Macaroni and Cheese Calzone

Do you enjoy eating Macaroni and Cheese but hate that it isn't portable? Well now it is!

Introducing the Macaroni and Cheese Calzone! It's all the macaroni and cheese flavor you love with the addition of tasty sausage in a great convenient hand-held edible container! 

This is sure to be a great hit with your family, and leftovers are a snap! Just cover any non-eaten calzones with foil wrap and store them in the fridge until you are ready to eat them again. Now you can take macaroni and cheese on the go, to school, to the park, even to the movies with you which will save you on the cost of popcorn. Enjoy!

• 1 14oz box of your favorite Macaroni and Cheese, cooked and prepared how the package states (I used Kraft Mac 'N Cheese)
• 12 oz of your favorite Sausage (I used 4 3 oz Apple Gouda Sausages), cooked and sliced
• 1 package Active Dry Yeast (.25 ounces worth)
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 1 cup Warm Water
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Step 1: To make the dough, start by dissolving the yeast in the cup of warm water. You want to make sure the water is warm and not hot in order to give the yeast a little jump start. Once it has been dissolved add in the sugar, salt, and 1 Tbsp Olive Oil. Mixture together and slowly start to add in the flour. Knead the dough on a lightly floured area or just play with it in your hands until it becomes elastic. Place 1 tsp of Olive Oil in a bowl and place the dough in there, making sure to cover it with the oil (this will help prevent the dough from drying out). Cover the bowl with a paper towel and let sit for about an hour (or until the dough doubles in size).

Step 2: While the dough is sitting, make your Macaroni and Cheese and cook your sausages if you haven't already. Slice and dice the sausages to a size you like, and then throw the pieces in with the macaroni. Set aside.

Step 3: Once the dough has finished resting, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Farenheit and then break your dough into two equal pieces. Set once piece aside and with the other break it in half again. With a rolling pin, roll each of these dough pieces into separate circles. Place a good amount of the macaroni and sausage mixture in the center, then sprinkle some shredded cheddar on top of the macaroni, and finish by folding one side of the dough on top of the other side and pinch the edges closed. Do this with your remaining dough until you have four calzones. If you have extra macaroni, set it aside and eat it later.

Step 4: Take out your cookie pan and place a piece of parchment on it. Place the calzones on the parchment paper and then take a knife and carefully cut a hole or two in the top to prevent the calzones from exploding in the oven. Before you place the calzones in the oven brush them with the remaining oil to help give them a nice crust when they finish baking. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Enjoy!


Note: Serve these calzones with a side of cheese sauce or pasta sauce, or both! :D


 Yield: Makes 4 calzones

Super Stuffed Chili Cheese Sliced Baked Potatoes

Beware! These are not for the faint of heart!

There is so much gooey deliciousness going on here that at first we just sat and stared at this meal's awesomeness. You will not need a side dish with this, and if you can finish this in one sitting I will be impressed!

Seeing an image on Pinterest of a sliced baked potato (you slice the potato but don't cut it all the way so it is still attached) I used that for my inspiration. And since baked potatoes in themselves are already a tasty meal, I decided to add everything in my house that I felt would be a good match; I was not disappointed! We feasted on gloriously stuffed potatoes that night and went to sleep with full, happy bellies. Plus since we have leftovers, we enjoyed the meal the following day for lunch (we usually take leftovers for lunch, makes packing out lunches easier on me).

Feel free to add or remove components to make this meal suit your tastes as we did, and most of all have fun with this dish. Enjoy!

• 2 Russet Potatoes
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 2 tsp Cayenne Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Salt
• 2 slices of Bacon (cooked and crumbled)
• 10.5 oz can Chili
• 1 Jalapeno (diced)
• 1/4 cup Green Onion (chopped)
• 1/4 cup Onion (diced)
• 1 Avocado (mashed)
• 1 cup Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 tsp Flour
• 1 tsp Chives

Step 1: Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash and scrub your potatoes to get them clean. Once cleaned off, take a knife and carefully start slicing the potato, but make sure not to cut it all the way through. You want the potato to remain together to make it easier to eat. Next make your butter sauce by combining 2 Tbsp of melted butter with 1 tsp cayenne and 1 tsp garlic sauce. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and cover with the butter sauce, making sure to get some of the butter in between your slices and on the skin. Then place the sheet in the oven and cook for 50 minutes.

Step 2: When you have about 15 minutes left you will want to start heating up your chili and making your cheese sauce. For the sauce, start by dissolving the flour in the 1/2 cup flour. Once dissolved, place mixture on a sauce pan and combine it with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese,  the cayenne, and the chives. Stir until cheese is melted on medium to medium low heat. At the same time, heat up your can of chili in either the microwave or stove top (I cooked mine on the stove at low heat).

Step 3: Once the 50 minutes has passed, take the potatoes from the oven. Then start dressing it by first placing 1/2 shredded cheddar cheese in the potato cracks. Follow with the chili, and then top with the cheese sauce you made, jalapenos, green onions, onions, and avocado. Serve with sour cream, your favorite hot sauce, and diced tomatoes. Enjoy!


Yield: Makes 2 potatoes

Greek Deviled Eggs

Made these for the same party I brought the Cheddar Bacon and Jalapeno Deviled Eggs to and these Greek Eggs were by far the favorite! Enjoy!

• 12 Eggs
• 3/4 cup Mayonnaise
• 10 Black Olives (diced)
• 3/4 cup Feta Cheese
• 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tomato (diced)
• 1/2 cup Fresh Basil (chopped)
• 1 Tbsp Black Pepper

Step 1: Place all the eggs in a pot big enough to hold all of the eggs. Cover eggs with cold water and cook the eggs uncovered until the water boils. Once the water starts boiling, turn off the stove and cover the pot. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Step 2: After the 15 minutes pass, place all of the eggs into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Place bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to completely cool. Once cooled, peel all of the eggs.

Step 3: Slice each of the eggs in half and place the yolks in a bowl, set the whites aside. Mash the egg yolks. In another bowl, combine the olives, feta cheese, balsamic, tomato, basil and the mayonnaise. Add the mashed egg yolks on top and mix together.

Step 4: Place the yolk mixture in a Ziploc bag and cut off the corner. Place the egg white hole-side up and using the Ziploc, squeeze the yolk mixture into the holes of the eggs.

Step 5: Once all the eggs have been filled, sprinkle any leftover feta, basil, and the black pepper over the tops of the eggs. Enjoy!


Note: If you have any leftover yolk mixture, save it and make an egg sandwich with it later, or cut open an avocado and place the egg mixture in the spot where the seed is and enjoy!


Yield: 1 dozen eggs

Cheddar Bacon and Jalapeno Deviled Eggs

Yes it's egg season! 

Now I love a lot of things: puppies, grilled cheese, garlic, bread... I can go on and on! However I can't forget eggs as they are definitely on my list of things I love. Hard boiled, soft boiled, poached, sunny side up, scrambles; if you can cook an egg I will most likely eat it.

That being said, for my first party of the Spring time I decided to bring with me two different types of deviled eggs. I have been seeing a new trend online with bacon-jalapeno everything, so I decided to apply this trend to my deviled eggs. I also made some Greek Deviled Eggs, but I will post that recipe up tomorrow. Enjoy!

• 12 Eggs
• 3/4 cup Mayonnaise
• 6 strips Bacon (cooked and crumbled)
• 1/4 cup Shredded Cheddar
• 2 Jalapenos (diced)
• 2 tsp Cayenne Powder
• 1 Ziploc Bag

Step 1: Place all the eggs in a pot big enough to hold all of the eggs. Cover eggs with cold water and cook the eggs uncovered until the water boils. Once the water starts boiling, turn off the stove and cover the pot. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Step 2: After the 15 minutes pass, place all of the eggs into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Place bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to completely cool. Once cooled, peel all of the eggs.

Step 3: Slice each of the eggs in half and place the yolks in a bowl, set the whites aside. Mash the egg yolks. In another bowl, combine the bacon (set aside a tiny bit of bacon to top the eggs with), jalapenos, 1 tsp cayenne, and the mayonnaise. Add the mashed egg yolks on top and mix together.

Step 4: Place the yolk mixture in a Ziploc bag and cut off the corner. Place the egg white hole-side up and using the Ziploc, squeeze the yolk mixture into the holes of the eggs.

Step 5: Once all the eggs have been filled, sprinkle the rest of the bacon, cheddar cheese, and cayenne powder over the tops of the eggs. Enjoy!


Note: If you have any leftover yolk mixture, save it and make an egg sandwich with it later, or cut open an avocado and place the egg mixture in the spot where the seed is and enjoy!


Yield: 1 dozen eggs

Cheesy Sweet and Tangy Fried Pork Chops

The 2 things I have found that my boyfriend loves almost as much as video games (keyword "almost") are my cat Catatafish and delicious food. Well let me change that, it would be a tie for second between video game and delicious food with Catata coming in fourth and me in first (I've told him it is ok to love video games more than me but he just won't listen).

Anyways, one of our new found loves with food is using the deep fryer. I was fortunate to receive a deep fryer for Christmas after all the hints I gave him ("Babe! These stuffed mushrooms would be delicious deep fried!" or "Omg, can you imagine what real authentic deep fried fish and chips would taste like?!") and I have to say it was one of the best gifts ever aside from my fancy knives.

So when dinner came around my eye caught the deep fryer and I knew it was time to bust the bad boy out! Since we love us some country fried steaks, I decided to deep fry us some pork chops! And since I had recently just talked to my mom, the combination of pork, apple sauce, and sauerkraut were stuck in my head (I mentioned to her I was cooking pork and she informed me of my Nana's favorite way to eat them as the combo I just mentioned). Going off of this combo I decided to use apple in the marinade and add some cheddar cheese to the mix since sauerkraut and cheddar go well, and apple and cheddar go well, so why wouldn't all three! The meal came out way better than expected, which made me super happy that I wrote it all down! If you make these, I am sure you won't be disappointed! Enjoy!

• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 2 tsp Apple Cider
• 1/2 tsp Mustard Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Powder
• 1/4 cup and 2 tsp Flour
• 4 3 oz Pork Chops
• 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 tsp Butter
• 3/4 cup Sauerkraut
• Oil for frying in (I use peanut or canola oil, but any oil will do)

Step 1: Combine the honey, brown sugar, apple cider, mustard powder, cayenne powder, and 1 tsp of flour in a bowl. Mix well until it is smooth and not lumpy. Cover the pork chops in this mixture and set aside. 

Step 2: Set up the deep fryer and turn to 350 degree Fahrenheit. If you don't have a deep fryer, use a nice sized pan with a large enough rim that will be able to hold enough oil to cover the steaks while cooking (turn stove top to medium high).


Step 3: Go back to your pork chops and place 1/4 cup flour on a plate. Cover the pork chops in this flour on all sides and set aside (you may or may not need more flour, so keep it on hand). Once the frying oil is hot enough, start cooking the pork chops for 5 minutes each.

Step 4: While the pork chops are cooking, pull out a small sauce pan and combine the milk, butter, cheddar cheese, and 1 tsp of flour and melt at low to medium low heat. Stir every so often to make sure the cheese melts. At the same time in another sauce pan, heat up the sauerkraut on low heat.


Step 5: Once the pork chops finish, place them on a plate and cover them in the sauerkraut and then smother them in the cheese sauce. Before serving, add a pinch of black pepper if you wish. Enjoy!


Yield: 2 servings (2 pork chops each)

Chorizo and Cheese Tortellinis

I know I haven't posted anything in a while, but it is because I haven't been able to get into the kitchen and cook anything from scratch. I don't like posting up recipes from box meals even if I do tweak them a lot, unless it is an amazing recipe that I think people would want to try. I like to post up things that are my own ideas and own creations since I find more pride in that for myself.

But hopefully I won't have to wait so long in between posts now as I have a few things coming up that will get me back into the kitchen! Some deviled eggs and Samoa cookie knockoffs will be coming up soon, so stay tuned!

Any who, I decided to make some tortellinis last night. They have always scared me a bit since I never understood how to fold them, however I found a great youtube video that made it so easy to understand (I posted the link in the steps). Combining chorizo and cheese seemed like an amazing idea, and taking that one step further and infusing that into a pasta was just magic! I hope you enjoy these as much as my boyfriend and I did! Enjoy!

• 10 oz Chorizo, cooked
• 2 Tbsp Garlic
• 2 3/4 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 cup and 2 Tbsp Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup Italian Cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup Cotija (or Parmesan Cheese)
• 1 Tbsp Pesto
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Water
• 1 6 oz can Tomato Paste
• 3 cups Flour
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
• 1 cup Tomato Sauce
• 1 14.5 oz can Diced Tomatoes (drained)

Step 1: First you will want to combine your cooked chorizo with 1 Tbsp garlic, 1/4 tsp Paprika, 1/2 cup cream cheese, 1/4 cup Italian cheese, 1/4 cup cotija cheese, and 1 Tbsp pesto. Mix thoroughly and then set aside.

Step 2: Beat eggs in a bowl. Add oil, 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt, water, 1/2 tsp paprika, and 6 oz can tomato pasta. Once mixed, add 3 cups Flour 1 cup at a time and mix until you have a dough-like substance. Dough will be very sticky, so keep extra flour on hand and use as need be. Knead dough for 5 minutes on a floured surface and then set aside and cover for 20 minutes.

Step 3: After dough has set break into 4 balls. Take the first piece and place on a floured surface, take a rolling pin and roll the dough out as thin as you can (the thinner the better since you will be folding these, and you don't want your tortellinis to be too doughy). Cut the dough into even squares and set the squares aside. Mix in the leftovers into the next ball of dough and continue the rolling and cutting process. You should have anywhere from 48-72 squares.

Step 4: Place a few squares down in front of you and add a small ball of chorizo mixture to the center. Fold the square matching the corners so you have a triangle. The make a fold by rolling the base (the chorizo pocket) upward. Fold both corners in and tuck under the hole. (Here is a video guide to help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlBFWQH7de4 (not my video, but I used it for reference as it is a great demo)). Do this for all of the squares you have left. If you have any chorizo mixture left, set aside.

Step 5: For the sauce, you will want to combine the tomato sauce, 3 Tbsp cream cheese, 2 tsp paprika, 1 Tbsp garlic, and the 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes in a saucepan. Cook on low heat and stir until cream cheese has been dissolved. Keep at a low simmer while you cook the tortellinis.

Step 6: In a large pasta pot, bring enough water to cover your tortellinis to a boil and then place your tortellinis in to cook. Cook tortellinis for 5-8 minutes (check periodically as homemade raviolis do not take as long as store bought tortellinis to cook). Once finished, place tortellinis on a plate and cover with the pasta sauce. Enjoy!


Yield: Makes 3-4 servings.

Cheesy Tuna and Green Bean Casserole

Mmmmmm Tuna Noodle Casserole. One of those foods that always brings back fond childhood memories. Taking a traditional Tuna Casserole and exchanging the peas that my family would sometimes put in it with green beans and adding some delicious cheese makes this casserole a wonderful dinner meal.

This can either be eaten by itself as the full meal or feel free to make a side dish to go with it! And another great thing about this dish is that the leftovers make for a tasty lunch! Enjoy!

• 9" x 5" Baking dish, or another dish of your choice
• 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• 6 ounces pasta (I used Fusilli pasta)
• 1/4 cup Diced Onion
• 10 3/4 ounce can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup
• 14.5 ounce can French Style Green Beans (drained)
• 5 ounce Canned Tuna (drained)
• 1/2 cup French Fried Onions (I used cheddar cheese flavor)
• 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/3 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Cottage Cheese
• 1/4 cup Chopped Green Onion (1 stalk)
• 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp Thyme
• 1/4 tsp Ground Sage
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. While oven is heating, cook your pasta. Once cooked, drain and set aside. Tip: To help prevent the noodles from sticking together, add a little butter while the noodles are warm and stir until it dissolves.

Step 2: Combine the diced onion, minced garlic, 1/8 of the green onions (set the other 1/8 aside for now), cheese soup, milk, Old Bay, thyme, sage, and black pepper in a pot and cook over medium heat. Stir until concoction becomes smooth. Remove from heat, add in the cottage cheese, stir, and then set aside.

Step 3: Grease baking dish and add in the pasta. Place green beans and then tuna on top of the pasta, and then cover with the cheese concoction. Mix a bit in the dish, but you don't have to mix it a lot, just to get some of the cheese down to the bottom.

Step 4: Cover dish with the shredded cheese, french fried onions, and the remaining green onions. Cover with aluminum and bake for 25 minutes. Then remove the aluminum and back for another 5 minutes, or until the shredded cheese starts to melt. Enjoy!

Yield: 4-6 servings, depending on your portions.

Deep Fried Apple and Brie Bites

This is a recipe I created after receiving a deep fryer for Christmas. These come out tasting just like little mini Apple Pies or Apple Empanadas.

Beware, this recipe can get messy so you will want to make sure you have some extra paper towels waiting in the wings. Also, these can be reheated in case you are bringing them someplace. Just make them before you leave, and when you get to your destination just heat them up in the oven for 5-7 minutes at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Enjoy!

Apple and Brie Filling

• 3 Fuji Apples
• 1/2 lb. Brie Cheese
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 20 crushed Vanilla Wafers

Step 1: Peel and dice apples to very small bits. Set aside in a large bowl when done.

Step 2: Break up Brie cheese into very small pieces and add them to the apples. Add in honey, vanilla extract, and crushed wafers to the bowl and then stir. You should end up with a very mushy looking but very tasty apple concoction. 

Step 3: Set bowl in the fridge while you prepare the Funnel Cake batter.

Funnel Cake Batter

• 3/4 cup Milk
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Step 1: In a large bowl, beat the egg until it is frothy. Slowly start combining the other ingredients into the egg until smooth. The mixture should be a little on the thicker side so if you feel you need to add more flour, be my guest!

Creating the Apple and Brie Bites

• Apple and Brie filling
• Funnel Cake batter
• 20-30 crushed Vanilla Wafers (to coat the bites in)
• Oil for frying

Step 1: In a deep fryer or large pot, heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2: While oil is heating up, it is time to get messy. Carefully roll the Apple and Brie mixture into little balls or clumps, making about 5 or 6 at a time. Drop them in the Funnel Cake batter and coat them evenly. Once coated, drop them in the crushed wafers and coat them, giving them a nice Vanilla Wafer shell.

Step 3: Once oil is fully heated up, add bites to the oil and fry until golden brown. Once browned, remove from the fryer and set aside on some paper towels to dry off. Bites will be a little soft as they first come out of the fryer, but will stiffen up after cooling a bit.

Step 4: After you have fried up all the bites, place them on a plate and server warm! Feel free to add a little dash of confectioners' sugar on the top of them before serving!

Yield: Makes about 24-36 bites, depending on how big you roll them