Mustard Crusted Pork Loin with Sauerkraut and Fennel

1 pork loin

hole grain dijon mustard

1 fennel bulb; sliced

1 cooking onion; sliced

salt and pepper

olive oil

Preheat oven to 375.

Rub hole grain dijon mustard over a pork loin.  In a cast iron pan saute olive oil, fennel, onion salt and pepper.  Place pork over the fennel and kraut.  Bake for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy with a side of homemade applesauce or roasted potatoes :)

Ricotta, Spinach and Sausage Pizza

1 pizza dough

2 cups part skim ricotta cheese

2 large cloves garlic; minced

salt and pepper

TB parsley; chopped

1 bag baby spinach

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1-2 links of hot italian sausage

olive oil

fresh mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a saute pan, cook sausage links, remove and slice into bite size pieces.  To the same pan Add 1-2 TB olive olive oil with garlic.  Add spinach and salt and pepper to taste. 

Roll out dough on a pizza pan.  In a bowl, add ricotta, spinach, parmesan cheese, parsley and salt and pepper.  Spread mixture over dough.  Add sliced sausage pieces.  Top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes or until browned and bubbly! Enjoy!

Mini Twice Baked Red Potatoes

These are so much better than any other, because you can pop them right in your mouth!  Great  appetizer for any gathering!

1 bag of mini red potatoes

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup butter

1/4-1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1/3 cup bacon crumbles (I cheated and got them from the prepared food bar at wegmans!)

1TB scallions

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Wash potatoes and place in tin foil.  Bake for 1 hour or until soft..
Cut a little more than half of the potato; 3/4 of the potato will be stuff the other 1/4 will just be used for the filling.  Use a knife to score the potato so it is easy to scrap out the potato.  Place baked potato in a bowl with mix with fixings.

Mix all ingredients in bowl, put in a bag and pipe filling into the potato haves.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned on top.  Enjoy!

They were so good, once they came out of the oven I didn't even get a picture they went so fast!

Italian Anisette Cookies

A new favorite (also found on pinterest)!  This delicious little Italian cookie is also dairy free!  For the recipe I used 3/4 cups of shortening and use silk or water for the glaze!  Enjoy!
Click here is the recipe!

Sausage and Kale Over Pasta With a White Wine Cream Sauce

1 1/2 cups Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage Crumbles

1/2 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes

1 bunch of Kale

2-3 large cloves of garlic; minced

2 TB olive oil

salt and pepper

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

your favorite pasta

Boil Water; cook pasta simultaneously.  

In a saute pan cook sausage.  When cooked through, place in bowl.  Add garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Add Kale and chicken broth.  Add Kale and salt and pepper as it cooks and withers down.  When all the Kale is in pan and cooked down, add sun dried tomatoes and sausage.  Toss together.  Add white wine and stir.  Add heavy cream.  

Toss with pasta.  To with fresh parmesan cheese.  Enjoy :)

6 Layer Bars

This is a holiday favorite in my house!  I don't use any nuts so it is just a 6 layer bar!

3 cups crushed graham crackers
1 stick melted butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
coconut
chocolate chips
butterscotch chips

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

In a large baking dish, I use a 13" by 9" pan.  Put down graham crackers, then pour butter over the crumbs.  Press it all in firmly.  Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top, add coconut and chips.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Let cool for an hour or 2 before cutting into squares.  Enjoy :)

Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

I am always up for trying a new baked good.  This sounded wonderful for Thanksgiving (a little behind on the blogging I know!) It smelled delicious, looked delicious, but the bottom 1/4 of both cakes were thick, almost like they settled...  HELP!  If you try this recipe what did you do differently?!  Other than that the rest of it is YUMMY, especially the frosting :)

I got this recipe from Pinterest, check it out here!  I just made a 2 layer cake instead of cupcakes, baked for about 35-40 minutes, also checking if a toothpick could come out smoothly, and it did...

Deep Dish Cheeseburger Pizza

pizza dough
1 lb beef
1 lb bacon
1 onion; chopped
1/2 cup mustard
1/2-1/3 cup ketchup
1 cup tomatoes; diced
Fresh cheddar cheese
salt and pepper


Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Cook bacon on cookie sheets.  15-20 minutes, flipping once half way though.  Cook until crispy (or fry in pan).  Chop.

In a skillet, heat oil and onions.  When cooked though add beef season with salt and pepper.  Remove when cooked through.  Add ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper and tomatoes.  Cook though once tomatoes soften, remove.

In a cast iron skillet, spread out dough.  Using this type of skillet will make a deep dish pizza!  Remember to oil the pan before putting the dough in!  Begin the layering.  the ketchup and mustard is the sauce, then top with ground beef, bacon and cheese. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers

Here is  a new take on stuffed peppers...

2 red peppers
1/2 cup couscous
1 16oz can tomato paste or sauce

1/4-1/2 cup water (if use paste)
1/2 pound ground beef
1 small onion; chopped
2 cloves garlic; finely minced
olive oil
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 cup ricotta cheese
mozzarella cheese

In a pan heat olive oil garlic and onions.  Once they are cooked though add ground beef.   Cook through.  Add tomato paste, basil, parsley, oregano and 1/4 cup water.  May need more water, may also use  pasta sauce.  Once all mixed together, add ricotta cheese.  

Cook couscous as directed.  Add to beef and ricotta mixture.  

Cut tops of of the peppers, fill with beef filling.  Top with mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and peppers are soft to touch.  Serve with a side of sauce.

Enjoy:)