Baked Spaghetti

Sorry for the pathetic run at blogging lately! I am trying to get motivated to start cooking/baking again. Working 50hrs a week and living in a beautiful state, I tend to spend my days off in the mountains or trying to find new restaurants! :)

I am a major sucker for Italian food.... well maybe I should just say pasta and needed a dish that would be quick, easy and not overly expensive! I have tried two other baked spaghetti recipes and both of them failed, miserably! PROUD TO SAY.... this one was a success!!

The key to a good Baked Spaghetti is keeping your noodles soft and moist, not hard and dry. A wise guy told me that the more soft cheese you use the better because it won't dry out your noodles. He was right!

So here you have it, a great family recipe or just a great dish for leftovers the next day! Have fun and bon appiete! 

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20

Ingredients: 

24 oz of Ricotta Cheese

8 oz of Mozzarella Cheese

1 Cup of Parmesan Cheese

1 lb of Ground Beef

1 Jar of Marinara (your choice!)

1 Package of Spaghetti Noodles

Tinfoil 

Step One:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9x13 pan with tinfoil. 

Step Two:

Cook noodles until soft. Brown meat and drain.

Step Three:

Lay noodles on the bottom of pan. Spread Ricotta cheese over top of noodles to form a nice layer.

Step Four:

Mix marinara sauce with meat. Spread on top of Ricotta cheese.

Step Five:

Top meat sauce with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Step Six:

Place into oven (uncovered) for about 20-25 mins. Let cool for about 10 mins. Serve and as always, ENJOY!

Red Velvet MilkyWay Cookies

It's a big birthday month at my store!! I have 4 birthdays that I need to find desserts for and zero time to bake and blog! On that note, anything that is quick, easy and takes 20 minutes or less...COUNT ME IN!!

One of my favorite blogs is picky-palate! She has tons of awesome, out of this world recipes and most of the time they are easy and quick! From start to finish this only took me about 20 minutes and everyone LOVED them!!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 box of red velvet cake mix
1 egg
2 tablespoons of vegetable/canola oil
1 stick of soften butter
1 cup of mini chocolate chips
4 regular size MilkyWay bars or Dark MilkyWay Bars

Step One:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

In a medium bowl, mix together cake mix, egg, oil and butter. I recommend doing this with a hand mixer or stand alone mixer to make sure the butter is well combined.

Step Two:

Cut up MilkyWays into small chunks.

Step Three:

Add MilkWays and Chocolate chips to batter and mix together.

Step Four:
Place onto cookie sheet and bake for 11-13 mins. Cool and ENJOY!!

http://picky-palate.com/2013/02/04/red-velvet-milky-way-cake-cookies/

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

Need a twist on a classic recipe? Look no further. Still all the same goodness as the cake but in bite size. There is one thing that makes the cupcakes better, you are guaranteed pineapple in every bite!

If I changed anything from the recipe I would try to make them with liners. It was a huge mess to clean up!! Also, the recipe called for one can of pineapple so you will notice some of mine only have one slice..buy TWO cans! :)

Have fun and enjoy!!

Ingredients:
1 box of yellow cake mix
2 18 oz cans of pineapple slices
18 oz of left over pineapple juice
3 eggs
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1/3 cup of melted butter
2/3 cup of packed brown sugar
marchino cherries

Step One:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cupcake pans with cooking spray or line with cupcake liners. (Note: you will not be able to "flip" the cupcakes if you line them. You will be creating an inside upside down cupcake :) )
Also, cut pineapple slices into 4's and if you are using cherries, cut them in 1/2.

Step Two:
In a large bowl or stand alone mixer; mix together cake mix, eggs, oil and pineapple juice for 30 seconds on low. Beat for 2 minutes on medium.

Step Three:
Melt butter. Combine melted butter and brown sugar together. Pour 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar/butter into the bottom of each cupcake pan. Place two pineapple slices in each cupcake pan and a 1/2 of a cherry.

Step Four:
Pour 1/4 cup of batter into each of the cupcake pans. Bake for 20-25 mins.

Step Five:
Let cupcakes cool in the pan for about 10-15 mins. Cut along the edges of the cupcakes to loosen them from the pan. Flip onto a cooling rack or parchment paper and ENJOY!!

Fruit Salsa

I am madly in love with this recipe. It combines all things in my food life that I think are wonderful... strawberries, sugar, apples, sugar, kiwi, sugar and pita chips (with sugar!). It is a super simple recipe and looks absolutely beautiful when plated and served.

It is the best in the summer but when I can find good fruit (out of season) it is a must to make!!

Ingredients:
Carton of Strawberries
2 Apples
2 Kiwi
2 tablespoons of apply jelly
2 tablespoons of brown sugar

Step One:
Cut up all fruit into small pieces. Keep in mind you will be serving this with pita chips so the smaller the fruit chunks, the better.

Step Two:
Melt apply jelly in the microwave. Mix with brown sugar.

Step Three:
Pour jelly/sugar mixture over fruit. Toss together and serve with Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips.

Chocolate Chip Scones with Toasted Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds

The title is a mouth full and so are these delicious fall scones. Everyone loves a nice warm breakfast and if you are like me, you need it to be quick too! I saw this recipe on the Today show and knew I had to make it!!

This was the first time I have every made scones and it was much easier than I thought it would be. I also loved that I can use this recipe for substitutes such as blueberry or plain chocolate chip scones.

Check out my previous blog post to see how you make the toasted cinnamon sugar pumpkin seeds.
http://whatserikaeating.blogspot.com/2012/11/toasted-cinnamon-sugar-pumpkin-seeds.html

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons of chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 cubes, plus extra for greasing

2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for flouring pan

1/3 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

3/4 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup of toasted cinnamon sugar pumpkin seeds

3/4  cup of chilled buttermilk plus extra for brushing scones

1 large egg yoke

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of brown sugar

Step One:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease and butter a 9x13 baking sheet.

Step Two:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and rub into flour mixture with your hands. The mixture should look like course meal when mixed thoroughly. 

Step Three:

Mix in chocolate chips and pumpkin seeds.

Step Four:

In a small mixing bowl, whisk/combine: buttermilk, egg yoke and vanilla. Add to dry mixture and stir until combined. (Mixture should be sticky)

Step Five:

Flour a clean counter surface. Also, flour your hands. Take dough and place on flour surface. Form a 7-8 inch round. Cut into 7/8 slices.

Step Six:

Transfer to a grease and floured baking sheet. Do not worry if slices are not cut perfectly. Brush scones with buttermilk and top with brown sugar. Bake for 15-20 mins or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Step Seven:

Serve warm with a glass of milk or OJ and ENJOY!!!

Toasted Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds

Don't quote me on this, BUT, Fall may be the most amazing season for baking!! This morning I "gutted" my decorative pumpkin just so I could get my hands on some awesome pumpkin seeds!

I was watching the Today show and they were showing an awesome recipe for a sweet pumpkin seed! If you know me, then you would understand my excitement for a healthy treat with a little unhealthy kick! The seeds are absolutely amazing and they make the house smell wonderful!!

I washed/rinsed my seeds in the morning and let them dry all day, while I was at work. The actual baking part only took about 15 mins with prep! :)

ALSO,
Winston and Malcolm hope you had a fabulous Halloween!! :)

Ingredients:
1 1/3 ish cups of dried/clean pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

Step One:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small/medium size mixing bowl, coat pumpkin seeds with olive oil. Add sugar and cinnamon. Stir.

Step Two:
Lay flat on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 or until golden brown. (Bottoms will darken faster than the tops of the seeds)

Step Three:
Let cool for about 5 mins and ENJOY!! (Or you can save them and make Chocolate Chip Scones with Toasted Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds)