Baked Oatmeal...TO.DIE.FOR.

Oh my goodness, I am slightly obsessed with this yummy dessert breakfast!! Thank you to this blog for my new favorite breakfast recipe! It's delicious served warm right out of the oven, and just as good served the next few mornings reheated in the microwave with a little milk.

Baked Oatmeal

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup milk

1 cup sugar

3 cup uncooked oats

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1) preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) in a mixing bowl mix eggs, oil, vanilla, milk, and sugar.

3) add in oatmeal, salt, and baking powder.

4) pour the mixture in a 8x8 greased pan.

5) bake for 30 minutes.

Pesto Tomato Tart (pretty much pizza)

yum yum yum!!!!! This was a meal somebody brought for us and I knew it would be good but I didn't know that it would be as divine as it was!!! And, Reid loved it too!!! Add salad and some wine and you're good to go!

Pesto Tomato Pizza

*1/2 pkg. refrigerated pie crusts

*2 c. shredded mozzerella cheese, divided

*3-5 plum tomatoes (depending on how many tomatoes you want on it)

*1/2 c. mayo

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

*2 T basil pesto (already made in pasta section)

*1/2 tsp. pepper

*3 T chopped fresh basil (optional - for looks)

Unroll pie crust on lightly greased baking sheet. Roll into a 12 inch circle. Brush outer 1 inch crust with water. Fold edges up and crimp. Poke holes in the bottom with a fork.

Bake at 425 for 8-10 mins. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with 1 c. mozzarella cheese, cool. Arrange tomato slices over cheese. Stir together remaining 1 c. mozz. cheese, mayo and next 3 ingredients. Spread over tom. slices. Bake at 375 for 20-25 min. Remove and sprinkle with basil.

Black Bean Enchiladas

This meal is another winner!!!! Even my husband who must have some kind of meat with every meal loved this! We ate these for a few days until they were all gone. We had no idea this meal was a Weight Watchers meal until I emailed my friend who brought this dinner for the recipe. Bonus!! Thanks Emily!!!

Black Bean Enchiladas

*1 onion
*2 cans black beans (puree ½ of one can)
*1 tsp cumin
*1 tsp garlic salt
*½ cup 2% fat cheese (I use mixed cheese)
*10-12 corn tortillas, or flour

(when I use corn, a tip so they don't just tear and break when you fill them - spray them with PAM on both sides, and put them on a baking sheet and pop into a 325 degree oven for 5-10 minutes and it softens them right up!)
*2 tomatoes, diced (I use Rotel in a can, or diced tomatoes, drained)
*2 cans enchilada sauce
*Fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with Pam. Saute onion in non-stick pan until translucent. Add beans and spices. Heat until warm. Add tomatoes and cilantro to pan. Pour a little enchilada sauce in bottom of baking dish. Put 2-3 T of beans in each enchilada with a tsp of cheese. Wrap each tortilla and place loose end down in dish. Cover with the rest of the enchilada sauce, cheese and beans. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more. Top with fresh cilantro.

Chicken Enchiladas

If you're familiar with our blogs or know us, you know that I have 2 picky eaters on my hand. So, whenever there's a meal that everybody likes, it's a winner. My friend Wendy brought this meal over and it was so yummy! Matt, Reid and I all loved it and I have a feeling it will become a regular on our menu!

Chicken Enchiladas

4 chicken breasts - cooked and diced
10 flour tortillas
2 cans cream of chicken
1 pint sour cream
1 small can green chilis
1 lb. grated monterey jack cheese
1 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 bunch green onions chopped (I omit this)

Mix soup, sour cream, and chilis in a bowl. Spread small amount of sauce on bottom of 9x13 pan. Spreas small amount of sauch on tortilla, add chicken, onion, and cheese. Roll and place seam side down on pan. Repeat. Sprinkle remaining ingredients on top and bake at 350 for 40 minutes!

Baked Spaghetti

Why make boring old spaghetti when you can whip this meal up with the same amount of ease and deliciousness?? Jessica and Sharee brought this meal over (with a green salad and super yummy dessert - black forest dump cake) and it made enough to have some leftovers for the next couple of days and the whole family loved it! When I start cooking again and make this, I'll be sure to take a picture!

BAKED SPAGHETTI

16 oz spaghetti

26 oz spaghetti sauce

1 ½ lbs. ground beef

1 egg

8 oz sour cream

1 stick margarine/butter

2-3 cups grated cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:While spaghetti is cooking, brown ground beef, drain excess fat and add the sauce. Drain pasta and add the sour cream and margarine. When the pasta has cooled a bit, add the egg. Place pasta mixture in the bottom of a greased 13x9 casserole dish. Top pasta with the ground beef mixture. Then cover with cheddar. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Baked Ziti

My friend, Brynn, made this super yummy baked ziti at playgroup last week and I've been craving it all week! I made it for dinner tonight and it was a hit! I have to warn you, it is a bit labor intensive in the preparation, but don't let that scare you off! It's definitely worth it! It also makes a lot, so you could even divide in half and prepare one and freeze the other - maybe without the mozzarella cheese, adding that when you're ready to cook it. (not sure, not too familiar with the rules of freezing...) Another good thing about this meal is that you don't really need a lot of sides - just salad and garlic bread complete it! While it was cooking, I washed all the prep dishes so that eliminated the after dinner clean up. Are you convinced? Oh, and it's a great meal to take when you're bringing a meal to a friend! Let me know what you think!!!

Baked Ziti

1/2 medium onion, chopped (optional)

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 pound lean ground beef

1 (26 oz.) jar tomato and basil pasta sauce (I used Prego Tomato Basil Garlic sauce)

3/4 tsp salt, divided

1 (16 oz) ziti pasta - (penne - I like the Barilla Plus)

3 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Cook pasta according to directions. While waiting for the water to boil, begin step 2. Drain pasta and return to pan.

2. Saute chopped onion in hot oil over medium high heat in large skillet for about 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain. Stir in pasta sauce and 1/2 tsp. salt. Set aside.

3. Melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly (take about 7-10 minutes). Stir in parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, and pepper. Pour sauce over pasta, stirring until pasta is evenly coated.

4. Transfer pasta mixture to a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top evenly with beef mixture; sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.

5. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

My version of Corner Bakery's Swiss Oatmeal

I'm a big fan of Corner Bakery's Swiss Oatmeal, and this is an easy version to make for breakfast in the morning. It's also kid-friendly, but my little mister won't try it....yet.

Swiss Oatmeal

*1 Carton of yogurt - your favorite kind (I like either vanilla or french vanilla)

*1/4 cup granola (I like Bear Naked)

*1/4 cup oats - don't cook

*Mix-ins - I use blueberries and bananas because they're low maintenance, but this would taste good with strawberries, dried cranberries, etc.

Combine everything together!!!