Sunday, January 31, 2010

LoLo's Lasgana Roll Ups

Let me start by saying..OMG!!! This was an amazing dish and Matt could not stop talking about how delicious it was. I was in the kitchen all day long yesterday baking and preparing this wonderful Saturday night supper .. it was Italian night at the Sullivan's!!! The original recipe was Mama Depandi's Cannelloni from one of my favorite magazines, Paula Deen. I could not find cannelloni shells, so I thought instead of buying manicottii shells, I would do Lasagna roll ups.

Ingredients:
2 Tbl. Olive oil
1 c chopped onion
2 (28oz) cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 c finely chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
2 tsp ground black pepper, dived
1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
1 (16oz) package of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (15oz) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 c Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan cheese divided
1 (8oz) box cannelloni shells, cooked acccording to package directions (I used 1 box of Lasagna noodles instead)



In a dutch oven , heat olive oil over medium-high heat. add onion, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until tender.

Add tomatoes, basil, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Bring to a boil;reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes. Preheat oven 350. Spray a 3 1/2 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.


In a large bowl, combined, ground beef, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, 2 tbl Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, remaining 1 tsp pepper and 4 tbl sauce mixture. (stuff Cannelloni with meat mixture). I spread meat mixture on precooked lasagna noodles and then rolled them up and secured it with a toothpick. Place in a single layer in prepared baking dish. Top with remaining sauce mixture. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese evenly over sauce.


Bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.


Buon appetito!






























Friday, January 29, 2010

Girls Night Treat!!

Similar to "Gooey Butter" for those of you that have heard of it. SOOO YUMMY. The girls will LOVE this. Can't wait to share it with them.

Cream Cheese Butterscotch Bars

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 Stick butter, mixed
4 eggs
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
16oz. Box Confectioners Sugar
Butterscotch Morsels

1. Mix cake mix, butter and 1 egg. Press on bottom of 13 x 9 inch dish.
2. Mix cream cheese, 3 eggs and confection sugar. Stir in butterscotch morsels (about 1 cup).
pour over top
3. Bake 350 35-45 min. (until it sets pretty firmly).


Cool and put in fridge before cutting.

Enjoy!!!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Better-for-You Turkey Meatloaf

Meatloaf is a perfect comfort dinner on a cold winter night. We LOVE meatloaf especially when it is healthy. This was on tonight's menu. It was delicious. Try it out and let me know what you think:) Enjoy.




Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl.

Add ground turkey and sausage; combine mixture just until blended, using hands.

Place mixture on a lightly greased rack in an aluminum foil-lined broiler pan; shape mixture into a 10- x 5-inch loaf. Top with stewed tomatoes, and sprinkle with brown sugar.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 35 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 165°. Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes.




I served it with peas, baked potatoes and butternut squash. YUMMY
Ingredients:
3/4 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup diced green bell pepper
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
2 pounds lean ground turkey
1 (16-oz.) package reduced-fat ground turkey sausage
1 (15.5-oz.) can stewed tomatoes with green peppers and onions, drained
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar















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Monday, January 25, 2010

Sit Doggie Sit

No, I do not have a dog but grew up with dogs my whole life. One of these days we can have a little puppy of our own, just waiting for my hubby to say yes. Matt grew up with a cat and a dog and so well we started our family with a kitty first. Fergie is our sweet little 2 year old kitty..although she does not like strangers. I have gotten more comfortable around cats now that I have one of my own which I use to be absolutely terrified of them. Dogs require a lot of work which I am so ready for but Matt is not quite so ready for a pup. I cross my fingers everyday in hopes he says yes:)

It is amazing the things that have come out for animals through out the years. There are sweaters, amazing beds and oh just kiosks in the mall with assorted doggie treats. It was amazing.. I could not believe it. We were in Raleigh visiting my brothers and soon to be sister-in-law. Mom, Emily and I were shopping and ran upon this kiosks with doggie treats as if it were a bakery of cookies for humans... It was incredible

Peanut Butter Stars, Cinnamon Rolls, Bacon Dogs and Cheddar Cheese Bones

Parmesan Twists, Cheddar Cheese Bones

Murphy- My doggie-in-law! Murphy loves his fluffy bed and is full of all the yummy treats he enjoyed that day.

Let me introduce you to Miss Fergie Sullivan:
She loves hiding! I was taking down the Christmas decorations and found the perfect picture opportunity:)
Fergie LOVES the screened in porch watching the birdies!


Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Mid Week Rush

It is Wednesday and that means the mid week rush is here. In the mist of all the hustle and bustle we need not to forget what is important and you all know that would be food for my family.

I LOVE my crockpot! I prep in the morning and while I am hard at work my dinner is a cookin'. When I walk in the door in the evenings dinner is ready to be served and that makes for a relaxing evening. Here are a few easy slow cooker tasty meals that the one and only Paul Dean creates.



Slow Cooker Stuffed Green Peppers


6 large green bell peppers
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
2 cups chicken stock
1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
¼ cup chopped walnuts
1 large egg
Salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon nutmeg


Directions
In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, cooked wild rice, ½ of the can of chopped tomatoes, onion, cheese, egg, walnuts, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix well. Cut just the tops off of the green peppers and remove seeds and ribs from inside. Stuff with ground beef mixture. Place stuffed peppers stuffed side up in a slow cooker and pour stock and remaining tomatoes over. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours or on LOW for 8-9 hours.
Servings: 6Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 8 hrs Difficulty: Easy




Slow Cooker Cheese Stuffed Meatballs and Sauce

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
4 tablespoons fresh parmesan cheese, grated
1 to 1 1/2 cups Italian dry bread crumbs
3 large eggs1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 oz. fresh mozzarella, divided into 12 pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 jars of your favorite red sauce
2 pounds spaghetti, cooked al dente
Directions
In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, garlic, basil, parsley and dried oregano. Add bread crumbs 1/2 cup at a time until mixture is not to wet and can be formed into balls easily. Form mixture into 12 balls using your thumb to press a hole in the center. Insert a piece of the fresh mozzarella into the hole and close the hole by pushing the meatball mixture around it to secure the mozzarella inside each ball. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and drizzle olive oil into it. Add meatballs and cook until just browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs into a slow cooker. Pour red sauce over the meatballs and cook on LOW for approximately 5 hours. Serve the stuffed meatballs and sauce over spaghetti.
Servings: 6Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time: 5 hrs Difficulty: Easy



Chicken and Rice Casserole

1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of celery soup
1 4 ounce jar pimentos
1 8 ounce can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
2 14 1/2 ounce cans green beans, drained and rinsed
3 cup diced cooked chicken
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
1 cup mayonnaise
1 6 ounce box long-grain wild rice, cooked according to package directions
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese 1 pinch salt



Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat butter or oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.
Add all remaining ingredients to bowl and mix together until thoroughly combined.
Pour into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.
Servings: Prep Time: Cook Time: 25 min Difficulty: Easy




Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Perfect Hostess Gifts from Coffee City USA


While flipping through my Southern living Magazine I found the perfect hostess gift for my mom for Christmas. The "Nostalgic Tins" from Coffee City Usa are modeled after coffee cans from the 1940s and filled with fresh grounds of the most delectable flavors of coffee. I sent my mom the "Carmel Mudslide" and the "Hazelnut Cream" and she raved over them. For just $7.95 each you can't go wrong and a gift they can enjoy everyday.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

"Frames For the Babe"

I love trying to think of cute crafty gifts to give to friends. Need a great gift for the arrival of a little one, or a congratulatory gift for a mommy to be? See the cute frames that I made for friends.




Sweet Maggie Grace loves her pink and green frame and it looks great in her nursery.



You can personalize the frames until mommy and daddy find a picture of their choice. Our newest little baby friend, T.J's daddy loves Tim Tebow so I put a picture of Time Tebow in the frame. T.J is already a huge Gators fan!

Instructions:
Simply get your wooden frames at Michaels. First, paint the frame the color of your choice. Then you take round sponge brushes and paint the dots on the frame, let dry and then tie with a ribbon of your choice. Last, find a cute picture out of a magazine. Happy framing:)

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Baby, It's Cold Outside.....

What is better than sipping on a cup of warm hot cocoa on a cold blistering night cuddled on the couch watching a movie.. NOTHING!! Let me share one of our "light" evening delights.






Sullivan's Sweet Delight "Light" Hot Cocoa-



What you will need:






Heat your cup of milk until warm, add your diet hot cocoa mix and reheat 20 seconds.





Top with Ready Whip!!! ENJOY!!!





MMMM, YUMMY


Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Let's Recap 2009!

It's the start of a New Decade and what better time to start new traditions. The Sullivan's are excited to enter into the world of blogging and want to start by recapping 2009. What a wonderful year! The major events consisted of Logan's older brother, Meade getting engaged, Matt turning 30.. that's right... 3-0, celebrating our 1 year anniversary and Logan's younger brother, Wes graduating from college. So let our journey begin and enjoy the life on "Sullivan's Isle."



We started 2009 with a girls weekend and the mom's to West Palm Beach


My First 5k



Mint Julep


BOSTON for Matt's 30th!

1 year anniversary in wine country


GT/GA Thanksgiving Weekend!





Merry Christmas!


Happy 2010!