Our life as a Coast Guard family...: Recipes I've Tried From Pinterest

If you are not familiar with...

...you should be. I have gotten so many great ideas for crafts, home decorating, things to do with kids and my favorite... new recipes. I don't know about you but I get sick of eating the same thing over and over and over again. Thanks to Pinterest, I have stepped out of my comfort zone and have tried several new things. Here are a few that I have tried...

{Omelet In A Bag}

Basically it's a DIY omelet. It's fairly cheap, mess free and fun! Everyone has the chance to customize their own omelets. First, you need some Ziplock zip 'n steam bags. You want to use these specific bags because they are made for heating up. I wouldn't want to mess with conventional bags because it might not be safe to use at high temps.

Set out some ingredients! We did green peppers, mushrooms, cheddar cheese and turkey bacon. You could do spinach, ham, sausage, salsa or any other yummy things that you prefer in your omelet! And don't forget to set out the salt and pepper!

Have everyone write their name on the bag with a sharpie. Then, crack 2 eggs in their bag and load up on ingredients. If you add too many toppings they take longer to cook. So, maybe just about 2 spoonfuls of each thing. Then, squish everything together.

Pop the bags into boiling water... Put on the lid and set the timer for 13 minutes. You might want to add more minutes if you are doing 3 eggs or lots of toppings. But, for a normal size omelet, 13 minutes is perfect. When the time is up, carefully pull the bags out of the pot, open the bag, and simply slide it onto a plate.

{Caramel Apple Enchiladas}

1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling

6 (8 inch) flour tortillas

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

Spoon about one heaping quarter cup of pie filling evenly down the center of each tortilla.

Sprinkle with cinnamon; roll up, tucking in edges; and place seam side down in prepared dish.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.

Pour sauce over enchiladas and let stand 45 minutes.

Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, or until golden.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

{Cheesy Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole}

3 cups idaho potatoes, peeled, boiled and cut into cubes when cool, approx. 1 lb

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, diced

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 lb skinless smoked sausage (I used Butterball Turkey Kielbasa)

1/8 teaspoon paprika

Cut skinless smoked sausage in half, lengthwise, and then chop into 1/2 inch "half moon" cuts. Cook in a frying pan for about 15 minutes, turning frequently to SLIGHTLY brown.

Meanwhile, put cooked & diced potatoes in 2 quart casserole. Add cooked meat and give it a gentle toss.

Mix all remaining ingredients (except for shredded cheddar cheese & the paprika) in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, melted and smooth. (Use a whisk and stir constantly.).

Pour white/cheese sauce over potatoes and meat. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top, and then sprinkle paprika evenly over the top.

Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes (watch, until golden brown on top).

{Cinnamon Oat Scones}

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 egg

1 box (15.2 oz) Betty Crocker cinnamon streusel muffin mix

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray, or line with cooking parchment paper. In large bowl, stir whipping cream and egg until blended. Stir in muffin mix and 1/2 cup oats (dough will be sticky).

On cookie sheet, shape dough into 8-inch round, about 1/2 inch thick, using floured fingers. Break up any lumps in streusel (from muffin mix); mix streusel and 2 tablespoons oats. Sprinkle streusel mixture over dough. Cut dough into 8 wedges; separate wedges slightly.

Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

{Citrus Flavored Water - Orange, Lemon, & Lime}

{Crustless Apple Pie Crumble}

(When I find the recipe I used, I will post it.)

{Homemade Corn Dogs}

Basically, I just used a box of Jiffy Corn Bread mix, made it as directed, and put Hebrew National hot dog chunks into the batter before cooking.

{Homemade Oatmeal To Go Bars}

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups applesauce, unsweetened

1 banana, mashed

1/2 cup honey

5 cups, Old Fashioned rolled oats

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

3 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 3/4 cups milk (I used 2%)

Optional toppings: raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, banana and honey together in a bowl.

Add in oats, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and mix well with wet ingredients.

Finally pour in milk and combine.

Spray a 12 and 6 capacity muffin tin with cooking spray or use cupcake liners.

Pour mixture evenly into muffin tin cups.

If using toppings add them onto the tops of muffins now. If using fresh or frozen fruit, drop it right into the batter.

Bake 30 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool and enjoy or freeze them in gallon freezer bags.

{Homemade Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana Soup}

(When I find the recipe I used, I will post it.)

{Homemade P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps}

(When I find the recipe I used, I will post it.)

{Lasagna Soup}

For the soup:

2 tsp. olive oil

1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage

3 c. chopped onions

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2 T. tomato paste

1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes

6 cups chicken stock

8 oz. crush lasagna pasta

1/8 cup Italian Seasoning

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the cheesy yum:

8 oz. ricotta

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp. salt

pinch of freshly ground pepper

Additional cheesy yum:

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. You may even want to consider cooking the noodles separately, and then adding some to individual bowls before ladling the soup over them. This would be an especially smart move if you are anticipating any leftovers. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

{Lemon Lime Flavored Water}