Cooking During Stolen Moments

Turkey & Pesto Pasta Salad

May 30, 2020 by KateMiller Leave a Comment

Bursting with fresh, summertime flavors, this Turkey & Pesto Pasta Salad deserves to be in frequent rotation on your table all season long!

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A serving of turkey & pesto pasta salad on a cream colored dinner plate.

Pasta salad in the summertime is my equivalent to soup in the fall and winter. It’s one of those meals that I just can’t get enough of when the weather is hot outside. We tend to eat pasta salad of some kind at least twice a week for dinner and at least once for lunch. As you can probably guess, everyone else in the house enjoys it just as much as I do.

Taste aside, pasta salad is one of my favorites for many of the same reasons that any recipe makes it on my favorite list – it’s versatile, it’s completely stolen moments friendly and it’s easy to put together.

How to make Turkey & Pesto Pasta Salad

This recipe comes together very quickly, especially if you are using leftover meat! Leftover grilled turkey breast is my favorite to use here, but you can use any cooked turkey option that you’d like. I’ve even made it with thick-sliced turkey lunch meat from the deli.

You can prep this entire dish ahead of time, or do it in stages. I like to mix everything put the pasta together a day in advance and then refrigerate. When I’m ready to serve, I just boil up some pasta, rinse in cold water and toss everything together.

If you’re watching carbs, definitely feel free to skip the pasta all together. I mean look at that salad up there – isn’t that worthy of just digging in with a fork?

Can I use other proteins than turkey?

You can definitely swap out the proteins here if you’re not a fan of turkey. The key is that you want to make sure whatever you choose will pair well with the pesto.

Here are some options we’ve tried in the past that were all delicious.

Leftover pork tenderloin, cut into cubes
Cubed chicken breast
Canned tuna
White cannellini beans

Turkey & Pesto Pasta Salad

Bursting with fresh, summertime flavors, this Turkey & Pesto Pasta Salad deserves to be in frequent rotation on your table all season long!

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Prep Time 10

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Ingredients

1/4 cup Olive oil
3 Tablespoons White wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon Water
1 teaspoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1/3 cup Pesto (store-bought or homemade)
1 cup Grape tomatoes (quartered)
1 Cucumber (cut in half lengthwise and sliced)
1/2 Red pepper (diced)
1/2 pound Turkey breast (cooked and cubed)
1 pound Rotini pasta (cooked, drained and rinsed in cold water)

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, water, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir in pesto.
Add cut vegetables and turkey. Stir until fully combined.
Add pasta and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving.

Notes

Leftover turkey works great in this recipe! My favorite option is leftover grilled turkey breast.
Feel free to swap the turkey with another protein such as chicken, tuna, or beans.

Keyword turkey & pesto pasta salad

Homemade Beefaroni

May 30, 2020 by KateMiller 2 Comments

This homemade beefaroni recipe is a fresher, healthier version of the classic canned variety. Kids and adults alike will love this for lunch or dinner!

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Maybe you remember it from your childhood. Maybe you serve it up to your kids on the regular. Whatever the case, canned beefaroni is likely a snack/meal you are familiar with.

This homemade version tastes nearly identical to the canned version without any of the chemicals or non-pronounceable additions. It’s healthier yet still delicious. Kids and adults alike recognize the familiar, well-loved taste. Plus, you can whip this recipe together in just about 15 minutes, start to finish. What’s not to love?

Can I freeze Homemade Beefaroni?

This recipe is absolutely freezer friendly! There are 2 freezing options you can use:

Prepare completely and freeze the finished dish all together or in individual-sized servings. I like to freeze homemade beefaroni in 1 to 2 cup servings in individual freezer bags. This is a great option for the kids to warm up for a quick meal.
Prepare just the sauce portion, freeze that and then serve with fresh noodles. This is a good option if you are not a fan of the texture of frozen-and-reheated pasta.

Since this dish is so easy to make, I definitely recommend you double or even triple the recipe if you’re planning to freeze it. You’ll add hardly any extra work.

You can also use this same sauce base for different varieties of other classic canned pastas. For example, slice up a few hot dogs in place of the ground beef and use circular pasta for a homemade version spaghetti-o’s with franks.

Can I make this a one dish meal?

I love the convenience of cooking pasta with the rest of the dish and only getting one pot dirty. I also really like the texture of the noodles when they’re cooked that way.

However, I’ve found that that treatment doesn’t work so well with this recipe. That’s because you need to add a few extra cups of water in order cook the noodles and that alters the taste too much. So I don’t recommend it.

If you decide to try it and come up with a method that turns out really well, please let me know as I’d love to give it a shot!

Homemade Beefaroni

This homemade beefaroni recipe is a fresher, healthier version of the classic canned variety. Kids and adults alike will love this for lunch or dinner!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Course Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Ingredients

1 pound Ground beef
2 14.5 oz. Cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Water
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
1 pound Cooked pasta (any shape works, but if you can find small ziti noodles, those will be closest in looks to the original canned Beefaroni)

Instructions

Brown ground beef in a sauce pan and drain.
Stir in remaining ingredients, except the pasta. Simmer for about 10 minutes, to let the flavors combine.
Stir in the pasta until coated. Enjoy!

Notes

You can freeze this with or without the noodles, depending on your preference. See notes above.
Use any shape of noodles that you’d like. I use elbow macaroni most frequently, but I really like to use small ziti whenever I can find it because it most closely resembles to original.

Keyword beefaroni

Peanut Butter & Jelly Breakfast Cookies

May 9, 2020 by KateMiller Leave a Comment

These breakfast cookies will be the star of your breakfast lineup thanks to the fun of eating a cookie for breakfast paired with the well-loved and delicious flavor of a classic PB&J.

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One assembled peanut butter and jelly breakfast cookie on a black plate with extra cookies and a jar of jam.

I first started making breakfast cookies a few years ago and they’ve become a staple in our home ever since. I love the versatility of them almost as much as I love what a quick and easy option they are in the morning. Not to mention, it’s never a struggle to convince any of the kids to eat a cookie for breakfast!

Easy, healthy and fun breakfast

These PB&J Breakfast Sandwich Cookies are simply the next level of awesome in the breakfast cookie line-up.

Layering two peanut butter breakfast cookies together with a healthy layer of strawberry or raspberry jam makes for a very filling breakfast that’s still healthy and even a little sweet. It’s perfect!

Close up of pb&j breakfast cookies on a plate with a jar raspberry preserves.

Just a few ingredients and a few minutes are all you’ll need to whip these up.

close up of pb&j breakfast cookie, along with some extra cookies and a jam jar on a black plate.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Breakfast Cookies

These breakfast cookies will be the star of your breakfast lineup thanks to the fun of eating a cookie for breakfast paired with the well-loved and delicious flavor of a classic PB&J.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 12 cookie sandwiches

Ingredients

3 c. Oats (quick-cooking)
1 c. Brown sugar
2 t. Baking powder
1 t. Salt
1 1/2 c. Peanut butter
2 Eggs
3/4 c. Milk
1 t. Vanilla
Preserves, jam or jelly of your choice

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add peanut butter, eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
Roll a rounded tablespoon of dough into a ball, place on a cookie sheet and repeat until done. With the palm of your hand or the greased bottom of a glass, press cookies into a circle.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until just firm and lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Spread jelly on the bottom of one cookie, top with another and repeat. Enjoy!

Notes

You can freeze these cookies before or after baking. If you freeze after baking, wait to assemble with the jam or jelly until after you’ve defrosted the cookies.
Mix it up by swapping the jam/jelly with a layer of Nutella or honey.

Keyword Breakfast Cookies

Kiwi-Glazed Cheesecake Bars

May 4, 2020 by KateMiller 1 Comment

A surprising blend of delicate and rich flavors combine to make these Kiwi-Glazed Cheesecake Bars an irresistibly delicious dessert.

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Slice of Kiwi-Glazed Cheesecake Bars on a glass serving platter.

If you love the traditional flavors of cheesecake but not all of the work, cheesecake bars are a great option for you! They come together really quickly and are virtually mistake proof.

My favorite thing about this recipe is the unique flavor from lime juice and the kiwi glaze. They create an unforgettable combination.

Kiwi-Glazed Cheesecake Bars make a fantastic dessert for lots of different occasions and times of year. But you definitely should not feel like you have to reserve them just for special treats!

How to make the kiwi glaze

The kiwi glaze that tops these cheesecake bars is a delicate yet flavorful addition. It begins with a simple syrup made by cooking water, sugar and lime juice together. Once it’s thick and syrupy, stir in some kiwi slices and you’re good to go.

If you are not a fan of kiwi, you can swap it out for raspberries, strawberries, pineapple or blueberries. You can also exchange the lime juice with lemon juice.

Close up of a sliced Kiwi-Glazed Cheesecake Bar on a glass plate.

Kiwi-Glazed Cheesecake Bars

A surprising blend of delicate and rich flavors combine to make these Kiwi-Glazed Cheesecake Bars an irresistibly delicious dessert.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Chilling Time 1

Total Time 2

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Ingredients

For Crust:

2 c. Graham cracker crumbs (about one sleeve, crushed)
2 T. Sugar
1/2 c. Melted butter

For Cheesecake Filling:

2 8oz. Packages cream cheese (softened)
1/2 c. Sugar
1 T. Lime juice
1 t. Vanilla
2 Eggs

For Glaze:

1/2 c. Sugar
1/3 c. Water
2 T. Lime juice
3 Kiwis (peeled, quartered and sliced)

Instructions

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a bowl. Press into a 13×9 casserole dish lined with foil. (For easy removal of the bars, leave an inch or two of foil hanging over the ends of the dish.) Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes, until golden and set. Cool.
While the crust cools, beat the cream cheese in a mixing bowl until creamy. Add sugar, lime juice and vanilla. Beat an additional 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs until combined. Pour on top of cooled crust.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and filling is set. It will firm up as it cools. Cool on a wire rack and then move to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before cutting.
Shortly before cutting the bars, combine sugar, water and lime juice in a small pot. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Cook until slightly thick and syrupy, stirring often. Remove from heat. Stir in kiwi pieces.
Remove the bars from the casserole dish and cut into squares. Garnish each square with a spoonful of the kiwi. Serve and enjoy. Store leftovers in the fridge.

Notes

Make sure you let the cheesecake bars cool completely in the refrigerator before you slice them.
Store slices in the refrigerator between eating/serving.

Keyword Kiwi-Glazed Cheesecake Bars

Caribbean Pork Stew

May 3, 2020 by KateMiller 2 Comments

Packed with pork, black beans, plantains and spices, Caribbean Pork Stew is a great option when you’re looking for something delicious and different, with a kick!

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A serving of Caribbean Pork Stew with a scoop of rice in a bowl.

If you’re a fan of flavorful dishes, you’ll definitely love this recipe for Caribbean Pork Stew. It packs a punch, but it’s easy enough to cut back on the heat by adjusting how much spice you add.

Also, keep in mind that the spiciness will increase quite a bit as this dish sits in the refrigerator. So, if you have any leftovers, make sure you’re prepared for the increasing heat when you eat it again the next day.

How to prep Plantains

If you’ve never used a plantain before, you might be surprised to realize that it doesn’t peel easily like a banana. In fact, it’s virtually impossible to peel a plantain with the traditional method. What I’ve found to work best is to cut the unpeeled plantain into slices.

Sliced plantain on a cutting board with peel still on

Then, I cut a slit in each individual slice and the peel peels right off.

Plantain slice with a slit cut into the peel

From there, you can cut the slices into quarters (as in this recipe) or use as whole slices.

Peeled plantain pieces on a cutting board, ready to add to the pot for Caribbean Pork Stew.

If you’ve never used plantains before, don’t let them scare you from making this recipe. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with just how tasty they are!

Caribbean Pork Stew

Packed with pork, black beans, plantains and spices, Caribbean Pork Stew is a great option when you're looking for something delicious and different, with a kick!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Course Main Course

Cuisine Caribbean

Servings 6

Ingredients

1 T. Vegetable oil
1 lb. Pork (cubed)
1 Yellow onion (diced)
1 Green pepper (diced)
4 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 T. Ginger (freshly grated or 1 t. ginger powder)
2 t. Cumin
1 t. Crushed red pepper flakes (use less if you want it less spicy)
1/4 t. Allspice
1 1/2 c. Beef stock
1/2 c. Water
14.5 oz. Can diced tomatoes
3 c. Cooked black beans (2 cans, rinsed and drained)
2 Plaintains (peeled and cubed, see tips above)
3 c. Cooked white or brown rice

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot. Add pork and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Remove pork with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add onions, peppers and garlic to pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add ginger, cumin, allspice and crushed for red pepper flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add stock, water and diced tomatoes. Return pork to pot. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Let simmer about 45 minutes, until pork is tender.
Add beans and plantains. Cook an additional 15 minutes, at least. The longer you let this simmer, covered and over low heat, the stronger the flavors will become.
Serve with cooked rice.

Notes

Follow plantain tips above to make it easier to prep.
You can use any type of pork that you’d like. I usually use boneless, top loin chops.
Adjust the seasonings depending on how hot you want your finished dish.

Keyword Caribbean Pork Stew

English Muffin Bread

May 3, 2020 by KateMiller Leave a Comment

English Muffin Bread is a delicious and quick homemade recipe with all of the classic flavors you love and none of the hassle!

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I love this bread! It is so easy to put together and it turns out so moist and delicious. I usually make it in my Kitchen-Aid and it takes less than 10 minutes that way. It’s not much longer by hand either.

This bread does taste just like an English muffin, but without all the hassle of forming it into individual servings.

English Muffin Bread

English Muffin Bread is a delicious and quick homemade recipe with all of the classic flavors you love and none of the hassle!

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Rising Time 45

Total Time 1 20

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Ingredients

3 c. Flour
2 1/2 t. Yeast (or 1 packet)
2 t. Sugar
1 t. Salt
1/8 t. Baking powder
1 c. Milk
1/4 c. Water
Corn meal (for dusting loaf pan)

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 c. flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix for 1 minute.
While flour is mixing, pour milk and water into a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until just warm, about 2 minutes. Pour into mixing bowl and beat for 2 minutes.
Add remaining cup of flour, 1/2 a cup at a time, and mix for 3-5 minutes (or knead by hand for 5-7 minutes). Dough will be somewhat sticky.
Grease a loaf pan and sprinkle with cornmeal. Spread dough into pan, cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Notes

You can use this recipe for making traditional English muffins if you’d like. Add an extra 1/2 c. of flour to the dough and shape on a well-floured surface. Let rise on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. You should get about 6 muffins.
English Muffin Bread freezes beautifully. I like to slice it before freezing so that I can pull out just a slice or two at a time and throw them in the toaster.
You can easily double or triple this recipe.

Keyword English Muffin Bread

Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe

May 3, 2020 by KateMiller Leave a Comment

This Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe is delicious right out of the oven, toasted with some butter and brown sugar on top, or turned into some of the best French Toast you’ve ever had!

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Slices of homemade cinnamon raisin bread on a cutting board.

You and your family will absolutely love the classic flavors of this tasty Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread!

The bread is great right out of the oven, toasted and spread with butter (add a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon), or turned into French toast.

If you make French Toast with the bread, I highly recommend adding a bit of cinnamon to some maple syrup and warming before pouring over the French toast – YUM!

This recipe makes two loaves. If you can’t eat it all within a few days (seriously, is that possible?), you can freeze the baked bread to enjoy at a later time.

Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread

This Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread Recipe is delicious right out of the oven, toasted with some butter and brown sugar on top, or turned into some of the best French Toast you've ever had!

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Rising Time 1 30

Total Time 2 35

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 12 slices

Ingredients

1/2 c. Warm water
1 T. Yeast (or 1 packet)
1/2 c. Brown sugar
1 T. Cinnamon
1 t. Salt
2 c. Milk
1/3 c. Butter
1 t. Vanilla
6 – 8 c. Flour
1/2 c. Chopped pecans (optional)

Instructions

Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes, until foamy. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
Meanwhile, combine the milk, raisins, butter and vanilla in a sauce pan. Warm over low heat until the butter melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and cool until room temperature.
Pour the warm milk and raisin mixture into the mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the flour a cup at a time until dough comes together and is no longer sticky. Knead in the pecans, if desired. If using a stand mixer, knead with a dough hook on medium speed for 5 minutes. If not, knead by hand for 5 minutes. Place dough in a large, lightly greased bowl and cover. Let rise for 45-60 minutes.
Punch down dough, divide in half and shape into 2 loaves. Place loaves on a baking sheet, cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
Bake at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Bread should sound hollow when tapped. Loosely cover the loaves with foil if the bread starts to brown too much.

Notes

Eat one loaf now and freeze the other for the future. To freeze, cool loaf completely, wrap in wax paper and place in a plastic freezer bag.

Keyword Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Chicken with Brown Butter & Capers

May 3, 2020 by KateMiller 1 Comment

You’ll love the gourmet flavors of Chicken with Brown Butter & Capers almost as much as you’ll love the minimal ingredients and time needed to make this amazingly delicious main course.

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The delicate, savory flavors in this dish make it a winner with everyone in our household. We have one child who can never get enough capers (she’ll literally eat them by the spoonful right out of the jar) and one who really doesn’t care for them. So, those 2 always do an exchange when it’s Chicken & Capers night – trading an extra piece of chicken for all of the capers.

How to properly pound chicken breasts

The secret to success with this dish is pounding the chicken as thin as possible. You want as close to paper-thin as you can get! Trust me – the more time you spend on this process, the better the final dish will be.

Here’s the process I use to pound chicken breasts:

Line a plastic cutting board with wax paper.
Butterfly cut each chicken breast.
Place one cut chicken breast one top of the wax paper on the cutting board. Cover with another piece of wax paper.
Using either a meat mallet or a rolling pin, pound the chicken for about 60 seconds. It should start to thin and spread.
Flip chicken over with the wax paper in place on both sides and pound for another 30 seconds or so, until the chicken is nice and thin.
Repeat with remaining chicken breasts until done.

Once all of the chicken is pounded, you’ll be ready to start the dredging and cooking process.

Finished platter of chicken with brown butter & capers

One thing you’ll want to keep in mind is that pounded chicken breasts cook very quickly so you’ll want to make sure you keep a close eye on your skillet.

How to serve Chicken with Brown Butter & Capers

You can easily turn this recipe into a complete, all-in-one meal by doubling the brown butter & caper sauce ingredient. Then, serve the chicken and the extra sauce over cooked angel hair pasta or other starch of your choice.

Chicken with Brown Butter & Capers

You'll love the gourmet flavors of Chicken with Brown Butter & Capers almost as much as you'll love the minimal ingredients and time needed to make this amazingly delicious main course.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

2 T. Olive oil
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (butterflied and pounded paper-thin)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1 1/2 c. Flour
4 T. Butter
2 T. Lemon juice (or the juice of 1/2 a freshly squeezed lemon)
1/4 c. White wine or chicken stock

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cover both sides with flour.
Add chicken to hot skillet and cook until browned on both sides and fully cooked, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and keep warm. Work in batches, if needed, until all of the chicken is cooked.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add butter to the skillet. Melt and stir frequently, making sure to scrape up any bits left on the skillet from the chicken. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until the butter starts browning.
Add the capers, lemon juice, and wine or chicken stock. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Watch it closely so that the butter does not burn.
Spoon the brown butter and capers over the chicken and serve.

Notes

Follow the steps in the post to pound your chicken breasts.
If you have to work in batches, keep the chicken warm in a 200 degree oven until you’ve finished the brown butter & caper sauce.
For an easy meal, double the sauce ingredients and serve over cooked angel hair pasta.

Keyword chicken with brown butter and capers

Pizza Pie Bites

May 2, 2020 by KateMiller Leave a Comment

These Pizza Pie Bites are an impressive party appetizer that are a huge hit with kids and adults alike. Also great to have in the freezer for snacks.

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All of the pizza flavors you love combined with a delicious, flaky pie crust. It’s like a pizza bite’s grown-up, more sophisticated cousin!

How to Make Pizza Pie Bites

I’ll be the first to admit that these pizza bites are a labor of love. They do require a bit of time commitment, but if you’ve got an extra hour on your hands, you definitely will not regret using it to stock your freezer with these tasty treats!

The first thing you’ll do is put together a tasty pie crust dough that gets a savory kick from Italian seasoning. You’ll roll out the dough, cut it into small circles and then press those circle into mini muffin tins.

Pie crust pressed into mini muffin tins for pizza pie bites.

Next, you’ll fill the muffin tins with some pizza sauce mixed with some of your favorite toppings (I’m using Italian sausage in this recipe) and mozzarella cheese cubes.

Mini muffin tins filled with stuffed pizza pie bites ready for the oven.

You should get just about 48 pizza pie bites from this recipe if you roll out the pie crust thinly enough.

If you want to make these a bit heartier, such as to serve for lunch or dinner, you can use regular-sized muffin tins instead of mini ones. You’ll get about 12 to 15 pizza pie bites following that method.

Also, if you want to really stock, you can easily double or triple this recipe without adding much extra effort or time. So go ahead…fill that freezer!

Pizza Pie Bites

These Pizza Pie Bites are an impressive party appetizer that are a huge hit with kids and adults alike. Also great to have in the freezer for snacks.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 48 bites

Ingredients

1 lb. Ground Italian sausage
8 oz. Block Mozzarella cheese
6 oz. Tomato paste
1/4 c. Water
1 T. Olive oil
2 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. Garlic powder
1 t. Salt
1/4 t. Crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 c. All-Purpose flour
2 t. Salt
1 t. Italian seasoning
4 T. Butter
3 T. Cold water

Instructions

Brown Italian sausage in a small skillet. While meat cooks, cut block of mozzarella cheese into small chunks.
Stir together the tomato paste, water, olive oil, 1 T. Italian seasoning, garlic powder, 1 t. salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Drain ground beef or Italian sausage and stir into tomato mixture. Stir in the mozzarella. Cover and refrigerate until assembling.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, 2 t. salt and 1 t. Italian seasoning. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter, two knives or your hands until crumbly. Slowly add the water and stir. If necessary, form the dough into a ball with your hands, adding a bit more water as needed.
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter or glass, cut circles out of dough. Press into a mini muffin tin. Repeat as needed.
Spoon about 2 teaspoons of pizza filling into each little cup. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes, until cheese is thoroughly melted and crust is lightly golden brown.

Notes

Easily double or triple this recipe with minimal extra effort or time.
Have fun with the fillings. Replace the Italian sausage with pepperoni. Add black olives, onion, green peppers or mushrooms. All of your favorite toppings can work in this recipe!
After baking, cool the pizza pie bites and then flash freeze on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes before transferring to a freezer bag. To reheat, bake from frozen at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or microwave for about 90 seconds.

Keyword appetizers, freezer cooking, pizza pie bites, snacks

How to Make Homemade Chimichurri

May 2, 2020 by KateMiller Leave a Comment

This easy and versatile Homemade Chimichurri recipe will become your new best friend in the kitchen. A simple blend of parsley, garlic, vinegar and spices creates an awesome condiment for many dishes and meals.

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Chimichurri is pesto’s Argentinian cousin. The two condiments look similar and use the same basic preparation method, but the tastes are definitely different. The parsley keeps the flavor subtle and fresh and the vinegar adds a great tang.

How to use Chimichurri

The best thing about Chimichurri sauce is that it is so versatile. It’s a great way to stir in a little punch of flavor to nearly anything.

Use it to top a baked potato, as a meat or seafood marinade, blended with cream cheese for a tangy cracker spread, stirred into rice or couscous or my favorite new use for it – spooned into scrambled eggs. It’s also the star flavor in my Steak & Roasted Vegetable Quesadillas with Chimichurri recipe.

Homemade Chimichurri

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Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Course Sauces

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

2 c. Fresh parsley
5 cloves Garlic
1/2 c. Olive oil
1/4 c. White wine vinegar
2 t. Oregano
1 1/2 t. Sea salt (medium coarseness, if available)
1/2 t. Crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

By Hand:

Coarsely chop parsley and finely mince garlic. Place both in a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients until well combined.

In a Food Processor:

Place parsley and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process for 15 – 30 seconds, depending on your desired coarseness. Add remaining ingredients and process another 15 seconds to combine.

Notes

This is a great recipe to make in advance. The flavors will mature as it sits in the refrigerator. The finished chimichurri will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days or it can be frozen for longer storage.
Experiment with different types of vinegar to slightly alter the flavor.

Keyword chimichurri