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Friday, August 29, 2014

Favourite Things Friday Vol 83 - Peanut Butter Cheerios

I have a new breakfast obsession...


Peanut Butter Cheerios! They are AMAZING!!
They have a nice light peanut butter taste, not too sweet a tiny bit salty. It is truly cereal perfection!


They say special edition, so when I realized how great they are I bought 3 boxes!

I have been brain storming some dessert ideas to use them in as well, so keep an eye out for those.


I can't believe that it is the last long weekend of Summer, man time flies.
I hope you all have a fun and safe weekend, get out enjoy some sun, while we have it!



Jen


Note: The Cheerios people have no idea who I am, I just love their cereal!

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Tomato Spinach and Tortellini Soup



It is still very much summer here but I am starting to get into that Fall mode. I am starting to crave soup and warm sweaters.


This soup is perfect for this time of year because it is still pretty light and it is packed with veggies.


What you need,
          
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cups water
1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 (20 oz.) package refrigerated three cheese tortellini
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. granulated sugar
9 oz. fresh spinach, chopped
3 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant. Add the chicken broth, water and can of diced tomatoes, juice and all. Bring to a boil then add the tortellini. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the pasta is tender. Stir in the sugar and salt and pepper to taste.

Add the spinach and basil and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted.
Test the seasoning again and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with a little or a LOT of Parmesan cheese.


This soup is lovely! It is warm and hearty it made a great dinner and it was even better left over for lunch the next day.

Enjoy!


Jen



Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Kraft Dinner Lasagna


My love of Mac and Cheese is well documented on this blog. It all started as a kid with this...


We used to go home from elementary school for lunch. My mom would always make us grilled cheese and soup or tuna melts, but my favourite was when she made us Kraft Dinner and hot dogs, always on a piece of white bread with mustard and ketchup‼ YEP, good old KD is where my love of cheesy noodles began.


I had a hankering for lasagna the other day but didn’t feel like going to all the trouble. So I pulled a box of KD out of the cupboard and thought to myself, I can make lasagna out of this, so I did!


It turned out great! Super tasty, super easy, all the things I love in a meal!

What you need,

1 box Kraft Dinner
3 tbsp. milk (I used 1%)
1 tbsp. butter
½ lb. ground beef
1¼ cups your favourite jarred pasta sauce
1 cup cottage cheese
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a small baking dish and set aside.

Start by cooking the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the beef is well browned, drain off any excess fat. Add the pasta sauce and turn down the heat to medium low and let it simmer while you get everything else ready.

Meanwhile make the mac and cheese according to package directions. Now you can make it using the amounts of butter and milk the package calls for if you want but I always make with 3 tablespoons of milk and 1 tablespoon of butter.
Set the prepared KD aside.

In a medium bowl stir together the cottage cheese and Italian seasoning.
To assemble the lasagna layer on half the meat mixture into the baking dish. Top that with half of the Kraft Dinner. Gently spread the cottage cheese mixture on top of the KD. Layer on the rest of the meat mixture and the remaining KD. Top the whole thing with the grated Mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Serve with a nice green salad and you have wonderful dinner.


Oh Kraft Dinner you will always have my heart‼

Enjoy!


Jen