Slow Cooker Sausage Breakfast Casserole

1 (30 oz) package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
1 lb ground sausage (I used Italian sausage), browned and drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
12 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
Spray a 6 quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray (you cannot make this recipe in a smaller crock pot because it won’t fit). Layer 1/2 of the potatoes on the bottom of slow cooker.
Top with half of the sausage, cheddar and mozzarella cheese, onions, green peppers, and red peppers. Repeat the layers again.
Beat eggs, milk, and salt and pepper in large bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Pour egg mixture evenly over potato-sausage mixture.
Cook on low setting for 8 hours or on high setting for 4 hours or until eggs are set.
Top with green onions, salsa, tomatoes, mushrooms, avocado- whatever you like!

Reeses Peanut Butter No-Bake Bars

Ingredients
1 cup salted butter (melted)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 (11 oz) bag milk chocolate chips

Instructions
Combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Pour peanut butter mixture into a 9x13 pan.
Melt chocolate chips in the microwave (at 50% power) for 1-2 minutes. Stir chocolate and pour over the peanut butter mixture. Spread chocolate with a spatula. To even out chocolate, tap pan on the counter.
Refrigerate bars for one hour. Cut while bars are still cool. Enjoy!

found at http://www.iheartnaptime.net/no-bake-bars/

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes
Makes a 9 x 13 pan
Ingredients:
2 pounds potatoes (unpeeled, washed and chunked)
½ cup ranch dressing (bottled)
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for topping (if desired)
¼ cup crumbled, cooked bacon
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
3 scallions, washed and chopped
Salt, to taste
Garlic Powder, to taste
Black ground pepper
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix together, in a large bowl, the ranch dressing, dill, cheese and bacon.
Add in the potatoes.
Sprinkle in a pinch of salt and pepper.
Toss to coat potatoes.
Spoon into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
Cover with foil.
Bake for 60 minutes.
Stir gently halfway through to get the bottom potatoes rotated so they don’t become burnt and to
ensure that the middle and top potatoes get a chance to brown.
Remove foil.
Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Gently stir again, as necessary.
Bake for an additional 15 minutes, then sprinkle on a little more cheese, if desired.
Bake a few more minutes or until everything is gooey, browned and bubbly on top.
Serve with scallions sprinkled on top for garnish.

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb Italian Sausage (spicy if you prefer more heat)
5-7 slices of bacon
5 medium russet potatoes
2 c kale, chopped
1 c heavy whipping cream
1 qt water
2 cans of chicken broth
1/2 large onion
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Crumble the sausage onto a baking sheet. Bake the sausage in the oven at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes or until no longer pink. Place on paper towels to drain.
2. Cook the bacon and crumble into small pieces. I baked my bacon. Slice the potatoes between 1/8? and 1/4?. I used the thick setting on my mandolin. Just make the slices about the same size so they cook evenly. Dice up the onion and mince the garlic. Throw the potatoes, onion, garlic, chicken broth, and water into a large pot on medium heat until the potatoes are cooked through.
3. Prepare the kale by chopping into bite sized pieces. Kale is wonderful for soups because it holds up to the heat so well. It’s also delicious! Add the sausage, bacon, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. During this time the potatoes will start breaking apart into smaller bite sized pieces because they are so tender. Turn the heat to low and add in the kale and heavy cream. Let the soup heat through and serve. We like to serve this soup with some grated Parmesan cheese on top. Delicious!

Adrienne found this great recipe at http://www.momontimeout.com/2011/11/olive-garden-zuppa-toscana-soup/

Chicken Florentine Bowtie Pasta

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped white onion
1 clove minced garlic
4 cups baby spinach leaves
2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Cups Philadelphia Cooking Creme
1 pound bowtie pasta or other small noodle
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Place oil in Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in spinach leaves, cook, stirring until wilted about 2 minutes. Add chicken, salt, and pepper, and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add cooking cream, stirring to combine.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and run under cold water to stop cooking. Add pasta to chicken mixture stirring to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish and top with cheese. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until cheese is melted.Makes 8 servings

Recipe found at: http://picky-palate.com/2011/08/05/chicken-florentine-bowtie-pasta/

MOZZARELLA MEATBALLS

This one is for you Adrienne, you may want to cut it in half, but you will still probably end up freezing a bunch!! You can serve this with BBQ sauce(recipe included), or with marinara on a sub sandwich, this is a very versatile meatball recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 lbs. lean ground beef
• 15 sticks of mozzarella string cheese
• 3 c. dry bread crumbs
• 2/3 c. milk
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 c. minced onion
• 2 T. minced garlic
• 1 T. salt
• 2 tsp. black pepper

Sauce: 

1 1/3 cups ketchup
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced onion
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1 Cut each string cheese into 8 equal pieces - freeze until time to form meatballs.
2 Preheat oven to 500°F.
3 Combine beef, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl.
4 Shape into 1 to 1 1/2 inch meatballs, around each piece of frozen mozzarella. Seal meatballs well to keep cheese from oozing out.
5 Mix sauce ingredients together and set aside.
6 Place meatballs closely together on lightly greased broiler pans or rimmed baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes and cool (if planning to freeze); around 30 minutes if planning to eat right away.
7 Add sauce to last 15 minutes of baking if cooking that day. If freezing meatballs, add sauce to freezer bag and add cooked, cooled meatballs to it.
8 If cooking after freezing - thaw completely.
9 Preheat oven to 350°F.
10Pour meatballs and sauce into ungreased baking dish. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until meatballs are heated through. Serve over rice or noodles.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/mozzarella-meatballs-297687?oc=linkback

Bourbon Street Chicken - Crockpot Style

INGREDIENTS:
2-3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tbls. cornstarch
2 tbls. extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp. ground ginger or more if you like a stronger ginger flavor
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper - or more if you like it spicy
2 tbls. applesauce, sweetened or not
1/4 cup bourbon or whiskey
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tbls. ketchup
1 tbls. cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup lite soy sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk all ingredients into a crockpot. Add chicken and coat with mixture.
Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Serve over rice.