MagicallyDelicious

Lazy?  Well, I might be a little when it comes to cooking during the week.  I don’t get home from work until about 7 most nights, and the last thing I want to do is cook and clean.  And since it’s just me and my dog, no one is complaining if I make toast or popcorn for dinner.

This week, however, the fine folks at Johnsonville saved me from my sometimes questionable dinner choices, and I got four different delicious dishes out of the same basic meatballs.

Because I’m an AllRecipes AllStar, they sent us coupons to try their Italian sausage.  I chose Mild Italian, which I found was really the perfect amount of spice (I’m a spice wimp).  I started out by making this quick recipe for meatballs.  Formed quickly, baked quickly, they were ready for action.

I turned them into a lovely meatballs slider on a pretzel bun, and they were an excellent substitute for ground beef.  It was a little spicier than a beef meatball and was great with some cheese and sauce.

They also became a topping for a homemade pizza, and the filling for a delicious calzone.  Every version of these were delicious and each recipe was simple and quick.  So this little exercise kept me from the toaster oven for a whole week, and I didn’t even have to do much cooking or cleaning.  I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more of these multipurpose recipes, but this one is a keeper for sure.

On second thought, I’ll revise my “lazy” statement and call it efficient instead

It’s late, and I wanted something sweet.  I almost reached into my cupboard for all the ingredients I’d need for some chocolate chip cookies.  But at 12:30 am that’s a little crazy, and I remembered I’m out of baking soda.

Enter Pillsbury crescent rolls, chocolate chips, and 15 minutes in the oven.  The house smells like freshly-baked treats, I got my sweet indulgence, and all I had to do was pop open a tube, sprinkle with chocolate and slide them into the oven.  What could be better?

I might try them with all kinds of fillings – a little cream cheese and chocolate chips… a little Nutella… cinnamon sugar… peanut butter and chocolate chips… dangerously easy and delicious!

Find the Chocolate-Filled Crescents recipe at AllRecipes.com.

Many of you know I feel that cheese makes everything better.  This recipe is no exception.  It’s made extra easy with Progresso Recipe Starters fire roasted tomato mixed in.  They’re quick to make (a half hour in a muffin tin in the oven), delicious to eat.  The original recipe called for the tomato sauce to be spooned over them, but I am a traditionalist and like my baked ketchup on top.

I didn’t use quite as much sauce as the recipe called for, but the string cheese stuffed in the center make these extra yummy.  They’re also good reheated the next day.

Try them! 

PS – Progresso did give me the Recipe Starters sauce to try free of charge.  This didn’t sway my opinion either way.  And as I mention around this blog, I am an AllRecipes AllStar, which the program through which Progresso provided the free sauce.

If french toast and a grilled cheese sandwich had a baby, this is what you’d get.  This is five ingredients, salt, pepper, and 20 minutes of anticipation.  You likely have every ingredient in your pantry, and if you can use a fork, this is something you can whip up in about 2 minutes and pop into the oven.  Or in this case, toaster oven.  It’s baked french toast with a cheesy twist, and it would be delicious for breakfast, lunch or brinner.  Consider adding a little pre-cooked bacon, ham, chicken or turkey.

It’s called Sarah’s Savoury Bread & Cheese Pudding at AllRecipes, but this isn’t very bread-pudding-like to me.  So I just revised the title a little to give you a different idea of what to expect.  Make it soon!

I’ll be honest;  I didn’t have high hopes for this bread.  I assumed something so simple would end up tasting like a giant biscuit and crumble just as easily.  But I’ve been proven wrong – simple can be delicious.

Six ingredients is all it takes for this delicious, cheesy bread.  But next time I will probably also try a little garlic and/or parmesan, asiago or romano.  But for now, I’ll enjoy my lovely, simple bread maybe with some ham, and it’d be delicious along side some pasta or soup.

It tastes to me a little like those Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits, without the seasonings of course, and softer.  But you could obviously take this recipe in that direction as well.

The person who posted the recipe suggested it for breakfast – I’ll be interested in seeing how it tastes as toast.  It’s known as Cheese Loaf there, but I like my name  better  Enjoy!

Looking for a quick dinner or tasty appetizer?  Try these pizza pockets, filled with pepperoni and cheese.  For appetizer sized pockets, just cut the dough into smaller pieces to fill.  Yum!

Pillsbury sent me coupons through the AllRecipes All Star program so that we could make these tasty treats.  They made a great snack!

Get the Recipe: Pillsbury Crescent Pizza Pockets