Tag: dinner inspiration

Faux Margaritas and Mexican Pizza

It’s going UP ON A TUESDAY!!! Since we can celebrate as we normally do I decided to host a Cinco de Mayo VIRTUAL Fiesta and I’ve invited everyone I know to join and cook along with me on Tuesday at 7 pm CST on my Instagram live (@severalpeoplesmama) In order for everyone to be on the same page I have posted a menu and grocery list on my Instagram page and below. I’ve linked my White Queso recipe here and the rest is below. I am excited to see y’all tomorrow night!

Recipes:

Faux Margaritas- you can make these Margaritas according to your preference. If you like a sweeter margarita add more lime sherbet. If you like a tangier one, add less and more ice. This recipe is adapted from Scissors and Spatulas.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of ice
  • 1 quart of lime sherbet- use less for a tangier version
  • 1 can of frozen lime concentrate or frozen margarita mix. This can be found in the frozen juice section of your grocery store.
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • 1-2 cups of ice
  • 2-4 shots of tequila (optional)
  • 1 lime cut in slices for garnish

Directions:

Add ingredients to a blender and blend! This makes a pitcher of margaritas to enjoy. Leave out the tequila for the kids and just add a shot to yours as a topper. See family friendly lol!

Mexican Pizza:

  • 2- 2 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 packet of ranch dressing mix
  • 2 packet taco seasoning
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • Garlic and onion powder

Side note: Since we are making nachos I included larger quantities of the ingredients above so you can cook enough meat for the pizza and nachos. You will use half for the Mexican pizza

  • 1 can (15 oz) refried beans
  • 1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce
  • 1/4 cup diced tomatoes or pico de Gallo
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • 8 flour tortillas, taco size
  • 1 Tbls vegetable oil or cooking spray
  • Green onions, black olives, sour cream, salsa and guacamole for toppings

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet brown ground beef, breaking up into small pieces. Once cooked, add taco seasoning, ranch seasoning, garlic and onion powder and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Taste to see if you need salt. This ground beef mixture should be thick just like Taco Bell’s.

In a large skillet or griddle pour half of the oil or spray with oil spray generously into the pan. Heat over medium high heat. Add tortillas and cook for 4-5 minutes, flipping frequently, until crisp. Repeat with remaining tortillas and add more oil or spray if needed.

Spread about 1/4 cup of beans evenly over the bottom of each tortilla. Top with taco meat. Place another tortilla over the top of the meat. Spread about 2 Tbls of enchilada sauce evenly over the tortilla. Sprinkle the cheese in an even layer over the top. You can add green onions, tomatoes or pico and black olives now or you can add directly after the pizzas are out of the oven while cheese is still hot. Place each pizza on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and everything is hot. Slice and serve. Feel free to add toppings of choice.

Hope to see y’all Tuesday night on IG love at 7 pm and if not you can still have a fiesta whenever at your home by trying these recipes.

Shrimp Stuffed Shells with Easy Garlic Bread

This recipe right here!!! If you know us you know we absolutely LOVE seafood and almost any recipe that uses it is a winner in our book. This dinner did not disappoint! We used shrimp but you could add crab meat or crawfish or switch it out completely and use chicken. And the garlic bread is so easy to prep and make and tastes so much better than store bought. We truly enjoyed this meal and we hope you try it and enjoy it as well. Let’s cook!

Ingredients (For Shells)

  • 1 box of jumbo shells
  • 1/2 to 1 lb of shrimp (you can use precooked but I prefer raw so the shrimp are not overcooked)
  • 4 tbsp of butter, divided
  • 2-3 tbsp of olive oil
  • 3 tbsp of minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 bag of fresh spinach (can use frozen just pre cook in microwave and make sure to squeeze out as much liquid as you can)
  • 1 block of cream cheese (softened)
  • 1-2 cups of shredded cheese, Italian mix
  • 1-2 cups of shredded cheese, Mozzarella
  • 1-2 cups of Parmesan cheese (you can use grated but I prefer the fresh for this recipe. You can find it in the refrigerated section of your grocery store)
  • 2 cups of half and half or heavy whipping cream or combo of both
  • 1/2 cup of white wine (optional or you can use chicken broth or water and a bouillon cube)
  • 1 cup of sliced mushrooms (optional)
  • Seasonings: I used garlic salt & powder, onion powder, ranch dressing mix, Cajun seasoning and Italian seasoning

Directions:

Cook shells was directed. I add oil and salt to my water. Drain and set aside to cool. Reserve a cup of pasta water. Spray with cooking spray so your shells won’t stick together. Melt 1-2 tbsp of butter with the olive oil in a skillet on medium. Add onions and 2 tbsp of garlic and sauté. Add mushrooms if using. Cook til soft. Add spinach and sauté til wilted. Finally add shrimp. I did preseason my shrimp with garlic powder and Cajun seasoning. Cook shrimp til almost thru. Do not overcook. Drain shrimp and veggie mixture and add to a bowl with softened cream cheese. Keep the liquid and place back in the pan after draining as this is the base for our sauce. Combine shrimp mixture with cream cheese and add Italian mix cheese and Parmesan cheese if using. Lightly season mixture with garlic powder, ranch dressing mix and onion powder.

Now let’s make the sauce. With liquid in pan turn on high heat. Add white wine and let alcohol cook off which should be 3-5 minutes. Turn heat to medium high and add another tablespoon butter and the remaining tbsp of minced garlic. Stir til melted. Whisk in half and half or heavy whipping cream. Once it starts simmering add Parmesan cheese by whisking in slowly and add seasonings. Turn heat to medium low and let simmer for about 3-5 minutes. Don’t walk away because you don’t want to burn your sauce. Make sure to taste sauce to see if you need additional seasoning. Turn off and cover. While sauce is sitting it will thicken. If you need to thin it out add pasta water while on low heat. Add 1/4 cup of sauce to bottom of 9×13 baking dish. Go ahead and stuff your shells with the shrimp mixture and add to dish. Once dish is full cover the shells with sauce. Spread layer of Italian cheese mix and Mozzarella on top. I also sprinkled Parmesan cheese and a shake of Italian seasoning. Bake on 350 for about 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted thru. I also placed my dish under the broiler for 2-3 minutes because I love those brown bits of cheese. Enjoy with Easy Garlic Bread and a side salad.

Easy Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick of softened butter (not melted) just let it sit out on the counter that morning
  • 1 tbsp of minced garlic
  • 1 tsp of garlic salt
  • 1 tsp of Italian seasoning
  • Fresh basil (optional)
  • 1 squeeze of fresh lemon (optional)
  • 1 loaf of French or Italian bread cut in half lengthwise
  • Italian cheese (optional)

Directions:

Turn on broiler. Mix butter and seasonings & lemon juice together. Spread on bread. I add cheese to one half of the loaf and leave the other half with just the butter. Put under broiler for 2-3 minutes. Watch closely and don’t walk away or you will burn the bread (ask me how I know lol). Serve with your favorite pasta dish.

I can’t tell y’all again how delicious this meal was! We will be adding this to our dinner rotation. I added video from when I made this in my highlights on my IG page so go there if you need a little help and I am always available in the DMs! Also tag me if you make this!

Love Ricki

Easy Cheesesteak Egg Rolls with Provolone Cheese Sauce

At the suggestion of one of my InstaFramily sisters I decided to convert my Easy Cheesesteak Sliders into Egg Rolls and I also created a Cheese Sauce to dip the rolls into. This recipe was easy and filling and would be great appetizers or meal with fries added. Let’s get cooking by making our cheese sauce first!

Provolone Cheese Sauce:

Ingredients:

  • Provolone cheese (I used the cheese slices which I chopped up into squares)
  • 1/4 cup of chopped onions and green bell peppers
  • 1 tbsp of minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup half and half or heavy whipping cream
  • 1-2 tbsp of flour
  • 1tbsp of olive oil
  • 1-2 tbsp of butter

Directions:

Add butter and oil to saucepan until melted on medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté until softened and add garlic. Sauté for 1-2 additional minutes. Add flour. You may need to add additional butter or oil before add ingredients the flour if your sauce pan is dry. Turn heat down to medium low. Cook flour for 2-3 minutes. You want to make sure you cook out the flour taste. Add half and half or heavy whipping cream slowly while whisking until all is incorporated and a sauce forms. Add cheese and whisk in slowly. It’s done! These cheese sauce is great for dipping the egg rolls in or make cheesesteak nachos!

Cheesesteak eggs rolls:

  • 1 package of Beef Shaved Steak (the one I used was 14 oz and more than enough for 4 people)
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper sliced (feel free to use more if you like)
  • 3 tablespoons of butter (you will use 1 to cook the veggies and the other 2 to melt over your rolls)
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2-3 slices of Provolone cheese sliced into strips
  • 1 cup of Italian style cheese mix
  • To season my meat I used approximately 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of Seasoning salt (Tony’s), onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, & about 1-2 tsp of Steak sauce (use sparingly because it could get salty real quick!)
  • Egg roll wrappers
  • Oil filled pot for deep frying or you can use a deep fryer

Directions:

In a medium sized sauce pan I added the olive oil and tablespoons of butter and let it melt on medium low. I turned it up to medium high and then added the onions and peppers and sautéed them for about 2-3 minutes then I put the heat on low and let them simmer. I turned the pan back up to medium high and added my beef directly to the pan along with my seasonings and steak sauce. After the beef was cooked thru I turned the heat off and let the mixture cool.

I put my pot of oil on medium high to prepare for frying. You can also bake these in the oven or use an air fryer. Once the mixture had cooled some I added about a tablespoon or so of the beef mixture to a egg roll wrapper and topped with a provolone cheese strip and folded according to instructions on back of package. Once grease was hot I added my egg rolls and fried for 1-2 minutes on each side. This step takes no time so do not step away from the kitchen! Once fried a golden brown I drained in a paper towel and added a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional).

These were awesome and we enjoyed eating there them all up! If you try them please tag me on Instagram @severalpeoplesmama

Love Ricki

Spaghetti Mac – Cook with Me

Hi y’all! I am sharing my recipe for Spaghetti Mac which is an easy alternative to plain old spaghetti and something ALL my kids enjoy. This recipe will give you an easy meal that can stretch your budget! I have also included my cook with me video so visit my YouTube channel to see how I made it!

Ingredients:

    1-2 lbs of ground beef or turkey. You do not need a lot of
    meat for this dish so this is a great way to stretch your
    budget!
    1 jar of prepared spaghetti sauce or marinara (use more if that’s your preference)
    ½ cup of onions ( I used frozen)
    Seasonings – Tony’s creole seasoning, garlic and herb or
    Italian seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder and
    ranch dressing mix but you can use whatever you like!
    1 package of elbow macaroni·
    8 ounces of processed cheese product (Velveeta) cut into
    1 inch cubes
    1-2 cups of shredded cheese. I used Colby Jack but
    Mozzarella or any other cheese would be good as well.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil pasta in a pot of water per directions. I add oil and salt to my pasta so it won’t stick but that is optional. Brown ground meat in a pan with onions. Drain fat and then add seasonings and sauce. Simmer on low. Drain cooked pasta and add to casserole dish or 9×13 pan (spray pan first to prevent sticking). Add half of cubed of cheese and stir throughout the pasta. Add sauce and stir to combine. Add shredded cheese on top and rest of cubed cheese. Place in oven for 15-20 minutes in order for cheese to melt. Once finished baking, let sit for 10-15 minutes so the casserole can set. Serve with a salad or fav green vegetable!

Check out my YouTube video here:

Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana and Homemade Breadsticks

Yesterday I decided to try my hand at making a soup I’ve made a few times before, Zuppa Toscana in the Instant Pot and it turned out delicious and super easy. I am sharing that recipe below as well as homemade breadsticks made by scratch but took no time to whip up with a stand mixer. I would suggest if you can make your breadsticks an hour before you start the soup as they need time for two rises. Let’s cook!!!

Ingredients for Breadsticks:

  • 2 cups of warm water (not hot)
  • 2 tbsp of sugar
  • 1 packet of fast acting yeast (this equals 2 1/4 tsp)
  • 2 tbsp of butter
  • 4-5 cups of flour
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1/2 stick of butter melted
  • 1 tbsp of minced garlic
  • 1 tsp of garlic salt
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions for Breadsticks:

Add water and sugar to mixing bowl of stand mixer and stir. Add yeast and stir and let stand 5-10 minutes until yeast is foamy. Add butter, salt and 3 cups of flour. Mix with paddle until dough starts forming. Change out for dough hook and then add more flour a cup at a time as needed. You want dough to not be sticky but you don’t want it to be dry. It should not stick to your hands when touching. Take dough and form in the shape of a ball, spray or oil your bowl and then add ball and cover with towel. So my dough rises nicely. I place my bowl on my stove and turn my oven on to 170 degrees and the heat is just enough to help it rise nicely. Once doubled in size punch down with fist. Remove from bowl and shape in a rectangle. With a sharp nice cut into strips vertically. Place strips on well oiled cookie sheet. Turn stove up to 350 degrees and set cookie sheet on stove covered while you make your soup. After a 30 minute rise remove towel and place the breadsticks in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. Combine melted butter, minced garlic and garlic salt and pour over breadsticks after they come out of the oven. Top with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Ingredients for soup:

  • Ground sausage (I use breakfast sausage)
  • 3 peeled potatoes
  • 1/4 cup of onion
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • 4-6 cups of water ( or you can use 3 cups of chicken broth)
  • 1-2 chicken bouillon cubes
  • 1 bag of spinach or you can use the traditional kale
  • Seasonings – I used Italian, ranch, seasoned salt, garlic and onion powder and basil

Directions for soup:

Turn on sauté function on Instant Pot. Add olive oil, onions and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add ground sausage and cook til browned. Once browned you can drain any excess oil. Add water and chicken bouillon cubes or chicken broth if using. Add potatoes and seasonings. Place lid on and set o high pressure for 10 minutes. When finished let natural release for 5 minutes then switch to quick release to release rest of pressure. Add heavy whipping cream and stir. Add spinach and kale and let sit on warm for 5 minutes while spinach wilts. Taste for seasoning and add if necessary. Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired. Serve it up with the breadsticks and salad for a complete meal.

The soup can easily be made on the stovetop just let lightly boil on stove for 15 minutes so potatoes can get tender before adding heavy whipping cream and spinach.

I hope you make and enjoy both recipes and as always if you make it tag me on IG @severalpeoplesmama

Love Ricki