Friday, August 29, 2014

Game Day Colors- Red Velvet Treats

If you are a football fan you are familiar with Game Day Colors on Friday.  So what better way to show your game day colors than with your food.  I am sharing red velvet recipes with you today, all of which are worthy of the  game day table.









Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Tailgating Recipes Part 2

I am so glad football season starts again this week.  The new SEC Network has really helped me get in the spirit of things.  Maybe these recipes along with the ones from yesterday will help make you football Saturdays delicious.








Friday, August 22, 2014

Hillshire Farms Sausage Alfredo

This is one of those quick and easy recipes to keep the ingredients on hand for those nights when you do not have much time to cook dinner.  I have found that if I can keep the ingredients for two or three really quick meals in the pantry that really helps out.
I tried to pretty up the plate a little, but it just didn't look like the restaurant ones.
I don't normally buy that kind of pasta but the recipe showed the little twisty pasta. The regular pasta on the isle at Publix.  So I looked and looked and found it at Target.  It was a Giana brand which made it more expensive.  My husband said after dinner he liked the dinner but that the pasta was a little tough.  I had already decided I would not use that particular pasta again. So I have learned a good lesson for you. I think a regular cork screw pasta or a small penne pasta would work well.  There are a lot of different kinds of pasta out there.
After all that we are ready for the recipe. Slice the smoked sausage into small pieces.
Brown it in the skillet.
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
Turn the sausages until they are brown on both sides.
Add the cream
Stir it around.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken.
Have your pasta cooking while the sausage is.  Then drain it.
Add to the sausage.  The recipe said you could add some frozen peas to the mix and they would be good.  I just didn't have any peas.
Stir well.
Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  According to Bobby Deen Parmesan is the best cheese because it has the lowest fat content.  Just a little fyi for you.
Dish up and you can add some additional grated cheese on top.

Hillshire Farms Sausage Alfredo Recipe

1 pkg Hillshire Farm smoked sausage
8 oz pasta cooked and drained
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese















Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Rainbow Vanilla Cheesecake Bars

This is a fun little cake you can make for a special occasion or for a holiday.  You can use any color or color combinations you like.
I am thinking some school colors would be a lot of fun or red and green for Christmas.
Gel colors are better to use in this recipe than food coloring because food coloring will make the batter too thin.
Pull out the food processor and crush 30 oreo cookies.  Use the vanilla ones. I have seen vanilla birthday cake ones and I think they might be good to use too.

All nice and crushed.  BTW using 30 cookies leaves you a couple to snack on.
Press the cookies in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
You have a nice smooth layer.
Now for the filling.  Start with 3-8oz pkg of softened cream cheese.
1 1/2 cups sugar
Beat that well.
3 eggs
3 Tablespoons sour cream
3 Tablespoons four
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Spoon about half the mixture over the cookies.  I don't think I used enough of this white layer.
Divide the remaining between 6 bowls, or less if you plan on using less colors.
I added the gel colors to the batter.
Drop by tablespoonfuls on top of the white layer.
Keep plopping and drizzling the colors.
Until you have used them all.
Then using a knife twist and pull through to make swirls in the batter.  Then place in a preheated 325 oven.  Bake for 40-45 minutes.  Then cool 2 hours on the counter and in the fridge for another 4 hours.  It is best if you make it the night before you want to serve it.
This is the bars straight from the oven.
It looks really pretty with all the colors.

Rainbow Vanilla Cheesecake Bars Recipe

30 vanilla oreo cookies
3-8 oz pkg cream cheese softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 Tablespoons sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons flour
6 gel food colorings

Preheat oven to 325.  Bake for 40-45 minutes.



















Monday, August 18, 2014

Loaded Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake

I have decided that I like gnocchi.  I made a dish with it back in the winter, so I bought another package of it and it has been in the pantry for a while even though I found this recipe a while ago. Give these little potato dumplings a try.
Can't go wrong with all that cheese.
I had already cooked my chicken and gnocchi when I got started.
Cook a couple pieces of bacon either in the microwave or oven.
In a bowl add the gnocchi.
Add the alfredo sauce.
2 cups frozen broccoli
2 cups chopped chicken
Chop the bacon.
Mix all together.
Add to a sprayed casserole dish.
Add 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
Place in a preheated 400 oven and bake for 20-22 minutes. During the last 2-3 minutes of baking turn the oven up to broil to brown the cheese quickly.
I guess we were in a hurry to eat dinner this night because I forgot to take a picture until after we had already dug in.

Loaded Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake Recipe

3 cups gnocchi
2 cups frozen broccoli
2 cups cooked chopped chicken
1/2 cup crumbled bacon
1 15 oz jar Alfredo sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400.  Bake for 20-22 minutes.