Pizza Tot Casserole

I found this recipe for pizza tot casserole here.  Sounds interesting doesn't it?!

1lb. ground beef
1 jar pizza sauce
10-15 slices pepperoni, chopped
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 bag frozen tator tots

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brown ground beef and drain grease. Mix in pizza sauce and pepperoni. Heat for a few minutes. 

Pour meat mixture into bottom of 9x13 dish. Cover with mozzarella and tater tots. 

Bake at 425 for 30 minutes or until tots are crispy. 

Mini Monkey Bread

This is another recipe I've been seeing a lot on Pinterest. I made these the same night I made the zuppa toscana. Great combo!

2 (7.5 oz) cans buttermilk biscuits

6 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tbsp garlic powder

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray muffin pan with nonstick spray. Cut biscuits into four pieces and place in bowl. Mix butter, garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese together and pour over biscuit pieces.  Place 6-7 pieces in each muffin cup. Sprinkle with more parmesan cheese. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. 

Crock pot Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana is one of the best soups you can get. If you don't know what it is, it's the potato soup from Olive Garden!!  When I found a recipe to make it in the crock pot I knew I had to make it asap!

1 lb. Italian sausage 

2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced in small pieces

1 large onion , chopped

¼ c. bacon bit (optional)

2 garlic cloves , minced

16 oz. can chicken broth

4 cups water

2 c. kale or 2 c. swiss chard , chopped

1 c. heavy whipping cream

Brown your sausage. If there's any grease drain that off. 

Place sausage, chicken broth, water, onions, potatoes, and garlic in slow cooker. Add your bacon now too if you want bacon in yours.

Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until potatoes are soft.  

Add kale and whipping cream. Mix and serve. 

SO GOOD!! I actually doubled the recipe and it filled my crock pot to the top. We each had a bowl and it barely made a dent so I have lots in the freezer. It didn't taste exactly like Olive Garden's, but it was still really good. 

Pineapple Sweet & Sour Chicken

When we go to a chinese restaurant I always get sweet & sour chicken. Usually I get it without the sweet and sour sauce, so really it's just chicken nuggets. I like the sauce but I also like just the chicken, I'm a weird person sometimes.  This recipe looked like it would be a win win because once I made the chicken Marley ate that for dinner and then I continued on with the recipe and that was dinner for Mike and I. I knew Marley wouldn't like it but it was nice to be able to not have to make two different things to accommodate her.

12 ounces frozen Popcorn Chicken

1 pkg (16 oz each) frozen bell pepper stir-fry vegetables (I couldn't find bell pepper ones)

2 cans (8 oz each) pineapple chunks in juice, drained, 1/4 cup juice reserved 

(I used one can and that was enough pineapple for me)

2/3 cup Sweet and Sour Sauce

2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

Cook chicken according to package directions. 

In a large skillet mix frozen veggies and pineapple juice. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover and cook until veggies are tender. 

Add pineapples, sweet & sour sauce, and soy sauce into skillet. Stir and cook for a few more minutes until sauce thickens. 

Mix in hot chicken. 

 It was pretty good. It did taste a lot like pineapples so next time I might not use so much pineapple juice but otherwise it was delicious!