Pizza with noodles

Pizza Spaghetti Casserole

Made: March 30, 2014

Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 box (16 oz) uncooked Spaghetti noodles
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 ounces sliced pepperoni
- 1 jar (26 oz) pasta sauce
- 1 can (16 oz) diced Italian style tomatoes
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 package (8 oz) shredded Italian cheese blend
- Any other pizza toppings you like (optional)

Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Boil water and salt for Spaghetti noodles according to directions on package
- Meanwhile, brown meat until no longer pink, drain
- Once noodles are cooked, drain and put in a casserole dish
- Whisk together egg and milk, pour over noodles
- Combime pasta sauce, tomatoes, garlic powder and oregano
- Pour ontop of noodles
- Top with meat
- Top with cheese
- Top with pepperoni and other pizza toppings
- Bake for 30 minutes

I thought I had bought some extra pepperoni for this recipe, but I did not. So my version is without the pizza toppings. But overall, this had a great flavor.

(Recipe used: found via facebook)

Shells Green with Envy

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

Made: May 13, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) box uncooked jumbo pasta shells
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 2 cups fresh chopped spinach
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese
- 1 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 cups)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 (26oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce

Instructions
- Cook shells according to package directions
- Be careful not to overcook them or they will tear easily when trying to fill them
- Drain and set shells out individually on a cutting board or baking sheet so that they don’t stick together
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Lightly grease two 9x13 baking dishes
- In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce
- Stir in 1 cup mozzarella
- Spoon into shells
- Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes
- Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce
- Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Bake, covered, for 40 minutes
- Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella
- Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes

I had a lot of filling leftover, but I only made 14 shells since we're a small family of 4. I used a Garlic and Onion pasta sauce to go with this and topped it with some shredded cheese. These shells seemed a lot smaller than others I've seen, but they were perfect for us!

(Recipe used: Paula Deen via Facebook)

Non-lasagna

Easy Bowtie Lasagna

Made: March 6, 2013

Ingredients
- 16 oz package bowtie pasta, uncooked
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 32 oz jar spaghetti sauce
- 8 oz container sour cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan chese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions
- Cook pasta as package directs, drain and set aside
- In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef and onion, drain
- Add spaghetti sauce to skillet and simmer for 5 minutes
- Mix cooked pasta with sour cream, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder
- In a greased 13x9 pan, layer half of beef mixture and half of pasta mixture
- Repeat layers
- Top with Mozzarella cheese
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for about 30 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted

Along with the sour cream, I added in a couple spoons of cream cheese. It's not lasagna without cream cheese!! Overall, I really liked this recipe. I didn't use an onion, so I used Onion flakes instead, just to get that flavor. I also didn't use all the same measurements listed; I only used about 8 oz of pasta and 24 oz of sauce.

(Recipe used: Gooseberry Patch; Mom's very best recipes)

Pizza Puffs

Cheese-Crusted Pizza Pot Pies

Made: January 19, 2013

Ingredients
- 1 package (12oz) pork sausage or 3/4 pound ground beef
- 2/3 cup chopped onion
- 2/3 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup chipped fren bell pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 1/4 cups marinara sauce
- 2/3 cup sliced pepperoni
- 1/3 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives
- 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
- 1 cup Pillsbury refrigerated thin pizza crust
- 8 slices Mozzarella cheese

Directions
- Heat oven to 450 F
- In a skillet, cook sausage, onion, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic over medium heat, until meat is no longer pink, drain
- Stir in marinara sauce, pepperoni and olives
- Simmer for 3-5 minutes or until thickened
- Remove from heat
- Stir in cheese blend
- Spray bottoms, sides and rims of 4 individual baking dishes (10oz ramekins) with cooking spray
- Spoon meat mixture into dishes
- Place on baking pan
- Unroll dough on large cutting board
- Cut in half lengthwise, then cut in half crosswise
- Place 1 dough piece over meat mixture in each dish, overlapping rims
- Top ech pot pie wiht 2 slices cheese, overlapping slightly
- Bake 16-20 minutes or until crust is brown

I did things a little differently. I opted against the carrots and chose for black olives instead. I also used shredded Mozzarella cheese to top the dough and used a Mexican blend. I also mixed meat; we had some leftover celery sausage so I used that and ground beef making enough meat for 6 servings and even some for a mini-flatbread pizza.

(Recipe used: Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2013)

Soupy Noodles

Tomato-Tortellini Soup

Made: January 9, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 14oz cans reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 9oz package refrigerated tortellini
- 1/2 8oz tub cream cheese spread with chive and onion
- 1 can condensed tomato or tomato bisque soup
- Snipped fresh chives (optional)

Directions
- In a medium saucepan, bring broth to boiling
- Add tortellini; reduce heat
- Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes
- In a bowl, whisk 1/3 cup of the hot broth into the cream cheese spread until smooth
- Return all to saucepan along with tomato soup; heat through
- Sprinkle with chives before serving (optional)

I only used 1 14oz can (or rather, 14oz) of reduced sodium chicken broth for this since I only needed two servings. I kept the rest the same though, minus the fresh chives. I needed a quick and simple recipe for the refrigerated tortellini we had leftover.

(Recipe used: Better Homes & Gardens)

Soup & Veggies

Minestrone Soup

Made: January 3, 2013

Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1/3 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 28-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
- 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 15-ounce can low-sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup elbow pasta
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat
Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes
Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds
Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes
Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook 3 more minutes
Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil
Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes
Stir in the kidney beans and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes
Ladle into bowls and top with the Parmesan

I used black beans instead of kidney beans. The noodles sucked up a lot of the broth, so I might have to add more later on. But overall, I really enjoyed this!

(Recipe used: Food Network)

Cheesy Oven Noodles

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Made: December 25, 2012

Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried elbow macaroni (4 cups)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
- 8 oz pasteurized prepared cheese product, cut up
- 1/4 cup butter, cut up
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
- 1 can (10 3/4oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup or 1 cup process cheese dip
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 F
- Cook macaroni according to package directions
- Meanwhile, let the cheeses and butter stand at room temperature
- Drain macaroni; transfer to a very large bowl
- Add 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese, the cheese product, and the butter to the hot pasta; stir well to combine, set aside
- In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, cheese soup, and pepper until smooth
- Stir egg mixture into macaroni mixture
- Spoon macaroni mixture into a 3-quart baking dish
- Cover and bake for 25 minutes
- Uncover and stir well
- Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes more or until cheese melts

I used Velveeta for the pasteurized prepared cheese product (2 4oz blocks) cur into small squares and I also added some bread crumb topping on top during the 2nd cheese topping for the uncovered cooking segment for some crunch.

(Recipe used: Better Homes and Gardens)

Homemade Hambuger Helper

Layered Beefy Mac n' Cheese

Made: November 4, 2012

Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (8oz)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (12oz)
- 1 cup soft bread crumbs

Directions
- Heat oven to 350 F
- Spray 2 qt casserole dishe with cooking spray
- Cook and drain macaroni as directed on package, using minimum cooking time
- Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the ground beef
- Season beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
- Cook beef until thoroughly cooked, drain
- In a 2 qt saucepan, melt butter over medium heat
- Stir in flour, cook and stir 1 minute until bubbly
- Add in milk, cook and stir for 5-6 minutes until mixture thickens slightly
- Stir in broth and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Remove from heat
- Stir in cheese
- Fold in cooked macaroni
- Spoon 1/3 of the macaroni mixture into casserole dish
- Top with 1/2 of the beef misture
- Layer with another 1/3 of the macaroni mixture, remaining beef and finish off with the last of the macaroni mixture
- Top with the bread crumbs
- Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden brown

The only thing different I did was use Velvetta cheese instead of the shredded cheddar cheese. I didn't use a full 12oz of cheese either, just enough to coat the noodles and still be nice and cheesy!

(Recipe used: Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2012)

I like Spaghetti & Cheese

Mac and Cheese Spaghetti

Made: October 4, 2012

Ingredients:
Topping
- 1 1/2 cups coarse white bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Noodles
- 14-16 package dried spaghetti
- 10 oz package frozen peas or fresh broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
- 4 oz American cheese, shredded

Directions
Topping
- Heat oven to 425 F
- In a 15x10x1 in baking baking pan, combine crumbs, Parmesan cheese and butter
- Bake 5 minutes, remove and set aside

Noodles
- In a Dutch oven, cook spaghetti with 1 tablespoon salt added to water; cook to package directions
- Add the peas during the last 3 minutes of cooking time
- Drain; reserving 2 cups of pasta water for later
- Set pasta & peas aside, keep warm
- Return 1 cup pasta water (from above) to dutch oven
- Bring to boiling
- Add the butter and mustard
- Add cheeses, a but at a time, stirring after each addition until melted
- Add in more pasta water if needed
- Add spaghetti, toss in cheese mixture
- Sprinkle servings with bread crumbs

I did a couple things differently. I used 1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs, Velveeta cheese in place of American and added a handful of Mozzarella cheese to the mix. I also used a Peas & Carrot mixture. Overall, I loved this dish

(Recipe used: bgh.com)

A new lasagna for Garfield

Chicken lasagna

Made: September 9, 2012

Ingredients
- 2 cups (16 oz) cottage cheese
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups cooked chicken
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 1 can condensed cream of celery coup, undiluted
- 2/3 cups milk
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
- 1 package (6 oz) stuffing mix
- 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions
- In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese and cream cheese
- In a large bow, combine the chicken soups, milk, onion and salt
- Spread 1/2 the chicken mixture into a greased 13x9in baking dish
- Top with 3 noodles
- Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture
- Repeat layers
- Toss the stuffing mix with the butter
- Sprinkle over casserole
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown
- Let sit for 10 minutes before serving

Overall, I loved this dish. I will be tweaking a few things next time I make this though. I will use more cream cheese in the cheese mixture, more stuffing as a topping, not a sprinkle overtop & cut the chicken into slightly smaller chunks. I also added a dash of onion powder instead of actual onion for my Granny. But I can't wait to make this dish again. So yummy!

(Recipe used: Taste of Home Everyday slow cooker & one dish recipes 2012)

Mac & chicken

Chicken, Macaroni, and Cheese

Made: August 20, 2012

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast; cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 6.5oz light semi-soft cheese with garlic and herb
- 1 2/3 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions

- In a medium saucepan, cook macaroni according to package directions; do no add salt & drain
- Coat an unheated large nonstick skillet with cooking spray
- Preheat skillet over medium-high heat
- Add chicken and onion to skillet
- Cook for 4-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and onion is tender, stirring frequently
- Remove skillet from heat
- Stir in semi-soft cheese until melted
- In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and flour until smooth
- Add all of the flour mixture to the chicken
- Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly
- Reduce heat to low
- Stir in cheddar cheese until melted
- Add cooked macaroni; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until heated through
- Stir in cherry tomatoes and serve

I omitted the onion, and instead of shredded cheddar cheese, I used some of the Velveeta block I had left over from a precious recipe. Overall, it was quite cheesy and good :)

(Recipe used: Better Homes and Gardens Homestyle Favorites)

Asparagus and Chicken

Bowties with Chicken and Asparagus

Made: August 17, 2012

Ingredients

- 4 cups uncooked bow-tie (farfalle) pasta (8oz)
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

- Cook and drain pasta as directed on package, omitting salt
- Break off tough ends of asparagus, wash & cut into 1 inch pieces
- In a 12 inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat
- Add chicken, cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Stir in asparagus and garlic, cook 6-8 minutes until asparagus is tender & chicken is no longer pink
- In a small bowl, gradually stir broth into the cornstarch
- Stir into chicken mixture
- Cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly
- Season with salt
- Toss with pasta
- Sprinkle with cheese

I omitted the garlic and used garlic salt and powder instead to please my pallette as well as Mom's & Granny's. I had to reheat this for when Mom got home, so it tastes better served asap after it's cooked as the batch I tasted for Granny came out really good. :x

(Recipe used: Pillsbury)

Inside out Stuffed Peppers

Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup

Made: February 15, 2012

Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups chopped green pepper
- 2/3 cup uncooked rice (white or brown)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Ground black pepper to taste

Directions
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until browned
- Drain any juices and transfer mixture to a slow cooker
- Add remaining ingredients and stir gently to mix
- Cook on low for 8-9 hours
- Add water to thin if necessary

I followed this one pretty much to the tee, until my slow cooker was too full to add anymore. I only did about 3 cups of chicken broth and only 1 can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes. It also took about 7 hours to cook, I put it on around noon and it was ready by 6:45pm. The peppers were nice and soft and the rice was nicely cooked. Apparently it needed more salt and pepper, but I don't want to over season where it's inedible. Overall, it wasn't bad. I added some shredded cheese overtop of mine. :)

Lemon-y goodness

Lemon Chicken Stroganoff

Made: October 26, 2011

Ingredients
- 1 box Hamburger Helper stroganoff
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1 bag (12 oz) frozen broccoli cuts, thawed
- 2 cups cut-up cooked chicken

Directions
- In 10-inch nonstick skillet, mix uncooked noodles and sauce mix, milk, hot water, lemon juice and dill weed
- Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally
- Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender
- Stir in broccoli and chicken; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until broccoli and chicken are hot
- Remove from heat
- Cover; let stand 5 minutes

The main differences I did this time was the veggies. We still had some fresh asparagus, so I used that instead of frozen broccoli. :) I also added some lemon zest to add in some extra lemon flavor :D It got yums all around and I liked this better than normal stroganoff. Enjoy!

(Recipe from: Pillsbury)

Cheesy Skillet

Cheesy Tomato-Chicken Skillet

Made: August 27, 2011

Ingredients:

- 2 cups uncooked pasta nuggets or radiatore
- 3/4 pounds chicken breast strips for stir-fry
- 1can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 1/2 chopped plum (Roma) tomatoes (4-5 medium)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

Directions:

- Cook pasta as directed on package.
- Drain & cover to keep warm
- Heat non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add chicken; cook 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center.
- Reduce heat to medium, stir in soup, tomatoes, milk & basil.
- Stir in cooked pasta.
- Cook about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bubbly and thoroughly heated.
- Sprinkle with cheese; remove from heat.
- Cover, let stand until cheese is melted (2-3 minutes)

I did a couple of things differently. I used elbow macaroni instead of the nuggets/radiatore pasta and I used normal sized tomatoes. I also sprinkled with Basil in afterward as my Mom and Granny don't care for it. However, next time I may add corn into the mix. :) I thought it came out well. I also chopped the chicken into cube like pieces to cook better as my main fear is serving raw chicken. :( But it came out perfectly :D

(Recipe from: Pillsbury)

S'ghetti in the oven

Baked Spaghetti

Made: June 27, 2011

I love spaghetti and wanted to try something new. While flipping through a cookbook I saw something with olives on top. I can't pass up the olives!

Ingredients

- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped green pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems & pieces, drained
- 1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced black olives; drained
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 pound cooked ground beef
- 12 oz spaghetti; cooked & drained
- 2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup; undiluted
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

(Cook spaghetti & ground beef)
- In a large skillet, saute onion & green pepper in better until tender.
- Add tomatoes, mushrooms, olives & oregano.
- Add ground beef; simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Place half of the spaghetti in a greased 13x9x2in baking dish.
- Top with half of the vegetable mixture.
- Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheddar cheese.
- Repeat layers (spaghetti, veggies, cheese)
- Mix the soup and water until smooth; pour over casserole.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

Garnished with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese

I didn't have enough oregano, so I used some Ms Dash seasoning. I think it turned out really good. :D It was really cheesy and the spaghetti was nice and soft; not over or under cooked. :) I should've added a touch more sugar on the tomatoes; but overall I was quite pleased with the dish. :)

It was harder to make in one dish though; I made Granny a portion with only ground beef, tomatoes & cheese with the spaghetti. So it looked a little odd while cooking. But I think it turned out great. :D

(Recipe used: Taste of Home)

Pasta & Beans & Tomatoes ... Oh My!

Penne Pasta with Beans & Tomatoes

Made: June 17, 2011

Ingredients:

- 4 oz fresh green beans
- 4 oz penne pasta (1-2 cups)
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 ripe Roma tomatoes; chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
- Salt & Pepper

Directions:

- Wash beans. Remove ends and strings.
- Cut beans into 1-inch pieces
- Cook beans and pasta in lightly salted boiling water for 14 minutes (or until pasta is tender)
- Drain beans and pasta; set aside.
- Cook onion in oil in a medium saucepan for 2-3 minutes or until onion is tender.
- Add the tomatoes and wine to the saucepan. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
- Toss in the beans,pasta and Parmesan cheese.
- Serve immediately. Sprinkle with extra cheese if needed

I think this turned out pretty yummy. :) I shredded fresh Parmesan cheese from a wedge and I think the extra sprinkle afterward gave it a good flavor profile. I also sprinkled the onion with garlic salt and garlic powder as I roasted them in the oil. It smelled good! :) Enjoy!

(Recipe from: Shine! @ Yahoo!)

Cheesey soup and noodles

Mac & Cheese soup

Made: March 4, 2011

Ingredients:

- Salt
- 4 oz elbow macaroni (about 1 cup)
- Cooking spray
- Ground Pepper
- 1 carrot, cut into 1-in pieces
- 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-in pieces
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 6 oz shredded cheddar cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

- Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil.
- Add the macaroni and cook as the label directs; drain. Set aside.
- Mince the shallpots, carrot and celery in a food processor.
- Mist a saucepan with cooking spray, add the vegetables and cook over medium heat until softened (4-5 min)
- Add the flour and cook, stirring - 2 min.
- Gradually stir in the broth and bring to a boil; cook, stirring until thickened (6-7 min). Remove from heat.
- Add the milk, cheese and macaroni and stir until the cheeses melt.
- Season with pepper.

I used both macaroni and shells as the pasta and I used Monetary-Jack cheese in addition to add an extra taste to it. I also just used a mandolin on level 1 thickness (very thin) to dice up the veggies instead; it added a nice texture against the creamy cheese & soft pasta :) But good reviews all around - minus that it was missing something but we couldn't really figure out what. :/

(Recipe from Food Network)

Super Bowl Munchies

Pizza in Crescents

Ingredients: 
- Crescent roll dough
- Pizza sauce
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Favorite Pizza toppings

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Separate the crescent pieces
- Put pizza sauce on one part of the piece
- Add toppings and cheese
- Fold over and around to make a cute little pouch

** I used Olives for myself, Pepperonis for Rob & Mom just wanted cheese. I had olives ontop of mine so I knew which ones were which :)

My kisses taste like tacos

Ingredients:

- Tortilla shells/taco shells
- Shredded Cheddar cheese or "Taco" cheese
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Sour Cream
- 1lb ground beef
- Taco Seasoning packet

Directions:

- Cook meat until no longer pink; drain
- Add 1 cup water & taco seasoning; cook according to the packet.
- Dice up tomatoes and lettuce
- Make tacos however you  please!

** I had olives on mine. :) (Yea, I love olives <3)

Meatball sliders

 Ingredients:

- 5 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
- 1/2 cup each red bell pepper and red onion,fine dice
- 1 Tbsp. each fresh basil and flat leaf Italian parsley, minced
- 1 tsp. each minced garlic, kosher salt and red chili flakes
- 2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
- 25 RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 1 cup)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. milk
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20
- 1 egg
- 48 RITZ Crackers
- Roasted Red Bell Pepper Aioli
- 12 KRAFT Deli Fresh Provolone Cheese Slices, quartered 

Directions:

Red Bell Pepper Aioli
- IN the bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade, process 1/2 cup KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise, 1/3 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper and 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed until thoroughly combined.
- Refrigerate 1 hour.

Meatballs
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 Tbsp. oil. Add red bell peppers and the red onion. Sauté 4-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and red chili flakes and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add the basil, parsley, salt and pepper, stir to combine. Cool.
- Mix cracker crumbs and the milk, set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef and the egg. Add the vegetables and the crumb mixture; mix well.
- Form into 1” meatballs. Cover with plastic wrap and press to flatten slightly.
- Heat the remaining oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in batches and cook until done, turning occasionally. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 48 RITZ on foil-lined baking sheet. Top each with 1 meatball, 1/2 tsp. Roasted Red Bell Pepper Aioli and a piece of cheese. Bake 3-4 minutes or until cheese melts.
- Serve immediately.

**I didn't know I had to make the aioli ahead of time, so I opted it out. Next time, I'm definitely going to try it!

I hope you guys had a yummy spread while you were watching the Super Bowl! (Congrats Packers) <3