him. He has this thing about no cheese on sandwiches.

Here's the recipe for Emeril's Baby Bam Seasoning. I use it on fries, all kinds of meats, even baked potatoes. It's really flavorful.

Combine the following:

3 TBSP paprika
2 TBSP coarse salt
2 TBSP dried parsley
2 teas garlic powder
2 teas onion powder
1 teas dried oregano
1 teas dried basil
1 teas black pepper
1/2 teas celery seed

Store in a small bowl or jar.

Menu Plan Monday January 23-29

It's the last full week of January. Can you believe it? And the weather so far this winter has been crazy! Last week we had near record high temps and were under tornado watches for most of the weekend. This week is supposed to be more of the same.

So I'm settling back and making some family favorites. Rain or shine, warm or cold, my family is going to eat well this week.

Here's the plan:

Monday
Baked egg rolls

Tuesday
Feel Better Chicken Stew, rolls

Wednesday
Tasty Tilapia, lemon pepper broccoli

Thursday
Philly cheese steak sandwiches, fries

Friday
Spaghetti casserole, garlic bread

Saturday
African Peanut Soup (new recipe in anticipation of our upcoming Disney trip and eating at Boma)
Sunday
Pulled pork sandwiches (crockpot), seasoned potatoes (in a different crockpot)

For more yummy meal plan ideas, head over to Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.