Creamy Garlic Pasta

*2 tsp olive oil
*4 cloves garlic, minced
*2 tbsp butter
*¼ tsp salt
*½ tsp pepper
*3 cups chicken stock
*½ lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
*1 cup grated parmesan cheese
*¾ cup heavy cream
*2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the butter until melted. Add the salt, pepper and chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and let it come to a boil.

Once it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box’s directions indicate. Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until completely melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Serve immediately.

Hot Ham Sandwiches

1 dozen Brown 'N Serve rolls
1/2 lb sliced deli ham
12 slices provolone cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350.

Split each dinner roll. Make a sandwich of the ham and cheese and the dinner rolls. Arrange the sandwiches in a 9x13 pan.

In a small sauce pan combine butter, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire and poppy seeds. Bring to a boil and pour over sandwiches.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and crispy.

Cafe Rio Chicken

2 lbs chicken breasts
1/2 cup zesty italian dressing
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 pkt ranch dressing mix
1/4 cup of water
1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin

Place chicken in a crock pot.
In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.
Cook on High 5-6 hours OR on Low 8 hours.
Remove chicken from crock pot and shred.
Remove half the liquid from the crock pot and place in a bowl. Add the chicken to the crock pot and combine with the liquid left in the crock pot. You want the chicken nice and moist. Add more of the reserved liquid if needed.

Serve in tacos, burritos, salad, quesadillas, etc.

Crockpot Provolone Chicken Casserole

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 to 6 slices of provolone
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
2 cups herb seasoned stuffing mix
1/2 stick butter, melted

Spray bottom of crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in bottom of crockpot. Cover chicken with slices of cheese. In separate bowl, mix soup with milk/white wine and spread over cheese slices. Combine stuffing mix with melted butter. Spread mixture on top of everything else. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

The BEST Playdough

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1/4 cup salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 packet non sweetend kool-aid (this adds color and scent to the dough)


Just dump all the ingredients into your pot and give them a good stir. Put your pot on the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it forms into a ball. As soon as it joins into one big glob, take it off the heat and dump it onto your counter or some wax paper. Wait for it to cool, then knead it a few times until it is nice and soft.

Fail Proof Pizza Dough

1 cup Warm Water
2-¼ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1 Tablespoon Honey
2 teaspoons Salt
2 Tablespoons Olive Or Canola Oil
3 cups Bread Flour {not All-purpose!}

Preparation InstructionsIn a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer, stir yeast and honey into the warm water. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form and mixture starts to foam. This tells you that the yeast is alive and kicking. Pour in salt, oil and half the flour and mix. Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour, bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it, it doesn’t stick to your hands.

Once you reach this stage, turn the mixer on high to knead for 6 minutes. Turn a timer on and walk away! Resist the temptation to stop earlier than 6 minutes! That seems to be the magical number. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with. And the bowl should be clean at the end of the 6 minutes. If the bowl still has flour in it, add a few drops of water. If the dough is still sticking to the sides, add a little more flour.

Then, lightly grease the bowl and the dough so it doesn’t dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise 1-2 hours.

Then top it and prepare it according to your favorite pizza recipe.

Baked Tortellini

2 bags of frozen cheese tortellini
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce
handful of fresh parsley (just tear some off and add to taste)
2 garlic cloves
freshly ground salt and pepper
mozzarella and Parmesan cheese



Boil the tortellini, drain and set aside. Add the two sauces, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic cloves to a blender or food processor. Spray your pan (13x9 for two bags) add tortellini and cover with sauce. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. If topping with cheese, simply add around the 20 minute mark and continue baking uncovered for the remaining 10 min. (If you like your cheese to brown a little then either cook a little while longer or turn your broiler on for about 2 minutes.)