Healthy Turkey Meatballs

These are a healthier option for you guys. This recipe saves some calories by swapping out lean ground turkey from the staple ground beef we’ve always used for meatballs. They are really, really tasty. You won’t miss not having the meat, trust me!

Turkey Meatballs

1 lb lean ground turkey

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 large egg

1 teaspoon each dried or fresh parsley and basil, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

Mix all these ingredients above together in a large mixing bowl with a fork to help break up egg easier. Whip about 30 strokes till meatball mixture comes together. Once mixed heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat in a large saute skillet. When oil is hot, form small meatballs about 3 inches accross in size with your hands. Work quickly and drop into skillet. Let brown 3 min then flip with tongs. Let other side brown as well and try to turn them to brown up the sides as well if possible. Next take them all out of the skillet and set aside to start  your red sauce in that same skillet.

Mushroom & Onion Marinara Sauce

1 package (about 8oz) sliced mushrooms

1 small red onion, chopped

1 jar (like Prego) chunky mushroom sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon dried basil

In same skillet you cooked meatballs, (do not drain olive oil, save the flavor!) saute chopped onion and mushrooms for 4 min on medium high heat. Add back in meatballs and gently stir. Add in jar of sauce, sugar and basil and let simmer for 8 min. ENJOY!! Serves about 6 hungry people.

Ideas for serving this recipe- of course you can serve it over Spaghetti or Penne pasta. It’s also really yummy to make meatball subs and top with a slice of melted provolone cheese.

 

 

 

Jessica’s ‘Smack Yo Momma Good’ Sugar Cookies

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MY HOUSE TO YOURS!

Jessica’s ‘Smack Yo Momma Good’ Sugar Cookies

3 cups powdered sugar

4 sticks butter

2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 large eggs

5 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Beat powdered sugar, room temperature butter, vanilla, almond extract and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium. Stir in remaining ingredients in increments turning mixer on and off as you add more. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Roll out dough on floured surface about 1/2 thick and use desired cutouts to get shapes. Place on cookie sheets with silpat liner and bake at 375* for 8 minutes. Let set in hot pan 2 minutes after taking out of oven before transferring to a cooling rack.

Buttercream Icing

2 sticks butter, room temp

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-4 tablespoons milk

6 cups powdered sugar

Blend butter, milk and vanilla in mixer. Add powdered sugar in increments until you get desired icing consistency. Rule of thumb it it should stick to the attachment on your mixer when lifted up out of the bowl. That’s normally about the right thickness. If too runny and thin add more powdered sugar. If too thick add a dash more milk.

 

Santa’s Surprise Cookies

These cookies are a Christmas tradition in my house! Santa happens to absolutely love them! (Trust me, I know.) Your family will love them too. As you bite into the middle a Reese’s cup or snickers is buried in the middle of each cookie and tastes so amazing! Enjoy!!

Santa’s Surprise Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 package each Reese’s cups (miniature) and  (11-1/2 ounces each) miniature Snickers candy bars

Drizzle for top:

1 cup chocolate chips & Sprinkled powdered sugar

With an electric mixer cream butter and sugars together, then add in peanut butter and mix. Add in eggs one at a time and mix well. Add in vanilla and give a quick stir. Now add in all dry ingredients. Do half the flour and mix then the other half.  Unwrap candies and start to form cookie dough into balls. Press a candy into the middle of each dough balls and work with hands to cover it up and roll into a ball. Place 9 to a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Once cookies are cooled. Put 1/2 cup chocolate chips into a resealable plastic bag and microwave for 30 seconds. Take out and mush with hands then do another 10 seconds, mush then once final 10 seconds. Chips should be melted now. Cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag and drizzle over each cookies once they are cooled. Sprinkle with powdered sugar for garnish.

 

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lazy morning with my sweet little boy today, pajamas and all! I had baked a whole pumpkin a couple days ago and pureed the inside so I thought pumpkin cookies? From that idea, I whipped together this recipe in my “test” kitchen! Tis’ the Season! Enjoy!

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks butter softened

3/4 cup each of BOTH dark brown sugar (packed) and white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3/4 cup pure pumpkin (canned will work great)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 bag (12oz) white chocolate chips

Cinnamon Glaze Drizzle

1 cup powdered sugar

5 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

This is easiest with a stand or electric hand mixer. Put in butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Cream together, stirring on low till combined. Add in vanilla and pumpkin pie spice and incorporate by mixing again for a few seconds. Add in pumpkin and stir. Now add in each egg, 1 at a time, stirring on medium in between. Now add dry ingredients…salt, baking powder and half the flour. Stir on medium then add in the final amount of flour. Next fold in white chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Spoon large teaspoon fulls onto baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes at 375*. When cookies come out of the oven and are cooled off a bit then mix together powdered sugar, water, and cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk quickly. Take a spoon or fork and drizzle over cookies.

Makes: 72 cookies! Plenty to give away as gifts!

 

My “Better For You” Pizza Crust

 

My grandma was amazing at whipping out some pizza dough over the years and just a few tries and anyone can do this. It’s more simple than you’d think to make your own pizza dough. Why go to the effort you ask? It’s healthier for you than national pizza chains crust soaked with oil, and hugely it saves you a tons of money over ordering pizza for your family. One you do this recipe 3-4 times you’ll be hooked and you’ll be so good at it that you can just make the dough faster than you can find the number to order from your local pizza shop. So vow to try this for me, you’ll feel better about knowing what went into your families pizza and know it was a healthier, better choice!

1 packet dry active yeast (or 1 tablespoon)

1 cup very warm or hot water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup 100% whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

If you have a stand mixer (such as a kitchen aid) put the dough hook attachment on. If not you can just use a mixing bowl and a wooden spoon for mixing, it just takes a little more arm strength. First, pour the warm water into your bowl, then sprinkle the yeast in and stir, bubbles will come to the top which is great. Keep stirring till yeast is dissolved in the water. Next add in salt, sugar, oil and basil, and stir for a few seconds. Next start adding in the flours in small amounts. I throw in 1 cup to start then in 1/2 cup increments after that. If using an electric mixer the dough ball will come together within a minute. If by hand about 30 strokes. After the ball forms work it with your hands into a nice ball. You may need a drizzle more olive oil if dry or  sprinkle some more flour on top of the dough ball if it seems to wet. Next, keep it in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let dough rise for 10-15 minutes. Roll out on floured surface and transfer to a pizza pan, baking stone, or metal round pan. Top with red sauce, about 3 cups mozzarella cheese and any desired toppings. Let bake at 425* for 20-25 minutes until crust is golden brown. We had this pizza with salad last night for dinner and it was SO yummy! Try it for your family or friends tonight!

 

 

It’s My Birthday!!

Today is my birthday! It started with a run with Emily Copeland which was suppose to be 7 miles long but about 2.5 miles in we hit major downpours and we were worried our iphones would be no more with all the water getting to them so we called my hubby to pick us up! I seriously rang my shirt and hair out. It was a blast but I was shivering and very wet!

After a warm shower, my adorable husband made me eggs, toast and fruit. He also has been working on a these cupcakes creations for me. So utterly cute….especially because I love to cook and bake so much that he never has to do it but it was so sweet today to see him do it for me! I am blessed with the best husband and little boy a person can have. So thankful for life and the everyday joys God gives me! Tonight Eddie is taking me out to dinner to a surprise location which I will have to post about tomorrow to let you all know what I ate, where it was, ambiance, the whole nine….so stay tuned!

 

 

Green Bean Bundles

Last night we were invited over a family from our church’s house, The Crawfords. Super amazing family! They invited us over and said they would buy the groceries if I used my cooking skills to whip them up a yummy family dinner. I agreed quickly and we had an awesome night getting to know each other better and I was really happy with how the food came out! Lots of clean plate clubs after our meal so I was thrilled!

Last but not least, Jackie Crawfords kitchen would make any avid cook drool! Ya’ll, I was seriously smitten! It was perfect in every way. We are scheduling another “in home chef” get together soon and I’ll just have to take a pic of her her kitchen so you guys can see the utter amazement that it is! Check out this recipe below as I know it will come in handy for the upcoming holidays. My take on the sauce that tops the bundles it was makes it so special! The Crawfords and Harrisons love it and so will you!

Green Bean Bundles

1/2 cup orange juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup Teriyaki or low sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 lb bacon

2 lbs green beans

Directions: Snap off the ends of the fresh green beans and blanch in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Pull out, drain and let cool.

Cut the bacon up the middle vertically. take 4 green beans and wrap 1/2 slice bacon around each tightly and place seam side down on a baking sheet.

Next mix sauce topping: In a small bowl put in garlic, brown sugar, orange juice and Teriyaki sauce and whisk till sugar is dissolved. Spoon 3 teaspoons of sauce over each green bean bundle on pan and bake at 375* for 20 minutes. Makes about 20 bundles.

 

Shrimp Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce

Shrimp Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce

24 shrimp
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white wine
1 stick butter
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 box linguine pasta
salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Pot on a pot of boiling water for the pasta and cook per box directions. Devein shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook 2-3 minutes in 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet until no longer translucent. Remove from pan and set aside. Chop shallots and saute in olive oil, add garlic minced. Cook 2-3 minutes. Add in wine and let reduce 5 min. Add in Butter and parsley. Add shrimp back in. Toss with warm pasta, garnish with parsley if desired and serve.

 

Bowtie Chicken Pasta with Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Believe me when I say this is the BEST and most easy to make Alfredo sauce. I have been tinkering around with homemade cream/white sauces for ever and THIS IS IT! I hosted a girls cooking night out a few weeks ago and everyone there agreed this was the best Alfredo sauce they have had! So make it for your friends and family and enjoy!

 

Bowtie Chicken Pasta with Homemade Alfredo Sauce

1 box bow tie pasta
1 rotisserie chicken, white meat pulled off
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
4 cups heavy cream
1/2 block cream cheese
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 stick butter
salt and pepper

Cook pasta per box directions. Cut and pull off white meat from rotisserie chicken (skin removed), and set aside. Chop onion and cook in 2 tablespoons olive oil, the stick of butter and then add in minced garlic. Cook 3 minutes on medium heat. Add in heavy cream and heat, add in cream cheese, stir constantly until melted. Add in mozzarella and stir with a whisk. Last add in Parmesan, stir till melted completely and you’ll have your cheese sauce =) Add in salt and pepper to taste and serve over warm bow tie noodles.

Serves 6

 

Jessica’s ‘Smack Yo Momma Good’ Sugar Cookies

The holidays are approaching and many are asking for the recipe for my sugar cookies so you can make them for the most dear people in your life and see their faces light up with every bite. It’s a few step process, doing the dough, chilling, rolling out, cut outs, making icing, then decorating and piping. It takes some work, but the payoff is the taste! Many agree it’s the best sugar cookie they have ever had! It’s soft and has the perfect amount of sweetness with the icing being just a bit sweeter than the cookie to create the perfect tasting bite! Happy Holidays and enjoy!

Jessica’s ‘Smack Yo Momma Good’ Sugar Cookies

3 cups powdered sugar

4 sticks butter

2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 large eggs

5 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Beat powdered sugar, room temperature butter, vanilla, almond extract and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium. Stir in remaining ingredients in increments turning mixer on and off as you add more. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Roll out dough on floured surface about 1/2 thick and use desired cutouts to get shapes. Place on cookie sheets with silpat liner and bake at 375* for 8 minutes. Let set in hot pan 2 minutes after taking out of oven before transferring to a cooling rack.

For these Fall Pumpkin Sugar Cookies I added to the recipe above 1/4 cup pumpkin puree and another 1/2 cup powdered sugar to the dough to get a hint of pumpkin taste.

Pumpkin Buttercream Icing

2 heaping tablspoons pumpkin puree

2 sticks butter, room temp

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-4 tablespoons milk

6 cups powdered sugar

3 drops red food coloring

2-3 drops yellow food coloring (these are optional, for a more orangy color than the pumpkin puree already gives)

Blend pumpkin, butter, milk and vanilla in mixer. Add powdered sugar in increments until you get desired icing consistency. Rule of thumb it it should stick to the attachment on your mixer when lifted up out of the bowl. That’s normally about the right thickness. If too runny and thin add more powdered sugar. If too thick add a dash more milk.