Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs

I made dinner. It was daylight so I quickly snapped some photos while my toddler sat there angrily smacking his lips at me.

Hi. This is my life.

My son is a hungry little hippo who insists upon eating any and all food he sees, especially meatballs because he loves them. So I decided speedy photos were better than none and took these because GOSH DARN IT I OWE YOU ALL A RECIPE. And it's a good one, guys. You're gonna love it.

They're yummy. They're flavorful. They're pretty darn easy (thanks to our lovely friend the slow cooker--I know pressure cookers are like the big thing but don't even talk to me about them because I am TERRIFIED of them so I'll just live with the sweet torture that is the low and slow cooking machine. Luckily-this recipe only cooks for like 2.5 hours!). The meatballs are super tender and delicious and the gravy is creamy and has sour cream in it so you know that equals pure YUM. Just serve them over mashed potatoes or egg noodles and enjoy pure comfort food.

Creamy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

HIII. I have a new recipe. It's a miracle, I know. Having a kid is hard, and I am in awe of the bloggers who do this thang with their tiny humans running around. They're the real MVP. I have a hard time but when I can get something for you I will! And here it is!!

There are two camps of macaroni and cheese lovers: baked or stovetop. I'm a baked mac and cheese fan myself, I like the crisp top and thicker center. But Michael is firmly team stoveop, so when I saw this recipe I thought it looked like it would be right up his alley (and I certainly wouldn't kick it out of bed either)!

It's quick and easy, uses only one pot (hi hi hi have I mentioned I'm a busy mom? All important facts for me!) and is seriously creamy and flavorful and just downright tasty. And you can absolutely jazz it up with different seasonings, or by mixing up the kinds of cheese, or mixing in veggies or a protein (OMG NOW I WANT TO DO BEEF AND CARAMELIZED ONION MAC AND CHEESE BECAUSE I HAVE AN ADDICTION TO THAT COMBO). Am I still #teambakedmacandcheese? Yes--but this recipe comes a close second! And it makes my boys happy so...I'm really #teamfamily. 

UPDATED Southern Style Chicken and Dumplings--with Slow Cooker Method

5 years ago I hit publish on a blog post for a recipe I was pretty lukewarm on. As evidenced by the fact that I didn't make it again for 5 years. These days I'm constantly searching for something new to make for dinner thanks to the fact that I eat a ton (thanks breastfeeding) and so does Michael and now little James. So I unearthed the chicken and dumplings recipe I'd made so many years ago. And decided to try making it in the slow cooker. And it was awesome. Michael loved it, I loved it, James loved it.

So now the internet should love it too, right? It's creamy dreamy comfort food: perfect to warm you up on these cold January evenings. And using a slow cooker makes it even simpler to make.

Check out the original post here:

https://www.cookingactress.com/2014/04/southern-style-chicken-and-dumplings.html

Southern Style Chicken and Dumplings-Slow Cooker Method
Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients:

• 8 cups (64 oz) chicken stock/broth (or 8 cups water + 8 tbsp. bouillon)
• Approximately 1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
• pepper, salt, dried basil, garlic powder, to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (or substitute)

Preparation:

• Put chicken, broth, and seasonings in a slow cooker and cook on low for about 8 hours.
• Remove chicken and shred. 
• Skim any fat/scum off of the liquid and discard, along with the bay leaves.
• Turn heat to high.
• In a medium bowl whisk together flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, and baking soda. Stir in melted butter and buttermilk. Place on a lightly floured surface and roll out to about about 1/8" thickness. Cut out 2 in. shapes (or just tear them off).
• Plop dumplings into crockpot and put on the lid, cooking for 20 minutes on high. Stir occasionally.
• Add shredded chicken and stir until combined. Serve warm!
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

5 Ingredient Butter Roasted Tomato Sauce

My Italian husband is, understandably, quite picky about sauce. But it's led to a hunt for the creation of his version of sauce perfection. I know one of his chief complaints about my sauces in the past has been that they weren't thick enough, so when I saw this method for roasting tomato sauce to achieve that thick texture as if it had simmered for hours on the stove but actually was just in the oven for a bit, I knew I needed to try it!

And the results were YUM. This is actually my favorite sauce that I've made, thus far. It's admittedly still not quite Michael's perfection but he did really like it and oh my word the texture is dreamy and the flavor is just the perfect amount of garlic and richness. A total must-try!

Slow Cooker Amish-style Shredded Beef

And another new delicious dinner has been added to my rotation! Sometimes, particularly when James was small, my in-laws would come over and bring dinner (and play with the baby, of course). One day Michael's stepmom brought this incredibly flavorful, melt in your mouth, shredded roast thing that she served over egg noodles (alongside roasted carrots-which we just talked about a few weeks ago). I asked her how she made it and it involved a packet of onion soup-I really loved the dish and the idea of it so I set out to sort of make my own, from scratch, version. 

And I did-to MAJOR success. The only downside was attempting to name it. Google made it seem like this was similar to Amish shredded beef recipes so I sort of used that (I mean...I live near-ish to Ohio's Amish Country so...sure) but let me just sum it up for you. 

You create a flavorful gravy-like situation that a roast (along with some garlic and onions) slowly cooks in. Then it's falling apart tender and SO SO flavorful and you shred it up and mix everything together and serve on top of mashed potatoes or egg noodles or whatever suits your fancy. And it's SO DELICIOUS. Seriously...SO. FRIGGIN. GOOD.

Eat it.

Cheesy Chicken Crescent Bake

*gasp*

I'm blogging a recipe.

I KNOW. We're all shocked.

Guys...I'm sorry. Having a baby has completely consumed me and trying to keep up with housework, regular non-blog cooking, and other life things has kept me from making anything for you guys.

BUT HEY. I made something. Here it is! Hooray!

This is totally the perfect recipe for anyone who is busy and it's super family friendly because...yum...chicken and cheese. You pretty much stuff crescent dough with a cream cheese and chicken mixture and top with a sauce made with cream of chicken soup (which I made homemade because even though I'm busy I'm still me) and you top the whole thing with more cheese! Michael was a huge fan when he came home and tried a bite, and you'll love it too. It's comforting and tasty tasty tasty!

Creamy Chicken Pasta

I've been doing a lot more experimenting in the kitchen these days when it comes to cooking. Less recipes and more throwing things together. It's a little bit freeing! But...when you throw together the same recipe again and again and you love it and you realize...this recipe must be shared....then you write it down. And take pictures. And share it on your blog. This is what everyone does, right?

Naming recipes is hard. I'm not sure if you're aware of it, but it is. Trying to succinctly but accurately sum up what the recipe is like is SUPER tough! Like this...you pan fry chicken. Then you add the sauce ingredients into the same skillet (thusly using the delicious flavor left over from the chicken) and make a creamy sauce. And you eat it with the cooked pasta and chicken. And it's like...what do you call it? I feel pretty good about Creamy Chicken Pasta, but I don't know-what do you think?

It's really just comfort food. Like super flavorful creamy pasta and crisp chicken...it's a feel-good kind of meal. And I mean...feel free to mix some veggies in if you are so inclined. Personally that sounds terrible to me but I have an unfortunately strained relationship with the vegetables, and if you are one of the lucky people who likes them then I am envious and encourage you to enjoy them in this. Or not. Either way (as long as you like chicken) make it. It's gonna become a new favorite of yours like it is a new favorite of mine!

Half-Fried Chicken and Gravy

The original title of this post was Fried Chicken and Gravy. BUT...it's only kind of fried. It's fried and then baked. And it doesn't taste exactly like straight up fried chicken so...I changed the name to better represent what we're working with here.

Whatever you call it, I will admit that it wasn't quite as crisp as I wanted and...I don't know. The chicken itself wasn't my favorite (but that's just me, goodness knows I'm particular)--but the GRAVY. Oh mama the gravy is goooood.

The gravy is rich, and creamy, and so perfectly flavorful. And when you serve it with chicken and over some mashed potatoes, you are in comfort food heaven. Rainy or cold day? Make some of this. Had a fight with someone you care about? Make some of this. A beloved character on a TV show you love dies? DEFINITELY make some of this!

Spinach & Artichoke Quesadillas

I adore spinach artichoke dip. Seriously, I'm a big fan. My best friend, Alex, can claim credit for my love since she sort of forced it upon me. We used to go to TGI Friday's and she would insist that we share the spinach artichoke dip, even if I told her I wasn't a fan. She said, "No. You like it and will share with me." And I did like it, and I did share it with her. BUT I do not like to eat it with tortilla chips-I need some sort of bread or flatbread or some such to dip in it, or I'm just not about that life.

Which is the beautiful thing about these quesadillas--you can skip the whole step of dipping. The spinach artichoke yumminess is sandwiched between 2 tortillas and it's all warm and cheesy and tortilla-y and I am a BIG FAN.

The spinach and artichoke dip is super creamy and rich, and comes together on the stove crazy quickly. Then it's just about spreading some on a tortilla, topping with another tortilla, and heating in a skillet until everything is warm and crisp and happy-wonderful. Michael and I both give our seal of approval!

Salisbury Steak Meatballs

It's official. It took awhile, but it happened. Winter struck. So now it's chilly and there is sometimes snow and there are really only 2 things to be happy about with this wintry turn of events: Christmas and comfort food. Rich...warm....satisfying comfort food. And I've already decorated for Christmas so...until the 25th....it's comfort food time. And these meatballs are TOTAL comforting deliciousness.

I'm not like a person who's into salisbury steak-it always seems like a gross cafeteria food that is shown on TV. BUT when I found this recipe for salisbury steak meatballs...they sounded pretty darn fantastic. With the exception of the fact that there were mushrooms in it and Michael and I don't dig the 'shrooms. So I changed up the recipe a smidgen by removing the mushrooms BUT to keep some of that flavor I used truffle oil. Which is one of my favoritest favorite things.

But forreals this recipe is pretty darn simple to make (there's even a slow cooker option, although I'm never patient enough for that), and it's quickly become a favorite of mine and Michael's. And considering how darned repetitive and boring my dinner options tend to get (picky eater alerrrrt), it's always nice to add something new to the lineup!

So essentially what we end up with are really rich and flavorful meatballs in a gravy-like sauce situation and I like to serve them over mashed potatoes/mashed sweet potatoes but you can also spoon them over some noodles or some such. You do you boo.

Cheesy Chicken & Onion Skillet

Soooo I'm a pretty picky eater. Which means I tend to have a set number of dinner recipes that I like and make regularly, which means I oftentimes get tired of them/burnt out. So when I find a new entree to make that I like it is like a GOSH DARNED MIRACLE! And this recipe is one such miracle.

The inspiration for this recipe came from some cheese and onion chicken dishes I've seen on a couple restaurant menus, and that I've even ordered on occasion. But they never really knocked my socks off. So I thought about what could make them better. I decided flattened, breaded, chicken would be tasty. And sauteed onions that are just shy of caramelized would probably be pretty delicious. And a thick and creamy and rich cheesy cream sauce...yeah. That also seemed wise.

And it was. It so was!

Another beautiful part of this recipe is you make everything in one large skillet--first you cook the onions (then set them aside), then the chicken (which you also then set aside), and finally you make the sauce (which is made all the more delicious because it is partially flavored by the onions and chicken that cooked in there before). Then you add back in the onions and chicken. And serve it with mashed potatoes, over noodles, or rice, or just with some veggies or whatever. It's your life. Eat rich deliciousness however you want. I'm just saying that I loved it. And can't wait to make it again. And I think you should try it. Cuz it's tasty. And you'll like it.

Mkay?

Homemade Cheddar Pierogi {with Caramelized Onions}

This is a big one, guys. This is one of those recipes that like...changes your life. Ok...maybe that's dramatic.

...OR IS IT?

No but forrealsies, these are definitely a new favorite. Turns out-making homemade, from scratch, pierogi isn't that hard (I will admit that it dirties a lot of dishes, but it is TOTALLY worth it!)

Now, first of all, if you aren't familiar with pierogi: they're pretty much a pasta that is filled with mashed potatoes (and, in this case, cheddar cheese) and usually served with sauteed or caramelized onions. There's a bunch of variations but, in my opinion, this version is the best.

The pasta shell is tender. The cheddar mashed potato filling is perfectly flavorful and comforting. Sauteeing the pierogi in butter after boiling makes the texture and flavor even better. And serving them with caramelized onions is just perfection. I'm legit. obsessed. Michael is too. He took one bite and gave me a wide-eyed look, "These are amazing!" He was impressed. I was sort of impressed. You'll be impressed. If you need a perfect pierogi recipe-look no further! Or, if you just want a new idea for dinner tomorrow-also look no further! You need homemade cheddar pierogi in your life!

Cheesy Turkey Pesto Rolls

I can't believe I did it. This is something I practically never do. I...I used crescent rolls in a recipe. And I didn't make the crescent roll dough from scratch. This is not a thing I usually do but I know we don't always have time and...I wanted to make these. So I bit the bullet and used crescent roll dough. I hope we're all ok with this? Everything in moderation, am I right?

I feel like I've been pretty firmly in the old-for-my-age camp in a lot of ways for awhile. You know, I'd rather sit and watch Netflix or a movie than go out, I like to cook/bake (obviously), Michael and I bicker like an old married couple...etc. One of the few things that kept me from being too far over the edge is that I've never cared much for HGTV...and I don't knit. Well...now that I'm starting to get into the idea of house hunting...I am sorta loving HGTV all of a sudden.

...but so far I still don't knit.

But whether you're young-at-heart or old-for-your-age...or anywhere in between, you're gonna be all about these rolls! They're crazy easy to throw together and they make an awesome lunch or snack or appetizer or just grab-and-go sustenance! They're cheesy and pesto-y (so make sure to use a pesto you love!) and there's turkey so yay protein! They're also super customizable so feel free to play around with the fillings, and you can totally make them vegetarian (just...don't add any meat--ta da!) 

Creamy Herb Chicken Skillet

I'm always up for a new chicken recipe! Are you? I hope so because if not...well...you're probably only here for desserts and don't worry, I've got one of those coming to you on Wednesday.

So really we're all winners.

This dish was really delicious-the chicken is juicy and flavorful and the sauce is creamy and cheesy and...herb-y...? Herb-y isn't a word...herbaceous? I don't know if that really applies to this...oh whatever, you guys get the idea! It's a creamy sauce that is made with boursin (one of my fave kinds of cheese), yummy shallots, and garlic (of course)-and you make it in the same skillet you cooked the chicken so all of that goodness is up in there, too. I sent Michael some in his lunch and he texted me an enthusiastic "This chicken is so good! What's in the sauce?" and then after I told him he proceeded to make a pun about the Lady of Shalott that went over my head and then he had to explain it.

After all these years...there is still mystery. Keepin' the magic alive, folks.

Especially the magic of delectable chicken dishes.

One Pot Mexican Rice Casserole

Yepp. Another one-pot recipe. I'm serious about not doing dishes and feeding my hubby (seriously...if I don't feed him he gets all whiny and it's no fun. Ask anyone with an Italian husband lol.) Anyway, one of the beautiful things about this Mexican Rice Casserole recipe is you can definitely customize it based on your preferences! You can add in onions, peppers, corn, or any other veggies you fancy! You can also add in some cooked meat (so me making chicken and adding it sort of increased the dishes I needed to wash post this recipe but...that's ok! Plus you could just buy pre-prepared chicken or sausage or whatever and throw it in there to maintain the one-pot'dness.) And, although it's pretty healthy to begin with, you can make this dish even better for you by using brown rice (which I did!)

Regardless of any customization you decide to do, the base of the recipe is this: rice, veggies, spices, tomatoes, and cheeeese! It makes an awesome side dish or entree and is full of flavors! It's also colorful...which is pretty important for Michael and his food. He likes for food to be about more than just taste, he gets really into the textures and colors too. It's pretty hilarious, except when he's griping about how I make too many brown "bland" foods---but that's why I make recipes like this one! To keep me sane and make him happy! And so I can share the happiness and sanity-savingness with all of you. This "casserole" is a perfect weeknight meal and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

One Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo

Erm, I hate dishes. And I have a husband who is constantly needing variation in his cuisine (unlike me who is perfectly happy with all meat & potatoes, all the time). Soooo I'm getting really into the idea of making one pot meals for him. They're easy, the dirty pretty much 1 dish, and he gets something new to eat. I think we can all  agree that this is a win situation, yeah?

Michael has a mini love affair with New Orleans food--mind you, we haven't been to NOLA (yet) but when we go out to eat and a menu item says New Orleans or Cajun...Michael's probably going to order it. So I loved the idea of Cajun Chicken Alfredo! Not to mention--not only is this recipe quick and easy, and all made in one pot, BUT it also is made with ingredients you almost definitely already have (the Cajun seasoning is the only thing I needed to buy for this recipe, and I know Michael is happy that we now have that!) Oh yeah and...it's actually pretty healthy. Hooray!

Creamy, thick alfredo sauce (made from broth and milk-no heavy cream or butter!) that has that extra bit of Cajun spice envelops soft fettuccine noodles and perfectly seasoned chicken. Michael was definitely a fan, and I loved how simple the whole thing was. This will be getting made again...and again...and again....

Caramelized Onion and Roasted Garlic Pasta

Caramelized onion lovers only need apply.

..or, you know, not....I suppose you could always make the sauce and omit the onions. If that's the sort of path you want to take in life. Whatev. You do you, boo.

But I highly recommend the onions.

Psssttt...I also have a fun fact about this pasta for you....IT'S HEALTHY! The "sauce" is made from Greek yogurt, roasted garlic, and broth (I used chicken broth but if you're vegetarian you can use vegetable broth). If you're skeptical about the Greek yogurt, and worried it might be too tangy---um...don't be. I am NOT a tangy person, I do not care for that flavor profile. But I loved this pasta (it helps if you use a brand of Greek yogurt that's less tangy, like Fage, and also...those caramelized onions help too. Seriously. Just use 'em.)

Parmesan cheese, roasted garlic, caramelized onions...all over a big bowl of carbs!

...This might be my idea of heaven. If there are cookies for dessert than yeah, I'm definitely reaching a personal state of Nirvana with this situation. Thank you, pasta....thank you.

Mom's Pot Roast

I wish I could properly type out a cry of victory.

Maybe like this?: "EEEEEEEEEEE AHAHAHAHAAAAA YAYYYY YES YES!!"

Meh. It'll do. The important fact to take away is this: I love my mom's pot roast. And I have been unable to replicate it myself. UNTIL NOW! YIPPEE!

This pot roast recipe has been my white whale for YEARS now, and what's funny is....IT'S NOT EVEN HARD TO MAKE. Like....it's kind of insanely easy (you don't even need to sear the meat--the only dish you're gonna dirty is the crockpot! And cutting board...but still.) So why did I have problems? I didn't have the correct kind of slow cooker--I had a super old one that didn't have low and high settings-it had temperatures. And it seems like it couldn't cook it slow enough. I don't know, but what I do know is that I now have a real, beautiful, crock-pot and I took my mom's roast and made it my own. 

This was the recipe that my mom would always make for my birthday, or when I came to visit. And apparently the fact that I love roast caught on because then my mothers in law also started to make me their recipes. And they're ALL good. But...you know. There's something about the recipe that you grew up with...it's special. So I'm a bit partial. But...you know...I also am pretty into this whole cooking/baking thing. So I very slightly improved upon the recipe. But in minuscule ways (namely I added onions and I cut the potatoes smaller so they would cook all the way through, as my mom's tend to be hard and uncooked in the middle sometimes because they're too big of chunks).

Anyway. Let me tell you about this roast--it falls apart. Like...insanely tender. SO flavorful. And you can really add any veggies you want (like carrots, for example) but I'm a big fan of potatoes and onions (yes...those orange veggies are potatoes--cooking in the juices turns them that color. And makes them melt in your mouth delicious). This is gonna be your new fave. I'm so excited. It was so good.

Just Chicken Pot Pie Pizza

One of my oldest recipes on this blog is still one of my favorites: Just Chicken Pot Pie. It's all the rich yumminess of pot pie without all those yucky vegetables (hehe...). Sooo when I saw the idea of a pot pie pizza I immediately got excited to try it--but a "Just Chicken Pot Pie" version!

Soooo-what is this pizza, exactly? It's a delicious chicken-y pot pie filling (made from onions, butter, chicken broth, and milk-mostly.), shredded cooked chicken, and cheeeeeese. All on a pizza crust. It's actually super simple and is def. a great option for any picky eaters in your house! I

I was super due for a new pizza recipe, so this could not have come at a better time. Plus Michael was only luke-warm about it (he felt like it was too bland, which is a common complaint when I make foods that I like lol)---which you may think is a bad thing but NO because it meant MORE PIZZA FOR ME! It's cheesy and rich and chicken-y and just mmmmmmmm mmmmm! (I'm very eloquent about my food, as you can see!)

Sausage Gravy & Biscuits Casserole

Here's a conundrum for you-I don't like sausage. But I like sausage gravy and biscuits. It's weird but...eh...whatever. Anyway, me finding out that I like sausage gravy is a fairly recent event and so when I saw a recipe for sausage gravy & biscuit casserole...I was like-yeah. I've got to make that.

And so I did. And...I had to heavily adapt the recipe because I do not know what was up with the milk measurements but they were definitely off. I also decided to make the biscuits drop biscuits to save all of us a little time and effort. And now I have thoroughly tested this for you and can pretty much guarantee that it will be perfect and you will love it!

Obviously...this is total comfort food. It's rich and flavorful and makes you feel good. The biscuits have some cheese in them because-I mean...yum. They bake in the delicious sausage gravy, soaking up a lot of that flavor. And you then have this fantastic-ness. Which I knew that I loved and I figured Michael would tolerate. Umm...he came home. He tried it. He went "Mmmmmmm! Oh my God...this is really freaking good." YES...yes it is!