Garlic Cheese Bread

 From: https://www.tiktok.com/@dayanabakes/video/7571981917193506078

Ingredients:

• A pack of Hawaiian rolls
• 1/2 stick melted butter
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• Couple of shakes of Italian seasoning
• Salt, to taste
• Shredded cheese (you could do Mexican blend, Italian blend, Mozzarella, Cheddar...)

Melt the 1/2 stick of butter in a bowl.

Add the one tablespoon of minced garlic and stir until it thickens a bit.

Add the Italian seasoning and some salt (I think I added about 1 teaspoon of each) and mix those in.

Place the Hawaiian rolls in a greased baking dish (I used a 9x13). Cover them with the butter mixture. 

Sprinkle the cheese of your choice on top (probably about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup total). 

Broil for 4-5 minutes or until all the cheese and butter mixture are melted. Sprinkle on extra parsley or other seasonings at the end if you want.

Verdict: Stephen and I loved this, both kids said it was good but VERY buttery. I think in the future I could probably do a little less butter and garlic and they would like it more. 

Fettuccine Alfredo

 From: https://www.tiktok.com/@chef_natalie_/video/7345364902468472106

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups Parmesan
• handful of parsley
• 1 box of fettucine, cooked (save about 1/2 cup of the pasta water!)

Melt the entire 1/2 cup butter in a skillet. 

Add the 2 cups heavy cream to the skillet and mix. 

Add the 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. 

Add the 2 cups of shredded Parmesan to the skillet and mix until melted completely. 

Sprinkle on some parsley and mix. 

Add the cooked box of fettucine into the skillet and mix. 

Add in a little of the pasta water (use your judgment, but you won't need more than 1/2 cup) and mix. 

You can serve it right away or let it thicken for a few minutes before serving.

Verdict: Thumbs up! To me, this was one of the best alfredos I've ever had. It was just the perfect sauce. My whole family also liked it!

What I did differently from the recipe: I did add in shrimp and grilled chicken, before I put the pasta in. Both were already cooked, so I put them into the sauce, warmed them for a few minutes, and then added the pasta. I ended up letting it simmer for probably 20 minutes after everything was in the skillet, waiting on my daughter to get home from work, and I think that helped thicken it a bit too. Also - I forgot to save my pasta water, but I did add about 1/4 cup of water at that point in the recipe. Not sure it actually did anything though.

Chicken Cobbler

 From: https://www.tiktok.com/@yourbarefootneighbor

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 1 bag of frozen vegetables (about 10 oz)
• Whatever seasonings you want (can't go wrong with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning, in my opinion)
• 2 cups milk
• Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuit mix
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• can of cream of chicken soup (10.5 oz)

Melt the stick of butter in a 9x13 casserole dish. Add the shredded rotisserie chicken to the dish. Add the frozen vegetables to the dish. Season all those ingredients. 

Mix the Red Lobster biscuit mix with 2 cups of milk (make sure to add in the seasoning packet that comes with the biscuits!) Pour this mixture over the top of the ingredients in the casserole dish - no need to mix!

Mix the chicken stock and the cream of chicken soup. Pour that over the ingredients in the casserole - again, no mixing required!

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes to thicken up before serving. 

Verdict: My whole family really liked this. I would say it was good, but nothing like my mom's chicken pot pie. You know nothing hits the spot like a mama's chicken pot pie!! To me, the biscuit mix added a little too much of some type of flavor... but I can't put my finger exactly on what it was. That being said, it was super easy, and I bet it would freeze nicely. I wouldn't mind trying it again with a regular biscuit mix and I bet I would like that even more!

Apple Fritter Mini Bites

 From: https://dishnthekitchen.com/apple-fritter-mini-bites//

Ingredients:

FOR THE APPLES:

• 2 apples, peeled and diced into cubes (about 2 cups)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

FOR THE BATTER:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla

FOR THE TOPPING:

• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare your mini muffin tin with a bit of butter.
2. Place the apples, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small pot on the stove and cook over medium heat until apples slightly soften and liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and mix.
4. In another bowl mix the yogurt, butter, sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla.
5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, and then stir in apples.
6. Add to the muffin pan. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned.
7. Melt the butter for the topping and mix with cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.
8. Remove muffins from the tin and quickly roll the tops in the butter and sugar mixture.

Verdict: Thumbs up! These are not quite muffin texture, so be prepared for that.

What I did differently: I used butter in the muffin tin, but then also used Crisco because it was easier for me to spread. I don't keep Greek yogurt on hand and don't like the flavor, so I just used some vanilla yogurt I had in the fridge. I also didn't use the correct ratio for the topping because I wasn't making many of these, and I just took a leap of faith with that combo!

What I would do differently next time: I think the apples could be chopped a bit smaller. For some reason I was thinking they would bake down more.

Sweet Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken

 From: Slow Cooker Recipe Facebook group

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of chicken chunks
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1 medium can pineapple chunks (optional)
• 1 small onion, chopped (optional)
• green pepper, chunks (optional)

Combine ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.

Verdict: Thumbs up! The whole family liked this one!

What I did differently from the recipe: My family doesn't like big chunks of stuff in their food, so I left out the pineapple chunks, onions, and peppers. That being said, it was the EASIEST recipe to throw together since it ended up only being 4 ingredients! (I always substitute coconut aminos for soy sauce)

Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry

From: Salt and Lavendar

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Pepper to taste
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch 
• 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1/2 medium onion
• 2 cups broccoli florets 
• 1/2 red bell pepper

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup chicken broth 
• 3 Tbsp mirin
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves minced garlic 

1. Prep the ingredients before you start cooking. Once the recipe is started, it goes quickly. Cut the veggies into bite-size pieces so they cook at a similar rate.

2. Add the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk everything together.

3. Cut the chicken into one-inch pieces and add them to a bowl. Sprinkle the pieces with the garlic powder and some pepper. Stir to combine. Add the cornstarch and stir until the chicken is coated.

4. In a deep skillet, over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp of the oil. Let the pan heat up for a few minutes.

5. Add the chicken pieces, shaking off the excess cornstarch prior to adding them to the pan. Cook for 4 minutes and then flip and cook another 3 to 4 minutes or so. Chicken should be browned and cooked through. For the second batch (there should be enough chicken to need to do 2+ batches), I add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Transfer each batch of the chicken to a plate once it's done.

6. If the pan is dry, add a small splash of olive oil, and then add the onions. Cook for 1 minute, stirring a few times.

7. Add in the broccoli and peppers, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Veggies should be tender-crisp. Give it a little longer if you want them softer.

8. Add the chicken back to the pan and stir in the sauce. ( Whisk it again quickly prior to pouring it in.) Let it bubble until thickened, stirring constantly so everything is coated. Take the pan off the heat and serve immediately.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! Oh my gosh, the flavor on this was ON POINT. The whole family really enjoyed it!

What I did differently (or would do in the future):

I cooked about 2lbs of chicken because I knew just two chicken breasts wouldn't be enough for us. And I left some out of the sauce so people could do half and half. I should have used more broccoli - all of us love broccoli so much that we went through that really quickly. I left out the bell pepper because I'm the only one who enjoys it, but I cooked my onions separately, so in hindsight, I should have just done the bell pepper separately as well. I used coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. 

Please note - it does say once the recipe is started, it goes quickly, and that's semi-true. It took me about an hour and 15 minutes to make this from start to finish, but that's most likely because of how much chicken I was cooking! If I was only cooking for two, it would probably have gone much faster.

We added rice and it went together perfectly!

Pizza Biscuit Wreath

 From: Pillsbury 2007 Annual Recipes Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (12 oz each) Pillsbury Golden Layers refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 60 small slices pepperoni
• 5 sticks colby-monterey jack cheese, each cut crosswise into 4 pieces
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• pizza sauce for dipping

Heat oven to 375°. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Separate one can of dough into 10 biscuits, keep second can refrigerated. Press each biscuit into a 3-inch round. Place three pepperoni slices and one piece of cheese on each dough round. Wrap dough around filling, pinching edges to seal and form ball.

Repeat with remaining can of dough, pepperoni and cheese.

Leaving a 4-inch hole in the center, arrange eight balls, seam side down and sides almost touching into a ring on the cookie sheet.

Arrange remaining 12 balls, sides almost touching, around outer edge of first ring. Brush rings with beaten egg.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave pizza sauce, loosely covered, on high 45 to 60 seconds or until warm. Carefully slide wreath from cookie sheet onto serving platter. Place bowl of pizza sauce in center of wreath. Garnish with fresh oregano, if desired. Serve warm.

Verdict: Thumbs up! I only did one can of the rolls. They were very good. I wouldn't say we were astounded with them or anything, but they were good.

What I would do differently next time: So, I'm just now seeing that the recipe says to arrange them almost touching. Yeah... I definitely had them touching, which meant the sides took much longer to cook. Reading is fundamental! I also feel like they could have used garlic powder sprinkled on top. That's how I make these when I use crescent rolls. Other than that, they were really easy to make and would be a great, simple recipe!

Spicy Cheeseburger Nachos

 From: Pillsbury Annual Recipe Cookbook 2007

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 boxes (16 oz each) Mexican prepared cheese product with jalapeno peppers, cut into cubes
• 2 cans (10 oz each) diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• tortilla chips

Verdict:

Thumbs up! Super easy, very tasty!

What I did differently or what I would do next time:

I don't measure garlic, so let's just get that out of the way. I measure garlic with my heart.

I realized as I'm typing this up that I purchased the green onions and then I didn't use the green onions. Hah!

This was such a great recipe. I know versions of this have been floating around for years and years. This was really easy and it tasted delicious. I would definitely make it again.

Super Speedy Chili

 From: Pillsbury Annual Recipes Cookbook 2007

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 2 cans (14.5 oz each) stewed tomatoes, undrained, cut up
• 1 can (15 oz) spicy chili beans, undrained
• 3 tsp chili powder
• shredded cheddar cheese, if desired

In 3-quart saucepan or 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top individual servings with cheese.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! SUPER fast, SUPER convenient!

What I did differently or what I would do next time:

I used a pound of ground beef because, why not? I used 1 can of tomatoes because I wanted more meat than anything else. I probably could have used more chili powder because I like a really spicy chili, but this had a nice little kick to it.

When I tell you that this was not like my mama's chili, but it was a pretty darn good stand-in... for the amount of time this took and for it to have the great flavor it had, I'm impressed. I really wasn't expecting much considering the lack of time this took and lack of ingredients it contains. This was perfect for the chili craving I was having. I would definitely make this again.

Flaky Ham and Turkey Sandwich Slices

 From: Pillsbury Annual Cookbook 2007

Ingredients:

• 1 box (15 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
• 2 tsp yellow mustard
• 1/2 lb sliced cooked turkey
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 small plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb sliced cooked ham

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove pie crusts from pouches; place crusts flat on work surface (after they've been softened). Brush each crust with 1 tsp mustard to within 1/2 inch of edge.

Layer turkey, cheese, tomato slices and ham in 4 1/2-inch-wide strip down center of each crust to within 1 inch of top and bottom of edges. Fold top and bottom edges up onto filling. Bring both sides up over filling, meeting in center; press crust edges together forming 1/2-inch-high seam to seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Cut 3 or 4 slits in the top crust of each to allow steam to escape.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut each roll into 8 slices; serve warm.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! I love a hot sandwich, so this had a great flavor combo and hit the spot.

What I did differently or would do differently the next time:

Honestly, I would love this with a croissant crust instead if I did this again. Also, reading is vital. I did NOT soften my pie crusts and the first one I cooked broke all to pieces because of this! Hah! Definitely let the pie crust soften so it is more pliable when you are layering.

Also, for some reason, my brain could not comprehend these directions. Let me give it to you in layman's terms: lay out your pie crust. Slather it with a little mustard. In the middle, lay down some turkey, then cheese on top, then tomatoes on top, then ham on top. Then fold the top and bottom inwards, and then pull over the left and right sides into the middle like a burrito. Boom.

I also love that you can easily vary the ingredients. The next day, I had one pie crust left, so I made another one with avocado mayo, and I added onions. Chefs kiss!

Alfredo Chicken Pasta Toss

 From: Pillsbury Annual Recipes Cookbook 2007

Ingredients:

• 4 cups uncooked rotini, penne, or farfalle pasta
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 cup chicken breasts, cut into thin bite-size pieces
• 1 jar (16 oz) alfredo pasta sauce
• 2 tsp dried basil leaves

In a Dutch oven, cook and drain pasta as directed on package, adding peas and carrots during last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain; return to Dutch oven.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken, cook 9-11 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center.

Stir chicken, alfredo sauce, and basil into pasta mixture in Dutch oven. Cook and stir over medium heat until thoroughly heated.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! This was much more of a "shortcut" version of alfredo from what I normally make. In my opinion it wasn't as good as the homemade cream sauce I usually would make, but it was fast and simple, and that counts for something! My whole family liked it, so I could easily throw this into the rotation of meal planning.

Cranberry-Turkey Quesadillas

 From: Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2007 cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1 package burrito tortillas
• 3 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese (12 oz)
• 6 oz smoked cooked turkey, chopped
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to 400 degrees. On ungreased large cookie sheet, place 4 of the tortillas. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese over each tortilla. Top each evenly with turkey and cranberries. Sprinkle 1/4 cup remaining cheese over each. Top with remaining tortillas.

In small bowl, milk melted butter and parsley. Brush butter mixture over tops of filled tortillas. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges begin to turn light golden brown. Cut into wedges; serve warm.

Verdict: Thumbs up! Oh man... these were so tasty! What a great combination of flavors! What I did differently: Well, as I was typing this recipe up, I realized I never brushed the tops with the butter and parsley mixture! Hah! I'm sure that would have been good, but these were great anyway. I also made some of them with mozzarella cheese in case the Bible study girls didn't care for spicy foods.

Ranch Roll-Up Snacks

 From: Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2007 cookbook

Ingredients:

• 3oz cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz ranch sour cream
• 1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 4 slices precooked bacon, chopped
• 5 burrito tortillas

In small bowl with electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Beat in dip until well blended. Stir in broccoli, carrot, onion and bacon.

Spread mixture evenly onto each tortilla to edges. Roll up each; wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours before serving

To serve, cut each roll into 8 pieces.

Verdict: Thumbs up! Easy to make and these were so yummy to snack on!

What I did differently and what I would do in the future: I couldn't find ranch sour cream, so I bought sour cream and mixed in a packet of ranch dip mix. I would use less onion next time. I love onion but it was a little overwhelming at times with the slices being so small. I did find that the mixture was a little thin at first, so I added more broccoli and carrot until it thickened up some. 

Southwestern Layered Dip

 From: Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2007 cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1 16oz can vegetarian refried beans
• 4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 11oz mexican corn in a can with red and green peppers, drained
• 8oz sour cream
• 1 1-oz package taco seasoning mix
• 1/2 cup shredded taco cheese
• tortilla chips

In the bottom of a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, spread refried beans. Sprinkle three tablespoons of the cilantro over beans. Spoon corn evenly over cilantro. In a small bowl mix sour cream and taco seasoning mix. Spread over corn. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining one tablespoon cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

Verdict: Thumbs up! I have bought similar dips at the store that I liked, and this was super easy to put together! The biggest flaw is that it did not taste very good leftover for some reason!

What I did differently: I left out the cilantro because I was making it for Bible study and I knew there would be people who don't like cilantro. 

Spinach Dip Crisps

  From: Pillsbury Annual Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 box (9 oz) frozen spinach
• 24 wonton skins (from a 16-oz package)
• 1 can (7 oz) chopped green chiles
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup finely shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese blend

Verdict: Thumbs up! I really loved the flavor of these and the added texture of the crispy wontons!

What I did differently: I actually only used about half the can of chiles. I think that was plenty. There was a slight kick, but not too much! For my mayonnaise I used Chosen Foods mayo with avocado oil. It's completely sugar-free and is my favorite mayonnaise!

Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings

 From: The Novice Chef Blog

Ingredients:

• 2 large green apples
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 2 (8 oz) cans crescent rolls
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup Mountain Dew

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan (or extra large cast iron skillet) set aside. 
2. Core and slice apples into 8 even slices (16 slices total) and then peel the skin off the apples.
3. Sprinkle cinnamon (about 1 tablespoon) on top of all of the apples. Then roll one apple slice inside of each crescent roll piece.
4. Place in prepared pan, in two rows, leaving a little room between each dumpling. 
5. Then in a small pot bring the butter, remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon, granulated sugar and brown sugar to a boil. Once boiling, evenly pour over the crescent rolls.
6. Finally pour the Mountain Dew around just the edges of the pan.
7. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until bubbling and the dumplings are browned on top. 
8. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream and pour the extra sauce form the pan on top! 

Verdict: Thumbs up! We could eat these every day probably. They're SO easy to make, and will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth!

Creamy Potato Bake

 From: Southern Living cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1/2 package instant mashed potatoes (about 6 oz)
• 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped green onions
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• paprika

Prepare potatoes according to package, omitting butter. 

Add cream cheese and the butter, stirring to combine. 

Stir in egg, onions, and parsley. 

Spoon potatoes into a 1-quart baking dish that is greased. 

Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Verdict: Thumbs up! I know the picture isn't impressive, but this was really easy and flavorful! My whole family liked it. We don't ever have instant potatoes and they couldn't even tell that I used instant in this recipe!

Fresh Corn Chowder

 From: Joy of Cooking

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 medium celery stalks, diced

6 small ears of corn

4 1/2 cups milk

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Place the bacon in a soup pot and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until it releases all of its fat and is beginning to crisp, 10-15 minutes.

Leaving the bacon in the pan, spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Add the chopped onion and diced celery, and cook, stirring, until tender and slightly browned, 10-15 minutes.

Remove the kernels from the ears of corn. Reserve the kernels and add the cobs to the soup pot along with the milk and potatoes.

Push the corn cobs into the milk to fully submerge them. Bring the milk to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes. Remove the cobs. Stir in the reserved corn kernels along with the salt and pepper.

Simmer gently until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove 1 1/2 cups solids from the soup and puree until smooth. Return to the soup and add the butter. Let stand until the butter is melted, then stir. Ladle into warmed bowls.

Verdict: So easy, although it did take a bit more time than I thought it would because I didn't dice the potatoes very fine. A great comfort food!

Barley Soup with Sausages (Minestra d'Orzo)

 From: Joy of Cooking cookbook

Ingredients:

• 6 oz deeply smoked sausages
• 16 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 1/4 cups pearl barley
• 2 large bay leaves, crumbled
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 large head green cabbage, chopped
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large celery stalk with leaves, finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp tightly packed fresh parsley leaves, minced
• Two 3-inch sprigs fresh rosemary, or 2 tsp dried
• 3 Tbsp tightly packed fresh marjoram leaves, minced, or 1 Tbsp dried
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 red or white new potatoes, peeled and diced
• salt and pepper

In a medium skillet, or on a grill, brown the sausages until brown on all sides and heated through. Slice them thinly and place in a large soup pot along with the chicken stock, barley, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat in a large skillet over medium heat the olive oil. Add the cabbage. Cook, stirring, until the cabbage begins to color, 5-10 minutes. Add the onions, carrot, celery, parsley and rosemary. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are browned, 10-15 minutes.

Stir in the marjoram and garlic. Add 1 cup liquid from the soup pot and scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen any browned bits. Stir the contents of the skillet into the soup pot along with the potatoes. Cover and simmer gently until the barley is tender but not mushy and the potatoes are cooked but firm, about 30 minutes more.

If the soup is too thick, thin with water as needed. Season with salt and pepper if you like. Ladle into warmed bowls and you may also sprinkle each serving with shredded provolone or Montasio cheese.

Verdict: Delicious! Really easy to make. I used sausage that was a bit spicy which added to the flavor in my opinion!

Creamy Broccoli Bake

From: Betty Crocker's Creative Recipes with Bisquick

Verdict: Thumbs up! SO easy and the combination of flavors was perfection! My 10-year of nephew basically made this by himself with me handing him the ingredients. I did use fresh broccoli, and we didn't actually measure the cheese. I probably used more like 3/4 of a cup of cheese.