Spruce Me Up Ruben and Fiesta Pasta Salad

Yesterday was a beautiful spring day in Michigan, so I thought it appropriate to make up a pasta salad and sandwich to go along with the 74 degree weather.  Annalise even insisted on eating out side, so naturally we did.   Here you have it , ladies and gentleman, a  kick off  to what is the start of my warm weather shenanigans!

 Spruce Me Up Ruben

Roman Lettuce, chopped
Roast Beef
Sauerkraut
Red Onion, thinly sliced
Mango, thinly sliced
Tomato, thinly sliced
Swiss Cheese
Bolthouse Farms salsa ranch dressing
Mayonnaise
Butter
Rye Swirl Bread

For the sandwiches, spread mayonnaise on each slice of the bread.  From here layer up your sandwich.  I did roast beef firs,t then: cheese, red onion, mango, tomato, sauerkraut, lettuce, and then dressing.  Finish off with putting a piece of bread on top and then spread butter on the outside of bread.  Fry on both sides to toast bread and melt cheese.

Fiesta Pasta Salad

16 oz farfalle pasta, cooked and drained
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 orange pepper, chopped
1 mango, chopped
1 c. roman lettuce, chopped
3/4 c. red onion, chopped
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c colby jack cheese
1 14 oz Bolthouse Farms salsa ranch dressing.

Once you have your noodles cooked and veggies chopped, mix all ingredients in to a large bowl and then cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Bruschetta (Stacey Style)

Bruschetta happens to be one of my favorite snacks, so naturally when my husband tells me I'm on my own for dinner, I decide to treat myself.  There is nothing to fancy about this recipe, but I love it just the same and its all mine.  Dinner is going to be so good tonight!

 Bruschetta (Stacey Style) 

cooking spray

10 slices of Italian bread

3 Tbs butter

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 c cilantro, chopped

2 c tomatoes, diced (about 2 large tomatoes)

1/3 c green onion, chopped

1/2 c mozzarella or shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray baking sheet and place Italian bread on top.  Spray the bread on the top with cooking spray as well.  Toast the bread in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, saute butter, garlic, and cilantro in a small sauce pan, until butter is completely melted, about 3 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and mix in tomatoes and green onion. On toasted bread, spoon mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle cheese over bruschetta and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes.

Beef and Spicy Italian Sausage Chili

Had a busy weekend, got double whammied  with having both of my parents birthday.  So my dad wanted to grill out, easy enough. However, his favorite cake is German chocolate cake.  That is a tidies cake, of course I made it for him.  My mom wanted chili and a plain Jane chocolate cake.  Thanks mom!  Anyway, everyone in my crew seems to like the chili that I make so that is what I decided to share with all of you. Enjoy!

Beef and Spicy Italian Sausage Chili

3 Tbs olive oil
1 orange pepper
1 yellow pepper
2 Anaheim pepper
2 jalapeno pepper
1 large red onion
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 lbs ground beef
1 lb hot Italian sausage
3 Tbs chili powder
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp black pepper
2 c tomato sauce
1 c tomato paste
12 oz  Samuel Adams beer, of your chose
1 c beef stock
2 15.5 oz pinto beans w/ juice
2 15.5 oz kidney beans w/ juice
2 15.5 oz black beans, drained and rinsed

Dice all the peppers and onions. In a large skillet saute olive oil, garlic, all peppers, and onion for about 5 minutes.  In another pan brown together ground beef and Italian sausage until completely cooked.  Once your veggies and meat are complete, combine all above ingredients into a crock pot and stir until well mixed.  Set crock pot on low and cook for 4-5 hours.

Tasty thinks to add on top of the chili:
Sour cream
Green onion
Cheese
Bacon

This is the recipe I used for the corn bread: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grandmothers-buttermilk-cornbread/

This is the recipe I used for the German Chocolate Cake: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/06/14/german-chocolate-cake-recipe/

Ez Pz Trail Mix

Well just because I like trail mix.....

Ez Pz Trail Mix

2 c. dried fruit of your choosing
1 c. honey roasted peanuts
1 c. butterscotch chips

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

Brussel Sprout and Bacon Egg Rolls

I was inspired by my dad with this one.  I was helping my day with a catering event, in which he made spring rolls and instead of cabbage he made them with brussel sprouts and you couldn't even tell the difference.  They were yummy! Anyway, I live in a house that is filled with meat and potatoes people.  If there is no meat in a dish, I swear there is tears at the table.  So I decided to try something a little different.

 Brussel Sprouts and Bacon Egg Rolls

8 egg roll wrappers
4 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 c. mozzarella
12 brussel sprouts
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic crushed
2-3 Tbs olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Chop the brussel sprouts in to thinly sliced pieces as well as the onion.  In a large pan, add olive oil, garlic, onion, and sprouts.  Saute for 5-8 minutes.  In a large bowl mix together your sprout mixture, bacon and mozzarella until well blended. Fill each wrapper with about 1/4 cup of the mixture. Roll up your wrappers as suggested on the egg roll wrapper package.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and place prepared egg rolls on it.  Bake Egg rolls for 5-8 minutes.  Remove from the oven, flip them over and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes or until golden brown.

Sloppy Joes, Slop Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes are probably a staple in most house holds.  Who doesn't enjoy a good sloppy joe and mash potatoes, especially when you skip the bun and put the sloppy joe over the mash potatoes.  But, you know to each their own.  I took a risk and decided I'm going to try my hand at homemade sloppy joes! This recipe is not your typical sloppy joe because I added veggies.  I needed to get my little peanut to eat them some how.  Guess what, she gobbled it up!  

Sloppy Joes 

2-3 Tbs olive oil

1 yellow pepper diced

1 orange pepper diced 

2 cloves garlic crushed 

1 small onion diced

14.5 oz petite dice tomatoes drained

12 oz chili sauce

12 oz grape jelly

1/3 c tomato paste

1.5 lbs ground beef  

buns

Pour olive oil into a large skillet and saute peppers, onion and garlic for 5-8 minutes.  In another pan brown the ground beef.  In a sauce pan mix chili sauce, jelly and tomato paste and bring to a boil.  Make sure the jelly is completely cooked down. In the large skillet of veggies, add diced tomatoes, ground beef and sauce.  Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.  If the sauce is too soupy, add a little bit more tomato paste until desired constancy. 

Mash Potatoes

8 potatoes

1/3 heavy whipping cream

3/4- 1 c sour cream

3 Tbs butter

Rinse, peel and chop the potatoes into chunks.  In a large pot, fill with water and boil the potatoes until a knife can easily run through them and start to break apart.  Drain the potatoes, then transfer them to a large bowl and mash until desired constancy. Add in the whipping cream, sour cream and butter.  In our family we always add more sour cream because that's just the way we like it.  With a hand held mixer, beat until well blended.  

Peanut Butter and Chocolate No Bakes

In typical movie and girls night fashion we pig out on junk food, watch movies (missing half of what is going on), dye hair and enjoy a nice bottle of wine or a hot cup of joe.  So, last night was no different.  I had a girlfriend come over and we sat down to dye her hair and ended up watching, This is 40, which was pretty funny I must say.  Anyway, I decided that I really wanted some hardcore junk food.  I ended up making nachos, that I had been craving all week and I little something sweet.  I love me some peanut butter and chocolate and decided to come up with something a little different.  Hope you enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate No Bakes


1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c butter
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c powder sugar
2 Tbs creamer or milk

1 box vanilla wafers

2 11.5 oz bags of chocolate chips
3 Tbs butter

 Peanut Butter Frosting

In a stand up mixer of hand held mixer beat together butter and peanut butter until smooth (I used a medium speed).  Add  brown sugar and vanilla.  On the lowest setting add powder sugar a half cup at a time until well blended.  Then add your creamer.  I use Bailey's Creme Brulle because it's yummy but feel free to use milk.

Making Your No Bakes

With a frosting spreader or knife put about a table spoon of frosting in between two vanilla wafers, making a sandwich. I ended up using the whole box, making about 50 sandwiches.  Place them on a lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

When your sandwiches have set, melt your chocolate and butter down until smooth in a double boiler.  If you do not have a double boiler you can melt the chocolate in a microwaveable safe dish for 30 seconds at time, stirring each time until smooth.  I personally don't use butter when melting my chocolate but it makes it easier for melting.
Now dip half the sandwich into the chocolate and place back unto your lined baking sheet.  Continue this process until your chocolate is gone.  I dipped some of the sandwiches completely, that ended with using too much chocolate, so I switched to dipping half the sandwich.  Set your sandwiches aside either in the fridge our on the counter until completely set.

P.S. The frosting makes a really good filling for cakes or cupcakes.