Ultimate Meat Lovers Pizza Burgers

Pizza + Burgers = Happy Dude Food. On the for real though. What guy doesn't enjoy a good burger or pizza?! I've truly never come across these elusive male creatures and I've never encountered a single dude who doesn't in my real life. Honestly, I too love a good burger and pizza pie as much as the next guy. Okay. Maybe not as much, but that's just cause my hips and thighs whisper salad on occasion to me lol. That being said, it was my Fella's B-day recently so instead of trying to sneak veggies in on him, I decided to go all in carnivorous and combine his two fave dishes into one over the top delicious meat lovers pizza burger. I had been seeing a lot of different glorious pizza concoctions like pizza casseroles, pizza fries, pizza dip, and even a more simplistic sloppy joe like pizza burger on Pinterest. I was def feeling pizza flavor pinspired to say thee least. It doesn't take much to inspire me though really. A few random pics of various recipes starring hot melty mozzarella and some purdy pepperoni had me wanting to turn everything into a pizza love child dish. Anyhow, lets chow.

Whatcha' Need:

• 1.5-2lbs Ground Beef 
• 1lb Italian Sausage or ground pork sausage 
• Sliced Pepperoni 
• Sliced Mozzarella
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 TBSP Italian Dressing 
• 1 jar pasta or marinara sauce
• Butter & thick Toasted Buns (or Garlic Toast would be ahhmazing too)
• Addition Seasonings To Taste: Approx. 2 + teaspoons garlic salt (and or) garlic powder, 2 teaspoons lemon pepper, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 tsp + Italian Seasoning Blend
• Hearty Buns, Bread, Or Garlic Toast  & Butter

Start by combining both the ground meats, eggs, parm cheese, Italian dressing, and desired Italian Seasonings and herbs in a large bowl. I allowed this glorious meaty mixture to mingle aka marinate in the fridge for about 2 hrs, but not necessary if your in a rush.

This will make about 8-10 hefty burgers or quite a few more slider style ones. Patty them up accordingly and heat until done to your likeness. I'm not into the whole pink burger style myself, so I heat them all the way thru, but to each their own. Since my patties were so bodacious, I cooked them for approx. 20 minutes over medium heat & flipped them 2-3 times. I could only fit 4 of these 1/3 lb (ish) burgers comfortably in my largest frying pan at one time, but the extra work, time & effort was WELL WORTH IT in the end ;)

Once the burgers are cooked to your liking, drain some of the excess grease & smother/cover them in marinara or pasta sauce. Reduce heat, cover pan with a lid, and cook for about 10 minutes or until sauce thickens and is heated thru.

While this is all going down, toast up some buns, butter, and sprinkle them with Italian Seasoning and Garlic powder 

Turn off heat, top with Sliced Pepperoni, and sliced Mozzarella. Put the lid back on the pan and allow the cheese to get gooey and for all this awesome to mingle for about 5-7 minutes.

Put this glorious lil' lovely on a toasted garlic bun and prepare to rock your world and break some hearts lol. I served mine up with some Italian seasoned mashed potatoes, but this would go grrreat with just some buttery noodles or veggies or just about anything really ;)

I hope you dig it and thanks for popping in! Big Hugs <3

Easy Granny Smith Apple Bacon Provolone Grilled Cheese

So it's been a hot minute since I posted aye!!? I've been a bit of a busy lil bee as of late. Tending my garden, enjoying my greenary, and all that glorious outdoorsy shtuff.

(Meet Johnny Cashew, My loyal chipmunk bud whom apparently loves old pancakes, completely off subject, but toatally cute hehe)

Finding hours to sit down and create a real blog worthy post have just been dang near impossible. Now, with summer winding down, I'm determined to get back in the blog game and share some of these funky lil recipes I've been conjuring up over the past few months. Starting with this twistedly delicious grilled cheese. Purrrrfect for an easy meal when you don't feel like heating up the entire house, but ya still want something that will stick to the ole ribs. Pair this sammy with a nice pasta salad or ear of corn in the summer or with a nice soup or chowder in the winter. She's versatile, lovely and sure to be an EASY fam fav ;)

Whatcha' Need:

• 1lb bacon (turkey bacon, if you'd prefer)
• Sliced Provolone or Mozzarella Cheese 
• 1 or 2 Granny Smith Apple(s)
• butter
• thick sliced white bread (would be great on french bread too if your feeling extra fancy lol)
• Optional Spices: 1/4 tsp each of Chili Powder, Lemon Pepper, Cinnamon, and Italian Blend Spices (salt.... I  find regular bacon, butter/margarine, and provolone cheese to be plenty salty without adding extra salt to the equation, but if using turkey bacon I'd probably add a dash to the mix along with some olive oil)

Start by sprinkling the bacon with your desired dry seasonings and frying or baking it to your kinda crispiness. (The granny smith apple will give it just enough yummy sweetness so I used a few more savory herbs and spices to balance all that sweetness out) Pppersonally, I prefer frying my bacon the old stove top way, because it is easier for me to gather all those beautiful bacon drippings for later use. Also, I find it way easier to monitor more closely each glorious bacon slice progressing to it's done perfection However, if you prefer, go the ole oven route. By frying the bacon I was also able to make this a one dish situation! Score. Just make the sandwiches in that very same pan further increasing that yum factor via bacon drippings infusing into the buttery bread. OH YEAHS :)

Moving on. While the bacon is cooking up, clean, peel, and thinly slice your Granny Smith Apple(s). (I only used one large apple because my fella wasn't down with anything green interfering with his bacon and cheese sandwich, but you might need two if your dealing with a less picky bunch lol. He's not game for trying too many new "weird," food things, but his loss really ;)

Once the bacon is done and cooled, and the apple is ready to roll, drain off most of your excess bacon grease into a sturdy container to save for wonderful recipes later down the cooking line. Place that bacon pan back on the stove, lower the cooking temp, and start prepping your sandwiches. 

Start by slightly buttering one slice of bread. Place it buttered side down in the pan. Then, top it with a slice of provolone, two thin slices of apple, and 3-4 slices of bacon. Butter another piece of bread and place it on top of that yummy layered awesomeness, butter side up. I also like to sprinkle just a dash of dried seasoning on the buttered bread for added yum, which in this case was dried Italian blend and chili powder to carry on that lovely lil flavor profile.

Not thee clearest pic ever, but you get the gist ;)

Cook for about 3-5 minutes and carefully flip with a trusty spatula. Cook another 3-5 minutes on the other side or until golden brown and cheese is melted into that gooey glorious stage.

Just keep'er simple peeps and serve this lil lovely up w/ some chips, a small side salad, or even just a few pickle spears. It's a pretty filling sandwich so no need to over complicate this situation. I hope you enjoy this lil fun, delish twist on thee ole basic grilled cheese. This beaut of a sammy pairs the ever so classic pork and apples combo, but in a fresh, fast and fun new way. Though it's way, way easy and made with fairly simple ingredients, it def won't disappoint on the goodness scale ;) Winner, winner, easy pork and apples dinner.

 Big Hugs and thanks a ton for stopping by! <3

    

  

Easy Chili Dog Mac N' Cheese

If you haven't noticed..... I'm a hardcore dog lover. Not just the furry four legged kind, but hot dogs, brats, Polish sausages, Chicago dogs, Buffalo style (wink, wink here's a link to an easy Buffalo Dog recipe by lil ole me)Buffalo HOT dogs I know they are not the healthiest food in the world, but you know what? We all got to go sometime and someway. Given the various ways one might leave this Earth, death by chili dog doesn't seem like a bad way to go at all! If I do happen to expire eating a chili dog, just find comfort knowing that I went out happy and content!

Way back when I was in high school (seems like eons ago).... I actually worked at a DQ on the Toll Road. This love/hate relationship of mine with the chili cheese dog and Chicago Dog took place there for about 4 years. I ate so0o0 many hot dogs and ice cream products while working there that I didn't want another shake or sausage for at least a year or more after quitting lol! Its been many, MANY of moons since I was dishing up DQ dogs and Oreo blizzards, and I've since, rekindled my mass love for them :) Like they say.... too much of a good thing isn't good. Furthermore, I also lived off of grilled hot dogs and hamburgers every summer as a tot. I'm not exaggerating people. For like three months straight in the summer time, I breathed hot dogs and hamburgers, watermelon, and Popsicles lol. As well as some body's blackberries/mulberries that I'd munch on my adventures to and from the local beach (Those berries were the bomb by the way! They would stain my hands and bare lil nappy feet lol.~ Sorry, for munching on your berries whoever you were he he)

Moving along now to chili dogs and mac n' cheese, who doesn't love that? I know my taste testers gave this 4 thumbs up and confirmed this dishes' deliciousness repeatedly, one even said he'd eat the leftovers cold, so ya know that's winning lol ;) Even better yet, it's way friggin easy (shh) and budget friendly too! But we'll just keep that lil secret between us, kapeesh!? This is sure to be an easy, but yummy family favorite.

Whatcha' Need

• 1 pack of hot dogs
• 1 lb of ground turkey (or beef if you prefer, but they'll never know it's not beef hehehe)
• 1 can chili beans in hot sauce
• 1 can Sloppy Joe Sauce
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels (opt)
• 1 small bell pepper (I used yellow diced, or if you want some heat go jalapeno)
• 2 boxes deluxe mac n' cheese (prepared according to box directions)
• 2 tsp dried minced onion (or fresh if you prefer)
• 2 TBS butter (&or oil / bacon grease; I used a tsp of bacon grease as well) 
• 1+ tsp each chili powder & oregano
• 1/2 +/- tsp ground cumin, garlic powder, lemon pepper, and Cajun Seasoning 
• 1/4 tsp salt

Start by slicing the hot dogs into little medallions, about a half inch or so ought do. Place them into a large sauce pan with a little bacon grease or butter and brown them up. I sprinkled the w/ a dash of the dry seasoning mentioned above as well. Should only take about 7-10 minutes on medium heat for them to brown.

Once the dogs have a nice brown texture on them add the ground turkey, minced onion, diced pepper, and the recommended dry seasonings along w/ the butter. Break down the meat and stir frequently for about 15-20 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink.

~Start water for the mac n' cheese~ but use a large sauce pot because you'll combine all the goodies at the end (and cook according to box directions)

Next, stir into the meat mixture, the sloppy joe sauce, corn, chili beans, and a dash more of the suggested dry seasonings.

Reduce heat just a tad and cover the mixture with lid, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook for about 15-20 more minutes or until corn & beans are tender and heated all the way thru.

Ohh yeah :)

When the mac n' cheese, and chili dog mixture is all done, turn off the heat and combine them into one lovely, harmonious masterpiece. Sprinkle with crushed corn chips, a dab of sourcream, or a sprinkle of green onions for even more awesomeness! NOW~ Brace yourself for comfort food utopia and chow down!

Hope you dig this funky fun dish, Big Hugs, and Thanks for popping in! 

 
 

Creamy Swedish Spinach Spaghetti & Meatballs

HAY,  :) Remember that lovely, but kinda heartbreaking movie "Patch Adams," starring the one and only, late great Robin Williams? (Rest his beautiful soul). If you said no, go watch it people, it's a true classic. For real, I am that lil ol' lady whose dying wish is a swimming pool full of noodles! Not even joking. How fun would that be swimming in a pool full of spaghetti noodles?! Makes me smile just thinking about it, I'm a total dork, but I own awkwardness like a boss lol. I truly, do love noodles so much tho.... I even had a tiny dog back in the day named noodles that I adored for a brief moment (yeah, foodie love from a young age). He was this sad little soul of a dog that had been abandoned in an apartment complex that my Mum had managed at the time. He was never quite right from that horrible event, obviously (many curse/dirty words to those who did that to him, ugh), but he did touch my heart and I loved him enough to name him after one of my ALL TIME favorite foods. He found a furever home elsewhere (to my young dismay lol) w/ a sweet elderly woman who could give him the love, attention, and time he really deserved. Moving on, before I go into a much larger rant about my adoration of noodles the food/dog, the way wrongness of abandoning animals like Noodles, or anything else semi-irrelevant to this recipe, let's talk heritage.

From the movie Patch Adams found via web ~

The world could use more Docs like this <3

I'm a proud ethnic mutt of sorts! :) No shame about it either. I have roots that branch out in many different ethnic directions, and they all influence the being that I am in a gazillion different ways. German, Hispanic, Indian, Scandinavian, Swiss, Irish, YUP I'm a proud lil' mixed up mutt lol. This recipe is influenced by my recently deceased Grandfather, Nels, who was a big strong German/Swede who always had a fresh crew cut, loved canned fish and crackers (that gene I didn't get, eeks lol), was a great engineer and a free mason. He was also a collector of fine time pieces from wall to wrist. (His father was a clock maker (clock smith?), so it's fairly fitting that as his Alzheimer's progressed he would wear multiple wrist watches though he could longer read the time on them, nor had much concept of time itself. Just goes to show are roots will always influence us and we will always be tied to them no matter what ways we branch out in life). Honestly, I wish I would have paid more attention to all his seemingly silly stories when he was able to tell them in his full glory and not dismissed them like most jerky kids. We live and we learn though right, at least that's the plan....

Moving on to the way popular classic Swedish Meatballs; It is one of my Mother's favorite comfort food dishes, as well as my deceased Grandfather. I'm not a personal fan of mushrooms (which is in the traditional Swedish dish), blue cheese, or pretty much any food that seems like its gone sour. I've seen mushrooms grow on some pretty icky stuff in the wild and I've accidentally grown blue cheese on a stray dairy product in the back of my fridge lol, so yeah, I'm good without either of those prized culinary staples.(crazy right, a Swede who doesn't like mushrooms, blue cheese or canned fish, maybe I was really adopted like my brothers claimed ;) This AHHmazing dish is a fun and scrumptious twist on two traditional cuisines very dear to my stomach and heart, spaghetti and meat sauce meets mushroom less Swedish Meatballs and creamed spinach. It's a whole lot of creamy dairy goodness, lots of meat, onion and spinach yumminess all atop of a bed of beautiful noodles! Frankly, it's DA BOMB folks! Two dudes that claim to not even like spinach couldn't get enough of this delish dish ;)

Whatcha' Need:

• 1~box spaghetti noodles (prepared according to package)
• 1 14 oz bag of frozen, thawed meatballs
• 4 Bratwurst sausages
• 1 block Low Fat Cream Cheese 
• 1 packet dry onion soup mix (like Lipton's)
• 2 cups milk (I use 1%)
• 2 cups tap water (plus sufficient amount for boiling the noodles)
• 2/3 cup low fat sour cream
• 1.5 cups frozen Chopped Spinach
• 3 TBS Parmesan cheese
• 1+/- tsp paprika, 1.5 tsp dried Italian Blend Seasoning, 1+/- tsp lemon pepper, salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp dry minced onion flakes (always season to your own personal preferences) 

 Start by removing the meat from the sausage casings. Simply cut the very tip off and squish out the innards and discard the casings. (You could also use a pound of ground pork if you'd like, but sausages have various seasonings and such already in them and it will effect the flavor profile, plus it is way simple to remove the skins even though it's a tad bit gross lol)

 

 Place the sausage meat in a large sauce pan w/ about half of the above dry seasonings and heat on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring and breaking apart the large chucks of meat frequently.

Next toss in the thawed meatballs and cook another 20 minutes allowing the meatballs to mingle and brown up with the brat meat. Carefully~ Drain off excess grease~

Now, we turn down the heat just a tad, and add in the milk, 2 cups water, remaining dry spices, onion soup mix, sour cream, and frozen spinach. Heat about 20-30 minutes, stirring regularly.

Start preparing the water for the noodles while all that awesome sauce comes together. Cook noodles according to package instructions.

Turn off the heat for the sauce and stir in the low fat cream cheese and Parmesan while the mixture is still nice and hot. OHh YEAH, cheesy meaty gooey goodness :)

Dish it up just like you would a normal ole spaghetti ;) but brace yourself for extraordinary awesome sauce. I sprinkled mine with even more cheesy dairy goodness, (because to a Swede there is no such thing as too much cheese) shredded mozzarella, and I served it with homemade garlic toast! If you like cheese, dairy, noodles and meat than you'll flip over this twisted devine spaghetti dish.

Hope you dig it, thanks for stopping by, and big HUGS!