Ranch Seasoned Potatoes

I swear I could eat potatoes everyday.  They are so versitile and in the kitchen can be prepared so many different ways; mashed, scalloped, fried, roasted... the list goes on! 

You can eat them for any meal of the day.  I love seasoned potatoes with a big omelette or with a plate of chicken and veggies like we did with these.  

Ok, my mouth is watering...

Ranch Seasoned Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 packet Ranch salad dressing and dry seasoning mix
Olive oil cooking spray
1 teaspoon salt


Directions:

Preheat oven to 425º.

In a large bowl add potatoes and spray lightly with the cooking spray.

Then, add in the Ranch dressing mix and salt. Toss well to coat each potato piece evenly.

Line a baking sheet with foil or spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Pour potatoes onto the baking sheet and spread out potatoes evenly.

Bake in oven until potatoes are cooked through, and edges start to turn very dark brown, approximately 20-25 minutes.

To check to see if they are done, pierce one of the larger pieces of potato with a fork to see if it is soft.

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Baked Potatoes

Baked potatoes are an ideal meal for families whose taste preferences vary.  Also, baked potatoes are very filling and you can load them up with lots of broccoli and say it's healthy!  

Yea! 

Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

4-6 large russett potatoes

sour cream

cheddar cheese, shredded

bacon, crumbled

butter

(anything else that sounds tasty on top of a piping hot potato)

Directions:

Preheat oven to about 350º.  Wash potatoes and poke holes with a steak knife on all sides.  Coat with olive oil and roll in sea salt.  Bake directly on the rack (I always put an empty cookie sheet down on the rack below to catch juices...think: clean oven).  Cook until fork tender.  About an hour and a half.  The time really depends on how many potatoes you have. 

Once they are done, use a fork to perforate one side and mash it open.  

Load the open potato with your favorite toppings and dig in!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I keep saying how I don't like to bake, but then these fun recipes find me and I feel compelled.  So, since it's #bakingeverythingwithpumpkinseason.  I thought these would be a good addition to my growing list of treats.  

Thanks The Girl Who Ate Everything  

I wish I was you. 

Ingredients:

1 Betty Crocker Super Moist Spice cake mix

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 (15oz) can pumpkin puree

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 container Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.  Use baking stone or baking liner on a cookie sheet

2.  In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, butter, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, eggs and milk.  Mix slowly for abour 30 second until mixed. Then beat for a couple minutes.  Batter will be a bit wet. 

3.  Use a cookie dough scooper to scoop out dollops on to the baking stone.  Try to make them all the same size. 

4.  Bake for about 10-11 minutes.  Let them cool completely. 

5.  Frost a cookie with cream cheese frosting and top with another cookie.  Store in an airtight container and in fridge until ready to eat.  

Lasagna Spinach Wheels

What is better than saucy noodles stuffed with cheese and spinach? 

These rolls are pretty easy to make and I liked being able to serve them individually. It makes for a prettier plate when serving. 

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Ingredients:
9 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
salt and fresh pepper
1 jar spaghetti sauce
9 Tablespoons mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Make sure you drain the spinach well. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, Italian seasonings  and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry by patting them with a paper towel. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over a noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 Tablespoon of mozzarella cheese. Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.

To serve, ladle a little sauce on the plate and top with lasagna roll.

Pizza Pockets

I like to cook. Never will I claim to really know what I'm doing, but I find it relaxing and I love to eat so it's the perfect hobby for me. One thing I forget is that my kids aren't always as excited about trying new recipes as I am. So in tribute to my sweet boys this meal is for them.

Pizza Pockets

Ingredients:

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough

marinara or pizza sauce

3-4 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon melted butter

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

8-12 ounces mozzerella cheese, cubed

various pizza toppings of your choice: pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers. . .

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425º.  Use a pizza stone if you have one, otherwise lightly spray a baking dish with cooking spray. 

Unroll the dough on to a lightly floured surface and press into a large rectangle (about 12"x8" Think that a sheet of paper is 8.5"x11").  Cut into 24 squares.  

Place cheese and other toppings into the center of each square.  Gather the sides of each square and pinch closed to create a ball.  Place each ball seam side down on the pizza stone. 

In a small bowl, mix melted butter, garlic powder and Italian seasonings together.  Brush the tops of the dough using a pastry brush.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 

Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. 

Serve with warm pizza/marinara sauce for dipping.