Pizza Crust Bread Pudding

If your family is anything like mine, a pizza dinner always ends in a big ol' pile of pizza crusts. Unless the crust is stuffed with cheese or incredibly yummy a few pieces might get eaten with dipping sauce, but that's about it. So I did something about it. Save the pizza crust!

Salvage those pizza crusts and make this fabulous Pizza Crust Bread Pudding!

I turned those sad and lonely, unwanted pizza crusts into a pizza crust bread pudding. It turned out fabulous! I went with a pizza flavor profile. It is pizza crust, after all.

What's for Dinner? Sausage, Spinach, and Fennel Tortellini Soup

Whoever first thought of putting tortellini into a soup - from the bottom of my heart, thank you. What an amazing idea that was. My version started as a Costco recipe that I've tweaked over the years to fit my personal preferences. This Sausage, Spinach, and Fennel Tortellini Soup is one of my favorite soups to make (never mind that I say that about every soup I post).

Cold weather calls for a bowl of my Sausage, Spinach, and Fennel Tortellini Soup.

The soup starts with crumbled Italian sausage, browned onion and fennel for amazing flavor, a pinch of spice, and a bag of spinach stirred in at the end. Lots of recipes call for kale, but I prefer spinach. It wilts into the soup far more quickly and is actually more nutritious than kale. Surprise!

Savory Holiday Leftovers Bread Pudding

We're still rock'n the leftovers over here in Loverbee Land. It was just Matthew, the kids, and I this year, and our littles pretty much only eat turkey. That means that the hubbs and I are left with lotsa leftovers. To break up the monotony of turkey dinner plates, I whipped up one of my favorite recipes - savory bread pudding.

This rich and fluffy Savory Holiday Leftovers Bread Pudding takes leftovers to a whole new level!

Savory bread pudding is one of my favorite comfort food dinners. This holiday leftovers version boasts forks full of fluffy eggy custard filled with all kinds of cheese and holiday leftover goodness. Yum and double yum!

I used roasted turkey and broccoli cheddar cornbread stuffing casserole for this recipe. Ham, prime rib roast, or any other holiday meat, and any kind of stuffing or dressing will work just as well.




This Savory Holiday Leftovers Bread Pudding begins with a buttered 3 quart casserole dish.




Break up about four cups of stuffing into the bottom of the dish.




Top with a couple cups of chopped roast turkey. I'm getting hungry already!




Finally, sprinkle on a cup of parmesan, reggiano, and/or asiago shredded cheese.




Mix up your custard, pour over the goodies, and push them down into the mixture a bit.




Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until the center springs back when you poke it. Keep in mind that the pudding will take longer to cook if your stuffing/dressing was really moist and less time if it was more dry.

Serve this Savory Holiday Leftovers Bread Pudding with leftover cranberry sauce or gravy.

Serve with leftover cranberry sauce and/or gravy.

Savory Holiday Leftovers Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS
4 cups leftover stuffing or dressing
2 cups chopped roast turkey or other leftover holiday meat
3/4 to 1 cup parmesan, reggiano, and/or asiago shredded cheese
6 large eggs
3 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp ground dry mustard
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 3 quart casserole dish.
2. Break up the stuffing into small chunks into the bottom of your dish.
3. Sprinkle on the turkey and then the cheese.
4. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Then whisk in the the rest of the ingredients.
5. Pour the custard over the casserole and push the goodies down into the mixture a bit.
6. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the top middle springs back when you gently poke it. The more moist your stuffing, the longer it will take to bake.
7. Serve with leftover cranberry sauce and/or gravy.

What's for Dinner? Our Favorite Enchilada Casserole

Enchiladas. I looooooooove me some enchiladas. Every time I go to a Mexican restaurant I order the cheese enchilada plate. I know, I know, how boring and unadventurous. What can I say? I love enchiladas! When I'm at home, however, I don't want to be standing over a hot stove dunking hot tortillas in oil and sauce, tediously rolling them up while trying to keep the filling inside and the tortillas from breaking and MY SANITY FORM FLYING OUT THE WINDOW! (deep breaths) So, I make Our Favorite Enchilada Casserole instead.

Our Favorite Enchilada Casserole is how I do enchiladas at my house.

This casserole is cheesy and meaty and jam-packed with flavor. It's everything I love about enchiladas, without all the fuss.





The key to this casserole is lots and lots o' sauce. (I also have a couple of secret ingredients that add loads of flavor. More on that in a bit.) I learned the hard way, over years and years of enchilada casserole making, that too little sauce will leave your casserole high and dry. So, I use a whole 28 ounces.



I also cut my tortillas in half so there's less tortilla overlap. I'm trying to avoid sauceless cheeseless layers of corn tortilla that heighten the dryness factor.

Okay, so, my secret ingredients. First, I use a packet of taco seasoning to season my ground beef. I'm going for layers of flavor with this dish. Btw, I don't follow the instructions on the packet. I sprinkle it right over the beef like I would sprinkle on salt and pepper. The beef gets coated with flavor. So delish. Second, I add Cotija along with Monterey Jack to each cheesy layer. Cotija is a salty Mexican cheese packed with flavor. Can you tell I like flavor - and salt? 😉

I start the process by lightly spraying a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with oil and laying down a layer of sauce. Then, a layer of corn tortillas goes down with more sauce on top of that to completely cover the tortillas. I add plenty of Monterey Jack and Cotija, and then a sprinkling of meaty beefy goodness. Then, I repeat the layers two more times ending with a final layer of corn tortillas, over which I pour all the rest of the sauce and a final topping of cheese.




After 35 to 45 minutes in the oven, my bubbly, melty, flavor-packed casserole is ready for a sprinkling of green onions. I serve this casserole with sour cream and a great big smile.

Our Favorite Enchilada Casserole

INGREDIENTS
olive oil spray
1 lb ground beef
1 1.25 oz packet taco seasoning
About 20 corn tortillas, cut in half
28 oz enchilada sauce
5 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Cotija cheese
1/3 cup sliced green onions

DIRECTIONS
1. Spray a medium skillet with oil spray and heat over medium high heat.
2. Add ground beef, sprinkle with taco seasoning, and brown. Drain any excess grease.
3. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Lay down a layer of sauce.
4. Lay down a layer of tortillas being careful not to overlap them too much. Completely cover the tortilla layer with sauce.
5. Sprinkle on a healthy cup of Monterey Jack and a healthy 1/3 cup of Cotija.
7. Sprinkle on 1/3 of the taco meat.
8. Repeat the layers two more times.
9. Cover with a final layer of corn tortillas, all the rest of the sauce (even if it seems like too much), and the rest of the cheese.
10. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until bubbly and brown.
11. Sprinkle with green onions.

Leftover Brisket Two Ways

So, I made the Pioneer Woman's braised brisket this week. It slowly braises in the oven in a sea of flavor for the good of all mankind. 😉 So. So. Good.

I turned my tasty leftovers into football food - 'cause I'm all about the football. You know me, football fanatic and all. I jest. But I do love football food. Football food is my true team. "Go, football food!"

Smokey Chipotle BBQ Brisket Sheet Pan Nachos.

I had to make nachos. I couldn't not make nachos, right? These Smokey Chipotle BBQ Brisket Sheet Pan Nachos are smothered in sharp cheddar, hickory smoked BBQ sauce, and chipotle cream.

As if a tray full of fabulous nachos wasn't enough, I put the rest of the brisket into delicious Buttery Baked Brisket Sandwiches.

Buttery Baked Brisket Sandwiches on sourdough rolls with horseradish mayo, swiss, and smoked provolone.

These Buttery Baked Brisket Sandwiches are loaded with flavor packed brisket, horseradish mayo, swiss and smoked provolone cheese. Uh, yeah!

This is why I love football season. Come on, game day!

If you don't have time to braise a brisket, pick up one of those precooked packages from the deli section to whip up these easy and delectable game day yummies.

Smokey Brisket Sheet Pan Nachos

INGREDIENTS
1 7 to 10 oz bag corn tortilla chips
1 8 oz bag shredded sharp cheddar
2 cups chopped or shredded brisket, warmed in its braising liquid
1/2 cup hickory smoked BBQ sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1/3 cup sliced green onions

DIRECTIONS
1. Blend sour cream with 1 or 2 chipotle peppers (I used an immersion blender).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Lay down a layer of chips on your baking sheet and top with all of the cheese.
4. Bake for about 7 minutes until cheese is melted and chips are toasty.
5. Use a slotted spoon to spoon brisket over nachos.
6. Squirt BBQ sauce all over nachos.
7. Drizzle on the chipotle cream.
8. Sprinkle the green onions on top.

Buttery Baked Brisket Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup mayo
1 tsp horseradish or 2 tsp prepared horseradish or to taste
12 sourdough rolls
6 to 8 oz swiss cheese
6 to 8 oz smoked provolone
2 or 3 cups thinly sliced brisket, warmed in its braising liquid
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
2 tsp dried onion
2 tsp brisket braising liquid
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish or pan with oil spray.
2. Mix mayo with horseradish according to your taste.
3. Cut rolls in half and spread with horseradish mayo.
4. Divide cheese evenly amongst rolls.
5. Distribute brisket evenly with a slotted spoon.
6. Close sandwiches and stuff into prepared dish.
7. Whisk together melted butter with the rest of the ingredients and pour over sandwiches.
8. Cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes.
9. Then, bake for 20 minutes.
10. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes.

What's for Dinner? Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Sheet Pan Nachos

I'm not a big football fan. Let me see, I think I can name a few teams - the Chargers, the Raiders, the Steelers. It is Steelers and not Stealers, right? Man, I'm bad. And yet, I'm not the worst. Anyways, I'll take any excuse to enjoy a great big tray of nachos. Come oooooooooon, game day!

These Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Sheet Pan Nachos were made for game day!

These Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Sheet Pan Nachos are the perfect game day snack. Can't you just picture yourself sitt'n on your couch with the game on, your favorite drink in hand, and a tray full of these gorgeous nachos just calling out your name?




Start by grilling yourself a nice big well-seasoned chicken breast. I like to use my George Foreman grill. Am I the only one whose life has been totally revolutionized by the George Foreman grill? Thank you George, wherever you are these days.

Bake a sheet pan full of corn chips and sharp cheddar for about 7 minutes until melty and toasty. Then, squirt on a generous amount of ranch dressing. I love Hidden Valley's packets. I use 1 part sour cream, 1 part whole milk, and 2 parts mayo to mix mine up. Then I let the flavors meld in the fridge for a few hours before I squirt it all over my nachos.




Sprinkle on the grilled chicken, some crumbled bacon, and a handful of chopped green onions. Now you've got yourself a football feast in a sheet tray.

P.S. You don't have to wait for game day to enjoy these nachos. 😉

Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Sheet Pan Nachos

INGREDIENTS
1 oz packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large chicken breast
salt and pepper to taste
7 to 10 oz bag corn tortilla chips
2 to 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup chopped green onions

DIRECTIONS
1. Make your ranch dressing. Whisk together the Hidden Valley Ranch packet with the mayo, sour cream, and milk. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours for flavors to meld.
2. Season your chicken breast generously with salt and pepper on both sides and grill until cooked through. Let chicken rest 5 minutes and then chop.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and lay down a layer of corn chips. Cover with cheese and bake about 7 minutes until cheese is melted and chips are toasty.
5. Fill a Ziplock freezer bag with at least half a cup of Ranch. Snip a quarter inch off of one corner and squeeze all over the chips.
6. Sprinkle on the chicken, bacon, and green onions.
7. Sit in front of the game, pretending to watch, when you're really just eating a whole tray of nachos. Ha!

What's for Dinner? Italian Lentil Stew

It's soup season. Hip, hip, hurray. I'm so happy. I love soups and stews and make them throughout the year, but especially in fall and winter. I make so much soup that my family begs me to make something different. Hee, hee!

Jump into soup season with this Italian Lentil Stew!

This Italian Lentil Stew is my mom's recipe. It's one of my favorite soups - hearty, flavorful, and pretty in the bowl. Thanks, Mom!



Loaded with Italian spices, flavorful sausage, hearty veggies, and yummy lentils, this Italian Lentil Stew is a must-make. Protein packed soup anyone? It also goes great with crusty bread and it freezes well too. That's a fantastic soup in my book. Oh, and did I mention that it's totally easy to make.



First, brown your sausage.



Next, add in all the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. The stew cooks for 45 to 50 minutes or until the veggies are tender and the lentils are soft. So easy!



This recipe makes a nice big batch of stew. I like to freeze half of it so as not to soup out the fam. Everything in moderation - except for cupcakes. 😉

Hearty and flavorful Italian Lentil Stew is the perfect way to kick off soup season!

Italian Lentil Stew

INGREDIENTS
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage
2 cups lentils
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
3 cups diced mirepoix (celery, carrot, onions)
2 cups diced red potatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tsp salt
8 cups chicken broth

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil over medium high heat.
2. Brown sausage and drain off any excess fat.
3. Add in all of the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Taste stew to make sure lentils are cooked and veggies are tender. If stew is too thick, add a little more broth or water to get the consistency you like.

What's for Dinner? Spinach Artichoke Dip Sheet Pan Nachos

Spinach artichoke dip? Yes, please! Spinach Artichoke Dip Sheet Pan Nachos? Are you kidding me?

Say hello to your new favorite nachos - Spinach Artichoke Dip Sheet Pan Nachos!

These nachos are cheesy and creamy and packed with delicious bites of garlicky spinach and briny artichokes. My, oh my. Matthew says this is the best tray of nachos yet. I'll let you be the judge of that.



The spinach artichoke dip I use for these nachos comes together quickly on the stove. If you don't want to make your own, feel free to buy one ready to go from your grocery store's deli. Or, you can mix up this 4 ingredient version from Pickett's Pearls, bake it up, and then scoop it onto your nachos after you've melted some cheese on 'em.

Here's what I do for my stovetop version:



In a medium pot, melt a little bit o' butter and briefly saute some garlic.

Throw in the spinach and cook until wilted.



Stir in cream cheese, sour cream, a dollop or two of mayo, and a dash of cayenne. Then, melt in some Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, and Cotija cheese for sharp cheesy flavor. Lastly, throw in some lovely artichokes.

Spoon the dip over a sheet pan of corn chips and sprinkle on some more Monterey Jack and Mozzarella.

A very welcoming tray of Spinach Artichoke Dip Sheet Pan Nachos.

Bake until melty and toasty and starting to brown. Then, sprinkle a little more Cotija over the top. Just because. 😉

Spinach Artichoke Dip Sheet Pan Nachos

INGREDIENTS
7 to 10 oz bag corn tortilla chips
1 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups fresh spinach
6 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz sour cream
2 Tbsp mayo
hefty pinch of Kosher salt
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Cotija cheese
1 1/2 to 2 cups jarred or canned artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1/2 cup more shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup more shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp more grated Cotija

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay down a layer of corn chips on the pan and set aside.
2. In a medium pot, melt butter over medium heat and cook garlic for 30 seconds. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
3. Stir in cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and seasonings and cook, stirring often, until melted.
4. Stir in 1/4 cup of each each cheese until melted and then add the artichoke hearts.
5. Spoon dip over tortilla chips and top with another 1/2 cup Monterey Jack and 1/2 cup Mozzarella.
6. Bake for about 15 minutes until chips are toasty and cheese is melty and starting to brown.
7. Sprinkle another 2 Tbsp of Cotija over the top.