~ Cooking With Kait ~

Tater Tot Casserole

***YOU WILL NEED AN OVEN SAFE CASSEROLE DISH

Ingredients:

1. 16oz package of FROZEN Tater Tots (32oz bag - $3.50)
2. 1lb of lean ground beef ($3.50)
3. Medium onion - Only half with be used ($0.83)
4. Can of condensed cream of chicken ($1.50)
5. Shredded cheddar cheese ($1.99)
6. Salt ($0.50)
7. Pepper ($1.50)

                                              TOTAL COST: $13.32 ***Prices will vary

TWO (2) PREPARATION STEPS:

1. Dice half of the onion
2. Preheat oven to 375

 FIVE (5) SUPER EASY and FAST Steps:

1. Heat a skillet to medium heat then add the ground beef and cook until browned. Shake salt and pepper onto the meat to flavor. Remove the juices.
2. Add the diced onions to the ground beef in the skillet. Stir until onions have softened.
3. Put the ground beef & onion mix into a casserole dish. Stir in the cream of chicken (DO NOT DILUTE WITH WATER). Make sure the mix is evenly covering the bottom of the dish.
4. Add the frozen tater tots on top until they completely cover the ground beef mix. Place in oven for 30-40 minutes or until tater tots are golden.
5. Take the dish out of the oven and layer the top with cheese. Put back in the oven and keep in there until melted. Take it out, let it cool and enjoy!

This recipe was pretty fun to make, huh? It’s so cheesy and all the good things on earth. I hope you love this recipe as much as I do now. Until next time…

XO, Kaitlyn

Who loves pepperoni pizza and quesadillas? Well what if they’re combined? Two heavenly things put together into one dish… it’ can’t be true. Well it is! Pepperoni pizza quesadillas. They are the perfect lunchtime meal or snack. I truly love how easy this recipe is. Right when I was done making them, I instantly gobbled them up. Please try this one for me. It’s super yummy. Also, if other toppings want to be added instead of just pepperonis, go for it! This is a “what your heart desires” kind of recipe. So with that being said, get to it!

 Pepperoni Pizza Quesadillas

***YOU WILL NEED A SKILLET

Ingredients:

1. Flour Tortillas ($1.99)
2. Package of Pepperonis ($1.99)
3. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese ($$1.99)
4. Pizza Sauce ($1.79)

                                              TOTAL COST: $7.76 ***Prices will vary

 FIVE (5) SUPER EASY and FAST Steps:

(Depicted in the pictures = 3 quesadillas cut into 4; 12 pieces in total)

1. Heat a skillet to medium heat then add your pepperonis and toss them around until they’re crispy. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain. (The pepperonis I used came with two packs each with 28. I used only one pack.)
2. Lightly spread pizza sauce on the tortilla that will be used as the bottom. If lifted up the sauce shouldn’t run. Repeat with the other 2 tortillas.
3. Sprinkle cheese on the bottom tortillas then add the pepperonis then add another layer of cheese. Lightly spread pizza sauce on the 3 tortillas that’ll be used as the tops then place on top of the bottom tortillas, sauce facing downward.
4. Reheat a skillet to medium heat then place a quesadilla in the middle and fry for 3 min on each side and until cheese is melted and tortillas are golden. Repeat with the others.
5. Once done, place on a plate and cut them into 4. Serve with the rest of the pizza sauce and enjoy!

Good or what?! I hope you had fun making this one. I love it because it’s super CHEAP, fast to make, and delicious. I recommend making this one a household staple. Have a good night everyone.

XO, Kaitlyn

I am a huge bacon lover! Anything with bacon, I will probably eat it. This next recipe will have your taste buds dancing because mine sure were. Honey Glazed Bacon Wrapped Chicken is one of the yummiest recipes I have ever made and tasted. So, if you’re a bacon lover, this is the perfect recipe for you.

Honey Glazed Bacon Wrapped Chicken

***YOU WILL A BAKING SHEET OR PAN

Ingredients:

1. Boneless Chicken Breast Tenders ($5.59)
2. 2 Packages of Thin Bacon Strips ($2.50)
3. Salt ($0.50)
4. Honey ($2.99)
5. Coarse Dijon Mustard ($3.79)
6. Lemon Juice ($0.99)

                                              TOTAL COST: $16.36 ***Prices will vary

PREPARATION STEP:

1. Preheat the oven to 425.

FIVE (5) SUPER EASY and FAST Steps:

1. Cut the chicken breast tenders at a diagonal in half to make shorter strips.
2. In a bowl, mix 3 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons mustard, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Mix until there is an even consistency.
3. Lay a strip of bacon flat on a plate or a cutting board, place a piece of chicken on top and roll the bacon around it from left to right. Repeat with the rest of the bacon and chicken.
4. Place the chicken concoctions into a baking pan or on a baking sheet. Using a spoon or a brush, glaze the tops of them bacon wrapped chicken with half of the marinade.
5. Place them into the oven for 10-13 minutes. Until crispy. Take them out and repeat step 4. Place back into the oven. Once nice and crispy, take them out, let them cool, and enjoy the deliciousness.

They’re yummy, right? And you want to know what’s so great about these? They are perfect appetizers for parties or just to eat when you need a snack. I’m so glad that the Internet introduced me to this amazing recipe, and I’m more than glad that I get to introduce it to you. Make them when you have the chance, they really are delightful!

XO, Kaitlyn

To be honest with everyone, I use to hate eating vegetables. I was probably the pickiest eater when I was little, but now I just want to eat everything! I love vegetables so much now that I don’t mind eating them by themselves. I want to share with you guys these super easy and super fast asparagus recipe. And to top it off, the asparagus is going to be covered in parmesan cheese. If you guys love eating vegetables by themselves or use them as a side dish, this is the recipe for you!

Baked Parmesan Asparagus

***YOU WILL A BAKING SHEET

Ingredients:

1. Asparagus ($4.03)
2. Olive Oil ($3.49)
3. Salt ($0.50)
4. Pepper ($1.50)
5. Shredded Parmesan Cheese ($1.99)

                                              TOTAL COST: $11.51 ***Prices will vary

PREPARATION STEP:

1.  Preheat the oven to 400.

FIVE (5) SUPER EASY and FAST Steps:

1. Wash the asparagus spears and pat them dry. Cut the bottoms off where they start to fade green.
2. Place them on the baking sheet and drizzle a small amount of olive oil over them. Stir them around until they’re all completely covered.
3. Shake some pepper over all the spears then do the same with salt.
4. Sprinkle as much Parmesan cheese as wanted.
5. Place the asparagus into the oven for about 8 minutes then once they’re done take them out, let them cool, and enjoy!

So how easy was that? Another thing that can be done to make this recipe even more delectable is to eat the asparagus with butter or mayo. I prefer butter because I’m not big on tons of mayo unless it’s the light mayo. But anyhow, I hope this is a recipe that will become common at the dinner table. Have a lovely afternoon!

XO, Kaitlyn

This recipe is one that is working its way up my favorites list. It’s so yummy and quite filling. Not only does it look delicious when it’s being made, it looks even more delicious when it’s done! It’s a definite keeper.

Baked Chicken Breasts with Green Beans & Red Potatoes

***YOU WILL A 9x13 BAKING PAN & FOIL

Ingredients:

1. Boneless Chicken Breasts ($5.59)
2. 2 Cans of Green Beans ($1.28 each)
3. Red Potatoes or any other if preferred (Bag = $4.99)
4. Packet of Italian Dressing Mix ($1.99)
5. Stick of butter (Pack of 4 sticks = $0.99)

                                              TOTAL COST: $16.12 ***Prices will vary

PREPARATION STEP:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350.

SIX (6) SUPER EASY and FAST Steps:

1. Drain both cans of greens then pour into a row in the baking pan against the left side.
2. Line up the boneless chicken breasts right in the middle, next to the green beans.
3. Wash the potatoes and cut them into 4 sections each and lay them next to the chicken breasts.
4. Open the Italian dressing mix and sprinkle all over the green beans, chicken, and potatoes.
5. Melt a stick of butter into a measuring cup or regular cup then drizzle all of it over the green beans, chicken, and potatoes.
6. Cover the top of the baking pan with foil and place in the oven for an hour. Take it out, let it cool, and enjoy!

So fast and super easy! This recipe is quite new to me and it easily became one of my favorites. I’m so happy that I got to share this with you all. It takes only 5 ingredients to make it and it can feed 4 or more people. I hope you all try this one, I’m so glad that I did.

XO, Kaitlyn

I love mozzarella sticks, and I love them even more with marinara sauce. So since I love them so much, I thought to myself, “Why not try to make my own?” So I went to the store and bought what I needed. And they came out DELICIOUS. So yummy that I had to share it with you all… Have fun.

Also, here are some other ways that they can be made:

• Fried Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
• Skillet Fried Mozzarella Sticks

Mozzarella Sticks

***YOU WILL NEED 3 DISHES, A FREEZER BAG, and A BAKING SHEET.

Ingredients:

1. Mozzarella String Cheese (16 String Cheese - $3.99)
2. Eggs - 3 large (1 carton = $1.98)
3. Flour - ($2.00)
4. Panko Bread Crumbs (LARGE Box - $1.99)
5. Grated Parmesan ($2.48)
6. Garlic Salt & Parsley ($2.79)
7. Canola Oil Spray ($2.79)

                                              TOTAL COST: $18.02 ***Prices will vary

PREPARATION STEP: ***I used 8 string cheese = 16 sticks when cut in half.

1. Cut string cheese in halves and place them in a freezer bag. Place them in the freezer til frozen.

FIVE (5) EASY STEPS:

1. Once the cheese is frozen, get 3 separate bowls or plates. Put the flour in the first dish, the egg in the second, and the mix of 10 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon garlic salt & parsley, and 2 tablespoons parmesan in the third.
2. Roll the cheese in the first dish of flour.
3. Now, dip it in the egg and let any extra yolk drip back into the dish.
4. Adhere the mix to the cheese by patting the cheese into the dish. Repeat with all and PUT THEM BACK INTO THE FREEZER for 10 minutes to solidify them agan.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray baking sheet with canola oil. Place the sticks on the baking sheet and spray the tops of them. Place them in the oven for 4-5 minutes then flip them over and bake them for 4-5 minutes letting them get golden (MAKE SURE THEY DON’T MELT) Take them out and enjoy with marinara sauce!

This recipe takes about 30-40 minutes to make, which isn’t very long. Also, it’s best to eat them when the cheese is nice and stringy on the inside. These are much better than the ones that you get from Jack in the Box or wherever. They aren’t deep fried in TONS of oil, which is way healthier! This recipe was pretty fun, I hope you have fun too.

XO, Kaitlyn

I was online one day trying to find something new to bake. Making the same ole brownies and chocolate chip cookies can get old after awhile. I finally came across a recipe that I just couldn’t take my eyes off of. It just looked so warm, so chewy yet crumbly, and so darn delicious. The recipe was called Chess Squares. The creator talked about how her recipe was very similar to Paula Deen’s Gooey Butter Cake recipe. And they were basically identical except for the the fact that Paula Deen adds one extra ingredient, vanilla. So, I decided to try it out for myself, and, OH MY, this is one dessert you MUST make ASAP! I fell completely in love from the first bite I took and so did my boyfriend! I decided to call it what Paula Deen coined it as because it sounded way more yummy with her title. So, here it is. Gooey Butter Cake. It’s so bad… yet so good.

Gooey Butter Cake

***YOU WILL NEED A LARGE BOWL, WHISK/LARGE FORK, & 9x13 BAKING PAN

Ingredients:

1. Yellow Cake Mix – 1 box ($1.69)
2. Eggs - 3 large (1 carton = $1.98)
3. Cream Cheese – 8 oz. SOFTENED ($1.50)
4. Butter – ½ cup MELTED ($2.99 for a tub)
5. Powdered Sugar – 1 pound ($1.49)

                                              TOTAL COST: $9.65 ***Prices will vary

PREPARATION STEPS:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Spray or rub oil all over the 9x13 baking pan.

FIVE (5) EASY STEPS:

1. In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, 1/2 cup melted butter, and 1 egg. Mix til the dough has a soft and even consistency.
2. Put the dough in the baking pan and press til the bottom of the pan is covered evenly.
3. In another bowl, add 1 pound of powdered sugar (YES ONE POUND!), 2 eggs, and 8 ounces of softened cream cheese. Mix til the consistency is nice and smooth.
4. Pour the cream on top of the dough. Spread out evenly all over.
5. Place the pan in the oven for 40-50 minutes and until the edges start to turn golden brown. Take it out, let it sit for 10 minutes, and enjoy.

This recipe takes a little longer than the recipes I posted before, but it is definitely worth the wait! So, eat it with some vanilla ice cream or down it with nice cold glass of milk. Until next time… Peace and love.

XO, Kaitlyn

This recipe of green beans and meat is also one that I learned from my mom. She always has the best recipes. I remember that she use to always make it when I was younger. I always had to go back for thirds because of how much I loved it! And I still do. It’s really easy to make and consist of three main ingredients. Get to cooking!

Here are some other green beans and meat recipes you might want to try out:

• Fasulia/ Green Bean and Beef Stew
• Garlic Beef and Green Beans
• Stir-Fried Beef with Green Beans and Peanut Sauce

Green Beans and Meat

***YOU WILL NEED A SKILLET.

Ingredients: (MAKES PLENTY OF SERVINGS)

1. Rice ($3.10)
2. Ground Beef ($4.34)
3. Yellow Onion ($0.75)
4. Green Beans - 1 pound ($2.09)
5. Olive Oil ($3.00)

                                              TOTAL COST: $13.28 ***Prices will vary

PREPARATION STEPS:

1. Cook 3 cups of rice or however much you would like.

EIGHT (8) EASY STEPS:

1. Cut the top and bottom of the onion. Peel. Cut in half. Cut into small pieces lengthwise.
2. Rinse the green beans. Cut both ends of the beans. Cut in half.
3. Pour a teaspoon of olive oil into a skillet on medium heat. Add onions and let stir fry til brown and crisp on the edges. Remove and put onions in a bowl. 
4. Add another teaspoon of olive oil. Add the green beans and stir until all are covered in oil. Add 1/4 cup of water and let beans cook til tender but crispy. Tossing occasionally. Remove and add to bowl with onions.
5. Add ground beef to the skillet in chunks. (Salt, pepper, and garlic powder may be added for more flavor) 
6. Stir and start to break them up into smaller pieces. Cook til no more pink. Remove juices. 
7. Add the green beans and onions and mix.
8. Once all is mixed evenly, remove from heat. Eat with rice and soy sauce. Delicious!

YUM! This recipe has a couple more steps than most, but it is worth making. Another good thing about this recipe is that it is very flexible, okra and tomatoes can be added. Also, instead of ground beef, ground turkey can be used as a substitute and it still taste amazing. I hope this dish becomes one you all can make whenever in need of something quick for dinner. Dig in!

XO, Kaitlyn