Homemade Velveeta Sauce

In the grocery stores, Velveeta has gone up in price, anyone else notice?  Growing up, Velveeta was a staple in my house in the '80's.  I was curious, yet skeptical, if two ingredients would give me the same flavor and consistency as Velveeta would.  

The recipe is adapted from Listen to the Mrs.  I love how quick and easy this is to put together, as well as being frugal!  Great substitute to make for any recipe calling for Velveeta!  It's even good for like Cheez Whiz!  Thinking of my mom's Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole right about now.... Or is anyone in the mood for some queso with this and some Rotel?!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup heavy cream

10 slices processed American cheese

Heat the cream and cheese together, stirring until cheese is melted and thick in a saucepan.  Or heat ingredients together in a bowl in the microwave for about 2 minutes.  Stir until nice and creamy.

When the cheese has cooled, it should "harden" just like the Velveeta does.

Chocolate Cheesecake (1st Attempt)

Many years ago, I got some springform cake pans for a gift.  They have sat in my kitchen mocking me, every time I looked at them.  I was intimidated to use them to make my own cheesecake.  Yesterday, I conquered that fear!  While the appearance is not perfect, the taste is de-li-cious!  

The recipe I used did not educate me enough about how to prevent cracks in the cake...I did not know that would even be an issue!  Needless to say, I will try these tips later to get my perfect cheesecake.  My husband was very skeptical about me baking my own cheesecake vs. buying one.  As rich and full of flavor, it was everything he hoped and expected from a store-bought dessert, but from Angela's Kitchen, aka Me.  The recipe is from Allrecipes.com.  (Please make note that this is my first time to make this cheesecake.  If you are apprehensive, please read the tips posted earlier in the paragraph.)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup melted butter or margarine

1 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers

1/4 cup sugar

24 oz cream cheese softened

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups chocolate chips

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Mash together the butter, crumbs, and sugar.  Spray your springform pan with a nonstick cooking spray.  Press the mixture evenly in the bottom of a 9-inch pan or a 10-inch pan,   if you don't want as tall of a cake.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually, add the sweetened condensed milk, until nice and creamy.

Add your melted chocolate.  I melted mine in the microwave for 1- minute, stirred, then for another 30 seconds.

On low, mix the chocolate with the cream cheese.  Add the eggs and vanilla, but do not overmix.  

 Pour the "dreaminess"into the pan.  I've heard that placing the springform pan in a water bath helps prevent the cracks.

Bake for about 50-65 minutes.  When the middle is tested, it will still be creamy.  I read that if the center 3" seems wobbly, it's ready and that it will continue baking as it cools.  The toothpick should not come out "dry" when tested.  Let cool until at room temperature, then place in refrigerator.  Garnish with chocolate syrup.

Quick Cheese Pizza Bites

Trying to clear out the freezer, I thawed out some hamburger buns bought on clearance that I bought a while back.  These Pizza Bites make good snacks for appetizers or meals that is quick, easy, and frugal.  I am on my second batch of buns drying out.  The first set did not last long.

Ingredients:
1 package of dried out buns (hamburger or hot dog)
Marinara
Mozzarella Cheese


Preheat oven to 400.  On a cookie sheet place dried out bun halves, with the "insides" up.

Generously, spoon marinara on each one.  It did this twice, as the bread soaked up the first layer of sauce.  I also like my pizzas saucy.

Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Bake in oven for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

variation:  Add pepperoni, sausage, onions, green or red bell peppers, mushrooms, etc to your liking.

Sweet Sausage Calzones

You need two hands to eat these Sweet Sausage Calzones!  They are so soft, and sturdy; they won't fall apart on you.  I grew up on this bread recipe.  I love it!  I was on a hunt for a new recipe to use up some thawed sausage from the freezer; I am very happy with these.  You can do a different filling like with seasoned hamburger and shredded cabbage, if you'd like.  I have a feeling I'll be making more of these to fill my family for dinner and/or snacks!

Ingredients:

Dough
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup milk
41/2 - 5 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 packages of yeast

Filling
1 roll of ground sausage
1 diced onion
1 large red bell pepper diced
1/2 large green pepper diced
4 cups mozzarella cheese
oil
marinara sauce (optional)


Put wet ingredients into bread machine on dough cycle, followed by the dry.  Follow bread machine instructions, for order.  (I had to kinda help mix mine together at first, with all the flour involved.)  Let it rest only for 30 minutes, not for the full cycle duration, once the kneading is done.  Or the dough may explode on you! (Oh, no!)

Brown your sausage, onion, and peppers until fully cooked and browned.  Drain grease.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Once your dough is done, portion into 8 sections.  Roll out a section at a time, on a floured wax paper, for each calzone to fill.

Portion 1/3 cup of filling on 1/2 side of rolled-out dough.

Top with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.

Fold other half of dough over the toppings.  Fold ends up, and then crease with a fork.  Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Prick each calzone to ventilate.  With a tablespoon, smear some oil over the top of each calzone.  

Bake in oven for about 9-10 minutes, until nice and brown.

Serve with your favorite marinara sauce or plain.

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

This casserole is one of my family's favorite dishes.  I usually don't have leftovers.  I had just finished making a turkey earlier in the week, that I bought last year.  In place of the chicken, I used turkey; it tasted great.  I like that you can throw in any kind of veggies that you want; it's great for the little bit of leftovers.  The recipe is adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Ingredients:
14.5 oz spaghetti**
1/2 onion diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper
1/2 cup red bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh chopped spinach
1/4 cup corn (optional)
1/3 cup green chilies diced make your own
1 can cream of mushroom soup homemade
1 can cream of chicken soup homemade
2 cups milk*
1 can Campbell's Fiesta Nacho Cheese soup
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
Garnish with diced tomatoes and shredded cheese.

In one large pot, cook your spaghetti according to the directions on package.  **I've also made it with bowtie pasta as well; it was a super-hit with one of my 4 boys, as he does not like spaghetti much.

In a small saucepan, saute the onion, peppers, spinach, corn, and green chilies until soft.

*If you are making your own cream of chicken soup, add 1/4 cup diced mushrooms.  This will substitute the two canned cream soups and the 2 cups milk.  You will not need to make the cream of mushroom soup.  I love that I can throw it together, it's pretty forgiving.  You only need to make one of the homemade soups.  Hence, there's only 3 cups water and 1 cup milk, plus the seasoning and mushrooms.

In a large bowl, combine your soups, milk*, chicken, sour cream and the cooked veggies.  Then, stir in the cooked spaghetti.  It wasn't until just recently that I decided to add a sour cream to give it a more creamier flavor.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray with a nonstick cooking spray a 9x13 pan.  Place the pasta into the pan.  Cover and bake for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.  Garnish with the diced tomatoes and shredded cheese.

Husband & Kid Tested & Approved