Category: Recipe of the Week

Philly Style Sheet Pan Italian Sausage and Pepper Boats

Philly Style Sheet Pan Italian Sausage and Pepper Boats

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

Sheet pan. Italian Sausage. Enough said. This recipe is easy, full of flavor, and a crowd pleaser. We LOVE leftovers in this house, so I doubled the amount of Italian sausage in the original recipe from Mad about Food for great leftover lunches for work the next day (or two… it went a long way!).

Ingredients

  • 2 lb (or 2 packages) Italian sausages (sweet or hot), use one package if you’re feeding a smaller amount of people or don’t want a large amount of leftovers
  • 2 bell peppers, sliced thin
  • 1 yellow onion, cut into thin moon-shaped slices
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • Bun/roll (optional for serving)
  • provolone cheese, sliced (optional for serving Philly style on bun)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil in a small bowl.
  2. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, grease the pan lightly, and sear sausage links for 3 minutes on each side.
  1. Place warm, seared sausage in a mixing bowl with the bell pepper and onions. Pour salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic powder into the bowl and toss to mix evenly. Pour the balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, and oil mixture over the sausage and peppers and toss again.
  1. Pour ingredients onto the baking sheet and arrange so that the sausages lay flat on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until sausage is fully cooked through. 
  2. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve over pasta, with veggies, or on a roll/bun.
Turkey Quinoa Taco Skillet

Turkey Quinoa Taco Skillet

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

I needed a quick dinner one evening before a soccer game (or baseball practice… or somewhere the kids needed to be, so insert sport of choice here…) and I had ground turkey and quinoa. I was at a loss, so Google rescued me. I found this recipe from Spoonful of Flavor and it was a crowd pleaser! The youngest at it burrito style in a tortilla, the oldest preferred his in a hard corn shell taco style, and my husband and I ate the contents as loaded nachos with sour cream, cilantro, and black olive slices. So many options and so quick and easy on a busy night!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced (or frozen diced onion if you don’t have a whole onion on hand!)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 4 oz can diced green chilis
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 1 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 14.5 oz can of diced fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn
  • 1/4 cup jarred salsa
  • 1/2 cup rinsed quinoa (I used rainbow, but any variety will do)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • cilantro, for garnish

Directions

  1. Spray a large skillet generously with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot add in the diced onion and cook for about 2 minutes until it starts to soften. Add in the ground turkey and minced garlic and cook until the meat is almost cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Stir in all the spices and the diced green chiles, cooking for another minute. Add in the black beans, corn, fire roasted tomatoes, salsa and quinoa, stirring until everything is combined.
  1. When the mixture starts to bubble, add in the water, cover the skillet with a lid, and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked. It should still have a slight bite to it, but not be hard and crunchy.
  2. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top and cover with the lid, cooking until the cheese is melted. Serve as is, in tortillas for tacos, or on top of your favorite greens.
Mini Cadbury Egg Peanut Butter Cookies

Mini Cadbury Egg Peanut Butter Cookies

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Everyone loves chocolate Kiss cookies at Christmas time, so this is a great twist on a classic, but for Easter! Mini Cadbury eggs are my weakness at Easter time (ok… they’re not my ONLY weakness, but a weakness…) and I think they’re always a favorite. These peanut butter cookies are delicious and the mini Cadbury eggs are the perfect addition to a classic for Easter. This recipe comes from Together as Family-check out other great Easter recipes on their site!

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling the cookie dough in)
  • 30 Cadbury Mini Eggs

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with silpat liner, parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, or bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter until light in color and fluffy looking. About 1-2 minutes. 
  1. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Blend together. 
  2. In a separate smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk to break up any clumps. Add half of this mixture to the butter/sugar mix and blend on low speed just until incorporated. Add the other half and blend just until mixed together. 
  1. Measure the ¼ cup granulated sugar and place it in a bowl. Take a pinch of dough (about a tablespoon) and roll into a ball. Roll the cookie dough ball into the sugar and place on prepared cookie sheet. 
  2. You will be able to put all 30 on one cookie sheet. 6 rows of 5 cookies each. 
  1. Bake for 7 minutes. The cookies will look the same (they will be slightly paler in color and look “puffy”), but they will be finished baking, so pull them out of the oven!
  2. Immediately, gently press a Cadbury Mini Egg into each cookie. The edges will crack and that’s what you want! Let the cookie sit on the cookie sheet for about 15 minutes. Enjoy them warm or room temperature! Store them in an airtight container once cooled. Happy Easter!
Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi and Roasted Vegetables

Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi and Roasted Vegetables

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

I love shrimp, but am always intimidated by cooking it. It’s SO easy to overcook shrimp and I would argue that undercooking it could have worse consequences, so I just… don’t usually cook it. This recipe is easy and it cooks the shrimp perfectly with the vegetables all in one pan. You can even line the sheet pan with foil for easy clean up afterward. This recipe can contain any fresh vegetables you have on hand, so get creative!

Ingredients

Shrimp

  • 20 oz large, frozen shrimp (deveined and tails removed), thawed
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp seafood seasoning

Vegetables

  • broccoli
  • carrots
  • string beans
  • zucchini
  • squash
  • any other vegetables desired
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Scampi Sauce

  • 1 Tbsp butter, melted
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • grated parmesan cheese, to taste
  • fresh chopped parsley

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Line large sheet pan with parchment paper. Chop all vegetables and distribute evenly on the sheet pan. Cover mix vegetables with olive oil and seasonings coating well. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
  3. While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the shrimp by coating evenly with olive oil and seasoning.
  4. Prepare the scampi sauce by mixing all ingredients well and setting aside.
  5. After the vegetables have roasted for 15 minutes, slide the vegetables to the side and add the shrimp to the pan in an even layer. Place the pan back into the oven for 12 more minutes or until the shrimp is thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
  6. Drizzle the scampi sauce over the shrimp to complete the meal. Enjoy over rice or as a meal on its own.
Healthy (and easy!) Spinach Artichoke Dip

Healthy (and easy!) Spinach Artichoke Dip

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

I’ve had a recipe for spinach artichoke dip in the slow cooker that I THOUGHT I loved, but after integrating some ingredients and methods from other recipes, I think I’ve finally found the spinach artichoke dip sweet spot! Its ingredients are a bit healthier than some due to lower fat ingredients and no butter or oils. This recipe is also great because it can be made in the slow cooker (make sure to use more ingredients if you plan on using a larger crock pot), baked, or even microwaved if you’re in a hurry!

Ingredients

  • 1 block (8 oz) chive and onion cream cheese (regular or reduced fat cream cheese works great in this recipe, too!)
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 12 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
  • 1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, chopped
  • 1/4 onion, diced
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced (more or less according to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Tortilla chips, pita chips, carrots, or celery for serving

Directions

Baking:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Add all ingredients to a large baking dish and mix until well blended.
  3. Place in oven and bake 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and the top of the dip is slightly browned.
  4. Serve with chips or vegetables.

Microwave:

  1. Add all ingredients to a microwave safe dish and mix until well blended.
  2. Heat in microwave in 2 minute increments. Stir well after each 2 minute increment until cheese is melted and dip is warm.
  3. Serve immediately with dip or vegetables.

Slow Cooker:

  1. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and mix until well blended.
  2. Heat in slow cooker for 2 hours on high or until cheese is melted and dip is hot. Reduce heat to prevent browning on the sides of the slow cooker.
  3. Serve immediately with dip or vegetables.
Copycat Starbucks Dragonfruit Refresher (Only 2 Ingredients!)

Copycat Starbucks Dragonfruit Refresher (Only 2 Ingredients!)

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Starbucks. I always pass on the Refreshers and Pink Drink because I feel like I SHOULD be able to make something similar at home. But do I? Nope. I came across this Dragonfruit Refresher “recipe” and it is delicious and only has two ingredients that are really easy to find in stores.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Bottle Power-C Dragonfruit Vitamin Water
  • 2 Tbsp Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup
  • Ice

Directions

  1. Add ice to your favorite glass or tumbler. Add Vitamin Water and Vanilla Syrup.
  2. Stir and enjoy!
EASY Copycat Starbucks Pink Drink

EASY Copycat Starbucks Pink Drink

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

These recipes are ALL OVER Pinterest. I’ve tried some that are good, some that are not so good, and some great ones. I found one that was so simple I couldn’t pass it up, so I decided to try it. Well, Target failed me and didn’t have the Ocean Spray White Cran-Strawberry juice I needed for the recipe, so I substituted with Cran-Raspberry. This one was definitely a keeper! Two ingredients and throw in some frozen raspberries and voila! Pink drink! Easy. Chip. Fast. What more can you ask for?

Ingredients

  • Original Silk Almondmilk
  • Ocean Spray Cran-Raspberry juice
  • Frozen or fresh raspberries (optional)

Directions

  1. Add desired amount of ice to a glass. Add frozen or fresh raspberries, if desired.
  2. Pour almondmilk into the glass until it’s half full. Fill the rest of the glass with cran-raspberry juice.
  3. Enjoy!
Set and Forget Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast

Set and Forget Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast

by Engineered Mama ♥ 2 Comments

We’ve all seen Mississippi pot roast recipes and they’re all amazingly full of flavor. After craving some and not finding any chuck roast on sale, I just gave in and bought a bottom round roast Sind they were buy one get one free. So, I took my roasts home disappointed, but still determined. Little did I know I was out of 2 of the 5 ingredients this recipe contains. Fail. Well, I made substitutions and to my surprise it turned out BETTER than recipe I usually use. So much better that our oldest son asked for multiple servings and my husband (without prompting) said, “This is the best roast you’ve ever made!”. Ok, new recipe unlocked!

Ingredients

  • 2+ lb bottom round roast
  • Ranch seasoning packet
  • Brown gravy packet
  • Banana peppers (to taste)
  • 1/4 cup butter, cut into 4 pads

Directions

  1. Place roast in slow cooker. Add ranch packet, gravy packet, bell peppers (10-15 rings of bell pepper seem to be a good amount for this recipe), and pads of butter to top of roast.
  2. Cook on low for 8 hours.
  3. Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!
Green Macaroni and Cheese

Green Macaroni and Cheese

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

I was searching for some good St. Patrick’s Day foods to go with corned beef and cabbage and while this doesn’t exactly “go” with it, I thought the recipe was pretty interesting, so I decided to try it. The original recipe is from Food Dolls. While this recipe is delicious, it makes A LOT of mac and cheese. The recipe I’ll provide below is the full recipe, but I recommend halving this recipe if you’re not feeding many people. This makes a very large portion, but it’s absolutely delicious!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups fresh spinach, packed
  • 1/2 cup parsley
  • 2 cloves garlic (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 3/4 cups whole milk, divided
  • 1 lb cooked macaroni pasta
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper (more or less to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese

Directions

  1. In a food processor or blender, add spinach, olive oil, parsley, garlic cloves, and 3/4 cup milk. Process until smooth.
  2. In a large pot, add butter and flour on medium-high heat, cook for about 1-2 minutes or until mixture is a golden color.
  1. Add WARM milk, and seasonings. Stir until it starts to thicken. Turn heat to low and add cheeses.
  1. Add “green” sauce and mix until it comes together. Add cooked pasta.
Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This recipe checks all of the boxes: great, healthy ingredients, filling, and easy and quick to make. A friend gave me this recipe from Life Love Liz and it’s definitely one of our favorites. Now that warmer weather is headed our way, this is a great weeknight meal. We love our leftovers, so I sometimes double the amount of ground turkey in this recipe. Adjust the ingredients according to your family’s needs and tastes-it’s totally customizable!

Ingredients

  • 3 small or 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 yellow bell pepper (or whatever color you prefer)
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • ½ cup mozzarella, shredded
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 ½ Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper

Directions

  1. In a large cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute and then add ground turkey. Use a wooden spoon to break apart meat and continue cooking approximately 8 minutes until browned.
  2. Add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir well to incorporate.
  3. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add diced sweet potato and water. Stir and cover with a lid for approximately 6-8 minutes until the sweet potatoes soften. Add additional water during this process if needed to keep the meat from drying out.
  5. Remove lid and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Top with shredded mozzarella and allow it to melt. Remove skillet from heat and garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.