Breakfast Pizza

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This was awesome!  We have a weekly tradition of pizza at our house and it's fun to find a fun variation.  Plus we LOVE brinner, so this was perfect for our family.

{What you need}

• 1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 cup frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1/2 cup chopped bacon, cooked
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 5 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

any other omelette-type toppings you'd like

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).  Separate crescent roll dough into 8 triangles. Place in an ungreased 12 inch pizza pan with points toward the center. Press together to form a crust. Bottom of crust should be sealed and outside edge should be slightly raised so that the beaten eggs don't run off the edges too much. Spoon bacon and any other of the toppings you chose over crust. Sprinkle with hash browns and top with cheddar cheese.  Beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper; pour over crust. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake in preheated oven until eggs are set, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Inspired by this recipe.

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Fluffy Pancakes

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I'm not a pancake person, but these are absolutely to DIE for.  They are a similar consistency to waffles, and I'm a major waffle girl, so this is a great compromise with John, who is not-so-much a waffle guy as a pancake guy.  Great for Saturday morning breakfast with you cute little family.

{What you need}

• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• cooking spray
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• Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour".  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into "soured" milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

Compliments of Kris at allrecipes.com

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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THE single most perfect cake for the fall season!!  So utterly moist and flavorful, this is one of my new favorite recipes.  It's a major hit at showers and parties and will drive you crazy with how many people ask you to give them the recipe.

{What you need}

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
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{frosting}

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 round pans. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.  In a large bowl combine sugar and oil. Blend in vanilla and pumpkin, then beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Spread batter into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.  Combine all frosting ingredients and frost as desired, stacking the cakes with frosting in between.
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• Inspired by this recipe and this recipe.

Best-Ever Meatloaf

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• LOVED this easy and delicious recipe.  John isn't even a fan of meatloaf, but he really liked this and said it was hands down the best meatloaf he's ever had.  

{What you need}

• 1 (10.75 ounce) can tomato soup 
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 envelope dry onion soup and recipe mix
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 large potatoes, peeled

1/2 onion, diced

4 carrots, peeled and diced

• Thoroughly mix 1/2 cup tomato soup, beef, onion soup mix, bread crumbs and egg in a large bowl. Place the mixture into a 13x9x2-inch baking pan and firmly shape into an 8x4-inch loaf. arrange the vegetables around the loaf.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the meatloaf and potatoes are cooked through. Combine remaining tomato soup, water, ketchup and honey in a small bowl and pour over meatloaf when there is 20 minutes left.

Inspired by this recipe.

Filled Vanilla Wafers

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This one is a delicate and tasty treat that is perfect for fancy showers or parties.  It takes a little time but is really quite simple and incredibly impressive.  This one comes c/o my precious grandmother-in-law, who in all honesty puts Martha Stewart to shaaaaaaaaame.

{What you need}

2 boxes vanilla wafer cookies

1 cup crushed pineapple—drained

1 cup finely chopped dates

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

2-3 cups powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.  Cook together until it starts to thicken.  Cool.  Spread 1 teaspoonful or so between two vanilla wafers and roll each filled cookie in powdered sugar. Put in air tight container and age  24 hours or a little less.  These do not keep for a long time as they continue to absorb moisture, but I have recently discovered that they can be frozen and kept for some time.

Chicken Apple Salad

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I have been hunting down this recipe for literally over 2 years now and finally got a copy of it from my mother-in-law the other day!!  So happy!!!! I've already made it for a baby shower and it was a major hit!  So refreshing for summer and doubles great for entertaining.

{What you need}

2 pounds cooked chicken tenders, cubed

2 tart apples, cored and cubed

8 oz. of Gouda cheese

8 oz. package bow tie pasta, cooked and cooled

1/2 cup celery, diced

1 cup pineapple tidbits

1 cup seedless grapes, halved

2/3 cup sliced almonds (I left these out)

{dressing}

1 cup mayo

1/4 cup sour cream

3 tbsp. lime juice

3 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. poppy seeds

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss.  Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and mix well.  Chill salad and dressing separately.  Dress salad right before serving for best results.

From The Gathering of Friends cookbook

Meatloaf Cupcakes with Mashed Sweet Potato Frosting

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ALERT! ALERT! THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE RECIPE!!  SERIOUSLY MAKE THIS TONIGHT!!!

Do I have your attention now?  Kay, I seriously cannot express how delicious these were!!  We had my parents and brother over for these and everyone RAVED about them.  And here's the kicker---THEY ARE A WEIGHT WATCHERS RECIPE!!  Yup, you heard it here.  Of course you could use full-fat everything if you wish, but you seriously don't need to.  The portion size is perfectly filling and the flavor is out of this world.  I will be making this again....oh, today.  And I think I'll triple the recipe and have a ton in the freezer to pull out whenever I wish.  Here goes:

{What you need}

{for the meatloaf}

1.3 lb 93% lean ground turkey

1 cup grated zucchini, all moisture squeezed dry with paper towel

2-3 tablespoons minced onion

1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup ketchup

1 egg

1 tsp kosher salt

{for sweet potatoes}

1-2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved (I use 1 teaspoon of ready-minced garlic)

3 tablespoons fat free sour cream

1 tablespoon light butter

kosher salt to taste

dash of pepper

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Put the sweet potatoes in a large pot with garlic and enough water to cover the potatoes.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.  Drain and return sweet potatoes and garlic to pot.  Add the rest of the sweet potato ingredients and mash.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatloaf.  Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.  Spoon even portions into each muffin cup.  Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.  I then used a cookie-dough scoop to plop some of the sweet potatoes on top like "frosting," or you could just serve the potatoes as a side dish.  SO DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!

Inspired by this recipe over at Skinny Tastes!