lavash bread pizza

 

This is my new go-to.  It's SO easy to throw together especially if you have some things already prepped in the fridge like I did. 

It was just my son and I home for dinner and I had some leftover lavash bread from when I made pinwheel sandwiches.  I thawed some homemade marinara sauce I had stored in the freezer and made some pizza for myself and some for him.  You can see we like different things. 

lavash bread pizza

It's one of those recipes you don't really need a recipe for.

Spray some nonstick spray onto a rimmed baking sheet.

Place a sheet of lavash bread on it.

Spread some marinara sauce or pizza sauce all over it.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Add the toppings you love.

My favorites tonight were chicken (that was already in the fridge), diced red onion (already in the fridge), jarred red peppers and capers.  Sometimes I add mushrooms and spinach too.

pinwheel sandwiches

 

My daughter hosted a Nutcracker dinner for her ballet instructors and the older girls from her studio.  We made pinwheel sandwiches for the event and they turned out great!

pinwheel sandwiches

1 package lavash bread

1 package thinly sliced smoked ham

1 package thinly sliced swiss cheese

3 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

lettuce leaves

salt and pepper

onion and chive cream cheese spread

Pinwheel sandwiches are easy to make!

Spread a thin layer of onion and chive cream cheese spread onto one sheet of lavash.

Place 6 slices of ham over the lavash bread so that the ham fills the entire lavash but doesn't overlap. 

Cover with 6 slices of swiss cheese.

Cover with tomato slices.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Top with lettuce leaves.

Roll up.

Slice with a serrated knife.

Secure with a long toothpick.

jalapeno poppers with lime cilantro dip

 

My daughter found this recipe and it's a great one!  I simplified it a little bit and honestly, I'm glad I did because just removing the seeds is work! :)  Very tasty.  Served alongside Cuban Beans & Rice.

jalapeno poppers with lime cilantro dip (adapted from Taste of Home 201 Recipes You'll Make Forever, 2019)

12 jalapeno peppers

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)

1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

4 green onions, finely chopped

few tablespoons panko breadcrumbs

lime cilantro dip

1 cup sour cream

2 green onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.  Place jalapenos on an ungreased baking sheet.  Broil 4-inches from the heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until lightly blistered.  Cool slightly.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and cheddar cheese until blended.  Stir in the onions.  Spoon into pepper halves.  Sprinkle panko breadcrumbs on the filled jalapenos.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

For the lime dip, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Serve with poppers.

spinach zucchini bites

 

These bites are scrumptious!  They are easy to make and so, so good.  We enjoyed them with grilled chicken and pasta salad full of veggies.

spinach zucchini bites (adapted from punchfork.com)

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained (I cooked some fresh spinach and diced it to equal 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/2" rounds (I had 13 rounds)

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, garlic and crushed red pepper.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spread about a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture on top of each zucchini coin.

Bake until zucchini is tender and cheese is melty, 15 minutes.  For more color, broil on high 1-2 minutes.

jalapeno popper pigs in a blanket

I'm currently encouraging my kids to cook more so my youngest daughter went to Pinterest and found this recipe she wanted to make.  It's combines all the good things in life and literally bundles them together.  They were a hit.
Note:  I wish I'd have purchased 2 cans of crescent rolls to use up the big bag of jalapenos I purchased and the little smokies.

jalapeno popper pigs in a blanket (adapted from host the toast)
4 jalapenos
16 little smokies or cocktail wieners
4 ounces whipped cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 egg
sea salt for sprinkling
marinara sauce, optional for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.
Cut off the tops of the jalapeno peppers and then cut each pepper in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and membranes and discard them.  Slice each half in half vertically.  Place a little smokie on each of the scooped out pepper pieces.  Set aside.
In a medium sized mixing bowl mix together the cream cheese and cheddar cheese until well combined.  One at a time, remove the little smokie from each pepper segment and fill each jalapeno pepper segment with the cheese mixture.  Top each one with the little smokie.  Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg.
On a lightly floured surface, unroll the crescent rolls.  There will be 4 rectangles with cut marks diagonally through each one.  Press through the diagonal marks to "erase" them so you have four solid pieces of crescent dough.  Make 4 vertical cuts through each rectangle so each rectangle has 4 strips.  Roll each stuffed pepper piece in 1 piece of dough then seal with the egg wash.  Place the wrapped jalapeno pieces on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat until you have used all of your jalapeno pieces and dough.
Brush the tops with the remaining egg and sprinkle lightly with sea salt.  Bake until browned, about 25 minutes.

spanakopita (spinach pie)

My 6th grader has been craving this since Greek Fest at her school.  She was so busy at her own booth she didn't have a chance to try the spanakopita and was sure to be her favorite sample.  My college kid made this for her and it is DELICIOUS!  My husband said it's the best he's had.  I have to agree that it's probably the best I've had too.

spanakopita (spinach pie) (adapted from tina's chic corner)
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 eggs
3 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried dill (we purposefully omitted; not everyone in the family likes dill)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
12 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
16 sheets phyllo dough, thawed (I couldn't find it so used puff pastry and just worked it differently)
3/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9x13 pan and set it aside.
In a skillet over low/medium heat add the olive oil and finely chopped onion and cook it until it is slightly browned.
Thaw the frozen spinach and squeeze out the water. Add the spinach to the skillet and stir.
Remove the spinach mixture from the heat and set it aside.  Let this rest to get to room temperature.
In a medium bowl, mix together the egg, parsley, dill, salt, pepper and feta cheese.
Add in the spinach mixture and stir everything together and set this aside.  Make sure the spinach mixture is not hot because you don't want to cook the egg.
Make sure that the dough is completely thawed (the puff pastry I used was refrigerated).
My directions with puff pastry:
Cut the rectangle into two pieces.  Use a rolling pin to roll each piece into 9x13.
Brush one rectangle with butter and place in the 9x13.
Pour spinach filling over the rectangle of dough.
Brush the other rectangle with butter and place over the spinach filling.
Bake in a preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

spinach artichoke wonton bites (vegan)

So delicious!  My youngest daughter was mentioning wanting to make spanakopita so my oldest thought she should try a spin-off vegan recipe.  We even made an extra stop so we could pick up some vegan cream cheese.  You could easily make this recipe with regular cream cheese.  I promise to never post a vegan recipe that tastes all-out vegan!  I've tasted a few questionable vegan recipes recently.

spinach artichoke wontons (slightly adapted from bianca zapatka)
(makes 24-40 wontons)
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
10 ounces spinach
won ton wrappers
1 (8 ounce) can artichoke hearts without oil
2 teaspoons oil
3/4 cup cream cheese, vegan
1/4 cup sour cream or mayo, vegan
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, vegan (we used vegan mozzarella)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup hot water

filling:
Heat a little water in a pan.  Add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent.  Add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes longer until wilted, stirring occasionally.  Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant. 
Transfer the spinach, onion, and garlic to a mixing bowl and squeeze to remove excess liquid.  Add the artichoke hearts, cream cheese, mayo, parmesan, salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.

wrap wontons:
Place a wonton wrapper on a floured surface.  Scoop a tablespoon of the spinach artichoke mixture into the center.  Brush the outside edges with a little water.  Gather the four corners of the wrapper and bring them to the center, pressing them together using your fingers.  Make sure to seal the wonton bites completely.
Repeat with remaining ingredients until all of the mixture is used.

bake the wontons:
Place the wontons on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly spray the wontons with a little oil from all sides.  Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes until golden and crispy. 

or you can fry the wontons

avocado salsa (guasacaca)

Hall of Fame!  This avocado salsa is sooooo delicious.  I am so happy to have this recipe.  It's fresh, zesty, salty and creamy.  Perfect.  

avocado salsa (guasacaca) (adapted slightly from Cooking Light's Global Kitchen Cookbook)
2 cups finely chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (cut from 3 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups chopped peeled avocado (about 2)
1 1/2 cups chopped seeded plum tomato (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl; toss mixture gently.  Cover and refrigerate 3 hours.  Stir in avocado and remaining ingredients just before serving.  Serves 24 (serving size 1/4 cup)
Note:  It's so good there's no way 1/4 cup is enough for me.  A serving size for me is half this recipe! :)

garlic naan bread pizzas

I almost picked up a couple pizzas from Little Caesars but I had run myself ragged running kids around so I didn't want to leave my house one more time.  Even though I need to run kids again at 7.  Instead, I opened up my freezer and saw Trader Joe's frozen garlic naan bread and had a brilliant idea.  Pizza!  There are 4 pieces per package which was perfect for my 4 kids.  My son raved about how great this pizza is.  When I asked him if it's better than Little Caesars he said it definitely is and that I should make this a lot.  Deal.  My girls loved it too. 

garlic naan bread pizzas
1 package of frozen garlic naan bread (from Trader Joe's)
1 jar of your favorite pizza sauce (I used about half the jar)
a handful of mozzarella cheese for each pizza
misc pizza toppings- pepperoni, ham, red onion and red bell peppers for us this time
sprinkle of Italian seasoning on each one

Place 4 pieces of frozen naan bread on a baking sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes at 450 degrees.  Take out of the oven and make your pizzas!  Bake for 10 minutes.  Enjoy!

tomatillo avocado salsa

We hosted a Memorial Day BBQ and it was great.  Friends were awesome and the weather was perfect.  My friend Lindsey brought this salsa and after one bite I was asking, "Who made this?".  It wasn't until she went to take her bowl home that I was glad to find out who made it so I could get the recipe.  It's super delicious.  

tomatillo avocado salsa (my friend Lindsey S.)
4-5 tomatillos
1 jalapeno, seeds emoved
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 avocado, seed and skin removed
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt

Put everything in a high powered blender and blend for a few minutes until pureed or desired consistency.  If you don't have a high powered blender, make sure to at least quarter the tomatillos, onion, avocado and jalapeno before adding it to your blender.  Keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Note:  1 smart point for 1/2 cup, whatever that means. :)

delicious cheese sticks

We got home from dance this evening and my oldest had these made about 3 minutes after we walked in the door.  I rarely eat fried foods but these are delicious! One of my weaknesses is cheese.  The more cheese the better!  We enjoyed these with homemade salsa.  I asked her if she found this idea on Pinterest and she said no- she saw some egg roll wrappers that had been sitting in our fridge for weeks so decided to try this out.  Brilliant!

delicious cheese sticks
12 string cheese sticks
12 egg roll wrappers
water to seal the edges

Roll up each cheese stick in an egg roll wrapper.  Seal the ends with a little water.  Pour enough canola oil in the bottom of a pan to coat the bottom.  Heat to medium.  Cook the cheese sticks until light brown and bubbly.

layered greek dip

My friend Lindsey brought this beautiful layered dip (not so beautiful in this pic) to our BBQ earlier this week.  It was sooooo good!  She let us keep some leftovers and one of my daughters made a complete meal out of it the next day.  A great dish to take to a potluck!

layered greek dip (Lindsey M.)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups prepared hummus
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup sliced green onions
pita chips and/or multigrain tortilla chips

In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, lemon juice, Italian seasoning and garlic with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and combined.
Spread cream cheese mixutre into a deep 9-inch pie plate or shallow serving dish.  Evenly spread hummus on cream cheese layer.  Top with cucumber, tomato, olives, feta cheese, and green onions.  Cover and refrigerate 2-24 hours.  Serve with pita chips.  Makes about 2 1/2 cups dip, 16 servings.

Note:  Lindsey skipped the cream cheese part because she feels it's just as good without it.  She must've doubled the recipe because she made a 9x13 pan of it for the party.

cup o' veggies

Yesterday my girls went to Activity Days and I was asked to help out.  What a great day to help!  Tables were covered with colorful fruits and vegetables and divided into several stations so the girls could assemble healthy and fun snacks.  I made ants on a log as a child and I've seen the spiders but I always forget about the cup o' veggies when it's time to picnic or potluck in the summertime.  The girls loved assembling them.

cup o' veggies (Sis. Quiner)
veggie sticks- bell pepper, carrots, cucumber, spring peas, celery, jicama
skewer veggies- olives, cherry tomatoes
dip such as ranch, Italian or Caesar
clear, plastic cups

Prepare veggie sticks.
Make veggies skewers by putting a piece or two of the selected veggies on the end of a skewer.
Pour 1-2 tablespoons of the dressing into the bottom of a clear plastic cup.
Fill the rest of the cup with veggies and skewers.

easy homemade salsa

Don't not make this recipe simply because I am not a photographer and can't make foods look as delicious as they really are. I was so glad I had seen this recipe and purchased the ingredients because I had forgotten about it until just minutes before the missionaries came to dinner.  It's delicious.  My son asked, "Can you just always make salsa?"  With a recipe like this the answer is yes.

easy homemade salsa (dinners, dishes and desserts)
1 large can whole tomatoes
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 jalapeno, minced (I used one but I should've used two!)

Put everything into the blender and process until smooth.  That's it!

Store in an air tight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.  I doubt it will last that long in this house!

food on a stick

My second oldest daughter came home from school yesterday super excited about a couple of books she got at her school library- a cookbook for "cooking school" and an art book for "art class"- classes that she teaches her younger sister and younger brother.  By the time I got into the kitchen she had everyone in aprons, the food was spread out and every child had an assignment.  The only thing she wanted me to do was to get a cutting board down for her- nothing else.  These little goodies are delightful and it was crazy to me that we had every ingredient on hand. The only thing I wasn't impressed about was the name given to this delectable little appetizer.  Food on a stick?

food on a stick (cookbook:  Better Homes and Gardens Snack Attack!)
utensils:
cutting board
sharp knife
measuring cups
twelve bamboo skewers
serving plaste
plastic wrap

6 ounces sliced salami
6 ounces mozzarella or provolone cheese (we used pepper jack- we love it!)
1/2 cups cantaloupe and/or honeydew melon
1 cup purchased large pitted herbed green olives
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes

On the cutting board use the knife to slice salami and cube the cheese.  Use the mellon baller to ball the cantaloupe or a sharp knife to cut it into chunks.
On six of the bamboo skewers alternately thread salami, cheese, and melon balls.  On the other six skewers thread salami, cheese, olives and cherry tomatoes.  Place on a serving plate.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill up to 2 hours before serving.

restaurant style salsa

When I am asked what my favorite food is I have a difficult time answering.  It depends on what kind of mood I'm in and what I've had lately.  This salsa just reminded me that I can eat salsa ANYTIME.  I eat it daily, in fact.  I'm pretty sure it's my favorite food...at least right now.  This salsa is sooooo good.  I am so glad I gave it a whirl.
Last time I hosted the sister missionaries to dinner I made Buckeye Balls to honor Sis. Cooper from Ohio.  Tonight I am honoring Sis. Marvel from Arizona.

restaurant style salsa (adapted from The Pioneer Woman)
2 cans (10 ounce) mild Rotel
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice

Place all ingredients into a large blender.  Blend until combined and yo get the consistency you'd like.  Test seasonings with a tortilla chip (or a Triscuit- that's my thing) and adjust as needed.  Enjoy!

cocktail cranberry meatballs

My kids LOVE these.  Enough said.

cocktail cranberry meatballs
2 packages frozen meatballs
2 jars chili sauce
1 (15 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
1 (15 ounce) can cranberry sauce with berries

In a slow cooker on high heat, stir the chili sauce with the jars of cranberry sauce.  Let cook until sauce is not lumpy except for the cranberries.  Add the meatballs and cook until meatballs are nice and hot. 

pesto poppers

These pesto poppers are Hall of Fame as far as appetizers go and soooo easy to pop into the oven.  All it takes is a few ingredients.  We enjoyed these with a bowl of hot pasta fazioli soup.  You'll want to throw these together for your next dinner party.

pesto poppers (adapted from three squared chef)
2 sheets puff pastry
fresh mozarella, cut into small squares
pesto
toothpicks 

Preheat oven to 400.  Roll out the puff pastry and using a 2-inch round biscuit cutter (I used a 3-inch cup) cut out circles.  In the center of each place 1/4 teaspoon pesto and a small piece of mozzarella cheese.
Pull all sides together and attach with two toothpicks per popper.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and discard toothpicks.  Serve warm.

layered shrimp dip

Look no further; this shrimp dip is awesome.  I've been begging for this recipe ever since Amy made it for our gourmet club a few months ago.  This would be a perfect appetizer for Valentine's day!

layered shrimp dip (my friend Amy C.)
Mix together:
16 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
and spread in the bottom of a pan.
Spread 16 ounces cocktail sauce on top.

Layer shredded mozzarella cheese or any other kind of cheese, chopped green onions or anything else that sounds good such as black olives or celery.  Add baby shrimp to the top and serve with crackers or buy jumbo shrimp to dip into it.

pumpkin fluff dip

When I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it and I knew it would be delicious.  I took it to preschool for snack time this morning and watched my son as he licked the remaining dip off of his plate (we believe in excellent manners in our home).  I then served it as an after school snack and although nobody licked their plate clean, it was a hit.  This dip just made the list of seasonal "must makes".

pumpkin fluff dip (adapted from allrecipes.com)
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (1 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

In a large bowl, mix together instant vanilla pudding mix, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.  Fold in the thawed frozen whipped topping.  Chill in the refrigerator until serving.  Serve with fresh fruit, graham crackers or gingersnaps.